Vital Vittles: Part 2.

Valentine's Day.  Aimee and I have decided to keep it small this year and do a few different activities over the span of a few days around the 14th.  Saturday, we went to a class in Lancaster to learn the secrets of making the perfect Whoopie pie.  Tomorrow we're going to a the soft opening at a new, local farm-to-fork restaurant (I can't wait and I'll be sure to write about it), but tonight I made dinner for the two of us.

I have been waiting to make a certain Tyler Florence version of Chicken Cordon Bleu, so I did.  I had never made this dish before, but I have been a fan of eating it for quite some time.  It's a fairly easy meal to prepare, but a bit time consuming.  This can be a very basic entree, but Tyler's interpretation utilizes some of the best ingredients available to spruce up the classic dish.  Truly high-quality ingredients can take any old meal to another level.

I pounded out a few organic chicken breasts to be very thin, layered on some prosciutto di parma, and sprinkled a healthy dose of freshly shredded Gruyere on top.  Once rolled up tight, the roulades get coated with some flour, egg, and whole wheat bread crumbs.  Bake for about 30 minutes at 350.  Done!

Some simple swaps for better ingredients can really transform a classic

We loved it.  The prosciutto was a fantastic substitute for the usual ham, and I'll take Gruyere over Swiss any day.  Give it a try!  The side was a simple favorite in the Reif house, blanched, organic green beans with sauteed shallot.  Who knew making such an easy dish could look and taste this good.