I've Been Thinking About My Blog Lately...and All-In-One Burgers

It's been over 2 years since I have posted anything new to this blog, and I have been thinking a lot about why--lo those many months ago--I made the decision to stop writing and cooking. My blog had been a big part of my life for years. It was my outlet and my hobby. So why didn't I want to do it anymore? Why did I stop? Thinking back, I've come to realize the answer...I was unhappy. When I think about that period in my life, I have the distinct memory of feeling numb, and stuck, and not the least bit creative or inspired. I didn't want to cook. I took no pleasure in the process of making food for my loved ones. I didn't watch cooking shows. I didn't read any cookbooks, and I certainly didn't create any new recipes on my own. I merely wanted to get meals on the table as a means to survive. Quick and easy preparation...the path of least resistance. I became stagnant, and I didn't want to be bothered with actual cooking. Within my self-assessment of why I stopped blogging and cooking, I have come to understand that being unhappy effected everything. Well, duh right? Funnily enough,it wasn't so obvious for me. I never realized that the dissatisfaction that I was feeling overall was also being played out in my own kitchen. I knew I didn't have as much patience (just ask my kids about that one) and I was anxious and depressed,but I just never put two and two together.

Fast forward two plus years (and a bunch of significant life changes) and I am, once again, happy. I have the perspective I needed to resolve what I was going through and correlate that those feelings translated to cooking and writing, too. Overall, I think the break was exactly what I needed. I am settling into the rhythm of my own life and my interest in cooking has sparked once again. I have been looking at recipes, purchasing cookbooks, and I find myself looking forward to cooking dinner every night. I think I have decided to keep this blog (and actually update it) as a means to catalog what I am doing with recipes. During my hiatus,I've often referred to my blog to look up different dishes and I was thankful that I kept it as a database of sorts. I've decided that I want to keep the ongoing record by adding new meals that we love. I don't care about followers (I don't think I still have any, anyway), monotizing/advertising, keeping a rigid blogging schedule, or making the graphics look all fresh and cutting edge. Writing HTML code was always a pain in the ass for me, so I'm skipping it this time around. I've decided I want to start updating my blog again for me. I feel like I've rediscovered my voice. I may change my mind on all the other stuff eventually, but for now, the blog is going to be a myopic endeavor; purely for my own amusement.

So, with all of that said, here is my first new recipe since July of 2013. And trust me, it's a good one.

All-In-One Burgers
Adapted From: America's Test Kitchen The Best Simple Recipes cookbook

Ingredients:
6 slices bacon, chopped fine
1 pounds 90% lean ground beef
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3 teaspoons yellow mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper


Directions:
Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until brown and crisp, 10-12 minutes. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate.
Break beef into small pieces in bowl, then add bacon, cheese, mustard, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Lightly knead mixture by hand until combined. Divide into 4 equal portions, then form each into loose ball and gently flatten into 1-inch-thick patty. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.

In the same skillet used to cook the bacon, drain off most of the fat (but leave enough of the leftover bacon bits and a tablespoon or so of the grease). Fry the burgers over high heat, without pressing on them, until well seared on both sides and cooked through; about 2-3 minutes per side for medium rare. If you like your burgers a bit more done, add a another 1-2 minutes per side.

Once the burgers are finished cooking,transfer them to platter. Cover with foil and let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Notes:
I served mine on pretzel buns with mayo and ketchup, since the mustard was already combined into the burger. Whoa mama! These were delicious. All of my kiddos ate them with enthusiasm, including my youngest daughter...the pickiest of the picky. The original recipe calls for grilling the burgers, but I decided to cut out the middle man and just cook them in the skillet that I used for the bacon. It was one less thing to clean up and all the bits of bacon-y goodness were still in the pan, ready to be embedded into the seared burgers. The same pan was a good call, the burgers ended up to be exactly how I wanted them...juicy, bacon-laced perfection.

Buffalo Chicken BLAT Wraps

It was t-ball night again, so I packed these wraps as a picnic dinner at the ballpark. I wrapped the lettuce leaves in a gallon sized zip top bag with some damp paper towel, and then packaged up the rest in a divided Tupperware. It was a delicious, portable dinner that was healthy and satisfying.

