FARGO — I was in southwest Florida visiting my parents for the past two weeks and arrived home late Sunday night. Unfortunately, due to flight delays, I was unable to produce a photoshoot in time for my deadline to submit this week’s column. As a result, my newest recipe for a savory and delicious Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole will have to make its debut another week. But, I promise, it will be worth the wait.
My folks live in Florida full time now and no longer travel, so I only get to see them once or twice a year. While most people visit Florida to relax on a beach and soak in the sunshine, my joy is to make sure their freezer is full of delicious goodies before I leave.
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This trip’s bounty included 18 Mixed Berry Galettes , 12 Savory Salmon Cakes , six Classic Ham Quiches , three disks of my All-Butter Pie Crust dough , two Scandinavian Almond Cakes , one Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole, and several dozen each of my Homemade Crescent Rolls , Cowboy Cookies , Coconut Macaroons and Italian Butter Cookies .
An amazing cook in her own right, my mother is no longer as active as she once was in the kitchen. Knowing that I can help her out on this front, even when I am away, is a good feeling. I am a redhead and not particularly inclined to linger in the sunshine, plus the weather was unseasonably cool during much of my visit, so I was happy to be inside. I spent much of my visit cooking with my mother in between ukulele lessons with my (very musical) dad.
One of the last items I made for them before I left was the Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole I mentioned earlier. I made two smaller casseroles for them, so that we could enjoy one together and pop the other one in the freezer for later. We had a little dinner party with their neighbor on the evening before I departed, and they loved the casserole just as much as Tony did when I was developing this recipe last fall. I look forward to sharing it here with you soon.
In the meantime, if you are seeking inspiration for the Super Bowl or Valentine’s Day, be sure to check out my Recipe Time Capsule at the end of this article. This week’s capsule is full of great recipes for both occasions, including several favorite seafood dishes from Sarello’s (our former restaurant) and a football-shaped cheeseball appetizer. You can also find curated menus with downloadable recipe packets for Valentine’s Day on my website at sarahnasello.com .
P.S. If you are searching for date ideas for Valentine’s Day, a little birdie has informed me that Tony and his team at the Fargo Hilton Garden Inn have put together a terrific dinner menu featuring several of his signature recipes, including Chilean sea bass, lobster ravioli and Sicily chicken. You can find the menu and reservation information on their Facebook and Instagram pages. I have even heard a rumor that he will be helping in the kitchen. If my date were not working for the occasion, this is where I would be (LOL)!
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