Broccoli with Bacon

This is my favorite way to prepare fresh broccoli.  It leaves it crisp-tender with a nice hint of bacon!  

1.  Heat 1 to 2 Tbsp  of olive oil in a wok or stir fry skillet.

2.  Place cleaned, chopped, broccoli in the hot oil. Toss it like you would stir fry.

3.  Let it steam with the lid on.

4.  Season with stir fry seasoning (or lemon pepper).

5.  Finally, toss in crumbled crisp bacon and it's ready to serve!

Make Your Honey Some Southern Baked Beans

Nothing says love like a Dutch oven full of tangy Southern Baked Beans!  Get out your Dutch oven or cast iron skillet and let's go!

1.  Brown 1/2 lb. of good bacon that's been snipped into small sections with kitchen scissors or a knife.

2.  Add 1/2 bell pepper, chopped and 1/2 chopped onion to the bacon grease.  Cook until onion is transparent.  Keep scraping the browned bits from the bottom.

3.  Add 1 1/2 C ketchup and 1 1/2 TBSP mustard.  Mix.

 

4.  Add brown sugar to taste (I use about 1 C). Mix well.  Let simmer on low.  Add 1 large can of Pork and Beans and leave on until heated through.

Bacon Wrapped Chicken with Honey Mustard Glaze

Well, I've hinted lately that I'm in crazy transition mode.  We've moved from beautiful north Texas to beautiful northwest Arkansas.  Fortunately, our Texas home was under contract four days from listing it! So we are in a comfortable  2 bedroom furnished  apartment here in Arkansas while we house hunt.  It's a fun time, but very unusual for me.  I'm cooking, for just 2 people,  in an apartment sized kitchen.  My cooking essentials are sitting somewhere in a mover's vault as I "make do".  I'm cooking on electric instead of gas which I haven't done in quite a while.  Someone else comes in and cleans, changes the bed linens and vacuums.  I have access to a golf course, sauna, and other goodies,  that I have yet to use.  Instead, I spend my free time out driving my van around, finding my way to different areas and getting used to our new hometown!  Other times, I'm with our realtor, Ida, looking at houses.  Hubbie's new job is going well, the community has been very warm and welcoming and we've already attended several community events.  There is a nice inventory of homes, so I'm hopeful that we will find the right one soon...one with a gas range.

Because I'm cooking for just the two of us and presently have a very small freezer and fridge, I use meat that is frozen in individual portions.  I find the Tyson frozen chicken tenderloins and Member's Mark frozen fish fillets very handy for meat options.  Here's a recipe that I made this past Tuesday.  The bacon keeps the chicken very moist and the marinade gives it a tangy flavor.  Love the cracked pepper on top, too!

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenderloins

1 lb. chicken tenderloins (I thaw them ahead and rinse that icy glaze off)
1 lb. bacon (I like applewood)
1/2 C  honey
2 TBSP Dijon mustard(or whatever kind you prefer)
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
1/2 TBSP white vinegar
salt and fresh cracked pepper

-Whisk together all wet ingredients and seasonings except pepper.
-Marinate the chicken in 1/2 of the marinade for 30 minutes.
-Remove chicken from marinade and wrap each tenderloine with bacon.
-Place on jelly roll sheet with edges;  brush with the rest of the marinade and top with cracked pepper.
-Bake 10-12 minutes at 375 degrees;  turn, brush other side with marinade,  and bake another 10-12 minutes. Make sure bacon is brown and crisp.

SWAPS:
Flour Me with Love
I Should Be Mopping the Floor
Stone Gable
Mrs Happy Homemaker
Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms
Create with Joy
Couponing and Cooking
Lines Across My Face
Alderberry Hill
Serendipity and Spice
Cedar Hill Ranch
Skip to My Lou