Bo's Sweet and Spicy Teriyaki Chicken!

 

This recipe is one that my son and his girlfriend made and suggested that I try.  They got the basic idea from a recipe on Pinterest, but they modified it some and came up with their own version. My son is like me in that he likes to improvise when cooking.   I must say, I think it's one of the best chicken recipes I have tried lately.   It doesn't involve all that many ingredients and I think most people would surely like it.  It's chicken, bacon and brown sugar, what 's not to like?    Here is what you will need:

Ingredients:

5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in three strips each (15 pieces)

8 slices of bacon cut in half to make a piece for each chicken strip

2 cups brown sugar (might need more if you coat the pieces heavily)

Teriyaki sauce  (I used Kikkoman)

chili powder

Tony Chachere's creole seasoning

salt

black pepper

garlic powder

mozzarella cheese (optional)

Cut each chicken breast in thirds.  I used my kitchen shears  which made it very easy, but you can use a knife if you don't have kitchen shears.  Sprinkle each piece with salt, pepper, creole seasoning or chili powder ( I used a little of both), and garlic powder.  If you don't like too much heat, just use either the chili powder or the creole seasoning and use it very sparingly.

Wrap each piece of chicken in a piece of the bacon.  Sprinkle lightly with Teriyaki sauce.  Place the brown sugar in a pie plate or shallow dish and roll each piece of bacon wrapped chicken in it. You have to sort of press and pack it on the chicken.

Line a cookie sheet with foil (I used nonstick Reynolds wrap) and spray it with cooking spray.  The foil really saves your pan and makes cleanup much easier with this recipe. The brown sugar does stick and will be hard to clean off if you don't use it.   Place in a preheated 375 degree oven for 40-45 minutes.  Be careful removing it, because the brown sugar gets very hot and there will be some juices.  At the very end of the cooking time, pull it out and spoon some of the juices over each piece to sort of re baste it. You can sprinkle each piece with Mozzarella cheese at this point and place back in oven for a few minutes until it melts. The cheese is optional.

The chicken will be browned and the bacon crisp when it is finished cooking. This makes a great main dish or could even be used for an appetizer.

I served it with twice baked potato casserole, green beans, salad and garlic bread and of course...sweet tea!

 



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Snickers Pie!

 

 

 

Snickers Pie, I think that sort of says it all!  Out of all of the candy bars out there, Snickers is probably my very favorite, so if you can make a pie out of a Snickers, I am all over it.  This is such a simple pie to make and the results are so good, especially during the warm months when you don't want to heat up the kitchen with baking.  Here is what you will need:

 

1 shortbread or graham cracker crust

6 regular size Snickers candy bars or 24 fun size bars

18 regular marshmallows

1/4 cup milk or half and half

8 oz. frozen whipped topping

1/2 cup chopped dry roasted peanuts

chocolate syrup ice cream topping

 

Place the candy bars, marshmallows and milk or half and half in a large mixing bowl and microwave for about 2 minutes on high.   Remove and stir well.  If it has not all melted, microwave for about 30 seconds more. If you don't have a microwave, you can also melt it over a double boiler on the stove. When it is all melted stir in the peanuts and allow to cool slightly. 

 

When it has cooled, stir in the frozen whipped topping and blend.   Pour into the pie shell.  Freeze the pie for at least 4 hours or overnight before serving. 

 

Remove from freezer and drizzle with chocolate syrup before serving.

 

 

Serve with whipped cream and a cherry!

 





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Brown Sugar Baked Beans!

 

 

I just realized the other day that I had not posted a recipe for traditional baked beans.  I had posted my Beefy Baked Bean Bake and my Spicy Barbeque Beans, and while they are both really good, they are very different than just classic baked beans.    I love good baked beans, but baked beans tend to fall in the same category as meatloaf and cornbread...everybody in the South makes them, but very few make them that turn out great! 

