Bacon-Cheddar Hasselback Potatoes

I don't know why I never tried to make these potatoes before, since I've seen the recipe all over the internet for years. I think it looked challenging, but it is actually very easy and fast!

Yield:   4 servings

Ingredients:

4 large russet potatoes

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

8 slices cooked bacon, cut or broken into 1/2 inch pieces

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Optional toppings: sour cream, chopped chives or green onions

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Make cuts in each potato, about 1/8 inch apart, stopping just before cutting through to the the bottom. Place on a greased baking sheet and drizzle with butter, then season with salt and pepper. Place baking sheet in oven and bake until the outsides are beginning to crisp, about 45 minutes.

Remove potatoes from oven and place bacon pieces evenly throughout the cuts in the potatoes. Drizzle with more butter and sprinkle each potato with the cheddar cheese. Place back in the oven and bake an additional 10 minutes or so, until cheese is melted and bacon pieces are crisp.

Once the potatoes are ready, top with any desired toppings and serve! Enjoy!

Smoky Shrimp and Roasted Corn Chowder

Okay, just make this.  Make it right away!  This is probably my favorite thing I've made in a long time.. I ate it all.  I ate it for dinner.  I ate it for lunch.  I ate it as a snack.  It's gone!!!!!

Yield:  4-6 servings 

Ingredients:

• 4 large ears fresh corn (sub frozen corn if you can't get fresh due to the season)
• 3/4 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, shells reserved
• 4 cups chicken broth or stock (or shrimp stock, if you can get it)
• 8 slices smoked bacon, diced into 1 inch pieces
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 pound peeled potatoes, cut into bite sized cubes
• 1 cup cream
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Salt and pepper, to taste
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Directions: 

Bring the chicken broth and shrimp shells to a boil in a large pot.  Simmer for about 20 minutes to bring out the shrimp flavor in the broth.  Strain and discard the shrimp shells, turn heat to low. 

While the broth is cooking, cook the bacon until crisp, the remove to drain on paper towels.  Using the bacon grease, heat the pan to medium-high and add the corn (removed from the cobs).  Roast the corn in the pan until most of the kernels have charred a bit, about 10 minutes, then add the corn to the reserved broth.  Next, gently saute the shrimp in the remaining bacon grease until they begin to turn pink - this will take just about 5 minutes, be careful not to overcook or your shrimp will be tough!  They will be going into the hot soup and cooking a bit more, so it is better to slightly undercook them.  Remove and set aside.

Next, add the remaining vegetables to the same pan and cook until softened.  Add the flour last, mixing it into the vegetables.  Season the mixture with salt and pepper, then add the vegetable flour mixture to the broth and stir to combine.

Add potatoes, paprika, thyme, and cayenne pepper to the pot and cook on medium about 20 more minutes, or until potatoes are soft.  Add the cream, lemon juice, and sugar (I found it balanced the heat of the paprika well).  Season to taste.

Serve the soup warm, with the crisp bacon lardons as a garnish, and don't forget toasted crusty bread for dipping.  Yum!  Enjoy!

 

Candied Whisky Bacon

 

I have made this many times and it just occurred to me that I have never posted it.  There are a few different ways to make candied bacon; this one is a little more time consuming than making it in the oven (which is fastest and easiest), but it's worth it!

Ingredients:
1 pound bacon (thick or thin, it's up to you!)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
4 tablespoons whisky (I used Maker's Mark)
4 teaspoons dark brown sugar

Directions:
Precook the bacon on medium high in a skillet or griddle until slightly flexible but not yet crisp.  You will probably need to do this in several batches, depending on the size of your pan or griddle.  Once the bacon is partially cooked, remove from pan and drain the grease.

While the bacon is cooking, mix the whisky, butter and brown sugar together until the brown sugar dissolves.  Return the bacon to the pan after being drained of grease and add the butter-sugar-whisky mixture to coat the bacon (reserving some if you are cooking in batches).

Cook the bacon until it is crisp (or to the desired doneness).  Remove from pan and place on parchment paper or a baker's rack to cool.  Enjoy!

Note:  This is delicious in pancakes, waffles omelets or just on it's own.  Try not to eat the whole pound yourself!

Blue Cheese and Bacon Wedge Salad

 

I love a wedge salad.  It's so simple but so fresh and delicious!  This is great as lunch, a side dish or an appetizer.

Ingredients:
2 heads iceberg lettuce
3/4 cup fried crumbled bacon
4 ripe tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 1/2 cups blue cheese dressing 

Blue Cheese Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup sour cream
2 tbsp buttermilk
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
Salt and black pepper, to taste
 
Directions:
Begin by making the dressing. Whisk together the mayonnaise and sour cream. Add the buttermilk and garlic powder and whisk until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir, then fold in the blue cheese. This can be made a day or two in advance and refrigerated for up to a week.

