Baked Bacon

OK, seriously!!! How have I NOT known about this??  A friend posted a photo a month or so back – and I’ve started seeing people posting this on Pinterest!  Who knew??? Baking Bacon is so incredibly easy, faster than cooking on the stove stop – if you’re doing a lot of bacon, and the clean-up is pretty much non-existent.  No more greasy stove top, no more burns from grease splatters, no more standing over the skillet and endlessly turning strips of bacon so that they cook evenly.  AND, I think the cooked strips of bacon turn out flatter and crispier when baked!  Amazing…  Baked Bacon…. Where have you been all my life?

 

Ingredients:

 

Bacon

Aluminum foil

 

Directions:

 

Preheat oven to 350.

 

Line a jelly roll pan (a cookie sheet with edges) with aluminum foil.

 

Place the strips of bacon on the sheet, put in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes. 

 

You don’t need to turn the strips over.  Test for doneness.  You don’t want the bacon to be super crisp in the oven, because bacon becomes crisper/harder as it cools.

 

Remove the strips of bacon to a paper towel lined dish.

 

Viola!  Delicious bacon in less time and with less mess and fuss!

 

Click here for printable recipe.

Mexican Casserole

I found a recipe on Recipe4Living for a “throw together Mexican Casserole”.  Thus was the inspiration for this recipe.  I’ve changed the amounts and added some extra ingredients.  This was a HIT in my family.  Very easy to make and quick to the table.  In fact, I made it even quicker by cooking it on a weekend, and then just heating up individual portions in the microwave.  This made an already hectic and busy week much more manageable, and the tasty dinners were much appreciated!

 

Ingredients:

 

Drizzle of olive oil

1 white onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 lbs. ground beef (or you could use turkey if you prefer)

1 pkg. taco seasoning mix

1 tablespoon cumin powder

½ cup taco sauce

8 oz. can tomato sauce

1 cup mild chunky salsa

1 – 15oz can of sweet corn, drained

1 small can of sliced black olives, drained

1 small can of green chilies

1 – 15oz can of kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups cooked egg noodles

Shredded cheddar cheese, or a Mexican Cheese blend – for topping

 

 

Directions:

 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

 

Drizzle a bit of Olive Oil in a skillet.  Sauté the onions & garlic until translucent.  Add the ground beef and sauté until cooked.  If necessary drain the pan of excess grease.

 

Add the taco seasoning mix and cumin powder to the pan, stir to combine well.  Add the taco sauce, tomato sauce and salsa.  Stir well to combine. 

 

Add the corn, olives, chilies and kidney beans.  Fold into the meat mixture.  Finally add the cooked egg noodles and fold gently into the mixture to avoid tearing them or crushing them.

 

Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.  Turn the meat mixture into the pan.  Sprinkle shredded cheese on top.  Bake at 325 for 30 minutes until the cheese has melted and the casserole is bubbly.

 

Click here for printable recipe.

Smoked Salmon Spread/Dip

I found this recipe in an appetizer book.  Sounded yummy so I decided to make it for our monthly “dinner and a movie” date with our good friends.  Mmm Mmm good doesn’t quite describe the deliciousness of this spread.  I served it with sliced cucumbers – which was delicious.  But, you could serve with an assortment of crudité or crackers or toasts.  This was easy and quick to make – and received RAVE reviews!

 

Ingredients:

 

8 oz. Smoked Salmon, chopped

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

½ cup sour cream (or plain yogurt)

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 – 2 Tablespoons fresh dill – or I used ¾ teaspoon dried

¼ cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

¼ cup minced green onions – I only used the green parts

Salt, Pepper and Fresh Lemon Juice to taste

 

Directions:

 

Place the salmon, cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise in the bowl of a food processor.  Mix until thoroughly blended.

 

Add the dill, flat leaf parsley, green onions, salt, pepper and lemon juice – pulse to combine.  Taste for seasoning – adjust if needed.

 

Place in serving dish, cover and put in fridge.  Let sit for 1 or more hours until serving.  This can be made earlier in the day – or even the night before – serving.  Enjoy!

