965. SPINACH SALAD with MAPLE BACON and WINTER SQUASH

yields 4 servings


1 1/2 pounds loose leaf spinach, stemmed and cleaned
1 white acorn squash (or other winter squash)
1 yellow acorn squash (or other winter squash)
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cut squashes in half, with spoon, scoop out seeds. Slice squash in 1/2-inch slices. Heat large skillet with olive oil. Sauté squash until lightly golden. Add onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Sauté 2 minutes. Set aside. Keep warm.


Maple Bacon

8 slices bacon
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Lay out bacon. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle on brown sugar. In a 350°F oven, place cookie sheet and cook for 10-12 minutes until bacon is crisp. Set aside.


Pomegranate Vinaigrette

3/4 cup peanut oil
1/4 cup shallot, minced
2 1/2 tablespoons crushed black peppercorns
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses (Available in gourmet markets)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place shallot and peppercorns in a stainless steel bowl. Add peanut oil and whisk in vinegar, sugar, molasses, salt and pepper.

To serve, place squash on bottom of plate. Drizzle some vinaigrette on squash. Place spinach in salad bowl. Break up bacon and toss with spinach. Ladle vinaigrette over lettuce and toss. Place a small mound of spinach in center of plate and serve.


courtesy of: Michael Smith (Michael Smith, 1900 Main Street, Kansas City, Missouri) and Debbie Gold (40 Sardines, 11942 Roe Avenue, Overland Park, Kansas)

964. WHITE BEAN and BACON SOUP with ESCAROLE

makes about 10 cups; serves 8 to 10


2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 ounces applewood-smoked slab bacon, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
2 medium onions (about 6 ounces each), finely chopped
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 quarts homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock
1 pound dried white beans, soaked overnight, drained, and rinsed
3 large thyme sprigs
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 head escarole, cut crosswise into strips

Heat oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add bacon, and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate.

Add onions and shallot to pan; cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and soft, about 8 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute more

Return bacon to pan. Stir in stock, beans, thyme, cayenne, and 1 teaspoon salt; season with pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover, and simmer 30 minutes. Uncover, and cook until beans are tender, about 1 1/2 hours more.

Stir in escarole. Cook 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.


courtesy of: Community Farms Outreach - Waltham Fields Community Farm, 240 Beaver Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02452, (781) 899-2403

963. BRUSSEL SPROUTS with BACON and CHESTNUTS

makes 6 servings


1/2 pound chestnuts
1 pound Brussels sprouts
2 slices thick-cut bacon
1 shallot, minced
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Roast the chestnuts: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. With a small knife, score the chestnuts with an "X" on the flat side of the shell. Roast them on a baking sheet until the shells curl and darken where they have been scored, 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove the chestnuts from the oven and immediately cover them with a towel that has been soaked in ice water and wrung out. When the chestnuts are just cool enough to handle, peel away the shells and the thin skin covering the chestnut meat. Cut the chestnuts in quarters and set aside.

Trim the Brussels sprouts: Cut off the hard surface of the stem; remove any loose or yellowing leaves and cut a deep "X" in the base to allow the heat to penetrate to the center.

In a vegetable steamer, steam the Brussels sprouts, tightly covered, until they are just beginning to become tender, 6 to 7 minutes. They should still be slightly crisp at the center and bright green. Remove from the heat and set aside. (The dish can be made to this point up to 2 days in advance and the chestnuts and Brussels sprouts refrigerated tightly sealed.)

Cut the bacon crosswise into thin strips. In a dry medium skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until the strips have rendered their fat and browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the minced shallot and cook until it softens, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the red wine vinegar and cook until it is reduced by half, about 1 1/2 minutes.

