Where Did July Go?

     Hello, my Friends!  I just realized that I missed the whole month of July on my blog!  I really don't want to be out of touch that long, but I have had a busy and fun-filled Summer so far.  I can't believe it's already August.  I've been away from my home almost the whole month of July and I've been dog sitting and housesitting for friends while they are on vacation.  I love the animals.  I'm posting current pictures on the slideshow on the side of this page so y'all can see them. 

     I've also applied for a cottage food industry license in Georgia so I've been working on storage space in my home.  I have done a lot of cleaning out!  I can't wait to get started on some of the goodies I'll be making and selling, and I'll be showing you those, too.

     In the middle of all that, I have started a part-time job AND I have had jury duty this week.  So far I've reported twice.  All of you know Sawyer from this blog, the most beautiful girl in the world, and I am blessed to be able to keep her two days a week while her parents are working.  She is napping currently, so I'm grabbing this time to catch up with you all!  If it sounds like I'm in a hurry, I am.  :-)  

     On a couple of days that I have been home, I grilled and baked some chicken dishes, and they both turned out beautifully, and tasted as delicious as they looked.  This dish I just made last night, and it is a complete meal.  I am going to show it to you first. 

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breasts!

Seasoning

• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper (or sub with more paprika)
• 1 tbsp flour
• ½ tsp salt
• Black pepper
• Just mix this all up in a bowl

Chicken

• 8 four ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts (mine ranged from 4 to 5.5 ounces) 
  
• 8 pieces bacon (or more)
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp olive oil (optional) I used my Misto to spritz it all

     Preheat your oven to 450 degrees and line your baking dish with parchment paper.   Make sure your chicken is dry by drying it with a paper towel anytime you're going to cook it.  This will allow the seasonings to adhere more to the chicken and the chicken will cook properly instead of "steaming".  Coat your chicken with the seasonings that you have mixed up in a bowl.  Wrap each piece of chicken with bacon, seam side down.  Then lightly coat each piece with brown sugar, drizzle or mist with olive oil, and bake for 25 minutes.  How easy is that! 

     If the bacon is not as brown as you like, turn the heat up to broil and watch that chicken until it is like you like it.  Never leave food in a broiler setting unattended, it will be food history before you know it.  Paula Deen always leaves her oven door cracked open when she needs to broil something, she says that is plenty of heat, and I guess you can watch it better, too.  I try to remember to do that.

     While the chicken was baking, I sautéed some small diced onions and minced garlic in a little butter and olive oil, then I added arugula and spinach and sautéed it, stirring it constantly.  It doesn't take long for greens to wilt, and it takes a good bit of fresh greens to make a decent portion when you cook them.  The greens were a great, fresh accompaniment to the chicken. 

     The chicken was delicious and the breasts turned out so juicy and moist, seasoned with those peppery seasonings and wrapped in bacon.  And...it was all so easy!

Grilled Buttermilk Chicken Thighs!

     This recipe is another delicious and easy dish!  Click on the picture above for the link to the recipe.  It calls for ground red pepper, and since that could be paprika or cayenne or a chili powder, I used my personal favorite, cayenne, for a little heat.  I cooked this on the grill, and since I have trouble regulating the heat on my grill, it did not take 30 minutes to cook.  Just make sure you have an internal  temperature of 165 degrees on that chicken!  If you don't have one, get a small kitchen thermometer.  The chicken can also be baked in the oven.    Since I had buttermilk, I had to make cornbread, so we had the chicken with some black beans and cornbread and we were in heaven.

     I hope you'll try these recipes and love them as much as we do!

     I hear a baby, so I must go.  Here's a recent picture of Sawyer, the most beautiful girl in the world, who is almost 18 months old now, and who gets more beautiful every day, if you can believe it.  It has been a year now that Sawyer had heart surgery and she is such a joy.  We can't be thankful enough!

     I will see you soon!  I hope to be getting back into somewhat of a routine next week.   Please feel free to comment on the website or on the Dished With Love Facebook page.  If you comment on Facebook it will help me to be viewed by more people.  Please share my page with your friends, too!  Thanks!

     Dished With Love!  Denise