For the salad, remove any wilted leaves from outside of the lettuce heads. Hit the bottom of each lettuce head on a flat surface to loosen the inner core, then pull it out.  Slice into approximately 2 inch thick wedges.

Spoon dressing over the wedges and top with chopped tomatoes, bacon and blue cheese, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Tips:  Don't forget to season your salad!  One of the major mistakes that home cooks make is omitting the seasoning in salads and vegetables.  Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper do wonders for the taste of a salad.

This is also good if you add diced avocado or crumbled egg.  Enjoy!

Bacon Bourbon Caramel Popcorn

I don't really eat snacks.  I love food, real food like meat, fresh vegetables, potatoes... the experience of sitting down for a full meal.  But I'm not really into chips, or processed junk food like cookies, crackers, etc.

Having said that, I ate two bowls of this popcorn in one sitting.  Two!  If you're wondering if I felt sick afterward, the answer is yes.  But it was worth it.

Since I only post recipes to this blog that are successful, I feel like I am always saying "this was delicious" or "you have to try this", but.... this was really, really, really awesomely delicious!

Yield:  2 large bowls of popcorn

Ingredients:
9 strips of crisp bacon
2 1/2 cups popcorn kernels
1 cup butter
2 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup bourbon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Vegetable oil
Coarse sea salt (for garnishing)

Directions:
Fry bacon, drain and reserve.

Add several tablespoons of oil to a large pot over medium heat.  Add a few kernels to the pot to test the heat; once they begin to pop, add 3/4 cup of popcorn to the pan.  This process will continue for three batches.  Cover the pot and monitor it closely, shaking every once in a while so the popcorn doesn’t burn.

Once the popping slows, remove the pan from the heat and transfer the popcorn to a bowl. Repeat with the rest of the popcorn.  Once all of the popcorn has been cooked, spread it out in an even layer on 2-3 baking sheets.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees, then crumble cooked bacon over the popcorn.

Next, bring butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup to a boil in an oversized pot, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat and simmer for about five minutes, then remove from heat.  Stir in the bourbon, vanilla, salt and baking soda and mix.  Once you add the baking soda, the mixture will foam up, so be sure you have enough room at the top of the pot or it may overflow.

Pour caramel mixture over bacon and popcorn mixture and mix to coat evenly.  Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and bake for about 60-80 mins, until golden brown, stirring the mixture every 15 minutes or so. 

Remove the popcorn from the oven and let cool for about an hour before breaking it up.    The popcorn will still be somewhat soft when it comes out of the oven, but will harden as it cools. Taste and add additional salt if necessary.  Then try not to eat it all in one sitting!  Enjoy!

Bacon & Egg Breakfast Tacos

This is an easy and yummy breakfast to whip up over the weekend.  Make it a bit more special by making homemade tortillas or salsa verde; recipe links below ; )

Yield:  4-6 medium sized tacos

Ingredients:
6 medium eggs, scrambled and seasoned to taste
1 cup shredded hash browns, fried and seasoned to taste
6 slices bacon, fried, drained, and crumbled
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Flour tortillas, cIlantro and salsa, for serving

Directions:
Make bacon first, drain, crumble and set aside.  Fry hash browns until crisp and season to taste, reserve.  Scramble eggs to desired doneness and season with salt and pepper.

Brown tortillas for a few minutes in a pan or griddle.  Scoop hash browns and scrambled eggs into warm tortillas and top with crumbled bacon and cheddar cheese.  Garnish with cilantro and salsa, if desired.  Voila!  Easy breakfast!  

Check out my recipe for Roasted Tomatillo and Garlic Salsa and/or Homemade Flour Tortillas
if you are feeling like going the whole nine yards!  Enjoy!

Gooey Maple Bacon Cinnamon Rolls

I don't think I have to tell you that this recipe turned out very nicely.  The entire pan was gone when I woke up the next day, so that alone can vouch for the recipe's success, at least in my household.

Yield:  Approx 12-15 cinnamon rolls

Cinnamon Roll Ingredients:
2 1/4 tsp rapid rise yeast
1 cup milk
1/2 cup white sugar
4 tbsp melted butter
1 tsp salt
1 egg
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
9 slices bacon
2 tbsp brown sugar

Cinnamon Filling:
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 stick melted butter 

Maple Frosting Ingredients:
1 stick butter, room temperature
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract 

Instructions: 
Fry bacon (or cook in the oven at 400 degrees for about 15 mins, faster and less messy!) and set aside to drain.  Once cooled, crumble bacon and place in a bowl.  Add about 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and mix to combine, then reserve.

