Sweet and Savory Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Chicken

For Valentines Day, I wanted to make a yummy meal, so I concocted a plan to combine as many of my favorite flavors as I could think of that would still complement each other, and the result was this:

Sweet-glazed maple bacon-wrapped creamy spinach alfredo-stuffed butterflied chicken. But that was a really long recipe name, and might sound a bit intimidating to the budding cook, but just know that it really is not that hard to make, and is worth it. My kids, Spencer, and Crystel all give it their approval. So here is the recipe:

Sweet and Savory Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Chicken

4 large boneless chicken breasts
1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened
2 Tablespoons dry alfredo sauce mix (half of a 1-ounce package)
1 cup or more chopped spinach
2 Tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1+ Tablespoons buttermilk (for creamy consistency)
8-10 strips uncooked bacon (I used maple-smoked)
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar, unpacked

Butterfly chicken breasts and salt and pepper them to taste. Using a sheet of plastic wrap on top, pound thin with a meat mallet for easier rolling. Stir dry alfredo mix and buttermilk into cream cheese. Add spinach and sun-dried tomatoes to cream cheese mixture. Spread mixture onto chicken breasts and roll up from the long side. Wrap each chicken roll with bacon, securing with toothpicks if necessary. Place chicken rolls in a 2-quart baking dish. Mix ketchup and brown sugar together and drizzle or baste over the bacon. Bake for 40-50 minutes at 375°, or until chicken reaches 160° internally.

Awesome soaked whole wheat bread recipe

So, I finally figured out a really tasty, easy to make soaked bread that is great for everything. It's your basic Bosch bread recipe with an acid medium and extra flour. Here is the recipe:

6 cups warm water

6 Tablespoons Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar

2 Tablespoons Dough Enhancer

2 Tablespoons Gluten

2/3 cup Honey

2/3 cup oil--I use coconut oil

16 cups freshly ground flour, I usually do 14 wheat, 2 rye, but can do all wheat or a mixture of mostly any grain.

2-3 Tablespoons SAF Instant yeast

2 Tablespoons Salt

Mix everything together, except the salt and yeast, and soak for 12-24 hours. I leave mine in my Bosch, with the lid on and a dish cloth over it. (I don't know if the dishtowel helps, but it seems to keep it a little more moist). If you don't have a Bosch then put it in a stainless steel or glass bowl (not plastic!) and put Saran wrap over it. The key is to use instant yeast. Active yeast needs water to be started, but instant can be mixed directly into the flour or dough. I let the yeast activate the dough for a little while before I add the salt. Since dough is a yeast inhibitor. Anyway, if you do it this way, it is farely easy to mix the yeast and salt into dough, without adding water and yeast to the already soaked dough. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 min. It makes 6 small loaves or 5 large ones. My oven burns hot so I cook it for 27 minutes. It is better to add all the liquids, then gradually add the flour as you are mixing. If you forget to add the apple cider vinegar, you almost have to mix it by hand to mix it in. It is harder to mix a liquid into dough then flour or spices. Anyway, it is very tasty, moist, and so much healthier for you if you soak it. The Apple Cider Vinegar does not make it too sour as some of the other acid mediums do. Let me know if you have any questions. Phone call is best. :)

You can raise the bread more quickly if you preheat oven to 200 degrees then turn the oven off and put the bread in, or just set it on warm. It will raise in 15-20 minutes depending on your oven. But watch it.

Overview: You can probably use any bread recipe you want, just add 1 Tablespoon of apple cider vinegar (or any acid medium: buttermilk, whey, kefir, yogurt, etc. these will make your bread more sour) per cup of water that your recipe calls for and a little more flour, and leave out the yeast and salt. Then soak for 12-24 hours, add instant yeast and salt, then put into pans, rise, and bake. I almost always use my oven for a quick rise.

Publish Post

Braided Blueberry/Raspberry Bread

So I made this YUMMY sweet bread, and I thought I'd share the recipe. The first time I made it I used blueberries just like the recipe, but at the bottom it said you can change them for raspberries, it was really good.

Blueberry Cream Cheese Braid

Makes 2 braids

Sponge
1 tablespoon instant yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 cup warm milk
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Dough
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup sugar
2 1/2-3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

Blueberry Filling
2 cups blueberries
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Egg Glaze
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk

Cream Cheese Filling
3/4 cup cream cheese
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon egg glaze

For the sponge: mix the sugar, yeast, and flour together in bowl. Pour in the warm milk. Beat until smooth, then cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 1/2 hour.

