Sweet Bacon Wrapped Chicken

Okay, you're probably wondering when are we going 

to start crafting again?

Well this week my in-laws are in town

and Candace has a house full of sick kids....what's with summer colds?

So with family comes yummy food

and I tried a new recipe last night that I just had to share!

Paula Deen's Sweet Bacon Wrapped Chicken!

It's was seriously good and easy to make!

I did alter a few things, I partially pre-cooked the bacon.

This helped burn off a lot of the grease

so that when we grilled them they didn't make a huge mess on the grill.

I also salted, peppered and shook a bit of onion & garlic powder

on the chicken before I wrapped them in the bacon.

I was worried that the chili powder would be too hot 

but it isn't, in fact next time I think I might add an extra Tablespoon.

Of course anything Paula Deen makes is wonderful...

remember her yummy

  Not Yo' Momma's Banana pudding dessert 

our brother told us about!?!

So much for the weight I lost getting ready for summer!

What good stuff have you guys been cooking?

Rhubarb Dessert

Growing up out in rural Washington, we had a pretty

big yard which also meant we had a pretty big garden.

Our folks always had 4 large rhubarb plants

and a never ending supply of rhubarb for making cobbler,

one of our Dad's all time favorite treats.

Even though we all complained about having our rows to weed

in the garden, it has been quite funny to see most of us kids grow up to be avid gardeners.

My parents are still stunned at this.:)

I, out of probably all my siblings am probably the most sappy and sentimental

so I of course have to have at least 2 big rhubarb plants in my garden to remind me of my childhood.

Problem is my hubby doesn't like rhubarb and neither does my daughter.

Last week there was a recipe attached to our church newsletter that I just had to try

and hey it was all about rhubarb!

Even better~this is by far one of the tastiest desserts I've ever made.

I have no idea who contributed the recipe but it is quite delicious!

Rhubarb Dessert

6 cups chopped rhubarb

1 cup sugar

1 3 oz package strawberry jello

1 cup water

1 white cake mix

1/2 cup margarine or butter

Put rhubarb into a 9 x 13 pan.

Sprinkle sugar on top.

Sprinkle jello powder over top.

Add water carefully over jello powder.

Sprinkle cake mix over top.

Melt margarine or butter and drizzle over top.

Do NOT mix.

Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour.

Because there are only 3 of us in our family I always have more than we can consume

so I usually split the recipe into 2 disposable 8x8" square pans.

That way we can keep one and I can run the other over to my parents.

Boy was my Dad in heaven tonight!

Tomorrow I'm building another raised garden bed to put in an awkward spot

in my yard that I'm amazed I didn't think of doing before.

I have proclaimed this year to be "The Year of My Garden".

I have spent more time outside lately than in and it has been wonderful!:)

Peaches & Cream Tart

This is by far my favorite Summer Dessert!

We are about a month behind on the harvesting schedule here

so right now I have raspberries coming out of my ears.

This sweet treat was perfect for some of them!

This recipe is from Better Homes & Gardens:

Peaches & Cream Tart

ingredients:

9 soft coconut macaroon cookies (half of a 13 3/4-ounce package)

1 cup ground pecans (4 ounces)*

3 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted

1/2 cup whipping cream

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons dark rum or orange juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

2 to 4 medium peaches, peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced (1-1/2 to 2 cups)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup fresh raspberries

1/4 cup apricot preserves

2 teaspoons honey

directions:

1. For crust, crumble macaroons (you should have about 2 cups). In a large mixing bowl stir together macaroon crumbs, pecans, and margarine or butter. Press mixture onto bottom and up sides of an 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom or into a 12-inch pizza pan. Bake in a 350 degree F oven until golden, allowing 15 to 18 minutes for the tart pan or 12 to 15 minutes for the pizza pan. Cool on a wire rack.

2. For filling, chill a small mixing bowl and beaters of an electric mixer. In the chilled bowl beat whipping cream with a mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form; set aside. In a medium mixing bowl beat cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add rum or orange juice, vanilla, and almond extract; beat until smooth. Gently fold in whipped cream. Turn mixture into cooled crust; spread evenly. Cover and chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to 4 hours.

3. Before serving, toss peach slices with lemon juice. Arrange peaches and raspberries over filling. For glaze, in a small saucepan combine preserves and honey; heat and stir just until melted. Strain glaze, if desired, or snip any large pieces of fruit. Carefully brush or spoon the glaze over the fruit. If using tart pan, gently remove sides; transfer the tart to a serving platter. Cut into wedges to serve. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

*Note: To grind pecans, process or blend the nuts, 1/2 cup at a time, in your food processor or blender. Cover and process or blend until very finely chopped. Be careful not to over process or the nuts will form a paste.

So Yummy and So Easy!

I actually like to just chop my pecans so they are a little chunky and for average size peaches

I usually can only fit about 2 of them on there.

This also cooks fine in a pie pan if you don't have a tart or pizza pan.

Enjoy!