Bar BQ Grills

• The beef - ground chuck roast seasoned with black pepper and garlic, formed into 3 ounce patties.  Sealed the stuffing between two patties.
• The stuffing - I like the sharp bite of blue cheese.  A lot of my guests don't so I compromised.  I used blue cheese with a quarter slice of American cheese for the "I don't like blue cheese" people and they loved it.  I "forgot" to tell them there was blue cheese in it until they were saying how good it was.
• The onions - caramelized sliced onions and hit with a splash of white wine in the last 10 minutes.
• The mushrooms - sliced and sauteed in butter 5 minutes.  Added some diced garlic and parsley, sauteed another 2 minutes.
• The sauce - 2 parts mayo, 1 part your favorite steak sauce and then seasoned to taste with salt, pepper, and turbinado sugar.  
• The buns - grilled.  

Grilled stuffed "jucy lucy" burgers are always a hit.

Alexis said this was one of the year's best burgers.  Close, but I have to agree.

Paper towels - mandatory equipment for dealing with Grilled Chipotle & Honey Wings.

1 1/2 pound ground elk
1/2 pound ground elk Italian sausage
3 celery stalks (chopped 1/4 inch or shredded)
3 carrots (chopped 1/4 inch or shredded)
2 zucchinis (chopped 1/4 inch or shredded)
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 shallots
1 slice bacon
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup mashed potato
fresh tarragon
salt and pepper
2 puffed pastries (defrosted)
1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Add ground elk and elk sausage to skillet and cook until browned. Remove meat from skillet and set aside.

Add butter and bacon to skillet and proceed to sauté chopped celery, carrots, zucchini, onion, shallots and fresh tarragon. Approximately 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add mashed potatoes, elk meat and cheese to pan. Remove from heat and stir.

On a floured surface, roll 1 pastry sheet to be the size of your pie dish. Place the pastry sheet on the bottom of the dish. Transfer meat and vegetables into the pan.

Brush the outer edge of the bottom pastry sheet with egg wash.

Roll the second pastry sheet out on floured surface and cover the top of the meat. Press and close the edges of the pastry sheets together. Brush top of the pastry sheet with remaining egg wash. Season with salt and pepper. Cut an ‘X’ into the top of the pastry.

Bake for approximately 45 minutes. Watch the edges of pastry so not to burn. Remove from oven when done and enjoy.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Kristy Crabtree, for Nevada Foodies: A Collection of Nevada Wild Game Recipes, January 29, 2010

yields four servings


2 cups corn, whole kernel frozen
4 tablespoon maple syrup
2 slices bacon, broiled or roasted, medium slices
1 teaspoon sage, fresh, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 ounces pork, lean tenderloin
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoon nuts, pecans, chopped

Saute corn with maple syrup until golden brown and caramelized. Remove from pan. Add bacon and cook over medium heat until crisp. Add corn back to pan and cook 2 minutes more. Remove from heat, add sage and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir well and set aside. Rub tenderloins with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and grill over a medium fire for 12 to 15 minutes rolling every 3 or 4 minutes. Allow to stand for 5 minutes, then carve into 1/2-inch slices. Spoon about 1/4 cup relish over each portion, top with chopped pecans and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: EverydayHealth.com, 345 Hudson Street, 16th Floor, New York, New York 10014

Five-Spiced Candied Bacon:
8 ounces slab bacon, sliced 1/4-inch thick (about 6 to 8 slices)
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon five-spice powder

Salad:
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
1 large Fuji apple, cored and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, coarsely ground
8 cups assorted micro-greens or European mixed salad greens

Poached Eggs:
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
6 large eggs
five-spice powder (for garnish)

For the Bacon: Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange bacon slices in single layer on foil-lined 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Bake 15 minutes or until bacon edges begin to curl. Remove pan from oven. Carefully drain drippings into glass measuring cup. Set aside. Microwave honey and five spice in small microwavable bowl on HIGH 30 seconds, stirring after 15 seconds. Brush bacon with honey mixture. Bake 10 minutes longer or until bacon is browned and crisp. Carefully drain any additional drippings into measuring cup. Cool bacon on wire rack. Break into bite-size pieces. Set aside.

For the Salad: Mix water, lemon juice and five spice in small bowl. Add apple slices; toss to coat well. Set aside. Mix 1/4 cup of the warm bacon drippings, vinegar, shallots, mustard and pepper in small bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Set aside.

