Jalapeno Chicken Wraps with Cream Cheese and Bacon

Jalapeno Chicken Wraps

18 fresh Jalapeno’s

1 brick of cream cheese, softened

½ cup onion, diced fine

½ cup peppers, diced fine

1/3 cup carrot, diced fine

1 large clove garlic, minced

2 tbsp. olive oil

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Chicken breast, cut into thin strips

1 lb. think sliced Smokey bacon

1/3 cup NY Maple Syrup

1 pkg. over sized toothpicks to hold it all together

There are a few steps to recipe so I found it best to one task at time for each ingredient before moving on to the next. 

Cut chicken breast into thin strips.  Place in bowl with store bought Speedie Chicken Sauce to marinate.

In small sauté pan, sauté onion, peppers, carrots, and garlic until soft and tender to the bite.   Remove from heat and let cool.

Well your vegetables are cooling, cut each Jalapeno in half, leaving the stem intact.   Remove seeds and membranes.   Remember to leave both halves together so you don’t have to match them up later.   

In small bowl, combine softened cream cheese and cooled vegetables.   Stir until combined.  

Fill each half of the Jalapeno with the cream cheese mixture and then sandwich back together. Place on a foil lined baking sheet or cutting board.   Fill all remaining peppers and set aside. 

Start wrapping each filled pepper with a strip of chicken.  I was able to find oversized toothpicks to stick through the middle and help hold everything together.   Once you have the chicken in place, you can then wrap it with a strip of bacon.   Place it on a foil lined baking sheet.    When the tray is full, brush each piece with maple syrup.  Place on sheet and place in a 350° oven.  Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Notes:  You won’t be disappointed with these.  While they are baking, they fill the house with a warm, spicy, maple aroma.   It drove our dog bonkers.  It wasn’t long after they were out of the oven that I found myself having to do a taste test.    Taste testing was delectable.  The Speedie marinade added just enough of a vinegar note to flavor the chicken.  The jalapeno on the inside and the bacon on the outside gave both the cream cheese and the chicken, a hidden Smokey flavor.    The sweetness of the maple syrup and the cool, creaminess of cream cheese off sets the heat of the jalapeno.  You won’t be able to stop at just one.  

You can amp up the filling by changing up the ingredients.   Tried these another time by mixing softened cream cheese with a drained black bean and corn salsa.  

You might try skipping the speedy sauce and brushing the chicken with a spicy mustard.   

Next time I am going to try a mixture of cream cheese and crumbly blue and try for more of a chicken wing flavor.    

The possibilities are endless.



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Crowd Pleasing One Pot Meal

This is another delicious recipe from my mother-in-law.  It is an Old Italian peasant dish that can feed just a couple of people or a whole crowd by using some pretty standard staple ingredients from the kitchen.  I added some extra flavor layers by sprinkling on fresh or dried herbs.  I know you will like it if you try it.  

This recipe will be for 6 by you can adjust it by adding more or taking away for the number of guests at your table.  In this case, leftovers aren't a bad thing.

 

Chicken, Sausage and Potatoes

6 medium-large Potatoes (you can either leave the skins on or peel them)
1 can chicken broth
1 large onion, sliced
4 chicken thighs
1 link of your favorite sausage, cut into 5 inch lengths
2 cloves of garlic chopped
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Salt
Pepper
Rosemary
Thyme
Poultry Seasoning
Ketchup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.   Drizzle oil in bottom of oven proof casserole dish.  Wash, peel and cut potatoes into quarters (you can leave the skin on).  Place in a single layer in bottom of the dish.   Add sliced onions and garlic.   Sprinkle with spices.   Layer the chicken onto the potatoes skin side up.   Place sausages between chicken pieces on top of potatoes.  Again sprinkle with your favorite spices.   Drizzle with a couple tablespoons of olive oil and ketchup.  Pour chicken broth in making sure you have enough to cover the bottom of the dish.  Cover with aluminum foil.  Bake for 45-50 minutes covered.  Remove cover and cook an additional 20-25 minutes, This will help to brown and crisp the chicken skin.  

