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Loaded Bacon Cheddar Bread

Loaded Bacon Cheddar Bread

6 C. all purpose flour
3¼ C. warm water
2 tsp. instant yeast
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
2¾ C. cheddar cheese, fresh grated not bagged
10 strips cooked thick cut bacon, chopped and divided
fresh ground black pepper to taste

In a large mixing bowl combine water, yeast, salt and sugar. Allow mixture to sit for several minutes. Add flour, two C. cheese, ½ bacon and fresh ground black pepper. Stir with spoon until combined. Dough will be shaggy. Don’t stress if it looks messy. It will come together in the end. Cover with a towel and allow to rise in a warm place for an hour. After an hour, turn dough out onto a floured board and knead for a few minutes. It does not need to be completely smooth. Just knead it long enough to come together. Divide dough into two equal halves and place in standard loaf pans. Cover loaves with remaining cheese and bacon. Cover with towel and allow to rest for thirty minutes. Bake in a 400º oven for fifteen minutes. Cover loosely with foil and reduce heat to 350º and continue baking for another 35 minutes. Remove foil and allow to bake for another 10 minutes. Notes: If the dough feels too wet, add a little more flour but know that this dough is a bit stickier than most.

Bacon & Egg Breakfast Muffins

Bacon & Egg Breakfast Muffins

Bacon and eggs…in a muffin! These are great for “grab and go”. This makes 4 large muffins. This recipe isn’t suitable for ordinary size muffin tins as it isn’t large enough to hold the egg and batter. You could also use a large popover pan.

4 oz. / 120 g bacon, chopped (I used lean bacon)
½ C. scallions / shallots, chopped
1 C. grated cheddar cheese (or any other flavored melting cheese)

1¼ C. plain flour
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
Wet Ingredients
½ C. milk + ½ tsp. white vinegar OR ½ C. buttermilk
½ tsp. salt
5 tsp. sour cream (full fat)
2 tsp. vegetable oil or melted butter
1 egg

4 eggs
1 tsp. melted butter (optional, for brushing)

Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Spray 4 Texas muffin tin holes with oil (or grease with butter). Heat a nonstick pan over high heat. Add bacon and fry until lightly browned. Remove onto a paper towel to drain the fat, then set aside. Place Dry Ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine. Whisk Wet Ingredients in a separate bowl. Pour the Wet Ingredients into the Dry Ingredients until just combined. Do not over mix. Fold in bacon, scallions and cheese. Place 3 tsp. the batter into 4 muffin tin holes. Bang the tin to flatten the batter. Make a divot in the batter (so the egg yolk settles in the middle). Crack an egg into each hole. Divide the remaining batter between each hole to cover the egg. Brush the muffins with melted butter (optional), then bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.

I find the easiest way to top the egg with batter and keep the yolk in the middle is to place 3 tsp. batter around the yolk then 1 one top of the yolk. Then gently spread to cover the whole egg.

Avocado and Gouda BLT Corn Fritter Stacks with Chipotle Bourbon Dressing

Avocado and Gouda BLT Corn Fritter Stacks with Chipotle Bourbon Dressing

1/4 C. bourbon (may skip if desired)
1/2 C. olive oil
2 T. apple cider vinegar
2 T. honey
1 chipotle pepper, minced
1 clove garlic, minced or grated
salt + pepper, to taste

1 1/4 C. sweet yellow corn, about 2 ears
3/4 C. flour
1/8 C. sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 T. brown suger
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 C. milk
1/4 C. canola oil (for cooking)

8 slices of bacon
2 T. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. cayenne
7 oz. smoked gouda or gouda cheese, sliced
1 C. grape tomatoes, halved
3 C. arugula
1 avocado, mashed

To make the chipotle bourbon dressing. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring bourbon to a boil. Cook until liquid is reduced to about 2 T., 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until well chilled. Once chilled add the olive oil, vinegar, honey, chipotle pepper and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Arrange bacon strips about 1 1/2 inches apart. In a small bowl stir together brown sugar and cayenne pepper. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over bacon. Bake 14 to 16 minutes until bacon is browned and crisp. Transfer to paper towel; cool. Halve slices. While the bacon cooks make the corn fritters. Add the flour, brown sugar, sugar, baking powder, salt, pepper and 3/4 C. the corn to a food processor. Pulse until blended together, then transfer mixture to a mixing bowl. Stir in remaining corn and milk, mixing until a batter forms. It should be the consistency of a thick pancake batter.

Add oil to a large skillet saucepan and heat over medium high heat. When the oil is hot add a little less than 1/4 C. batter to the skillet and then quickly smooth the batter out to a circle. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, flip and place one slice of gouda cheese right on top of the fritters (leave 4 fritters with no cheese). Cook another 2 minutes or until brown and crisped all over. Remove and repeat with the remaining batter until all the batter has been used. Keep the fritters warm.

