3859. SMOKY BACON, BLACK BEANS and GREENS QUESADILLAS with PICO DE GALLO

Serves 4


6 slices smoky, meaty bacon, chopped, divided

1 large yellow or white onion, chopped, divided

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 bunch chard or flat kale (such as lacinato), stemmed and chopped (about 5 to 6 cups)

Salt and pepper

Olive oil or canola oil, for drizzling and brushing

2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped, divided

1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander (about half a palmful)

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin (about half a palmful)

A pinch of ground cinnamon

1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed

1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

3 plum tomatoes, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped

4 large, 10- to 12-inch whole-wheat tortillas

1 8-ounce brick pepper Jack or Monterey Jack, shredded (about 2 cups)

Sour cream


In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high, stirring often, until crispy, about 8 minutes. Add about three-quarters of the yellow onion and half the garlic; stir until the onion softens, 2-3 minutes. Add the greens and stir until wilted, 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a bowl. Wipe the skillet clean and reserve.



In a small saucepan, heat a drizzle of oil over medium. Add the remaining yellow onion and garlic, and half the jalapeño; stir until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the coriander, cumin and cinnamon. Add the beans and season. Cover and keep warm over low heat.



For the pico de gallo, in a medium bowl, mix the remaining jalapeño, the red onion, tomatoes and cilantro; season with salt.



Brush the reserved skillet with a little oil; heat over medium-high. Add 1 tortilla to the skillet and cook until blistered, about 1 minute. Turn; cover half the tortilla with about 1/3 cup cheese, then top with a quarter of both the greens mixture and the bean mixture. Sprinkle with a few more tablespoons of cheese. Fold over and cook, pressing down and turning, until the cheese melts and the quesadilla is brown and crispy, 2-3 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and fillings. 


Cut the quesadillas into quarters and top with the pico and sour cream.



bacon recipe source: Rachael Ray, Every Day with Rachael Ray, September 2015

3667. TEXAS-STYLE BACON, BEANS and EGGS: BLACK BEAN CHILAQUILES

yields four servings


12 corn or flour tortillas, cut into strips

Cooking spray
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
8 slices smoky lean bacon, sliced across the strips 1/2-inch long
1 red onion, peeled, quartered and sliced
2 Fresno or jalapeno chiles, sliced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (28-ounce) can black beans
1 tablespoon cumin (a scant palmful)
1 rounded tablespoon chile powder (a healthy palmful)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup beer (recommended: Negra Modelo)
1 (14-ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
Small handful fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1 1/2 to 2 cups shredded hot pepper sharp Cheddar cheese or Pepper Jack cheese
4 eggs, to prepare any style (1 per person)
Ripe avocado, halved, pitted and diced
Lime, cut into wedges

 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut tortillas into strips and spray with cooking spray. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until crisp. Arrange in casserole dish.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Add bacon and brown then remove with a slotted spoon. To the skillet, add the onions, Fresno peppers, and garlic and saute a few minutes.

Add the beans and season with cumin, chile powder, salt, and pepper, stir in tomatoes, cilantro, and beer. Thicken 1 minute, then adjust seasoning and arrange on top of tortillas, and scatter in bacon bits and cheese.

Cool and store for make-ahead meal.

Bake in the hot oven until bubbly and hot, top with fried eggs (as soft or hard as you like), diced avocado and lime wedges.

bacon recipe source: Rachael Ray, "It's a Breeze," Rachael Ray's Week in a Day, Food Network

3342. PULLED PORK NACHOS with PEPPER JACK and BACON

tortilla chips
1 1/2 cup (heaping) shredded pepper jack cheese
heaping 3/4 cup Kalua pork, chopped into bite size pieces
3-4 tablespoons drained and diced pepperoncini
2-3 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
2-3 tablespoons chopped red onion
2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
sour cream