Notes and Swaps

·         My mother-in-law always used a whole cut up chicken, but I find the thighs work really well in this dish and they cook more evenly.

·         Yes, you need to do the ketchup drizzle.  Believe me when I tell you it won’t taste at all like ketchup by the time you are done.

·         I leave the onions large enough people can pick them out if they don’t want them.

·         We prefer Dino’s sausage at our house but you use what you prefer.








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Sweet & Spicy

So if Peter Piper actually Picked a Peck of Peppers, do you think he made Pickled Peppers?  Sorry, couldn't resist.  As a child I loved to say tongue twisters.  Guess you just never out grow some things.  

We are all trying to eat healthier these days.   Trying to figure out what and how to keep the meals healthy, appetizing and full of flavor can sometimes be a challenge.  But these next few recipes are sure to please any low carb dieter.  

Sausage Stuffed Hot Cherry Peppers

2 Jars Pickled Cherry Peppers (about 18 peppers) (drained well)

1 lb.  Sweet Sausage (I use Dino’s)

1 egg

1 tbs. dried parsley

1/3 cup bread crumbs

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

1 pkg. Mixed shredded Italian Cheese  (for topping)

 

Using small paring knife remove stems and seeds leaving the pepper as whole as possible.    Mix all remaining ingredients (except shredded cheese)  to make sausage meatballs.   Stuff into hollowed out peppers.   Place on foil lined baking sheet.  Bake for 20-25 minutes in 350° oven.  

Note:  If you don’t like hot and spicy, feel free to stuff those red, yellow, and orange mini peppers, or pickled sweet cherry peppers.    

 

Jalapeno Chicken Wraps

18 fresh Jalapeno’s

1 brick of cream cheese, softened

½ cup onion, diced fine

½ cup peppers, diced fine

1/3 cup carrot, diced fine

1 large clove garlic, minced

2 tbsp. olive oil

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Chicken breast, cut into thin strips

1 lb. think sliced Smokey bacon

1/3 cup NY Maple Syrup

1 pkg. over sized toothpicks to hold it all together

There are a few steps to recipe so I found it best to one task at time for each ingredient before moving on to the next. 

Cut chicken breast into thin strips.  Place in bowl with store bought Speedie Chicken Sauce to marinate.

In small sauté pan, sauté onion, peppers, carrots, and garlic until soft and tender to the bite.   Remove from heat and let cool.

Well your vegetables are cooling, cut each Jalapeno in half, leaving the stem intact.   Remove seeds and membranes.   Remember to leave both halves together so you don’t have to match them up later.   

In small bowl, combine softened cream cheese and cooled vegetables.   Stir until combined.  

Fill each half of the Jalapeno with the cream cheese mixture and then sandwich back together. Place on a foil lined baking sheet or cutting board.   Fill all remaining peppers and set aside. 

Start wrapping each filled pepper with a strip of chicken.  I was able to find oversized toothpicks to stick through the middle and help hold everything together.   Once you have the chicken in place, you can then wrap it with a strip of bacon.   Place it on a foil lined baking sheet.    When the tray is full, brush each piece with maple syrup.  Place on sheet and place in a 350° oven.  Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Notes:  You won’t be disappointed with these.  While they are baking, they fill the house with a warm, spicy, maple aroma.   It drove our dog bonkers.  It wasn’t long after they were out of the oven that I found myself having to do a taste test.    Taste testing was delectable.  The Speedie marinade added just enough of a vinegar note to flavor the chicken.  The jalapeno on the inside and the bacon on the outside gave both the cream cheese and the chicken, a hidden Smokey flavor.    The sweetness of the maple syrup and the cool, creaminess of cream cheese off sets the heat of the jalapeno.  You won’t be able to stop at just one.  

You can amp up the filling by changing up the ingredients.   Tried these another time by mixing softened cream cheese with a drained black bean and corn salsa.  

You might try skipping the speedy sauce and brushing the chicken with a spicy mustard.   

Next time I am going to try a mixture of cream cheese and crumbly blue and try for more of a chicken wing flavor.    

The possibilities are endless.



