You come home ready to fall into bed no matter what else needs to be done.

You love everyone.

You feel old for going to a wine tasting in the first place.

(But you have a super time.)

A post of substance tomorrow, but for now Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Food confession #463: Baked chicken skeeves me out.

I don't mean a crispy-skinned roasted chicken, or finishing off a chicken breast in the oven that you pan-seared first. I'm talking seasoning or saucing a chicken breast and sticking it in the oven to cook completely. I've at least come to embrace the baked panko- or breadcrumb-coated chicken (but 9 out of 10 times, I'll still pan fry that sucker, first), but I don't think I will ever embrace the seasoned, baked chicken breast. I'm sorry! I imagine if you make your chicken this way often, you have a "WTF does she know?" look on your face right now, as I frequently do when people tell me they won't eat dark meat chicken. :-)

Now, there are a couple reasons for this (umm, I really like oil and butter, for one), but mainly it's the lack of color and the odd texture. It's just unappetizing (to me).

That said, there are a few ingredients that I've come to realize save many a dish and/or a cooking method. At the top of that list is bacon. Oh, bacon, how I love thee. Not only does bacon add moistness and flavor to a baked piece of chicken, it makes the chicken bacony-flavored, too. And really, who doesn't want chicken that tastes more like bacon? I mean, I'm pretty sure people wouldn't complain about having to eat chicken breasts all the time if they tasted like bacon.

To capitalize on both the smokiness of the bacon and my love of cheese, I stuffed this chicken with some smoked mozzarella. This dish will take about 2 minutes to prep and then you can just finish your sides (in our case, braised lentils with kale and green/wax beans) as it cooks in the oven.

bacon and smoked mozz chicken (2)

Smoked Mozzarella and Bacon Chicken

1. Slit your chicken breasts (or butterfly them) and stuff them with smoked mozzarella (I very thinly sliced mine which I think is the easiest way to get it in the pocket). Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper.

2. Take 2 strips of bacon per chicken breast, and wrap them around the chicken. This will keep the chicken moist (and tasty) and it will even help to seal up your pocket-full of cheese.

3. Stick the chicken breast on a rack, and then put that on a lipped cookie sheet (to catch any bacon grease that drips down) and cook it in a 375 oven for 20-30 minutes, depending on the size of the peace of chicken.

bacon and smoked mozz chicken

Show us a book you started reading, but never finished.

See...raising the spirited child is pretty damned difficult.  Reading a book around said Spirited Child is even harder.  When I read, she finds ways to express herself artistically on the walls and carpet(yes....she DRAWS on the carpet now! who does that?)

Raising Your Spirited Child Rev Ed: A Guide for Parents Whose Child Is More Intense, Sensitive, Perc

Mary Sheedy Kurcinka

What gifts, big or small, are you hoping to find under your tree this year?
Sponsored by Best Buy.

If someone puts a box of Sanity under there....I'll be pretty happy.

OOOh....or maybe some brand new Mary Kay Customers!  THAT would make me really happy.

BTW....15% off if you put VOX followed by your Vox name in the comments box when placing your order at my site:

http://www.marykay.com/tcarr3682

It's one of those days where you just wanna stay curled up in bed.

peek a poodle

--
nablopomo/day19

cool

• balance ball chair (might have to get one)
• artist William Hundley (his Entopic Phenomena is fascinating)
• artist K'naan (his music energizes me)
• space p0rn
  
• Super Obama World
  

• Couple Divorces After Husband Is Caught Banging Virtual Prostitute In Second Life

• How To: Make Your Own Bacon Ice Cream

• Helen Mirren says Female Jurors on Rape Cases are "Sexually Jealous" of Victim

• City threatens blind woman over unpaid 1-cent bill

Today is one of those days.

Parties, dinners, pageants and more. How does technology help you survive the hustle and bustle of the holidays?
Sponsored by Best Buy.

Well...I have great little reminders that I get sent that allow me to remember everything that's happening.  Pieces of paper at home get written on by a 3-yr old if happen to leave them anywhere within her reach- So the most efficient way of saving information is on a virtual calendar. I save all of my appointments, meetings, people's birthdays and other important dates and can keep track of EVERYTHING this way.