 |
What’s Cookin? Bacon, Cheese & Ham Breakfast Casserole (For Dinner)
October 10, 2011 by 1 Comment
I say no, it’s still dinner. See, what happened was this. I bought several boxes of Bisquick when Harris Teeter had them in sale, and was Doubling $1.50 coupons. That made the Bisquick FREE. I haven’t used any of the mix, and wanted to use some tonight. I’ve used Bisquick in casserole recipes before, I just made some adjustments for what we had on hand. Betty Crocker has a similar recipe here, that I borrowed from. I liked the way it came out, after the changes I made from the BC recipe.
Oh, and enjoy!
Ingredients:
- 1 stick butter
- 2 cups Bisquick mix
- 2 cups milk (divided)
- 8 eggs (divided)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 oz.)
- 1 lb. cubed cooked ham (about 3 cups)
- 15 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 tsp ground mustard
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Preparation:
- Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 13×9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Place butter in dish; place in oven until melted, about 10 minutes.
- In medium bowl, mix Bisquick mix, 1 cup of the milk and 2 of the eggs with whisk until tiny lumps remain. Pour over butter in baking dish.
- Layer with shredded Mozzarella, ham, bacon and cheddar cheese
- In large bowl, mix remaining 1 cup milk, remaining 6 eggs, the mustard, pepper and nutmeg.
- Pour over casserole
- Bake uncovered 35-40 minutes until browned. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
- I served with grits and fresh strawberries
 |
What’s Cookin? Smoked Bacon Wrapped Pork Kebabs a la Bob’s
July 22, 2011 by 1 Comment
Yep, that’s Country Bob’s All Purpose Sauce from my Review. I’m almost done with the first bottle, 1 more to go! I used it as a marinade today, rather than a sauce.
This was simple to prepare, and it was fun for Alex to help construct the kebabs (she wore gloves, so she didn’t have to touch the raw meat). I got the original idea for this recipe from the Country Bob’s Blog, then changed it up a little.
Oh, and enjoy!
Ingredients:
- 3 lbs pork country butt ribs
- 1 lb bacon
- 1 cup Country Bob’s All Purpose Sauce
- 2 large sweet onions
- Broccoli florets
Preparation:
- cut pork ribs into 2-3 inch across chunks
- place pork chunks and Country Bob’s into a Ziploc bag, marinade refrigerated 4-6 hours
- soak hickory chips in cool water for 30 minutes
- heat gas grill to 450°, with soaked chips in a smoker box or foil pouch (with holes punched in it) on other side of grill
- turn off heat on the side opposite the smoker, and allow temperature to drop to 350°
- for kebabs- soak wooden skewers in water for 15 minutes
- cut sweet onion into quarters, then separate pieces
- separate broccoli florets into 1-2 inch pieces
- wrap bacon around each kebab, then slide onto the skewer to secure
- add onion slice, floret, then repeat with kebab, etc.
- place kebabs on grill opposite
smoker box, and cook on indirect heat, turning occasionally, until internal temperature reaches 160° (about 45 minutes) - if you want kebabs a little toasty, turn burners on medium for last 10 minutes, being careful to watch for flare-ups
 |
What’s Cookin? Toothpick Chicken
May 10, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Why Toothpick Chicken? Because I took a bite, forgetting that there were toothpicks holding the bacon to the chicken. Alex thought it was very funny that Daddy had a toothpick sticking out of his gums. Ha Ha!
I bought packs of fresh chicken thighs at BJ’s, and I needed an easy but still tasty way to prepare them. I prepare a recipe that I call Columbia Shrimp Supreme; which features large shrimp with bacon wrapped around them, and secured with toothpicks. I figured, why not chicken? So that’s what I did, and the smell as they cooked was awesome. They didn’t taste too bad either!
Oh, and enjoy!
Ingredients:
- 8 chicken thighs, skin removed
- 16 slices of bacon (2 slices per thigh)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 3 tbs olive oil
- seasonings of your choice (not salt unless you used reduced sodium soy sauce) I used 1 tbs Old Bay and 1 tsp black pepper.
Preparation:
Rinse chicken under cool water, place in a bowl with a lid. Pour soy sauce over chicken, mix to coat. Refrigerate covered, for 4-6 hours. Wrap 2 pieces of bacon around each thigh, being sure to cover entire chicken piece. Secure with a toothpick. Discard marinade. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large frying pan, until very hot. Season bacon wrapped chicken to taste. Place chicken carefully into oil, brown 5
minutes on each side (don’t allow to burn). Once slightly browned, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until done, about 30 minutes. Try to resist lifting the lid every 2 minutes to get a whiff, but you can turn the chicken once after 10-15 minutes.