Add the Brussels sprouts and chestnuts to the skillet and toss to coat with the deglazed juices. Season to taste with one-fourth teaspoon salt and a pinch of black pepper and, if necessary, a little more red wine vinegar (the acidity pulls the flavors into focus). Serve immediately.


courtesy of: Russ Parsons / Los Angeles Times, November 14, 2007

962. CELERY ROOT SOUP with BACON and APPLE

serves 4-6


4 cups vegetable stock
3 cups water
2 cups chopped potato
2-3 cups celery root (celeriac) peeled and chopped into chunks
2 apples -- 1 cored and chopped and added to soup -- 1 cored and finely cubed to garnish
4 celery ribs, about 2 cups chopped
6 slices of bacon
4 small spring onions white and 1” of green or
2 small leeks, 1 cup chopped
1 tablespoon bacon fat or olive oil
fresh nutmeg to taste
salt and pepper to taste.
1/4 cup half & half
bacon, apple, celery and celery leaves (or flat leaf parsley) to garnish


Cook chopped vegetables in broth/water until fork tender. Meanwhile cook bacon until crisp and remove from pan, draining on paper towels. Pour all but 1 tbsp of bacon fat out of the pan (or pour all and add olive oil). Meanwhile finely chop the garnish items and mix together in a small bowl. Saute onion until brown over medium heat and then add to vegetable/stock mixture. Puree all with an immersion stick blender or in a food processor or blender (you may have to do it in batches). For a thinner soup you can use a foodmill. Add the half & half and season to taste, mixing well. Garnish with the apple/bacon/celery mixture.


courtesy of: Fork & Bottle, Santa Rosa, California

961. BACON HORSERADISH DIP

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
2-3 slices bacon, cooked, minced
1 tablespoon shallots, minced
3 tablespoons horseradish mustard
salt and pepper to taste

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all the ingredients. Place in a serving bowl. Perfect served with various cut vegetables like mushrooms, peppers, carrots and celery. Also makes a great spread for sandwiches.


courtesy of: Robert Rothschild Farm, 3143 E US Highway 36, Urbana, Ohio 43078, (800) 356-8933

960. SAUTEED BEET GREENS with MESQUITE BACON and CANDIED PECANS

yields 12 portions


1 lb. mesquite smoked bacon, diced and fried until fairly crisp (Reserve 1/2 the rendered grease to cook the greens in)
5 large bunches of beet greens, stems removed, well washed and cut into 1" thick strips
3 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
1 tablespoon garlic, crushed
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 cups whole candied pecans
salt and pepper to taste

Sauté the garlic and beet greens in the bacon fat, coating well. Add the chicken stock and cover with a lid for about 2 minutes until the greens are well wilted, then toss well adding the raspberry vinegar, the crisp bacon and the candied pecans. Place in a serving bowl and serve hot.


Candied Pecans

yields 2 cups

2 1/2 cup water
2 1/2 cup sugar
2 cup whole shelled pecans

Bring the water and the sugar to a rolling boil for 2 minutes. Toss the nuts into this syrup and bring back to a boil for 1 minute. Drain the nuts well and spread on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and sprinkled with granulated sugar. Sprinkle more sugar on the nuts and let dry for 2 to 3 hours.


courtesy of: Janos Wilder, Janos Restaurant and J BAR, 3770 East Sunrise Street, Tucson Arizona 85718, (520) 615-6100 / adapted from Recipes and Tales from a Southwest Kitchen, Ten Speed Press, 1989

959. BORLOTTI BEAN SOUP with BACON and DITALINI PASTA

makes 4-6 servings


1 pound dried borlotti beans, soaked for 12 hours
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
8 ounces bacon
to taste salt
to taste freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1-1/2 cups ditalini

Chop bacon in food processor until fine. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot. Add bacon and sauté until golden. Add beans; cover with water. Simmer 40-60 minutes or until tender. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and parsley. Sauté until garlic is golden. Add tomato paste and two cups of water; simmer for 10-15 minutes and season with salt and black pepper. Process half of the beans in the blender with some of the cooking water. Set aside. Add pasta to soup pot. Add more water if necessary. Simmer 6-8 minutes longer. Combine all remaining ingredients in pot. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving.


courtesy of: Barilla Pasta, Barilla America, Inc., consumerrelations@barilla-usa.com, 1 (800) 922-7455

