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Twice-Baked Potato Bites

February 20, 2013 · by · 49 Comments
Twice Baked Potato Bites from ItsYummi.com #appetizer #recipe #3SI @landolakesktchn

Twice Baked Potato Bites from ItsYummi.com #appetizer #recipe #3SI @landolakesktchn

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I really appreciate simple things in life. Things that don't require me to think until my brain hurts. Like puzzles with less than 50 pieces, assembly directions with WORDS as well as photos, and ALL WEATHER tires.  Good gravy...Do I look like the kind of girl who'd want to change my tires with the seasons?  Umm... no.
Now that I've mentioned it, who really DOES want to change their tires with the seasons?!  Strange people, I suppose.  They exist everywhere.  Or perhaps those bulky weight lifter people.  I suppose lifting a tire for a weight lifter is the equivalent of me picking up a piece of toast.  Hey, to each their own.

 

Twice Baked Potato Bites from ItsYummi.com #appetizer #recipe #3SI @landolakesktchn

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Filed Under: 5 ingredient dishes, Appetizers, Food Facts, potatoes, recipes · Tagged: , , , ,

Chicken Bacon Ranch Mac & Cheese

January 23, 2013 · by · 10 Comments
Chicken Bacon Ranch Mac & Cheese from ItsYummi.com #recipe #Dreamfields

Have you entered my KINDLE FIRE GIVEAWAY yet?

 

I'm super excited about today's recipe for some very special reasons.  First and foremost, it involves BACON and CHEESE.  Helllooooo LOVER!

Chicken Bacon Ranch Mac & Cheese from ItsYummi.com #recipe #Dreamfields

I also love this recipe because it was inspired by a wonderful blogger buddy of mine.  Wait... Buddy is FAR too generic a term for me to use when speaking of a special friend like Monica. She's helpful, thoughtful, beautiful, and lots of other "ul" words.  I love her immensely.  That's a MUCH better description of her.

Anyhoo, when she posted this recipe for ooey gooey grown up mac & cheese, I just knew I needed to make it as quickly as possible.

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Ina Garten’s Grown Up Bacon Mac & Cheese

December 2, 2012 · by · 52 Comments
Grown Up Bacon Mac & Cheese from ItsYummi

 

Ina Garten's Grown Up Bacon Mac & Cheese from ItsYummi.com

 

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of food and cooking shows.  For as long as the Food Network has been in existence, I've had my butt plastered to the couch to watch my favorite chefs teach me how to knock the socks off of my loved ones.  They've helped teach me the methods necessary to roast the world's juiciest turkey and create a succulent stew.  While many of my friends sat down to watch episodes of Real Housewives or Grey's Anatomy (is that show even on anymore?) I watched stars like Ina Garten.  I LOVE to watch Ina create goodness in her kitchen.  She's earthy and elegant and incredibly talented.  Basically, a polar opposite of me.  You know opposites attract, right?  That's why I'm perfectly content loving Ina for what she is and what she does!

When I joined the Sunday Supper group last week, I had NO idea what a treat I would be in for with this week's theme.  I felt like a kid on Christmas when they told me that the theme for this week is "Favorite Chef Inspired Dishes".  I squealed with delight!

Truthfully, it wasn't difficult deciding which chef I wanted to emulate, but it WAS rough deciding which of Ina's dishes I wanted to create.  I flipped through a few pages of "How Easy is That" and then I thought I'd head over to the Barefoot Contessa website to see if there was anything shouting my name.  Indeed there was!  I'm a comfort food JUNKIE, so when I landed on this gem of a recipe, for Grown Up Mac & Cheese, I just knew I wanted to take it and make it my own.