Add the eggs, salt, sugar, and one cup of the flour to the sponge. Beat until smooth. Then add the butter in small chunks and beat well. Add the remaining flour a handful at a time and mix in until a soft but kneadable dough is achieved and the butter thoroughly incorporated.

Knead the dough by hand or with a mixer until it is smooth and satiny, about 5 minutes.

Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise and room temperature until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Deflate the dough, recover the bowl, and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, make the fillings before shaping the loaves.

Blueberry Filling: combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat while stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and let cool.
Egg Glaze: combine the egg and milk in a bowl and beat until combined.
Cream Cheese Filling: combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined

Once your filling has cooled off, take the dough out of the refrigerator and gently deflate it. Divide it into two pieces. Use a rolling pin to shape each piece into a thin (1 cm.) rectangle.

Spread your fillings in the center of the dough. At an angle, slice the sides of the dough into tabs approximately 1 inch wide. Alternating from side to side, fold the pieces in over the filling. When possible, gentle press on the tabs to seal the folds. After it has been fully folded, glaze the braid with egg wash. Cover loosely with plastic (I place the entire baking pan in a clean kitchen garbage bag). Set aside to rise until doubled in size, approximately 45 minutes. While it is rising, preheat the oven to 350. Just before placing the braid in the oven, glaze it again with any remaining egg wash. Bake on the center rack of the oven for approximately 35 to 40 minutes, rotating it once after 20 minutes so that it bakes evenly. Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for at least half an hour before slicing.

Alternate: use a raspberry filling and sprinkle a streusal on top instead of using egg wash

Raspberry Zucchini Jelly

Raspberry Zucchini Jelly

6 cups peeled, grated zucchini
1 cup raspberries
Cook 15 minutes then add:
6 cups sugar and boil 5 more minutes
2-3oz. or 1-6oz. package raspberry jello

Pour into scalded bottles, and allow to cool until sealed.

This is the easiest and tastiest and cheapest way to make jelly and use up all that garden-fresh or neighbor-given zucchini. The zucchini takes on the raspberry flavor and thus serves more as a filler than those expensive little berries. It is also easier than regular jelly recipes because processing is not necessary. Enjoy!

Recipes

I have been gathering several of my favorite recipes for a Ward Cookbook the Relief Society is putting together. I thought I would share them with you. Some of you may already have them, because I got them from you ;-). But in random order....

No Bake Cookies
2 C. Sugar 3 C. quick Oats
6 T. Margarine ½ C. Peanut Butter
1 t. vanilla ¼ C. cocoa
½ c. milk

Melt Margarine, sugar, milk, and vanilla in saucepan. Bring to a boil. Boil for one minute. Add oats, peanut butter, and cocoa. Mix well. Spoon on to waxed paper to cool.

Navajo Tacos- Meat Sauce
1 lbs of ground beef 1 can Kidney beans
1 c. catsup 1 t. Cumin
1 t. oregano ½ t Thyme
½ t. garlic salt ½ t. pepper
Salt to taste 1-2 bay leaves

Brown ground beef, drain, reserving some liquid. Simmer all ingredients in a large pot. Serve over fry bread. Top with Salsa, cheese, sour cream, etc. Can also be used in Taco salad.

Meatballs with Grape Chili sauce
1 jar of chili sauce
1 jar of grape jelly
2-3 lbs of precooked meatballs

Mix chili sauce and grape jelly, pour over meatballs in crock pot or casserole dish. Heat through. Great as an appetizer/finger food or served over rice as a main course.


20 Minute Stew
1 T. Oil 1 lb sirloin, cut in 1 inch cubes 1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 can Tomato soup 1 can French onion soup 24 oz bag frozen vegetables

Brown Beef in oil until brown and crispy. Add remaining ingredients, cook 15 minutes.


Creamy Enchiladas
3-4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded or diced
2 cans cream of chicken soup 1 soup can of milk 1 can of nacho cheese soup
½ to ¾ c sour cream 1 lg can of diced green chiles 10-12 flour tortillas

Mix Soups, milk, sour cream in a large bowl, reserve ½ c. sauce and set aside. Add chicken and chiles to remaining sauce to create the filling. Add a couple of spoons of filling in each tortilla and roll up placing tortillas tightly next to each other in pan until filled. Spread reserved sauce over filled tortillas, can also top with shredded cheese if desired. Bake 375, 30 minutes. Optional, garnish with tomatoes or salsa, sour cream, olives. Variation: can be made with ground beef and cream of mushroom soup for beefy enchiladas.