958. PASTA FAIGOLI

6 ounces smoked bacon (1/2 package), diced
1 cup onions, peeled and diced
1 cup carrots, peeled and diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes in sauce
2 (15 ounce) cans of cannellini beans, drained
1 quart beef broth
2 cups water
2 bay leaves
1 cup dried ditalini pasta
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons fresh savory, minced
1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves, chopped fine
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
parmesan cheese

Cook the bacon in a large frying pan until lightly brown but not crispy. Remove the bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Drain the bacon drippings from the pan reserving 2 tablespoons. Add the reserved bacon drippings to a large stock pot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots and celery to the pot and cook until the onions are translucent approximately 5 minutes. Add the can of crushed tomatoes, beans, beef broth, water and bay leaves to the pot and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaves. Puree half of the beans in a blender or food processor and add back to the pot. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Add the pasta, garlic, savory, sage, salt, pepper and reserved bacon to the pot and cook until the pasta is done, approximately 10-15 minutes, while stirring frequently to ensure the pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot. Pour into individual soup bowls and garnish each bowl with freshly grated parmesan cheese prior to serving if desired.


courtesy of: Italian Cuisine @ Suite 101

957. ENDIVE, ORANGE, AVOCADO and BACON SALAD

serves 2


1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large navel orange
1 small firm-ripe avocado (preferably California)
2 Belgian endives
3 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled fine

In a small bowl whisk together vinegar, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste and whisk in oil in a stream until emulsified.

With a sharp knife cut peel and pith from orange and cut sections free from membranes. Cut sections into 1/2-inch pieces and transfer to a bowl. Peel and pit avocado. Cut avocado into 1/2-inch pieces and add to orange. Trim endives and slice thin crosswise. Add endives and dressing and toss salad lightly. Sprinkle salad with bacon.


courtesy of: Gourmet, February 1996

956. CHICKEN RIESLING with BACON

makes 6 to 8 servings


12 chicken thighs
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 ounces bacon, diced
10 ounces pearl onions, peeled, or 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 pound button mushrooms, stems removed and caps quartered
6 endives, ends trimmed and halved lengthwise
2 cups Riesling wine

Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Season with the salt and pepper.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat. Add the bacon and fry until crisp. Transfer to a plate. Spoon off and discard all but 1 tablespoon of the drippings.

Add some of the chicken to the pot, skin-side down, and brown on both sides. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

Add the onions and mushrooms to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their juices, about 5 minutes. Add the endives and wine, increase heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Nestle the chicken among the endives. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 40 minutes. Divide the chicken, endives, and sauce among individual plates and sprinkle with the reserved bacon.


courtesy of: Sara Quessenberry, Real Simple, March 2006

955. GRILLED FLOUNDER PASTA with MUSSELS and CLAMS in a BACON and CREAM SAUCE

serves 4


2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup red onion, diced
1 medium onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 slices partially cooked bacon, diced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1 zucchini, grilled and thinly sliced
¼ cup Riesling wine
salt, to taste
½ cup heavy cream,
4 x 6-8 oz flounder fillets, boneless and skinless
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon barbecue seasoning
½ cup breadcrumbs
1 lb. clams
1 lb. mussels
drizzle beer
2-3 portions pre-cooked fusilli pasta

To prepare the Bacon and Cream Sauce, in a sauté pan, add butter, red onion, onion, garlic and bacon. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, tossing to combine. Add rosemary, thyme and grilled zucchini and toss to combine. Reduce heat to low.

Preheat grill to medium-high (about 500°F).

Season flounder fillets with salt and barbecue seasoning, pressing the spices into the flesh to adhere. Sprinkle seasoned flounder fillets with breadcrumbs and pat into flesh to form a crust.

Place crusted flounder fillets, clams and mussels onto the grill. Drizzle the clams and mussels with a little beer and close lid, allowing the mussels and clams to steam and the flounder to grill. Gently turn the flounder fillets and continue grilling until fish is just cooked through and flakes easily with a fork, about 4 to 5 minutes per side, being careful not to over cook the flounder, which is a very lean fish.

