Closing Out 2010

Good evening everyone! What an unbelievable day here in the greater Des Moines metro! At one point today, West Des Moines was 10 degrees warmer than Scottsdale Arizona. I'll let that sink in for a minute. Iowa. In December. 10 Degrees. WARMER than Scottsdale Arizona. That is simply unheard of! Needless to say, all of our snow has melted, and it feel a lot like spring right now. Of course, this is simply a ruse, and old man winter is still planning to bear down upon us with his frosty power - and from the sound of things, that frost power makes its first appearance tomorrow. (Freezing rain, snow and a general 'yucky' outlook is all we have to look forward to for tomorrow's forecast). Impending ice storm aside, it's great to enjoy an (unseasonably) warm day every once in a long while.

This beautiful day was a great way to slowly wind down 2010. We're winding down our 2010 cooking 'season' on the blog tonight, with a very unique dish. I'll turn the keyboard over to Maggie so she can share the dish that we're closing down 2010 with:

The Recipe: Swiss Chicken Bundles
Original Recipe Found In: Taste Of Home December/January 2010

What You'll Need:

1 Small Onion (Finely Chopped)
1/2 Cup Sliced Fresh Mushrooms
1 1/2 Teaspoons Butter
1 Garlic Clove (Minced)
1 Cup Cubed Chicken Breast (Cooked)
1/2 Cup Chopped Roasted Sweet Red Peppers
1 Tablespoon Honey Mustard
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Lemon Pepper Seasoning
1/4 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning
2 Cups (8 Oz.) Shredded Swiss Cheese
12 Frozen Dough Dinner Rolls (Thawed)
2 Tablespoons Butter (Melted)

Good evening everyone!  It is rather weird to say the "last blog of 2010", but it is quite amazing that we've been doing a blog for seven months and have been rather successful at it.  All "closings" aside, I wanted to close out with a bang, and this dish was definitely it.  So much so, that my gall bladder/stomach is a little apprehensive after eating this dish (even though I was advised to have a "bland diet" - which I was rather upset about.)  But it's the good bang, and not a spicy, fire-in-the hole bang.  


To start, saute the onion and mushrooms in butter in a large skillet.  If you chop the onions in a food processor, like I did, there's a fine line between chopped and something that resembles sauerkraut.  Be sure to know that line, because it will look like sauerkraut in the skillet (speaking from experience there).  After this is tender, add the garlic and cook for a minute longer.  Add the cooked chicken, peppers, mustard, and seasonings; stir and heat through, three to four minutes.  Remove from heat.  At this point, you can add the cheese, but I figure that the mixture just got off the heat and the cheese will melt right away, so I held off on adding the cheese until later.

Flatten the rolls until they are five inch circles.  Depending on how frozen the dinner rolls are will depend on how big the circles will get.  Don't be afraid to get a little aggressive with it, or else they will turn out to be small circles.  Sprinkle the cheese inside the flattened rolls, spoon the chicken mixture on top of the cheese, and add more cheese on top.  Brush the edges of the rolls with water and top with remaining rolls.  Press the edges with a fork to seal.

Place the bundles on a greased baking sheet and brush with butter.  Cook in a 350 degree oven for 18-22 minutes (I cooked for 20) or until golden brown.  Cut the bundles in half.  Serve with marinara sauce, ranch dressing, or by themselves and enjoy!


The End Result:

As I previously mentioned, these little bundles packed a mighty seasoned pow but it really complemented the dish well.  Inside these neatly compact rolls, lies a completely unique and flavorful dish.  I would definitely recommend some sort of dipping sauce, if you're not a fan of dry dishes.  All in all, it was something completely different and definitely worth a revisit, trying a different meat/cheese/seasonings.




Thanks Maggie. And with that, ladies and gentlemen, we bring the 2010 season of Out Of The Culinary to a close. Fear not, loyal reader, for 2011 is just around the corner and your favorite food bloggers will be back and better than ever! (More specifically, we're back on Monday!)

Here's hoping everyone has a safe and enjoyable New Year's celebration. 2010 was a banner year for Maggie and I. We got married, started to learn to cook, started a blog, made a cookbook - 2011 (which is still odd to type by the way) has a lot to live up to.

Speaking of cookbook - what better way to start the new year than by purchasing your very own copy of the Out Of The Culinary Cookbook? Packed with fantastic, proven recipes accompanied by full color photos - the Out Of The Culinary Cookbook is the best way to start 2011. Buy your copy today through the link on the right hand side of the blog or by visiting our Blurb bookstore.

Until Monday - Happy New Year, and as always

~Cheers