To assemble, place four fritters with cheese on 4 plates. Spread with mashed avocado, arugula, tomatoes and a few slices of bacon. Top with another cheesy corn fitter and repeat the layering. Finally add the non-cheesy fritter (should be the 3rd fritter, 3rd layer) and top with a few arugula leaves, tomatoes and bacon. Drizzle with the chipotle bourbon dressing.

The stacks are really pretty, but if you want these to be an easy eat then just leave the fritters unstacked. If you do this though, I would make a little extra bacon and add another avocado. Unstacked fritters leave more room for toppings!

Clam Dip with Bacon & Scallions

Clam Dip with Bacon & Scallions

Clam Dip with Bacon & Scallions

 

4 slices Bacon, cut into ¼” pieces

¾ C. Sour Cream

¾ C. Mayo

1 tsp. Lemon Juice

1 tsp. Worcestershire

1 6.5oz. cans minced Clams, drained

2 Scallions, sliced thin

Salt & Pepper

Cayenne Pepper

 

Cook bacon in 8 inch skillet over medium heat until crisp, 5-7 minutes. Transfer to paper towel lined plate. Whisk together sour cream, mayo, lemon juice, and Worcestershire in medium bowl. Stir in clams, scallions and bacon. Season with salt, pepper and cayenne to taste. Transfer dip to serving bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until flavors are blended, at least 1 hour, and up to 2 days.

Bacon & Kale Adobo

Bacon & Kale Adobo

Bacon & Kale AdoboBacon, onion, garlic, and coconut vinegar add tremendous flavor to this nutritious kale side dish. Feel free to experiment with other greens as well.

6 ounces applewood-smoked bacon, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 large garlic cloves, lightly crushed
2 bay leaves
1 pound kale, stems and ribs removed, chopped fine
2 to 3 tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 to 3 tbsp. coconut vinegar or 1 to 2 tbsp. cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 Thai or serrano chile, crushed (optional)

In a 4- to 5-qt. pan over medium heat, cook bacon, stirring, until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Pour bacon and fat through a fine strainer into a bowl. Return 5 tbsp. fat to pan; discard the rest. Add onion, garlic, and bay leaves and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until onion is pale golden, 5 minutes. Toss in kale; cook, stirring, until wilted. Add 1 C. water, half the bacon, 2 tbsp. each soy sauce and coconut vinegar, the pepper, and chile. Simmer, covered, adding water if pan gets dry, until kale is very tender, 60 minutes. Add soy and vinegar to taste. Serve sprinkled with remaining bacon.

Dandelion Greens Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette

Dandelion Greens Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette

The Kitchen shoot 4/20/2016 Photographer: Soo-Jeong Kang Soojeong1@gmail.com (917)575-5478

1 lb tender dandelion greens, tough stems removed
5 bacon slices
1 1/2 T. finely chopped shallot
1 1/2 T. cider vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper

Cut greens into 1 1/2-inch lengths and transfer to a large bowl. Cook bacon in a large heavy skillet until golden and crisp, then transfer to a cutting board, reserving fat in skillet. Finely chop bacon. Whisk together shallot, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl, then whisk in 3 T. hot bacon fat. Toss greens with enough warm dressing to coat and sprinkle with bacon. Serve immediately.

Tender Kale & Bacon Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette

Tender Kale & Bacon Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette

Tender Kale & Bacon Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette

 

2 T. balsamic vinegar
2 T. reduced-sugar strawberry jam
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 T. olive oil

1 bunch curly or dinosaur kale
1 tsp. olive oil
1/8 tsp. salt

1 large carrot, peeled and sliced into ribbons
2/3 C. fresh sliced strawberries

2 T. real bacon bits

 

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, jam, mustard, and pepper. Drizzle in the oil and whisk until combined. Set aside. Remove the ribs from the kale and roughly chop into %-inch strips. Place the kale in a large bowl, drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with salt. Gently rub (massage) the kale between your fingers for 30 to 35 seconds, or until it wilts slightly and the leaves smooth. Add the strawberries and carrots and gently toss the salad with the dressing. Sprinkle bacon bits on top and serve.

