3952. BACON, PEAR, and RASPBERRY GRILLED CHEESE

serves: 2


4 slices sturdy, grainy wheat bread

3 tablespoons raspberry preserves

¼ cup thinly sliced red pear

8 slices cooked bacon

4 slices Muenster cheese

1-2 tablespoons butter

Preheat griddle or panini press to medium-high heat.

Assemble 2 sandwiches in this order: bread, 1½ tbs. preserves, pear, 4 slices bacon, 2 slices cheese, bread.

Spread butter on top and bottom of sandwich and grill for 4-8 minutes, or until cheese is melted and top is golden brown.

bacon recipe source: Lindsay Ostrom, Pinch of Yum (@pinchofyum), December 7, 2011

1873. MUSHROOM SALAD with BACON RASPBERRY VINAIGRETTE

3 to 4 cups lettuce or spinach
2 or more eggs, hardboiled
1/2 cup thin-sliced red onions, divided
1 cup sliced, fresh white mushrooms
1/4 cup sunflower kernels
1 cup fresh ripe raspberries, divided
5 to 6 slices bacon
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder (or equivalent minced garlic)
3 tablespoons salad oil
2 tablespoons vinegar (cider or red wine)

First things first, boil some eggs. At least 2. Start with about 3 or 4 cups of any leaf vegetable–lettuce, baby spinach, arugula, whatever.Next, make about 1/2 cup of VERY thin slices of onion (red or otherwise). Divide the sliced onion into halves and toss 1/2 of the onions into the salad mix.

Next,add about 1 cup sliced, fresh white mushrooms to the salad. Throw in 1/4 cup sunflower kernels (or nuts) and about 1/2 cup fresh (washed!) raspberries. If they’re not in season or on sale, you can always swap out this ingredient with something else–fresh strawberries, even canned mandarin oranges work nicely and make a fine salad/vinaigrette substitution on the cheaps. Heat a medium-sized skillet and place 5-6 strips bacon in the bottom. Fry until crisp; remove bacon from pan, leaving the grease. Move skillet to a cooled surface. When eggs are ready (after boiling 15-20 minutes), place them in ice water to cool so they will separate from their shells more easily.

Meanwhile, take another 1/2 cup of ripe raspberries (or whatever fruit you’re using) and mash with a wooden spoon until juiced. Sprinkle mashed fruit with 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon garlic powder (or equivalent minced garlic) and 1 teaspoon salt; mix well. Stir in 3 tablespoons salad oil (the type of olive oil that’s been cut with soybean oil is a REAL money saver) and 2 tablespoons red wine- or cider vinegar.Dump vinegar mixture into liquid bacon grease and stir well. Add the other half of the sliced onions to the vinaigrette; mash into mixture with wooden spoon. Allow vinaigrette to sit for a minute or two while you slice the boiled eggs and add them to the salad. (Throw crumbled bacon on the top, too, if you like.) Strain the dressing mixture with a spoon and drizzle liquid over salad. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Gracie, The Red Kitchen Project, March 26, 2010

1828. BACON SMOOTHIE with ACAI, RASPBERRIES, BLUEBERRIES and CHOCOLATE

1/2 cup yogurt
1 cup soy milk
1/4 cup acai
1/2 cup frozen raspberries and blueberries
1 teaspoon greens (dietary supplement)
2 strips of slow cooked, savory maple bacon
1-2 tablespoons dark chocolate powder
1 tablespoon agave

Pretty simple: Just throw it all in a blender and blend it.

NOTE: The reason the recipe works is the chocolate. Chocolate and bacon go together, but there still needs to be fruit. Raspberries, blueberries and acai not only go with chocolate, but they’re also good for you and you need something good to offset the bacon, which is not a health food.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Rick Bakas, Back to Bakas, March 10, 2009

1580. FRENCH TOAST with SMOKY BACON, BERRIES and MAPLE SYRUP

One loaf of sourdough bread, cut into thick slices
4 free range eggs
400 ml cream
2 tablespoons castor sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
12 thick cut rashers thick cut bacon

Berries
1 punnet strawberries
1 punnet raspberries
1 punnet blueberries
2 tablespoons sugar
A splash of rum (optional)

Beat eggs, cream, sugar, and cinnamon together in a bowl. Soak each slice of bread, one by one. Place onto a lightly oiled grill plate with a medium heat. When golden on one side turn over till other side is golden. Grill bacon until crisp. Place berries in a bowl. Add sugar and rum. Stir very gently.

To serve: Arrange French toast on a platter. Cover with bacon. Spoon on berries. Pour on a generous amount of maple syrup. Dust with icing sugar.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Adrian Richardson, "Boys Weekend," LifeStyle FOOD

878. ZUNI ROLLS with RASPBERRY CHIPOTLE SAUCE SMOKED TURKEY, CHEESE and BACON TORTILLA ROLLS

serves 2


For chipotle sauce:
1 cup fresh raspberries or frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup Ruby Port
1 drained canned whole chipotle chile in adobo

For Zuni rolls:
2 scallions
two 9- to 10-inch flour tortillas
2/3 cup coarsely grated Jack cheese (about 2 ounces)
1/4 pound thinly sliced smoked turkey breast
6 slices crisp-cooked bacon

Make chipotle sauce:
In a small saucepan combine sauce ingredients and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. In a blender or food processor puree sauce and strain, if desired.

Make Zuni rolls:
Finely chop scallions. Arrange tortillas on a work surface and divide Jack, turkey, bacon, and scallions evenly between them. Drizzle some chipotle sauce over filling and gently roll up tortillas.

In a lightly oiled skillet toast rolls, starting with seam sides down, over moderately high heat, turning them, until golden on all sides, about 3 minutes. Alternatively they can be baked in a 375°F oven for 10 minutes. Diagonally halve tortillas crosswise and serve remaining sauce separately.


courtesy of: Coop Food Stores, Hanover & Lebanon, New Hampshire / Hanover Co-op Food Store, 45 South Park Street, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, (603) 643-2667 / Lebanon Co-op Food Store, 12 Centerra Parkway, Suite 75, Lebanon, New Hampshire 03766, (603) 643-4889