I'm sure there are plenty of kids who would enjoy a bowl of this comfort, but it's definitely not a taste you'll get from a blue box.  Ina's recipe starts with a basic Bechamel sauce, and then she kicks it into high gear adding a rich blend of sharp cheddar and Gruyère cheeses. She makes it even more grown up by adding fresh tomatoes and home made bread crumbs to the top before she bakes it.  It sounds delightful in its own right, but good tomatoes are hard to come by right now, so I knew I'd need to find a suitable substitute.  Fact numero uno about yours truly...I don't turn down an opportunity to use bacon where ever and when ever possible, and kids, THIS was a possible moment!  In addition to the bacon, I also decided to add some additional cheesiness.  MORE CHEESE PLEASE!  I used a blend of white cheddar and Gruyère, but then I took it up a couple more notches.  I wanted my grown up mac to be REALLY grown up... sophisticated even.  So I added tangy crumbled Blue Cheese, and just to give it some extra creaminess, I tossed in a couple of ounces of cream cheese.  That's right...I went there!  What?  You've never seen a Wisconsinite doing what she does best?  Come on.  You KNOW you need to have this in your mouth.

Ina Garten's Grown Up Bacon Mac & Cheese from ItsYummi.com

 

5.0 from 1 reviews

Ina Garten's Grown Up Bacon Mac & Cheese
 
Created By:

Recipe Category: Main Dish
Cuisine: Pasta
Serves: 6-8
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Print

 
This isn't kid stuff! It's loaded with 4 cheeses and bacon. It's baked macaroni and cheese made with GROWN UPS in mind!
WHAT'S NEEDED
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 pound uncooked elbow macaroni (or small pasta shape of your choosing)
  • 4 cups (1 quart) milk
  • 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 6 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated
  • 8 ounces white cheddar cheese, grated
  • 4 ounces ounces crumbled blue cheese
  • 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 4 ounces crisply cooked and crumbled bacon
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs

HOW TO MAKE IT
  1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add enough salt to make the water taste "like the sea". Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well in a colander.
  3. Meanwhile, heat the milk over medium heat in a small saucepan, but don’t boil it. Melt 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) of butter in a large (4-quart) pot and add the flour, stirring to create a roux. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. Slowly whisk the hot milk into the roux and cook over medium heat, stirring occassionally, until thickened and smooth. Turn heat to low and add all cheeses, crumbled bacon, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish.
  4. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the bread crumbs are browned on the top.

IMPORTANT STUFF
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa's Grown Up Mac & Cheese, by Ina Garten

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Thanks to Tammi from Momma's Meals for hosting this week's Sunday Supper!

Please join on Twitter for #SundaySupper on December 2, 2012, throughout the day. In the evening, we will meet at 7 PM EST for our weekly #SundaySupper live chat. All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag or you can follow us through TweetChat

For more great recipes inspired by great chefs, check out what the rest of the Sunday Supper group is cooking up!

 

Starters or Snacks :

Martin at ENOFYLZ Wine Blog - Oyster and Brie Soup and Wine Pairings for Celebrity Chef #SundaySupper

Linda at The Urban Mrs. - Inspired by Bobby Flay, Lobster Chowder with Roasted Corn Salsa

Erin from Dinners, Dishes and Desserts - Rachael Ray’s Cinnamon Popcorn

Cindy over at Cindy’s Recipes and Writings - Jamie Oliver’s Bread and Tomato Soup

Jeff at The Catholic Foodie - Drop Biscuits – Breakfast with Chef John Besh

Renee over at Kudos Kitchen By Renee - Giada De Laurentiis’ Garlic Toasts With Red Pepper Aioli

 

The Main Dish:

Sheila at Cooking Underwriter – Paula Deen’s  Chicken in a Crock Pot w/ Sauerkraut and Apples

Laura over at Small Wallet Big Appetite – Martin Yan’s Beef Chow Fun

Sarah over at Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends - Michael Symon’s Lola burger with crab tater tots

Susan at The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen - Ina Garten’s Baked Shrimp Scampi

Tammi at Momma’s Meals – Lee Drummond’s Sloppy Joe’s

Lane over at Supper for a Steal - Bobby Flay’s Rosemary Bricked Chicken

Tara from Noshing with the Nolands - Michael Symon’s Pork and Apple Scallopini

Shannon at Country Girl in the Village – Simple Red Sauce over Rigatoni. Inspired by,  Debi Mazar and Gabriele Corcos

