Chicken Cordon Bleu on the Grill

Chicken Cordon Bleu with Portabella Sauce

With Roasted

Yellow Squash, Onions and Red Peppers

Boneless Chicken Breasts

Tillamook Swiss Cheese Slices

Black Forest ham

Salt and Pepper

Sliced Baby Portabellas

½ chopped onion

4 chopped cloves garlic

1 cup of white wine

1 cup chicken stock

Yellow Squash

Red Onion

Red Bell peppers

To make the chicken, cut a pocket in the narrow end of the breast without cutting through the sides.  Stuff the pocket with small pieces of cheese and ham, closing the end with a toothpick.  Grill on a hot surface to protect juices.  Slice the portabellas, onion, and garlic and sauté them in olive oil until glazed, then pour in the stock and wine and let simmer.  Simply slice the squash, onions, and peppers and place them on a cookie sheet.  Salt and pepper to taste and brush with a light coating of olive oil.  Cook them in a 400 degree oven uncovered until tender.  I like this dish served with cornbread stuffing or mashed potatoes. 

Denver Fly Fishing Show.....One of the Best Ever

We just returned from the Denver Fly Fishing Show and I can honestly say that except for the Sunday snow day, it was one of the best crowds ever.  Larry, Taylor and I have full houses in our destination presentations as well as our seminars.  People spent money, booked trips and seemed to have a great time.  It's always hard to say what bearing economic conditions have on shows like this, but from what I saw, folks are tired of being down and out and want to get outside and fish.  Granted, unfortunately lots of people are still out of work, but this crowd seemed to reject that as an issue.  I talked to folks who hadn't worked in over a year, but they scraped up the entry ticket and came to enjoy the seminars and talk about fly fishing.  The ones who did have jobs spent money.  I am not an economist and don't really know what to make of the deal, but all I know is that even the people without work were happy and that says a lot for our sport.  I have used fly fishing to get through all kinds of speed bumps in my life and I think we are all doing just that.  Rivers and fish are an indication that God gives us much more than money to make our lives worth living......perhaps doing without so much cash helps us understand that even more.  The old year is over and spring is right around the corner.  Stoneflies in the Arkansas will begin molting in 5 or 6 weeks.  That should give me time to get a few nymphs tied up if I don't procrastinate too much.  If I do procrastinate and drink too much single malt, I'll just depend on my Gonzo Compadre, Larry Kingrey to tie some for me.  They'd be 10 times better than mine anyway.  Thank God he works for food  (and drink).