Dissolve yeast in warm water according to package directions and set aside.  In a separate bowl, combine milk, white sugar, melted butter, salt and egg.  Fold in 1½ cups of flour and mix to combine.  Add yeast mixture.  Stir in remaining flour and knead for 5-10 minutes.  Spray a bowl with non-stick cooking spray, place dough in it, and cover.  Allow to rise for around 90 minutes, or until doubled in size.

Roll dough out into a large rectangle and coat with about 1 tablespoon of melted butter. Cover with the cinnamon filling mixture and add about half of the bacon bacon-sugar mixture. Roll up tightly, beginning with long side.  Slice into 12-15 sections, or more if you want slightly smaller rolls.

Arrange rolls in a baking pan (I used two round ones) and allow to rise for an additional 20 minutes or so.  Bake for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees, or until slightly brown on top.

While the rolls are cooking, use a mixer or whisk to combine ingredients for the maple glaze.  Mix until smooth and to desired consistency; for a thicker frosting, use more powdered sugar, for a thinner frosting, use additional maple syrup, or water or milk, to thin it out.

Frost rolls and garnish with remaining diced bacon.  Serve while warm. Sweet...salty...delicious!  Enjoy!

Beer and Cheddar Soup

This was so rich that it would probably work best as an appetizer. Or for a superbowl party. Make sure you have plenty of bread for dipping!

Yield: 6 entree servings or about 12 appetizer servings

Ingredients:
1/2 lb of bacon, crisped and diced or crumbled
1/2 cup celery, diced
1 small white onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 jalapenos, diced (or to taste)
1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1 12 ounce bottler of dark beer (I used Guinness)
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
4 tbsp butter
1/4 cup flour
1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces sharp yellow cheddar, shredded
4 ounces Gouda or other smoky cheese, shredded
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp nutmeg 
Salt and pepper, to taste

Garlic or French bread, for serving

Directions:  

Cook the bacon until crisp and set aside. Add the celery, onion, jalapeño, garlic and thyme to the pan and cook in the bacon fat until softened. Add half the beer and cook until reduced by half.

Next, add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.  In a separate pan, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook over medium heat until lightly browned, stirring the entire time, to make a roux.  Mix the roux into the soup and bring to a simmer.

Add the heavy cream, cheeses and remaining beer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thick and creamy. Stir in the bacon, reserving some to crumble over the top, and add seasoning to taste. Serve with bread for dipping.  Enjoy!

Cheesy Bacon and Ranch Pull Apart Bread

This is great as an appetizer or side dish, and looks lovely as well. 

Yield:  10-15 appetizer servings

Ingredients:
1 loaf sourdough bread (or other round loaf)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup chopped cooked bacon
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 tbsp ranch seasoning
Salt and pepper, to taste 

Directions:
Cook bacon in advance, drain on paper towels, then slice or crumble into small pieces.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Slice the bread lengthwise and then in the opposite direction, creating 1/2 - 3/4 inch squares, being careful not to pierce the bottom of the bread.

Place bread on a baking sheet and disperse cheese between the cuts, pushing down to fill the bread with cheese.  Add bacon evenly across the top.

Melt the butter and stir in the ranch seasoning.  Pour evenly over the top of the bread. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the top of the bread is nice and brown. 

Tips:  This is kind of a road map for an easy recipe; it can be customized to personal tastes.  Use a different type of cheese, veggies, or meat.  Make it sweet, savory, spicy... or make the bread from scratch!  I'm planning to make a pizza version, and maybe a cinnamon & sugar version.  Enjoy!

Bacon & Egg Bread Bowls

 

I found this recipe in a magazine and thought it looked adorable. It's also delicious and quick and easy to prepare!
 
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:
1 package Kaiser rolls (usually contains 8)
8 large eggs
2 tablespoons heavy cream
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
8 slices bacon
1 avocado, diced
8 fresh basil leaves
 

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Slice the top off each roll and scoop out the insides, being careful not to pierce the bottom.  Arrange rolls on a baking sheet.

Crack an egg into each roll and drizzle with cream. Season each roll with salt and pepper and then sprinkle with Parmesan. Place baking sheet in oven and bake until the eggs are set and the bread is toasted, 20 to 30 minutes.

While the bread bowls are cooking in the oven, cook bacon slices until crisp and drain on paper towels.  Dice avocado.  Once the bread bowls are ready, remove from oven and garnish with bacon slices, avocado and fresh basil.  Serve while hot.  Enjoy!