Preheat oven to 350. Place a single layer of tortilla chips on an oven safe plate. Top with a heaping 3/4 cup cheese. Place pork over top and sprinkle with pepperoncini. Break up a handful of tortilla chips into large pieces and sprinkle on top. Add remaining cheese, top with crumbled bacon and onion. Bake in the oven until cheese is melted. Remove, and sprinkle on cilantro and dollops of sour cream. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe source: Sara Wells and Kate Jones, Our Best Bites, March 3, 2014

3286. BACON, SPINACH and CHEESE ENCHILADAS with VERDE CREAM SAUCE

4 strips of bacon, cooked and chopped (grease reserved)
2 onions, sliced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 can(s) of green chiles, chopped
1 large container of fresh baby spinach
1 10 oz. bag of frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
a few splashes of lime juice, to taste
4 cups of pepper jack cheese, divided and shredded (2 cups for the assembly, 2 cups for the topping)
1 cup of Monterey jack cheese, shredded (for the sauce)
2 cup of milk
2-3 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons of cumin
1 small can (or jar) of salsa verde
2 cups chopped, fresh cilantro, divided
salt and pepper to taste
cooking spray

For filling: Cook bacon in a non-stick skillet until crispy. Remove the bacon to a cutting board, while reserving half of the bacon grease in the pan (discard the rest of the grease or save in the fridge for another application). Chop the bacon and set aside. Heat the remaining grease over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute or until fragrant. Add fresh spinach and cook until completely wilted. Add prepared frozen spinach and saute until well combined and any additional moisture is cooked off. Season with salt and pepper and a few splashes of lime juice to taste. Add in chopped bacon and mix thoroughly. Set aside.

For Sauce: Melt butter in a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle AP flour over butter and combine with a whisk until flour/butter mixture looks like coarse meal. Cook for 3-5 minutes to get all the raw flour taste cooked out (your making a basic roux here). Add in oregano and cumin. Mix with whisk and cook until spices are fragrant; an additional minute or so. Add in green chiles and salsa verde, stir to combine. Add in milk while continually whisking. Bring to a boil, while whisking, then reduce heat. mixture should start to thicken into a sauce consistency. Remove from heat and mix in 1 cup of Monterrey jack cheese. Whisk until melted and combined. Season with salt and pepper and a few splashes of lime juice to taste. Add in fresh, chopped cilantro stir to combine. Cover and set aside.

For Assembly: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 9 x 13 casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside. Spread some of the prepared sauce on the bottom of the pan. Use a tablespoon or two of the spinach/bacon filling and a big pinch of the shredded pepper jack cheese and place in the middle of a corn tortilla. Roll tortilla around cheese and filling and place seam side down in prepared casserole dish. (You will use 2 cups of the pepper jack total in this application.) Repeat as needed, until pan is filled. Add any leftover filling and cheese around the edges of the rolled enchiladas (or make an additional pan to freeze). Top rolled enchiladas with remaining sauce. Top with remaining 2 cups of pepper jack cheese, sprinkled on top. Bake for 30 minutes, until top is browned and bubbly. Remove from oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Cut and serve.


bacon recipe source: Jen Bowman, Notes from the Table, March 13, 2012

3153. HEARTY SCRAMBLED EGGS with BACON, ONION, and PEPPER JACK CHEESE

serves 4-6


12 large eggs
6 tablespoons half-and-half
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 oz. pepper Jack or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (1/3 cup)
1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley (optional)

Beat eggs, half-and-half, salt, and pepper with fork in medium bowl until thoroughly combined.

Cook bacon in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate; discard all but 2 teaspoons bacon fat. Add onion to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes; transfer onion to second plate.