Buffalo Chicken BLAT Wraps
Adapted From: Iowa Girl Eats website

Ingredients:
1 (1 lb.) package of chicken tenders
2 Tbsp of Ranch Seasoning Mix (see below)
2 teaspoons of bacon fat
Buffalo Wing Sauce (I like Frank’s Hot Sauce)
4-5 slices bacon, chopped
2 tomatoes
1 avocado
a splash of lemon juice
a splash of lime juice
salt and pepper to taste
hearts of romaine

Ranch Seasoning Mix:
dried tarragon
lemon pepper seasoning
garlic powder
dried chives
dried parsley
salt and pepper, to taste

Combine 1 tsp of each spice in a small, air tight bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Store with spices for up to a month.

Directions:
Cook bacon in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat until crispy. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
Drain some of the remaining bacon fat off (keep about 1 tsp), and heat the rest in the same skillet over medium-high heat.

Season chicken with Ranch Seasoning Mix and toss to coat. Add chicken to hot skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes a side, or until no longer pink in the middle. Remove chicken to a plate and let cool for a few minutes. Chop into bite-sized pieces and mix with just enough buffalo wing sauce to coat chicken pieces.

Cut tomatoes in half, then thinly slice. Sprinkle some Ranch Seasoning Mix over tomatoes and set aside.

Slice avocado in half, pop out the seed, peel, and thinly slice. Season avocado slices with a splash of lemon juice, a splash of lime juice, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Cut core off of romaine hearts, then rinse and pat dry.

Assemble wraps by placing chicken, bacon, tomato, and avocado inside romaine lettuce leaves.

Bacon-Wrapped Cod

I've been trying to go back to having more fish in our diet. Trying is the operative word in that sentence. It's funny how, once I get out of the habit of something, it's really hard to get back into it. We used to have fish once or twice a week. Now, not so much. I would say I serve it sporadically, at best. It's sad too, because I LOVE seafood. I'm not sure why, either. I guess maybe it's because it is never on the forefront of my mind when I menu plan (much like vegetarian dinners). Whatever the reason, I need to give myself an open reminder to plan more fish dinners. I don't really remember when we had this cod recipe or in what context, but I do remember it was very tasty and everyone--including children--liked it a lot. I think I found it by doing a search on MarthaStewart.com for cod, since I had bought a bag of frozen at Costco and I needed ideas on how to prepare it. Since we all loved bacon, it was a no-brainer. The recipe is pretty straight-forward and I remember it was pretty easy to put together for a weeknight dinner.

Bacon-Wrapped Cod
Adapted From: marthastewart.com

Ingredients:
1 skinless, boneless cod fillet (1 1/4 pounds and 1 1/2 inches thick)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
12 strips bacon (about 12 ounces total)

Directions:
Cut fish into 4 pieces and season with salt and pepper. On a work surface, arrange 3 slices bacon so they overlap slightly. Place a piece of fish at one short end and tightly wrap with bacon, cutting off any excess bacon. Repeat with remaining fish and bacon.

Heat a large nonstick pan over medium-high. Place fish, seam side down, in pan and cook until bacon is deep golden brown on all sides, about 9 minutes, turning occasionally.

NOTE:
My frozen cod came already portioned into fillets, so I skipped the cutting step and went right to the wrapping step.

Bacon-Wrapped Filet Mignon with Red Wine Sauce

My thoughtful and caring husband made sure I had a fantastic Valentine's Day by surprising me with a new set of stainless steel cookware (along with some beautiful orchids, too)! I've been itching for new cookware for awhile and I finally settled on the set that I wanted before Christmas. For one reason or another, I didn't pull the trigger and purchase it for myself though. I'm actually really glad that I didn't, because it was so much better to have the hubs unexpectedly gift it to me instead. Let me tell you, I couldn't wait to cook the special Valentine's Day dinner we had planned with my new loot. We fed the kiddos early and then I made a dinner of this steak and sauce, roasted asparagus, dill fingerling potatoes,a really nice Bordeaux wine, and white/dark chocolate strawberries for dessert. It was so nice to get dressed up, cue up the candles and romantic music, have some adult conversation, and relax with each other at home. It was easily one of the best Valentine's Day we have ever spent together in the 10+ years we've been a couple. Thanks cupid!

As for the food, it was the best meal we've had in recent memory. Seriously, restaurant quality. The husband said it was easily the best steak he has ever had...including a really expensive steak dinner we had at an upscale restaurant the first year we were married. (That steak had always held the number one spot until last night!) I splurged and bought really great quality meat and bacon, so I'm sure that a lot to do with it. The technique itself was easy and the whole dinner came together within 45 minutes. Not too shabby!


