Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Chicken, Green Beans and Smashed Potatoes

I saw Rachael Ray make Bacon Wrapped Blue Cheese Stuffed Chicken, Green Beans and Smashed Potatoes awhile ago. I printed out the recipe but just hadn't gotten around to making it. Tonight seemed like a good night to try it since I had more time in the kitchen and the results:


... were sensational. We both cleaned our plates and probably could have had seconds. I ended up making a few modifications because SP is going through a no-blue-cheese phase. I've posted my modifications below. I really liked the way the bacon got crispy without burning:


This is a meal I will definitely be making again.

Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Chicken, Green Beans and Smashed Potatoes
Modified from Rachael Ray

4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Black pepper
4 to 5 ounces blue cheese crumbles (I used 4 ounces cream cheese, softened)
A handful arugula leaves, chopped
A handful baby spinach leaves, chopped
4 slices bacon (I used 8 slices because the chicken breasts were large)
2 pounds baby potatoes, halved (I used regular potatoes cut into chunks)
Salt
1 pound green beans
2 vine tomatoes, halved lengthwise, seeded and thinly sliced (I didn't make the beans this way)
Leaves from 4 fresh thyme sprigs (I didn't use)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided (I didn't use)
4 scallions, finely chopped, whites and greens (I didn't use)
1/4 cup chicken stock (I didn't use)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Using a small sharp knife cut into the thick end of the chicken and make an incision reaching 2/3 the way down the breast. Loosen up the incision with your fingers to make a hole. Combine the cream cheese with arugula and baby spinach, season with salt and pepper and stuff into the breasts. Wrap the breasts with the bacon tightly to cover the meat evenly. Place chicken on a nonstick baking sheet and roast 20 to 25 minutes until bacon is crispy and chicken is firm.

Place the potatoes in a pot and cover with water. (I added 6 cloves of garlic to the potatoes as well). Bring to a boil, season water with salt and cook potatoes 15 minutes, or until tender. Drain and mash. (I used maybe 2 ounces cream cheese, 2 tablespoons butter, milk, salt and pepper).

Bring 1-inch water to a boil. Trim beans. Salt water and add beans. Simmer 5 minutes, drain and combine with tomatoes, thyme, 1 tablespoon oil, salt and pepper. (I cooked the beans but didn't add the tomatoes, etc. I just seasoned them with a little butter, salt and pepper).

Holiday Party

For the past year or so I've belonged to a cooking board. It's a national board so many of the members are spread throughout the country. I've connected with tons of wonderful people and participated in fun gift exchanges, but the best part of the board is the get-togethers. A few of us live in the same area and have become very good friends off the boards, so we decided to do a holiday potluck yesterday afternoon. We each brought a dish so Brooke, the host, didn't have to do all the cooking. It was a leisurely lunch with lots of great conversations. I can't wait to do it again!

We started the lunch off with pizza pockets made by Colleen:


The little pockets of dough are stuffed with sausage, spinach and cream cheese. She served them with pizza sauce for dipping.


These were so good I'm pretty sure I had a few too many. I stopped counting after four. Absolutely delicious and the perfect start to the meal.


Jenn was in charge of the main course and she brought chicken marsala:


The chicken was incredibly moist and look at all those delicious mushrooms. So, so good! Lauren decided to stick with the marsala theme with a wonderfully creamy baked orzo:


... that was a great way to use orzo, which is one of my favorite pastas. I love that it could be made ahead like a casserole. Initially I was planning to make green bean casserole but the beans have been a little lackluster at the store, so I went with the zesty broccoli casserole instead:


This time I added the water chestnuts and used plenty of broccoli and it was delicious. I loved the crunch from the water chestnuts and onion and the broccoli still had a little bite to it. Here's my plate with some of everything:


A close-up of the delicious chicken marsala:


... the broccoli casserole:


... and the yummy baked orzo:


After we were stuffed silly Brooke served us some delicious hot apple toddies:


... before she brought out the dessert, a gorgeous pumpkin trifle:


Just look at those layers of cake, pudding and whipped cream:


It was nice and light, with great flavors:


I had a fantastic time hanging out, eating good food and laughing with everyone. I can't wait to do it again. I hope this becomes a regular thing. Thanks again for a fantastic time!

Pepperoni and Mushroom Pan Pizzas

On Thursday we decided to have pizza for dinner. SP is still loving the pan pizzas, so that's what I made.


The only thing I have trouble with is getting the dough to fit in the pan:


It usually ends up looking a little crimped along the edge, but it still tastes great.


I put the same ingredients on both pizzas, but one I put the pepperoni down first and then the mushrooms and the other I swapped the toppings.


Crispy and delicious, as always.

Sushi

SP had to go out of town on Tuesday for a work event so I decided to treat myself to sushi.


I got two rolls, the spicy tuna roll:


... which we love because not only do they stuff the roll with the spicy tuna, they pile more of the mixture on top of the roll, and a tuna and avocado roll:


... which is always a favorite with the creamy, buttery avocado and the luscious tuna.

