Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Bacon Wrapped CHICKEN CALZONE (again)

Sigh, a few weeks ago, one of my favorite bloggers, Joanne from EATS WELL WITH OTHERS, ran a quick little quiz we all can relate to (click HERE for her original post)...
  • Question 1. How often would you say that you decide to cook something (or the converse - decide not to cook something) based on its blogworthiness?
  • Question 2. How often do you change a recipe just so it can be entered into a blog event and/or to make it just unique enough that it is blogworthy?
  • Question 3. When asked what you are cooking for the week, how often do those you are telling back away slowly while obviously trying to not make any sudden movements?
I have a new question to ask Joanne and my fellow blogger buddies...

Have you ever made a meal two nights in a row because your camera (or sadly, the camera operator) accidentally erased the photos of a blogworthy meal?


Fortunately, these were so good, that I didn't mind at all making and EATING these little beauties a second time...

here's what I did...

Assemble the ingredients...

Boneless/skinless Chicken Breasts
2 slices of bacon per breast
4 thinly sliced slices of Pepperoni per breast
2 TBS of Brie Cheese per breast
1 TBS of Stilton Blue Cheese per breast

Not bragging, just facts... $1.19 a pound!!!

Split the Chicken breast without slicing completely through. You want to make a pocket for the calzone stuffing...

Take the Blue Cheese, and the Brei, and wrap with several slices of pepperoni. Then stuff deep into the pocket of the chicken...

Wrap the chicken with the bacon slices and secure. I am lucky enough to own some stretchy cooking bands.


Of all the "gadgets" that I love to use, these reusable, dishwasher safe, heat resistant to 500 degrees, bands are my favorite. Amazon.com sells them for as little as $5



If Santa left these out of your stocking, reward yourself...

Baring that, secure with toothpicks so the bacon does not come lose during the cooking process

And the cooking process is to fry them first in about 1/2 inch of canola oil. Fry just til they are slightly browned.

And then bake at 350 degrees in a pre-heated oven for JUST 10 MINUTES... Please, do not over cook your chicken. It dries out and loses a lot of taste. Check with an instant read meat thermometer for an internal temperature of 170 degrees.

And listen as everyone says --- OHHHH, AHHHH!

This was REALLY REALLY good. Much faster and easier to make than It sounds (prep time, maybe 15 minutes and cooking time another 20) The mix of flavors is terrific!

I plated this with some home made beer battered onion rings (stay tuned for THAT!!!)


I suffered through this meal two nights in a row...

The things I have to do, just to entertain my 6 readers.

22 comments:

  1. Dude, you have WAY more than six readers.

    So I've never had to remake a dish, but that is only because I am cooking for one and thus eat leftovers most nights. Meaning if I lose pictures from the first night, I usually have three more chances to get more. Convenient.

    These look fantastic, though. so if I were you I would HAPPY to eat them probably six or seven nights. I love those ties, what a great idea!

    And thanks so much for the shout out! You are too sweet, really.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I got those cooking bands last year - best invention ever for the girl who can't tie knots ;)

    ReplyDelete
  3. These look marvelous! I'm thrilled you made them again.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Upon your recommendation I went and bought those cooking bands yesterday. Now I just need to use them. I've never made something two night in a row, if the pics don't turn out, I just saw "screw" it and vow to make it another time. This chicken looks sinfully wonderful!!! I've got to make this. Thanks for suffering for us and the post. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Mouth is watering. Yumm
    Happy New Year to you and your family!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Yeah, those look pretty amazing! All that ooey, gooey cheese and bacon wrapped goodness...feelin' like Homer Simpson over here! And I've been contemplating getting some of those bands....

    ReplyDelete
  7. As one of your six readers, I thank you for what you do for us.

    I want brussel sprouts though. You hear that, brussel sprouts. They follow you wherever you go.

    I am waiting for the onion rings. They sound fabulous.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Those look good! I've got about a mile of Butcher's twine I have to use up...

    ReplyDelete
  9. Ha! I've totally done that. I've also made something at night that turned out really well and remade it the next day when I had good lighting.

    The stuffed chicken looks awesome, but I can't wait for the beer battered onion rings!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Those look marvelous! Hubby would definitely love me for making those! Happy New Year to you and your wife!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I've never seen those bands before...must geet some now. Chicken and bacon...and cheese...oh my...oh yum!

    ReplyDelete
  12. First I'm getting those bands, and then I'm making this chicken!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I must go buy these for myself. I so can use them as I stink at securing things with toothpicks.. thanks for the tip. Checken looks great.

    ReplyDelete
  14. That is just wrong...showing me the price you paid for the chicken. Add about $2 to the price and you have our sales price. That's it. I'm moving to Kansas.

    Until then, your chicken looks positively deeeee-lish. I am going to have to make it. With my $2.99 per pound on sale chicken.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I have those bands too and love them.

    I would leave out the pepperoni only because my delicate constitution can't process it.

    You know you have more than six readers :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Sounds real good!
    Have a Happy blessed New Year!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I've made a dish twice in a row, in fact it was a bacon wrapped chicken dish but I made it twice because the kids begged to have it again the next night. If it's a photo issue I usual just wait to post it until the next time I make a dish.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I laughed when I read your addition to the list. I haven't done this yet but I'm sure the day will come! :D

    ReplyDelete
  19. Oooooo, these look so cheesy and good! Of course, the bacon is a definte asset too! Glad that you made them again just for us. :)

    ReplyDelete
  20. They DO look amazing! Yum yum. I'll have these 2 nights in a row any time. I am sure your "way-more-than-6" readers agree with me!!! Wishing you and your family a fabulous 2010 filled with lots of laughter and joy!!

    Ju

    ReplyDelete
  21. You mentioned the stuffed chicken "calzone" idea on my blog, and it's great to see the idea at work. Plus, everything is wrapped with bacon. Sigh ...

    ReplyDelete
  22. When you first said bacon wrapped calzone, I pictured it with dough and greasy bacon making it soggy and just ewwww.

    It works much better the way you did it, lol.

    ReplyDelete