Hello luvs! Phew. What. A. Week. It’s been good but golly, I’m tired! Tomorrow cannot get here fast enough. Normally the idea of a 9 hour flight seems a bit daunting, but right now it sounds like pure bliss. 9 solid hours of just sitting there, sleeping, reading, watching movies, someone else doing all the cooking and clean-up. Ahhh, I can’t wait!

In the meantime I’m giving my frazzled self a visual break with these wondrously peaceful photos of a pond near my house.

No matter what time of year I stroll past, it is always beautiful, utterly serene, an oasis of calm just minutes from downtown Lynden. I love it.

After leisurely rambles on chilly afternoons, I love coming home to something hearty and savory like Chicken with Bacon Gravy. This is by no means a low fat dish, but it is delectably salty and delicious, something you don’t mind indulging in after a mile hike.

I’ve always made it with bacon, but this time I tried it with crispy bits of prosciutto instead and oh my! I think I’ve been converted. While bacon is marvelous, it does lose its crispness if you don’t eat it all right away. I’m a big leftovers fan, and I prefer cooking things that reheat beautifully. Using prosciutto does the trick nicely AND it’s much less fattening than bacon yet with all the flavor. It can be served by itself with some veggie sides or over mashed potatoes.

Do you have a peaceful spot you like to walk to when life gets crazy?

Chicken with Bacon Gravy

Ingredients:

1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
1/4-1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp dried thyme or 1 tsp fresh, chopped
4 chicken breasts, cut in 1/2 inch strips
1/2 package bacon, sliced in 1/2 inch pieces (I used 1 package of prosciutto)

Gravy ingredients:

Left over flour mixture
1 1/2 cups chicken broth

Directions:

1. Shake flour, salt, pepper and thyme together in paper bag. Add a few pieces of chicken at a time, tossing to coat. Save remaining flour.
2. Add bacon to saucepan and cook 1-2 minutes, add chicken  and cook over medium heat until bacon is crispy and chicken browned.
3. Transfer chicken to platter.
4. Add flour to very crisp bacon in saucepan, stir until white color disappears. Add chicken broth, scraping pan to loosen any bits. Cook, stirring, until mixture thickens.
5. Serve hot.