4000. CRAZY-FAST RAMEN with BACON, EGG and KIMCHI

2 strips of bacon, diced

2-3 scallions

kimchi, roughly chopped

a couple tablespoons of kimchi brine

a package of fresh ramen noodles

soy sauce

toasted sesame oil

rice vinegar

mirin

one egg

chile oil

toasted nori strips

First, sauté two strips of diced bacon in a skillet over medium heat. Once the bacon bits are crisp, scoop them onto a paper-towel lined plate, then add two to three chopped scallion whites to all that delicious bacon fat in the skillet (save the scallion greens for later!). Once the scallions start to soften, add a big handful of roughly chopped kimchi and a couple of tablespoons of kimchi brine straight from the jar. Cook for another two minutes until kimchi softens, then remove from heat.

Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add a package of fresh ramen noodles and boil for just a couple of minutes until they’re springy and tender, then drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water. 

Add the noodles to your skillet with the cooked bacon bits, some chopped fresh kimchi (for tang and crunch), and a splash each of soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, and mirin. Cook for a minute or two over medium heat, tossing until combined and noodles are warmed through, then transfer to a plate or shallow bowl.

Poach an egg in a medium saucepan of barely-simmering water with a splash of white vinegar. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the egg to your bowl of noodles, then top with some toasted sesame seeds, and those reserved scallion greens. Add a dash of chile oil or some toasted nori strips if you’re feeling fancy.

bacon recipe source: Christina Chaey, Bon Appétit Test Kitchen, January 20, 2016

3999. FISH TACOS with SMOKED BACON

Makes 6 tacos


2 cod fillets cut into cubes

2 slices of thick smoked bacon, chopped into small pieces

1/2 white onion finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 small tomato, chopped

1/4 cup fresh, chopped cilantro

A pinch of lemon zest and the juice of half a lemon

1 tbsp. butter

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (adjust according to taste)

salt to taste

6 corn tortillas

avocado, limes, and salsa for serving

In a large pan, cook bacon for 3-4 minutes. Add onion and continue to cook until onions soften. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring. Add tomato and continue to stir. Add butter into pan. Add cod and cook until the fish begins to flake. Using a spoon, break the cod apart into smaller pieces. Add oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt.

Stir until fish cooks and juices from the stew begin to evaporate. Turn heat off. Add the lemon zest and juice. Stir. Taste and adjust seasonings according to taste. Fold in cilantro right before serving. Warm tortillas on the stovetop. Serve with avocado, limes, and your favorite salsa.

bacon recipe source: Ariana, Mexicrave, May 25, 2014

3998. APPLE BROWN BETTY with MAPLE-BACON FROZEN CUSTARD

Yield: One 9 x 9-inch Brown Betty, about 10 servings

Maple–Bacon Frozen Custard:

3 slices bacon

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 tablespoon water

5 egg yolks

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup half and half cream

1 tablespoon bourbon

Apple Brown Betty:

1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

Pinch cinnamon

Pinch nutmeg

Pinch cloves

6 tart apples (such as King David), peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick

1 cup panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated aged cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon unsalted melted butter

Butter at room temperature for prepping the cake pan

To make the frozen custard, preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lay the bacon on a sheet tray and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until crispy. Drain the bacon on a rack or paper towels and let cool. Chop very finely and set aside.

Place the brown sugar, maple syrup, and water in a small saucepan and heat to 250ºF. Remove from the heat and add the chopped bacon. Stir quickly to combine, then pour onto silpat or cookie sheet covered with wax paper. Let cool. (This will take about 20 minutes.) When the mixture has cooled and hardened, break into pieces and store in an airtight container.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and granulated sugar. Combine the heavy cream, half and half, and bourbon in a small sauce pot and heat over medium heat until just beginning to bubble. Slowly pour the hot cream into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the pot and cook over very low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Immediately remove from the heat and strain through a fine-mesh strainer. Allow the mixture to cool in the refrigerator overnight. Process the custard in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer’s instructions. Mix in the pieces of candied bacon. Store in the freezer until needed.

To prepare the Brown Betty, preheat the oven to 325ºF. Mix together 1/4 cup of the sugar, lemon juice, flour, lemon zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a large mixing bowl. Add the apple slices and toss to coat. In a separate bowl, mix together the panko, cheese, melted butter, and remaining sugar.

