3545. BACON and BAKED POTATO SOUP

makes 6 servings (about 1 cup each)


2 6-8 oz. baking potatoes
3 tablespoons butter 
1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped celery3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed1/4 teaspoon salt1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper 

4 cups half-and-half, light cream or milk1 1/4 cups shredded American cheese (5 ounces)1 cup chicken broth 

8 slices bacon, crisp-cooked, drained and crumbled2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion1/4 cup dairy sour cream 

 

Scrub potatoes with a vegetable brush; pat dry. Prick potatoes with a fork. Bake in a 425 degree F oven for 40 to 60 minutes or until tender; cool. Peel potatoes, if desired. Chop potatoes; set aside. 

 

In a heavy large saucepan or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and celery. Cook and stir about 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Stir in flour, thyme, salt and pepper. Add half-and-half or milk all at once. Cook and stir for 5 to 6 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Add potatoes, 1 cup of the cheese, and the broth; stir until cheese melts. Slightly mash potatoes with the back of a spoon or a potato masher. 

 

For the topping, reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon. Stir the remaining bacon and 1 tablespoon of the green onion into soup. Heat through. 

 

To serve, top each serving with reserved bacon, remaining 1/4 cup cheese, green onions and the sour cream.

 

 

bacon recipe source: Midwest Living (@MidwestLiving)

3220. BAKED POTATO with BACON, TALEGGIO and LEEK

serves four

4 large baking potatoes 

1 tablespoon olive oil

sea salt

1 oz. butter 

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely sliced

2 leeks, sliced lengthways then across into slices

2½ fl oz. white wine 

10½ fl oz. double cream 

5½ oz. taleggio cheese, roughly chopped

8 slices streaky bacon

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Rub the potatoes with the olive oil, prick all over with a fork and place onto a little pile of sea salt on a baking tray. Place the potatoes on the top shelf of the oven and bake until tender and the skin is crisp, about an hour. Remove from the oven and set aside until cool enough to handle. Meanwhile, heat a frying pan until medium hot. Add the butter, shallot and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the leeks and cook for another two minutes. Add the white wine and cook until the volume of liquid has reduced by half. Add the cream and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until thickened. Season, to taste, with salt and black pepper. When the potatoes are cool enough, cut them into quarters and place into an ovenproof dish. Pour the leek sauce over the top then add the taleggio pieces. Heat a frying pan until hot, add the bacon and cook until golden-brown and crisp. Roughly chop the bacon and scatter it over the top of the cheese. Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until golden-brown and bubbling.

bacon recipe courtesy of: James Martin, James Martin: Home Comforts, BBC Food

2940. BAKED POTATO SOUP with BACON, GREEN ONION and CHEDDAR

makes 10-12 servings


2 sticks (1 cup/16 tablespoons) unsalted butter

1 cup all-purpose flour
8 cups whole milk
5 large potatoes, baked and cubed (peeled, if desired)
2 pounds bacon, cooked and crumbled (about 2 cups)
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups sour cream
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Melt the butter in the bottom of a large pot over medium-high heat. Add flour and whisk to combine until thickened. Whisking continuously, slowly pour in the milk and whisk until mixture is smooth. Be sure to get the corners of the pan.

Add all of the remaining ingredients and lower the heat to medium. Stir occasionally until the cheese is melted and the soup is warmed through. Be sure to scrape bottom of the pot as you stir so the soup doesn't burn.

Serve when warm.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Sarah Rae Trover, The Kitchn, October 15, 2012

2653. BAKED POTATO and BACON WHITE PIZZA

makes one pizza


1 pizza crust mix or recipe made per directions for a 14 or 15 inch pizza

2 medium red potatoes
4 slices bacon
1/2 medium-sized white onion, thinly sliced.  
1/2 tablespoon fresh chives, snipped
1 1/3 cups ranch dip 
3/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup grated medium or sharp cheddar cheese
pizza spices, as desired

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Microwave the bacon until it is barely cooked. Snip it into 1-inch pieces and set it aside. Microwave the potatoes for 3 minutes on high. They should be slightly undercooked. When they are cool enough to handle, slice them into 1/8-inch slices and set them aside. Make the pizza dough and roll it out in the pan using a pizza roller. Spread the ranch dip over the uncooked dough. Place the potatoes evenly over the dip. Evenly distribute the bacon pieces over the potatoes and then the onions and chives. Spread the cheeses evenly over the crust.  Sprinkle with pizza spices, as desired. Bake for 13 to 17 minutes or until the edges of the crust are browned and the cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown.  Baking times will vary depending on the pan and the toppings. Remove the pizza from the oven.  Slide the pizza to a cutting board and cut with a pizza roller.  Serve immediately.

