A Blast from the Past! 1974 Pillsbury Bake-Off Grand Prize Winner!

Ingredients

3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon butter, softened
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon chopped pimientos
1 can refrigerated crescent rolls
1 tablespoon butter, melted
3/4 cup seasoned croutons, crushed

Instructions

Heat oven to 350°.  In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese and 1 tablespoon softened butter; beat until smooth.  Add chicken, chives, salt, pepper, milk and pimientos and mix well.

Separate dough into 4 rectangles, firmly pressing diagonal perforations to seal.  Spoon 1/2 cup chicken mixture onto center of each rectangle.  Pull 4 corners of dough to center of chicken mixture; twist firmly.  Pinch edges to seal.

Place packets on ungreased cookie sheet.  Brush tops of packets with 1 tablespoon melted butter; sprinkle with crushed croutons.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Ingredients

1 sheet puff pastry
4 small boneless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons butter
10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon roasted garlic
1 egg, beaten with water

Instructions

Toast pine nuts and roast garlic in advance.

Thaw pastry 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375.

In medium skillet, brown chicken breasts in butter; set aside.

In medium bowl, combine spinach, cream cheese, Parmesan, pine nuts, basil and garlic.

Cut pastry sheet lengthwise and crosswise into four rectangles.  One section at a time, roll out to form a 7″ square.  Spoon one quarter of the spinach mixture onto the pastry square and place a chicken breast on top.  Wrap pastry to enclose chicken.  Place seam side down on a lightly greased baking sheet.  Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with additional Parmesan if desired.

Bake 20 minutes until puffed and golden.

Ingredients

1 pound ground sweet Italian sausage (if you purchase links, squeeze the sausage out of the casings and then brown)
26 ounces basil-flavored pasta sauce
1/2 cup water
8 lasagna noodles
1 large egg, beaten
15 ounces ricotta cheese
1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
8 slices mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Additional sauce, if desired

Instructions

Brown sausage until well cooked.  Drain off fat.

In a large bowl, combine spaghetti sauce and water.  Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce in a lightly greased 11 x 7-inch baking dish.  Arrange 4 uncooked lasagna noodles on sauce.  In a medium bowl, combine the beaten egg, riccota cheese, spinach and pepper; Mix until smooth and well combined.  Spread one-half of ricotta mixture evenly over noodles.  Then continue layers with half each of mozzarella cheese, remaining sauce, and sausage.  Repeat layers.

Cover tightly with non-stick aluminum foil and bake at 350 for 50 minutes.  Remove foil and bake, uncovered, an additional 10 minutes.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

If desired, heat additional sauce and pass when serving.