Apple Main Course

Apple Bacon Baked Chicken
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup apple cider
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 cup stone-ground mustard
1 cup applesauce
8 slices bacon, halved crosswise
4 Granny Smith apples, quartered
4 sweet onions (such as Vidalia), quartered
Directions
1.  Soak cranberries in apple cider in a bowl until cranberries are rehydrated, 2 to 6 hours.
2.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Coat bottom of a baking dish with olive oil.

3.  Arrange chicken breasts in the prepared baking dish; sprinkle with salt and black pepper.4.  Whisk mustard and applesauce together in a small bowl; spoon over chicken breasts. Lay two half-slices of bacon atop each chicken breast. Arrange apples and onions around chicken. Add cranberries, pouring any remaining apple cider over chicken. Cover dish with aluminum foil.
5.  Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and continue baking until bacon is crisp and chicken breasts are no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 20 more minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F.

 

 

Grilled Shrimp and Apple Skewers

(Makes 8 skewers)

3 tablespoons honey3 tablespoons olive oil1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil1 tablespoon strawberry jam (could use other jam or preserves)1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes1 clove garlic, minced2 tablespoons red wine vinegar (could use another kind of flavoured vinegar)1 tablespoon lemon juice (could use lime instead)2 teaspoons white sugar (I used less)2 Gala apples, cored and cut into eighths16 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

1.     Whisk together the honey, olive oil, basil, strawberry jam, red pepper flakes, garlic, red wine vinegar, lemon juice and white sugar in a small bowl. Place the apples and shrimp into a large re-sealable plastic bag. Pour the marinade over the shrimp and apples, seal the bag, and shake to coat; refrigerate for 30 minutes. (Can marinate longer!)

2.     Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat.

3.     Thread the shrimp and apples alternately on 4 metal or soaked wooden skewers. Discard the remaining marinade.

4.     Cook the skewers on the preheated grill until the shrimp are opaque, about 5 minutes per side. DO NOT OVER COOK!