“But Prairie Princess, if it was so great why are you “attempting” it again?”
Funny you should ask.
My dogs ate it.
You see, a few Sundays ago, knowing the kids and I would be traveling all afternoon to pick up Enrique and Elvira and GI Joe had drill I decided to put this recipe in the crockpot since it required a full day of cooking and it was a mere 3 ingredients so definitely doable on a harried Sunday morning prechurch. I was so looking forward to coming home after a long day of traveling afar to an allegedly delicious Hawaiian dinner complete with
GI Joe got home first and was greeted by the scent reminiscent of a beachfront luau in Hawaii, happiest place on earth. The memories of our times in Hawaii came rushing back to him and the sounds of ukuleles playing softly filled his head. Until he walked into the kitchen. And discovered my FAVORITE crockpot shattered ON THE FLOOR, the Kahlua pork vanished, and Moose and Bubba hiding somewhere else in the house with their tails between their legs. In all my years of crockpot cooking, the dogs have NEVER bothered it, NEVER, but apparently that smoky pork smell was just too much for them to resist. We were so disappointed that we would not be having a Hawaiian feast that night and instead had to settle for the tacos the kids and I picked up from Taco John’s on our way thru town. NOT THE SAME. Also, I was really ticked about my crockpot because I had specifically asked for and received this crockpot for Christmas a few years ago and LOVED it. Yes, I realize asking for a crockpot for Christmas makes me totally lame but I’m in my MID 30's now (oh the horror!), it’s too be expected.
I had hoped this was an isolated incident, the whole dogs getting into the crockpot thing, so in the past few weeks I’ve made a couple different things in the crockpot. Successfully, I might add. When I got home from work each time, the crockpot (my backup, not near as cool as the original one) was in the exact same spot I’d left it that morning as far back on the counter as possible, meal still intact. Yay and GOOD dogs! Here’s a bone for each of you.
So today, I took the last remaining pork roast we had from our “homegrown” hog out and decided it was time for another attempt at the infamous Kahlua Pork. I’d had it on the menu for the past few weeks and with a busy evening tonight it was the perfect meal. I even put the crockpot in a secure(ish) location on top of the stove as far back as it would go. They could still reach it if they stood up on their hind legs (our fault for having ginormous dogs) and pawed it but it was in a different spot surely, they wouldn’t find it. I was sure it would be fine.
Until GI Joe called.
“Well, we don’t have anything for supper tonight.”
“Yes we do, I’m making that Kahlua pork and we’ll have rice and pineapple and it’s gonna be great. Hang loose, dude.”
“Uhh yeah, Moose and Bubba thought it was great.”
AND another one bites the dust. So I wish I could give you a review of that recipe but you know, JUST ASK MY DOGS. Apparently, they would give it 2 paws up...ON MY COUNTER.
Oy.
But here’s a recipe we tried this week and the dogs did NOT eat! And it’s awesome! And easy! And does not require the use of a crockpot aka vessel of temptation for our dogs! And warrants the use of multiple exclamation points!
A friend of mine posted this on Facebook as the best Pinterest recipe attempt to date. I believed her but then I looked at the recipe and I REALLY believed her. I mean, Bacon? Brown Sugar? Chili Powder? Enough said.
Sweet and Spicy Bacon Chicken
from Diary of a Recipe Addict (disclaimer: I've never read this blog I just went there for this particular recipe so if you start reading the archives and she blogs about weird and freaky stuff, and eats the hearts of small animals, please keep in mind that I am solely endorsing this chicken recipe, nothing else.
Moving on.
4 chicken breasts, cut into strips of thirds and/or chicken drumsticks (I did both to appease the dark meat loving members of my family)
Bacon slices (I used thick cut "homegrown" bacon but I think normal (non thick cut) bacon would work better
Brown Sugar
Chili Powder
Garlic Salt or Powder
Salt and Pepper
Season chicken with chili powder, garlic salt/powder, salt and pepper. Wrap a slice of bacon around each piece, use a toothpick to secure if needed, just don't forget to take the toothpick out when you go to bite into it, not that I did such a thing I'm just sayin'. Roll in brown sugar, pat brown sugar on chicken to make sure some sticks. At this point you can either throw them on the grill and grill like you would normal chicken or you can put them in the oven. If you do it in the oven, don't be like me and put the chicken pieces on a Pampered Chef Pizza Stone because I'm not sure if you knew this or not, but bacon has grease and brown sugar makes a carmelly mess when hot so you combine those two on a flat cooking surface, you end up with a giant, smoking mess in the bottom of your oven and possibly the sound of the smoke alarm as your background music. So instead, perhaps follow the recipe instructions and spray some nonstick cooking spray in a ovenproof dish or pan and bake at 400 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes until chicken is cooked through and bacon is brown and crispy. I cooked mine longer than 40 minutes because I get sidetracked sometimes (I KNOW, imagine that!) and it dried it out a little but nothing that a little dip of the sauce (not the one from the bottom of my oven but the little bit that was still on the stone) couldn't fix.
This was mmm mmm good. I cannot wait to make it again and try it on the grill. Just enough sweet, just enough spice. You know, just like me. HA! Even I'm rolling my eyes at myself.
Have a great weekend!
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