Sorry for the lack of updates

Things have been slightly hectic around here. I’ll try to get a few more recipes up soon. I haven’t forgotten about you all. Just had life happening all around me and I needed to get off of the computer and participate in it.

Better than a can Bean Dip

I love Fritos and bean dip, but that can is so expensive and you get so little of it! (Well, when you’re stuck sharing with two hungry boys). I decided to make my own, so here it is.  I also use this instead of canned refried beans in most of my Mexican recipes.

• 6 slices bacon
• 3/4 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbl. garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 tbls. chili powder
• 1/2 tbls. cumin
• 1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
• 1 tbls. lemon juice
• Cayenne, to taste
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

• In skillet, cook bacon until crisp
• Transfer to paper towels and pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat
• In the saved bacon grease, cook onion and garlic with salt and pepper to taste until tender
• Add chili powder and cumin and cook for a minute
• Add beans and cook, stirring, 5 minutes
• In food processor, puree bean mixture with all remaining ingredients except bacon until smooth
• Crumble bacon and stir into dip
• Refrigerate for a couple of hours to allow the flavors to fully blend
• Remove from fridge and serve at room temperature

Guiness Beef Pie

I got this recipe off of Jamie Oliver’s show on the Food Network. I absolutely love this dish. Hope you enjoy it too! @Bedwa this one is for you!

Jamie’s Good Old Steak and Guinness Pie from his book “Happy Days with the Naked Chef”  Serves 6.

580gr / l 1/2 lbs stewing steak, diced
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 heaped tablespoons flour
olive oil
1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
4 sticks celery, washed and roughly chopped
2 parsnips, peeled and roughly chopped
1 handful of fresh mixed herbs (rosemary, thyme and bay), leaves picked
565ml / 1 pint Guinness
2 x 400gr / 14oz tins of tomatoes
1 egg beaten

Season beef generously with salt and pepper, sprinkle in flour and toss until coated. Heat 2 or 3 glugs of olive oil in a large casserole type  pan and fry meat, in 2 batches if necessary,  until golden brown.

Add the onion and fry another minute, then add carrot, parsnips, celery and herbs. Fry for a further 4 minutes and then add Guinness and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 2 hours or until meat is  really tender.

The sauce should be really thick with an intensely tasty flavour.  Season.  At this point your could serve it as a stew with mash, or it will keep really well for a good 5 days in the fridge (while improving in flavour at the same time).

Spinach Lasagna

Spinach Lasagna

I don’t feel that all bacon recipes have to clog your arteries, so here’s one that’s filling, delicious and great for when your geek has his friends over.

Ingredients

• 1 (12 ounce) package lasagna noodles

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese

• 2 eggs

• 2 cups shredded provolone cheese

• 1/2 cup creamed cottage cheese

• 6 slices bacon

• 1 dash garlic powder

• 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add lasagna pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and rinse with cold water.

3. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside. Cook spinach according to directions; drain well.

4. In a bowl beat the cream cheese on medium speed with electric mixer. Add eggs and beat until fluffy. Stir in provolone cheese, cottage cheese, bacon and garlic powder. Layer half of lasagna noodles in a greased baking dish. Spread with half of cheese mixture and half of the spinach. Top with the remaining lasagna noodles, spinach and cheese.

5. Cover and bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes or until heated through.

Broiler Bacon Filets

Broiler Bacon Filets

If you want something impressive but don’t want to spend much time making it, then here you go. I would suggest doubling the recipe and still only making 6-8 patties, because they are fairly small.

Ingredients:

1pound ground beef
3/4 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
6 slices bacon
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
Directions

Preheat your oven’s broiler.

In a medium bowl, mix ground beef and bread crumbs. Add eggs, onion, salt and pepper; mix well. Shape into 6 thick patties. Wrap bacon around the outside rim of each patty, and secure with a toothpick or kitchen string.

Place on rack in broiler pan or casserole dish and broil 5 inches from heat source for 10 minutes. Take out of oven and turn patties over.

Mix ketchup, brown sugar and mustard in small bowl. Spoon over patties, and return to broil for 5 minutes longer or until meat is firm, and no longer pink in the center.

*Precook bacon some so you can get it crispy without over cooking the patties.

* Watch it closely after you baste the sauce on top, it will burn quick after you add that.