Pasta with Meat Sauce and Garlic Bread

Last Sunday I decided to make a meat sauce so we'd have something to eat during the week if I didn't feel like cooking one night. We ended up having the sauce on Monday over penne:


I also made garlic bread:


The sauce was ground beef, chopped onion, garlic, carrot and celery, tomato paste, tomatoes and seasonings all cooked down until the flavors combine and the sauce thickens.

Fried Rice

We had some rice leftover from the tinga and some vegetables leftover from Thanksgiving so I decided to experiment with fried rice:


I chopped onion, roasted carrots and green beans, cooked them in a skillet and then added the rice. Once the rice was toasted a bit I added two beaten eggs and some soy sauce and a dash of sesame oil.

Tinga Poblana with Chicken

The Saturday after Thanksgiving SP decided he wanted to try something new for dinner. He looked through the William-Sonoma Mexican cookbook, found a recipe he wanted to make and then went to a Mexican grocery to get ingredients. The recipe he picked was Tinga Poblana with Chicken, which we had as tacos:


The tinga was a mix of shredded chicken, onions, garlic, chorizo, tomatoes and chipotle:


The recipe suggested serving the tinga with rice, so SP cooked the rice in the broth leftover from poaching the chicken thighs:


Since we had the tinga in tacos we needed fixings, including softened tortillas, crumbled queso fresco, minced white onion and diced avocado:


The tinga was fantastic. The chicken was moist and tender and went fabulously with the creamy avocado and the crunch of the onion. A little sour cream cooled the heat from the chipotle. We ate way more of this then we should have, but the flavor was fantastic and addictive.

Tinga Poblana with Chicken
William-Sonoma Mexican Cookbook

1 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (DON'T substitute with chicken breasts or boneless, skinless!)
1 white onion, 1/2 cut into large cubes, 1/2 finely diced
4 cloves garlic, 2 smashed, 2 minced
Salt
1 tablesooon cooking oil
1/2 lb chorizo, casings removed and crumbled
1 can chopped tomatoes (if in juice, drain. If in sauce, don't drain)
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
2 bay leaves
2 canned chipotles en adobo with 1 tablesoon sauce, diced (we used half this amount and it was plenty spicy)

Garnishes:
mince white onion
diced avocado
sour cream

Place the chicken, onion chunks and smashed garlic in a saucepan and add water to cover. Add 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off any foam that forms on the surface. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the chicken is opaque throughout, 20-30 minutes.

Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a plate. Reserve the broth. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove and discard any skin or fat or bones and coarsely shred the meat with your fingers or a fork.

In a large frying pan or Dutch oven over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the chorizo and fry for about 5 minutes. Remove the excess rendered fat. Add the finely chopped onion, garlic and saute until beginning to soften, but not yet starting to brown, about 1 minute. Add about 1 cup of the reserved chicken broth, deglaze the pan. Add the shredded chicken, tomatoes, oregano, bay leaves and chiles. Stir until blended. Simmer, uncovered, until the flavors are blended, about 15 minutes. Add more broth to the pan if the mixture begins to stick, but do not add too much; the mixture should absorb the liquid and not be runny. Remove and discard the bay leaves and season to taste with salt.

Leftover Thanksgiving Sandwich

One of my favorite things about Thanksgiving is the leftovers. This is my favorite leftover sandwich:


... a perfect combination of lightly toasted rye bread, each slice slathered with mayo, topped with turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce. Delicious.

Breakfast

The Friday after Thanksgiving we had a nice breakfast of eggs, bacon and toast:


I always get a loaf of rye bread for my favorite Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich. As we were sitting down to eat I noticed our cat lounging in the sun so I snuck in a quick shot of him:

Thanksgiving Day: Dessert

I've never been much of a sweet person (as you can probably tell from reading my blog), but you can't have Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie, at least not in my house. My mom baked a delicious pumpkin pie:


... that we had with homemade whipped cream my stepgrandmother brought for my stepdad's birthday (which happened to fall on Thanksgiving this year):


We also had blueberry and pecan pies (not pictured because by the time we got to dessert I was in a food coma). My mom took this picture (and the one of the finished pie above) because she thought it was very important to mention that she uses Brer Rabbit Molasses when she makes her pie:


I know I'm really late with these postings, but I hope everyone had a very happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Day: The Sides

Even though the turkey is the main event at Thanksgiving, I'm all about the sides. I love everything on this gorgeous plate:


We had all the usual suspects, including mashed potatoes:


... green beans:


... gorgeously brown gravy made from the pan drippings:


... rutabaga brought by my mom's friend S:


... SP's famous biscuits:


... roasted carrots:


... stuffing:


... roasted sweet potatoes:


... and two kinds of craberry sauce (whole berry and jellied):


The table looked gorgeous with all the food laid out ready for eating:


Next up, dessert!

Thanksgiving Day: The Bird

Thanksgiving is nothing without the main event - the turkey.


This year my mom prepared a huge 19-pounder. I'm always in awe of how crispy and golden-brown the skin gets.


As we've done in recent years, my stepdad took the whole breast off the bone and then sliced it:


My mom also took a photo of the bird in the oven, since by the time we arrived at her house he was finished cooking:


Next up, side dishes!