Grease a 9 x 9-inch pan with butter. Make a one-inch-thick layer of apple slices on the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with the bread crumb mixture. Add another layer of apple slices and top with the remaining bread crumbs. Bake for 45 minutes or until brown and bubbly.

To serve, scoop out individual portions of the Brown Betty and place on serving plates. Top each serving with a scoop of maple–bacon frozen custard.

bacon recipe source: Tory Miller, L’Etoile, Madison, WI; James Beard Foundation

3997. MAPLE BACON CREME BRULEE

Maple Crème Brulée

5 egg yolks

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

2 cups whipping cream (35%)

1/4 cup maple sugar (for the brulée)

Maple Candied Bacon

6 slices thick cut bacon

2/3 cup pure maple syrup

Maple Crème Brulée

Preheat oven to 300ºF.

In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and maple syrup until the mixture is thick and pale yellow. Add cream and continue to whisk until well blended. Strain into a large bowl, skimming off any foam or bubbles.

Divide mixture among 5 ramekins or custard cups. Place ramekins in a water bath (large pan filled with 1 or 2 inches of hot water) and bake until set around the edges, but still loose in the center, about 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven and leave in the water bath until cooled. Remove cups from water bath and chill for at least 2 hours, or up to 2 days.

When ready to serve, sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of maple sugar over each custard. For best results, use a small, hand-held torch to melt sugar.

Top with Maple Bacon.

Maple Candied Bacon

Arrange bacon in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bake in a 400ºF degree oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven; drain fat.

Reduce oven temperature to 350ºF degrees. Pour maple syrup over bacon; flip to coat. Bake, flipping bacon and rotating pan halfway through, until bacon is golden brown and syrup is thick, about 35 minutes. (Keep a close eye on it for the last 10 minutes.)

Transfer bacon to parchment using tongs. Let cool to harden.

bacon recipe source: Ruby Reduction, May 14, 2012

3996. DIRTY CHAYOTE and RICE SOUP with BACON

Serves: 4


1T toasted sesame oil

2 small-medium chayote squash, peeled and cubed (about 1″)

1/4 lb good bacon, diced

1 medium onion, diced

4 cups chicken stock

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup uncooked quick-cook brown basmati rice

sea salt, to taste

Add sesame oil and bacon to a cold Dutch oven or soup pot and heat on a medium high flame until bacon is rendered and crispy, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add onion and chayote and sweat veggies until onions become translucent, 5-7 mins, scraping up bacony bits from the pan as you go. Add stock, bay leaf and uncooked rice. Bring to a rolling boil; then cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30-35 mins or until chayote is very tender. Add salt to taste, if necessary.

bacon recipe source: Emily Stoffel, The Pig + Quill (@thepigandquill), December 20, 2012

3995. BACON and EGG YAKIUDON

serves 2


4 slices bacon, cut into 1 inch slices

1 brick frozen sanuki udon

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon dashi powder

1 teaspoon sugar

freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 soft boiled egg, cut in half

sliced green onions, to serve

Soak your frozen udon in a bowl of warm water making sure that all of the strands of noodles are separate. Drain and set aside.

Over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp in a cast iron pan or heavy bottomed non-stick skillet. Drain off the majority of the fat and then add the drained udon noodles as well as the soy sauce, dashi powder, and sugar. Toss to coat the noodles and turn the heat to medium-high to slightly reduce the sauce, about 1-2 minutes. Turn the heat off, taste and season with freshly ground pepper to taste. Garnish with the sliced green onions and soft boiled egg.

bacon recipe source: i am a food blog, November 9, 2014

3994. MAPLE BACON MOCHI PANCAKE BITES

Makes around a 12-15 pancake bites, or one and a half pancake towers


For the pancake bites:

3/4 cup mochiko flour
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
3 strips of thick cut bacon

For the maple glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp milk (if needed)

Cook the strips of bacon till crispy. Drain the excess oil, pat dry and let cool. Chop the bacon into very small pieces. Set aside.

Whisk together the mochiko and all purpose flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the milk and egg. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well. If desired, sprinkle a few tablespoons of the bacon bits into the batter.

Heat a takoyaki pan over medium heat. Use a pastry brush to butter the pan. Pour the pancake batter into each hole, filling just to the top but not enough for the batter to overflow. The batter will rise, and some of the batter will spill a bit onto the sides around the hole. When the bites begin to bubble, use a wooden chopstick or skewer to test the doneness of the batter that spilled around the hole. If it feels hardened but still slightly tacky, use your skewers to flip the pancake bite over. Keep turning each bite in the pan until it is evenly golden brown. Transfer the bites to a plate and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk the maple syrup into the powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time. Pouring all the wet ingredients into the powdered sugar at once will cause the glaze to turn very runny. Once you have incorporated all the maple syrup, add in the milk if the mixture is still too thick.

