3107. EDAM BACON FONDUE

1/2 lb. Edam cheese in 1/2-inch cubes (younger cheese best)
1/2 lb. Monterey Jack cheese in 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 slices thick cut bacon, 1/4-inch dice
1/2 medium sweet onion, diced small
1 small jar pimento pieces, well drained
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1-3 teaspoons Tabasco or your favorite

crisp, tart apple pieces
crisp pear pieces
toasted dense bread cubes
roasted pork tenderloin cubes
firmly cooked potato pieces
cold boiled shrimp

Cube the cheeses, combine in a bowl with the cornstarch. Dice the bacon, onion and garlic; drain the pimentos.

Sauté the bacon in a large frying pan over medium heat until beginning to brown; add the onion and cook until softened but don’t brown. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant (no more than a minute). Spoon off the visible rendered bacon drippings.

Add the white wine, sherry vinegar and hot sauce; mix well and bring to a simmer. Add the cheese mixture in four or five additions, mixing well until all the cheese has fully melted and everything is well combined.

Pour into your fondue pot, turn it to low or light the heat source and get after it.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Jack P. in Virginia; Mark McGlothlin, Chi Wulff, October 11, 2013

2913. MACARONI and CHEESE BAKE with BACON and COTTAGE CHEESE

makes six servings


1 lb. cooked elbow macaroni drained
3/4 lb. medium sliced cheddar or american cheese
1-1/2 cups whole milk
1 medium chopped yellow onion
4 oz. crispy cooked bacon, crumbled
3 tablespoons flour
1 4 oz. jar chopped pimentos
1 4 oz. can chopped mild chilies
3 tablespoons chili sauce
12 oz. small curd cottage cheese
3 tablespoons salted butter

Melt butter, saute onion till softened, add flour to make rue. Add milk 1/2 cup at a time while stirring and add sliced cheese slowly to make a rich thick cheese sauce. Fold in chilies, Sambal, pimentos, bacon, and cottage cheese, stirring gently till just mixed. Layer macaroni then sauce in a 9x13 baking dish and bake 45 minutes or until sauce is mostly absorbed. Cool to desired temperature, cut in squares and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: nick1126 (member), Epicurious.com, December 25, 2012

2248. BACON and EGG MACARONI SALAD

yields six servings


6 large eggs
1 pound macaroni
1 pound good quality bacon
about 1/4 cup grated onion and its juice
1 clove garlic, grated or pasted
1 rounded tablespoon Dijon mustard
about 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1 (4-ounce) jar chopped pimientos, drained
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the eggs in a small pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover the pot, turn off the heat, and let the eggs stand for 10 minutes. Submerge the eggs in cold water to shock them. Crack the eggs and soak in the cold water. When cool, peel and chop.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil to cook the macaroni. Arrange all but 6 slices of bacon on a slotted baking sheet and put into the hot oven. Bake for 15 minutes, or until bacon is crisp. When cool enough to handle, chop and reserve.

Chop the remaining bacon and add to the boiling water along with the macaroni. Cook until the pasta is al dente. Drain, rinse, and discard the boiled bits of bacon from the pasta.

While the pasta cooks, add the grated onion, garlic, Dijon, and vinegar to a mixing bowl. Whisk in the extra-virgin olive oil and season with lots of salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Add the pasta, chopped eggs, pimiento, parsley, and chopped crisp bacon pieces. Toss to combine and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Rachael Ray, "She Got Game," 30 Minute Meals

2167. WILD RICE CASSEROLE with BACON

serves six


1/2 lb. bacon, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
1 cup wild rice
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can mushrooms
pimento (optional) adds color
Accent and seasoned salt

Wash wild rice and place in boiling salted water. Boil about 20 minutes or until partially done, drain. Fry diced bacon; pour off grease as necessary. Leave enough grease to saute onions, celery and green pepper--add when bacon is nearly done. Place in casserole, adding water to cover. Place in medium oven (350 degrees F) for approximately one hour.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Minnesota Wild Rice/C and G Wild Rice, 2803 Harborview Parkway, Superior, Wisconsin 54880

1513. BASQUE SALT COD with BACON and TOMATOES

makes 4 to 6 servings


1 pound filleted salt cod
1 cup chopped drained pimentos
one 28-ounce can plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped and juice included
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 thick, lean slices hickory-smoked bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced

Place the cod in a large glass dish or bowl with enough cold water to cover and let soak 24 hours, changing the water several times.

In a blender or food processor, purée the pimentos, ¼ cup of juice from the tomatoes, and the cayenne and set aside.

Drain the cod and cut or break it into 1½-inch pieces, removing any bones or skin. Place the pieces in a bowl with the flour and toss till the pieces are well coated.

In a large, heavy skillet, fry the bacon over moderate heat till crisp and transfer to a large bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to the skillet, brown the cod pieces on all sides in the fat, and add them to the bacon. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet, add the onion and garlic, and stir about 3 minutes. Add the reserved pimento mixture, the tomatoes and their remaining juices, the cod and bacon mixture, and stir well. Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet, and simmer the mixture for 1 hour. Serve hot.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Bacon Cookbook: More than 150 Recipes from Around the World for Everyone's Favorite Food by James Villas. Wiley, 2007

1489. PIMENTO and BACON CLAMS

yields four servings


1 pound butter, room temperature
1/2 cup finely chopped pimentos
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup chives, chopped
salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
4 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed
4 slices raw bacon, frozen

In a mixing bowl, combine the butter, pimentos, garlic, and chives. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well. Add parsley. Mix well. Spoon the butter onto a piece of parchment paper, for a long 1-inch round log. Roll the log up tightly in the parchment paper. Wrap the butter log a second time in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. With an oyster knife, shuck each clam, remove the top shell and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Loosen the clams away from the bottom shell. Remove the butter from the refrigerator and slice into thin pats. Place the pieces of bacon on top of each other and slice into 1-inch pieces.