Bacon-Wrapped Filet Mignon
From: The Pioneer Woman via Food Network

Ingredients:
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 beef filet steak, 8 to 10 ounces, 2 inches thick
1 piece thin bacon
1 tablespoon butter, more if needed
1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Generously salt and pepper both sides of the steak. Wrap the steak with the bacon and secure with a toothpick.

Heat an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter and olive oil. When melted, add the steak to the skillet and sear on both sides until a really nice color, about 1 minute per side.

Remove the skillet from the stovetop and place into the oven to finish cooking. Cook until medium rare, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

NOTE: Obviously, I doubled the steak recipe so we had two portions.

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Red Wine Sauce
Adapted From: Epicurious.com

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon of canola oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3/4 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions:
Once steak(s) are cooked and resting, pour off fat from the skillet. Sauté garlic in remaining tablespoon oil over medium-high heat until pale golden, about 30 seconds. Add wine and boil, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Add water, soy sauce, and any meat juices from resting plate and boil until reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium-low and whisk in butter, 1 piece at a time, until slightly thickened. Stir in parsley and pour sauce over steaks. Serve and enjoy!

(I forgot to take a photo of the sauce...oops!)

Holiday Bacon Appetizer

I saw this recipe demonstrated on the Pioneer Woman cooking show, and instantly knew I had to save it for a special occasion. I didn't have to wait long, because my family was invited to spend Christmas dinner with my friend, Claire's family. Brilliantly, they skip the big fancy dinner and just opt for a meal of appetizers and drinks. It. is. fantastic. So much more relaxed and fun than a sit-around-the-table affair, and we were so happy to be included. These appetizers fit in perfectly, and were very easy to assemble and bake. There are two versions, and I must admit, I made less of the brown sugar ones thinking that they were a gamble and would be shunned. In reality, I should have made more of those than the classic Parm version, because everyone seemed to like the sweet/savory combo better (myself included). I guess they can also be made with bits of blue cheese, which sounds yummy as well. This is certainly a thumbs up recipe that was inexpensive, easy, and yielded great results. I will certainly this appetizer idea in my back pocket for future use!

Oh, one more thing...

I've been remiss (read: lazy) with the photos lately, so you will just have to imagine what these little beauties look like. :)

Holiday Bacon Appetizer
From: The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:

1 sleeve country club-style crackers
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 pound thinly sliced bacon

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Lay the crackers face up on a large rack over a baking sheet (or broiler pan). Scoop about 1 teaspoon of the grated Parmesan onto each cracker. Cut the package of bacon in half (or cut pieces individually) and carefully, so the cheese doesn't fall off, wrap each cheese covered cracker with one half piece of bacon, completely covering the cracker. It should fit snugly around the cracker, but not be pulled too taut. Place the bacon-wrapped crackers onto the rack. Place the baking sheet in the oven for about 2 hours. Serve immediately or at room temperature!
Notes

Cook's Note: Can also use brown sugar (with or without a pinch of cayenne pepper mixed into the sugar) or blue cheese instead of Parmesan! As I said, the brown sugar (with cayenne) version was fantastic!

Spinach, Bacon, Hummus Pizza

How do you take a good vegetarian recipe and make it better? Add bacon, of course! Okay, I'm kidding...but this is exactly what I did to this pizza. I started cooking this dinner without really having a solid plan as to what I was doing. I was winging it. Bacon just felt 'right', so I cooked some up and added it willy-nilly to the toppings. You could easily omit the bacon to turn it back into a vegetarian meal. We are just bacon fanatics at my house. Anyway, I did a few things differently from my normal pizza routine, namely using a pizza stone. I always forget that I actually own a pizza stone, so it never gets used. I just happened to find it in my cupboard, so I busted it out for this recipe...it was a total fluke. I'm surprised at how much it did make a difference; the crust was much more crisp with the stone. This was a great variation on pizza and my family gobbled it up. Ah, I love it when a last minute decision works out for the best!