For assembly, stack the pancake bites in a pyramid. I did this by placing 5 in a circle and adding one to the middle. Then add 3 more for the 2nd level, and one for the very top. Drizzle the pancake bites with the maple glaze and sprinkle the remaining bacon bits on top.

bacon recipe source: Courtney, Fork to Belly (@Cocobunniee), February 9, 2015

3993. BACON CHEESEBURGER POUTINE

4 pounds of French fries (about 8 cups)

6 strips thick-cut bacon
1 pound lean ground beef
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon dried parsley
3 cups beef stock
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups white Cheddar cheese curd
Salt
Pepper

Start cooking French fries, however you have decided to make them, from scratch or store bought.

Place bacon in a frying pan and fry over medium heat until crispy, turning regularly. When bacon is done, transfer to a plate lined with paper towel and place paper towel over top to blot grease. Then cut into large chunks.

Melt butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, add all-purpose flour and whisk thoroughly until all lumps are removed. Cook for five minutes while the roux is bubbling. This will give the gravy a darker colour and will also cook out the raw flour. Slowly add the beef stock to the roux, whisking as you do to avoid lumps from forming. Once the stock has been added, reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking, uncovered. You need to keep the gravy piping hot so it will melt the cheese.

Place olive oil in a large frying pan set over medium-high heat. When hot, add the beef, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to thoroughly combine all ingredients and continue to cook until beef is completely browned. Taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary.

To plate, set a large handful of French fries on a plate or in a bowl. Spoon about 1 cup of beef over top of beef and some of the bacon over top. Top with cheese curds and then generously spoon gravy over top.

bacon recipe source: Kate's Cuisine, September 5, 2015

3992. BACON HALLOUMI ROLLS with SAGE GREEN BEANS

serves 2


200g halloumi cheese

200g streaky bacon

2 tbsp fresh chives, chopped

200g green beans, ends chopped off

1 1/2 tbsp flaked almonds

2 leaves fresh sage

1 clove garlic, peeled and cut in half

butter (from your pantry)

salt and pepper (from your pantry)

Heat oven to 200ºC (400ºF).

Cut the halloumi into sticks – about 1.5 cm wide. Lay the bacon slices out on a board and scatter with chopped chives and freshly ground black pepper. Roll the bacon around the halloumi in a spiral to cover the halloumi stick. Place the halloumi rolls on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes until the bacon browns and begins to crisp.

Bring a saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil. Add beans and cook for 2 minutes. Once cooked, drain in a colander and rinse under cold water. Set aside.

Place a small pan on high heat and dry toast the almonds until lightly browned - about a minute. Toss often to make sure they don’t burn.

Put a frying pan on medium to high heat. Add a few knobs of butter. When the butter has melted, add whole sage leaves and garlic and cook for about a minute. Now add the beans to the frying pan and mix through with the butter sauce. Scatter with the toasted almonds.

To serve, divide the beans between the plates and place halloumi rolls on top.

bacon recipe source: DailyDish (@DailyDishForYou), 13 Garnet Park, 6 Drill Avenue, Montague Gardens, Western Cape, South Africa, 7441

3991. ASPARAGUS, LEEK and BACON QUICHE

Yield: 6-8 servings


1 unbaked 9-inch pie-crust

6 oz asparagus, ends trimmed off

1 leek

3 slices bacon

3 eggs

5 oz freshly grated Monterey Jack cheese

1 cup milk

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil on the stove. Once boiling, drop in the asparagus and quickly blanch for 30 seconds until bright green. Quickly drain water and run cold water over asparagus. Set aside to cool.

Fry bacon crisp in a cast-iron skillet over low/medium heat. Once crisp, remove from heat and set the bacon to drain on paper towels but do not toss the bacon grease! Crumble or chop bacon once cool.

Now, thoroughly wash the leek under cold running water. To do this most efficiently, peel off the first two layers and let water run all through. After washing, thinly slice the white part only of the leek.