While the fish and seafood grills and steams add the Riesling wine to the sautéed vegetables to deglaze the pan. Bring to the boil and season with salt to taste. Add the heavy cream, reduce heat to low and simmer. Add the precooked fusilli and toss to combine.

To serve, place the pasta in a bowl. Garnish the pasta with clams and mussels in an alternating pattern around the pasta, discarding any un-open clams or mussels. Carefully remove flounder from grill and place in the center of the pasta. Serve immediately.


courtesy of: Fishing the Flats, with Henry Waszczuk, 1299 Gillespie Avenue, North Port, Florida 34286, (941) 423-8650

954. CLAMS with NORI SEAWEED and BACON

makes 4-6 servings


1 tablespoon unsalted butter
50 grams smoked dry-cured bacon
1 leek, trimmed, chopped
2 stalks celery, trimmed and chopped
1 head kale
600 grams boiled potatoes
1 kg clams or cockles, cleaned
125 ml pale ale
large handful chopped parsley
6 sheets Japanese Nori seaweed, the kind used for sushi rolls, shredded

Heat the butter in a large saucepan and fry the bacon with the leek, celery, kale, and potatoes for 3-4 minutes. Tip in the shellfish and add the ale. Cover and cook, over a high heat until all the shells have opened - another 3-4 minutes. Stir in the parsley and sprinkle with the nori seaweed. Serve with plenty of bread on the side to mop up any juices.


courtesy of: Tom Norrington-Davies, "Great Food Live," UKTV Food

953. REFRIED BEANS with BACON

3 cups dried pinto beans
water
salt
8 oz. bacon, chopped
1 medium onion, small dice
1 tablespoon chili powder

Soak the dried beans over night in a large pot, filled to the top with water. After soaking, drain the beans, cover with plenty of fresh water add some salt, bring to a boil, and simmer for about an hour, or until the beans are very tender and splitting open, but not disintegrating.

While the beans are simmering, in another large part, cook the bacon until crispy. Removing the bacon at this point is optional. (If you are making vegetarian refried beans, heat the oil for a minute or two in a large pot.) Add the diced onion to and cook on medium low heat until very soft. Add the chili powder.

Ladle off and reserve a spoonful or two of the bean broth and drain the beans. Add the drained beans to the cooked onions, and go at ‘em with a potato masher. Leave the beans on the stove as you go, allowing them to continue cooking, and add bean broth as necessary to get the consistency you want.


courtesy of: Janna Mordan Osborne, Recipes and Ruminations

952. RADICCHIO, BACON and TOMATO TORTILLAS

serves 2


4 slices thick bacon
1 small head radicchio, chopped coarsely
1 large tomato, chopped
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 large wheat flower tortillas, heated

In a medium skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until very crisp. Drain on paper towels and crumble the bacon into bits; set aside. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings and cook the radicchio for several minutes, until it starts to wilt. Add the tomato and red pepper flakes and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the bacon and balsamic vinegar. Mix well. Divide the mixture evenly between the two tortillas. Roll up and serve immediately.


courtesy of: Royal Rose Radicchio, European Vegetable Specialties Farms, Inc., 1120 Growers Street, Salinas, California 93901

951. GRILLED TURKEY, BACON, RADICCHIO and BLUE CHEESE SANDWICHES

makes 2 servings


6 slices applewood-smoked bacon
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese or other mild blue cheese
4 1/2-inch-thick slices country-style white bread (about 5x3 inches)
4 leaves radicchio
6 ounces thinly sliced cooked turkey
4 teaspoons butter, room temperature, divided

Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to paper towels. Pour off fat from skillet; reserve skillet.