Mom’s Cheese Soup
1 C. Butter 1 C. Flour 1 Qt Cold Milk ½ box of velveeta, cubed
Desired proportions of Potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, peeled and diced.
1 bag of frozen mixed vegetables Salt and Pepper to taste.

Boil diced potatoes, carrots, celery, onion in separate pan, reserve cooking water. In separate pan, Melt butter, stir in flour, mix well. Heat over medium heat, stir in cold milk-stir constantly, do not burn. Cook until thick, melt velveeta in white sauce. Add vegetables to cheese sauce and gradually add reserved stock until desired consistency. Salt and Pepper to taste.


Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream
3 C. Fresh strawberries, sliced 4 T. Lemon juice 1 ½ C. Sugar, divided
1 ¼ C. Whole Milk 2 ¾ C. Heavy Cream 1 ½ t. Vanilla Extract

Combine Strawberries and lemon juice and ½ c sugar, allow to macerate for 2 hours. Strain Berries, reserving juices. Mash or puree half the berries. In a Medium Mixing bowl, use hand mixer on low speed to combine the milk and remaining sugar until dissolved, 1-2 min. Stir in Heavy Cream, strawberry juice, mashed strawberries and vanilla. Put into freezer bowl of ice cream maker and churn 20-25 min, 5 minutes before done add reserved sliced berries.



Chocolate Bundt Cake (Sisters Cafe)
1 Box of Devils Food cake (dry) 1 4-serving box size of instant chocolate pudding (dry)
4 large eggs 1 c. sour cream ½ c. warm water
½ c. oil 1 ½ c. semi sweet chocolate chips

Place all ingredients except choc. Chips in a large mixing bowl and blend 2-3 min. Stir in Choc. Chips, Pour into prepared Bundt Pan, Bake 45-50 min @ 350. Cool 20 minutes-invert onto serving platter.

Frosting:
8 TB Butter, 4 TB cocoa powder, 1/3 C. Evap. Milk (or 2%), 4 C. sifted powdered sugar

Melt butter in med. Saucepan over low heat, whisk in cocoa and milk, bring just to boil, stirring constantly, remove from heat, stir in powdered sugar. Pour warm frosting over warm cake.

Alfredo Sauce

1 Qt Heavy Cream 1 c. butter 4 T. cream cheese
1 1/3 c. parmesan 2 t. garlic Powder (johnny’s seasoning)
Salt and Pepper to taste

In Saucepan melt cream, butter, and cream cheese on med-low heat-simmer until melted. Add Parmesan, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer 20-30 min on low heat. Serve over Fettucine or any pasta. Yummy with Chicken or Shrimp on top.

Invincible Salad Dressing (Petersons Kitchen)
¾ - 1C Oil 1-2 TB Catsup 3 TB Liquid Aminos or soy sauce
½ t. nutmeg 2-4 TB Cider Vinegar ½ t. dry mustard
1 cut garlic clove 1 t. Italian herbs

Add all ingredients together in jar and shake until well combined. Great over raw vegetable salad.

Poppy Seed Viniagrette
1 C. Oil ½ C. red wine vinegar ½ c. sugar 1 t. salt
2-3 T red onion 1 T. Green onion 1 T. Poppy Seed ½ t. dry mustard

Blend all ingredients in blender, store in refrigerator until ready to serve. Awesome over fresh spinach salad.

A few favorites: Strawberries

Pleasant Grove's Strawberry Days are coming up in a few weeks and I've been enjoying the start of the strawberry season and how they are getting more affordable in all the stores. Besides eating them fresh or on any kind of breakfast bread (pancakes, waffles, french toast) or dipped in chocolate, here are a few more of my favorite ways to eat a strawberry.

Nutella and Strawberries:

On any slice of bread, (I like mine toasted) spread Nutella hazelnut spread and load up with fresh sliced strawberries.