Don’t forget to remove the toothpicks before serving. I’m going to go gargle with some antiseptic now.
 |
What’s Cookin? Creamy Chicken Penne With Bacon
May 4, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Tonight was pasta night for the girls, and my goal was to use up some leftover chicken breast before I had to freeze them.
This isn’t anything fancy, and only took 45-60 minutes to prepare. I used penne, because my Girls like penne, but you could also use any tubular pasta. Or any pasta, I don’t think it matters.
Oh, and enjoy!
Ingredients:
- 2 chicken breasts, cut into small chunks
- 6 slices bacon, sliced into small pieces
- 1/2 box penne pasta (1/2 lb)
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 tbs chopped garlic
- 2 tbs olive oil (divided)
- 4 tomatoes chopped
- 1 cup cream
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 tbs fresh rosemary
- salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
- Cook the pasta, drain and set aside
- Fry the bacon and chicken in 1 tbs olive oil until fully cooked
- Fry the onions and garlic with the other tbs olive oil, cook until tender
- Add tomatoes to onion mixture, simmer for 2-3 minutes until tomatoes are heated
- Add tomato mixture to chicken and bacon, stir to mix well
- Add cream, stir and simmer for 10 minutes
- Add Parmesan cheese, stir and simmer 20-30 minutes
- When ready to serve, pour sauce over penne in a really big white bowl, like the one in the picture above.
- Serve with crusty bread, dipped in olive oil (no butter please, this is Italian)
- Eat it and enjoy!
Do you have to go out and buy tomatoes for recipes like this? How much would you have to pay for the 4 tomatoes used in this recipe. Especially with produce prices sky-high. Here’s a way to provide for yourself, and let the other guy pay those high prices. For less than $18 ($10 + $7.95 shipping and handling), you can order 3 Tomato Giant Plants, and grow your own huge tomatoes. These plants can produce up to 180 lbs of fresh tomatoes, that means you’re paying .01 a pound, rather than $2 or more per pound at the store.
 |
What’s Cookin? Smoked Bacon Covered Brisket a la Usher (OMG)
April 17, 2011 by 1 Comment
I found this recipe a year ago, and I’ve been waiting for the right time to use it. Today was the day.
I bought the brisket at BJ’s a few days ago. Buying meat is a little cheaper at BJ’s, but you usually have to buy a lot to get a great price. I looked at the whole briskets, and they were just too big for a family of 3. I noticed they had a few 1/2 briskets, which were .60 lb more than the whole. I picked 2 of the smaller pieces (about 2.5 lbs each), and asked the butcher if he would re-price them to the lower price. I figured it doesn’t hurt to ask! He said of course, and grabbed the packages to re-price them. So not only did I get the right size brisket(s), I got them at the lower price too!
The brisket turned out awesome, so good in fact that Gypsy got shut out, no scraps were left for her. Well, maybe a couple…
This recipe is from The Fickle Hobbyist, and I only made 1 change, which is noted below.
Oh, and enjoy!
Ingredients:
For the brisket and rub:1 trimmed brisket (5 to 6 pounds) with a layer of fat and least 1/4-inch thick
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon coarse (kosher or sea) salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
1-1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
8 slices of bacon
For the mop sauce:
1 cup distilled white vinegar
1 cup beer (I used 1 cup lemon juice instead)
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon black pepper
Other Items Needed:
6 cups hickory or oak wood chips or chunks, soaked for 1 hour in cold water or beer to cover, then drained
Heavy-duty aluminum foil (optional)
Directions:
- Rinse the brisket under cold running water and blot dry with paper towels.
Combine all the ingredients for the rub in a small bowl and stir to mix. - Rub onto the brisket on all sides
- Drape with the bacon
- If you have the time, let the brisket stand in the refrigerator, covered, for 4 to 6 hours. Or, smoke the brisket right away.
- Combine the mop sauce ingredients in a nonreactive bowl and stir until the salt and brown sugar are dissolved.
- Set up the grill for indirect grilling and preheat to low. If using a gas grill, place all the wood chips in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch and preheat on high until you see smoke, then reduce the heat to low.
