3370. CHICKEN, BACON and BLACK BEAN TAQUITOS

makes 4 to 6 servings


6 medium-thick slices (about 5 ounces total) smoky bacon
1 small onion, cut into small dice (about 1 cup)
1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, tenders or breasts, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained, rinsed, slightly mashed
2 pouches (8 ounces each) enchilada sauce
salt
vegetable oil, such as expeller pressed canola oil or safflower oil
2 medium-sized (6 ounces each) zucchini, cut into sticks about ¼ by ¼ by 2 inch (about 3 to 4 cups)
1 package (1 dozen) corn tortillas
½ cup crumbled queso fresco, farmer’s cheese or mild feta
chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook bacon in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisped. Transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towel and reserve.

Add onion to bacon fat in skillet. Cook and stir until onion is tender, about 3 minutes. Add chicken; cook and stir over medium heat until chicken is nearly cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in slightly mashed beans and ½ cup of the enchilada sauce; heat through, about 2 minutes. Crumble and stir in the bacon. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed. Transfer to a bowl. Cover with foil to keep warm.

Wipe skillet clean and heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add zucchini. Sauté, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Season with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Set aside.

Lay tortillas out onto a baking sheet in stacks of two and generously brush all sides with oil. Bake, turning them once, to soften and warm, about 3 minutes.

Reduce oven to 300 degrees. Fill each warm tortilla with about 3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture. Then roll up into tight cigars and place on a plate seam side down. Repeat this process with all the tortillas.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat ¼ inch of oil over medium-high heat. Place 4 taquitos at a time, seam side down, into hot oil. Fry, turning once, until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove to a 13 by 9-inch pan lined with paper towel and keep warm in the oven until all are fried.

To serve, warm the remaining enchilada sauce in a small saucepan. Spoon sauce onto serving platter. Top with fried taquitos. Arrange sautéed zucchini down center of taquitos. Sprinkle everything with queso fresco and cilantro. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe source: Frontera Fiesta with Chef Rick Bayless; Frontera Foods, Inc., 449 N. Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60654

2098. BACON NACHOS

yields four servings


8 slices bacon
8 oz tortilla chips
8 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup green enchilada sauce (or red enchilada sauce)
1 tablespoon cilantro, minced
1 large tomato, diced
1 avocado
1 jalapeno, fresh, sliced
4 tablespoons light sour cream

Chop bacon strips into 1/2 inch pieces. cook bacon pieces over medium to medium high heat, depending on your stove, until evenly browned. Drain bacon pieces and set aside. Prepare all remaining ingredients and set aside. Place tortilla chips on an oven safe dish. Top with cheddar cheese and drizzle with green chili enchilada sauce. Place nachos under a broiler for about 1 minute or until cheese has melted. Immediately top nachos with remaining ingredients and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Brenda Beaman | adapted by Bacon Freak, 207 West Los Angeles Avenue, #346, Moorpark, California 93021

1810. BACON and EGG ENCHILADAS

makes ten servings


12 slices bacon
10 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cans (10 ounces each) green or red enchilada sauce
10 flour tortillas (8 inches in diameter)
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (8 ounces)
sour cream, if desired
taco sauce, if desired

Heat oven to 350°. Spray rectangular baking dish, 13x9x2 inches, with cooking spray. Cook bacon in 10-inch skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until very crisp. Remove bacon from skillet, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in skillet. Drain bacon on paper towels; crumble bacon and set aside.

Beat eggs, milk, onion powder and cumin in medium bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Pour into skillet with bacon drippings. As mixture begins to set at bottom and side, gently lift cooked portions with metal spatula so that thin, uncooked portion can flow to bottom. Avoid constant stirring. Cook 5 to 7 minutes or until eggs are thickened throughout but still moist. Do not overcook.

Pour 1/2 can of the enchilada sauce over bottom of baking dish. Fill each tortilla with about 1/3 cup eggs, 1 tablespoon bacon and 2 tablespoons cheese; roll up. Place seam side down on enchilada sauce in dish. Pour remaining 1 1/2 cans enchilada sauce over filled tortillas. Top with remaining cheese and bacon.

Bake uncovered about 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated and bubbly. Serve with sour cream and taco sauce.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Betty Crocker, General Mills, Inc., P.O. Box 9452, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55440

1525. BBQ CHICKEN and BACON ENCHILADAS

2 chicken breasts, cooked and finely diced or shredded
12 small flour tortillas
1 large yellow onion, thinly slicede and caramelized
bbq sauce
2 small cans of chopped green chilis
10 slices of crispy cooked bacon, chopped
1 large can of green tomatillo enchilada sauce
2 tomatoes, finely diced
3 cups shredded Cheddar
3 cups shredded Monterey Jack

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread a layer of green enchilada sauce in the bottom of a baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Combine chicken, BBQ sauce, red onion, ¾ of the bacon and caramelized onion. Fill each tortilla with BBQ chicken mixture, tomato, green chili and cheese. Roll the tortilla and place enchilada seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with all tortillas. Top enchiladas with green enchilada sauce, lots of cheese and remaining bacon. Bake for 30 minutes or until the enchiladas are bubbly and the cheese is lightly browned.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Tracy Wheeler, Tastebook, Berkeley, California

892. BACON-WRAPPED STUFFED MEXICAN-WASABI PRAWNS

serves 4


12 large prawns (16-20 per pound), peeled
6 slice(s) bacon, cut in half
1 tablespoon pre-mixed wasabi paste
4 oz. red enchilada sauce (Las Palmas works well)
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/4 teaspoon granulated onion
1/4 teaspoon crushed dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon white sesame seeds
2 cups corn salsa (see recipe)
1/4 cup baby spinach leaves, washed
1 tablespoon crumbled goat cheese

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butterfly prawns by splitting each down the middle of the back, taking care to only cut 3/4 the way through each prawn. Open prawns at cut, stuff each with a small dab of wasabi, close, and wrap in a piece of bacon; secure with toothpick. Place each completed unit on foil covered cookie sheet so that they do not touch one another.

In a bowl, combine enchilada sauce, molasses, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, sugar, garlic, onion, oregano, and sesame seeds. Mix well. Carefully brush glaze mixture over each shrimp. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until bacon is lightly crisp.

To serve, carefully place prawns on large platter. Present corn salsa on a bed of baby spinach leaves and generously garnish salsa with crumbled goat cheese.


Corn Salsa

2 cups fresh sweet corn kernels
1/3 cup chopped purple onion
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1-2 tablespoons finely chopped jalapeno pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine corn, onion, pepper, cilantro, lime juice, and jalepeno in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours. Remove from refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving. Makes about 3 cups.


courtesy of: Chef Deborah Scott, Kemo Sabe, 3958 5th Avenue, San Diego, California 92103