Reheat your bacon-greased skillet over medium high heat then drop in the thinly sliced leek. Sauté for about five minutes, until leek is soft and translucent. Remove from heat.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, crumbled bacon and sautéed leeks. Prick crust all over with a fork, then sprinkle evenly with the cheese. Pour the milk and eggs mixture over the cheese.

Slice the blanched asparagus into 1 1/2" pieces on an angle and scatter over the cheese in the unbaked pie crust.

Carefully place filled quiche on a sheet tray and into the oven for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, the quiche should be puffy and golden. Let cool completely before slicing.

bacon recipe source: Fresh Tastes, PBS Food (@PBSFood)  

3990. BOURBON BACON ROOT BEER FLOAT

yield: 2 cocktail floats


3 slices thick-cut bacon

1 Tbsp brown sugar

3 oz bourbon

1 ½ cups root beer

2/3 cup vanilla ice cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet and lay the slices of bacon on it. Cook bacon for 15 minutes and then remove from oven. Sprinkle the slices of bacon evenly with brown sugar and cook for an additional 5 minutes until crunchy. Remove from oven to cool.

Once the bacon is cool, chop into tiny pieces (almost like bacon sprinkles!). Set aside.

In a large measuring cup with a spout, add bourbon and root beer and stir to combine; set aside. Evenly divide the ice cream between two tall glasses. Fill each glass with half of the bourbon and root beer mixture. Sprinkle with the candied bacon bits and enjoy!

bacon recipe source: Meghan, Cake 'n Knife (@cakenknife), February 12, 2014

3989. SEARED SCALLOPS with CREAMY BACON GRITS

Makes 4 servings


1-1/2 lbs dry sea scallops

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped

For the grits:

1/4 lb thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

1/2 cup sweet onion, finely chopped

4-1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1-1/2 cups white (or yellow) corn grits

1-1/2 cups corn kernels (about 3 ears fresh corn)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fry the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, drain all but 2 teaspoons of fat from the pan and reserve the remainder for later use.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion. Sauté until soft and just starting to turn golden. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Stir in the grits and immediately reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring continually, until the liquid is absorbed and the grits are tender, 4 to 5 minutes.

Add the butter, reserved bacon, sautéed onion and corn. Combine well and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside to keep warm.

Note: Grits will stiffen up a bit as they sit, so you may want to stir in a little warm milk or water just before serving to restore the creamy texture.

Pat the scallops dry with paper towels and arrange them in a single layer on a large plate. Combine the salt, sweet paprika, black pepper and sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture lightly over the scallops, turn and repeat on the second side.

Wipe out the pan you cooked the bacon in and heat the butter along with about 1 tablespoon of the reserved bacon fat over medium-high heat. Add the scallops in a single layer and sear until they develop a pale golden crust on the outside, a maximum of 1-1/2 minutes per side.

Scallops need about 3/4-inch of space between them in order to sear properly, so if the pan seems overcrowded, cook them in 2 batches.

Transfer the cooked scallops to a plate and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Reserve the pan juices for serving.

To serve, plate individual portions of grits, top with scallops and spoon some of the pan juices over all. Garnish with a sprinkling of chopped parsley and serve immediately.

bacon recipe source: Lynne Webb, MyGourmetConnection (@gourmetconnect) 

3988. CABBAGE with BACON and ROOTS

Serves 6


large knob of butter
100g smoked streaky bacon, cut into small pieces
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
few thyme sprigs
1 celeriac, cut into batons
2 carrots, cut into batons
1 Savoy cabbage, shredded
small glass (125ml) white wine

In a large pan melt the butter. Add the bacon and sizzle for 5 mins until golden. Add the garlic and thyme to the pan and stir for 1 min. Take the pan off the heat, remove the bacon mixture and reserve.

Add the celeriac and carrot batons into the now empty pan with a little of the bacon-flavoured butter. Gently cook for 10 mins until soft, then add the cabbage and cook for 5 mins until it starts to soften. Add the bacon and garlic back to the pan, then add the white wine. Allow the wine to evaporate for a few mins then season the mixture and serve. This can be made ahead and left in the pan, then reheated.

bacon recipe source: Matt Tebbutt, Good Food Magazine, February 2010

3987. SWEET POTATO, BACON, EGG BREAKFAST SKILLET

Serves: 4


1.5 lbs multi colored sweet potatoes, diced

1 lb smoked bacon

2T ghee

1-2T chipotle seasoning

4 eggs

Place bacon on baking sheet and put in oven at 425*F for approx 15-20 min. Set aside in paper towels. Meanwhile, heat a cast iron skillet over med-high with ghee and add diced the potatoes. Season with chipotle seasoning. When potatoes can be softly pierced with a fork, approx 10-15 min, add in half of your cooked bacon, chopped, and crack 4 eggs over top. Cook on stove or in oven until egg whites are set. You may put a lid on to help steam. Sprinkle more chipotle.