bacon recipe courtesy of: The Prepared Pantry, 2 Landmark Lane, Rigby, Idaho 83442

2136. BAKED POTATOES stuffed with BACON, ANCHOVIES and SAGE

makes four servings


4 medium-sized waxy potatoes, skin left on
olive oil
sea salt
4 slices bacon
8 fresh sage leaves
4 good-quality anchovy fillets in oil, drained
1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced lengthwise
1 lemon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Stick one end of a pineapple or apple corer, or a conventional peeler,

into a potato and twist it round and round as you cut through, as if you were coring an apple — essentially you’re trying to carve out a tube from inside the potato. Keep the cores as you will use them as plugs later. Prick each potato a few times with a fork and rub them in a little olive oil and sea salt.

Lay out the stuffing for each potato: a slice of bacon topped with 2 sage leaves, an anchovy fillet and a sliver of garlic. Grate over some lemon zest. Fold and twist the stuffing together into a little sausage shape and stuff into each potato. Don’t worry if you have bits sticking out at either end.

Cut the potato plugs in half and stuff them back in either end of each potato to keep the stuffing in place. They will stick out a little, but this is fine. Put the potatoes on a baking tray and bake about an hour, turning them every so often, until crisp, golden and cooked.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Jamie Oliver, Cook with Jamie | Carolyn Jung, Buffalo News.com, One News Plaza, PO Box 100, Buffalo, New York 14240, August 20, 2010

1792. BROCCOLI, BACON and CHEDDAR MOUNTAIN BAKED POTATO

serves eight


8 king size Idaho or regular baking potatoes
2 one pound packages of bacon
1 16 oz. jar of pasteurized process cheese sauce
1 16 oz. package of sharp cheese
2 11 oz. bags of frozen broccoli florets

Separate bacon slices and place on two baking pans, place in oven and bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes, turn several times to ensure bacon is thoroughly cooked. Drain grease from pan and place bacon on paper towels to drain off excess grease. Chop bacon into finely grated pieces, place in bowl and cover until needed to top off Potato.

Place 8 potatoes in oven, set temperature at 450 degrees, bake for 35 to 45 minutes. Turn potatoes four times to ensure an even bake.

Place both 11oz. bags of broccoli into medium cooking pot, bring to boil for 10 minutes. Drain broccoli in colander and immediately remove potatoes from oven.

Slice potatoes in half - top with a healthy portion of pasteurized cheese.

Add chopped bacon, then top off with broccoli florets, add a liberal amount of sharp shredded cheese and cracked pepper or add garlic herb dipping spices to complete topping.

Place potatoes back in oven for 5 to 8 minutes, serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Alfonso Coley, "Fourth of July Recipes," Associated Content, June 10, 2009

979. BAKED POTATO and LEEK SOUP with CHEDDAR and BACON

yields about 6 cups / serves four


2 medium russet potatoes (about 1/2 lb. each)
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2-1/2 cups sliced leeks (about 2 medium leeks; white and light green parts), rinsed well
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups homemade or low-salt canned chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
4 thick slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar (about 1/4 lb.)
2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallion greens or chives

Heat the oven to 375ºF. Scrub the potatoes in water, pat dry, and pierce in several places with a fork. Set them directly on an oven rack and bake until very tender when pierced with a fork, about 1 hour. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Melt the butter in a soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and garlic, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the broth and 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the leeks are very tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the bacon in a skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the bacon bits with a slotted spoon to a saucer lined with paper towels to drain and cool.

When the potatoes are cool, cut one of them in half lengthwise. Use a large spoon to scoop the flesh in one piece from each half. Cut the flesh into 1/2-inch cubes and set aside. Coarsely chop the potato skin and the entire remaining potato and add to the pot with the leeks. Purée the contents of the pot in a blender until very smooth (you'll need to work in two batches). Return the puréed soup to a clean soup pot and reheat over medium low. Whisk together the milk and sour cream until smooth and then whisk this into the soup, along with 1/2 cup of the Cheddar. Stir in the diced potato. The soup should be fairly thick, but if it seems too thick, thin it with a little water. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with the remaining Cheddar, the bacon bits, and the scallions or chives.


courtesy of: Jennifer Armentrout, Fine Cooking 57, page 78

977. PICKLED PEPPERONCINI POTATO & BACON TOPPING

serves 4


8 small pickled pepperoncini
1 cup sour cream
2 scallions, snipped into small pieces
4 slices crisp bacon, crumbled
2 ounces crumbled blue cheese
4 hot baked potatoes