For the Poached Eggs: Fill large deep saucepan with 2 inches of water. Add 1 tablespoon vinegar. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium. Break 1 egg into small dish. Carefully slide egg into simmering water (bubbles should begin to break the surface of the water). Repeat with remaining eggs. Poach eggs 3 to 5 minutes or until whites are completely set and yolks begin to thicken. Carefully remove eggs with slotted spoon. Drain on paper towels.

To serve, divide greens among 6 plates. Top each with a poached egg. Sprinkle egg with additional five spice. Arrange drained apple slices and bacon around salad. Warm dressing if needed and drizzle over salads. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: McCormick Gourmet Collection, 18 Loveton Circle, Sparks, Maryland 21152

makes eight servings


16 bacon strips, partially cooked
4 walleye fillets (2-1/2 pounds)
1 cup thinly sliced onion
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Fold four 18-in. x 15-in. pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil in half; fold up edges to make pans about 12 in. x 7 in. Place four strips of bacon in each foil pan; top each with a fillet and 1/4 cup onion. Drizzle with butter and honey. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Grill, covered, over medium heat for 12-15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Open foil carefully to allow steam to escape. Cut fillets in half; serve each with two bacon strips. Yield: 8 servings.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Taste of Home, June/July 2006, page 61

serves 2-4


2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped white onions
3 slices bacon, chopped
3 ounces uncooked orzo
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
4 baby zucchini, chopped
2 tablespoons double crème Robiola
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
1 pound lamb loin, trimmed
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon dried black trumpet mushroom or wild mushroom dust (made by grinding dried mushrooms in a coffee grinder or hand-held spice grinder)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh herbs, such as thyme, mint or chervil
Fleur de sel

Preheat the oven to 350°F. To make the risotto, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a small pot over medium heat. Add onions and bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until bacon is crisp. Stir in orzo and cook for 1 minute more. Add half of the chicken stock and simmer, stirring constantly, until liquid has evaporated. Stir in remaining stock and zucchini and simmer, continuing to stir constantly, until orzo is tender and liquid is almost evaporated. Add Robiola and tomato and stir until cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, season lamb with salt and pepper. Heat a large oven-proof skillet over medium high heat. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and heat until hot but not smoking. Add lamb and cooking, turning occasionally, until deep golden brown on all sides. Set skillet aside. Transfer black trumpet mushroom dust to a large plate and set aside. When lamb is just cool enough to handle, brush all over with Dijon mustard, then roll in mushroom dust to coat. Roast in oven for 5 to 6 minutes, or until done to your liking. Transfer to a cutting board, set aside to let rest for five minutes, then slice.

To serve, spoon orzo onto the center of a serving platter. Arrange lamb around orzo and garnish with herbs and a pinch or two of fleur de sel.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Chef Stephen Lewandowski, Tribeca Grill, 375 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, for Whole Foods Market

Yes, the actual road, not stock photo.

The cabin property is on the extreme right of this picture.

Holy crap, my mom wasn't kidding, there IS a red sheep in the herd.

I'm a sucker for old barns.

• 2 ea cornish hens, thawed
• 2 heat resistant bricks, double wrapped in foil

For the brine

• 1/2 cup kosher salt 
• 1/4 cup sugar
• enough water to cover the two hens

For the compound butter

• 3 Tbsp butter (unsalted), softened
• 1/2 tsp rosemary, fresh chopped
• 1/2 tsp Hickory smoked salt (use regular Kosher if you don't have smoked)
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

For the finishing oil

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 4 sage leaves
• 2-4 cloves garlic, whole
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Mix the brine ingredients thoroughly together and brine the hens for 4 hours.  
2. Mix the compound ingredients together with a fork, refrigerate, and take off refrigeration 1 hour before using.
3. Heat oil in a small sauce pan to 350f.  
4. Fry sage leaves about 1 minute and remove.
5. Fry garlic cloves until done, about 2-3 minutes, and remove.
6. Let oil cool.  Place sage, garlic, pepper and oil in a blender or food processor and blend together.
7. Preheat your grill and two foil wrapped bricks to 400f.  On the Big Green Egg, I used a raised grid set up where the meat is 8" from the coals.  If your grill can't adjust the height from the coals, drop the temp to about 350f and carefully monitor the internal temps.
8. Spatchcock or butterfly the hens by cutting out the backbone with kitchen/poultry sheers.  
9. Work your finger under the skin and spread the softened compound butter over the breast, thighs, and legs. 
10. Place birds bone side down, weigh down with bricks and cook 6 minutes.
11. Rotate birds 90 degrees and weigh down again for another 6 minutes.
12. Remove birds from grill (to prevent flare ups) and drizzle some of the sage oil over the skin side.  Flip and drizzle sage oil over the back.  Return to grill skin side down, top with bricks, and cook for 3 minutes.
13. Rotate 90 degrees and cook another 3 minutes.  
14. Temp check thighs (175f) and breasts (160).  If not done, slip bone side down and finish to those temps (shouldn't be another few minutes). 
15. Let rest 10 minutes before serving

With the weather getting cold, sage is one of the last herbs surviving in our garden.