Kris over at In the Kitchen with Audrey and Maurene - Rachael Ray’s Muffin Tin Meatloaf

Nicole from The Daily Dish Recipes - Paula Deen’s Slow Cooker Pulled Pickled Pork Sandwiches

Alice at  Hip Foodie Mom - Sunday Pot Roast with Risotto Cakes from Kelsey Nixon

Jen over at  Juanita’s Cocina - The Neely’s White Turkey Chili

Brianne from Cupcakes & Kale Chips - Crockpot Beef Pot Roast with Mushrooms inspired by Giada DeLaurentiis

Isabel at Family Foodie - Polenta with Garlicky Shrimp inspired by Chef Todd English

Wendy from The Weekend Gourmet - Shrimp Penne in Pesto Cream Sauce, From Emeril Lagasse

Bobbi over at Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen - Cheesy Poblano Chicken

Patti at Comfy Cuisine - Tyler Florence’s Chicken Francese

Roxanne over at The Roxx Box - Jambalaya Pasta with Penne, Chicken, Shrimp and Andouille

Sue from Sue’s Nutrition Buzz – Rachael Ray’s Spicy Corn Chowdah Mac ‘n’ Cheese

Jamie at Mama Mommy Mom - Penne with Asparagus, Smoked Gouda and Prosciutto. Adapted from, Giada De Laurentiis’

Tora over at Tora’s Real Food – Pork and beans with Alton Brown’s pickled pork

Elisabeth over at The Hand That Rocks The Ladle - Emeril’s New Orleans Style Red Beans & Rice

 

Amazing Sides:

Megan from I Run For Wine - Curtis Stone’s Acorn Squash Roasted with Thyme

Sandi over at Midlife Road Trip -  Gabriele Corcos’s Gnocchi di Patate

Shelby at  Diabetic Foodie - Orange Pecan Black Rice, adapted from Ina Garten

Katie from She likes Ruffles, He likes Truffles - Chef Fabio Viviani’s Spinach and Artichoke Risotto

 

Sweet Endings:

Renee over at Magnolia Days – Brownie Tart

Conni at The Foodie Army Wife - Inspired by Ree Drummond – Scrumptious Apple Coffee Cake

Paula over at Vintage Kitchen Notes - Bill Granger´s Cherry Tart

Pam from The Meltaways – Savannah Sheet Cake

Katy over at Happy Baking Days - Mary Berry’s Treacle Tart

Jaime over at Mom’s Test Kitchen - Southern Tea Cakes

Amy over at Kimchi MOM - Crack Pie, I Can’t Quit You

Lyn from The Lovely Pantry - Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Squares

Melanie at From Fast Food to Fresh Food – Sand Tarts

 

Wine Pairings: 

Martin at ENOFYLZ Wine Blog


Filed Under: bacon, casseroles, pasta, recipes, Side Dishes · Tagged: , , , , ,

Zucchini Bacon and Potato Pancakes

July 15, 2012 · by · 20 Comments
Zucchini Bacon and Potato Pancakes from ItsYummi.com

It's Sunday!  In my yummilicious world, there are three givens that I adore about Sundays:

 

~~ SLEEPING IN!  Rolling over in the morning and finding the love of my life lying next to me in bed.  Not having his alarm clock making annoying buzzy noises at 5:15 a.m. once a week is beyond blissful!

 

Incidentally, I have no idea whose baby that is, but I secretly hope that the next time I open my front door, I find that sweet angel swaddled in a basket with a note that says, "take me in and love me forever".  I think I'm addicted to those chubby arms and that sweet pouty lip... or maybe I'm just overly hormonal and waxing poetic because I'm going in for a hysterectomy on Tuesday.  Bye-bye uterus.  You've served me well.  Now get lost.