Tips:  This recipe is a breeze.  As soon as I made it for the first time, I thought of a million other ways to prepare it.  Saving leftover hamburger buns to use would be smart, for instance. And other toppings... sundried tomatoes, ham, cheese, mushrooms, asparagus... it's endless!
 

Roasted Cauliflower & Aged White Cheddar Soup

Who doesn't like a nice creamy soup on a cold winter day?

Yield: 6 entree servings or about 12 appetizer servings

Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower, stem and leaves removed, cut into florets
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium white onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 tsp fresh basil, chopped
3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup pilsner or other beer
2 cups aged white cheddar, shredded
2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Drizzle the cauliflower with oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast at 400 degrees until golden brown and soft, or for about 30 minutes.

Heat remaining oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the onions and garlic and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.  Add the herbs, roasted cauliflower, beer, and vegetable broth, then bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer in covered pot for about 20 minutes.

Next, puree the soup with an immersion blender or food processor until it reaches desired consistency, then mix in the cheese.  Continue mixing until the cheese is fully melted, then season to taste with cayenne, salt and pepper.  Stir in the cream, remove from heat and serve.  

If desired, garnish with additional cheese, parsley, and/or bacon (see below), and serve with crostini or french bread.

Options:  For a healthier version, swap out the heavy cream for milk.  This can be vegetarian as in the recipe above or (as in the pics) for a smokier flavor, cook 2-3 slices of bacon in pan, reserve some of the drippings and cook the onions and garlic in those drippings instead of olive oil.  You can then use the crumbled cooked bacon to garnish the soup with.  Enjoy!  

Apple Bacon Stuffed Pork Chops

This is really delicious and a great seasonal fall dish. I served it with pumpkin cheddar biscuits.

Ingredients:
4 slices bacon
1 cup chopped apple (I used 2 red delicious)
1/2 cup diced yellow onion
1/2 cup diced celery
1 cup herb stuffing mix
3/4 cup chicken broth
4 thick or butterflied pork chops
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bring pork chops to room temperature, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, then set aside.

In a skillet, cook bacon slices over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings. Set bacon on paper towels to drain and cool.  Add the apple, celery and onion to the drippings in the pan and cook until the vegetables and apple soften, about 5-10 minutes.
 
Next, chop or crumble the bacon into small pieces and add to pan. Pour in chicken broth and then add the stuffing and season to taste.

Heat a second pan to high heat and add the chops, searing until lightly browned on each side.  Remove from pan and stuff the chops - if the pork chops are already butterflied, simply fold the pork chop over the stuffing. Or, if using thick chops, cut a pocket into each chop and stuff with the bacon apple mixture.

Place stuffed pork chops on a baking sheet and into the oven. Cook the pork chops for an additional 20-25 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 140 degrees. Let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.  Enjoy!

Bacon Mushroom Pizza with Gorgonzola Cream Sauce

 

Bacon, mushrooms, and gorgonzola... basically, an unbeatable flavor combination.

Yield:  2 pizzas

Pizza Ingredients:

2 pizza crusts (any type you prefer)

1 lb crisp sliced bacon

1 lb sliced sauteed mushrooms

2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 1/2 cups Gorgonzola cream sauce (see below)

Fresh basil leaves (I used about 3 ounces) 

Gorgonzola Cream Sauce:

2 cups heavy cream
3 ounces Gorgonzola cheese (crumbled)
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 tbsp minced garlic

Salt and pepper, to taste 

Directions:

Begin by making cream sauce.  Bring cream to a boil over medium-high heat, then add the garlic.  Continue to cook for about 10 minutes, then add Gorgonzola and Pamesan cheeses.  Whisk until cheese are melted, then add spices and season to taste.  Set sauce aside on low to keep it from congealing while making the rest of the ingredients. 

Next, cook bacon until crisp and allow to cool and drain on paper towels.  Once cool, slice into one inch pieces and set aside.  Sautee mushrooms in a bit of olive oil for about five minutes, then set on paper towels to dry.

As far as the pizza crust itself, I vacillate between making my own and buying it pre-made, so don't listen to me : )  Just make sure you have it pre-crisped for at least 5 minutes in the oven, so that the crust doesn't get soggy when you add the sauce.

Now that all of the ingredients are ready, it's time to assemble the pizza!  Spread the ingredients on as desired, starting with the cream sauce, then the mozzarella, bacon and mushrooms, and adding the basil last.  I like to leave the leaves whole for presentation, but that's up to you.

Cook the pizza in the oven according to the crust you are using or, at 450 degrees for about 20 minutes until the crust is crisp.  Enjoy!