Bacon Wrapped Chicken

I'm sure most people get kind of tired of chicken, especially if you use the same recipes over and over...I know I can!  I found this recipe on Pinterest and tried it since I already had everything (which never happens!).  I didn't take a picture, but here is the picture from the blog, Blog Chef with the recipe.

Ingredients:
Boneless skinless chicken breasts (how many you want)
Bacon slices (turkey bacon is cheaper and better for you, we had the real stuff though)
Cream cheese
Butter
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Chives (or parsley, oregano)
Salt
Pepper
Toothpicks

1. Pound chicken breasts until flat (if they are frozen thaw first).
2. Liberally spread each chicken breast with cream cheese and a little butter.
3. Top with seasonings (you don't have to use the ones listed, that's just what I used and it was good).
4. Roll up each chicken breast, wrap with bacon and put a toothpick in each piece.
5. Bake @ 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes in a casserole dish or cookie sheet (with sides)
6. Turn on broiler and cook for 5 minutes about six inches away from the boiler to get the bacon crispy.
7. Serve with rice, a veggie or pasta.  Enjoy!

We had large pieces of chicken breast and smaller ones (smaller than my palm) and the smaller were so good!  So I recommend cutting the large pieces in half before putting cream cheese on it.  The original recipe called for chive and onion cream cheese but I didn't have that so I used an opened block I had and just added the spices.  It was so good and very easy!! (Brett did most of the work actually because I was doing school work!) 

Funny story, for some reason we only have colored toothpicks (I don't even recall buying them that's how long I've had them).  Well the color came off in the chicken so some pieces of chicken were colored! Haha  It tasted fine and we got a good laugh (Brett didn't even notice, I had to tell him!)  :)

Strawberry Orange Trifle

I don't have a picture because I don't have one of those fancy trifle dishes (yet).  But it was very easy and yummy!

Ingredients:
4 (heaping) cups of sliced strawberries (I used sugar free frozen, pre-sliced)
1-2 cans (15 oz.) of mandarin oranges, drained
2 Tablespoons orange juice (or juice from the can of the oranges)
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 package of shortbread cookies, crushed (I used Keebler "Sandies")

1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 (11 oz) jar lemon curd
OR
1 package cool whip
1 package lemon pudding prepared using package directions


1. Mix strawberries, oranges, OJ and sugar.  Let stand at room temp for 10 minutes.

2. If you use the cream and lemon curd, beat together at low speed with an electric mixer until blended. Gradually increase mixer speed, beating until medium peaks form.  If you use cool whip and pudding, prepare the pudding before you do anything else.  Then mix in mixer with cool whip til blended.

3.  Start layering ingredients.  Put 1/3 of fruit  on the bottom.  1/3 of creamy mixture next, and 1/2 of the crushed cookies.  Repeat.  Top layer will be creamy mixture.  If you want, garnish with strawberries on top. 

Notes: The amount of oranges depends on how many you want.  One can would be good, but use two if you want in orange in about every other bite.  You can also use fresh oranges, but canned mandarin are easier. 

Ok, let me tell you about this lemon curd.  It is so hard to find!!  And it was $3 for a small jar.  So if you are adventurous I would try the second option I listed and mix a container of cool whip with some milk and lemon pudding.  I think it would be the same consistency and taste, and cheaper.  I will try that next time. 

And I do plan on making this again, it was a light and delicious!  It does better for larger crowds (6-10+ people) where it is all eaten because the cookies get mushy if it is kept overnight.

Tasty Tuna Cakes

Brett and I love seafood, but our budget doesn't really allow for fresh seafood!  So when I came across this recipe on Kraft Foods I had to try it.  And we love it!  I'm just trying to find a great recipe for a sauce now.

Tuna Cakes

Ingredients:

2 cans tuna , drained and flaked

1 package Stove Top Stuffing Mix 

1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

3/4 cup  water

1/3 cup Mayonnaise

2 Tbsp. Sweet Pickle Relish

1.  Mix all ingredients and refrigerate for 10-20 minutes.

2. Spray nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. 

3. Use an ice cream scoop to scoop out mixture in balls about the size of a lemon.

 4. Fill skillet with scooped out mixture and flatten each one with spatula. 

5. Cook for 3-4 minutes (or until brown) and flip over.   Cook for another 3-4 minutes.

6. Depending on the size you make, it makes at least a dozen, even more.  I store the finished tuna cakes in the microwave until they're all done to keep them warm.

All done!

 

(I may have been doing something else and left them on a little too long, but I promise, still tasty!)  The best part is, they only cost a couple bucks to make!