Mash mayonnaise and blue cheese in bowl to coarse puree; season with pepper. Place bread on work surface. Divide cheese mixture among bread slices, spreading evenly. Divide bacon, radicchio, and turkey between 2 bread slices. Top with remaining bread, cheese side down. Melt 2 teaspoons butter in reserved skillet over medium heat. Place sandwiches in skillet. Spread 2 teaspoons butter on top pieces of bread. Cover with lid that is slightly smaller than skillet. Cook sandwiches until lightly browned, about 4 minutes per side.


courtesy of: Bon Appétit, November 2006

950. BACON and FAVA BEAN SALAD

yields 4 servings


1 tablespoon sunflower oil
7 ounces bacon, chopped into large pieces
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
2 red onion, cut into wedges
2 slices bread
2 cups frozen fava beans, thawed
2 heads radicchio, cut into wedges
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 pinch sugar
4 tablespoons milk
Salt and fresh-ground pepper

Heat the broiler, if not using a toaster for the bread. Make the dressing by mixing together the mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and sugar. Add enough milk to make a drizzling consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste; set aside.

Heat the sunflower oil in a large saucepan. Add the bacon, red bell pepper, and onions and saute over high heat, stirring, until the onions are soft, about 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast the bread in a toaster or under the broiler. Cut it into cubes; set aside.

Stir the fava beans into the bacon mixture and add 1 tablespoon water. Heat until sizzling, then cover the pan and leave to cook 4 minutes.

Arrange the radicchio wedges on top of the bean-and-bacon mixture. Cover again and cook until the radicchio wilts, but still holds its shape, about 3 minutes.

Spoon the salad into shallow bowls and drizzle the dressing on top. Scatter the toasted bread cubes over the top and sprinkle with chopped flat-leaf parsley.


courtesy of: Reader's Digest

949. BEAN and BACON FIESTA DIP

serves 22


8 slices bacon
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
1 (4.5 ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
1 cup frozen corn
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained, rinsed
1 (16 ounce) jar salsa
1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
sour cream (optional)
corn tortilla chips (optional)

Cook bacon until crisp; drain on paper towel. Set 2 slices of bacon aside; crumble remaining 6 slices. Spray 8-inch square (2-quart) microwavable dish with cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix refried beans, green chiles and crumbled bacon. Spread mixture evenly in sprayed dish. Sprinkle frozen corn and black beans evenly over refried bean mixture. Pour salsa over top. Sprinkle cheese over salsa. Crumble remaining 2 slices of bacon; sprinkle over cheese. Microwave on High for 10 to 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and mixture is thoroughly heated. Garnish with spoonfuls of sour cream. Serve warm dip with tortilla chips.


courtesy of: Madeleine Bergquist, Syracuse, New York / Pillsbury Bake-Off, 2004

948. BACON FLEURETTES

1 head of broccoli
1 pound of bacon, sliced
Toothpicks
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
garlic powder
lemon pepper

Separate and trim broccoli into bite-size fleurettes. Cut bacon in half across the width. Wrap bacon slice around each fleurette. Stick toothpick into each. Place on cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and soy sauce. Sprinkle with garlic powder and lemon pepper to taste. Broil or bake in oven at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.


courtesy of: The Surgeon's House, Jerome, Arizona

947. PORCINI, APPLEWOOD SMOKED BACON and CHEVRE TART

8 ounces fresh porcini (or other wild mushrooms)
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, diced
1 clove garlic, diced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
4 slices of applewood smoked bacon (cooked, drained, and chopped)
4 ounces chevre
Sea salt and fresh pepper to taste
2 sheets puff pastry
Egg wash (1 egg whisked with 1/4 cup milk)

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a saute pan. Add shallots, garlic, and thyme and cook until slightly golden, then add mushrooms. Continue to cook until mushrooms have released their liquid. Season with salt and pepper. Cool and refrigerate.

Roll out 2 sheets of puff pastry into two 12-inch circles. Spread the mushroom mixture in center of 1 pastry circle, leaving a 1-inch edge. Crumble chevre evenly over the mushroom mixture, and sprinkle the chopped bacon over the chevre. Baste the 1-inch edge with egg wash and place the remaining pastry sheet on top.