Spinach,Bacon,Hummus Pizza

Ingredients:
pizza stone, preheated
1-2 T cornmeal
1 round of whole wheat pizza dough, store bought or homemade
1 small jar of sun dried tomatoes, diced, drained and rinsed of oil (save oil separately)
2 T sun dried tomato oil (see above)
1 (6 oz.) container of your favorite hummus
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
2 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 bag of washed fresh spinach leaves
salt and pepper to taste
couple splashes of lemon juice
2 cups of mozzarella cheese, shredded
5 pieces of bacon, cooked and diced

Directions:
Preheat oven, with pizza stone, to 450 degrees. In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp, dice, and set aside. Wipe skillet out with paper towels for reuse.

In the same skillet, add sun dried tomato oil and saute onions and garlic until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant. Add sun dried tomatoes cook for another minute or so. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Add salt, pepper, and a couple splashes of lemon juice to taste. Set aside.

Once pizza stone is preheated, remove from oven carefully (use oven mitts...don't burn yourself!). Sprinkle corn meal onto pizza stone. Roll out dough in the shape of your stone and place carefully onto the round. Spoon a layer of hummus onto the dough, as you would pizza sauce. Add spinach mixture in a layer over the hummus. Sprinkle cooked bacon on top. Add shredded mozzarella cheese as final topping. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until crust is cooked and cheese is melted and starting to get brown and bubbly (sometimes I turn on the broiler at the end of cooking for a minute or so to give the cheese an extra little bit of cook time.) Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before cutting into wedges. Serve and enjoy!

Turkle Burgles

I have a bunch of blog updating to do, but I can't really remember what all we've had for our dinners. I think I just start with last night's meal and work backwards. Hopefully, the photos on my camera will jog my memory.

I found this recipe on my BFF, Claire's blog. This is a family recipe of theirs that is very kid-friendly and easy to put together. The family and I went to Disney On Ice yesterday, then ran some errands after the show. By the time we got home, the kiddos were wiped out and hungry. I put these sandwiches on the table with some roasted asparagus in less than a half an hour. Everyone happily munched down their Turkle Burgles (I LOVE that name!) and some people--ahem--even had seconds. These were pretty darn tasty!

Turkle Burgles

Ingredients:
4 hamburger buns or sandwich rolls (I use Oroweat Sandwich Thins)
8 slices cooked bacon
8 slices turkey (or enough for four sandwiches)
4 slices cheese (I used a combo of Swiss and provolone cheese)
Thousand Island salad dressing

Directions:
Heat broiler. Toast hamburger buns. Place bottom half of buns on a cookie sheet. Top with 2 slices of turkey, 2 strips of bacon (I tore mine in half to get more bacon coverage), and slice of cheese. Place under broiler until cheese begins to melt. Spread dressing on top half of bun and top sandwich.

Bacon, Spinach, & Cheese Enchiladas with Verde Cream Sauce

I had been craving restaurant-style Spinach-Cheese Enchiladas for a few weeks. I found a few potential recipes, but always came up short on ingredients when I went to prepare them for dinner. I decided to scrap a traditional recipe and just do my own thing. When I was foraging for items to go into the enchiladas, I noticed that we had 4 uncooked strips of bacon that needed to be used. Since almost everything is better with bacon, I decided to work that into the mix. I'm glad I did because my enchiladas turned out to be phenomenal...exactly what I was looking for with the extra little bacon bonus!

Bacon, Spinach, & Cheese Enchiladas with Verde Cream Sauce

Ingredients:
4 strips of bacon, cooked and chopped (grease reserved)
2 onions, sliced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 can(s) of green chiles, chopped
1 large container of fresh baby spinach
1 10 oz. bag of frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
a few splashes of lime juice, to taste
4 cups of pepper jack cheese, divided and shredded (2 cups for the assembly, 2 cups for the topping)
1 cup of Monterrey jack cheese, shredded (for the sauce)
2 cup of milk
2-3 Tablespoons AP flour
2 Tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons of cumin
1 small can (or jar) of salsa verde
2 cups chopped, fresh cilantro, divided
salt and pepper to taste
cooking spray

Directions:

For filling:
Cook bacon in a non-stick skillet until crispy. Remove the bacon to a cutting board, while reserving half of the bacon grease in the pan (discard the rest of the grease or save in the fridge for another application). Chop the bacon and set aside. Heat the remaining grease over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute or until fragrant. Add fresh spinach and cook until completely wilted. Add prepared frozen spinach and saute until well combined and any additional moisture is cooked off. Season with salt and pepper and a few splashes of lime juice to taste. Add in chopped bacon and mix thoroughly. Set aside.