Dessert Crepes:

Using the following crepe recipe, roll warm crepes up with vanilla ice cream, fresh sliced bananas and strawberries, and drizzle with a little caramel topping. You could also add some more bananas and strawberries on top. For a little crunch, I like to sprinkle with raw sugar granules (In the picture, I also added chocolate chips).
Crepes:

1/2 cup milk

2 eggs

1 cup flour

1 T oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Fry in lightly greased frying pan over medium heat. (I use coconut oil and it gives them such a light, yummy flavor!) Fry on both sides until golden brown.

Strawberries N Cream

At Strawberry days here in Pleasant Grove, you can sample some delicious Strawberries 'n Cream every year, or you can make it yourself, which I do often. For the festivities, the city uses soft serve ice cream, still in it's liquid form and drizzles it over fresh sliced strawberries. If you don't have access to this, you can simply add a tablespoon or two of sugar and a little vanilla to about a cup or less of heavy cream, and drizzle it over your strawberries. You can also substitute plain yogurt or half and half for the cream.

Chicken Salad:

Cook larger bite-sized pieces of chicken your favorite way (BBQ, honey-lime, seasoned, battered, etc.) and add them to a fresh spinach salad with your choice of toppings, and add some fresh sliced strawberries and candied nuts.

Candied nuts:

In a hot frying pan, sprinkle about 1/2 cup white sugar over bottom of pan. Wait until sugar begins to melt to liquid, and add slivered almonds or pecans or walnuts and stir quickly until nuts are coated and slightly brown. Remove from heat immediately and allow to cool enough to break them into smaller pieces. This salad is also yummy with Angelyn's raspberry vinegarette dressing. (Recipe?)

Dinner Ideas

Angelyn inspired me to have a list of my family favorite dinner ideas posted on the inside of my pantry door. This list gives a quick reference for things to make for dinner instead of spending 20 minutes just deciding what to make. The list also increases as I try new recipes that my family enjoys, so I don't forget them, and our dinners don't get too monotonous. I also did the same lists for Breakfast, sides, drinks, and desserts, so if I'm ever hosting something or just want a variety of options, I refer to my little list. Here is my list, and I have many of the recipes somewhere on my computer, if anyone wants any. Just let me know.


Dinner Ideas

Taco soup / Zuppa Tuscana
Navajo tacos
Lasagna
Chili and cornbread/scones
Chicken/beef enchiladas (green or red sauce)
Steak/chicken with potatoes and rolls
Tinfoil dinner
Hawaiian haystacks
Chicken rice quesadilla
Irish rolls
Chicken salad in pita/croissant
Sloppy Joes/Aloha burgers
Potato logs/Pot roast
Pulcogi/ Pupusas
Tacos/7-layer dip/Chicken taquitos
Tuna melts and Tomato soup
Pineapple chicken
Pasta with tomato alfredo/marinara sauce and garlic bread/parmesan sticks
Root beer ham
Chicken BBQ pizza/Calzones
Shepherds pie
Swiss/Japanese/Polynesian chicken
BBQ country-style pork ribs
Hot-honeyed spareribs
Chicken and spinach salad
Homemade stew/White chili
Nacho casserole/Frito salad
Lemon rosemary chicken
Ham with apricot/cloves glaze
Creamy macaroni
Sticky coconut chicken w/ coconut rice
Chicken pillows
Sausage/tot casserole
Philly/roast beef hoagies with Aus Jus
Coconut chicken curry/Tikka Masala
Ham and cheese soup in bread bowls
Café Rio Sweet Pork Salad
Chicken sausage pasta
Spinach veal/chicken roll-ups
Bacon-wrapped chicken kebobs

Breakfast Ideas

Cinnamon French Toast
Pancakes with eggs & sausage/ham
Poached eggs and Toast
Crepes/waffles with coconut syrup
Coconut waffles
banana/applesauce pancakes
Milk Toast
Bread/biscuits and Gravy
Peaches ‘n Cream
Oatmeal/Super grains
Apple/banana/oatmeal/berry muffins
hash browns/farmer’s breakfast
German pancakes
Overnight Apple French Toast
Rice pudding
Sausage breakfast loaf
Breakfast Cookie
Swedish Oatmeal

Sides

Deviled eggs
Scalloped potatoes
Mashed potatoes & gravy
Fried red potatoes with seasoning
Any veggies—seasoned or cheesy
Apple slaw
Fruit & yogurt salad
Grilled pineapple/plums
Garlic butter rolls
Cornbread muffins
Buttermilk/Baking powder biscuits
Homemade French fries/Potato wedges
Scones
Tucanos colorful chef salad
Lolly’s broccoli salad
Whole wheat muffins