~~ BRUNCH!   Since we usually attend church services on Saturday night, Brian and I are able to stay lazy in bed for a while on Sunday and then treat ourselves with a wonderful late morning brunch.  Nothing says HELLO SUNDAY like comfort food in my face.  It's the WOO to the HOO and the piggy to my pork fat.

 

~~ SUNDAYS WITH JOY!  Every Sunday for the past couple of months, a group of wonderful food bloggers and I have been creating delicious meals using recipes from Joy the Baker's latest cookbook, "100 Simple and Comforting Recipes".  I adore everything about the book, right down to Joy's loverly face on the cover.  She's just so sweet!

 

Please click here to buy yourself a copy of this wonderful book. In full disclosure, if you do, I'll receive a teeny tiny bit of compensation for it.

 

I think t's a wonderful coincidence that today's recipe for zucchini bacon and potato pancakes, which I adapted a bit from Joy's recipe, fits perfectly into the Sunday brunch category.  Serve these beauties up with some over easy eggs and you've got yourself a double score bonus!!  CHA-CHING!

 

So please do me a favor, won't you?  Leave a comment below and tell me...what's YOUR favorite thing about Sundays?

 

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Zucchini Bacon and Potato Pancakes

Rating: 51

15 minutes

15 minutes

4-6 pancakes

Serving Size: 2 pancakes

Zucchini Bacon and Potato Pancakes

These pancakes are crispy on the outside, moist on the inside, and packed with comforting flavors that will compliment almost any dish!

WHAT YOU\'LL NEED

  • 2-3 slices bacon, diced and crisply cooked
  • 1 Tablespoon salted or unsalted butter, if needed
  • 1 small yellow or white onion, finely diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 medium zucchini, grated (I used a box grater)
  • 2 medium potatoes (approx. 5 ounces each), peeled and grated
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1/8 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • Sour cream or crème fraiche for serving (optional)

HOW TO MAKE IT

Place zucchini and potato into a colander over a medium-sized bowl. Sprinkle with salt and toss to coat. Let the mixture sit in the colander for about 10 minutes, then press down with a clean towel to squeeze out the excess water.

While you’re waiting for the mixture to drain, place a medium-sized sauté or fry pan over medium heat. Place diced bacon into the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, until some of the bacon has rendered and there are approximately 1-2 Tablespoons of grease in the pan. Add onion and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the bacon is almost crispy. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Remove bacon, onion, and garlic from the pan with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to drain. Remove the pan from the heat, but do not remove grease from the pan.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the egg, flour, baking powder, pepper, and paprika. Add the bread crumbs, cooked bacon mixture, and the zucchini and potato mixture and stir to combine. Fold in the Parmesan cheese until everything is well combined.

Place the sauté pan you used to cook the bacon back over medium heat. If the pan seems dry, add 1 Tablespoon of butter. Once the pan has reheated, drop in the batter 1/8 cup (2 Tablespoons) at a time. Flatten each pancake gently with a fork. Cook for about 2 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Flip the pancakes over and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Place on an oven-safe plate and keep the cooked pancakes warm at 200 degrees until you’re ready to serve them. If desired, top with sour cream or crème fraiche before serving.

Notes

Recipe adapted from "Joy the Baker Cookbook - 100 Simple and Comforting Recipes" by Joy Wilson

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Just an FYI - I won't have access to my computer while I'm in the hospital this week, but if all goes well, I should be home sometime on Thursday.  I'll have another yummilicious recipe posted for you as soon as this old body allows me to get back into the kitchen.  In the meantime, I'll make sure that someone is posting updates on my condition over on my Facebook fan page.  I adore you for being a part of my world.  Please come back and visit me again soon, ok?