bacon recipe source: Natasha Gildea, The Feisty Kitchen (@FeistyKitchen)

3986. CHIPOTLE BACON SLIDERS (GLUTEN & GRAIN FREE)

Serves: 9 small burgers


1 large yellow onion, sliced into thin rounds

2 TBS butter, ghee, or coconut oil

1 pound ground meat

4 strips of precooked bacon

1 tsp unrefined salt

½ tsp chipotle chili powder

½ tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 TBS butter, ghee, or coconut oil for cooking burgers

1 avocado

lime juice

unrefined sea salt

OPTIONAL:

a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce

lettuce for garnish

TO MAKE CARAMELIZED ONIONS: Melt the ghee, butter, or coconut oil on medium heat. Add onion rounds and saute slowly until golden brown. Push the onions around a bit to make sure they cook evenly. You can add a tablespoon of water if they begin to stick to pan. Mine usually take 20-25 minutes.

Mash together avocado, lime, and salt in a small bowl. Add optional hot sauce for some heat. Set aside.

Combine ground meat, chopped bacon, salt, and spices in a medium bowl. Mix to combine. Form into 9 small patties.

Heat 1 TBS of fat of choice in skillet on medium to medium high heat. Cook patties 4-5 minutes on each side, or until cooked the way you like it.

Serve over a bed of fresh lettuce. Top with caramelized onions and avocado.

bacon recipe source: Katja Heino, Savory Lotus

3985. BACON and EGG POTATO SKINS

4 eggs

2 potatoes

2 pieces bacon

4 small rectangular slivers of cheese (to fit into the potatoes)

Salt & Pepper

Olive Oil

Parsley or cilantro to garnish

Optional toppings: chili flakes, salsa, avocado

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Microwave the 2 potatoes till cooked and cut them in half. Scoop out the insides of the potatoes - making little "potato boats" in the process. Add a sliver of cheese in each potato half and place potatoes on a baking tray. Brush potatoes with olive oil. Break an egg into each potato half and bake for 18-20 minutes. Cook strips of bacon and drain well on paper towels. Take the eggs out of the oven - making sure the whites are set. Sprinkle the potato skins with bacon and salt and pepper and parsley and chili flakes; avocados and salsa would make some super tasty toppings too.

bacon recipe source: Shashi, Runnin Srilankan (@RunninSriLankan), June 10, 2015

3984. BACON WAFFLES with PEANUT BUTTER-HONEY GLAZE

Makes 8 - 4" waffles


WAFFLES:

1 Package Bacon (about 10 slices)

2 Eggs, separated

1½ cups Buttermilk

2 Tablespoons melted Butter, cooled

1 cup All-purpose Flour

1 Tablespoon Yellow Cornmeal

1 teaspoon Granulated Sugar

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

½ teaspoon Baking Soda

½ teaspoon Salt

GLAZE:

¾ cup Honey

¼ cup Creamy Peanut Butter

WAFFLES: Cook bacon according to directions on the package. Once it's cooked & slightly cooled, crumble or chop into bite sized pieces (about ½").

Beat egg yokes, buttermilk and butter together in a large bowl. Set aside.

Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl. Gently add dry ingredients into the wet, mixing until just combined (do not over mix, there will be lumps).

Beat egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks (if you turn the bowl upside-down, they should stay put). Gently fold bacon pieces (leaving some aside for garnish) and egg whites into batter until just combined (there can still be lumps in the batter).

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Then preheat your waffle maker & follow the waffle maker instructions to cook, as each one is different. Pour the appropriate amount of batter into preheated waffle maker and cook until golden. After the first batch is done, place them on a rack or cookie sheet in the warmed oven in a single layer. Keep all cooked waffles in the oven while you finish the rest and then make the glaze. Don't stack the cooked waffles or they'll lose their crispness (unless you plan on re-heating them in the oven).

GLAZE: Combine honey and peanut butter together in a small bowl. Microwave for about 20 seconds and stir (if it's not warm enough, microwave it again for 10-15 seconds at a time, checking and stirring it each time).

