I firmly believe everything's better with bacon.

Wrap a stapler in bacon, I'll eat it.

NOTE: This is my own "recipe"....Feel free to add/take away whatever you like! BUT DON'T TOUCH THE BACON!!! ;)

Last night, I planned on making Chicken Cordon Bleu for dinner -- homemade of course. I've made it a thousand times. So I wanted to kick it up a notch. I added a hint of thyme, used honey maple black forest ham and wrapped that sucker in bacon.

I'll never make it any other way. It was AMAZING.

I'm a low-carb kind of gal, so I served it with my Parmesan-infused mashed cauliflower casserole and steamed asparagus with lemon, garlic and butter.

Many of you asked for my recipe...and it couldn't be simpler!

BACON-WRAPPED, THYME-SCENTED CHICKEN CORDON BLEU

4 chicken cutlets, pounded thin
8 thin slices honey/maple black forest ham
8 thick cut slices of bacon
1 c. shredded Swiss cheese
1 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
Salt/pepper to taste

  1. Preheat oven to 425.
  2. Lay 4 cutlets out on aluminum foil (easier for clean up!). Lightly sprinkle salt, pepper, and thyme (crush thyme between fingers first to release oils!).
  3. Sprinkle small amount of cheese on each cutlet (enough to serve as "glue" when it melts to keep ham stuck to chicken!). Lay 2 slices of ham over cheese. Sprinkle equal amounts of remaining cheese over ham.
  4. Gently roll cutlets into burrito-sized little packages.
  5. Lay 2 strips of bacon down, and roll your little cutlet packet up in the bacon. Secure with toothpicks as necessary.
  6. Place chicken/porky packets seam-down on baking sheet. Bake 35 minutes. Cook 'til bacon is crisp and/or internal temperature reaches 180 on a digital thermometer.

My favorite low-carb side goes perfectly with the flavors (especially if you decide to add crumbled bacon to the mix...that's your choice!).

PARMESAN-INFUSED CAULIFLOWER CASSEROLE

1 medium-large head cauliflower
1/4 c. softened cream cheese
2 tbls. butter
3/4 c. Parmesan cheese, divided
1 tbls. granulated garlic
1 1/2 tbls. olive oil
1 egg (optional)*
Salt/pepper to taste

  1. Preheat oven 425 (if making with the above recipe, just toss this in during the last 10-12 minutes of chicken baking! easy!).
  2. Cut cauliflower into equal 2 inch sections. Add to a pot along with enough water to cover. Boil until cauliflower is RIDICULOUSLY soft. Almost mushy. Drain WELL. Return cooked cauliflower to pan.
  3. Add cream cheese, butter, 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, garlic, and salt & pepper.
  4. With hand masher (or you can put it all in a food processor), mash together to smooth, mashed potato consistency. (*If mixture is too watery, add one beaten egg.)
  5. Pour into 9x9 baking tin, sprayed with non-stick spray. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese over top. Drizzle olive oil over entire thing to help with browning.
  6. Bake 10-15 minutes, until top is golden brown.

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