Asparagus Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Chicken

Asparagus Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Chicken
by: La Tisha Wammack
5 Stars

Ingredients:
1 lb chicken breast, pounded thin and cut into four pieces
12 spears asparagus
8 slices bacon
Italian seasoning
Salt
Pepper
Parmesan cheese

For the sauce:
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 1/4 C milk, heated
Salt Pepper
1/4 C Parmesan cheese

Directions

Lay the chicken out and sprinkle with the salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the seasonings.  Trim the asparagus to be about the width of the chicken.  Lay 3 spears on the chicken and roll the chicken up around the spears.  Wrap the chicken bundles with two pieces of bacon.  Place the bundles in a greased pan and bake at 400F for about 35-40 min.  Broil for about 5 minutes or until bacon begins to crisp.

While bundles are cooking prepare the sauce.  Melt the butter on medium heat.  Add the flour and heat until it begins to brown.  Add the milk in slowly, make sure the milk is warm first.  When heated though, add the cheese and seasonings.

Serve the chicken with rice and pour the sauce over all.

Prepared Pantry Blueberry White Chocolate Muffins

So I debated about sharing this since it calls for tidbits and flavor you can only get at the Prepared Pantry.  But if you are able to pick up these items it so worth it.  If not you could use the base recipe and makes substitutions.  I made this while camping with my parents and my mom declared it one of the best muffins she has ever had.  Nuf said.
Here is the recipe.  I used blueberry tidbits instead and no walnuts.

Red Velvet Cookies-to die for!!

Just tried these red velvet cookies made out of red velvet cake mix.  Soooo good!!

Beef and Broccoli

We had some ymuuy heads of broccoli sitting in our fridge just waiting to be used.  I wanted to something different than just steaming and eating them though, my husband suggested beef and broccoli.  After looking through a lot of recipes online, I found this one and it was great!  We loved the flavors!  I used about a pound of meat and doubled the marinade and the sauce and I thought that was perfect.

Cafe Rio Pulled Pork

I was in charge of girls night this month and we had Cafe Rio (and Cupcake Wars as previously mentioned).  So I assigned out all of the different toppings but I was in charge of one pot of meat.

Here is the recipe I used and it is pretty danged good.  Great on sandwhiches too.  And easy.

Here's the recipe!  I did exacty what she said.  I did two smallish pork roasts so I did double the sauce.

Caramel Apple Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

I posted this recipe on my family blog and you can find it here. These came out really good and they were fairly easy to make.

Dulce de Leche cake

We attended a Cinco de Mayo party and were asked to bring this cake. It was delicious!

DULCE de LECHE CAKE

CAKE INGREDIENTS

Yellow cake mix

1/2 cup butter (1 cube)

1 1/3 cups water

2 tsp vanilla

3 eggs at room temp (you can quickly warm them in a bowl of hot tap water)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bottom only of pan with PAM or grease w/shortening. I think a glass pan does a better job but any 9x13 pan is ok.

In a quart sauce pan heat butter over medium heat for about 8 minutes stirring

frequently, just until golden brown. This happens quickly once it gets "frothy",

Remove from heat and cool 15 minutes.

In a large bowl, beat cake mix, browned butter, water and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes (brown flecks from butter will appear in batter). Pour into pan. Bake 30 -40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted in center of cake. Cool completely @ 1 hour.

FROSTING INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups butter (3 cubes)

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup canned milk

2 cups powdered sugar

Melt butter in sauce pan. Stir in brown sugar. Heat to boiling stirring constantly. Boil and stir over low heat for 2 minutes. Sir in canned milk and heat again just to boiling. Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm. Add powdered sugar gradually beating after each addition. Continue beating as it cools until of spreading consistency. This frosting sets as it cools so get it on cake when spreadable but not set. If its sets before you get it on the cake you can reheat it slightly while stirring constantly.

Cover frosted cake and keep in a cool place. Can be made the day before if necessary.

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Having recently received some fresh vanilla beans, I figured the best use of them would be to make ice cream.  I found a recipe that I REALLY liked here.  Here is the shortened version if you don't want to go to the site.  If you are not too familiar with making ice cream, she does include pictures and step-by-step instructions for making it on the site.

Ingredients

• 1 whole Vanilla Bean, Split And Scraped
• 3 cups Half-and-half
• 2 cups Sugar
• 8 whole (up To 9) Large Egg Yolks
• 3 cups Heavy Cream

Preparation Instructions

Heat half-and-half and 2 cups sugar in a saucepan over low heat, adding vanilla “caviar” to the mixture. Turn off heat when mixture is totally heated.
Beat egg yolks by hand or with an electric mixer until yolks are pale yellow and slightly thick. Temper the egg yolks by slowly drizzling into the 1 1/2 cups of hot half-and-half mixture, whisking constantly. After that, pour the egg yolk/half-and-half mixture into the pan containing the rest of the half-and-half mixture. Cook over low to medium-low heat (depending on how hot your stove gets) until quite thick, stirring constantly. Tthen pour into a bowl with the heavy cream. Stir to combine.
Chill mixture completely, then freeze in an ice cream maker until thick. Place container in freezer to harden for at least eight hours.
Serve with something chocolate. Enjoy!

Creamy Black Bean Salsa Chicken

One of my friends gave me this crock pot cook book for Christmas. I love crock pot meals because I always seem to have more energy and motivation to make dinner earlier in the day. I especially liked this meal because you just stick the chicken in frozen. No thawing! I love it. http://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/2010/09/revisiting-creamy-black-bean-salsa.html I used chicken breasts instead of thighs because that is usually what I have on hand. It worked just fine. We ate it as a soup. Delish! We all really liked this meal!

Almost Famous Broccoli Cheddar Soup

I got this from Food Network Magazine.  They were trying to knock-off a soup from a restaurant called Panera Bread.  It is the best broccoli cheddar soup I have tried.  And the loads of broccoli more than make up for the half and half right? The soup is pureed so the kids aren't whining about big pieces of veggie.  Served in a bread bowl or with some yummy rolls or fresh bread.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

6 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup all purpose flour
3 cups chicken broth (I made up three chicken bouilion cubes)
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 cups broccoli florets (fresh, or frozen-slightly thawed)
1 large carrot, diced
2 1/2 cups grated cheese (any combo of white or yellow)

1. Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.  Whisk in the flour and cook until golden, 3-4 minutes, then gradually whisk in the half-and-half until smooth.  Add the chicken broth, bay leaves and nutmeg, then season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, until thickened, about 20 minutes.
2.  Add the  broccoli and carrot the broth mixture and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaves,  Puree the soup in batches until smooth; you'll still have flecks of carrot and broccoli.  Return to the pot.
3. Add the cheese to the soup and whisk over medium heat until melted.  Add up to 3/4 cup water if the soup is too thick.  Ladle into bread bowls and garnish with cheese.

Brazilian Lemonade

Last night for FHE, I tried the Brazilian Lemonade.  I don't know why it is called lemonade because it is made with limes, but you could call in garbage and it would still be good. I followed the recipe exactly and it was so good.  Tristan thought it would be too sour, but it wasn't at all.  I will definitely make this again.