Baby's Gotta Brand New Job! And Jalapeno Chicken Bites!

I've been working at an advertising agency for the past year and have experienced the in's and out's of working under high amounts of pressure, stress and was able to assist and complete more than 150 individual marketing materials (no, this is not me publicizing my resume - you can find that on LinkedIn!). And from it all, I learned just a little bit more about myself.

I value my personal time. Amen.

My positivity towards my coworkers goes around and comes back around.

I can control my sensitivity when it comes to business - hey, this industry gives you a thick skin!

And I couldn't have survived this past year without the love and support from the people I worked with, my friends, my family and my loving boyfriend. They've all experienced this journey with me. I knew the time had come to move on when I realized I was being consumed, trapped under the constant pressure to perform.

I put my name out there and 3 weeks later I landed a brand new job! I am so relieved at having found the new place, getting settled and reaching a new potential - once again focused on those dreams I've never left sight of. You might be wondering if I'm still in the advertising world. In a way, yes. I'm still in the creative department and still pushing out marketing pieces but working in an independent marketing organization. A.K.A the hours aren't crazy any more but still focused on creating unique materials for clients.

Now, enough with work because I want to share an easy recipe perfect for a small party or heck, pile these little guys up and make a meal out of it. They're addicting!

Jalapeno Chicken Bites

You'll need....
- Chicken breasts (2-3 depending on who's chowin' down)
- Cream cheese
- Cheddar cheese (grated)
- Jalapenos (finely diced)
- 4-5 slices of bacon
- Butter
- Vegetable oil

Take some chicken breast and slice it thinly and cut into strips.

Salt and pepper on both sides and add about 1 tbs. of cream cheese to the middle.

Next, take some jalapenos and dice it up. I used 1 fresh jalapenos but in the end, it didn't pack a lot of heat. I would recommend the sliced jalapenos from the jar - dice those for something a little spicier.

Add jalapenos on top of the cream cheese.

I did 2 versions, one without cheddar and one with. Believe me, cheddar also makes everything better.






















We all agree, bacon just makes everything better. Cut one slice of bacon in half, lay the chicken with cream cheese and jalapenos on top of bacon, and roll the thing into a ball. Secure with a toothpick.

Get a skillet on medium to high heat. Add a love of butter and vegetable oil (about 2 tbs.) and get it poppin'!

Get your bites ready to go and fry them up in the pan, turning the pieces about every 2-3 minutes until chicken is cooked through and browned on top. The cheese will start to ooze out but don't worry, this is the goodness every master chef must be patient with.

I served this with a little ranch but having them plain is equally satisfying. Bring these to your next social gathering and I promise you won't have any leftovers!