Chicken Cordon Bleu with White Wine Sauce

4 chicken breasts
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
4 slices ham
4 slices provolone
1 egg
1 tsp water
1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
1/2 cup Dry White Wine
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 cup Heavy cream
1 tsp Chicken broth granules

Preparation:

Pound out the chicken breasts to approximately 1/2" thick, so that it can be rolled.  Season both sides with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.  Place 1 slice of Ham and 1 slice of Provolone on each breast and roll so that the the Ham and Provolone cheese are enclosed in the seam.  Close with a toothpick.

In a separate shallow bowl or pie plate make an egg wash with the egg and tsp water and place the bread crumbs in a separate dish.  Take each chicken breast and roll in the egg wash and then in the breadcrumbs and place onto a plate.

Heat the oven to 400 degrees and while that is preheating, heat a medium sized saute pan set at medium heat with the EVOO and butter.  Saute the chicken breasts for approximately 10 minutes rotating so that each side gets browned.  Remove breasts to a baking sheet and finish cooking for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and juices run clear.

While the chicken is baking add the white wine, cornstarch, heavy cream and chicken broth granules to the pan that you browned the chicken in.  Whisk for several minutes to all the flavors to marry together and the sauce to thicken.  Pour sauce over the breasts and served with your vegetable of choice.

Bon Apetite

The Crone

While contemplating what I would post for my first Pagan Blog Project post I thought about what is going on in my life and I thought of the Crone. I’ve been going through many changes in my life and one of them is being premenopausal.  I feel as though I’m teetering on that rope between Maiden and Crone, not yet menopausal, but no longer able to bear children as I no longer ovulate.  I find myself wondering where I am and who I am at this time.  

The Crone; for some the picture of an old hag at her cauldron may come to mind and this is probably the most enduring image of the Wise Woman and a remnant of a time when women were the healers of their communities.  These Wise Women were shamans, witches, midwives, medicine women and priestesses of the Goddess.

                                                 

The Crone is a symbol of wisdom.  She has lived through so much in her life, love, sorrow, hope, fear and happiness and through all of these experiences she has been molded into the strong, confident spirit she is.  She has learned the secrets of life and death and of the mysteries beyond this world.  She has watched those that she loved and cared for make the journey to the Summerlands before her and through her mourning she faces death, grows to understand it and become the gatekeeper between worlds.

The Crone is full of power.  Even though her body is no longer fertile, her mind is as sharp and able as ever.  Her power comes from within as she no longer bleeds, owning it without shame or fear.  She is a healer, in tune with Nature working with the elements to cure ailments and guide those ready to leave or enter this world.  She is selfless, yet she loves herself.  She is kind, yet she knows when to be harsh.  She is our elder, our Grandmother whose words are few yet full of wisdom and knowledge.

The Crone has often been thought of as something to be feared as she is a representation of death and its mysteries.  For so many, things unknown are feared and so we should work toward knowing the Crone and understanding her wisdom.  Surrender your fear and embrace her. 

She is associated with the element of water and the direction of west – land of the dead.  She is the mysterious old woman who possesses the knowledge of all worlds.