 

Until we meet again, may your heart and stomach both be well fed, and may you be blessed with all things yummilicious!  ~~ Becca

 

Filed Under: bacon, recipes, Side Dishes · Tagged: , , , , ,

Frugal Feeding – Mashed Potato Soup

April 5, 2012 · by · Leave a Comment
mashed potato soup

I don't know about your week, but my week has been insaaaaaanely busy!  I volunteered at my church to help bake items to serve at the Easter weekend services.  By volunteer, I mean, I got crazy in the head and offered to bake 27 dozen goodies and accept no pay whatsoever for them.  Like I said, crazy, but believe it or not, I feel incredibly blessed right now.  Getting out of the house has been a good treatment for my anxiety disorders, and besides that, the skills I learned in the culinary program at FVTC are finally being used for the good of my fellow man (and woman!)

Anyway, because I've been so busy, poor Brian has been completely neglected in the area of home cooked meals this week.  I'm grateful that I made a couple of dishes over the weekend that we've been able to reheat and enjoy, but he really deserves a nice freshly prepared meal tonight.  That's why I'm going to make a big batch of this mashed potato soup.  I love that it's hearty enough to stand up on its own if need be, and that it's super quick and easy to prepare...less than 30 minutes from stove to table.  The best news of all is that it's a frugal feeding meal of the week, coming in at $.84 per serving.  I'll serve it up with a nice tossed salad and some Lia Marie's garlic bread on my favorite sprouted grain baguette and we'll be feasting for just under $1.00 per serving!  CHA-CHING!!

The shopping and ingredient list for this soup can be found HERE, along with some printable grocery coupons and grocery store ad match-ups that will help you save even more money in the making of this dish.

Of course, a great bowl of soup can also be complimented with a great sandwich, and when the recipe for this one arrived in my inbox, my eyes rolled into the back of my head and I started drooling all over myself.  How many ways can I say YUMMILICIOUS without sounding like a whacked out foodie?  Wait...don't answer that.  Just make this soup and enjoy the rest of your week!  :)

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Frugal Feeding – Mashed Potato Soup

10 minutes

20 minutes

6 servings

Frugal Feeding – Mashed Potato Soup

WHAT YOU\'LL NEED

  • 4 baking potatoes (about 2 pounds)
  • 4 slices bacon
  • 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups milk
  • 4 ounces shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack, or similar cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped chives

HOW TO MAKE IT

Prick potatoes all over with a fork; microwave on high until cooked through, turning once, 12 to 15 minutes total. Let cool slightly and scoop out flesh, discarding skins. Mash with a fork. In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp, turning once, about 10 minutes total. Let cool, then crumble.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk until smooth and light golden, about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk and cook, whisking, until thickened, 5 to 6 minutes.

Stir in cheese, potatoes, cayenne pepper (if using) and 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until cheese melts and soup is heated through. Whisk in sour cream. Check seasoning and add additional salt and pepper if desired.

Divide among 6 soup bowls and sprinkle each with bacon and chives.

Notes

Recipe adapted from the April 2012 issue of All You magazine

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Filed Under: bacon, frugal recipes, grocery savings, meal planning, soup · Tagged: , , , , ,

Strawberry Spinach Salad

March 21, 2012 · by · Leave a Comment
strawberry spinach salad

HAPPY CALIFORNIA STRAWBERRY DAY!  Whoa....Whaaaat?  You didn't know that today was the day to celebrate all things red, juicy, and delicious?   Well read on, and then scoot your cute self to the grocery store to pick up some deliciously healthy berries and INDULGE in the goodness!

Before you make that trip to the store, you might want to print out these coupons, because these deals are TOO awesome!  You can get yourself a FREE bottle of Coffee-Mate creamer, a FREE sample of Lipton tea & honey, some lunch meat, gummy bears (TOTAL YUM!) and for those looking to watch what they eat, I even found a coupon for South Beach health bars!

FREE bottle of Coffee-Mate® Creamer

$0.50 off HORMEL NATURAL CHOICE Deli Meat

$1.00 off one box of South Beach Diet Meal Bars

FREE sample of Lipton Tea & Honey

$0.30 off 4 oz. or larger HARIBO product

This healthy, delicious strawberry salad is a refreshing taste of summer any time of year!  Topped with crisp bacon, crumbled bleu cheese, and slivered almonds, it's sure to become a favorite at your house!

