Fried Egg Sandwich with Bacon and Blue Cheese

I about fell out of my chair when I read the title of this recipe.  Fried Egg Sandwich with Bacon and Blue Cheese.  How could a sandwich get any better!?  I immediately added the ingredients to my shopping list and couldn't wait to give this a try for dinner.

Bacon frying...

Shallots warming up.

With some Dijon.

I used spinach to toss with the bacon and dressing.

Piled it all on the bread as a nice bed for the fried egg.

And, the finished sandwich.

That Smitten Kitchen sure knows how to get my attention. Bacon. Blue Cheese.  Married in a sandwich.  A nice and rich, but not too heavy, sandwich that is great for dinner.  Click here for the recipe!

Avocado and Egg Sandwich

I despise lunch.  I used to look forward to lunch, especially when I worked downtown surrounded by a plethora of restaurants.  Pasta, mexican, sandwiches, seafood, american.  I never got bored of my options, but my wallet sure didn't like it. 

I have worked from home for almost nine years and it is rare for me to be able to leave the house to pick up something for lunch during the week.  Nothing ever sounds great for lunch at home, and its a bonus when I have leftovers from the previous night's dinner. I've been trying to come up with some new ideas.  Something quick and something not overly painful to make, especially for weekend lunch when I'm making food for four.  What do you like to eat for lunch?

For today's lunch with the family I surveyed the fridge and planned on a BLAT sandwich (bacon, lettuce, avocado, tomato).  I had already cooked the bacon so the only work would be slicing the avocado and tomato.  Then I recalled a Barefoot Contessa sandwich that used a fried egg along with bacon and avocado.  So we toasted up some bread, added bacon, fried egg, sliced avocado, salt/pepper and some cream cheese mixed with chopped green onion.  An excellent change from the usual coldcut sandwich.  Great flavors, good crunch and kept us full through the afternoon. 

Kitchen Sink Pasta

Pasta dishes are great. You don't really need a recipe to make a meal with noodles.  You can add just butter and some parmesean cheese for an ever popular kid dish (adult too!).  Or add some crushed tomatoes, basil and a pinch of salt for a light summery dish.  Or add some butter, cream, cooked bacon pieces and cooked butternut squash chunks. Or go all out and spend half a day making a hearty sauce.

Tonight I was staring two cooked chicken breasts, cooked bacon, and the makings for caprese salad.  Tony was at a golf tournament, so I wanted something fast to make.  But also flavorful.  I knew caprese wouldn't be a smart item to serve a 4 and 1 year old.  Instead I chopped it all up and tossed with fresh fettucine noodles.

To get started, I put the grape tomatoes on a cookie sheet lined with foil and sprinkled with salt and some olive oil.  I put it oven on broil until the skins started to split and char a bit.

Meanwhile I boiled the water and cooked the fresh fettucini noodles, chopped up the cooked chicken breasts, basil, mozzerella, and cooked bacon.  When the noodles were done, I drained them and reserved a cup of pasta water in case the finished pasta needed some moisture.  Then added the chopped up ingredients as well as the tomatoes to the noodles and sprinkled each serving with some grated parmesean.  It was a hit with everyone!

Chocolate Covered Bacon Salted Caramels

I'm not even sure making chocolate covered bacon salted caramels is legal.  If it is, it should be outlawed. Three of my favorite foods in one?  Sweet. Savory. To die for.  Not many got to sample this batch.  Most were reserved for my step brother and all the firemen at the Bellevue Fire Station with the cool ladder truck. 

They're a little labor intensive, so not on my usual rotation; but I may be taking orders for this or other chocolates. Let me know if you'd be interested. 

Pasta with Squash and Pancetta

Need a super tasty and fairy easy dinner?  Try this pasta recipe!  I am such a huge fan of squash and anything from the bacon family.  This will easily serve two adults and two kids, with side salads, bread, and fruit.

1 package cut up butternut squash from Trader Joe's, cut each cube in half (or whole squash cut in small cubes)

6 strips of pancetta or proscuitto (or even bacon!)

10 oz fusilli pasta

2 garlic cloves, chopped fine

1/2 c. whole milk or heavy cream

1/4 c. grated parmesan, plus more for serving

Coarse salt and ground pepper

Cook pasta and drain, but reserve about 1 cup of pasta water.

Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium heat.  Add pancetta (or bacon...) and cook until lightly browned and semi-crisp, 3-5min.  Transfer to plate lined with paper towel and leave fat in skillet.


Add squash and garlic to fat in skillet over medium heat and season with some salt and pepper.  Cover skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until squash begins to soften, 5 to 7 minutes. Uncover skillet, and continue to cook until squash is tender, 2 to 3 minutes more.

 

Add milk (or cream) and cooked pasta to skillet.  Mix well and cook until the sauce begins to thicken.

Remove skillet from heat and mix in cheese. Add enough reserved pasta water to create a sauce that coats pasta. Mix in the pancetta and after placing on individual plates sprinkle with a bit more cheese.

Kate's Strata

For Christmas brunch I made my friend Kate's excellent strata.  You put it together the night before and bake for about an hour in the morning.  The toughest part of the recipe is cooking and cutting the bacon (make the kids tear the bread apart!), and you could easily add a few ingredients if you have leftover ham, turkey, bell peppers, etc.  But, I don't think this strata needs any changing.  It is very good - so good that four people ate 3/4 of the 11x13 pan!

Highly Recommend!

Breakfast Strata, courtesy of Kate Hurley

1 package bacon, cooked and cut or crumbled into small pieces

½ loaf torn bread (I would use sourdough)
1 lb Monterey Jack Cheese grated
10 eggs
1½ cup milk
1/3 cup white wine
One bunch of green onions chopped
Pepper to taste and finish on top

Mix all; leave overnight. 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Apple Cup Saturday!

Today is the big Apple Cup game and I wanted to make comfort food with an apple twist.

For dessert I made individual apple pies.  I purchased the mini pie tins from the grocery store and one package of pre-made crust (containing two rounds of crust).  I sliced about 7 granny smith apples thin and cut in half, liberally sprinkled with sugar, a teaspoon of cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg.  Then I cooked them on the stove until they were slightly tender.

Before dividing the apples in the four mini pie tins, I drained them and cooked down the juice separately for a few minutes to make it more syrupy.

Once apples were divided in to the tins, I took a stick of butter and mixed with about a cup of flour and half cup of sugar.  Once the mixture is nice and crumbly I divided and sprinkled on top of the pies. Bake at 375 for 40-60 min, or until the juices start to bubble and the top is nicely browned.  (Check pie at about 20min and cover edges with foil if they're browning too quick)

For an appetizer I wrapped whole water chestnuts with thick slices of applewood smoked bacon.  Cut bacon in half and wrap around single chestnut.  Use a toothpick to close.  Bake at 400 for 10-20 minutes, you can also broil but watch closely.  This has got to be one of the most easy, cheap, and popular appetizers around.  You can typically find water chestnuts on sale for $1 per can, and there are about 20-25 in each. 

The finished pies:

The oil after frying chicken.  The finished product was so good - crispy outside and super moist on the inside.  The recipe is courtesy of Lisa Dupar and Pomegranite Bistro in Redmond, WA.  Recipe is at bottom of this post.

As a side to the chicken, I roasted fingerling potatoes in the colors of purple and gold!  You can typically find this mix in the grocery store.

Place the potatoes in a 8x8 pyrex or similar sized baker.  Add 1/3 cup unsalted butter, some salt and pepper, juice from one lemon and some chopped fresh rosemary if you have some.  Roast at 400 for 20-30 minutes or until tender.  Toss them frequently while cooking. 

Lisa’s Southern Fried Chicken, courtesy of Lisa Dupar
1 Whole Grown Fryer - cut for frying (ask the meat dept to do for you at grocery store)
Seasoning salt blend
1 Cup Buttermilk with 2 eggs - Egg Wash
Flour - All purpose
2-3 Sleeves of Saltine Crackers - Crushed by hand so your have coarse crumbs. (Not super fine.)
Corn or Peanut Oil for frying in a pan

Season chicken meat with your favorite seasoning salt. Dust with flour. Dip into buttermilk egg wash. Press into crushed saltine cracker crumbs.

Heat oil in a heavy skillet over med-high heat.

Fry until golden brown in skillet. This happens very quickly. Place on baking sheet & bake in 375-degree oven for 40-45 more minutes or until done. Reserve until you need to serve – warm quickly. Serve with mashers and slaw.

