Ever since I struck out into the world on my own, I've been putting my inherent culinary creativity to work. Living on a very limited budget, I found myself growing tired of the same old prefabricated meals. Seeking variety, I turned to spending my grocery money on ingredients rather than boxed and canned meals, a move which proved to be more economically friendly in the long run. Herein, I'll share a handful of these recipes.

You'll notice I rarely use exact portions, as I approach it as more of an art form than a science. They're really only necessary when it comes to baking, a truth to which anyone who's spent any time in a kitchen can attest.

* Chicken Finger Surprise *

These are pretty simple, though the preparation can be a little time consuming, depending on how many you're making. Still, they're great for party platters or just to have at home alone or with friends and loved ones. Here's what you'll need:

some chicken strips or breast tenderloins, raw boneless and skinless

ranch dressing

any vinaigrette dressing (I use Newman's Own Raspberry Walnut)

a tbsp or 2 of butter

some bacon, one strip per piece of chicken

flour

Mix the dressings and the melted butter in a bowl. Exact proportions don't matter, but you want to have roughly 1 1/2 - 2 times as much vinaigrette and butter and the same proportion of ranch to vinaigrette. Basically, you're aiming for something somewhat creamy with a little bit of a kick to it.

Next, baste the chicken strips with this mixture. This will add a unique flavor and also aid in the next step. That is, take a strip of raw bacon and wrap it around each one. Press down on the ends to be sure that they adhere to the chicken. The dressing marinade will help them stick.

Finally, coat each piece in flour, sprinkling it over the chicken rather than dabbing the chicken in a bowl of flour (doing the latter will cake up the flour, rendering much of it useless).

Cook them in a skillet on medium to medium-high heat (6 or 7 should do) until the flour reaches a deep golden brown. The bacon will be completely hidden by the breading, hence the surprise. Finally, watch everybody's reaction when they bite into their chicken strips and taste bacon, too. (Just be sure that eating pork isn't against anyone's religion, of course!)

The bacon will be a little soft, though I promise it's fully cooked (I've had and served it several times with no trouble). If you want it crispier, sear it for about 15 to 20 seconds on low to medium-low

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