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5 Star Dinning at Home

There are a lot of steps to follow in this dish, but if you like to cook and have a little time, I guarantee you it is time well spent. This dish packs a lot of flavor and will satisfy all who are at the table for dinner.   This recipe made enough for 6-8 adults. 
 

Smothered Chicken Alfredo w/Bacon and Caramelized Onions

Ingredients

1 lb. bacon strips

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning

2 eggs, beat together

2 tbsp. water, added to egg

1-2 cup self rising flour

1-2 cups bread crumbs

4-8 tablespoon canola oil

2 medium onion, sliced

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese

½ cup shredded sharp white cheese

2 cups whipping cream

1 cup parmesan cheese

1 tbsp., flour

Pepper

Dash nutmeg

Mashed Potatoes

Fresh Brussels Sprouts, steamed (everything will taste yummy in the Alfredo Sauce)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On large cookie sheet cook bacon in single layer until crisp. Remove to paper towels; drain, set aside and reserving 2 tablespoons drippings.
• Put bacon drippings into sauté pan along with sliced onions, sauté onion until it has softened and becomes translucent.  Add brown sugar, continue cooking on low heat until onion is tender and golden brown and almost becomes sticky.  Set aside
• Lay each breast halve onto cutting sheet.  Cover the chicken halve with your left hand and using your right hand cut the breast into two thinner pieces (or pound each half down with a mallet and cut into two pieces).
• Sprinkle chicken with salt and lemon-pepper. Press in flour, dip in egg and then pat in bread crumbs.
• In a large skillet, cook chicken in oil for 3-5 minutes on each side or until a meat is golden brown on both sides.  Remove to paper towel lined baking sheet and keep warm in the oven.  I cook one or two in the pan at a time.  When the oil gets hinkey I dump it out, wipe the pan and use fresh oil to cook the next batch. Continue cooking until all pieces are ready to be finished.
• Place chicken into oven proof dish.  Sprinkle each piece of chicken with the two types of shredded cheese.   Then place bacon strips (or crumble bacon) onto each piece; Place in the oven and cook just until cheese is melted. 
• While the chicken is in the oven, mix parmesan, nutmeg, pepper and tablespoon of flour in small saucepan.   Stir in whipping cream.   Place pan on low heat and stir constantly until melted. 
• When everything is ready to plate, place a large spoonful of Alfredo sauce on bottom of dish. Add a mounded spoonful of mashed potatoes, lay chicken on top of potatoes and sauce, top with caramelized onions.  Add Brussels sprouts to dish.   

 

  



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Roasted Chicken w/Rosemary Potatoes

Roasted Chicken w/Rosemary Potatoes

We have been eating more chicken dishes than ever before and everyone here, of course, loves the crispy skin recipes the best. I love that the whole chicken is pretty much the cheapest meat in the meat case. This recipe is very simple and the results are both mouth watering and delicious. Who would have thought banging the pan of potatoes on the counter would result in such a scrumptious potato side dish. Give this recipe a try, you won't be disappointed.








Ingredients:

Enough potatoes to feed your family
1 3-5 lb. roasting chicken
salt
garlic powder
poultry seasoning
rosemary
4-5 cloves of garlic
1 large onion
butter, softened
olive oil
 

Peel and boil potatoes in good salty water for 10-15 minutes. While potatoes are boiling remove chicken from plastic wrap, remove innards, rinse and pat with paper towels until completely dry.
 

When potatoes are done, drain in strainer and then quickly put back in hot pan. This is the strange part: Bang pan a couple of time on the stove or counter. This is to make the potatoes fluff.
 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Use olive oil to grease cookie sheet. Place chicken in center of cookie sheet. Place onion, garlic cloves and rosemary inside of chicken. Slather the entire outside of chicken with butter. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder and poultry seasoning.
 

Sprinkle salt and pepper over potatoes. Arrange on cookie sheet around the chicken. Sprinkle with rosemary.
 

Place in oven and set timer for 30 minutes. At 30 minutes remove from oven and turn potatoes. Return to oven and set timer for another 30 minutes. Again, remove from oven and turn potatoes. Set timer for third thirty minutes. Check to see if done. Chicken should read 170 degrees on thermometer.



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