Pinch and roll the 2 edges together in a circular motion, making sure to get a good seal. Decorate the top sheet by gently scoring the surface with a sharp knife in any design you like, making sure to poke a hole in the middle for ventilation. Baste the whole tart with egg wash and bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Cut into wedges to serve, garnished with fresh thyme sprigs.


courtesy of: Chef Jeffrey Neumeier, Brewery Gulch Inn Bed and Breakfast, 9401 Coast Highway One North, Mendocino, California 95460

946. POTATO CHIPS with CHEVRE, PEPPER JELLY and BACON

serves 12


6 ounces sliced bacon
36 thick-cut potato chips
5 ounces fresh goat cheese, softened
3 tablespoons sweet red pepper jelly
1 tablespoon snipped chives

In a large skillet, cook the sliced bacon over high heat until crisp. Drain, cool and crumble the bacon. Arrange the potato chips on a serving platter. Spread or pipe 1 teaspoon of the goat cheese onto each potato chip. Top with a small dollop of the pepper jelly, sprinkle with the bacon and chives and serve right away.


courtesy of: Grace Parisi, "Thanksgiving in Your 20s, 40s, 60s," Food & Wine, November, 2007

945. BACON CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

3/4 cup butter
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon hazelnut (or almond) extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups cooked, chopped bacon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat together the butter, sugars, flavoring and eggs until creamy. In another bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and stir together. Dough will be slightly soft. If you want a cakier cookie, add another half cup of flour. Add in chocolate chips and bacon bits. Stir until well integrated. Place dough on a sheet of waxed paper and refrigerate at least an hour. Remove dough from fridge, pinch off 1 1/2 inch pieces of dough and roll into balls. Set dough balls about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten dough balls slightly with your fingers in the center.

Bake cookies for about 10 minutes, or until the dough starts to turn golden brown. Allow cookies to cool on a cooling rack.


courtesy of: Ooh you tasty little things...

944. BACON-LARDED ANTELOPE ROAST with WILD PLUMS

4 to 6 lb. antelope roast
bacon or salt pork for larding or barding
2 ribs of celery, with leaves, chopped
juice of 1/2 lemon
or 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 bay leaf, crumbled
10 whole allspice berries
10 whole black peppercorns
2 cups whole wild plums
or 3/4 cup wild plum jelly
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard or 1 tablespoon capers
1 tablespoon butter
1 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch
salt and pepper

Lard the roast or bard it after seasoning the surface as follows: Rub well with half the lemon juice, crumbled bay leaf and the whole allspice and peppercorns. Cover with the chopped celery and sprinkle on the remaining lemon juice. Place on a rack in a rotating pan. Roast in a 350-degree oven for about 16 minutes per pound for rare (125 degrees at the center). Baste frequently, adding a little water to the roasting pan if it begins to dry out. About 30 to 45 minutes before the meat is done, add whole, washed plums (or jelly) to the roasting pan along with 3/4 cup water. When ready to serve remove the celery and spices and set aside. Rub the plums and other contents of the roasting pan through a sieve. If the result is too thick for a smooth sauce, add water and stock and simmer briefly. If it is too thin, thicken it with a little cornstarch well mixed in a few tablespoons of water or stock. Simmer thicken, stir in butter, mustard or capers and serve over slices of roast garnished with reserved celery.


courtesy of: Game Recipes

943. BACON and CHEESE BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

makes 8-10 servings


18 eggs
1/4 cup cream, half and half or milk
8 slices bacon, cooked very crisp then crumbled
1/2 cup sliced green onion
1 cup grated Mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
salt to taste
fresh ground black pepper to taste
2-3 teaspoons Spike seasoning (optional)

Preheat oven to 375. Spray a 10X14" glass casserole dish with nonstick spray. In bottom of dish spread crumbled bacon, green onion, mozarella, and cheddar. Beat eggs with cream, salt, pepper, Vege-sal and Spike (if using). Pour eggs over bacon/cheese mixture, then stir gently with a fork until bacon, cheeses, and green onions are evenly distributed in the eggs. Bake at 375 for about 45 minutes, or until casserole is slightly puffed and top is slightly browned.


