– An Easy Spread –

Real Men Cook

I’m a dude. I like to go skateboarding, work out, wrestle bears and drink cheap beer. However, I also like to cook. I recently read an article on ArtofManliness.com that laments the long-lost masculine art of cooking. Most guys in my generation argue that cooking is for the ladies, and cringe in disgust at terms like “EVOO” and “pinch of rosemary.” But, fellas, it’s time to take back the kitchen. Real men cook.

With the ever-looming threat of Valentine’s Day hanging over my head last week, I wracked my brain to think of a great dish to make for the girlfriend. As I was wandering aimlessly around the isles of my local Shoppers Food Warehouse, I spotted some key ingredients and put together what I’ll call Bleu Valentine Chicken. Guys, if you really want to impress your girl, follow my lead on this one and invite her over for a home-cooked meal. And maybe do some push-ups before she arrives.

Remember, fresher is better. Get some fresh broccoli, zucchini, and bell peppers. Make sure you have a few cloves of garlic, too. This covers your side dish. For the main course, all you’ll need is some boneless skinless chicken breast, an egg and some olive oil, whole wheat flour, and bleu cheese crumbles.

First, you’ll want to butterfly the chicken breast. To do this, get a sharp knife and turn on some Frank Sinatra. Lay the breast flat on a cutting board and slowly make an incision on the thicker side of the meat, parallel to the cutting board. Work the knife about two-thirds into the breast so that it opens up like a book. Do this to three or four breasts.

Once you’ve butterflied, open up those hunks of chicken like you would a book and stuff the insides with generous amounts of bleu cheese crumbles. In a bowl, crack open an egg and stir in some olive oil. Close the breasts back up over the cheese and coat them with your mixture of egg and olive oil. You can either do this with a brush or by simply dipping the chicken in the bowl.

Once you’ve coated your cheesy chicken breasts, sprinkle the whole wheat flour on those suckers. Make sure you cover every inch of the meat. You can mix in some spices with the flour if you’re feeling inventive. Now comes the tricky part…

You’re going to want to brown the breasts just a bit. Pour some olive oil in a sauté pan and heat it up to a near boil. Place each piece of chicken in the oil for only a minute or two. Be sure to flip it halfway through so that you get a crisp, golden brown on each side. You don’t want to actually cook the chicken at this stage—you’re just browning the outside without burning it. Then, once you’ve done this, place your chicken on a baking tray and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. This will cook the meat all the way through and melt that cheesy goodness in the middle.

While the chicken is in the oven, you can start on those veggies. Cut up the broccoli, peppers and zucchini. Place them all in a pan and add some minced garlic. Then sprinkle in a little bit of salt. Coarse Kosher salt works the best, but table salt will do. Add a little bit of olive oil and white wine if you have any. Cover the concoction and let it simmer on low heat until the chicken is done.

Once everything has finished cooking, you’re ready to serve. If you really want to seal the deal, cover the table in rose petals and pour a nice glass of Shiraz for yourself and your date. Place one cheese-filled breast in the middle of the plate and dump the vegetables in a circle around it. Garnish with whatever you’d like and enjoy! Once your date has left for the evening, feel free to grunt a manly grunt and beat your hairy chest at your masculine accomplishment. Then get to cleaning. Remember, real men cook. Real men also have to clean.

Written by guest writer and heartthrob Josh Miller. Leave him some love in the comments section.