Another recipe or two...

We celebrated fourth of July in a lazy fashion (I fear the rain did not promote a feeling of irresistable calling to travel the time-consuming trip to a sardine-ish location in the Woodlands where the backs of our trousers would fare the worse, all for the express purpose of catching a glimpse of some lofty explosions.)

However, the trip to the Rathweg's inspired culinary emotions in me.

I tried out two new (ish) recipes and here are the results.

The first was a palate-watering success. (and I fear a bit less original since it is a long-forgotten recipe that my mom used to make when we were younger)

The second--also quite tasty, albeit rather filling.

#1. Bacon wraps--

(made about 36-40 munchers)

as many toothpicks as bacon wraps

about 12 slices of bacon (I used thickly sliced)

2 cans water chesnuts, whole

1 large chicken breast, cubed

1 1/3 or so c. of Teriyaki sauce

about equal or a bit less of water

Put the Teriyaki sauce and water (I used 2:1 ratio with the teriyaki:water and then added extra water because my bacon was not quite covered) in a large pan. Take a slice of bacon. Stretch it a bit and cut it into 3 equal pieces. Take a chicken breast cube (I had already cooked my chicken breast--apparently, my mom would cook it at the same time as the bacon, but I forgot and the chicken would have to be small enough pieces to cook quickly then) and a whole water chesnut. Starting at one end of the bacon, roll the pieces into the bacon and affix with a toothpick. As you roll the bacon wraps, place them in the sauce to marinade a couple of hours.

Broil on High for about 20 minutes. Enjoy!

#2 Feta and Pesto Tartlets

(made 18 tarts)

either puff pastry rolled out and cut into circles, OR

(what I used--as available, expensive but easy)

3 pkgs. (6 each) already formed frozen puff pastry tarts

about 3.5 oz. basil pesto about 20 cherry or grape tomatoes

4 oz. feta cheese

basil (I used parsley) to garnish

If you use the rolled puff pastry, add the ingredients before baking the pastry and bake all at once. You must leave half an inch all the way round the ingredients for the puff pastry to rise. If you use the already formed, frozen tarts, bake the puff pastry first according to box directions. Then, remove the "top" of the puff pastry and fill the puff tarts, as you would a pie crust. Add back the "top" as a garnish, if desired.

First, layer a thin spread of basil pesto on the puff pastry base. Then add 3-4 tomatoes, sliced. Then sprinkle feta on the top. Garnish with whatever. Can be eaten warm or room temperature.