Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken is the dinner that dreams are made of. Creamy and cheesy stuffed jalapenos are stuffed into juicy chicken breasts and then lovingly wrapped in salty bacon. Slow roasted for maximum flavor and basted with homemade BBQ sauce, this is a jalapeno popper like you’ve never had it before.

Start with a classic popper filling, softened cream cheese, medium cheddar cheese, and then add a twist with Sweet BBQ Rub. This adds a little smokiness and sweetness to the inside of the popper itself. Make sure your jalapenos are thoroughly cleaned of seeds and ribs to remove that excess spiciness. I like to split my jalapenos in half and scrape the seeds before stuffing with the filling and then pressing them back together.

Once your poppers are assembled, it’s time to get to the next step! Use a sharp knife to split your chicken breasts. I press down with one hand on top of the breasts and use the other hand with the knife parallel to the cutting board to slowly slice through the breast. Make sure you don’t cut all the way through, leave one side of the breast completely in tact so you can easily open and close the chicken.

Set the stuffed popper in the middle of the opened breast and then fold the top flap of the chicken over to envelop the popper completely. Next up, it’s time to wrap in bacon! I like to use a regular thickness of bacon on this chicken so the fat has time to render and crisp by the time to chicken is done cooking.

When the internal temperature of the jalapeno popper stuffed chicken reaches 150 degrees F, I like to baste with BBQ sauce.  If you don’t want to take the time to make homemade sauce, you can always use your favorite store bought brand. Continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. I like to use an instant read thermometer.

ADAPTATIONS

I make my jalapeno popper stuffed chicken in my smoker, but if you don’t have one you can absolutely use an oven or a regular gas or charcoal grill. All you have to do is follow the same time and temperature guidelines in the written recipe below. In your oven, make sure the bacon fat has somewhere to go. I recommend cooking on a roasting rack above a baking sheet so the fat can drip down and not saturate the bottom of your chicken.

If you’re cooking these in a regular grill, the key is cooking the chicken on indirect heat. Turn on half of your burners and then cook the chicken on the half where the burners are off. The radiant heat will cook them without having do deal with the flare ups and grease fires from the bacon fat dripping down onto your coals or open flames.

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 4 large jalapenos
• 4 oz cream cheese softened
• 4 oz medium cheddar cheese shredded
• 1 Tablespoon No Sugar Added BBQ Rub
• 12 pieces bacon
• 2 Tablespoons No Sugar Added BBQ Rub 
• 1/2 cup No Sugar Added BBQ sauce 

Instructions

Preheat your oven/grill/smoker to 250 F for indirect heat with mild wood like apple or hickory.

Prepare your poppers by slicing the tops off of the jalapenos, cutting them in half, and scraping out the ribs and seeds inside of the poppers.

In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and the 1 Tablespoon of sweet rub. Use the back of the spoon to press the filling mixture into each half of the cleaned out peppers and then press the pepper halves back together.

On a large cutting board, slice the chicken breasts open, without slicing all of the way through the breasts. Set one filled popper inside of each chicken breast and fold them closed.

Wrap each chicken breast with about 3 slices of bacon. Secure the bacon ends with toothpicks, if necessary. Season the stuffed chicken on all sides with more of the sweet rub.

Place the chicken breasts on the oven/grill/smoker, close the lid and cook until the internal temperature reaches 150 degrees F. This process usually takes an hour and a half. Baste the chicken liberally with BBQ sauce, close the door, and continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 161 degrees F.
Remove the chicken to a cutting board or serving platter and allow it to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing/serving. Enjoy!!
Cook's Notes:Use a spoon to scrape the veins and seeds out of the jalapenos.If you have sensitive hands, I recommend powder free medical examination gloves
DO NOT TOUCH YOUR EYES if you prep peppers with bare hands
I prefer thin bacon for the wrapper.  The thick stuff takes too long to cook.

Football Snacks!!

Playoffs, Bowl Games and Ultimately the Superbowl are going to have more than a few of us doing the "couch potato slump" in front of our TVs for the next several weeks.

