Real Women of Philadelphia

I've really dived into trying new things lately.  Cake decorating was the first step - I'm really not a baker, but I'm having fun.  And this is the next thing!!

Last week I saw an ad on the Food Network, advertising a cooking competition for Philadelphia Cream Cheese called the Real Women of Philadelphia.  Now, if you only looked in my food container drawer, you'd see about 18 empty Philly cream cheese containers, stacked up and ready to be re-used.  (Perfect size for storing unused icing and popping it in the freezer, BTW).  So this contest is right up my ally.  EXCEPT for the fact that I have to video myself making the recipe.  I'm not very confident in front of the camera but even though I was nervous, I decided to give it a shot!  I really had fun this week trying to think of recipes to make for the contest.  

This is week 1, which is focusing on appetizers.  There will also be a week of side dishes, main dishes, and desserts, and then they repeat the categories again for one additional week each.  Confused?  My mommy brain has been in full force for the last five months (sleep deprivation??) and one of my biggest problems is word finding.  I can sit there knowing what I wanna say, but to get the words to come out is next to impossible some times!!  So this is a hurdle that I have to try and overcome in the next few weeks, but hopefully as I become more comfortable in front of the camera, I'll get better.  The prize is $20,000, among some other exciting points, but to be honest, I'm just happy to be trying something new.  I don't expect to be chosen as a finalist, so I'm just having fun and pushing my comfort zone! (my videos are floating around on the internet!! yipes!)

So this week, I adapted a recipe that my friend Camille introduced to me a few months ago.  Yummy and delicious Bacon Wrapped Stuffing.  I added cream cheese and green onions and I'm SOOOO happy with the result.  According to Company's Coming, you have to have two different ingredients or amounts to be able to claim a recipe is your own, and I added two to this one!  I'll reluctantly post the video.. against my better judgement... just to keep pushing that comfort zone!!  I sound like an idiot with some of the things I say in these videos (ie philly chili dip video - "that way when it comes out of the oven, it'll be piping hot" yep.. you heard me right, I said that) and there's things I wanted to add in dialogue but totally forgot. haha, lets just laugh this one off, ok?

Bacon Wrapped Stuffing

1/2cup(s)Philadelphia Brick Cream Cheese

1pkg store bought stuffing, prepared
1/3cup(s)green onions, chopped
1pound(s)bacon, thinly sliced

3sprigs fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Put prepared stuffing in a large bowl.
Cut the bacon slices in half, crosswise. 
Add 1/2 cup Philadelphia Cream Cheese and 1/3 cup chopped green onions to the stuffing.
Mix everything together, using your hands!
Roll out a mini-meatball sized stuffing ball. Make sure this is bite sized!
Wrap the bacon slice around the stuffing ball, giving it a half turn while wrapping, to cover as much stuffing as possible. Secure with a toothpick.
Place on a rack over an aluminum foil lined baking sheet.
Repeat until all of the stuffing and bacon is used up.
Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes, or until bacon is cooked to your preference.
Transfer the cooked bacon wrapped stuffing to a plate lined with paper towel to absorb any extra grease.
Transfer to a platter and serve! Garnish with parlsey (optional).

I also submitted a revised version of my Nat-cho Chili Dip.  I added 1/4 tsp Chipotle Chili Spice to the cream cheese before layering, and used Kraft 4-Cheese Italiano Cheese Shreds to top it off. I called this one Philly Chili Dip. Turned out amazing!!   I suppose I might as well post the video for that one as well..... Don't be too critical guys!!