3606. GRILLED BACON, ARTICHOKE, ARUGULA and GOAT CHEESE FLATBREAD PIZZA

1 16 oz. package of pre-made pizza dough
handful of grape tomatoes, cut in half
artichoke hearts, quartered
½ red onion, sliced thinly
6 strips of applewood smoked bacon, fried extra crispy and crumbled
1 cup of arugula
½ cup of mozzarella
crumbled goat cheese
1½ teaspoon of olive oil + extra for grilling
1½ teaspoon of balsamic vinaigrette
salt and pepper

Follow directions accordingly to prepare the dough. Cook and crumble the bacon, cut the tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and onion. In a separate bowl, toss the arugula with 1½ teaspoon of olive oil and 1½ teaspoon of balsamic vinaigrette so that the arugula is lightly coated. Sprinkle in some salt and pepper to taste.

Heat the grill or grill pan to medium-high heat so that it’s nice and hot. Cut the dough in half (so there is about 8 oz. of dough for each pizza) and stretch the dough until it’s about ½ an inch thick. Lightly  drizzle olive oil over one side of the dough and spread evenly with a pastry brush so that it lightly coats the top of the dough. Place the dough on the grill pan olive oil side down. Let it cook for about 5 minutes or until the bottom is getting nice grill marks.

While the first side is cooking, drizzle olive oil on the second side and brush the entire surface of dough with the olive oil evenly. After the bottom has dark grill marks, flip the dough over. Add the tomatoes, artichoke hearts, onion, and bacon. Top with the mozzarella cheese and a little bit of goat cheese. Let cook for about 4 minutes. Close grill lid or cover grill pan for about 1 minute–just long enough for the cheese to melt slightly. Remove from grill, top with arugula and more goat cheese.
Repeat all steps for second individual sized pizza.


bacon recipe source: Life Tastes Like Food (@LifeIsLikeFood), July 14, 2011

3461. CLEMENTINE BASIL and BACON SALAD with WHITE BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

1 head lettuce
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
3 clementines
4 slices cooked bacon

Dressing:
1 cup olive oil
1/3 cup white balsamic
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Wash and dry all greens. Zest one of the clementines, then section all clementines. Break bacon up into small pieces. Mix dressing ingredients in a container with top and shake until well combined. Place lettuce in serving bowl. Arrange clementines in a round, place basil in the middle of clementine round. Sprinkle salad with bacon and zest. Serve with dressing on the side.


bacon recipe source: Isabel Minunni, Bella's Banquet, May 22, 2013

2820. TURKEY, BACON and MUENSTER SANDWICHES

makes four sandwiches


4 bacon slices
1 loaf sourdough or roasted garlic bread
1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette
1/2 lb. thinly sliced, smoked deli turkey
1 (12-oz.) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained and sliced
1-oz. slices Muenster or Havarti cheese

Cook bacon. Cut top off bread loaf and reserve; hollow out loaf, leaving 1-inch-thick shell. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette evenly in bottom of bread shell. Layer with half the turkey, peppers and cheese. Repeat layers and top with bacon. Drizzle evenly with remaining vinaigrette and cover with reserved bread top. Press down firmly and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours before serving. Slice to make 4 sandwiches 


bacon recipe courtesy of: Mama Dean's Southern Cooking at Meador Homestead by Dean Meador Smith. Indigo River Publishing, 2012; Today in Mississippi, The Electric Power Associations of Mississippi