Possibly this is the recipe you mean, Linda............... Lori's Chicken Strudel 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced 3 chicken breast halves, boned, skinned and thinly sliced 3/4 cup water 1/2 teaspoon salt pinch of pepper 1/2 bay leaf 2 tablespoons minced onions 1/4 cup vermouth or dry white wine 4 tablespoons butter 1/3 cup flour 1/4 cup milk 2 egg yolks 1/2 cup whipping cream 1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese 1 tablespoon pimiento 1/4 cup chopped parsley 1/2 pound phyllo dough leaves 1/2 cup butter, melted 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs In a saucepan, place mushrooms, chicken, water, salt, pepper, bay leaf and onions. Bring to a boil, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove mushrooms and meat with a slotted spoon and place in bowl. Boil down the cooking liquid to 1/2 cup. Remove from heat, add wine, and set aside. In a separate saucepan, melt butter, add flour, and stir constantly over medium heat for 2 minutes. Slowly add cooking liquid and milk; stir with a wire whisk until thick and smooth. Remove from heat. Slowly stir in egg yolks, whipping cream and cheese. Add chopped pimiento and parsley. Then add chicken and mushrooms, stir well and correct seasoning. On a dry kitchen towel, lay 1 phyllo sheet, brush lightly with melted butter, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon dry bread crumbs, top with another phyllo sheet, brush again with melted butter and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Repeat until 1/2 pound phyllo leaves are used. Pour chicken mixture in a band lengthwise down center of prepared phyllo sheets. Roll sheets up as you would a jelly roll. Carefully transfer roll to a greased baking sheet, seam side down, and brush top with remaming melted butter. With a sharp knife (a bread knife works well here) divide roll into 6 or 8 portions*, cutting halfway to two-thirds through the roll. Bake at 375 F. for 35 minutes until golden. Lori

Almost as interesting a discussion as which came first - the chicken or the egg? I still get farm fresh chicken$, and also purchase commercial chicken because the price is much lower. I also like the convenience of chicken breast tenderloins or cutlets. There IS a huge difference in flavor, texture and the "guck" factor. The "guck" factor may have to do with the fact commercial chicken is frozen and thawed before we get it, and it's been shot full of water/chemicals/salt that affect the meat. I re-read "On Food and Cooking" by Harold McGee recently and noted how much bacteria is associated with the skin on poultry, while muscle meat of other animals is relatively low. "Bacteria and molds break down the surface layer of meat by digesting the proteins and carbohydrates into a liquefied film, producing hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and ammonia gasses in the process". That might be the "guck". Growing up, those freshly slaughtered hens were quickly processed and slapped into the frying pan, roaster, or soup kettle. It wasn't until the late 1960's that we had a stand-alone freezer large enough to store meat. The 1951 refrigerator had a freezer about 12-inches square. Because of quick processing at home, the bacteria and molds on the skin hadn't had much time to "guck" things up. I remember dad didn't even like the frozen chickens as well, so think of the flavor/texture changes with commercially prepared chickens. The skin was removed in processing because of the fat content, as Nancy noted. I also think if the skin was removed, they could process poultry faster. I also bet it was a move associated with the fact the post baby-boomer era consumers didn't know how to cut-up a chicken and the market for chicken fell. Hamburger is just the perfect Q & E food. First came the cut-up whole chicken - I remember being a 9 or 10-year old wielding a butcher knife to cut-up a chicken at home. We would NEVER have purchased one that was already cut-up. Eventually, the general public had more money to pay for the "prime" pieces - all those skinless, boneless chicken breast pieces individually frozen in a jumbo-size bag. Then people learned to spell CHOLESTEROL in the 80's and the low-fat move of the 1990's... As we became a richer nation, we've always had more food choices to go along with it, not fewer. With each additional process, it's cost the consumer more. Marketing 101... In 1959 the choice was a whole chicken - period! I can still go to the grocery store where my parents got their groceries in the 1950's. It's about the size of a convenience store. There's probably more space on the pet isle and the cereal isle in most stores now. -Grainlady

I poach chicken breasts for salad. Poach is a very slow simmer.I put some water....what looks like enough to cover the bricken into a pot with a lid, add some onion...a slice for just a small but of chicken, a bit of celery, the leaves are OK...no need to chop, a whole clove of garlic...2 if I have a lot of chicken to cook, and some parsley...if I have another use for the ruffley part I will just use the stems, and something acid...maybe a wedge of lemon, a splash of dry wine, a spoon of vinegar... a bit of salt...pepper. Bring to a boil and boil for a bit....5 minutes if you are in a hurry, 20 minutes if the phone rings! Turn the fire off and add the chicken, turn the heat back on and keep at a slow simmer until its' done...depends on the amount of chicken you are cooking but 12 to 15 minutes is about right. Cut into the chicken to see when it's done....don't over cook. Remove chicken from broth, strain and save the broth for other uses....you may want to reduce it a bit. Or just poach the chicken in white wine. That was my father's secret recipe! He would pack chicken breasts,with the skin, into a heavy pot, cover with Virginia Dare white wine...sweet, icky, fruity....and slowly simmer until the chicken was done....then he would brown the chicken in a bit of butter, reduce down the cooking liquid add fruit....think it was pineapple maybe canned peaches, I forget, and thicken with cornstarch and serve over the chicken! LOL! I forgot about that! Linda C

With that quantity of chicken, I'd do a little bit of everything! Freeze some on cookie sheets and then bag to use whole (grilled or for sandwiches or something). Some, I'd bag with italian salad dressing (or any other marinade) which you can then defrost and grill or broil for a quick dinner. For cooked, cubed chicken, here are a few things I'd make: - chicken salad - chef salad - stir-fry - chicken broccoli casserole (layer cubed, cooked chicken, fresh blanched broccoli, or use frozen, pepperidge farm stuffing in a 13x9 pan. Mix together 16 oz. sour cream, 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1/2 c. milk and pour over the stuffing. Bake at 350 until heated through, about 30 min) - homemade chicken soup - chicken tacos (use a packet of taco seasoning as directed on package, refried beans, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and your choice of soft tortillas or crunchy taco shells) - chicken fajitas (packet of fajita mix, sliced green and red bell peppers, sliced onions, serve with soft flour tortillas, salsa and quacamole) - Chicken Cordon Bleu - pound to about 1/4" thick and roll with a slice of ham and swiss cheese. When ready to cook, defrost, dip in egg and bread crumbs, bake at 350 about 40 min. Can serve with a white sauce such as hollandaise if desired.