Alice Springs Chicken

This is kind of a rip off of the Alice Springs Chicken at Outback Steakhouse.  It originally called for 10 strips of bacon, but I try my best not to clog our arteries too much with one meal, so I cut it in half.  It also calls for sauteed mushrooms (2 cups) but no one in my family will eat those, so I leave them out.  It is really delicious.... my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Alice Springs Chicken

4 chicken breasts, cut into strips
5 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
salt, pepper, and paprika to taste
1 C shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup Cheddar cheese

Honey Mustard Marinade:

1/2 cup dijon mustard
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp veg. oil
1/2 tsp lemon juice

Soak chicken in 2/3 cups of the marinade for 4 hours, or overnight.  Pan fry the chicken until browned up on all sides.  Place the chicken in a casserole dish and brush with a little of the remaining marinade.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and a dash of paprika.  Put the bacon, crumbled up, and cheeses on top.  Bake for 10 minutes or until done at 375 degrees.  Serve with remaining marinade.

Sugar Gems

These are my favorite sugar cookie to make.  You don't have to roll them out and cut them.  You just scoop them, roll them in sugar, and smash them a little bit.  Everyone who eats these just raves about them, so I am not alone in my addiction.  I usually make a cream cheese frosting to put on top, but I've made them with chocolate frosting too.  Both are really good.

Sugar Gems

from melskitchencafe.com

Cream together:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup sugar
1 cup oil
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Add:
5 cups flour
1 tsp cream of tarter
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

Mix all ingredients well. Roll into golf size balls and roll in some granulated sugar. Flatten with bottom of glass dipped in sugar. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Bake until just starting to crack.  Don't let them get brown.  Cool and frost with frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 block cream cheese
1 stick butter
lots of powdered sugar
vanilla flavoring


Cream together the cream cheese and butter.  Whip it for a little while.  Add powdered sugar and some vanilla flavoring until it tastes the way you like it.  I usually do about 2 tsp vanilla and half a bag of powdered sugar.