FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER--chicken breasts with bacon-cider sauce and sweet potato-apple purée

                    CHICKEN BREASTS with BACON-CIDER SAUCE
                                         from Cooking Light Magazine
• 4 chicken breast halves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 slices bacon
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup unsweetened apple cider
• 1/2 cup chicken broth

  Salt chicken and sprinkle with freshly ground pepper.  Fry the bacon, that has been diced.  Remove bacon from pan when cooked and brown chicken breasts in reserved bacon fat, about 6 minutes on each side.  Remove chicken and keep warm.  Add onion to pan and cook until softened and transparent.  Add apple cider and chicken broth, increase heat and boil until reduced to about one cup.  Pour sauce over chicken and sprinkle with the reserved bacon.

                                   APPLE-SWEET POTATO PUREE 

• 3 medium-sized sweet potatoes
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 5 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• unsweetened apple cider
• toasted walnuts

1.  Pierce the sweet potatoes with a sharp knife and bake at 375˚F for one hour, or until tender.  While the potatoes are baking, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large sauté pan.  Add the apples and cover, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes, until very soft.
2.  Place the pulp of half of the sweet potatoes in a food processor.  Add to this half of the sautéed apples, half of the remaining butter, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice.  Process, adding enough apple cider to give the mixture a smooth consistency.  Repeat with remaining ingredients.
3.  Put the mixture in a heavy pot and place over low heat to warm.  When ready to serve, sprinkle with the toasted walnuts.