You won't use all the oil, save the rest for other dishes.

If you can't get "all natural", reduce the salt content of the brine to 1/4 cup.

Getting the butter/herbs under the skin seasons the meat better.

A glimpse into how I come up with recipes.  I started with the word Franklin and brainstormed.

The brick helps flatten the birds for more even cooking.

Finishing bone side down to get the desired final internal temps.

The wild rice was a certain Uncle's box mix with frozen peas and crisped bacon added.

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving, spent time with family and arrived home safely!

serves two


1-2 large yellow peaches, pitted and sliced
4 slices bacon, fully cooked
fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
french baguette, sliced crosswise into 5″ sections OR ciabatta rolls

Preheat the panini grill to medium-high heat (375°F). For each sandwich: Halve the bread lengthwise. In between the halves, layer on the cheese, two slices of bacon and as many peaches as will fit neatly inside the bread. Grill 4-5 minutes until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasted. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Kathy Strahs, Panini Happy, July 12, 2009

yields twelve servings


FOR COOKING THE ESCAROLE:
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
2 medium heads escarole (about 1 1/4 pounds)
2 teaspoons kosher salt

FOR THE CARAMELIZED SHALLOTS:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/3 cups thinly sliced (lengthwise) shallots (about 6 to 8)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

FOR DRESSING THE ESCAROLE:
1 cup minced shallots (about 4)
1/4 cup Champagne vinegar, or to taste
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, or to taste

FOR FINISHING AND ASSEMBLY:
12 slices of batard, fat baguette or rustic white bread, 1/2-inch thick
Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
12 thick slices (about 12 ounces) smoked bacon
2 garlic cloves
1 1/2 pounds burrata
Extra virgin olive oil
Coarsely ground pepper

To cook the escarole: In a blender, combine the olive oil, garlic and shallot; purée until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl. Cut the escarole in half through the core and toss well with the marinade, working it between the leaves.

Heat a grill, or place a large heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat. Sprinkle the escarole with salt, and grill or sear it well in the skillet, turning occasionally, until deep brown and charred in places, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap; set aside to wilt for 10 minutes. Cut off and discard the cores, and cut the leaves crosswise into 1 1/2-inch strips.

For the caramelized shallots: In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Add the shallots and cook, stirring only as necessary, until brown around the edges and soft, about 5 minutes. Add the vinegar and stir until the bottom of the pan is dry, about 6 minutes. (This makes more shallots than you need for the recipe. The remainder will keep, covered in the refrigerator, for several weeks, and can be used on sandwiches or with grilled meats.)

For dressing the escarole: In a large bowl, combine the minced shallots, vinegar, garlic, salt and olive oil. Add escarole, toss well and adjust seasonings to taste.

For finishing and assembly: Heat the oven to 350 degrees with one rack in the middle and another above it. Brush one side of each slice of bread with olive oil and arrange the slices on a baking sheet, oiled sides up. Arrange the bacon slices on another sheet. Place the bread on the middle rack and the bacon on the top rack. Bake the bread until golden brown and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Rub each oiled side with a cut clove of garlic. Bake the bacon until cooked all the way through but not crisp, 15 to 17 minutes; transfer to paper towels to drain.

Place the bread oiled side up on a work surface. Mound about 1/2 cup of the escarole on top of each slice, leaving the edges of the bread visible. Cut each slice of bacon in half, and lay both halves side by side on the escarole. Cut the burrata into 12 wedges and place one on each of the crostini, then drizzle with olive oil and top with a teaspoon of the caramelized shallots. Garnish with coarsely ground pepper.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The New York Times, October 26, 2011, adapted from The Mozza Cookbook by Nancy Silverton, with Matt Molina and Carolynn Carreño, Knopf, 2011

yields 6-8 servings


2 10-ounce bags red pearl onions
1 10-ounce bag white pearl onions
2 1/2 ounces (2 strips) thick-cut bacon, diced (1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons butter
2 shallots, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 pints heavy cream
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

If red and white onions are about the same size, bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add onions and blanch until skins loosen slightly, about 5 minutes. Drain. (If white onions are considerably larger, blanch onions separately, increasing time on white onions by a couple of minutes.) Peel onions and set aside. (Onions can be blanched and peeled ahead of time. Place in 2-quart zipper-lock bag and refrigerate until ready to use.)