For Sauce:
Melt butter in a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle AP flour over butter and combine with a whisk until flour/butter mixture looks like coarse meal. Cook for 3-5 minutes to get all the raw flour taste cooked out (your making a basic roux here). Add in oregano and cumin. Mix with whisk and cook until spices are fragrant; an additional minute or so. Add in green chiles and salsa verde, stir to combine. Add in milk while continually whisking. Bring to a boil, while whisking, then reduce heat. mixture should start to thicken into a sauce consistency. Remove from heat and mix in 1 cup of Monterrey jack cheese. Whisk until melted and combined. Season with salt and pepper and a few splashes of lime juice to taste. Add in fresh, chopped cilantro stir to combine. Cover and set aside.

For Assembly:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 9 x 13 casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside. Spread some of the prepared sauce on the bottom of the pan. Use a tablespoon or two of the spinach/bacon filling and a big pinch of the shredded pepper jack cheese and place in the middle of a corn tortilla. Roll tortilla around cheese and filling and place seam side down in prepared casserole dish. (You will use 2 cups of the pepper jack total in this application.) Repeat as needed, until pan is filled. Add any leftover filling and cheese around the edges of the rolled enchiladas (or make an additional pan to freeze). Top rolled enchiladas with remaining sauce. Top with remaining 2 cups of pepper jack cheese, sprinkled on top. Bake for 30 minutes, until top is browned and bubbly. Remove from oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Cut and serve.


This was labor-intensive, but sooooo worth it! These. were. delicious. I just noticed that I used 5 cups of cheese in this recipe! Okay, I will begrudgingly admit, 5 cups of cheese IS excessive. Yeah, our enchiladas were pretty decadent. In my defense, this made a ton of enchiladas and we had them for dinner twice and lunches throughout the week. Also, spinach is healthy. Also, there was a small amount of bacon relative to the quantity of enchiladas. The bacon was just for flavoring, and not a main element. It was only a smattering of bacon. For some reason, that logic helps me justify the amount of cheese...please don't judge me. :)

Austrailian Chicken

We don't really eat out all that much. Our rationale is that it's not very enjoyable to pack up three kids and eat at a crowded, over-priced, chain restaurant that only has mostly-mediocre food. We can do better at home, for considerably less expense and hassle. When the husband and I do eat out at a restaurant, it's gonna be for a date night and it will someplace that is not inexpensive or --ahem-- kid-friendly. It doesn't happen that often, but when it does we want to relax and make sure it's worth our while from a foodie perspective.

With that said, there are a couple of chain restaurant dishes that I do miss and often think about. For example, I really love the Alice Springs Chicken at Outback Steakhouse. (I don't love it enough to go there and pay for it; but I love it nonetheless.) Imagine how happy I was to find a copycat recipe for said chicken that was just as good, if not better than the original version. Score! I love finding ways to have our favorite restaurant-type meals at home...it makes me feel all savvy and crafty. Kinda like I've found a way to outsmart the system.

Ha! Take that chain restaurants!!! I've even renamed my copycat version, to show you who's boss. Victory is mine!

Australian Chicken
Adapted From: sixsistersstuff.com via Pinterest

Ingredients:
cooking spray
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
Lawry's seasoning salt to taste
6 slices bacon, cut in half
1 cup of your favorite honey mustard salad dressing
1/2 tablespoon of dried onion flakes
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
salt to taste
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 glass dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Lightly sprinkle seasoned salt on both sides of chicken and set aside.

In a non-stick skillet, cook bacon until crispy. Remove bacon from pan, reserving the bacon grease to a separate bowl. Drain bacon on a plate lined with paper towels and set aside.

In the same non-stick skillet, add about a tablespoon of bacon grease back to the pan. Heat grease over medium-high heat. Saute the mushrooms in the grease with a pinch of salt. Once mushrooms are cooked, remove to separate bowl and set aside (I put mine along side my draining bacon to save on doing dishes later.)

Again, in the same skillet, add another tablespoon of bacon grease back to the pan and heat over medium-high heat. Brown seasoned chicken on both sides, about 3-4 minutes on each side. Place browned chicken in prepared glass dish. Sprinkle the chicken with dried onion flakes. Pour half of the honey mustard salad dressing over the chicken. Top each chicken breast with two halves of bacon and a spoonful of the cooked mushrooms. Drizzle the remaining honey mustard dressing over top of the mushrooms, on each breast. Cover chicken with shredded cheese and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, or until chicken is done thoroughly and cheese is melted and bubbly.