Filed Under: 5 ingredient dishes, bacon, coupons, grocery savings, Healthy Foods, recipes · Tagged: , , , , ,

Quinoa Pasta Bundles

February 17, 2012 · by · 4 Comments
Quinoa Pasta Bundles

I love when other people are smarter than I am and they allow me to suck off some of their smartness and put it into my own head.  People like my culinary mentor, Chef Jeff.  Better yet, food bloggers like Jessica.  She shared her knowledge and love for quinoa (pronounced “KEEN-wah“) pasta with me and now I can't eat enough of it.  Seriously.  I've gone through so much of it, I should have SUPERGRAIN HERO stamped across my forehead or something.

For those of you that haven't heard of quinoa pasta, or quinoa for that matter, slide out from underneath that heavy rock you've likely been lying under and allow me to enlighten your brain on the wonders of quinoa.  Actually, I found a fantasmic (yes, that's a word and no, you don't need to get out Webster's to check... just trust me) article that sums it up and describes it perfectly.  Check it out here.  Please... I'll wait :)

 

 

Now that you know why it's so wonderful and why I adore it so much, I want you to have a chance to indulge in its nutty, protein-packed, delightful goodness.

I opened up my well stocked refrigerator last night and threw this recipe together on the fly.  I've always been a self professed carboholic, but I've been craving them even more than usual this week.  This dish was a wonderful way to incorporate my craving into a healthy meal.  The fact that it contains bacon, cooked up in less than 30 minutes, and requires only 5 ingredients makes it a hands down dinner winner in my book.  Pair it up with a fresh salad and some Lia Marie's garlic bread and you'll be sent straight into a culinary Heaven so wonderful that you likely won't want to return to Earth any time soon.

I hope you'll give this recipe a try, and if you do, please come back and let me know what you thought of it.  I'm always welcome to accepting compliments and constructive criticism.

Thanks, and I hope you have a yummilicious weekend!

 

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Quinoa Pasta Bundles

Rating: 51

15 minutes

20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

4 servings

Serving Size: 1 bundle

Quinoa Pasta Bundles

Good for you quinoa pasta is nestled with a comforting blend of spinach, bacon, and cheeses to create a quick and easy, protein packed dinner that you're sure to love.

WHAT YOU\'LL NEED

  • 2 quarts (8 cups) water
  • 2 Tablespoons Kosher salt
  • 4 ounces quinoa pasta (raw, uncooked)
  • 4 strips bacon, cut julienne style and cooked crisp
  • 3 cups fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
  • 1 whole egg
  • 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

HOW TO MAKE IT

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F (350 F if using a convection oven)

In a large pot over medium high heat, bring 2 quarts (8 cups) of water to a slow rolling boil.

Place the spinach into a steamer basket or mesh strainer and place over the water. Steam 3-4 minutes or until the spinach has wilted. Place into a strainer to drain for a couple of minutes, then squeeze as much water as possible from the spinach and set aside.

Raise the heat on the stove to high and bring the water to a rolling boil. Add the salt and cook the pasta as directed on the package to al dente (don't overcook the pasta, as it will finish cooking in the oven). Drain and add the olive oil. Toss to coat.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a frying pan over medium heat, until it's rendered and crispy. Place between sheets of paper towel to drain.

In a medium bowl, combine the spinach, ricotta, bacon, egg, and half of the Parmesan cheese..

Spray a large casserole dish or jelly roll pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Loosely form the pasta into 4 nests. Place 1/4 of the spinach mixture into the center of each nest and top with the remaining grated cheese.

Place into the oven and bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until the cheese is browned slightly.

Serve with a tossed salad and garlic bread and enjoy!

Notes

Weight Watchers Plus Points = 8 per bundle

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For more cookbooks about cooking with all kinds of grains, try a Barnes and Noble promotional code and possibly save some money.