Sauté bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper-towel-lined plate and set aside. Pour off bacon fat. Melt butter in Dutch oven over low heat until foaming, add shallots and garlic and cook until translucent but not browned, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. Add heavy cream and simmer until cream is thick and golden and has reduced by half, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir onions into cream to heat through.

Heat broiler. Turn onions and cream into a shallow 1 1/2-quart casserole dish. Top with bacon, bread crumbs and parsley. Place under broiler and cook until crumbs are browned and dish is bubbling, about 10 minutes.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Amanda Hesser, "Thanksgiving Dinner, With 12 Chefs On the Side," The New York Times, November 19, 2003

Last week when I smoked the two pork butts, you might have noticed one had the typical reddish BBQ rub on it but the other was looking a little "green".


No, it wasn't a moldy, "special buy because it went out of date two days ago" piece of pork.  I was trying out Albukirky Seasonings new Green Chile Rub. 


Kirk is a fellow Egghead and food blogger who, about a year ago, started his own line of seasonings and rubs that boast the flavor of New Mexico.

Proof that most comfort food isn't photogenic....but it has a nice personality and rocks.

yields six servings


Honey Molasses-Glazed Bacon:
18 slices thick cut applewood smoked bacon, divided
2 1/2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons organic molasses (Recommendation: Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Blackstrap Molasses)
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
pinch ground cayenne

Grilled Lettuce:
4 leaves radicchio
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Smoky Tomato Mayo:
1 large ripe tomato
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 clove garlic
3/4 cup mayonnaise
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Patties:
2 pounds ground chuck
1/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh tarragon leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
vegetable oil, for grill pan
6 ounces Comte, shredded (can substitute Gruyere)
6 classic white bakery buns, split

Preheat a nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat.

Roughly chop 6 of the bacon slices, and add to the grill pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon just barely begins to turn crispy, about for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cooked bacon to a food processor and process for 4 to 5 seconds. Set aside for later use, (in the patties).

Honey Molasses-Glazed Bacon: In a small mixing bowl combine the honey, molasses, vinegar, and cayenne and mix until well combined. Brush the remaining 12 bacon slices on both sides with the honey mixture. Heat a large fireproof nonstick skillet on the grill. Add 1/2 the bacon and cook over medium-high heat until crispy, about 5 minutes, flipping once. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining bacon.

To make Grilled Lettuce: Soak the radicchio leaves, for about 10 minutes, in an ice bath to lessen the amount of bitterness. Remove the leaves from the ice bath and pat dry with paper towels. Brush the leaves with 1 tablespoon oil. Put on the grill and cook briefly on each side. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into 1-inch wide strips. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, the sherry vinegar, and Dijon mustard. Add the radicchio and toss to coat.

Smoky Tomato Mayo: Put the tomato on the grill and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, turning occasionally, until most of the skin has blackened. Transfer to a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap. After 10 minutes, squeeze the tomato into a strainer to remove the seeds and most of the skin (you can leave a little bit of the burnt skin). Discard the seeds and skin. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the tomato, smoked paprika, garlic, and mayonnaise and puree. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Patties: Combine the beef, reserved bacon (that has been chopped in the food processor), tarragon, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Mix well, handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and form into patties to fit the size of the buns.

Brush the grill pan with vegetable oil. Arrange the patties in the pan and cook, turning once, just until done, about 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare. During the last few minutes of cooking, top with equal amounts of cheese and put the buns, cut side down, on the outer edges of the grill to toast lightly.

To assemble the burgers, spread a generous amount of the Smoky Tomato Mayo on the cut side of the buns. Top the bun bottoms with 2 slices of Honey Molasses-Glazed Bacon, a cheese-topped patty, and equal amounts of Grilled Lettuce. Cover with the bun tops and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Michael Cohen, "Ultimate Recipe Showdown: Burgers, Season 3," Ultimate Recipe Showdown, Food Network

serves four


Camembert Dressing
2/3 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon apple cider
2 ounces Camembert-style cheese, rind removed and chopped
dash of cider vinegar

4 streaky rashers of bacon
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 small heads of Bibb or Boston lettuce, torn into pieces
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

To make the dressing: In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, whisk together the sour cream, cider, cheese, and vinegar. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the mixture is smooth and creamy. Set aside.

