One of my favorite things to do is to cook for guys.  It is fun to prepare something hearty and flavorful, and watch it disappear with second helpings.  Recently, I had one of my husband’s friends over for dinner while his wife was out of town visiting her family.  DH and best car buddy had been tinkering with the LBC (little British car) pretty much all day.  So, it was only fitting to ask him to come over for a meal.

I had a turkey breast defrosted, and I wanted to do something special that the guys would ‘gobble’ up (yes, I know, but I couldn’t resist that one!)  I had put a similar topping on chicken before, so I took my basic recipe and added a bit of devilish heat.

I started with these ingredients. Oh, and please use real cheese, not the powdered stuff in the jar with the green lid – that stuff is only good for wallpaper paste or kindergarten art projects.

I like to brine the breast for an hour in salted water. It puts moisture in the meat and any blood will be removed.

Dry off the breast so the topping will adhere to the meat.

I mixed mayonnaise with Grey Poupon mustard, added some spices and real Parmesan cheese.

Spread it over the top of the turkey breast.

Sprinkle with seasoned panko bread crumbs.  Spray lightly with cooking spray.

Bake at 350 degrees for one hour, or until the temperature reaches 165 degrees.

Setting the table was simple, just make it guy friendly.  I used the half square triangle quilt as a tablecloth, with placemats on top. Some green plants in planters for the centerpiece to the side so the food would take center stage.  Not too much frufru, just a good meal. My big, brown, 20-inch square napkins were perfect.

The turkey was served with baked potatoes, garlic bread and a huge salad, full of lovely tidbits like avocado, fresh spinach, dried cranberries, tomatoes, Parmesan cheese and sunflower seeds. They dug in pretty quick, I had to snap a shot before it was all gone.

Moist and juicy with a crispy topping, this won’t last long at your house either.

 Panko Crusted Deviled Turkey Breast

1 3-4 pound split turkey breast
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Grey Poupon mustard
1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
1 teaspoon oregano leaves
1/4 cup (or about 4 oz) fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup seasoned Panko bread crumbs
no-stick spray

Wash turkey breast and place in a baking dish sprayed with no-stick spray. Combine mayonnaise and next six ingredients in a bowl, then spread mixture over the turkey breast. Top with Panko bread crumbs, and lightly spray with cooking spray. Bake one hour at 350 degrees, or until a thermometer reads 165 degrees. Let rest 5 minutes before carving. That is if the guys can stand it that long!

It would do well in smaller amounts on chicken breasts too, for a single serving, or for two.

Enjoy!

 

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