Bacon and Cheese stuffed Chicken breasts

It's been a long stressful day today but thanks to careful planning and making a meal menu for the week, dinner wasn't part of that stress. I know not every day is going to be a joy in the kitchen but it can be bearable if you let it be.

Since I have a hungry hubby it's time to get in that kitchen and start cooking. So please grab your aprons and won't you join me for a quick chicken dinner big enough to feed the hungriest of men.

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts pounded flat

4 slicesBacon; cooked crumbled

1 1/2 ounce colby cheddar cheese; shredded

1 teaspoonCorn starch

2/3 cupChicken broth

2 tablespoonParsley; chopped

1 dashSalt & pepper

1/4 teaspoonPaprika 1/8 cup heavy whipping cream Directions: Cook bacon in large skillet till crisp, remove bacon and crumble Place bacon and cheese on one half of the breast Place the other half over on top of it Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper and paprika Heat bacon grease to med-high heat Add chicken and cook 5 mins per side Reduce heat to med-low Cover and cook for 10 mins or until done Remove chicken and keep warm Stir cornstarch into chicken broth Add to skillet and bring to boil, stirring Cook 3 mins until thickened Add parsley and whipping cream The way I plated this tonight was I put the chicken down sprinkled a bit more cheese over the top of the chicken then spooned the gravy over that. I do believe it was a success tonight. As you can see the kids were fixed on hubby's every move and bite tonight. It got rave reviews and was worth the time it took to cook it up. I hope you try this one...it's quick easy and very filling. Enjoy everyone.

Chicken Breasts a la Normande

I have spent most of the day fighting to keep food down to no avail. With this struggle the hubby has been eating things that are quick to fix and eat like corn dogs, pizza pockets, and easy skillet combinations that I have whipped up. So tonight since he was hungry, and I have settled on protein shakes until I can get my eating and body back to functioning order, I decided to make something that he would really enjoy.

Thanks to a very well stocked pantry and refrigerator I had everything on hand and was able to whip this up in about half an hour. Ohhh and the house smelled wonderful!! So let's gather up the ingredients and get cooking...my mouth is watering...how about yours?

INGREDIENTS

1 package Foster Farms Boneless Skinless Breast Fillets (I used 4 6ounce chicken breasts)
flour with salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup oil
3/4 cup brandy (preferably apple brandy)
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 teaspoons butter or margarine
2 small green apples
2 to 4 tablespoons sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Place four, salt, and pepper in a ziploc or plastic bag and shake breasts in flour. Heat oil in skillet to medium-high. Add breasts and saute 1 to 2 minutes per side, or until golden. Remove breasts and discard oil.

2. Add 1/2 cup brandy to skillet and return breasts. Place over high heat, ignite carefully, then immediately cover to put out flame.

3. Again, remove breasts. Add cream to skillet and reduce liquid, by boiling, to half its original volume. Add butter and shake pan until butter melts.

4. Peel, core and slice apples thinly. Stir sugar and remaining brandy into skillet. Add apple slices. Bring to a boil and cook one minute. Place breasts on warm serving platter, surround with apples and top with sauce.

 

Viola!!! Dinner is ready!! Now wasn't that easy! Quick simple and oh so tasty...well so I've heard...lol It got a seal of approval from the hubby and the kids. 

 



I hope you give this a try and please let me now how you liked it and if you made any changes. Enjoy everyone...and have fun cooking!

Pepperoni pizza cresents

Since my lap band fill, I am tied to protein shakes and cottage cheese but the hubby still has to eat. Last night we had a late lunch and I didn't think he would want any dinner. Well I had thought wrong lol. Hubby got hungrier than the munchies so I whipped up this quick snack/meal for him. Terribly easy and quick and if your house is anything like mine, you have these ingredients in your pantry all the time. So let's grab those ingredients and get cooking...it's time to eat!

Ingredients:
1 tube Pilsbury Crescent Rolls
Pizza sauce or spaghetti sauce
Pepperoni
Velveeta cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees as instructed on crescent roll package.

Unroll out the triangles and spread about 2 teaspoons of sauce on the crescent triangle.

 

Next place desired amount of pepperoni on the crescent.

 

Then place desired amount of cheese on top of the pepperoni. My pieces are about a quarter inch square by the length of the short side of the brick of Velveeta.

 

Roll them up and do your best to close the ends by a simple twist, doesn't have to be perfect they will seal up pretty good as they cook and rise.

 

Cook for about 14 minutes. They will be a bit doughy if you don't, The added moisture of the sauce slows them in the cooking.

 

And here you go! Quick, easy, and very filling! Great for football parties, quick dinners, or just all around snacking! Hubby believe it or not ate them ALL!!! lol. Enjoy and remember, cooking doesn't always have to be labor intensive and hard...sometimes the quick and easy ones bring just as big of a smile. It's the love that goes into it that makes all the difference!

Copycat Chili's Spicy Garlic & Lime Shrimp

I came across a great deal on some shrimp at Bel Air! They had two pounds of shrimp for $10! I had to jump on it! I could eat my weight in shrimp...hmmm probably not something I should admit...lol

Anyway I love love love the shrimp at Chili's so I went searching for a copycat recipe. I have searched high and low and I think this is the closest I can find. I am going to make it tonight by the recipe, which is how I do most new recipes - try them how they are written and then change them to my taste if need be.

I found the recipe here at Food.com

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 clove of garlic pressed
• 24 fresh large shrimp peeled and deveined
• 1 lime

Seasoning:

• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/8 teaspoon onion powder

Directions:

Make the seasoning blend by combining all the spices in a small bowl.

 

My $5 Monday deal from Bel Air. Two pounds for $10!!

 

*A quick tutorial on an easy and quick way to peel shrimp.

• First peel back the sides of the skin that has been split by deveining and place your index and thumb under it grabbing the sides of the shrimp.
• Second slide your fingers down from the sides of the shrimp just above the legs and start to squeeze the shrimp from the skin.
• Third, as you are squeezing the legs and shell from the skin grab hold of the base of the tail and squeeze and pull gently. Viola! The skin should come off!

 

Preheat a large skillet over medium heat.

Add butter to the pan.

When the butter is melted, stir in the pressed garlic.

 

Immediately, add the shrimp to the pan.

 

Cut the lime in half and squeeze each half into the pan over the shrimp.

Sprinkle the entire seasoning blend over the shrimp, and give it all a good stir.

 

Saute the shrimp for 5 to 8 minutes or until they begin to brown.

Be sure to cook both sides of all the shrimp.

When I fixed this there was too much butter and liquid to get that nice crunchy crust to it. So next time I will either cut down on the butter or I will instead of cooking them in a pan, do them on the grill. But either way they were soooo tasty!!! Loved them in the shrimp tacos we made. Definitely worth another go around to tweak the recipe here and there. I will let you know when I revamp it. But I hope you try this and enjoy it as much as we did!