Chains’ Chicken

Chains Chicken

Just a word of warning, these bake up huge, so you can actually split them to feed 8. Or you can use them as an appetizer. Let them cool for about 10 minutes and then slice them like you would bread.

Ingredients:

4 chicken fillets
4 frozen puff pastry sheets
8 ounces of cream cheese
½ pound of bacon, can use more if you choose to
½ cup parsley, chopped
1 scallion thinly sliced (use green and white parts)
1 large egg
pepper to taste
salt to taste

Directions:

1. Cook your bacon until crisp, but not burnt. Drain on a paper towel and crumble.
2. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, parsley, onion, salt and pepper with a fork until mixed together well. Add your bacon and mix it in really well too.
3. Make a fairly deep cut in each chicken fillet. And spread 1/4 of the cream mixture in there.
4. Place the chicken on top of the puff pastry, with the cream cheese side down. Season the chicken with a generous amount of salt and pepper.
5. Beat a large egg, and brush a little on the edges of the puff pastry.
6. Just fold them until you end up with small packages. The egg will function as a glue. Lightly brush the top of the puff pastry with the egg as well.
7. Pop them in a preheated oven, and bake at 400F for 35 to 40 minutes.

Green Bean Bundles

Green Bean Bundles

This recipe is an easy way to disguise his veggies. Don’t worry, as long as he sees bacon, he’ll eat it, unless he’s extremely picky, and in that case, you just tell him to get his booty in the kitchen and make it himself.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed

• 8 bacon strips, partially cooked

• 1 tbs finely chopped onion

• 3 tbs bacon drippings, butter, or margarine

• 1 tbs white wine vinegar

• 1 tbs sugar

• ¼ tsp salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. Cook the beans until crisp-tender.

3. Wrap about 15 beans in each bacon strip, secure with a toothpick.

4. Place on a foil lined baking sheet

5. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until bacon is done.

6. In a skillet, saute onion in bacon grease until tender.

7. Add vinegar, sugar and salt, heat through.

8. Remove bundles to a serving bowl or platter, pour sauce over and serve immediately. 

Bacon Wrapped Mushrooms

Bacon Wrapped Mushrooms

These are a simple yet yummy appetizer that you can serve up in a hurry. They don’t require much prep time, but if you do want to make them ahead and just bake them at the last minute, go ahead. They are a huge hit at parties.

Ingredients:

• 20 baby bella mushrooms (you can use the white ones if you’re on a tight budget)

• 1 pound of bacon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Remove stems from mushrooms and wash gently but thoroughly. Drain hollow side down on paper towels.

3. Cut bacon pieces in half.

4. Wrap the bacon around the mushrooms, using toothpicks to secure it.

5. Place on a baking sheet and bake until bacon is crisp. 

Hawaiian Meatballs

This is a great recipe to throw together in the morning before work. It’s full of shortcuts too, so you can’t complain about it taking too long to prep.

Ingredients:

1 can (20 oz) unsweetened pineapple chunks, undrained

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1 package (32 oz) frozen fully cooked homestyle meatballs

2 medium green peppers cut into 1-inch pieces

1 jar maraschino cherries, drained

Directions:

1. Drain pineapple, reserving the juice in a 2 cup measuring cup. add enough water to juice to equal two cups

2. In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar and cornstarch. Gradually stir in the pineapple juice mixture until smooth. Stir in vinegar. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened

3. In a 3 qt crock pot, combine the meatballs, peppers and pineapple chunks. Stir in the pineapple juice mixture. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours, adding the cherries during the last 30 minutes of cooking.

Serve with rice if you want too.

Bacon Wrapped Pork Medallions

John, this one is for you… Ignore the baking part and throw this on the grill. Very yum

Ingredients

• 8 slices bacon
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 pounds pork tenderloin
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Place the bacon in a large, oven-safe skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until lightly browned and still flexible, 6 to 7 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate. Remove any excess bacon grease from the skillet. Combine garlic powder, seasoning salt, basil, and oregano in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. Wrap the pork tenderloin with the bacon strips securing with 1 or 2 toothpicks per strip of bacon. Slice the tenderloin between each bacon strip to create the medallions. Dip both sides of the medallions in seasoning mix. Melt butter and oil together in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Cook each medallion for 4 minutes on each side.
4. Place skillet into the preheated oven and bake until the pork is no longer pink in the center, 17 to 20 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 145 degrees F (63 degrees C).