Million Dollar Baked Chicken and Spinach Stuffing (Kosher-Style Pork Cracklins)

This recipe has been on my "to cook" list for awhile. It's the first recipe that I've ever entered into TheRecipeManager. I got this recipe from the Pillsbury Bake-Off competition when Amy's cooking friend Anna won the grand prize!

Austinite Anna Ginsberg is $1 million richer this morning, as the winner of the 42nd Pillsbury Bake-Off. Her original recipe for Baked Chicken and Spinach Stuffing beat out 98 other finalists from all over the country for the grand prize announced today, which will be awarded as a $50,000 a year annuity for 20 years.

I've been paying attention to what during preparation really makes a difference in the end. For example, I'm not sure all the time devoted to blanching and toasting the almonds really paid off, and a lot of times I work too hard to cut things perfectly. The recipe said "breaking up waffle pieces slightly" which I took to mean try to cut up with my spatula. I gave up after a bit, and in the end, the pieces that weren't "broken up" were easier to get with my fork than those that were. So I guess I took that line a little too literally. I got confused on the total amount the chicken was supposed to be baked, but it turned out well putting the spinach in and cooking it an additional time. We just waited til the chicken hit the right temperature and then declared it ready.

I was really impressed that the sauce stayed on top of the chicken! I had expected it all to slide off. You could definitely tell there was maple syrup in it by the smell which was kind of funny, but it wasn't an overwhelming taste. I thought this was great! Even better than the chicken was the stuffing. Wow we could have eaten a lot more of that!! It was especially nice having the recipe made for two.