 

Yield: 4 servings

Serving Size: 1 ½ C. Salad

Calories: 140

Fat: 7g

Fiber: 2g

Roasted BLT Salad

Roasted BLT Salad

Roasted BLT Salad

4 slices bacon

1 C. cherry tomatoes

6 tsp. olive oil

1/2 baguette, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes

1 head romaine lettuce, quartered lengthwise

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large skillet cook bacon until crisp; drain on paper towel. Break into large pieces; set aside. Meanwhile, line a 15x10x1-inch baking pan with foil. Add cherry tomatoes; toss with 2 tsp. of the olive oil. Bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Transfer tomatoes and their juices to a medium bowl. Place bread cubes and romaine quarters on the baking pan. Drizzle romaine with 2 tsp. of the olive oil. Return pan to oven; bake 5 minutes or until bread is golden and romaine is browned on edges. Add bread to the medium bowl with the tomatoes. Toss gently to combine. Let stand 5 minutes to allow bread to absorb some of the tomato juices. Transfer tomatoes, bread, romaine, and bacon to a serving platter. Drizzle with remaining 2 tsp. olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

 

Yield: 4 servings

Calories: 258

Fat: 10g

Fiber: 2g

BLT Towers

BLT Towers

BLT Towers

 

Bread slices, cut in rounds (better if cut the same size as the tomatoes)

3 T. butter, melted

2 packages fresh Mozzarella cheese, cut in ½-inch slices

10 small tomatoes, ends cut off, sliced in ½-inch slices

1 large bunch bib lettuce, cut in rounds

6 slices maple-glazed bacon, fried crispy

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a circular cookie cutter, press into bread slices and create crustless bread rounds. Brush the rounds with butter, and toast in oven for about 8 minutes or until crispy. Add Mozzarella to the bread round, then layer with tomato, lettuce, and bacon, making a tower. Repeat until all ingredients are used. Secure the towers with a toothpick if desired, and place on platter. Easy and colorful!

Rhubarb Bacon Jam & Ricotta Toast

Rhubarb Bacon Jam & Ricotta Toast

Rhubarb Bacon Jam

 

3 – 5 slices bacon

2 cup finely chopped red onion

2 cup chopped fresh rhubarb

⅓ cup pure maple syrup

3 T. apple cider vinegar

1 lemon (1 tsp. zest; 1 T. juice)

Crusty bread

Whole milk ricotta cheese

 

Heat a large skillet over medium. Add bacon; cook about 8 minutes or until brown and crisp. Remove, reserving 2 T. drippings; drain bacon on paper towels. Add onion to skillet, stirring to scrape up any browned bits. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 8 to 10 minutes or until onion is soft and slightly caramelized, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, chop cooked bacon. Return to skillet. Stir in rhubarb, maple syrup, and vinegar. Continue cooking over medium-low 5 to 8 minutes or until rhubarb is soft, stirring occasionally. Stir in lemon zest and juice. Use a potato masher to slightly mash the mixture. Serve warm with bread and ricotta. Makes 14 servings.

RB&O Sauce

RB&O Sauce

RB&O Sauce

 

2– 4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped into 1-inch pieces

1 cup finely chopped red onion

1 cup sliced rhubarb (about 2– 3 medium-size stalks, cut into ¼-inch slices)

3 T. maple syrup

1½ T. red or white wine vinegar

Pinch allspice

Pinch dried thyme (or ¼ tsp. fresh)

 

Cook bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon to a paper towel, reserving drippings in skillet. Cook onion in drippings until lightly golden. Stir in rhubarb, maple syrup, vinegar, allspice, and thyme; cook over low heat, 5-7 minutes, until rhubarb is soft. Crumble in cooked bacon. Serve warm.

Rhubarb Baked Beans

Rhubarb Baked Beans

Rhubarb Baked Beans

 

4 slices thick-sliced bacon, chopped

1 1/2 cups chopped rhubarb

1 cup chopped sweet onion

1 tsp. grated fresh ginger

1/2 tsp. salt

2 15 – ounce cans navy beans, rinsed and drained

1 8 – ounce can tomato sauce

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 tsp. yellow mustard

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees . In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp; remove with slotted spoon. In reserved drippings, cook rhubarb and onion about 2 minutes or until tender. Stir in salt and ginger; cook 1 minute more. Stir in beans, tomato sauce, brown sugar, mustard and cooked bacon. Transfer to a 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Cover and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover; bake 20 minutes more or until surface loses wet appearance

Scallops with Bacon and Cream on Toast

Scallops with Bacon and Cream on Toast

Scallops with Bacon and Cream on Toast

 

3 slices bacon, chopped

1 pound sea scallops, tough muscle removed

1/2 C. chilled cream or half-and-half

2 T. chopped fresh chives

1/4 tsp. salt

6 slices firm white sandwich bread, toasted,

crusts discarded and halved diagonally

 

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until browned. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Crumble when cool. Reserve skillet drippings. Heat drippings over high heat until hot but not smoking. Sear scallops, turning once, until cooked through, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to platter and keep warm. (We poured some of the drippings out of the skillet at this point.) Add cream, 1 T. chives and salt (we also threw in a handful of tiny frozen peas for color) and boil until slightly thickened, about 1 or 2 minutes. Divide scallops among 4 plates. Pour sauce over scallops and sprinkle with bacon and remaining chives. Serve with toast points. Alternatively put scallops in the cream sauce and stir to coat. Serve over rice or angel-hair pasta.