"I do not claim that I can tell a story as it ought to be told. I only claim to know how a story ought to be told." -Mark Twain









8.29.2013

I'm In A Hurry to Get Things Done.....

 Want a meal that is fast and easy?  Not only that, but tastes delicious? Frankly, this meal is so easy I feel embarrassed sharing it. But just in case anyone needs a quick-meal idea..........
 Start by buying a package (obviously I always get the big family size!) of boneless skinless chicken breast. I use the solid side (pictured below) of a kitchen mallet. I put a couple of the breast in a ziplock bag and pound the heck (yes, the heck) out of it. 
 I then set the pounded-thinner-breasts into a casserole dish. As you can see, I just squeeze them in there. I sprinkle the chicken with (my preferences only---you can do whatever you want) garlic salt, onion salt, and red pepper flakes. Then I generously cover the entire dish with Italian dressing (the kind already made in the bottle). Truth be told, I just buy the cheapest bottle at the store. 

Cover the pan with foil and put in the oven to back at 350. The length of time depends on how much you are cooking and your oven. Just watch them. While the chicken is baking, fry up a package of bacon. You might as well fry it all, because it gets nibbled on the whole time you're cooking. I guarantee that. When your chicken is done, take it from the oven and lay two or three pieces of bacon right on top of each chicken breast. Then cover the bacon/chicken with a slice of some type of cheese. I usually use a good sharp cheddar. Put back into the oven (without foil) only until the cheese melts. This step should not take long. It is really that simple. I guarantee everyone will love it. LOVE it. 



 With the chicken, we frequently serve twice-baked potatoes. I think they intimidate some people and they couldn't be easier. (Mine aren't always pretty, but they are very tasty). I have also discovered that the crock pot is a great place to bake potatoes. Just wrap them like normal and leave them in on low all day. It works great. (Thank you Pinterest). Ok, back to the twice-baked: I cute my potatoes open and scoop the potato out, leaving only the skin.
Put the "inards" of all your potatoes in a bowl. Then I add a stick of butter (cut up), sour cream and shredded cheese. How much you add of those is purely up to you. We like our potatoes thick and tasty, so I add several big "globs" of sour cream and a big handful (and I have big hands!!!!) of shredded cheese. Keep in mind I am usually making at least 8!!


 Moosh (technical cooking term) this all together in your bowl until it is well mixed. Then "refill" your potatoes. There should be plenty for all your 'skins. If you will notice, I have left each skin shell in their own foil. I think it is just easier this way. (And by the way, I have put all the foil/shells on a baking sheet. Sorry I forgot to mention that.) 
 Put them in a 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes. You want all your good goop to be warm and melted together. I know this sounds very vague, but please try it. The amount of what you put in your goop should depend on what YOUR family loves, not what my family loves. I have also been known to put ricotta cheese and crumbled bacon in it as well. Make these what you like. 
At the end, it really is a fast and easy meal. If you have the potatoes baked in a crock pot, you can get the potatoes ready while the chicken is cooking. For our family, we usually have all the staples needed for this meal in our fridge and pantry. That makes it super easy to get a good meal on the table. I hope I have convinced you that both are easy to make and delicious. Let me know if you try this!
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