courtesy of: Kalyn's Kitchen

942. BACON and PINTO BEAN RELISH

1/2-pound slab of bacon, finely diced
1 medium Spanish onion, finely diced
1/2 poblano chile, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cans pinto beans, drained, rinsed and drained again
Salt and pepper

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until golden brown and the fat has rendered. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels. Add the onion and poblano to the bacon fat in the pan and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the beans and cook until warmed through. Fold in the cooked bacon and transfer to a medium bowl.


courtesy of: WhiteTrashBBQ

941. WHITE BEAN, BACON and HALIBUT STEW

makes 4 servings


4 thick-cut bacon slices, chopped
1 cup sliced shallots
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 14 1/2-ounce can petite diced tomatoes in juice
1 8-ounce bottle clam juice
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon (scant) saffron threads
2 15-ounce cans small white beans, drained
1 1/2 pounds halibut fillets, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks

Sauté bacon and shallots in large pot over medium-high heat until bacon is crisp, about 7 minutes. Add olive oil and garlic; stir 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juice, clam juice, wine, and saffron; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes. Add beans and fish; bring to simmer. Cover; simmer until fish is just opaque in center, about 5 minutes. Season stew to taste with salt and pepper.


courtesy of: Bon Appétit, December 2007

940. PEPPERONI, BACON and GARLIC PIZZA with SOURDOUGH CRUST

Sourdough Crust
Pre-dough: 125g flour, 125ml water, 1 tbsp sourdough starter culture
470 grams flour
140ml water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
olive oil to coat the dough and oil the pans

Pepperoni, Bacon and Garlic Topping
half of a 6oz can tomato paste
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1/8 teaspoon oregano
pepperoni (amount to taste)
plum tomatoes, sliced (amount to taste)
mushrooms, sliced (amount to taste)
bacon, diced (amount to taste)
mozzarella, sliced (amount to taste)
onions, sliced (amount to taste)
swiss (and/or other) cheese, grated (amount to taste)
salt and fresh ground pepper (to taste)

Pizza Dough
Prepare the pre-dough a day in advance. Combine flour, water and sourdough starter culture in a mixing bowl, stir well and let stand overnight or until very bubbly.
Add flour, olive oil, salt and water. Knead well, stretching the dough as much as possible, until dough is firm and elastic. Form a ball, coat with olive oil and let rise until volume has about doubled. In the meanwhile pre-heat oven as high as possible (mine goes to 550°F and takes quite a while to get there). Cut the dough into two halves. Roll out or stretch out each half and put on a lightly oiled pizza pan. Let proof for another 5-10 minutes.

Pepperoni, Garlic and Bacon Pizza
Prepare garlic-tomato paste: In a small food processor blend together tomato paste, garlic, olive oil, white wine and oregano. With a bench knife spread tomato paste on one of the pizzas. Add sliced tomatoes, mushrooms, pepperoni, bacon, mozzarella, onions and cheese. Season with fresh ground pepper. Bake until the crust turns golden brown (depending on the temperature of the oven, 15-30 minutes).


courtesy of: Steffen's Dinners

939. GRILLED EUCALYPTUS, PUMPKIN, BACON and APPLE SKEWERED PRAWNS

1 kilogram pumpkin
1 onion, finely chopped
1 apple, cored and finely chopped
1 cup stock, chicken or vegetable
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
salt
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk
1 kilogram king prawns
8 slices bacon, cut into small pieces.
8 skewers, metal, or wooden,
the juice of 2 limes
eucalyptus herb butter [*]
1 teaspoon butter
1 teaspoon oil
snow peas, sufficient for 4 servings.
freshly ground pepper