Chop 4 of the pepperoncini into small pieces. In a medium-size bowl, mix sour cream, scallions, chopped pepperoncini, bacon and blue cheese. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours to let flavors develop. Spoon sour cream mixture onto hot baked potatoes. Serve a whole pepperoncini on the side.


courtesy of: Pickle Packers International, Inc., 1620 I Street, NW, Suite 925, Washington, D.C. 20006

509. POSSUM, POTATOES, and BACON

1 young, fat possum
8 sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon sugar
bacon
thyme
marjoram
salt

First, catch a possum. Skin the possum and remove the head and feet. Be sure to wash it thoroughly. Freeze overnight either outside or in a refrigerator. When ready to cook, peel the potatoes and boil them tender in lightly salted water along with the butter and sugar. At the same time, stew the possum tender in a tightly covered pan with a little water. Arrange the taters around the possum, strip with bacon, sprinkle with thyme or marjoram, or pepper, and brown in the oven. Baste often with the drippings.


courtesy of: Dave Baker, Lakeland, Florida

425. BAKED SWEET POTATO with BACON and THYME

Serves 4-8


4 large sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ lb bacon, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoon chives, chopped
ground black pepper


Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/GMk 6. Wash and dry the potatoes and score each one around the middle with a knife. Bake at the top of the oven for 50 – 60 minutes until tender.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onions and bacon until the bacon is slightly golden and the onion is tender. Stir in the thyme and season generously with the pepper.

Split the potatoes in half lengthways and scoop out the centre of each one keeping a thin layer of potato next to the skin. Roughly crush the scooped out potato and mix with the bacon and onion. Fill the potato shells and return to the oven for 15 minutes to warm through.


courtesy of: Rosie, Scotland

202. TWICE BAKED POTATOES with MAITAKE MUSHROOMS, BACON, and SMOKED GOUDA

4 large baking potatoes (baked until almost cooked thru)
6 oz. grated smoked gouda
1/2 stick of butter
2 oz. dried Maitake mushrooms
4 slices of bacon, diced

Cut potatoes lengthwise in half. Scoop out potatoes into a bowl. Try not to damage the skins. Add 6 oz. grated smoked gouda and 1/2 stick of butter to warm potatoes and smash a little. Reconstitute 2 oz. of Maitake mushroom in hot tap water just to cover for 15 mins. Drain, chop, put in a small skillet with 4 slices of bacon, diced. Sauté until bacon is crisp. Combine this with the potatoes mixture, scoop it back into the potatoes skins top with a little smoked gouda and bake again until hot.


courtesy of: Oyster Creek Farm Mushroom Company, R.R. 1 Box 320, Damariscotta, ME 04543, 207-563-1076

66. TUNA-AND-BACON STUFFED BAKED POTATOES

makes 4-8 servings

4 large baking potatoes (about 12 oz. each)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh chives or chopped green onion tops
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus extra for garnish
4 crisp-cooked bacon slices, very coarsely diced
1 can (about 6 oz.) solid light tuna packed in olive oil, well drained and broken into large chunks
melted butter for brushing

Preheat the oven to 425˚. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Bake the potatoes for 1 hour or until tender. Remove from the oven, let cool to the touch, then cut in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out most of the potato flesh from each half, leaving 1/4-inch-thick shells. Mash the hot potato flesh with the butter and sour cream in a medium bowl. Gently stir in the chives, salt, pepper to taste, cayenne, bacon, and tuna. Spoon the mixture back into the potato skins and brush the tops with a little melted butter. Sprinkle with cayenne pepper, if desired.

Place the stuffed potatoes on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, or until heated through and crusty on top. Let the potatoes cool slightly before serving. Pass the pepper mill.

From: Take a Tin of Tuna by Joie Warner. San Francisco: Chronicle Books (85 Second Street, San Francisco, CA, 94105), p. 39.

42. BAKED POTATO-BACON-EGGS

makes four servings


1/2 pound bacon
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
Dash pepper
2 cups milk, heated
3 hard-cooked eggs, sliced
1 tablespoon minced parsley
4 baked potatoes, hot

Fry bacon in skillet until crisp. Remove with slatted spoon; drain on paper towels; crumble. Set aside. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from skillet. Add onion; sauté until tender. Stir flour, mustard, and pepper into drippings in skillet until smooth. While stirring constantly, gradually add milk. Cook and stir until thickened. Carefully stir in eggs, parsley, and bacon. Open potatoes; fluff insides with fork. Divide and spoon egg mixture over each potato.


courtesy of: The All-American Potato Cookbook