Saturday, February 16, 2013

Bacon Chicken Legs

 
 
 Over the past year and a half, I've developed a love for cooking.  Why, you ask?  Because I live in a tiny town in the middle of nowhere with nothing to fall back on but a Subway and Gas Station food.  It's not exactly culinary bliss, here folks. 
 
Out of necessity and sheer desperation, I've started creating and changing and adapting recipes so that my family and I's tastebuds didn't shrivel up and die. 
 
 I need a place to keep all my good ideas stashed away, and this is it.  I have a TERRIBLE memory, so I'm hoping this blog will not only help me re-create all my delish creations, but ALSO help me share the deliciousness with any friends who need some tasty treats in their life. 
 
Not all the recipes I post will be my own,  but I'll usually put my own spin on them.  Not to worry, though, I'll give credit where credit is due.   
 
And, lastly- my cute husband liked dinner so much tonight that he suggested I start a blog to remember all of our fun creations in the kitchen.  Frankly, that's reason enough to start a blog, am I right? 
 
Tonight's dinner was so yummy, I can't even tell you.  So- try it for yourself. 
 
 
Bacon-Chicken Legs
Isn't every thing better with bacon?
 
Ingredients:
4 chicken legs
4 strips of uncooked bacon
1/2 to 3/4  cup Olive Garden Italian dressing (or whatever brand you like)
1 1/2 Tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
8 or 9 Small golden potatoes, quartered
Veggies
        -2 stalks of celery, chopped
        -1/2 a leek, chopped
        -2 large carrot, chopped
        -1/2 large onion, diced
 
Directions:
Remove the skin from the chicken legs and wrap 1 strip of bacon around the meaty part of each leg.  Arrange them in the center of a 9x13 pan.  Drizzle a little Italian dressing over each leg.   In a separate bowl  combine the remaining Italian dressing, garlic, Italian seasoning, potatoes, and veggies and mix until everything has been coated in deliciousness.  Pour the veggies and potatoes around the outside of the chicken legs.  Cover in foil and bake at 420 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and turn each chicken leg so that the bacon on the bottom of the pan can get crispy.  Place the dish back in the oven (no foil) and cook for 20 to 30 more minutes or until the potatoes and veggies are soft and/ or the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F or higher. 
 
Extra Notes:  The veggies we used were yummy, but you can substitute whatever you have in your fridge.  Also, red potatoes or even russets (chopped up) would probably be good in this dish.  You can add salt and pepper if it suits your fancy, but remember that there's lots of sodium in the bacon, and lots in the Italian dressing. And there's lots of incredibly fattening heavenly flavor.  MMMMMMMmmmmmm. 
 
This was the dish before we baked it, and it smelled
so good that we just dug right in and forgot to take
 an after picture.  OOPS!
 
So, there you have it.  
And just so we're all clear:
  I am not a foodie. I do not desire wealth, fame, or financial security as a result of this blog.  I am just a girl with too much time on her hands and a love of  enticing food.  And really, isn't that what all food blogs are a result of??