Yikes at first I though it was me who helped pick the menu...then I realized your son's name must be Chase! What fun for you to cook for them, great memories in the making.

Here are two recipes. Marilyn's uses a sauce, mine doesn't, but either one would make a nice dish. I like to serve Cordon Bleu with twice baked potatoes and a green veg, like green beans.

This recipe from Marilyn has gotten excellent reviews and is very easy.

Chicken Cordon Bleu - Marilyn

4 skinless boneless chicken breast
1 Cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
4 Slice Swiss cheese
4 Tbl butter
4 thin sliced smoked ham
1/2cup chicken broth
1/4 Cup all-purpose flour 1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 egg beaten
salt pepper & garlic powder

My note: flour and egg are missing from the ingredient list but are in the directions.

Pound chicken breast to 1/4-inch thickness. Sprinkle each piece on both sides with salt and pepper. Place 1 cheese slice and 1 ham slice on each breast. Roll up each breast using toothpicks to secure if necessary. Dredge each in flour, shake off excess, then in egg and finally in bread crumbs. Place seam side down in baking dish that has been sprayed with Pam. Place 1 tablespoon butter on each piece of chicken. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes until juices run clear. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, reduce broth by half over medium heat; add cream and simmer over low heat until thickened; season to taste with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Pour over chicken.

Mine calls for browning in a saute pan first and then finishing in the oven.

Chicken Cordon Bleu (Mine)

4 Skinless Boneless Chicken breasts
Dijon mustard
4 thin slices Of top quality cooked ham or prosciutto
4 thin Slices Of Gruyere or Swiss Cheese
1/2 Cup flour
Salt and pepper
1 Cup bread crumbs
2 eggs
1/4 Cup milk
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 350. Gently pound the breast to 1/4 inch thick. Spread Dijon mustard over each breast. Top each breast with a slice of cheese and a slice of ham, spread ham with a bit more mustard. Fold the chicken breast in half and secure with a toothpick (or you can lay~another breast on top and secure with tooth picks) Season the flour with salt and pepper. Lightly beat the milk and eggs. Place the flour on one dish, egg on another and breadcrumbs on a third. Coat the chicken with flour, then dip in the egg mixture, then in the bread crumbs. Heat saute pan on medium high, add olive oil, lower heat to medium. Gently brown the chicken breast on both sides. When golden place in oven and cook until done, about 20 minutes.

The chef at a restaurant I used to work for used to slice his Cordon Bleu (after cooking!)and spread the slices just a little to the side, fanning them out on the plate a bit. Then, he poured a Mornay sauce over the slices, which is basically a Swiss Cheese Béchamel.

In terms of richness, it was like adding insult to injury to top a Cordon Bleu with cheese and cream, but yummmmmy!

Here's a link to a Mornay sauce that looks about right:

http://www.cooksrecipes.com/sauce/mornay-sauce-recipe.html

I make mine like Marilyn's. For adults I reduce dry vermouth to flavor the sauce in lieu of broth. Often I add sauteed sliced mushrooms.

However one day I was out of any white wine so used a Knorr-Swiss Bernaise Sauce packet. Love it with or without the addition of sauteed mushrooms. And the butter can be reduced by half for the calorie conscious.

Thanks for all of the help.
Chase, you must have read my mind. My menu is chicken cordon bleu, twiced baked potato, and green beans almondine. We are also having shrimp cocktail, a lettuce salad, and chocolate raspberry cake.

Thanks again for the help.

Gail

I use Marilyn's recipe, too. It is so easy and delicious!

Sounds like a great menu, Gail!

Linda

Well in your original post you did say "Chase helped pick the menu..." ! LOL