Filed Under: 5 ingredient dishes, bacon, recipes · Tagged: , , , , , ,

Bacon Burger Stuffed Peppers

February 3, 2012 · by · 2 Comments
BaconBurgerStuffedPeppers

Happy Friday!  In my preparations for this weekend's Superbowl festivities, I've had a couple of baking disasters in the kitchen.

For example, I completely destroyed a perfectly innocent batch of cookie dough that was loaded with beautiful bittersweet chocolate chips and mini M&M's in it.  Isn't that sad?  I've had a cold all week and my head was so stuffed up, I completely forgot to set the timer when I put the cookies into the oven.  I know, I know... I'm AWFUL, but I have a good excuse.  Really!  I walked outside to get the mail and as I was walking back to the house, I stopped to be a friendly person and wave at the neighbor kids as they were getting off the school bus.  Then I HAD to stop again to pet an adorable puppy, because we all know how irresistible puppy ears and tails are.  Am I right or am I right?

Anyway, when I walked back into the house 15 minutes later, the cookie damage had been done. Those poor cookies didn't stand a chance.  I'm glad that I was stingy enough to have eaten some of the dough when I was panning them up so at least the dough wasn't a TOTAL waste!

Anyway, I trudged on in my diligent effort to have a kitchen success.  I took an informal poll on my Facebook page yesterday, asking if you guys wanted me to make something sweet or savory today.  The results were a dead even tie, so I decided to go with savory, hoping to brush off the bad baking mojo.

If you've been a reader of this blog for any length of time, you already know about my fanaticism for bacon.  It's practically a food group in itself around this house.  Since the beginning of 2012, I've been trying to eat healthier, so bacon has had to take a seat on the back burner.  HOWEVER, it was my birthday this week (you DID enter the giveaway, didn't you?) so I decided to splurge on the calories a bit.  I made up some of these mouthwatering stuffed peppers.

The combination of ground chuck and ground bacon with gorgeous melted cheese just screams comfort food and takes me to my happy place.  Incidentally, my happy place has food with no fat or calories in it, so you really should consider making a stop there soon.  Now would be a great time!

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Bacon Burger Stuffed Peppers

Rating: 51

25 minutes

34 minutes

4-6 servings

Serving Size: 1 pepper

Bacon Burger Stuffed Peppers

A savory blend of ground chuck and ground bacon gives these stuffed peppers a comfort food kick that's sure to be a crowd pleaser!

WHAT YOU\'LL NEED

  • 4 to 6 large green bell peppers
  • 3/4 pound ground beef
  • 1/4 pound ground bacon (I had my butcher grind me a blend of ground chuck and bacon)
  • 4 to 6 bite sized mozzarella cheese balls (I used a local Wisconsin cheese made by BelGioioso)
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 can (14 oz.) Italian diced tomatoes
  • 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 to 1 1/2 cups cooked rice
  • 1 can (8 oz.) tomato or marinara sauce
  • 2-3 slices of fresh mozzarella cheese

HOW TO MAKE IT

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. (325 degrees if using a convection oven)

Cut tops off bell peppers and remove the seeds and membrane. Prepare an ice water bath and blanch the peppers in salted, boiling water for 4 minutes. Shock them in the ice water, drain, and cool.

Brown the meat and onion in a skillet over medium high heat. Drain off the oil. Add tomatoes,

Worcestershire, salt and pepper and cooked rice. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes.

Place a mozzarella ball into the bottom of each pepper and stand them up in a casserole dish.

Add the meat filling and top each pepper with some tomato sauce and 1/2 slice of cheese.

Bake for about 30 minutes, until the peppers are tender. Top each pepper with some tomato sauce and 1/2 slice of mozzarella cheese and continue baking for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Serve with a side of garlic bread (I use Lia Marie’s 4-cheese garlic spread on a French baguette and toast in the oven while the cheese on the peppers is melting)

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To finish off your meal, serve up a comfort food dessert like Dutch apple pie with ice cream... YUMMILICIOUS!