- When ready to cook, if using a charcoal grill, toss 1 cup wood chips on the coals. Place the brisket, fat-side up, in an aluminum foil pan and place in the center of the hot grate, away from the heat, and cover the grill. Grill until the brisket is tender, about 6 to 8 hours (the cooking time will depend on the size of the brisket and the heat of the grill). Baste or mop the brisket with the mop sauce once an hour for the first 4 hours. If using a charcoal grill, you’ll need to add 12 fresh coals and 1/2 cup of wood chips per side every hour.
- If desired, wrap the brisket in heavy-duty aluminum foil for the last 1-1/2 to 2 hours of cooking time to prevent it from drying out.
- To test for doneness, use an instant-read meat thermometer; the internal temperature should be about 190 degrees F.
- Thinly slice across the grain, using an electric knife or sharp carving knife.
- Transfer the meat to plates or a platter and pour the pan juices on top.
- In true Texas style, serve with white bread, pickles, onions, and your favorite sauce. Or not. The brisket alone is SO moist and delicious.
Quick, get some bread!
 |
What’s Cookin? Manic Monday- Lets Go Make Some Soup
April 11, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Have I mentioned that I love my crock pot? I should give her a name, but I wouldn’t want to upset Nancy, my GPS. I figured since I use my crock pot a lot, that I would post my favorite recipes for Manic Monday- Let’s Go Make Some Noise. I mean Soup.
I Love Lentil Soup! My Girls don’t, but the World doesn’t revolve around them, right? Bad example.
I got this recipe from About.com, and the only change I made was to use 1/4 cup chopped cooked ham in addition to the bacon, and I doubled the oregano to 1 tsp. Otherwise, I left everything else the same.
Oh, and enjoy!
Ingredients:
- 2 cups dried lentils
- 8 cups water
- 1 1/2 tbsp. crumbled bacon or bacon bits ($1/2 Bar-S Bacon Products )($0.55/1 Farmland Hickory Smoked Thick Sliced Bacon )
- 1/2 c. chopped onion
- 1/2 c. chopped celery
- 1/4 c. chopped carrot
- 3 tbsp. snipped parsley
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 2 1/2 tsp. salt ($0.50/1 Diamond Crystal Sea Salt )
- 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp. dried leaf oregano
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) tomatoes ($0.75/2 Red Gold Redpack Tomatoes )
- 2 tbsp. wine vinegar
Preparation:
Rinse lentils; place in cooker. Add 8 cups water and remaining ingredients except tomatoes and vinegar. Cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours. Add tomatoes and vinegar. Turn to HIGH and cook 15 minutes longer, until hot.
 |
What’s Cookin? Woof Woof- Translation: My Favorite Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf For My Birthday!
April 6, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Doesn’t everyone let the Birthday Girl pick what she wants for dinner? Especially after a hard day barking at cars and chasing leaves. We love Gypsy, and today is her 3rd Birthday, we think. It seems that when she adopted us from the pound (that’s how she sees it), Gypsy decided that she had been born on April 6th. So we celebrate each year by running and playing in the yard, and of course the traditional sniffing of each other’s, well never mind.
I know it’s not the healthiest practice to give Dog’s table scraps, but we do it because it makes her happy, and helps create fertilizer for my yard. Gypsy loves bacon, and beef too. So what better Birthday table scraps than Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf. Each time I make this, I expect to have more leftovers than I end up with, so this recipe makes 2 full loaves, using the smaller 4.5 x 9 inch loaf pans. This recipe has evolved over the years, and I think this is the final version.
Oh, and enjoy! Woof Woof!
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion, chopped medium
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tbs Old Bay Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 2 pounds ground chuck (or meatloaf mixture if you prefer)
- 1 1/3 cups fresh bread crumbs
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley leaves, minced
- 8 thin-slices bacon (8-12 slices, depending on loaf shape)
Preparation:
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat oil in medium skillet. Add onion and garlic; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool while preparing remaining ingredients.
You can freeze leftovers in loaf pan, wrapped in wax paper, then foil, then placed in a freezer bag.
Goes great with Kibble and a bowl of water.
 |
WIN A Trip To Chicago For Baconfest From Denny’s
March 29, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Denny’s is giving away a trip for 2 to Baconfest in Chicago in April. Yum, bacon! See the Denny’s Facebook page for details and to enter.
Prize Details:
Enter today to win a trip for two to Baconfest 2011 in Chicago! Grand Prizewinner will receive the following:
VIP tickets for two (2) to Baconfest 2011, including airfare, and two nights accommodations
 |
