Ever started making a meal and knew you were doomed at the start?

I have many times and tonight was one of those times. I spent the afternoon at a park with the girl's and a friend of ours and her children. It was hot (85 but I really hate to complain) and it is December! I left my Mom at home so she could putz around and be alone in the house for a change. Sadly my sister, her husband and the 2 dogs left today...I hate when she leaves! But on a plus side my Mom got my tree taken down and all of the ornaments and lights all put away...thanks a million Mom!!! But now I had to get started on dinner.

Anyway on with my tale of woe. I had planned on trying Paula Deen's recipe called Paula's Baked Ham and Cheese Chicken. I had the chicken breasts out and then I read the recipe. I was missing some of the stuff but I thought I could just muddle my way through. I ran out of Parmesan cheese but I also had decided that instead of the bread crumbs with Greek Seasoning I was going to use Italian seasoned crumbs with Romano Cheese instead. I also didn't have any sliced ham. Here's a no brainer...I had Prosciutto Ham and Honey Baked Ham. Which would you have used? I use about $15 worth of finely shaved prosciutto and you can bet that really ticked T. off!!! Oh yeah and I didn't have any fresh parsley. I guess going into any new recipe with only half of the called for ingredients might doom you!

Now the recipe also called for you to cook the chicken after the flour, egg wash and breading in olive oil on medium high heat. Now you half to remember I was at the park for about 2 hours today baking my brain. I put the skillet on medium high heat and let that olive oil heat on up. I put 2 of the breast in the pan and realized that even though I had used the biggest skillet that I had there was no way that I was going to be able to fit all of these mammoth chicken breasts. How could I have not noticed how incredibly freakin' huge these things were???!!! I quickly heated up another skillet with more olive oil on medium high heat. By the way in case you haven't gotten it already, medium high is way to high to cook these great, big, humongous chicken breasts!!!

The chicken was getting really nice and dark on the outside but there is no way it could have been cooked in the middle but without really thinking it through I guess I kind of figured that it would cook in the oven that I should have preheated...but to what temperature I then realized. The cursed recipe didn't call for a temp.??? I put it on 350 and figured that slow and steady might just work. I topped the now very darkly browned chicken breasts with the proscuitto and the mozzarella cheese and shoved it in. Well it was starting to cook real nice the top was starting to nicely brown but I thought I had better temp. them. The things were only to a low 120!!! Popped them out of the oven and into the microwave. Yes, that was the worst possible thing that I could have done to these things. Anyway did we eat them? Oh yeah. I was really hungry and so were the girls. T. nibbled at it and my Mom only ate the chicken not the chewy burnt crap on top...yes you remember the $15 worth of prosciutto on top!

Would I try this again? I would because the flavor was really good and despite what I did to them the chicken still stayed nice and moist. I might try having most of the ingredients on hand when I start this next time though!

Where are the pictures? Not this one guys. It really looked bad by the time it hit the table!!! On the recipe link above there is a picture of what it is suppose to look like.

To end the meal from He** we were going to finish off the apple pie from Christmas Day...guess again. It was moldy. Should that have surprised me?

As Always...

Happy Entertaining!!!

Judy
www.nofearentertaining.com