Place a pat of the butter on top of each shucked clam. Lay a piece of bacon on top of the butter. Place on the top rack in the oven and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the bacon is crispy. Remove from the oven and place the clams on a large platter. Pour any pan drippings over the clams. Garnish with parsley.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Emeril Lagasse, "New England Fare," Emeril Live, 2000

1332. JERK CHICKEN BREAST stuffed with BACON and BANANA

makes one serving

one free-range chicken breast
one soft cooked strip of bacon
approximately 1/3 peeled banana
2 scallion sprigs

Jerk Marinade:
1 1/2 teaspoon dry ground pimento
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1 teaspoon dry ground ginger
1 teaspoon garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon scotch bonnet pepper, finely minced
2 tablespoons yellow onion, minced
1 tablespoon scallion, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup Jamaican dark rum
1/2 cup cola
cooking oil
salt and pepper to taste

Heat a saucepan, add a small amount of oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Heat the oil and then sweat the onion. Add the scallions, garlic, peppers, ginger and dried spices. Sweat these briefly and then flame with the rum. When the flame dies, add the cola and simmer until it is near dry, like a paste. Stir frequently. Allow to cool. Make a slit in one end of the chicken breast and cut the inside of the breast so as to make a hollow. Be careful not to cut through the breast. Wrap the partially cooked bacon around the piece of banana and insert it into the hollow of the chicken breast along with the two scallion sprigs. Rub the cooled jerk paste over the chicken breast until it is well coated. Allow to marinate overnight for best result. Grill over medium heat until chicken breast is cooked through. For best presentation, cut in two and cock on plate. Serve with a warm Rum and cola tomato chutney and grilled yams wedges.


courtesy of: Epicurious.com, June 11, 2005

1238. CREAMY POTATO SALAD with BACON and PIMENTOS

yields 12 servings


5 lbs. potatoes
2 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup mustard
1/4 cup milk
8 slices bacon
1-1/4 cups celery, chopped
1 large white onion, diced
4-oz. jar diced pimientos, drained
salt and pepper to taste

Peel potatoes. Dice into 3/4-inch cubes and boil until tender enough to pierce with a fork. Drain and allow to cool. In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, mustard and milk and set aside. Fry bacon, drain on paper towels and crumble. In a large bowl, mix cooled potatoes, celery, onion, bacon, pimientos and mayonnaise mixture. Salt and pepper to taste.


courtesy of: Cleveland Seniors, 3150 Payne Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44114, 216-781-4131

1223. CAULIFLOWER with BACON, PIMENTOS and SUNFLOWER SEEDS

makes 4 to 6 servings


8 lean slices streaky bacon
1 medium head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), trimmed and washed
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2½ cups milk, scalded
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
½ cup toasted sunflower seeds
One 4-ounce jar pimento strips, drained
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) butter, melted

In a skillet, fry the bacon over moderate heat till crisp, drain on paper towels, and crumble.

Place the cauliflower bottom side down in a heavy pot, sprinkle with the lemon juice, and pour the milk over the top. Bring the milk to a very low boil, cover the pot, and simmer till the cauliflower is tender, about 25 minutes.

Remove the cauliflower from the pot, drain well, and place in a serving bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then scatter the sunflower seeds over the top. Arrange the pimento strips attractively over the top, spoon the melted butter over the entire head, and sprinkle the crumbled bacon over the top. Serve the cauliflower florets hot.


courtesy of The Bacon Cookbook by James Villas. Wiley Publishing, Inc. 2007

1158. SPICY PIMENTO CHEESE SANDWICHES with AVOCADO and BACON

4 slices bacon
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon salt
ground black pepper, to taste
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons pimentos, chopped
1 teaspoon grated onion
jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 slices bread (your choice)
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced

Place bacon into a skillet over medium heat, and cook until crisp. Remove, and drain on paper towels. Place the cream cheese in a bowl, and beat until light and fluffy. Stir in the Cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, garlic powder, pimentos, onion, jalapeno, and cayenne pepper until well blended. Spread two bread slices with the cream cheese mixture. Top each slice with avocado and bacon, divided evenly. Top with two remaining bread slices to make a sandwich. Cut each sandwich in half to serve.


courtesy of: All Recipes.com

196. SWEET-SOUR TUNA CASSEROLE with BACON

yields 4 to 6 servings


1 7-oz. can solid-pack tuna, drained
2 10-oz. package frozen French-cut green beans, cooked
1 cup sliced onions
2 cans pimentos, cut into strips
6 slices bacon, coarsely diced
1/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup white distilled vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Break tuna into pieces with a fork. Arrange tuna, onion and pimentos over cooked green beans in a greased 2-quart casserole. Cook bacon over medium heat until crisp and browned. Remove bacon and add to tuna casserole; reserve drippings. Add sugar and vinegar to bacon drippings. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour vinegar dressing over ingredients in casserole. Cover and bake in 350ºF oven for 30 minutes.


courtesy of: The Vinegar Institute, 5775 Peachtree-Dunwoody Road, Building G, Suite 500, Atlanta, Georgia 30342

137. BACON-PIMIENTO CHEESE

makes 1 quart


8 bacon slices
2 (8 oz.) blocks smoked cheddar cheese, shredded
2 (8 oz.) blocks cheddar cheese, shredded
1 ½ cups mayonnaise
1 (4 oz.) jar diced pimiento, drained
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

Cook bacon in a skillet until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels. Crumble bacon. Stir together bacon, cheeses, and remaining ingredients in a bowl. Serve immediately.


courtesy of: Southern Living, May 2005.