 

Click here for printable recipe.

Pulled Pork

My son LOVES BBQ’d Pulled Pork sandwiches.  After making carnitas in the crock pot a few weeks ago – I thought I’d give this a try… homemade style.  In the past I’ve been cheating by purchasing the pulled pork at Trader Joes.  Well, no more.  This was FANTASTIC!

 

Ingredients:

 

4 lbs. pork roast, I used “Picnic Roast”.  You’re looking for a boneless roast with some nice fat marbling. 

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 white onion, chopped

1 jalapeno, ribbed – seeded – and chopped

1 cup of your favorite barbeque sauce

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

¼ cup beef or chicken broth

¾ teaspoon ground ginger powder

½ teaspoon mustard powder

½ cup brown sugar, loosely measured – i.e., not packed

Mesquite seasoning, enough to cover the meat

Cooking spray

 

Directions:

 

Spray the inside of a crock pot with the cooking spray.  Sprinkle Mesquite seasoning all over the pork roast and rub in well.  Add all other ingredients to the crock pot and stir to combine.  Place pork roast on top, cover and cook on low for about 6 – 7 hours.  Pork should be easily shredded with two forks when cooked.

 

Add additional barbeque sauce to the meat, if desired.  Place on the rolls of your choice and enjoy the delicious smoky flavor!

Click here for printable recipe.

Cajun Bloody Mary

We recently had brunch at the Screen Door restaurant in Portland – home of the famous waffles and fried chicken.  Everything we had was AMAZING, including the Bloody Mary’s.  I liked those because they had horseradish in them and it really added a wonderful kick to the cocktail without the spicy heat that my other Bloody Mary recipe has.  So, when I came home I ventured to the internet to find recipes that would duplicate our brunch experience.  This is one of Emeril Lagasse’s creations.  I didn’t “change” the recipe per se.  I did double the ingredients so that I could use an entire large can of tomato juice.  And, I substituted green olives instead of the okra.  But, other than that – I stayed true to Chef Lagasse’s creation.  Enjoy!

 

Ingredients:

3 cups tomato juice

3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce, or to taste
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3/4 teaspoon hot sauce, or to taste (recommended: Tabasco)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Premium vodka

Garnish:

Small jar pickled green beans

Small jar pickled okra (I used green olives instead of the okra)

Directions:

In a blender combine the tomato juice, lemon juice, lime juice, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and hot sauce and process until smooth. Transfer to a nonreactive container and add salt and black pepper, to taste. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

When ready to serve, fill each glass with ice. (Before filling with ice - I ran a lime wedge around the rim of the glass and then dipped the rim in a bit of seasoning salt.)

Add 1 ounce of vodka to each glass, and then fill the glass with the Bloody Mary mix. Stir well, and garnish each glass with the green beans and okra (or green olive).

 

Click here for printable recipe.

Chocolate Guinness Cake

I have a very dear friend who carries on a wonderful love affair with Guinness.  She really does love it! So, when I saw some recipes for Chocolate Guinness Cake – I immediately thought of her and suggested I make it for dessert the night she came over for dinner.  She agreed immediately… Shocker!  LOL… and it was a HUGE hit.  I combined a couple of recipes for this version which is really decadent and delicious.  I like that the cake is not overly sweet – but has a fantastically full chocolate flavor – and the cream cheese frosting makes up for the less sweet cake.  A perfect combination!

 

Ingredients:

1 cup Guinness

10 tablespoons unsalted butter

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup sour cream

2 eggs

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

 

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large saucepan place the beer and butter. Cook over medium-high heat until the butter has melted. Add the cocoa powder and sugar and whisk together. Take off heat and allow to come to room temperature.

Sift the flour, salt and baking soda into a large mixing bowl and mix together well. Pour in the Guinness/cocoa/butter mixture, lightly combine, add the vanilla, eggs and sour cream and beat everything together until well combined. The batter should be thick and dark chocolate in color.