 

 I have been to my share of church potlucks, after funeral dinners, and other gatherings where baked beans make a usual appearance and have sampled many.    Here is what I usually notice that goes wrong... cooked way too long, cooked way too little, too little seasoning and brown sugar, too much 'stuff' in them, no bacon for seasoning, way too dry, and that is just a few.  

 

Here is what you will need for these baked beans:

 

4  (15oz.) cans of pork and beans (I prefer Campbell's)  or 2  (28 oz.) cans baked beans (like Busch Baked Beans)   Do not drain.

1 1/2  cups ketchup 

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup real maple syrup

2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbs. yellow mustard

dash of Tabasco sauce

1/2 cup sweet onion, diced fine

4-5 slices of bacon, uncooked

 

Spray a 2  1/2  or 3 quart casserole with nonstick spray.   Mix the ketchup, brown sugar, maple syrup, Worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard, and Tabasco sauce.  If you don't have real maple syrup, use what you have, but the real syrup is best for the flavoring.

 

 Mix with the beans (undrained) and then stir in the diced onion.  I do remove any of the 'pork' or whatever that is in the can of beans.  There is usually 1 piece of fatty looking meat in each can.

 

Place in the casserole dish and lay the uncooked bacon over the top.

Place in a 350 degree oven for 55 minutes to an hour.  Remove from oven.  If you want to keep warm, cover tightly with foil or the glass casserole lid.  Baked beans dry out fast if left uncovered, especially in the oven, even if it's off.  I am convinced this is where a lot of good baked beans are ruined. 

 

This makes a nice size dish of baked beans for company or to take to a cookout, if you are making baked beans for a smaller family, just make half of this recipe.

 

 

   



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Dulce de Leche Bars!

 

 

These yummy bars are a mixture of cookie and candy.  Remember the old recipe for the 7 layer magic cookie bars?  This recipe is sort of taking that old favorite and kicking it up or putting it on steroids.  This one has more than seven layers and the blend of ingredients is just wonderful.   They are also really easy to make.   I saw the original recipe on the Pillsbury website and then I adapted it quite a bit from there.   So here is what you will need:

 

1   1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 cup pecans, chopped fine

1/2 cup butter, melted (1 stick)

1  1/2 cups Dulce de Leche Cheerios cereal

1 cup pretzels, crushed

1 cup white chocolate chips

1 cup milk chocolate chips

1 cup peanut butter chips

1 cup flaked coconut

2  (14 oz.) cans sweetened condensed milk (like Eagle Brand)

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

Combine the graham cracker crumbs and pecans with the melted butter.   Press in the bottom of a 9"x13" baking pan. 

 

Spread the Cheerios and the crushed pretzels over the graham cracker crumbs.  If you aren't familiar with the Dulce de Leche Cheerios or if you cannot find them in your area, you could use honey nut Cheerios or even plain Cheerios.  The Dulce de Leche ones are really very good though.   This is what the box looks like:

 

 



Sprinkle the three cups of various chips over the pretzel and cereal layers.  Sprinkle the coconut last.

 

 

Pour the two cans of sweetened condensed milk evenly over all.

 

Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until just starting to brown.  Cool for about 45 minutes and then cut into 1"x2" bars. 

 

 

 

 

 





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White Chocolate Banana Cake!

 

 

 

I have discovered that any time I post a recipe on here that includes the words 'white chocolate' or 'banana' and especially in combination, the post always takes right off and has a good run!  So, of course, I knew I had to post this cake.   It's  a really moist cake and is special enough for any occasion.  It makes a great birthday cake!    Here is what you will need:

 

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

2 cups sugar

3 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup mashed bananas

3 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 cup buttermilk

4 oz. white chocolate melted

 

 

Cream Cheese Frosting

 

2 (8 oz.) blocks of cream cheese (softened)

1 stick of butter, softened (1/2 cup)

2 lbs. confectioners sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup pecans, chopped

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

In a large mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.  Beat in bananas and vanilla.

 

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add to the creamed mixture alternating it with the buttermilk.   Fold in the melted white chocolate.