No need to succumb to the hideous snacks and pizza that will no doubt make the rounds.  Below I'm posting a few simple, delicious and LOW CARB snacks that you can have around to impress your friends AND maintain your healthy (well reasonably healthy) lifestyle.  And all that walking around the kitchen while you make these counts as CARDIO!

Stuffed Jalapenos

Healthy Jalapeno Poppers - Not something most of us can wrap our heads around, but here is a version that lights up your tastebuds as well as your imagination:

Ingredients:
1 lb jalapenos halved and seeded
1 lb sausage browned (the cheap tube, need the grease)
8 oz cream cheese (at room temperature)
6-8 oz grated Parmesan

Instructions:
Cook sausage into crumbles and drain off about 3/4 of the grease
Mix the sausage and cheeses together,
Once the cheese melts stuff the jalapeno halves
Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes


Cook's Notes:
Good quality, name brand sausage is too lean. Get the cheap stuff. Sorry, but turkey sausage is too lean too.
WEAR GLOVES when dealing with chillies. You can't just wash the capsacin off your hands. Everything you touch for days will burn - and I mean EVERYTHING!!!
Optional: Buy some of that thin cheap pre-packaged bacon and wrap each in a 1/2 slice - cook until bacon crisps - because BACON!
I HIGHLY recommend doubling, tripling or even QUADRUPLING this recipe.
Make it dinner!  Wrap the stuffed jalapenos in prosciutto, wrap that in chicken breast cutlets and wrap THAT in bacon!! - Be still my heart!


Queso Covered Bacon "Chip" Nachos

Who doesn't a huge pile of tortilla chips smothered in melted cheese, sour cream, guacamole and salsa? Well it loves you too! It'll gladly hang around your body for YEARS after you've forgotten who won the game that day. BUT... If you eliminate those chips and their carbs and you've got a fighting chance! MAKE BACON CHIPS!!

I'll not tell you how to stack your nachos, but I'll gladly teach you the secret of making bacon chips - which are perfect for snacking ANY time.

Ingredients:
12 strips of thin presliced grocery store bacon

Instructions:
 Preheat oven to 400 F.
 On a baking sheet covered in foil (but don’t grease it or bacon won’t crisp!) lay six strips of bacon next to each other vertically. 
 Weave the remaining strip of bacon horizontally between the vertical strips, creating a “lattice” pattern. 
 Bake bacon lattice for 10 minutes.

During this time assemble all the magnificent topping you will use to smother these heavenly chips

 Remove bacon from oven. Allow to cool
 Use scissors to cut bacon lattice into six “chips” and return to oven for additional five to seven minutes, or until crispy.

Transfer "chips" to plates and top each with your most decadent nacho fixin's.  

Cook's Notes:
Each chip will be 3 strips of bacon wide and 2 high, so you're going to want to make a gazillion of them for a real football party - Don't be shy!
These are also perfect for "Breakfast Nachos" - layered with scrambled eggs, qheso, some guacamole, etc...

Bacon Cheesecake Cups

Rich, smooth, savory, spicy, cheesy filling...  WRAPPED IN BACON!!

Ingredients:
13 slices thick cut bacon
1 lb cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp minced dried onion
1 tbsp minced jalapeno 

Instructions:
Place slices of bacon on a cookie sheet. 
Place into a cold oven. 
Turn the oven on to 350 degrees. 
Cook bacon for about 20 minutes. or until it is cooked but not crisp. 
Remove from oven and allow to cool about 5 minutes. 
Wrap one strip around the bottom inside edges of each of 12 standard muffin cups. 
Crumble the remaining strip. 
Place a drop or two of the bacon grease in the base of each muffin cup.

In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer to combine cream cheese, eggs, onion and seasoning. 
Divide the batter among the muffin cups, taking care to stay inside the bacon ring. 
Bake for 20 minutes. 
The cheesecake will puff, but fall after the cups cool. 

Garnish with crumbled bacon.

