On The Table Tonight: Chicken/Veggie Pillows

Tonight we had our special "School Year's Eve" dinner for our second child. He is starting his second year of preschool tomorrow. His older brother started first grade three weeks ago, and Bigger has been waiting his turn. He got to choose the menu for tonight:

Chicken/Veggie Pillows

Rice Pilaf

Watermelon

Root Beer Floats

We had some unexpected visitors come and join us for dinner, so I added a green salad and wild rice to the menu. What a treat to have Grandma and Pop-pop join us on this special night!

Chicken/Veggie Pillows
This recipe comes from one of my dearest friends, Heather. When we were roommates in college, she made these for us. They are such a comfort food. The original recipe calls for chicken. I'll add my notes to the bottom of the recipe of what I have changed to make it vegetarian. This meal is always a hit at the dinner table. The kids love these things!

6 chicken breasts, boiled 20 minutes (cooked through) and shredded
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 t. pepper
1/2 t. garlic salt
1/2 c. chopped mushrooms
3/4 c. chopped green onions
2 cans refrigerated crescent roll dough
1/2 c. butter, melted
1-2 c. bread crumbs
1 can chicken gravy

1. Mix first even ingredients
2. Separate rolls into triangles and place 1/4 c. of mixture into center. Form the crescent into a ball around the filling; seal all holes
3. Dip ball into butter; roll in bread crumbs
4. Place on baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through
5. Serve with heated gravy

***For vegetarians***
I combine all the ingredients except the chicken into a mixing bowl, then I add about 1 cup grated zucchini into the bowl and mix well. I fill enough vegetarian pillows for me and then add only 3 chicken breasts for the rest of my family. Then I fill the rest of the pillows. I don't top my veggie pillows with any gravy. What I like about these is that my kids are eating vegetables without even knowing it.