Bacon Night: Sweet & Spicy Bacon Chicken

Oh goodness, Patty brought these yummy Chicken strips wrapped in bacon!  She said they were called Sweet & Spicy Bacon Chicken but I didn't think they were spicy at all!

Source: diaryofarecipeaddict.blogspot.com via Patty on Pinterest

Super simple to make...

Sweet & Spicy Bacon Chicken: Season chicken w salt, pepper,garlic powder and chilli powder,wrap in bacon and roll in brown sugar. Bake 400 till crispy 30-40 min.

And these were what ours looked like, YUM!
This picture doesn't even do them justice because it was taken with my iPhone!!

Bacon Night: Cream Cheese Stuffed Jalapeno's with Bacon

Hello yum is all I have to say. In fact I couldn't keep my sweet husband out of them, but don't worry, for every one he got, he took a bite and then I got a bite is it was all good, right!?!?

Ok so what you do:

Get Jalapenos.  Slice them in half and remove the ribs and seeds (because that's where the heat lives in a pepper).  Let's give Jason credit for doing that!!

Then you take cream cheese and stuff the half pepper full of cream cheese.  Wrap a half piece of bacon around the pepper.

Lissa stuck them in a 500 degree oven for 30 minutes to quickly get them done.

Eat and Enjoy!

Bacon Night - Cheese & Corn & Bacon Chowda

Tuesday nights theme was based around Bacon.  I swear I still hear the dog commercial running around sniffing out Bacon Bites or whatever they're called.

Here, I went on youtube and found the video just to share :)

Anyway I remembered I had this PW recipe sitting in my drafts for Corn & Cheese Chowder.  I decided that's what we'd take, but I had to improvise a little, so here's my version that is adapted from hers! (adapted via this PW recipe)

Ingredients

• Extra virgin Olive Oil
• 1 whole onion, chopped
• 4 slices bacon, cut into pieces
• 3 whole bell peppers, finely diced (red, yellow, orange)
• 1 bag frozen
• 3 large tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups chicken stock or broth
• 2 cups 2% milk
• 1 8oz bag of 4 Cheese Mexican Blend cheese (about 2 cups)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a large pot add a couple turns around the pan of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Add the onion and peppers and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the bacon and cook for a couple of minutes. Finally, add the corn and cook for a minute.

Sprinkle the flour evenly over the top and stir to combine. Pour in the chicken stock and stir well. Allow this to thicken for 3 or 4 minutes, and then reduce the heat to low. Stir in the milk, and then cover and allow to simmer and thicken for 15 minutes or so.

Stir in the cheese. When the cheese is melted and the soup is hot, check seasonings. Add salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and serve immediately.

I can sure tell you it hit the spot on a chilly rainy, Missouri Winter night!!  It was mighty tasty too!

Corn & Cheese Chowder with Bacon

by Nicole

Keywords: stove top entree cheese corn bacon American fall winter

6041314

Ingredients

• Extra virgin Olive Oil
• 1 whole onion, chopped
• 4 slices bacon, cut into pieces
• 3 whole bell peppers, finely diced (red, yellow, orange)
• 1 bag frozen
• 3 large tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups chicken stock or broth
• 2 cups 2% milk
• 1 8oz bag of 4 Cheese Mexican Blend cheese (about 2 cups)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

In a large pot add a couple turns around the pan of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Add the onion and peppers and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the bacon and cook for a couple of minutes. Finally, add the corn and cook for a minute.

Sprinkle the flour evenly over the top and stir to combine. Pour in the chicken stock and stir well. Allow this to thicken for 3 or 4 minutes, and then reduce the heat to low. Stir in the milk, and then cover and allow to simmer and thicken for 15 minutes or so.

Stir in the cheese. When the cheese is melted and the soup is hot, check seasonings. Add salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and serve immediately.

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Beignets

Do you know what a Beignet is?  First off, let's work on pronunciation - Beignet is pronounced Ben-Yey.  Second off, it's a French donut.  In New Orleans they are served at coffee shops with extremely strong coffee.  Here in Missouri though, we eat them just plain ;).

Beignets via Justin Wilson Homegrown Louisiana Cookin'

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 medium-sized egg
3 tbsp sugar
1 cup milk
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 quart oil for deep frying
Confectioners' sugar

Half fill a large, deep saucepan with oil and preheat it to 375 degrees F.  Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon into a large mixing bowl.  In a separate bowl, beat the egg well, then beat in the sugar, milk, and vanilla.  Pour the egg mixture into the flour and mix slightly until moistened.  Turn onto a floured surface and knead lightly.  Roll the dough out to a 1/4 inch thickness.  Slice into diamond shapes and about 3 inches long.  Fry in oil, turning once, until they are golden brown and puffed up.  Remove, drain on paper towels, and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.  Serve immediately with the cafe au lait.

Shared here:
Scrumptious Sunday

Creamy Chicken Cajun Pasta

Tuesday Night Patty brought Creamy Chicken Cajun Pasta.  She found the recipe on Pinterest.  That seems to be a great place to find things when you're looking!

