Mmm... bacon and benching

I've been a "bacon wrapping" skeptic... but I'm a skeptic no more. I tried this recipe last night for a dinner party from Jen's Gone Paleo. It's definitely more fussy than my typical dinner meal, but I'm not lying when I say this meal was freakin' amazing!

Prep time: 20 min, 1 hour OR up to 24 hours.

1- 12oz Chicken Breast, pounded to 1/2" thickness
6 Bacon Strips (or more)
Caul Fat (about 12" in diameter) - I found this at Rain Shadow Meats in Capitol Hill
Handful of Fresh Baby Spinach, chopped
3 Asparagus Spears, thinly sliced
1 T. Thinly Sliced Fresh Basil
1 oz Goat Cheese (optional)
Black Pepper, to taste

• Slice one piece of bacon, into 1/2" slices and add to a heated saute pan. Cook bacon until fat is rendered and bacon is crispy. Add spinach and asparagus and toss to coat. Cook until spinach is slightly wilted, about 1 minute. Set aside and let cool.

• Lay a large piece of caul fat out on a flat, parchment paper-lined work surface. Lay 4 bacon slices in the middle, slightly overlapping, and one bacon slice perpendicularly (to cover ends of chicken breast). Arrange the chicken breast on top. Lay the spinach mixture, goat cheese (if using), and basil on the chicken, season with pepper, and roll it up, creating a neat even log. Wrap the bacon around each end, then fold the bacon that's underneath around the chicken. Wrap the caul fat in an even layer to create a smooth even log. Tie with twine to secure. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour, or up to overnight.*

• Preheat oven to 400F

• Heat an oven-proof saute pan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil to heated pan and transfer chicken breast to the pan. Cook on all sides (including the ends) to brown the bacon, about 15 minutes total, and then transfer the pan to the preheated oven. Cook chicken for 40 more minutes, turning the chicken every 10 minutes to cook evenly on all sides.

• Remove from oven, transfer to a plate, and cover with foil to rest. If you're making broccoli or another veggie, toss to coat in the bacon fat (left in the pan) and return to oven, while the chicken rests (5-7 minutes).

Remove the twine, slice, and serve.

*This step isn't necessary, but will help the roll to stay tightly wrapped.

Find original recipe and more pictures at:
http://jensgonepaleo.blogspot.com/2010/11/wrapped-and-stuffed-chicken-breast.html

AB's NOTE: I've done this before as a very toned-down Paleo version of the infamous "Bacon Explosion". I just "weaved" together a package of bacon, threw down a boneless chicken breast in the center, folded the bacon over, threw it in a preheated 400F degree oven and let it cook for just about an hour. Amazing.

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WOD

"LYNNE"

5 rounds for max reps:
bench press, BW/BW x .7
pullups

compare to 21OCT2010 and  10AUG2010.

Bench 1

Bench 2

Bench 3

"Bench" 4

Eight 25kg bumpers, two planks of wood, and a daisy chain with a caribiner.

As a wise man once said "BLAOW! How you like me now?"

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In the early days of CrossFit, it was all about Do-It-Yourself equipment at the majority of the affiliate gyms. Before retailers like Rogue Fitness and Again Faster Equipment you either had to have loads of money, luck out on craigslist or become creative to have the necessary tools for true constantly varied, functional movements at a relatively high intensity. This practice is still common within garage gyms, military bases, and of course, the frugal at-home athletes.

Check out some of these examples from CrossFit.com from within the past two months:

• Gas can front squats
• TGU's with kids
• Pulling a vehicle
• Family weighted pullup
• a Transylvanian home gym
• a what I consider a feat of badassery, water case wall ball

What home equipment do you have? Or, what could you make?