Chicken Croissant Squares

Chicken Croissant Squares

I chose to cook "Chicken Croissant Squares" as my family recipe because they're a go-to favorite in our house. They're nothing fancy, but they're crowd-pleasers! My siblings and are I always asking my mom to make these for us, and they've also been requested by many family friends, and for quite a few birthday dinners at our house. As you can see, the recipe--which is in a decade-old homemade cookbook from my mom's babysitting co-op--is rather well-worn...

 

We went shopping for supplies, and I bought everything I needed (except croutons, because I knew I wouldn't use them again - so I bought crackers instead, planning to crush them and use them in place of crushed croutons). I would usually use cooked chicken, but in the interest of time and limited college supplies/funds, I (regrettably) went for the canned this time.

I got started on the recipe by preheating the oven and blending the cream cheese and butter. Then, I got out the chicken. However, to my dismay, a can opener was nowhere to be found! I was kicking myself because I almost brought my can opener from the dorm, but at the last minute decided I wouldn't need it! We scrounged around in drawers for a can opener of any kind, but to no avail. After emptying at least two utensil drawers and scouring the pantry as well, it became obvious that we were going to have to go with a plan b. 

Our first attempt at resolving the issue was watching some YouTube videos that claimed "How to Open a Can with Just a Spoon Easily!"... not so easy. I tried the spoon method with no luck, and returned to digging around in the pantry. I did not find a can opener, but I found something else that I thought might work.

I grabbed the screwdriver and hammer, and started working on the can with the tools! I was not strong enough, but fortunately Jose was able to break the metal seal while I held the can in place. It took a lot of effort to get it open, but I finally was able to rinse, drain, and scoop out the chicken. It wasn't pretty:

Note to self: the can opener was one of the greatest inventions of all time.

Once I finally made it past the can-opening snafu, I could mix the rest of the ingredients with ease, seasoning to taste. That's another great thing about this recipe - the filling is super tasty by itself! 

I laid out the four rectangles of dough, spooning an adequate amount of filling into each and wrapping them up into neat little pockets. I brushed the top with a little butter, and used the breadcrumbs we found in the pantry on top. I put them in the oven for about 20 minutes, and they came out perfectly golden-brown! 

I thought they turned out tasty! Even though it isn't at all the most complicated of recipes, it definitely produces one of my favorite comfort foods. It was the best taste of home I'd had since I left, and it reminded me of being with my family! The recipe was a success, and was the perfect reminder of my family's everyday cooking. But next time I will certainly remember to bring a can opener!