Thursday, March 29, 2012

Smothered Chicken Breasts




As a newly wed, my husband and I don't get a lot of opportunities to eat out luxuriously and spend lots of money on groceries.  Therefore we have a lot of chicken (and rice/ramen).  I'm always looking for new recipes to try to do to change up the chicken.

I made this recipe that my mom recommend one day and I'm not going to lie, it made all other chicken taste terrible in comparison.  This was the best chicken I've ever made/eaten. 

I'm not a huge onion person, but oh my goodness, do not attempt to make it without the onions or it will not be nearly as good.  Granted, anything tastes better with brown sugar.  And add bacon grease to it and you're looking at clogged artery heaven!  

Here's the recipe:
(Serves 4)
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 8 bacon strips
  • 1 medium onion, sliced
  • 4 (6 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
  • 1/2 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese (or whatever kind of cheese you'd prefer, but I recommend this or Colby-Monterey Jack)


Optional Step 1:
Marinate the chicken with lemon juice, garlic and italian dressing.

Step 2:
On a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp.  Remove to paper towels.  DO NOT DISCARD THE DRIPPINGS.  
Place the onion and brown sugar in same skillet and saute until the onion is golden.  Remove onion slices and place in a bowl.

Step 3:
Sprinkle chicken with salt and lemon-pepper.
In the same skillet, cook the chicken in the remaining bacon drippings until juices run clear.  
When the chicken is completed, leave it on the skillet and place 2 pieces of bacon on each breast, then top with caramelized onions and cheese and let it cook for a minute or two, until the cheese starts to melt.




Original recipe is from all-recipes.com and can be found here

Apple Pie Baked in an Apple

Apple Pie baked in an Apple!


This is a really simple and fun recipe that I made for a game night that I had a few weeks ago.  


It's essentially an apple pie baked inside another apple.  There are a couple options to choose from when making this and that's kind of why it's fun!  The part is how easy it is!  Any level of culinary knowledge is sufficient and you're guaranteed to impress people.  


Here's the recipe:
(Serves 4)

5-6 Granny Smith Apples (Make sure that 4 of them can stand on their own)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 Pie Crust (homemade or pre-made)




Step 1:
Preheat oven to 375 Degrees F
Cut off the top of 4 apples and discard the top.  Scoop out the interior with a spoon or melon baller very careful to avoid piercing the peel.  I left about a centimeter around the edges.
If you're able to, save the interior to use for the pie, but if not, no big deal, that's why you have an extra 1-2 apples!  Make sure to get rid of the seeds and the core.


Step 2:
Peel the remaining apples and cut them very thin.  I highly recommend an apple peeler/corer/slicer.  It'll save you a TON of work.  These apples will give you the rest of the filling for the pies.
Put the slices in a bowl and toss them with the cinnamon, sugar, and brown sugar.  If you want more of any of the ingredients, by all means, add to your heart's content! 
Scoop the apple slices into each of the hollowed apples.


Step 3:
Roll out pie crust and slice into 1/4 inch strips.  You can also add a strip of pastry inside the top of the apple almost like a liner to add a little more texture/sweetness to the pie.


Step 4: 
Place apples in an 8x8 pan and add just enough water to cover the bottom of the pan.  
Cover with foil and bake 20-25 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake an additional 20 minutes or so until the crust is golden brown and the sliced apples are soft.

And that's it!

I recommend serving it with ice cream, because let's be honest, everything, especially pie, is better with ice cream.  







You can find the original posting on Pinterest or the Paper Plates and China blogpost:
http://paperplatesandchina.blogspot.com/2011/08/pie-la-apple.html