Corn & Shrimp Chowder with Bacon

I love bacon. Need I say more?  So when Martha Stewart's weekly email featured 50 recipes including bacon I was super excited.

This chowder was amazing!  The sweet crunch of corn mixed with the salty bacon and shrimp made for an excellent combo.  I will definitely be making this again. You must try it!

Corn & Shrimp Chowder with Bacon, courtesy of Martha Stewart

I Hate Peas

I hate peas.  I always have.  Mostly because my mom hates peas.  That means we never ate them and I have never ordered a meal that contains peas, if I can help it.  Sure, I'll add them to recipes when they're called for, but usually a little less than requested.

I love to cook and watch every season of Top Chef.  This year there was a big surge in 'english pea puree' used as sides or as a brightly colored accent for something to sit upon.  This gave me the want to make pureed peas for Charlotte to try.  And yes, I admit, I licked the spoon.  And yes, I admit, I licked the spoon again.

So when I came across a pasta recipe with bacon (winner!) and peas (loser!), I figured I'd give it a shot.  Blake liked it so much he ate all the peas and bacon and left the noodles!  Now that is a first. I even made my mom try the leftovers for lunch the next day.  On her birthday. Some would say that is beyond cruel thing to do to a pea hater.  Well, she ate it.  And said she actually liked it!

People, we must have an amazing recipe on our hands.  Well, lets not kid ourselves, it does have a good amount of bacon (and I always add lots more than called for!), cream, and some grated  parm on top.  I can say I did enjoy this dish and plan to make it again.  Go ahead, give it a try!

Fresh Angel-Hair Pasta with Bacon and Peas, courtesy of Martha Stewart

Serves 4 to 6

Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 slices bacon, sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
2 shallots, halved and thinly sliced
1 box (10 ounces) frozen peas, thawed
1 cup half-and-half
18 ounces fresh angel-hair pasta

Set a large pot of salted water to boil. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain (leave fat in skillet).

Add shallots to skillet; season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, 1 to 2 minutes. Add peas and half-and-half; season with salt and pepper. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.

Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta, and return to pot. Pour sauce over pasta; toss to combine, adding some reserved pasta water a little at a time to coat. Sprinkle with bacon, and serve immediately.  Click here for online recipe.

This would also make for a nice side dish with grilled salmon!

B.L.A.T.

Yup, it is true.  I dislike tomatoes.  They are mushy, smooshy, and have a very odd flavor.  But, I do love ketchup, spaghetti sauce, and even caprese salad if the tomato is extremely firm. I also love growing tomatoes but only because they are super easy.

Get a grape or cherry tomato near me and I will run away.

But when I saw this massive softball sized heirloom tomato at the market I couldn't resist. I had to have it.  Bonus - it was also very firm!  I also purchased applewood smoked bacon, a perfect avocado and fresh sourdough bread.  The makings of a perfect BLAT (bacon, lettuce, avocado, tomato).

And the best side for a hearty BLAT?  Sweet potato fries of course!

Chicken and Bacon Sandwich

Sometimes you just want a sandwich for dinner.  It is hot out and you don't really want to deal with anything.  I bbq'd some chicken breasts, and baked some bacon in the oven (much less messy than cooking on stovetop).

To cook bacon in the oven, place a big sheet of foil in a cookie sheet.  Turn up the edges of foil so it acts like a pan to catch drippings, and to hopefully keep your cookie sheet pretty clean.  Put a metal drying rack over foil and lay bacon across.

Place sheet in a 400-415 degree oven and bake for about 10 minutes.  Turn bacon and cook a couple more minutes or until desired crispness.

Our sandwiches featured bbq'd chicken breast, sliced avocado, bacon, swiss cheese, lettuce, and mayo that I mixed with some lemon zest.  Pretty tasty combo!

Chicken Caesar Club Sandwich

I have been eyeing this recipe for months.  I've heard rave reviews from friends.  So I finally got on board and made Ina Garten's Caesar club sandwiches for our Sunday dinner.

To save time I purchased a whole roasted chicken and cut up the two breasts (I'll use remaining chicken for lunch tomorrow when my mom is over).  Not only does this dramatically reduce prep time, it also allows you to make more sandwiches as we had a lot of the Caesar dressing left over.