 

Prepare three 9 inch round cake pans by cutting a circle of wax paper or parchment paper to fit in the bottom of each one.  Spray each pan, paper and all with a nonstick baking spray with flour.   Some try to skip lining the pans with the paper, but I would advise you not to.  This is a very moist cake and it will ensure the cake layers don't stick.

 

Bake the cake layers for 25 to 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pans for about 20 minutes before turning them out and allowing them to cool completely.

 

To make the cream cheese frosting, cream the cream cheese and the butter together with an electric mixer,  until fluffy.  Slowly add in the sugar until well incorporated and smooth.  Add the vanilla. 

 

Once the cake layers are cool. Stack and frost between each layer on a pretty cake plate.  Frost the top and sides.  This is a lot of cream cheese frosting so you should have plenty to put a good amount between the layers.   This is a three layer cake so it takes more frosting than a two layer cake would.   Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the top of the cake. 

 

 



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Aunt Vel's Southern Fried Corn!

 

Fried corn is just about as southern as you can get and when the corn is fresh and it's done right it's delicious.  In the summer, we usually serve it with vine ripe sliced tomatoes and whatever other fresh vegetables we have at the time.   I think it's best when you use fresh cut right off the cob corn, but you can also use corn that you have put up or frozen (or canned) yourself.    We all cook corn this way, but the person in our family that is known for her fried corn is my Aunt Vel.  You know how some people just cook certain things better than other people and you can't figure out exactly why?  That is my Aunt Vel and her fried corn.  This is her recipe and it's the one we use, and even though it's really good, it never tastes as good as when Aunt Vel cooks it.  Anytime we have a dinner, we always ask her to bring her corn.  This isn't hard to do at all, but you do have to use what is called for and don't skimp on the ingredients or it won't be good.   Here is what you need:

 

6-8 ears of fresh corn (sweet corn is best)

1 Tbs. bacon drippings

2 Tbs. butter

1/2 cup milk

1 Tbs. cornstarch

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

 

Shuck and silk your corn.  Make sure to remove all of the silks and then with a sharp knife cut the corn off into a bowl.  Once the kernels are all cut off, take your knife and scrape down the cob to remove any juice that is left in it.  This is what makes the corn creamy, so don't skip this step. 

 

In a skillet heat together the bacon drippings and the butter.  If you don't understand where you get the bacon drippings, because we haven't cooked any bacon, you might not be ready for this recipe...lol.   But if you are not a bacon grease collector, like most good southern cooks are, cook about 5 or six pieces of bacon and use the drippings for this corn.  Use the bacon for another recipe or eat it or save your bacon drippings from breakfast.  You cannot leave the bacon drippings out of this though.  It just won't be fried corn if you do.

 

 



Add the corn and let it cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes.   Mix the cornstarch and the 1/2 cup cold milk until smooth.  Pour that mixture into the corn and bring it up to a bubble.  Stir and cook just until it thickens.   Add the salt and pepper and stir again and serve.

 

 

 

 





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Caramel Pecan Delight Pie!

 

This is one of those pies that you just have to make and once you do make it, you will be asked to make it every time someone has something and needs a dessert.   You won't mind making it though, because it's surprisingly easy.  You don't even have to turn on the oven and the recipe makes two pies...one to take to a friend's and one to leave at home!  These freeze great also so it's great to freeze one to have on hand for when company pops in unexpected.  Here is what you will need:

 

2 cups rough chopped pecans

2 cups flaked coconut

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

1 (8 oz.) cream cheese softened

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1  (16 oz.) frozen whipped topping

1 jar caramel ice cream topping

2 graham cracker pie crusts

 

 

In a skillet lightly brown the pecans and coconut in the butter.  Set aside to cool. 

 

With an electric mixer blend the cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk and whipped topping. 

 

Divide evenly between the two pie crusts.  

 

 Top each with half of the pecan and coconut mixture.  Drizzle the entire jar of caramel ice cream topping over the tops of both pies. 

 

Refrigerate or freeze for at least 3 - 4 hours.  I think they cut best if you freeze them.

 

 



 



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