Smothered Chicken

Oh my goodness this is so good!  We made this tonight in my cooking class and WOW! 

I am always looking for recipes to make because we have class about 48 times in the year ( this is the 5th or 6th year of me doing this class) and we make two or three things each night... Like tonight we made 3 chicken dishes!  I'll post the other two later they were also good.  This one just stood out!

You basically just cook the chicken in some vegetable oil and season it with lemon pepper and salt.
Then when the chicken is done you take that out and add 8 slices of bacon!  Yeah, bacon right in the same pan!  When that is done you add the sliced onions and 1/4 a cup of brown sugar to the bacon drippings and cook them till they are just sauteed.  Is your mouth watering?  Next you either take the onions out or just push them to the side and add the chicken back.... Then add two slices of bacon,
onions and cheese on each piece of chicken!  I put my skillet in the oven (it's oven proof all stainless still) so the cheese could melt  (400 degrees). When you pull it out it's just beautiful!


I am making this tomorrow night for dinner it was that good and I'm going to bake some potatoes in the oven to go with!

Just out of the oven!  Look at all that caramelized goodness on the bottom of the pan!

Doesn't it make your mouth water!

Chicken, bacon, onions and cheese!



4 skinless, boneless chicken breast

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp lemon pepper

1 Tbl veg oil

8 bacon strips

1 medium onion

¼ cup packed brown sugar

½ cup shredded Colby- Monterey Jack Cheese

Sprinkle chicken with salt and lemon pepper.  In a large skillet, cook chicken in oil for 13-15 mins or until juices run clear and chicken is done; remove and keep warm.

In the same skillet cook bacon over medium heat until crisp then take out and place on a plate or just on top of chicken.  Reserve about 2 Tbl of the bacon drippings.  In the drippings sauté’ the onion and brown sugar until onion is golden.  Place two bacon strips on each chicken breast top with caramelized onions and cheese.

Place oven safe skillet into the oven at about 400 degrees for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the cheese melt, if your skillet is not oven safe you can layer the chicken onto a cookie sheet and then place in oven.

Pineapple Cream Cheese Dip

So I have mentioned I do not really care for Cream Cheese but I LOVE this dip!  Anytime I make it people can't stop eating it!  Last week I catered an event and forgot to take this lovely dip with me for the cheese table (I had plenty of other things... thank goodness).  So the next night I went over to a friends house for dinner so I took some with me... All my friends were like get that away from me!!!  It's so addicting! 

Make sure you really get all the juice out of the crushed pineapple if not it's becomes soupy and won't hold up...but if that happens just add some more cream cheese till the liquid is gone!  Also it’s very important to let it sit in your fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.  It doesn’t even taste the same until it’s able to marinate with the green onion and pineapple.

When I make this for a wedding I will triple the recipe then shape the dip into a pineapple shape.  I take whole almonds and cover it in rows...  Since I'm doing a wedding I usually have fresh pineapple so I cut the top off and cut into half so it can lay flat... Then just line club crackers around or leave it as is!

NOW the trick to this dip is you have to make it the night before or at least 4 hours before!  It does not have the same taste in the beginning!  The flavors have to blend together!

I do this often and have used whole almonds, pecans but I think I like the sliced almonds best!

The topper in this picture needs to be straightened.

Pineapple Cream Cheese Dip

2 pkg of soften cream cheese

1 can of crushed pineapples drained well - sometimes I use 3/4 of the can

¼ cup chopped green onion

¼ cup green pepper (optional)

In a bowl mix with mixer,  pineapples with cream cheese then add green onion and green pepper.  Sometimes I don’t use the whole can, I start with half then add if I think it needs it.  If there is any liquid it is harder firm up…I gage it to see how it looks… should not be at all soupy. Draining is key and sometimes even if you think you got the juice out there it is!  So start with a half  the can then keep adding. 

Just fyi I stopped adding green pepper years ago it’s just how I like it most but it is good with it.

Let this set in the fridge for at least 4 hours or over night!  Keeps well in fridge for about 2 weeks!  Cut the top of your pineapple in half so that it lays flat. 

Serve in a bowl or you can make a cheese ball by shaping

 into a ball in saran wrap and place in  fridge for an hour then roll into

pecans or sliced almonds.

Or you can shape dip in the shape of a Pineapple then outline with

Almonds and the top of a pineapple for decoration. Use a top of a

pineapple cut in half so it lays down easily.  

Serve with crackers...club crackers go very well with this!