This recipes says it makes 3 sandwiches.  I'd say more like 4-5 depending on how big you make 'em.  We (husband, mom, and Blake) all agreed this recipe gets two thumbs up and will definitely be put on our rotation of favorites for lunch or dinner.

In addition, you could use bacon instead of pancetta if you want a stronger flavor or already have some at home.

Chicken Caesar Club Sandwich, Ina Garten

2 split (1 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on (I used 2 precooked chicken breasts)
Good olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces thinly sliced pancetta
1 large garlic clove, chopped
2 Tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 tsp anchovy paste
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 c. good mayonnaise
1 large ciabatta bread
2 ounces baby arugula, washed and spun dry
12 sun-dried tomatoes, in oil
2 to 3 ounces Parmesan, shaved

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan skin side up. Rub the chicken with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until cooked through. Cool slightly, discard the skin and bones, and slice the meat thickly. Set aside.

Meanwhile, place the pancetta on another sheet pan in a single layer. Roast for 10 to 15 minutes, until crisp. Set aside to drain on paper towels.

Place the garlic and parsley in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until minced. Add the anchovy paste, mustard, lemon juice, and mayonnaise and process again to make a smooth dressing. (Refrigerate the Caesar dressing if not using it immediately.)

Slice the ciabatta in half horizontally and separate the top from the bottom. Toast the bread in the oven, cut side up, for 5 to 7 minutes; cool slightly. Spread the cut sides of each piece with the Caesar dressing. Place half the arugula on the bottom piece of bread and then layer in order: the sun-dried tomatoes, shaved Parmesan, crispy pancetta, and sliced chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and finish with another layer of arugula. Place the top slice of ciabatta on top and cut in thirds crosswise. Serve at room temperature.

Bacon? Yes please!

I finally bit the bullet.  I've been walking past Bacon Salt for weeks.  I've heard rave reviews and finally had to give in to the curiousity.  I give two thumbs up... sprinkle a little on chicken breasts before grilling and it adds a nice flavor.  Sprinkle a bit on a steak for more depth.  Yup, I'm a fan!

Corn Chowder

My friend Piper made this amazing corn chowder for Charlotte and my baby shower back in January. I think everyone at the shower had a second helping.  It is really that good!  The original recipe is from Cooks Illustrated, and I have made some minor tweaks to speed up the cooking process and give a little more bacon flavor.

Definitely add this soup to your rotation of meals.  It makes a good amount and kids seem to love it too!

Corn Chowder

6 c. frozen corn kernels, semi thawed (I typically buy sweet corn)

3 strips bacon

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 large onion , preferably Spanish, chopped fine

2 medium cloves garlic , minced

3 Tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour

3 c. low sodium chicken stock or chicken broth

2 medium-large red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/4-inch cubes (about 2 c.)

1 bay leaf

1 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves (or 1/4 tsp dried)

2 c. whole milk

1 c. heavy cream

2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley leaves

1 1/2 tsp table salt

Ground black pepper

Set aside 3 cups of corn kernels.  Place remaining 3 cups of kernels in food processor and pulse 10-15 times so you end up with chopped kernels and some juices (this should give you about 2 to 2.5 cups). Transfer to separate bowl and set aside.

Sauté bacon in Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, turning with tongs until crisp and golden brown, about 5-10 minutes. Reduce heat to low, stir in butter and onions, cover pot, and cook until softened, about 12 minutes. Remove bacon, chop up in small pieces and reserve.

Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Whisking constantly, gradually add stock. Add potatoes, bay leaf, thyme, milk, 2-2.5 cups chopped corn, and diced cooked bacon; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until potatoes are almost tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the 3 cups reserved corn kernels and heavy cream and return to simmer.

Simmer until corn kernels are tender yet still slightly crunchy, about 5 minutes longer. Discard bay leaf. Stir in parsley, salt, and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Bacon. Salted. Caramels. 'Nuf said

What does chopped bacon, butter, sugar and a little elbow grease create? Bacon Salted Caramels. TOO. DIE. FOR. I'd post a picture of the finished product, but then I'd end up eating more of them...

Here is a link for a similar recipe.  I can't find the one I used and am on the quest to tear my house apart!