Wipe out skillet with paper towels. Add butter to now-empty skillet and melt over medium heat, swirling to coat pan. Pour in egg mixture. With heatproof rubber spatula, stir eggs constantly, slowly pushing them from side to side, scraping along bottom and sides of skillet, and lifting and folding eggs as they form curds (do not overscramble or curds formed will be too small). Cook until large curds form but eggs are still very moist, 2 to 3 minutes. Off heat, gently fold in onion, pepper Jack, and half of bacon until evenly distributed; if eggs are still underdone, return skillet to medium heat for no longer than 30 seconds. Divide eggs among individual plates, sprinkle with remaining bacon and parsley, if using, and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Science of Good Cooking: Master 50 Simple Concepts to Enjoy a Lifetime of Success in the Kitchen, by The Editors at America's Test Kitchen and Guy Crosby, PhD; Brookline, MA: America's Test Kitchen; p. 171

3002. BEEF, BARBECUE PULLED PORK and BACON BURGERS (a.k.a. Filthy Burgers)

yields between 6 and 8 burgers, depending on size 

1/2 pound of bacon, cooked until crisp through, drained and crumbled

2 cups fully cooked barbecue pulled pork roughly chopped with a knife

1 1/2 pounds ground chuck

kosher salt

For serving:

toasted burger buns

tender lettuce (like mixed spring greens or butter lettuce)

slices of pepperjack or Monterey jack cheese

barbecue sauce

Mix together the ground chuck, pulled pork, and bacon until everything is evenly distributed. 

For the most uniform burgers, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add 5 ounces of the meat mixture to a ring mold and gently press it into the edges of the mold forming a uniformly thick burger patty. Gently pull the ring mold straight up and tap down any edges that come up with it. Replace the ring mold on the parchment next to the burger and form another until all the meat mixture has been pressed into patties.

Place the tray with the burgers in the refrigerator while you preheat the grill to MEDIUM HIGH heat. After cleaning the hot grill, gently place the burgers over direct heat and sprinkle with kosher salt. Keep a spray bottle of water handy for flare-ups. Do not move the burgers once you've placed them on the grill until the brown (cooked) area goes at least halfway up the burger and you can easily slide your spatula under them, about 4 minutes. If there are flames flaring up because of fat from the burger, give them a little spritz with water. That should help long enough to cook the burger to the point where it will turn more easily. Flip the burgers carefully and continue grilling over MEDIUM HIGH heat until there are grill marks on the underside of the burger. Transfer the burgers over to one side of the grill and shut off the burners immediately under the burgers, turning the remaining burners onto MEDIUM LOW heat. This means your burgers will finish over indirect heat. When the interior temperature of the beef is 5°F below the point you like it (RARE: 125-130°F. MEDIUM: 140-150. WELL: 160-212°F.), lay the slices of pepperjack cheese on the burgers and use a spatula to immediately transfer them to a sided tray. Let them rest, lightly tented with foil, until the cheese is melted. Serve on top of tender greens on a toasted bun with as much barbecue sauce as you fancy!

bacon recipe courtesy of: Rebecca Lindamood, Foodie with Family, May 31, 2013

2950. BACON-WRAPPED ABALONE POPPERS

1 abalone, shucked, thinly sliced into large steaks, and tenderized
2 cups white flour
3 eggs, beaten
4 cup panko breadcrumb
12 canned whole jalapeño or serrano peppers (4-7 oz can), stemmed and sliced lengthwise
5 oz. pepper jack cheese, sliced into 1-2″ long pieces
1/2 lb. bacon strips
oil for frying
toothpicks

Fill a heavy skillet to a quarter inch deep with oil and heat at a medium setting staying well under the point of smoking.

Flour an abalone steak, dip in beaten egg, and coat both sides with breadcrumb. Place a bacon strip on a plate or board and lay the breaded steak on it. Create a line of both cheese and peppers together across the center of the steak. Carefully fold the steak around the line of cheese and peppers, then spiral-wrap the bacon around the rolled up steak so that it resembles a chunky barber pole or candy-cane. Use a pair of toothpicks to secure the uncooked popper.  Repeat for all the abalone steaks.

