Audra's Cordon Bleu BUNDLES

 These are 'quite the bundles'....

 

 I removed the toothpicks when they came out of the oven...

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Their insides are all hot, steamy, and melty...

Quite a few years back, Audra shared this favorite of hers with me.  (Because I used a bigger dinner roll, I changed the quantity amounts just a little bit.)  This ends up tasting like an all-in-one chicken/ham/Swiss cheese sandwich, but even better because the mixture is baked inside the hot bun.     Makes 12 bundles

You will need:

• 12 of Rhodes White TEXAS rolls, THAWED to room temperature.  (The Rhodes Texas rolls are 50% larger than the regular Rhodes dinner rolls.)   You could make 'bundle covers' with your own favorite dinner roll dough, and they might taste even better!

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• 2 cups cooked chicken breasts, cubed
• 2 cups cooked ham, cubed
• 2 cups Swiss cheese, grated (I grated some, cubed some)
• *1 teaspoon dried thyme (rub it between fingers to 'wake up' the flavor)
• Pinch of black pepper

* Use the spices YOU like.  That might be Rosemary, Marjoram, Poultry Seasoning, Oregano, etc.
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• Wood toothpicks (for securing the 'bundles')

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• 1 egg white, beaten until foamy/frothy
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds, optional

DIRECTIONS:

Thaw the frozen rolls to room temperature.

In a bowl, combine chicken, ham, cheese and seasonings.  It will look like what's in the picture below.  Set aside.

 

Below: Flatten each dinner roll into a almost 6" circle.  Scoop 1/4 to 1/3  cup filling onto center, and pack it together just a bit.  Pull edges up around filling and pinch together--  the dough stretches very easily as you work your way around the circle, gathering it up (as you would for a draw-string pouch) while pressing the top together. (Audra suggested toothpicks can be used to help hold it together, and I also use them.) 

Brush these unbaked bundles with beaten/foamy egg white and sprinkle with sesame seeds.  Let rise for about 15-20 minutes.    Bake on a parchment paper (or foil?) lined pan at 350-degrees for about 30 minutes.  (They're quite filling!)