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Cheesy Chicken Bacon Bundles

September 7, 2011 · by · Leave a Comment
5-ingredient fix

This is one of the simplest 5-ingredient dinners I've made to date. It may be small in ingredients, but it's big in flavor!

5-ingredient fix

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Cheesy Chicken Bacon Bundles

Rating: 51

10 minutes

35 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

4 servings

This 5-ingredient chicken dinner may be small on ingredients, but it's large on flavor!

WHAT YOU\'LL NEED

  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 8 slices bacon
  • 8 oz. of Philly cream cheese
  • ½ cup frozen spinach (thawed, drained, squeezed of liquid)
  • tsp. of lemon zest
  • 1 tsp. of lemon juice
  • 2 tsp. of black pepper

HOW TO MAKE IT

Heat oven to 375 F.

Place each chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper. Using a mallet, pound the chicken breasts flat.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or wooden spoon to combine cream cheese, spinach, lemon zest, lemon juice, and black pepper. Lay some of the mixture into the center of each piece of chicken.

Roll up each piece and wrap two pieces of bacon around each one, inserting 2 toothpicks into each one to hold the bundle together.

Bake in a baking dish that’s been sprayed with non-stick spray at 375 F for 35 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 163 F.

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Cheesy Chicken and Bacon Roll-Ups

August 23, 2011 · by · 5 Comments
baconlike

One of my wonderful readers, Chrissy, requested that I share recipes that are very easy to make, with 5 ingredients or less, and are easy on the wallet.  Ask and you shall receive, my friend!

I love this recipe on multiple levels.  First and of utmost importance, it includes bacon.  Ohhhh, bacon.  I.LOVE.YOU.

Let's not forget the cheese, either.  Creamy cream cheese.  CHEESE.

I'll begrudgingly put aside the fats for a moment and mention that this recipe also includes some good-for-you healthiness, in the way of protein; namely...chicken.  I happen to love chicken, but if you don't, you could easily substitute turkey or pork  cutlets for the chicken breasts.

Then there's spinach.  Packed with iron and antioxidants, it's one of the healthiest veggies around...especially for me. I admit, I never learned to appreciate and love the taste of spinach until I was diagnosed with anemia.  I hated the taste of it, but then a genius decided to cover it with artichoke hearts, Bechamel sauce, and lots of ooey, gooey, Parmesan cheese.  Once that happened, I knew that there were redeeming qualities in it that could no longer be overlooked!  Truthfully, it's all in the cooking process.  There's not much more unappetizing than overcooked veggies, and spinach is VERY easy to overcook.  It requires barely more than 2 minutes in a steam bath to look and taste wonderful.

I've made this recipe more convenient for you by using frozen spinach.  Just place the frozen spinach into a colander to drain and then squeeze as much water as you can from it.  I usually wrap it in a few sheets of paper towel to help wring out any excess moisture.  If you refuse to eat spinach, this recipe also works wonderfully with chopped broccoli.

ENJOY!

Cheesy Chicken and Bacon Roll-ups

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 package (8 oz) of cream cheese  (cut down the calories by using low fat or non-fat cream cheese)

8 slices of regular cut bacon (thick cut doesn't work well, because it doesn't have enough time to get crispy in the oven)

4 oz (1/2 small package) of frozen spinach, thawed and drained

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon lemon juice

salt & pepper

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Take 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts and pound them flat.
  2. In a small bowl, make a mixture of 8 oz. of Philly cream cheese, ½ cup frozen spinach (thawed, drained, squeezed of liquid), tsp. of lemon zest, 1 tsp. of lemon juice, and 2 tsp. of black pepper.
  3. Place some of the mixture on top of each chicken breast and roll 'em up.
  4. Wrap two pieces of bacon around each breast and put a toothpick in them to hold it together.
  5. Place into a greased casserole dish and bake at 375 degrees F for 35 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 163 degrees F (proper cooking temperature for poultry is 165 degrees F, but there will be "carryover cooking" after the dish is removed from the oven.
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