After checking the oil temperature, place one abalone popper into the skillet. A minute or so later flip the first popper and place a second one in the skillet. After another minute, remove the first popper and place on paper towel, flip popper #2, and add a third. Continue cooking until there are no more uncooked poppers. Serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Stephanie, Life Tastes Like Food, November 15, 2011

2922. BACON CHARD QUESADILLAS

makes 4 servings, 2 quesadillas each


4 slices center-cut bacon, chopped
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced (about 3/4 cup)
4 cups chopped chard leaves (from 1 bunch)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
8 6-inch whole-wheat tortillas
1 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese

Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, until crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add chard and pepper; cook, stirring, until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add beans and coarsely mash; stir to combine. Remove from heat.

Place tortillas on a work surface. Spread a generous 1/4 cup filling and 2 tablespoons cheese on half of each tortilla. Fold tortillas in half, pressing gently to flatten.

Wipe out the pan and return to medium heat. Add 4 quesadillas and cook, turning once, until golden on both sides, 2 to 4 minutes total. Transfer to a platter and tent with foil to keep warm. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook the remaining quesadillas.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Eating Well, March /April 2013

2857. GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH with PEPPER JACK and BACON OIL

makes one sandwich


2 slices soft white bread

2 teaspoons bacon flavored oil
2 slices pepper jack cheese

 

Brush both sides of both slices of bread with the bacon oil. Place the cheese on top of one slice and top with the other slice of bread.

Heat a griddle on top of the stove over medium-high heat. Place the sandwich on the griddle and grill for about 1 minute on each side, or until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted. Slice the sandwich into 8 small serving pieces.

This recipe was provided by a chef, restaurant or culinary professional and may have been scaled down from a bulk recipe. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.

 

 

bacon recipe courtesy of: Mary Giuliani, "Modern Comfort," Barefoot Contessa, Food Network

2829. TURKEY CLUB ENCHILADA CASSEROLE

yields six servings 


For the Skillet Gravy:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups chicken or turkey stock

1 2- to 2 1/2-pound cooked roast turkey breast
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 to 1/3 pound center-cut smoky bacon or applewood bacon
2 medium or 1 large onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 jalapeño or Fresno peppers (seeded for a milder filling), chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin, scant palmful
black pepper
1/4 cup cilantro or parsley, finely chopped
juice of 1 lime
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
salt
16 corn tortillas or 12 6-inch flour tortillas
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 1/2 cups milk
3 cups Monterey Jack cheese or a combo of Monterey and Pepper Jack
1 4-ounce tin diced green chilies, well drained

Garnishes: chopped or shredded iceberg lettuce or Romaine hearts; diced avocado dressed with lime juice; seeded, diced tomatoes; chopped red onion or scallions; crème fraiche, Mexican crema or sour cream, for dolloping.

For the gravy, heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add butter and melt. Add flour and cook for about a minute or so. Whisk in stock and allow it to thicken until reduced to one cup.

Coarsely chop the turkey meat and pulse process in a food processor into fine chop.

Heat a large, deep skillet over medium to medium-high heat with olive oil, a couple turns of the pan. Add bacon and render until crispy. Add onions, garlic and peppers, and season with cumin and black pepper. Sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add turkey and cilantro or parsley, lime juice, tomatoes and gravy. Warm through and season with salt to taste. Remove from heat.

Char tortilla and blister in hot dry skillet or over open flame on gas burner, 30-40 seconds per side.

In a saucepot over medium heat, melt butter then whisk in flour. Cook 1 minute; whisk in milk. Season with salt and pepper, and thicken to coat a spoon. Stir in 2/3 of the cheese and melt then stir in green chilies.

Fill tortillas with turkey and bacon mixture and arrange in large baking dish, pour cheese sauce evenly over the enchiladas then top with remaining cheese and cool, store.

To bake enchiladas, bring to room temperature and preheat oven to 400°F. Bake the enchiladas until brown and bubbly, 40 minutes. If from fridge, 20-25 minutes if still warm from initial preparation.