Whisk until smooth and pourable (you can add more honey or maple syrup also). Top waffles with glaze.

bacon recipe source: The Blonde Buckeye, September 18, 2013

3983. MAPLE and CANDIED BACON BLONDE BROWNIES

Makes 1–8 brownies, depending on how you cut them


2 1/4 cups blanched almond flour

1 cup (6oz) maple granulated maple sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sustainable palm shortening or ghee
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup pecans, finely chopped

3-4 pieces of bacon
About 1/3 cup maple syrup

For the candied bacon: Make the candied bacon before starting the brownies as it will need to cool down before breaking it up into tiny pieces for the topping.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

On a parchment paper lined rimmed cookie sheet, lay out the strips of bacon. You want the rim so that your bacon grease doesn’t run down into oven and start a grease fire.

Using a pastry brush, sweep a generous amount of maple syrup over each piece of bacon. You could also sprinkle maple sugar instead of using syrup, but I find that it takes less syrup and it goes on smoother and faster.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from oven and flip the bacon over. Brush the other side with maple syrup and return to the oven for another 8-10 minutes or until dark and caramel-y. Watch the bacon closely toward the end, it burns fast. Times will vary from oven-to-oven. For best results use an oven thermometer.

Remove from oven and cool.

Cut or break the bacon into small pieces. If they are too large the brownies will be difficult to cut later.

For the brownies:

Grease and line a 8×8 inch cake pan with parchment paper, leaving flaps on two sides of the pan for easy brownie removal. You don’t have to lay parchment paper both ways, just one set of flaps will suffice.

In a blender or coffee/herb grinder, pulse the maple sugar a few times to make it a finer grind.

Using a small sauce pan over medium heat, melt the palm shortening/ghee till it just becomes liquid. You don’t want it to be hot, just liquid. Remove from heat and let cool.

While the fat is cooling, combine the almond flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Now add the eggs and vanilla extract to the liquid shortening/ghee and lightly beat together.

Combine the egg/fat mixture with the almond flour mixture, mixing till combined and there are no lumps in the batter. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan and smooth the batter out as best as you can.

Sprinkle the bacon and pecan pieces evenly over the top of the batter and bake for 22-25 minutes.

When they’re finished cooking, remove the pan and allow the brownies to cool. Slice into squares.

bacon recipe source: Jenni Hulet, The Urban Poser (@TheUrbanPoser), June 21, 2013

3982. BEER and BACON CHEESE DIP

Approximately 16 servings


2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

⅓ cup beer

1 (1-ounce) package ranch salad dressing mix

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

¾ cup fully cooked bacon pieces

Pretzels

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, beer and ranch dressing mix until well incorporated. Add cheddar cheese and bacon pieces and stir well with a large spoon to combine. Serve with pretzels.

bacon recipe source: Amy Brinkley, The Blond Cook (@theblondcook), January 10, 2016

3981. BAKED EGGS with BACON-BRAISED BLACK-EYED PEAS

Serves 4


2 cup black-eyed peas

3 slices applewood-smoked bacon cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 small diced yellow onion

1 cup salsa

1/2 cup chicken broth (low-sodium)

4 large eggs

2 tbsp parsley freshly chopped for garnish

hot sauce for garnish

Bring a medium sized pot of water to a boil and season with salt. Add the fresh black-eyed peas and boil for 10 minutes, or until just tender. Drain and discard the water.

In a medium-sized sauté pan, cook the bacon over medium heat until the fat has rendered and the bacon is just crisp.

Remove the bacon pieces from the pan and add the onion to the bacon fat. Sauté the onion until tender and caramelized, about 10 minutes, stirring often.

Add the cooked black-eyed peas and sauté for 3 minutes more. Add the salsa to the pan along with the chicken broth and stir in the cooked bacon. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, uncovered, to meld the flavors.

Preheat the oven to 375°.

Coat 4 gratin dishes with cooking spray. Divide the black-eyed pea mixture evenly among dishes and make a small indentation in the center for the egg to rest in.

Crack 1 egg into a small bowl and gently pour it into a gratin dish. Repeat with the remaining eggs.

Place the gratin dishes on a baking sheet and tent the baking sheet with foil. Bake until the egg whites are cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes. Serve garnished with parsley and hot sauce, for those that like it hot.

bacon recipe source: La Victoria (@LAVICTORIAbrand), MegaMex Foods, LLC, Consumer Response, 1 Hormel Place, Austin, MN 55912