Desserts / Snacks

Raspberry Bread Pudding
Cinnamon breadsticks
Baked cinnamon tortilla chips/wedges
Cream cheese flan
Salty/cinnamon pretzels with dipping sauces: cheese, cinnamon cream cheese, etc.
Caramel/kettle/glazed popcorn
Candied/chocolate coated popcorn/Chex
English toffee/Brittle
Truffles: PB, oreo, cookie dough, chocolate cream cheese, red velvet (any cake + frosting)
German chocolate pizza/brownies
Pudding cinnamon rolls
Homemade Girl Scout Samoa cookies
Fruit pizza with my fruit dip
Chocolate dipped strawberries
Chocolate dipped pretzels/nut clusters
Fruit soup
Peanut butter bars/PB, mint brownies
Homemade doughnuts
Pumpkin rolls/bread
Banana bars/zucchini bread
Snickers cookies/pudding cookies
No-bake cookies/butterscotch haystacks
Fudge-white and brown
Hard tack candy
Homemade ice cream cake
Baked cinnamon tortilla strips
Cinnamon pull-aparts
Vanishing rolls
Belgian waffles w/ ice cream, fruit
Dessert crepes w/ice cream, caramel
Dulce de leche on grahams
S’mores
Banana splits
Raspberry truffle/poke cakes (BTA cake)
Coconut balls alone or w/ chocolate

Appetizers / Snacks

Spinach artichoke dip
Ham and cream cheese roll-ups
Bacon-wrapped water chestnuts
Sweet glazed meatballs/smokies
Lolly’s stuffed mushrooms
Sugar fried plantains
Caramelized nuts

Drinks

Banana shakes
Margaritas (virgin, of course)
Strawberry Daquiri
Banana crush
Orange/berry Julius
Cheesecake shakes
Apricot slush
Punch w/ fruit ice ring
Italian ice/smoothies
Homemade berry lemon/limeade
Homemade root beer
Pina Coladas

Platanos Fritos

Have you ever wondered what to do with those enormous green bananas called plantains that are popping up in grocery stores everywhere? You can't eat them raw like a regular banana, and they don't look very appealing being so green, either. Well, here's what to do with them, especially if you are related to Rick, Tyler, Kyle, and probably even Crystel, as platanos fritos are most likely a large part of thier diets right now, and they will love you for knowing how to make them when they get home. Buy the plantains and let them sit on your counter for a few days. They will start to turn black and ugly. That is how you want them. In many Latin American countries, anything short of platanos "maduros" or mature (really ripe),are not fit for eating. The plantains on the left of the picture are freshly bought macho (manly!)plantians, the middle ones are just about ready for cooking and eating, and the ones on the right are a smaller variety whose name will come to me later as I rack my brain for the spanish word. So, once the plantains are nice and black, warm a skillet with about 1/4 inch of coconut oil and peel and slice the plantains lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices and add them to the pan. Fry them until they are a lovely golden brown, and turn them over and brown the other side. Serve warm with sour cream or queso crema Salvadoran style, which I found at a latin market, and frijoles, (mashed black beans) or just salted or mashed, rolled into a ball, and rolled in sugar or cinnamon and sugar.

Ratatouille

"Oh yeah, that Disney movie about the rat that wants to cook" is what your first thought was. However, I am talking about the French dish in which the rat was named...At least I assume that was his name, as I haven't seen the movie yet, and thus will probably be corrected on my pronunciation of it. So, Ratatouille is a dish of colorful nutritious fall vegetables cooked in a tomato herb sauce. And when I heard that if you just double the amount of vegetables you're eating, whatever that amount is, the result will be about 9 lbs of weight loss per year, I thought I might just give it a try. So I made it, adding seasoned chicken to the bottom of the baking dish to make a complete meal, baked it for 90 minutes (The recipe calls for 2 full hours), and it was suprisingly good. What's even better is that the leftovers tasted even better, as the flavors had time to really soak in (I was a little more generous with the spices that the recipe calls for, too). So, if you want a healthy, yummy meal to feed your family tonight, her is a link to the recipe I used, just click on Ratatouille. http://www.zonya.com/healthy_recipes.html