Crunchy Pea and Bacon Salad

May 28, 2012 by

I’m nearly certain this salad is one of those dishes that can’t really be as good for you as the word “salad” might trick you into thinking. For some reason though, it looks good to me. I have no idea why, but I’m saving it for that day when I finally give in and try it. The original is from the Schwan’s website.

IngredientsCrunchy Pea and Bacon Salad

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • 2 Tbsp vinegar
  • 4 cups Green Peas, prepared and chilled
  • 1/4 cup diced red onion
  • 1/2 cup diced cheddar cheese
  • 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
  • 6 slices Fully Cooked Bacon Slices, prepared and chopped
  • 1 cup salted peanuts

Directions

  1. Blend mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar to make dressing.
  2. Stir together dressing, peas, onions and cheese.
  3. Serve on a bed of lettuce topped with bacon and peanuts

Variations

  • I’d simplify the recipe by just using 2 or 3 tablespoons of bacon bits.
  • You could like substitute a favorite prepared dressing for the mayonnaise and vinegar here. I’m thinking Ranch would work nicely.

Time Required: 30 minutes

Servings: 4

Filed under Salad, Side Dish Tagged with , ,

Micro-way-cool Bacon and Green Beans

November 20, 2011 by

When I saw Rachael Ray making this recipe (original here) during one of the Food Network Thanksgiving shows a few years ago, it was a definite “duh” moment. Mom loves beans, potatoes, and bacon. Adding bacon to the Thanksgiving green beans reminded us all of that meal and took the every-day side dish to the next level.

Ingredients

  • 6 slices microwave ready-crisp bacon
  • 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen green beans
  • A drizzle extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

Directions

  1. Place bacon between paper towels and microwave 60 seconds on high.
  2. Cool bacon and chop or crumble it up.
  3. Place green beans in a bowl and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.
  4. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and microwave green beans on high for 5 minutes, stir and cook 5 minutes more.
  5. Remove wrap and top green beans with crumbled bacon.

Variations

  • We use a similar amount of canned green beans, drained, and reduce the cooking time by half.
  • We usually stir the bacon through the beans to distribute them evenly. That way everyone is sure to get some bacon!

Filed under Side Dish, Vegetable Tagged with ,

Slow Cooker Bacon Potato Chowder

November 1, 2011 by

This recipe from Campbell’s (original online) is fast and simple. The site explains, “This hearty and flavorful soup is so easy to make…simply mix the ingredients in a slow cooker and let it do the work for you. And to make it even better, stir in Cheddar just before serving and top with a sprinkle of chives.”

Ingredients

  • 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 4 cans (10 3/4 ounces each) Campbell’s® Condensed Cream of Potato Soup
  • 4 soup cans milk 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 large potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into
  • 1/2-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh chives
  • 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (about 8 ounces)

Directions

  1. Stir the bacon, onion, soup, milk, black pepper, potatoes and 1/4 cup chives in a 6-quart slow cooker.
  2. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours or until the potatoes are tender.
  3. Add the cheese and stir until the cheese is melted.
  4. Sprinkle with the remaining chives.

Filed under Soups & Stews Tagged with , ,

Bacon-Wrapped Hot Dogs

May 29, 2011 by

Why just have hot dogs when you can have cheese-stuffed bacon wrapped hot dogs? A nice change from the norm. There are several recipes online with different versions and different ways of cooking this meal—baking, broiling, deep frying (without the cheese), frying on a griddle, or grilling. Choose whatever works for you.

Ingredients

  • 8 hot dogs (whatever brand you prefer)Bacon-Wrapped Hot Dogs
  • ½ cup crumbled cheddar
  • 8 slices bacon
  • 8 hot dog buns
  • Condiments

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
  2. Grease a 13 x 9-inch glass pan or a jelly roll pan.
  3. Slice the hot dogs, leaving the last ¼" on both ends and the bottom unsliced.
  4. Stuff the crumbled cheddar into the slit you’ve made in the hot dog.
  5. Wrap with a slice of bacon, overlapping slightly.
  6. Bake 20 minutes.
  7. Switch oven to broil and crisp bacon as desired, about 3 or 4 minutes.
  8. Allow to cool 5 minutes.
  9. Serve in buns, with ketchup, mustard, onions, and other desired condiments.

Variations

  • Instead of crumbled cheddar, slices of cheese, folded into strips can be substituted.
  • The picture shows oversized ¼-lb hot dogs which required 1½ strips of bacon and larger buns. They were actually too large for everyone, but we were using the ingredients we had (hot dogs we had found on sale and frozen).

Time Required: 40 minutes

Servings: 8 <

Filed under Main Dish Tagged with ,

Bacon Cheddar Muffins

August 30, 2010 by

Cheese. Bacon. What’s not to like with these muffins? Serve them with any meal—breakfast, lunch, or dinner. They’re great at breakfast with your favorite omelet or alongside a warm comfort food soup or casserole.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Bisquick
  • 2/3 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 cup finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup bacon bits,
          or 8 bacon strips, cooked and broken into bits
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped chives

Directions

  1. Preheat overn to 375° F.
  2. Spray muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray, or line with paper muffin cups.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the biscuit mix, milk, oil and egg.
  4. Fold in cheese, bacon, and chives. Be careful not to over-stir.
  5. Fill muffin cups three-fourths full.
  6. Bake at 375° for 20 mins or until golden brown.
  7. Cool for 10 mins.
  8. Remove from pan and continue cooling on wire rack.
  9. Refrigerate leftovers. Warm 10-15 seconds in microwave before eating.

Variations

  • Substitute your favorite cheese for a different taste: Mexican cheese blend, Colby-Jack, mild cheddar, etc..
  • Eliminate the bacon and substitute an Italian cheese blend or equal parts Parmesan and Romano. Add 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning with cheese.

Time Required: 45 mins

Servings: 12 muffins

Filed under Bread, Italian Tagged with ,