3196. BACON PIZZA PASTA

1/2 pound sliced bacon
1 onion, peeled and very finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and pressed or finely minced
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 cup pizza sauce
4 cups beef broth
1 cup water
2 teaspoons Italian seasonings
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon onion powder (preferably granulated onion)
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder (preferably granulated garlic)
1/8 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or more, to taste)
1 pound dry small shell, rotini, or elbow pasta
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

15 slices of pepperoni, cut into quarters

Stack the bacon strips and cut down through the stack at 1/4-inch intervals. When done, you should have a pile of thin bacon strips. Put these into a large stockpot over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Add the onion and minced or pressed garlic when the bacon is about halfway cooked. Continue frying the bacon, onions and garlic until the bacon is crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the crispy bacon with the onions and garlic to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Pour the remaining bacon grease out of the pan.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the garlic, tomato paste, pizza sauce, beef broth, water, Italian seasonings, oregano, salt, and onion and garlic powders. Pour this into the pan from which you drained the bacon grease. Stir well, raise the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. When it is boiling, gently stir in the dry pasta, add a lid to the pan and drop the heat to low. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes to prevent the pasta from sticking. When the pasta is tender, turn off the heat, add all of the grated cheese, the crispy bacon, and the chopped pepperoni and stir gently until the cheese is melted in completely and everything is evenly distributed. Serve hot with additional grated cheese if desired.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Rebecca Lindamood, Foodie With Family, June 28, 2012

2972. CHEESY ROTINI with BACON and PEAS

a box of quick-cooking rotini pasta
1 cup of your favorite shredded cheeses
1/4 cup of butter
4 tablespoons of flour
2 cups of skim milk
1 can of peas
8 strips of bacon
1 teaspoon of olive oil (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

To make the cheese sauce, dice your butter and melt it in a saucepan, then stir in the flour and milk, whisking to ensure your sauce doesn't get lumpy. Add your cheese a little at a time, then let the sauce simmer for about twenty minutes.

While your roux is heating through, turn your broiler on low and line a cookie sheet with foil, then arrange the strips of bacon on the cookie sheet so no strip is overlapping. Slide the bacon under the broiler to cook while you work on your pasta.

Your quick-cooking rotini will take about three minutes to heat through in boiling water. While your pasta is cooking, warm your can of peas through in a separate pot. Drain the pasta, then set it aside.

Turn your broiler on high for one minute to get some extra crunch in your bacon, then remove bacon from heat. Dice bacon, then toss bacon and peas together and add to pasta. Use 1 teaspoon of olive oil if the pasta is sticking to pot.

Drizzle your cheese roux over the tossed pasta, stir, and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Jennifer King, Examiner.com, January 3, 2012

2545. CREAMY BACON TOMATO and AVOCADO POTATO SALAD

serves four


6 slices bacon, chopped into one inch pieces
1/2 pound dried rotini pasta
1/2 cup mayonnaise
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 avocado pitted and sliced

Cook bacon until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Cook pasta according to package directions. Strain. Run cold water over the top until the pasta is cooled. While your bacon and pasta are cooking, whisk mayonnaise, lemon, salt, garlic powder, pepper and dill together in a bowl. Stir cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, sliced avocado and reserved bacon into the dressing. Toss to combine. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Des, Life's Ambrosia, June 2010

2187. TOMATO BACON ROTINI

serves six


6 ounces rotini
1/4 cup margarine or butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2-3/4 cup milk
1-1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 medium tomatoes, chopped

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, cover and set aside. In a large saucepan, melt margarine or butter. Stir in flour, salt and pepper; blend in milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Add in cheese, bacon, tomatoes and pasta; toss to coat. Heat through and serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Mueller's Pasta, Jersey City, New Jersey

1440. FUSILLI with SWISS CHARD, GARBANZO BEANS and BACON

yields four main-dish servings


12 ounces whole wheat fusilli or rotini pasta
1 bunch (1-pound) Swiss chard, tough ends trimmed
1 slice bacon, cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1 clove garlic, crushed with press
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 can (15- to 19-ounce) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat large covered saucepot of water to boiling on high. Add pasta and cook as label directs.

