Sweet Chicken Bacon Wraps

1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 (1 lb) package sliced bacon
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons chili powder

Preheat oven to 350°F. 

 

Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes. 

 

Cut each bacon slice into thirds. Wrap each chicken cube with bacon and secure with a wooden pick inserted on the diagonal starting where bacon seam overlaps. 

 

Stir together brown sugar and chili powder. Dredge wrapped chicken in mixture. 

 

Coat a rack and broiler pan with non-stick cooking spray. Place chicken on rack in broiler pan. 

 

Bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes, or until bacon is crisp.

 

Notes: if you don't have a rack or broiler pan, pour off the fat half way through cooking and turn the bites over.  In addition, I cooked mine closer to 45 minutes.  Get lean bacon so you don't end up wrapping the chicken in total fat.  

 

Next time I plan to try maple coated bacon from Sam's and skip the sugar and chilli.  The maple bacon is already coated with sticky sweetness.

 

 

Makes 12-15 Appetizers

foodnetwork.com

Paula Deen

 

 

Spicy Italian Sausage and Cheese Bread

1 recipe Basic Pizza Dough, recipe follows, or storebought refrigerated pizza dough from a can or tube
2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 pound mild Italian sausage, remove from the casings
1 cup diced yellow onions
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
1 egg plus 2 teaspoons water, beaten together

Preheat oven to 375 degree F, and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the cornmeal onto a large baking sheet pan.

Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned and no pink is left, about 5 minutes. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the basil and parsley, stirring to combine. Cool the sausage mixture completely.

Sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of cornmeal onto a lightly floured surface and place the pizza dough on top of the cornmeal. Roll the dough into a 10 by 14-inch rectangle. Spread the cooled sausage mixture over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the sausage. Brush the 1-inch border of the dough with the egg wash. Starting at a long end, roll the dough, jelly roll-style, into a log shape, pinching the edges closed as you roll. Place the bread, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet and brush the top of the bread with the remaining egg wash.

Bake the sausage bread for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Allow bread to stand 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. To serve, slice the bread into 1-inch pieces and serve warm.

Basic Pizza Dough:

1 cup warm (110 degrees F) water
1 (1/4-ounce) envelope active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups bleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, combine the water, yeast, sugar, and 1 tablespoon oil and stir to combine. Let sit until the mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.

Add 1 1/2 cups of the flour and the salt, mixing by hand until it is all incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Continue adding the flour, 1/4 cup at a time, working the dough after each addition, until all the flour is incorporated but the dough is still slightly sticky. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth but still slightly tacky, 3 to 5 minutes.

Oil a large mixing bowl with the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl and turn to oil all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set in a warm, draft-free place until nearly doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Use as directed.

1 Loaf 14 Pieces

Note: Next time, I may try to place the meat mixture closer to the edges so that when I roll I don't have doughy ends.  In addition, pay close attention to the rolling process to create more of a swirl between meat/dough.  Serve with a sauce (e.g. tomato basil etc), store bought or homemade.

foodnetwork.com

Emeril Lagasse

Sausage-Stuffed Mushrooms

3 Italian hot sausages, casings removed
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
1 large egg yolk

Olive oil
24 large (about 2-inch-diameter) mushrooms, stemmed
1/3 cup dry white wine

Sauté sausage and oregano in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until sausage is cooked through and brown, breaking into small pieces with back of fork, about 7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage mixture to large bowl and cool. Mix in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder, then cream cheese. Season filling with salt and pepper; mix in egg yolk. (see update 12/21/13)

Brush 15x10x2-inch glass baking dish with olive oil to coat. Brush cavity of each mushroom cap with white wine; fill with scant 1 tablespoon filling and sprinkle with some of remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Arrange mushrooms, filling side up, in prepared dish. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake uncovered until mushrooms are tender and filling is brown on top, about 25 minutes.


Update 12/21/13 - I found that chilling the sausage mixture until it was firm made it so much easier to stuff and pack full the mushrooms.  If times allows, chill your stuffing mixture before proceeding.



Bon Appétit  
November 2002

Mini Crab Cakes

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 large egg
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon finely grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
4 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, divided
1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
Large pinch of cayenne pepper
6 ounces fresh lump crabmeat, picked over, patted dry, coarsely shredded
1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)*
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pans
Fresh chives, cut into pieces
Special equipment: 2 mini muffin pans

Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in medium bowl until smooth. Add 1/4 cup Parmesan and egg; beat to blend. Beat in sour cream, citrus peels, 4 teaspoons chopped chives, coarse salt, and cayenne pepper. Fold in crabmeat. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter 2 mini muffin pans. Toss panko, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and 2 tablespoons chopped chives in small bowl. Drizzle 1/4 cup melted butter over, tossing with fork until evenly moistened. 

Press 1 rounded tablespoon panko mixture into bottom of each muffin cup, forming crust. Spoon 1 generous tablespoon crab mixture into each cup. Sprinkle rounded teaspoon of panko mixture over each (some may be left over).

Bake crab cakes until golden on top and set, about 30 minutes. Cool in pans 5 minutes. Run knife around each cake and gently lift out of pan. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Arrange on baking sheet; let stand at room temperature. Rewarm in 350°F oven 6 to 8 minutes.

Arrange crab cakes on serving platter; sprinkle with chives.

* Available in the Asian foods section of some supermarkets and at Asian markets.

Bon Appétit April 2009

Makess 24

Party Ham Sandwiches

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 small onion, minced
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
5 (7 1/2-ounce) packages party rolls
2 pounds thinly sliced ham, chopped
12 ounces Swiss cheese slices

Beat butter and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended.

Split rolls horizontally without separating; spread butter mixture evenly over bottom halves.

Top with ham, cheese, and remaining halves of rolls.

Bake at 350° for 15 minutes.

Makes 100 Appetizers

Donna Purvis, Charleston, South Carolina, Southern Living, NOVEMBER 1997