Top enchiladas with any or all toppings and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Rachael Ray Show, September 28, 2012 and November 23, 2012; 328 8th Avenue, Suite 149, New York, New York 10001

2552. BACON and PEPPER JACK SKILLET STRATA

yields 6 servings or 8 small servings


6 large eggs
1 1/2 cups whole milk
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded (1 cup)
4 ounces bacon, about 4 to 5 slices, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 slices high-quality, crust-on white sandwich bread, cut into 1-inch squares
Garnish: 2 green onions, trimmed, thinly sliced including dark green stalks

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Whisk eggs, milk and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in cheese and set aside. In a 10-inch ovenproof skillet on medium-high heat, cook bacon until it starts to render fat, about 2 minutes (if bacon is super lean, add 1 teaspoon of olive oil or canola oil to the skillet). Add onion and salt; cook until onion softens and browns lightly, about 6 minutes. Add bread, and using a rubber spatula, gently fold bread into onion mixture until evenly coated. Cook bread, folding occasionally, until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Off the heat, fold in the egg mixture until slightly thickened and well combined with the bread. Gently press on the top of the strata to help it soak up the egg mixture. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake until the edges and center are puffed and the edges have pulled away slightly from the sides of the pan, about 12 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Top with green onion slices and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Best Skillet Recipes: A Best Recipe Classic from the Editors of Cook's Illustrated. America's Test Kitchen, 2009 | Cathy Thomas, The Orange County Register,  625 N. Grand Avenue, Santa Ana, California 92701, April 4, 2012

2315. PEPPER JACK and BACON MUFFINS with RED PEPPER BUTTER

makes 12 muffins


Red Pepper Butter:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup roasted red pepper, chopped
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Muffins:
8 slices bacon, cooked crisp and divided
2 cups biscuit mix
1/4 cup cornmeal
2 cups (8 ounces) pepper jack cheese, shredded and divided
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare muffin tin by generously greasing or lining with foil liners greased with nonstick spray.

For butter, purée butter, red pepper and garlic powder in food processor or blender; set aside.

For muffins, dice 7 slices of bacon; set aside. Cut remaining bacon strip into 12 squares; set aside.

In medium bowl, combine biscuit mix, cornmeal, diced bacon and 1 1/3 cups Pepper Jack. Add milk, melted butter and egg; stir just until moistened. Scoop batter into 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle remaining cheese over muffins, and place one bacon square on each. Bake 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Let cool 10 minutes. Remove from muffin pan and serve with red pepper butter.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, 8418 Excelsior Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53717

2312. GUACAMOLE BACON CHEESEBURGER

serves four


8 slices bacon
1 pound (85/15) ground beef
seasoning salt
4 slices pepper jack cheese
1 red onion, sliced
green leaf lettuce
prepared guacamole
4 hamburger buns

Preheat your outdoor grill. Cook bacon slices over medium heat until crispy. About 5-7 minutes. Transfer to paper towel lined plate. Set aside. Portion the ground beef into 4 equal parts. Roll each part into a ball and then gently press into patties. Sprinkle each patty with seasoning salt. Cook burgers over medium heat. About 4-5 minutes per side for medium-well. At the last minute, place cheese slices on top. Cook until cheese melts slightly. (Note: You can also toast the hamburger buns at this point if you like.) To assemble the hamburger, place hamburger on bottom of bun, place red onion rings and lettuce on top. Spread guacamole on top bun and place on top. Serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Des, Life's Ambrosia, June 2009

1883. PEPPER JACK-BACON MASHERS

yields 10 servings (1/2 cup each)


2 1/2 cups milk
1 1/4 cups water
1/4 cup margarine or butter
1 box (7.2 oz) Betty Crocker® homestyle creamy butter or roasted garlic mashed potatoes
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese (4 oz)
1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, if desired
1 tablespoon crumbled cooked bacon, if desired

In 3-quart saucepan, heat milk, water and margarine to boiling. Stir in contents of both pouches of potatoes (from potatoes box) just until moistened; let stand 1 minute. Stir with fork until smooth. Stir in cheese and 1/2 cup bacon. Spoon potatoes into serving dish; top with parsley and 1 tablespoon bacon.