Meanwhile, cut ribs and stems from Swiss chard leaves. Cut ribs and stems into 1-inch pieces; cut leaves into 2-inch pieces. Rinse Swiss chard in large bowl of cold water; swish to remove any dirt. Transfer chard to colander. Do not spin dry.

In 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook bacon on medium-high until browned, tossing occasionally. With slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Reduce heat to medium. To bacon fat in skillet, add garlic and crushed red pepper; cook 30 seconds, stirring. Add Swiss chard, beans, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook 2 minutes or until chard begins to wilt. Uncover and cook 5 minutes longer or until stems are tender-crisp.

Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water. Return pasta to saucepot. Stir in Swiss chard mixture and lemon juice until combined. If mixture seems dry, add reserved pasta cooking water.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Good Housekeeping

1079. SHRIMP PASTA SALAD with BACON and SHRIMP

16 large cooked shrimp peeled and deveined
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 shallot finely chopped
6 oz bacon cut into strips
1/4 lb. fresh baby spinach leaves
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 package rotini or conchiglia pasta
salt & pepper to taste

Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, garlic, shallot, and mustard in small saucepan. Season with salt & pepper. Heat on low until slightly thickened. Set aside. In skillet, fry bacon and set aside. Add shrimp to pan and stir fry until warmed through (can also use uncooked shrimp, then you would just cook until done). Trim spinach leaves. Cook pasta to al dente. Toss spinach, dressing, shrimp, bacon, and pasta together until coated. Can add some toasted walnut pieces or pine nuts for crunch.


courtesy of: Decio Pasta, 5028 South Ash Avenue, Suite 105, Tempe, Arizona 85282

758. GEMELLI with ZUCCHINI, TOMATOES, and BACON

makes 6 servings


12 bacon slices, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
1 large red onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
12 ounces gemelli or rotini (about 3 cups)
3 slender zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide pieces
3 large plum tomatoes, seeded, coarsely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/3 cup chopped fresh oregano
1 cup crumbled soft fresh goat cheese (about 4 ounces)

Cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until brown and crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons drippings from skillet. Add onion and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Add wine; boil until reduced by 1/3, about 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until slightly underdone. Add zucchini and boil until pasta is tender but still firm to bite and zucchini is crisp-tender, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes longer. Drain.

Add pasta, zucchini, bacon, tomatoes, and oregano to onion in skillet. Toss over medium-high heat until sauce coats pasta, about 3 minutes. Add cheese and toss until beginning to melt, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

NOTE: To seed a plum tomato, simply slice the tomato in half horizontally and gently squeeze out the seeds, using a spoon if necessary.


courtesy of: Bon Appétit, September 2004

748. TURKEY and BACON ASIAGO WRAP

makes 12 servings


24 ounces sliced smoked turkey
24 slices bacon, cooked crisp
6 cups Asiago cheese, grated finely
12 each tortilla wraps, 12"
6 cups rotini pasta, cooked
1/2 cup red onion, minced
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 cups portabello mushrooms, grilled and diced 1/2"

for White Balsamic Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup green onion, chopped
2 ounces white balsamic vinegar
4 ounces extra virgin olive oil
sea salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper

Prepare the white balsamic vinaigrette: Combine all the ingredients for the vinaigrette, except the oil, in a blender. Mix well. Add the oil in a slow steady stream with the motor running. Cook bacon until crisp and reserve. Spread the (12) tortillas out over a clean work surface. Place 2 oz. of the smoked turkey over each tortilla. Place (2) slices of bacon over each. Drizzle a teaspoon of vinaigrette over each sandwich. Combine remaining vinaigrette, mayonnaise, red onions, basil, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Add the pasta, Asiago cheese and mushrooms, and fold together until well mixed. Divide the pasta among the (12) sandwiches. Roll the sandwiches into cylinders and serve.


courtesy of: Hormel Food Service, 1-800-723-8000