Bacon Bolognese

This is not my recipe.  It came from Amanda at http://justapinch.com I pass it along because it's a delicious bolognese and it HAS BACON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

"But Dave, what are you gonna pour it on if we can't eat pasta?" 

Oh grasshopper, you have much to learn..  Put a large dollop of ricotta in a bowl and drown it in this sauce.  Grab a spoon and prepare to smile contentedly...

AMAZING BOLOGNESE w BACON!! 

INGREDIENTS -
1/4 lb bacon -
1 stk celery (finely chopped) -
1 md onion -
1 lg carrot, shredded -
4 clove garlic, minced -
4 Tbsp butter or margarine -
3 Tbsp olive oil -
1 lb lean ground beef -
1/2-3/4 lb ground pork -
(1) 8 oz can beef consomme -
1 c dry white wine -
(1) 28 oz can italian style crushed tomatoes -
1 tsp salt -
1/2 tsp black pepper -
1 to 1 1/2 tsp rubbed sage -
1 Tbsp oregano -
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes -
1/4 tsp nutmeg -
1 c milk. 2% or whole, not skim -
OPTIONAL: 1 lb pasta of choice

DIRECTIONS
1. In a Dutch Oven or Medium Size Pot, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat until butter begins to froth
2. Add onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and bacon. Cook until onions are translucent (about 8 to 10 minutes) 3. Remove bacon and remove fat.
4. Chop lean portions of bacon in small pieces and return to pot.
5. Add Ground beef and ground Pork, and cook until meat loses red, raw color.
6. Raise heat and add wine and consomme.
7. Cook sauce until wine and consomme are mostly evaporated
8. Turn heat down to simmer and add oregano, salt, pepper, sage, red pepper flakes, and nutmeg. Let cook for approximately 20 minutes. (Side note: If you use fresh Parmesan, and have a parmesan rind left over, you can add it to the sauce in place of the salt in this recipe. Add it in after you have added the tomatoes and it's simmering, then remove before adding the milk. Makes the sauce extra delicious in my opinion.) 9. Add crushed tomatoes and bring to a boil. Once the mixture comes to a boil, return to simmer 

10. Let sauce simmer (very slowly) partially covered for about 2 to 4 hours (the longer the better), stirring occasionally to prevent sticking 

11. About 5 to 10 minutes before serving, add milk

---dave---
The Bariatric Food Dude

Grilled Bacon Avocado and Cheese Sliders

Wow!! Are these good! Of course, it would be difficult for anything made with bacon, cheese and avocado to NOT be good, now wouldn't it? The avocado gives this slider a sensational creaminess to counter the crispy bread. YES!! BREAD!!! Really, the grilled coconut flour bread does get crunchy crisp! 

They really are super fast and easy to put together. My plan was to use Parmesan cheese in my bread, but I ran out! So in one batch, I used Asiago. In the other, I grated some Spanish Manchego. Both turned out fine, so you can use romano, grana padano, or any HARD cheese - I'd avoid cheddar, mozzarella, etc...


Grilled Bacon Avocado and Cheese Sliders

2 Minute Coconut Flour Bread (recipe below)
sliced thick cut bacon
Sharp NY Cheddar Cheese (or your choice)
small ripe avocado
cherry tomatoes (or roma tomato) sliced

While the bread is baking, pan fry your bacon, crisp.
Slice the cheese.
Melt butter in the skillet.
Add 4 slider halves at a time to the skillet. Placing a slice of cheese on each.
Grill until bread reaches a crispy texture and the cheese is melting.
Top with hot bacon slices
Add the avocado and tomato slices.

I transferred these to the plate and assembled the slider halves there. My 2 miniature schnauzers, Midnight and Rascal, were supervising closely and really hoping I would lose a few pieces of bacon in the transfer. I slipped them a strip when the dear wife wasn't looking.


That is it. Pretty darned easy. It would be a little time consuming for a large crowd, since you have to make one batch of bread at a time, but for the two of us tonight, it was perfect! These were crispy and buttery and cheesy and creamy... If I don't hush I'm going to have to go back in the kitchen and make myself another one!