In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, or until crisp. With a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the skillet and transfer to paper towels to drain. When cool, finely chop the bacon. Return the skillet to medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and the apples. Sauté the apples for 3 to 5 minutes, or until slightly tender. Season with salt and pepper.

To compose the salads: Divide the lettuce among 4 salad plates. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the lemon juice. Top the lettuce with the warm apples and bacon, and spoon the dressing over all.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Margaret M. Johnson, for Irish Abroad: Irish Social Networking, Digiserve Ltd., Unit 56, Guinness Enterprise Centre, Taylor's Lane, Dublin 8 Ireland

Typical 3 station breading set up - flour, egg, crumbs.

makes four servings


4 cups chicken stock
3 large ears of fresh sweet corn
1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons chopped yellow onion
Pinch of fresh thyme
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
fresh corn salsa for garnish (recipe below)

In a Dutch oven, bring the chicken stock to a simmer over medium heat. Slice the corn kernels from the cobs and add to the chicken stock along with the garlic, onion, and thyme. Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Puree the corn mixture using a blender or hand mixer and return the puree to the Dutch oven. Add the cream and bring to a simmer over low heat. Mix the cornstarch and cold water in a small cup and add to the puree. Stir to thicken. Divide the soup among four bowls. Top with crumbled bacon and Fresh Corn Salsa.

FRESH CORN SALSA
makes about 2 cups

2 large ears fresh sweet corn
2 ‘Roma’ tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 poblano pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded, and chopped
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil

Slice the corn kernels from the cobs and place in a medium-sized bowl. Combine the corn with the remaining ingredients. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Organic Gardening, 400 South Tenth Street, Emmaus, Pennsylvania 18098-0099

serves four


8 ounces bulgur
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Salt and black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon chopped marjoram
5 tablespoons olive oil
4 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1 large clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons chopped mint
1/4 cup chopped parsley
6 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
2 ounces kalamata olives, chopped

In a mixing bowl, cover bulgur with water. Soak for 30 minutes, then drain well. Make the dressing by combining lemon juice, salt, pepper, sugar, and marjoram in a bowl. Whisk while you slowly pour in the olive oil. Add tomatoes, onion, garlic, mint, and parsley. Toss with bulgur, and cover. Marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour. Cook bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels, then chop. Combine with chopped olives and lemon zest. Serve tabouli on a platter with bacon and olive mixture surrounding it. If desired, serve with pita bread for dipping.


bacon recipe courtesy of: ChefTony of California, for Man Tested Recipes, November 16 2010

makes four servings


8 bacon strips
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, 6oz each
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 plum tomatoes, sliced
6 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
4 slices part-skim mozzarella cheese

Place bacon in an ungreased baking pan. Bake at 400 for 8-10 minutes or until partially cooked but not crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain. Place chicken in an ungreased 13x9 baking pan, brush with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with tomatoes and basil. Wrap each in two bacon strips, arranging bacon in a crisscross. Bake, uncovered, at 400 for 20-25 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 170. Top with cheese and bake 1 minute longer or until melted.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Janice Cook, for WeGottaEat

serves two


2-5 oz. fillet steaks
2 slices of bacon
seasoned salt to taste
pepper to taste
cooking spray
½ tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 cups sliced mushrooms, sliced (white or baby portabella)
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ cup Scotch whiskey
½ cup ginger ale (Recommendation: Zevia Ginger Ale)
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
½ tablespoon soy sauce
pinch or two of dried rubbed sage


Preheat Oven to 375. For the Steak: Sprinkle sea salt and pepper on both sides of steaks. Wrap with bacon and secure with a tooth pick. Treat and heat a cast iron or heavy oven safe skillet. Add bacon-wrapped fillet. Sear on one side, approximately 2-3 minutes. Turn steak. Place in oven. Cook for 10-12 minutes, until internal temperature is 125. For the Sauce: Add oil to a medium skillet and heat. Add one tablespoon of butter. Pop the other tablespoon into the freezer. Once butter is melted, add mushrooms and thyme to pan. Sauté five minutes until browned. Remove mushrooms from pan to a bowl. Remove pan from heat. Right before you’re ready to serve your meal, return pan to high heat. Once pan is hot, add Scotch to deglaze, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add ginger ale, brown sugar, soy sauce and rubbed sage. Add the mushrooms back to the pan. Bring to boil and reduce to simmer; about three to five minutes until it reduces to half. Add cold butter. Turn heat to high, bring to boil and then immediately remove the pan from the heat. Stir until the butter is dissolved.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Taste of Home, RDA Food & Entertaining Affinity, 5400 South 60th Street, Greendale, Wisconsin 53129