The Result:
This satisfied my fix, for sure. My kiddos loved it, and had thirds! The husband said that he thought it was better than the restaurant version, and I think he's right. It was pretty darn spectacular. This is a keeper recipe for sure!

Blue Cheese (or Ranch) Bacon "Hotburgers"

So, I have a TON of leftover blue cheese and ranch chicken wing dips. What is a mother to do with all the extra, creamy goodness??? Why, incorporate them into the meal plan, of course. I spread my dip(s) over some burgers with a slice of bacon each, and viola...a new burger was born.

My family is divided into blue cheese lovers (me) and non blue cheese lovers (everyone else). Actually, the baby girls seem to be on the fence about blue cheese because they are still so young. I still have time to sway them over to my side, hopefully. Anyway, I used blue cheese dip for mine and the girls and then used the ranch dip for the boys at my table. Everyone was happy with their burgers and it was declared that these were some of the tastiest burgers we have ever consumed. I'll agree...they were awesome!

I put these burgers together and split them in half and served them on hotdog buns. Why, you ask???? Well, I didn't have hamburger buns. (Hey, we had hot dog buns and I wasn't going to make a special trip to the store just for a different-shaped bread item. They taste the same, I tell ya!!!) My son was complaining about the lack of actual hamburger buns, so I took my friend Claire's suggestion and started calling them "hotburgers". Thanks to the clever re-branding scheme, he didn't seem to mind having hamburgers on hot dog buns after that. Tee-hee!

Blue Cheese (or Ranch) Bacon "Hotburgers"

Ingredients:
1 pound of ground beef
2 teaspoon of olive oil
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
5 slices of bacon
1-2 teaspoons of bacon grease
hotdog buns (or hamburger buns, if you want to be boring)(just kidding)
blue cheese or ranch dip(s), your choice (see previous post for recipe)

Directions:
In a mixing bowl, combine beef, Dijon mustard, olive oil, salt and pepper with a fork. Just mix enough to combine the ingredients, but try not to over-mix or handle too much. Divide mixture into 4 balls and form into patties. Set aside.

In a non-stick skillet, fry bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain. Discard most of bacon grease, but leave some in the pan to help cook the burgers. Fry burgers, for about 4 minutes on each side or until cooked medium rare in the middle.

Slather either the blue cheese dip or the ranch dip on both sides of your bun (either hot dog bun or hamburger buns), depending on your preference. If using hot dog buns, cut burger patty in half and arrange meat on the hot dog bun lengthwise. Top with a slice of bacon, close the bun and serve!

(Obviously, if you are using a regular hamburger bun just prepare as you would a normal hamburger & toppings.)

The Result:
These are our new favorite burgers. I must confess, I tried both varieties and did prefer the blue cheese over the ranch. I suggest you try both and see which one your family likes best!

Italian Club Sandwiches

I loosely based this recipe off of a Rachel Ray appetizer that I spied in the Rachel Ray 365: No Repeats cookbook. Normally, I'm not RR's biggest fan, but I wanted something unique for dinner that we hadn't tried before. I must say, she came through with this one! These sandwiches jumped off the page and caught my attention. I modified it to accommodate my family's tastes and a hearty dinner-sized portion. Big, stacked sandwich for dinner??? Yes, please!

Italian Club Sandwiches
Adapted From: Rachel Ray 365: No Repeats--A Year of Deliciously Different Dinners cookbook

Ingredients:
whole wheat sandwich bread
garlic-herbed spreadable cheese (I used Allouette brand)
sliced tomatoes
sliced avocado (splashed with a little lemon juice and sprinkled with salt)
salad greens (I used a baby spinach/arugula blend) OR fresh basil leaves
sliced radishes
deli turkey meat
prosciutto
cooked, crispy bacon strips
sliced low-fat provolone cheese

Directions:
Use three pieces of bread per sandwich. Smear spreadable cheese on one side of the top and bottom slices. Smear spreadable cheese on both sides of the middle bread piece. On the bottom slice, stack greens, tomatoes, and prosciutto. Top with sliced radishes and put middle bread piece over it (i.e. bread with cheese on spread on both sides). On the top of the middle piece of bread, stack avocado slices, turkey deli meat, bacon slices, and more salad greens. Top with remaining bread top, cheese side down. Cut the sandwich in half and serve. Repeat the process for however many sandwiches you need.