2 Minute Coconut Flour Bread

1 Tablespoon coconut flour
2 Tablespoons grated hard cheese
1/4 teaspoon Splenda Granular (or equivalent)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
tiny pinch of salt
1 egg
2 Tablespoons coconut milk (or soy milk, almond milk, cow's milk, moose milk...)
1 teaspoon olive oil

Combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl. Work out clumps.
Make a well in the center.
Add the egg, milk and oil.
Stir well with a fork.

Let rest for at least 5 minutes to allow the coconut flour to absorb the liquid.

Spray the inside of a straight sided mug with cooking spray.
Spoon half the batter into the mug.
Tap it on the counter to remove air bubbles.
Cook in the microwave for 60 to 65 seconds. The center should be steaming, but firm to the touch.
Run a knife around the edge and remove the bread, allowing it to cool on the counter.

To make a slider bun, slice the bread in half.
Repeat steps with the remaining batter.

I placed our slider halves in the toaster oven set on light brown. They would be great eaten as is....but everything is better with butter, and I wanted to make grilled cheese sliders tonight.

Cook's Notes: Thin slice these rounds and bake at 350F to create crackers.
Add herbs and spices to enhance the flavor experience.

Linguini (Tofu Shirataki) with Bacon and Scallops

Three of my favorite things - pasta, bacon, and scallops - in one dish? I'll have two servings, please. I use tofu shirataki noodles to cut down the carbs and olive oil instead of bacon fat to decrease the amount of saturated fat in this recipe, but feel free to use the fat produced when frying the bacon if your diet will allow.


Linguine (Tofu Shirataki) with Bacon and Scallops

Nutritional Data per serving:
Calories 227
Total Fat 15.1g
Saturated Fat 3.0g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 33mg
Sodium 396mg
Total Carbohydrates 6.8g
Dietary Fiber 2.1g
Net Carbohydrates 4.7g
Sugars 1.6g
Protein 15.3g


4 strips bacon
4 Tbs olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1-2 green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and chopped (optional)
2-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste (optional)
12 oz whole bay scallops, or quartered sea scallops
1 lb Tofu Shirataki noodles, prepared according to the package directions

Fry the bacon in a large heavy skillet until crisp.
Drain on paper towels and cut into 1-inch pieces.
Discard the bacon fat and heat the olive oil in the same skillet over moderate heat.
Saute the onion until tender but not brown, about 5 minutes.
Add the bell pepper, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes.
Add the scallops and bacon and cook over high heat until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes - do not over cook the scallops.
Toss the prepared noodles with the scallop mixture and garnish with a little parsley or scallion.
Serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6

Cook's Notes: Cut back on the cost and make it a real seafood treat by substituting peeled and deveined shrimp for some of the scallops.
Additional taste treat to toss in a handful of frozen green peas during the last 2 minutes of preparation

Pancetta Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

I know many of us have difficulties with pork, but these tenderloins are so moist and tender that I believe anyone can eat them. I can say, without a doubt, that this is the most flavorful and tender pork tenderloin I've ever made. The combination of rosemary and garlic along with the pancetta is simply out of this world. 

If you have access to pancetta, the unsmoked bacon of Italy, by all means use it in this traditional recipe. Otherwise, any good bacon will do fine.

Pancetta Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Vegetables

Nutritional Data per serving:
Calories 321
Total Fat 13.2g
Saturated Fat 4.4g
Trans Fat 0.1g
Cholesterol 131mg
Sodium 523mg
Total Carbohydrates 0.8g
Protein 46.7g


2 - 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 tsp finely chopped lemon zest
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 pork tenderloins, about 1 lb each
4 oz thinly sliced pancetta or bacon

Combine the garlic, rosemary, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and rub this mixture into the pork loins.
Wrap with the pancetta and secure with toothpicks or string.
Allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Grill over indirect heat until the internal temperature is 140F,  turning the tenderloins once during cooking.
Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Serves 4 to 6