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

1343. BBQ BACON-WRAPPED ABALONE STEAKS

thin sliced bacon
jack, pepper jack, or fresh mozzarella cheese cut into strips
1 oz. abalone steaks

Place the strips of bacon in a shallow pan in the oven at 350 for 5 - 10 minutes to cook off some of the fat; do not allow the bacon to crisp. Remove from oven, drain and let cool.

Place a strip of cheese along the edge of each steak and roll the steak around the cheese.

Roll a piece of bacon around each steak; cover as much of the exposed steak as possible. Cut off the extra bacon to use on the next steak. Secure the roll with a toothpick.

Grill until the bacon is lightly browned and the cheese begins to melt out the ends. Grill plain or with BBQ or grilling sauce.

Place hors d'oeuvres on a cutting board, remove the toothpick, slice in half an serve with cocktail toothpicks.


courtesy of: The Abalone Farm, California

1302. SPICY BACON BEAN DIP

4 slices bacon, crisply cooked
1 can refried beans with jalapenos
pinch of cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1 lb. Pepper Jack or Monterey Cheddar cheese, grated
1 onion, finely diced
1/2 teaspoon taco seasoning
2 tablespoons fresh parsley or cilantro, minced
4 cloves garlic, crushed or pressed
1 teaspoon olive oil

In a skillet, brown the bacon until crisp but not brown. Drain on and pat dry with paper towels. Crumble into small bits.

Peel garlic cloves. Put through a garlic press or crush with the side of a heavy knife, then finely mince.

In a medium saucepan, over low heat, sauté onions until clear. Heat garlic until lightly golden, pressing it into the oil to flavor it. Do not allow the garlic to brown.

Add remaining ingredients and bacon bits. Cook over low heat until the cheese has melted.

Serve warm with tortilla chips or toasted pita wedges and a side of salsa.


courtesy of: Cooks.com

562. "LARK" VEGAS BACON-WRAPPED CHICKEN BREASTS

4 (single) chicken breasts, butterflied and pounded flat
4-6 oz. pepper jack cheese, grated
salt and pepper
8 slices, thick-sliced bacon
1 lime
toothpicks
cumin
chili pepper
olive oil
green hot sauce

Butterfly and pound out chicken breasts; you will have 8 pieces. Season each with salt and pepper. Sprinkle each with a little cumin, chili powder, and a dash or two of green hot sauce. Place a good helping of the cheese on each piece of chicken. Roll up, wrap with bacon and place toothpicks through each breast to keep rolled up.

Pre-heat your barbecue and place a cast iron, "ridged" grill atop. This will ensure the bacon doesn't get charred before the chicken is cooked through. Squeeze lime juice on each breast. Drizzle each breast with a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Grill 4-5 minutes on each side or until done. Remember to remove toothpicks before serving.


courtesy of: Lark Bradley, Missoula, Montana

266. BACON and EGGS BREAKFAST PIZZA

makes 8 servings


10 slices bacon, cooked crisp
1 (13.8-oz.) can refrigerated pizza crust dough
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded pepper jack cheese
8 eggs, beaten
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
salsa

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Unroll pizza dough crust onto greased 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking sheet; press out to edges and up sides of pan. Bake for 6 to 7 minutes until crust begins to brown. Sprinkle crust with pepper-jack cheese.

Scramble eggs over medium heat until set; spoon over cheese.

Break bacon into large pieces and sprinkle over eggs. Top with cheddar cheese. Bake at 425 degrees for 8 to 12 minutes until cheese is melted. Garnish with salsa before serving.


courtesy of: Farmland Foods, Kansas City, Missouri 64195