Chicken Cordon Bleu

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 slices thinly sliced ham (GOOD quality)
6 1/8-inch thick slices swiss cheese, the size of a credit card-ish
2 eggs
2 c. bread crumbs

Sauce
1 clove garlic
1/2 onion
2 c. heavy cream

Butterfly each breast and pound to 1/4-inch thick. Salt and pepper liberally. Place one slice of ham and swiss cheese on one end of the breast and roll it up as tightly as you can. Put each roll on a big piece of saran wrap and wrap it tightly. Refrigerate the chicken rolls for at least 5 hours or overnight.

When you're ready to cook them, preheat the oven to 350. Heat some olive oil and a big chunk of butter in a saute pan. Don't be afraid to put a good sloshing of oil/butter in there. Heat to medium or medium high (or when a little bit of bread crumbs sizzles when it hits the pan). Beat the eggs in a bowl and add a little water to thin it out. Unwrap each roll, dunk in the beaten eggs, then coat with bread crumbs. Saute the rolls on each side until golden and crisp, maybe 3 rolls at a time. (Don't crowd the pan.) Aim to brown the bread crumbs but don't try to cook the chicken all the way through.

Transfer the rolls to a baking dish, season with salt and pepper, and cover. Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes.

Meanwhile, dice the onion and garlic very finely (or do it the day before). Dump them in a saucepan with the heavy cream and bring to a boil. Salt and pepper to taste. Let it simmer on the stove for at least 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. I do this part right after I put the chicken in the oven and it hangs out on my stove till we're ready to eat.

Serve the chicken with some of the sauce poured on top; put the rest of the sauce in a gravy bowl to serve at the table.

What to serve with it: I make big potato wedges (tossed in olive oil and baked at 350 for 45 minutes) to have with it--they're really good dipped in the cream sauce! And I make a big green salad as the other side and call it good.

Submitted by Sylvia: I guess it's not the fastest recipe but I'm always looking for dishes to serve to the missionaries (or other company) that don't involve me standing over the stove at the last second, all stressed and sweating and not being able to play hostess. Practically this whole meal can be made the day beforehand, and the hour before your guests arrive, everything's baking peacefully in the oven.