 

Pour into a greased and lined 10″ angel food pan (or another straight-sided tube pan) and cook in the oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean from the center of the cake.

 

*Note: This cake is very moist inside, so use your judgment regarding the skewer test. Do not leave in the oven until the cake has totally dried out — cook long enough so there is no uncooked cake on the skewer but there may be a few moist crumbs sticking to it after an hour of cooking. You should start checking for doneness at least 15 minutes early.

 

Spread frosting on the cooled cake and serve.

 

Cream Cheese Frosting:

 

1 1/3 cup cream cheese

1 ½ cup powdered sugar, sifted

2/3 cup heavy cream, whipped

 

Place the cream cheese into the bowl of a mixer and beat on a low-medium speed using a whisk attachment. Whisk until the cheese is smooth and there are no big lumps remaining.

 

Gradually, using a large spoon, add in the sifted powdered sugar and beat gently to combine. After 2 to 3 minutes, stop the machine, scrape any excess frosting from the sides of the bowl and beat on medium speed until lump free.

 

Remove bowl from mixer and gently fold in the whipped cream, mixing to fully combine.

 

Place cooled cake on a cake stand and add the frosting, spreading out just to the edge without going over the side (never go over the sides of the cake) until the cake resembles a pint of Guinness! The idea is to capture the essence and simplicity of a perfect pint!

Click here for printable recipe.

Pork Carnitas

I found this recipe on the FoodNetwork website.  It’s from Melissa D’Arabian.  I don’t often use my crock-pot. Perhaps because I don’t have a lot of great recipes for it, at least what I would deem “healthy” recipes.  This one not only fits the healthy billing – but it is DELICOUS!  The flavors were so perfectly melded and the pork was super tender.  I didn’t fry the meat after it was cooked and shredded; rather I used it in soft tacos with my homemade Tomatillo Salsa.  Click HERE for that recipe.  Next time I may try frying – but for this time I was opting for the healthier version. 

 

Ingredients

 

2 pounds boneless pork shoulder (or 2 1/2 pounds bone-in)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, coarsely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno, seeded and ribs removed, chopped

1 orange, cut in half

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

 

Directions

 

Rinse and dry the pork shoulder. Salt and pepper liberally. Mix the oregano and the cumin with olive oil and rub all over pork. Place the pork in a slow cooker and top with the onion, garlic, and jalapeno.

 

Squeeze over the juice of the orange and add the two halves. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high 4 hours.

 

Once the meat is tender, remove from slow cooker and let cool slightly before pulling apart with a fork.

 

In a large sauté pan, heat the vegetable oil over high heat. Press the carnitas into the oil and fry until crusty on one side.

 

Serve on with choice of tortillas and toppings.

 

Click here for printable recipe.

Chicken Tortilla Soup with Lime

This is a Rachel Ray recipe.  I really didn’t change it very much – surprising, I know!  It’s quick and easy and VERY delicious!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

 

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 

1 ½ - 2 lbs chicken tenders 

salt and freshly ground pepper

 

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped 

1 large onion, chopped 

1 jalapeno, minced 

1 quart chicken broth or stock 

2 celery ribs, finely chopped 

1/2 Tbsp ground cumin 

1 Tbsp ground coriander 

Zest and juice of 2 limes 

2 cups yellow corn tortilla chips 

 

2 tsp Tabasco 

1/2 cup sour cream, for garnish 

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped 

4 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced

 

Directions:

 

Preheat a medium soup pot over medium-high heat and add the extra virgin olive oil.

Chop the chicken tenders into bite-sized pieces.

 

Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the hot soup pot. Lightly brown the chicken, 3 to 4 minutes; add the garlic, bell pepper, onion, jalapenos, celery, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper.  Continue to cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

 

While that is cooking, crush tortilla chips until well ground. Add the ground tortilla chips to the soup pot and stir to combine. Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes.  Add the lime juice just a few minutes before the soup is finished.

 

Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with sour cream.  Garnish with lime zest, chopped cilantro, and sliced scallions.

Click here for printable recipe.