Source: delish.com via Patty on Pinterest

Creamy Chicken Cajun Pasta (via delish)

• 8 ounce(s) whole-wheat fusilli or rotini
• 1 tablespoon(s) canola oil
• 2 slice(s) bacon, chopped
• 1 large sweet onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 pound(s) boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 medium green bell pepper, sliced
• 3 clove(s) garlic, minced
• 4 teaspoon(s) Cajun seasoning (see Tip)
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon(s) all-purpose flour
• 1 can(s) (28-ounce) crushed tomatoes
• 1/3 cup(s) reduced-fat sour cream
• 1/2 cup(s) sliced scallions for garnish

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add bacon and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add chicken, bell pepper, garlic, Cajun seasoning, and pepper. Cook stirring, until the onion and bell pepper are beginning to soften, about 4 minutes.
3. Add flour and stir to coat. Add tomatoes and their juice; bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, until the sauce is bubbling and thickened and the chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in sour cream.
4. Stir the pasta into the sauce. Serve sprinkled with scallions, if desired.
   
   Exchanges: 2 starch, 2 vegetable, 2 lean meat, 1 fat Carbohydrate Servings: 2 1/2 Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (53% daily value), Vitamin A (23% dv), Iron (21% dv), Magnesium & Potassium (20% dv).

And in fashion, this is what ours looked like:
 Hello Yum!! 

Linking up here:
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Cajun Night!!!!!

I'm so ready for Cajun night at the shack tonight!! Cajun food has always been one of my favorites because it features some of my favorite things, onions, sausage, lots of spice, and of course crawdads!!! So since I'm so excited I'm going to go ahead and share my recipe for tonight, Crawdad Etouffe! This is one of my families favorite meals, I have made it many times and it always disappears quickly!



Crawdad Etouffe

1 1/2 to 2 sticks of butter
2 medium sized yellow onions, chopped
1 1/2 cups finely chopped celery
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 to 1 cup of flour
1 Tablespoon of salt
1/2 Tablespoon of pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, whatever kind you prefer
1/2 to 1 Teaspoon Cayenne pepper
4 to 6 cups of water
1 or 2 Tablespoons chicken bouillion, or even better fish or seafood bouillion
1/2 to 1 cup chopped green onions
2 pounds peeled and cleaned crawdad tails

1. In a large pot melt your butter, then add the onions, garlic, and celery (you can also add a 1/2 cup or so of bell peppers if you want, I don't care for them so I don't include them). Let the onions and celery cook until nicely carmelized and tender.

2. Add your flour to the pot. Start with just a half cup and add more just until you have a nice thick roux that is almost like a paste. Turn the heat down to medium and let this cook just a bit but keep watch on it or it will burn.

3. When the roux is a nice brown color add the water and stir well making sure to get all the nice browned bits off the bottom. Add all of your seasonings and the bouillion and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and let cook for awhile stirring occasionally.

4. After that simmers for about 20 minutes add the crawdads and  green onions and simmer another 10 or fifteen minutes.

5. And finally serve over hot steamed or boiled rice or you can just eat it plain.

The seasonings in this recipe can be adapted according to your own personal tastes. If you like it spicy add more cayenne, or less if you don't like as much spice. Just remember to taste the food as it cooks to get the flavors just the way you like them. And remember most of the time the crawdads you find will be precooked so they don't have to cook very long, and also if you let them cook to long they can give the dish a bit of a fishy flavor.


I hope this day goes by quickly because typing up this recipe has my mouth watering for some Crawdad Etouffe and all the other great Cajun foods that I'm sure will be at the shack tonight. Anyway happy Tuesday to everyone!! I hope your days are sunshiny and fun filled!!!

Linking up with:
Tasty Tuesdays

Donnie's Delight

Inspiration came from this pin

Source: franksredhot.com via Tasha on Pinterest

Donnie's Delight
2 pkgs. cream cheese,
8 oz. ranch dressing,
2 -10 oz. cans chicken, drained well
shredded cheddar.
Couple Dashes of Hot Sauce

Melt first 3 ingredients together with a handful of shredded cheddar. Mix in chicken (I shred it).  Add a couple dashes of hot sauce. Pour into baking dish. Sprinkle top with shredded cheddar (light cover). Bake at 375 for 15-20 mins or until cheese on top is melted. Serve with crackers.

and ours turned out like this:


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Down Home Macaroni Lasagna

Interested yet? This is something we make at our house quite often.  It has Mac & Cheese & hamburger & cheese and pasta sauce, I mean how can you go wrong?

Ingredients:
Mac & cheese & all the stuff needed to make it. (from scratch or out of a box, your choice)
Spaghetti Sauce (out of a jar or homemade, again, your choice)
Cheese
Hamburger

Start the water to boiling for your macaroni noodles. Once boiling, add the noodles.

In the meantime brown up your hamburger in another pan.  You can add your favorite seasonings or add-ons (such as onion, black olives, mushrooms, whatever suits your fancy!).  Then dump your spaghetti sauce in with the hamburger and let them simmer while your waiting on your Mac & Cheese to finish up.

I cheated, I used boxed mac & cheese, when you're in a hurry, it was the fast way to handle it.  So stir in the powdered cheese mix and the butter.

Now dump the mac & cheese into the meat/sauce and mix.

Generally we add some cheese right into the mixture to make it cheesier.

Next top it with more cheese.  You can use whatever you'd like, we've used fiesta blend, we've used mozzarella, just whatever you prefer.  mmmm cheese. We wound up using 2 cups of shredded cheese. Use as much or as little as you desire.

Then place this in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.  And you're good to go!

Mmmmm eat & enjoy!