The Result:
I'm not really sure why she dubbed this as an Italian club??? It does have some Italian ingredients, but I wouldn't consider it to be "Italian" food or even "Italian" style. All issues with naming this sandwich aside, this came together quickly and easily. Oh, and did I mention we loved it??? Yeah, we loved it!

By the way, here is a wacky reference for you...

Do you remember the Thanksgiving episode of the TV show Friends? The one where Ross had the leftover Thanksgiving sandwich and he called the middle bread piece dipped in gravy "The Moist Maker"???? That totally just popped into my head and made me giggle! Maybe because this sandwich has a middle piece of bread, too. Anyway, there is no "Moist Maker" here, but this is still one good sammie.

Bacon Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwich

This. was. awesome. Seriously, you should try this sandwich immediately; if not sooner. Thank you. Over and out. Ten-four, good buddy.

Bacon Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Adapted From: Three Many Cooks website

Ingredients:
1/2 stick butter, softened (use more or less if needed, depending on the number of sandwiches)
sour dough bread slices
ripe tomatoes, sliced (I used heirlooms)
8-10 pieces of crispy, cooked bacon (use more or less, if needed)
jarred pesto
fresh mozzarella, sliced

Directions:
Cook bacon and set aside. On inside of bread, spread pesto on both halves. Top with cheese slices, tomato slices, and a few slices of bacon. Put top piece of bread on sandwich. Slather butter on outside of both ends of the bread. Cook in a dry skillet over medium high heat until cheese is melted and bread is crisp and golden brown. Flip and repeat on the other side. Remove sandwich to a cutting board, cut in half, and serve immediately. Repeat with additional sandwiches.



The Result:
Nom, nom, nom. (Insert lip-smacking noises here.)

World's Greatest Sandwich (aka The "Spanglish" Sandwich)

Have you discovered Pinterest yet? I'm addicted; it's fantastic! It is so addicting, I literally need to limit my time on it, and use perusing it as a reward system for myself so I can get other chores done. For instance, if I clean the kitchen I get 15 minutes on Pinterest, if I do a load of laundry I get a half hour on Pinterest. You get the idea. Anyway, among the cornucopia of stuff on Pinterest, they have recipes. As a matter of fact, I found the link to this recipe on Pinterest. The recipe is entitled World's Greatest Sandwich, developed by chef Thomas Keller for the movie "Spanglish". That is a bold claim, but I must confess...this sandwich was pretty darn close to perfection.

World's Greatest Sandwich (aka The "Spanglish" Sandwich)
From: Thomas Keller, via thekitchn.com

NOTE: Ingredients yield 1 sandwich. Adjust quantities as needed, for additional sandwiches.

Ingredients:
3-4 slices of bacon
2 slices of Monterey Jack cheese
2 slices of toasted rustic country loaf (pain de campagne)
1 tbsp of mayo
4 tomato slices
2 leaves of butter lettuce (yes, it's called butter lettuce)
1 teaspoon butter
1 egg

Directions:
1. Cook the bacon until crisp, drain on paper towels,

2. Place slices of cheese on one side of toasted bread. Place in toaster oven or under broiler to melt.

3. Spread mayo on other slice of bread top with bacon, sliced tomato, and lettuce
4. On non-stick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Fry egg, turning over briefly when the bottom is set (keep yolk runny).

5. Slide finished egg on top of lettuce, top with other slice of bread (cheese-side down).

6. Place sandwich on plate and slice in half, letting yolk run down sandwich.



The Result:
This sandwich rocked!!! I used heirloom tomatoes, applewood smoked bacon, and ciabiatta bread; which really put this beauty over the top.

The website I found this recipe on adjusted the sandwich to include avocado. I agree that would have been a delicious addition, but I didn't have any on hand. Maybe next time...yum.

BLT Lettuce Wraps

I had half of a leftover head of lettuce in my fridge from last night's dinner, and I decided that I could probably come up with something to do with it. After all, wasting food is not really my gig. So, I did some searching on food.com (which happens to have a ton of SBD recipes on it) and found these easy-to-put-together wraps.