Place chopped pumpkin, onion, apple, stock, nutmeg and salt in heavy-based saucepan with the water and milk, and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes until pumpkin is tender. Drain any excess liquid and mash or puree pumpkin potage. Keep warm. Peel and de-vein prawns, leaving tails on. Thread prawns and bacon pieces alternately onto skewers, and rub prawns with lime juice. Place the filled skewers on a grill plate and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Baste with eucalyptus butter. While the prawns are grilling, heat a little butter and oil in pan and gently stir fry snow peas for 1 to 2 minutes. Divide pumpkin potage between four preheated plates and sprinkle with pepper. Place 2 prawn skewers on each plate of pumpkin and Garnish with snow peas.


courtesy of: A Taste of Australia, by Joy Ross and Alistair Punshon

938. SCOTTISH RABBIT CURRY with BACON

1 fresh rabbit
6 oz. bacon
6 button onions
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon curry-powder
1 teaspoon mushroom-powder
celery (optional)
coconut (optional)
salt and cayenne to taste
1 pint well-seasoned stock

Choose a fat, fresh rabbit. (To test it, examine the kidney.) Cut it into at least twelve pieces; brown these in butter, with onions. When browned, if you wish delicate cookery, pour off the butter and add three-quarters of a pint of well-seasoned stock, one large spoonful of curry-powder and one of flour, six ounces of streaky bacon cut into half inch cubes, and also half a dozen button onions.

Season with a teaspoonful of mushroom powder. Simmer this slowly for half an hour at least, stirring it. Add what more seasonings you think required, as cayenne, a little turmeric, or some acid. Pile up the pieces of rabbit and pour the sauce, which should be thickish as in all curry dishes, over them. Serve with plain boiled rice in a separate dish.

Fresh coconut is an excellent ingredient in mild curries. Rasp and stew it the whole time; we do not like green vegetables in curries though they are sometimes used. Mushrooms are an enrichment, celery is good, and onion is indispensable.


courtesy of: The Scots Kitchen With Old-time Recipes

937. WARM BRUSSELS SPROUT, BACON and SPINACH SALAD

makes 4 servings


8 slices bacon
2 cups Brussels sprouts, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seed
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon white sugar
1/2 pound spinach - chopped, washed and dried

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Crumble and set aside. In a medium sauce pan, steam Brussel sprouts until tender. Heat the remaining fat in the skillet over medium high heat and add the brussels sprouts and caraway seeds. Stir for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the sprouts are tender. Remove the skillet from heat, stir in the oil, vinegar, and sugar. Stir, and add the spinach. Saute the mixture over moderately high heat for 1 minute or until the spinach is wilted. Season salad with pepper and sprinkle with bacon. Serve warm.


courtesy of: Prospera Farm, W3566 County Road, East Berlin, Wisconsin 54923

936. WARM RED CABBAGE BACON SALAD

makes 4 servings


3 slices bacon
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 large onion, peeled and chopped
3 large stalks celery, sliced
1/3 cup cider vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/2 large red cabbage, shredded to yield about 6 cups
salt and pepper (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped parsley for garnish

Cut bacon slices into 1-inch pieces, and sauté over medium-low heat in a very large, deep skillet until crisp but not overdone. Remove to absorbent paper, and reserve. Drain off all bacon fat, and replace with olive oil.

Heat oil in skillet over high heat. Add onion and celery, and sauté briefly. Add vinegar, sugar, and celery seed. Heat until boiling; immediately add cabbage and bacon pieces, all at once. Stir and toss for about 1 minute, or until the cabbage is warm, not cooked. Season with salt and pepper if desired.

Serve immediately while very warm with garnish of chopped parsley.


courtesy of: Walgreen's

935. BACON and BALSAMIC AVOCADO

1 ripe avocado
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 to 2 tablespoon of good quality balsamic vinegar
rocket leaves
6 rashers of streaky bacon

Stone avocado and half. Chop the bacon into bite sized pieces. Wash the rocket leaves. Fry the bacon and olive oil in a frying pan until crispy - add the balsamic vinegar making sure all the bacon is coated and the excess vinegar is warmed through. Cover top and center of stoned avocado with the mixture and garnish with rocket leaves.


courtesy of: California Avocados