Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Chicken

Yep, it's as mouth watering as it sounds... I actually heard about this dish at a party and decided to try to replicate it blindly. I made it as an appetizer, but you could obviously leave the thighs whole and serve as a main dish. I also just made it ahead of time, put it in the fridge, then threw them in the oven an hour before my guests came over... Make ahead meals are the best for me because I can make them during D's nap, and then don't have to fumble around with raw chicken or miss any time with her when she is awake! I also had some leftover cooked quinoa I added to the stuffing, it made for an awesome texture and made each bite well rounded! I ended up making this the other night for game night with my sis and her BF. It was a huge hit and super simple!! 

So here it is!

Ingredients:

2lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1lb thick cut bacon
1tsp olive oil
2Tbs mayo
1/2 bag fresh baby spinach (about 2c)
1c cooked quinoa
4oz crumbled Feta
fresh cracked black pepper



Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°, lightly oil a 9x13 inch glass baking dish.

2. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat, quickly stir in spinach until wilted remove and set aside to cool.

3. Lay out chicken thighs face down and pound lightly to slightly to flatten. In a medium mixing bowl, mix mayo, spinach, quinoa and feta. Evenly distribute the mixture among the chicken thighs, and season with fresh cracked black pepper. (NOTE: I found the bacon to add plenty of salt to the dish, so I don't recommend adding any extra!)

4. Roll each of the thighs up like a burrito, and wrap each roll in 2 pieces of bacon. Put 3 toothpicks in each roll to hold together. Place in oiled baking dish. (NOTE: If you are making ahead, at this point you can just cover and refrigerate. Then an hour before your guests arrive, preheat oven, uncover and bake as described in step 5.) 

5. Bake uncovered in preheated oven until bacon is brown and chicken is no longer pink, 50-60 minutes. Then turn the oven to a LOW Broil, and cook for just a few minutes more until the bacon is crispy. Remove and let cool 5-10 minutes.

6. If serving whole, remove toothpicks and serve. If serving as a starter or appetizer, leave toothpicks in and with a sharp knife, cut between each toothpick, each roll will be 3 pieces, and put on a serving plate.

And Voila! You have a quick, easy and delicious dish your friends will surely talk about!

Leftover Breakfast Tacos

This week I made Cilantro Lime Shrimp Tacos with cabbage and feta and Cuban Chicken with slow cooker black beans and rice. And this weekend my husband made amazing breakfast tacos with some of the leftovers.

Ingredients:
eggs
ground turkey
leftover beans & rice
corn tortillas
avocado, sliced
tomato, diced
cheddar cheese
tomatilla salsa
cilantro

Directions:
Cook ground turkey, scramble eggs and add cheese. Reheat beans and rice, and heat tortillas. In the tortillas add beans & rice, ground turkey, scrambled eggs, tomato, avocado, cilantro and smother with tomatillo salsa.

Great Job Hubby!

Cuban Chicken with Slow Cooker Black Beans & Rice

I adapted this recipe from two recipes. The first is Cuban-Spiced Chicken from epicurious.com, and the second is cuban black beans and rice from a cook book I have called Crock-Pot Busy Family Recipes. The best thing about this meal is that it all can be prepped ahead of time, and then only takes less than 20 minutes to throw it all together!

Ingredients:
3 3/4 c chicken broth
1 1/2 c uncooked brown rice
1 large white onion, chopped
1 large jalapeño, seeded and chopped (half for rice & beans, half for chicken)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp ground cumin
fresh ground salt & pepper
2 cans (15oz) black beans, rinsed & drained
2 limes zested and juiced (half for rice & beans, half for chicken)
2 Tbs olive oil
1/4c fresh cilantro, chop stems and set aside leaves for topping
1 Tbs thyme
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp allspice
fresh ground salt & pepper
6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
Optional toppings:
avocado, sliced
sour cream 
cilantro leaves
tomatillo salsa

Directions: 
1. In slow cooker, add chicken broth, uncooked rice, onion, 1/2 jalapeño, garlic, cumin and salt & pepper, mix well. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours, or until rice is tender. Don't over cook or rice will be mushy.

2. In a tupperware or freezer bag; add olive oil, 1/2 lime juice, 1/2 lime zest, 1/2 jalapeño, cilantro stems, thyme, paprika, cumin, allspice and salt & pepper, mix well.  Add chicken thighs and coat thoroughly with marinade. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.

3. After 7 hours, check the rice, when it is tender turn the slow cooker off and stir in black beans and 1/2 lime juice & 1/2 lime zest.

4. Heat a large skillet on Medium-High heat, add chicken thighs and all marinade. Cook thoroughly, rotating with tongs periodically, until chicken is cooked through and browned on the outside. 

4. To serve, scoop rice and beans onto a plate and top with chicken thighs. Add avocado, a dollop of sour cream, cilantro leaves and a few teaspoons tomatillo salsa. And ENJOY!!

Cilantro & Lime Shrimp Tacos with Cabbage and Feta

My husband loves mexican food. So we tend to eat a lot of mexican inspired dishes, but I like to add a little twist, to change it up. We had these Monday night and they were AWSOME!!

But what mexican meal is complete without Margaritas. Right!?

Ingredients: (makes 6-8 tacos)

1lb shrimp                                                                  

1 Tbs olive oil                                                          

2 cloves garlic, crushed                                      

1/4 tsp chili powder                                             

1/4 tsp cumin                                                           

1 lime, half zested and juiced, half cut into wedges                                                                      

1c fresh cilantro                                                   

1/4c sour cream                                                      

1 avocado, sliced                                                  

6-8 soft corn tortillas
8oz feta cheese                                             

salt & pepper

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl add Shrimp (thawed and drained if frozen), olive oil, garlic, chili powder and cumin and set aside.

2. In a small bowl add sour cream, lime juice, lime zest and salt & pepper to taste. Mix well. 

3. Turn on one burner to med-low. One tortilla at a time, toast directly on the burner.

4. While the tortillas are heating (watch them so they don't burn).Heat a medium frying pan to med-high heat. Add shrimp to the pan, sauté about 2 minutes on each side, carful to not over cook. 

5. Line heated tortillas on a plate and add a spoonful of sour cream mixture, then cabbage, then shrimp, then avocado. Top with fresh cilantro and feta cheese.

We also added some tomatillo salsa, because we love it!! Enjoy!