Charles and Camilla are bickering just a bit these days – I guess the strain of planning the wedding is getting to everyone. There are just so many avenues for making social gaffes. Did you know that Kate ate some pâté de foie gras a few weeks ago, when Charles has strictly forbidden it from Palace menus? Heavens to Betsy!  (Charles has privately confided to me that he misses the good old days when the Palace would serve Veal Cordon Bleu and Veal Scallopini, but he must be firm in his stance…) Camilla is quite sure that we have done Chicken Cordon Bleu for Food Friday before, but Charles insisted that he needed to prepare this dish this weekend. He needs the exercise and we all know how much he likes to pound the chicken before rolling it in the breadcrumbs.  I had best be sure we have enough Champagne for extra rounds of French 75s.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a baking dish with a little olive oil or butter.

Pound chicken breast to ¼ inch – or let Charles do it for you.

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Place one slice of Jarlsberg cheese and 1 slice of baked Virgina ham on top of each breast. Ignore Charles’ giggles. Roll up each breast, roll them through a dish of Panko bread crumbs and secure with a toothpick. Place in the baking dish and scatter more breadcrumbs with lively abandon.

Bake the chicken for about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven, and place a half slice of Jarlsberg on top of each breast. Return to the oven and bake for 3 to 5 minutes, until the cheese has melted. Be sure to remove the toothpicks! Serve with rice, salad and more Champagne.

"Love, like chicken salad a restaurant has, must be taken with blind faith or it loses its flavor."
- Helen Rowland