BLT Lettuce Wraps
Adapted From: Food.com, By: KVasanth on August 27, 2007

Ingredients:
4 slices bacon (turkey bacon is recommended, but I used Applewood Smoked bacon)
4 leaves red leaf or iceburg lettuce
1 tomato, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons mayo (fat-free preferred)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Cook bacon in the microwave between paper towel sheets in order to get it crispy. (I don't like microwaved bacon, so I cook it either in a pan or bake it in the oven).

Rinse and dry lettuce leaves. Carefully break the spines of each leaves in multiple places so that it rolls easily.

Spread mayonnaise on leaves (as you would on bread). Sprinkle tomatoes with salt and pepper to taste.

Add one slice of bacon per each lettuce leaf. Top with sliced tomato, roll and eat!

The Result:
I didn't take a photo, but these were really good. They were just as satisfying as a normal BLT sandwich, and I didn't miss the bread at all. This was a great way to use up some of my leftover lettuce. Yum!

Potato-Leek Pizza with Bacon

Well, since the husband was on such a roll with the last cookbook I let him have the pick again. I think that will be our thing...he chooses, and I cook. Anyway, this time he selected The Pioneer Woman Cooks! cookbook. We love PW, so it wasn't much of a stretch. Again, I looked for recipes that were not totally unhealthful and were things that didn't automatically jump out at me. This pizza was my first choice, and it was so good! The husband said it reminded him of the potato skins appetizer, only in pizza form. I must agree...it was the best of both worlds!

Potato-Leek Pizza with Bacon
Adapted From: The Pioneer Woman Cooks! cookbook, by: Ree Drummond

Ingredients:
1 batch of my Quick Homemade Whole Wheat Pizza Dough (see below)
extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt
3 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 leeks, rinsed well to remove grit and thinly sliced
5 small red or Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced paper thin
1 lb fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced thin
4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
freshly ground black pepper
grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Prepare the pizza crust by drizzling lightly with olive oil and sprinkling lightly with salt.

In a skillet over medium heat, fry the bacon until cooked but not crisp, then remove and set aside. Pour off most of the grease, but do not clean the skillet. Return it to the stove and, over medium-low heat, saute the leeks until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove the leeks from the heat and set aside.

Using a sharp knife or mandoline, slice the potatoes very thin. Be careful not to allow them enough time to oxidize. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer all over the crust, slightly overlapping the edges. Sprinkle the potatoes lightly with salt, then lay the mozzarella slices in a single layer on top of the potatoes. Place the leeks on top of the cheese, then sprinkle the fried bacon pieces over the top. Add a generous dose of crumbled goat cheese, grated Parmesan, and a sprinkle of pepper.

In an oven preheated to 500 degrees F, bake the pie for 8-11 minutes, until the edges of the crust are golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Slice it into wedges or squares and serve immediately.

************************************************

Quick Homemade Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

Ingredients:
1 package of active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 cup warm water
1 1/2 cups of AP flour
1 cup of whole wheat flour
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon of garlic powder

Directions:
In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy (about 10 minutes). Stir in flour, salt, & olive oil. Beat until smooth. Let rest 5 minutes. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a round.

Cook on grill, as indicated in the above directions or according to your recipe instructions.



The Result:
This was spooooooo good! I loved finding yet another pizza variation that I could throw into the rotation. Pizza is so versatile...it's really a crying shame that most people do not experiment with pizza flavors, or just stick to whatever the local take-out shop has on their menu. There is a whole world of delicious, unusual pizza toppings just waiting to be discovered!

I tried to lighten this recipe up by pairing this pizza with the my whole wheat crust recipe, and I cut the amount of bacon in half from the original recipe. I only used 3 strips of really great quality applewood smoked bacon, and it was plenty. I used small red potatoes and followed the remainder of the recipe as-is. Again, it was so, so, so, soooooo good!!!!

Ultimate Grilled Cheese

My girlfriends, Claire, Jenn N., and I actually got to meet Ina and get her latest cookbook autographed!!! We ditched our kids and had ourselves a "girls' day" by going to Ina Garten's cookbook signing, held at Sur La Table in Scottsdale yesterday afternoon. It was soooo much fun! Seriously, it was the best girls' day I have had in awhile!!! After the signing we had a fabulous lunch at Zinc Bistro, and did some shopping.

Ina, lunch, and shopping...what's better than that?!?!?!?

I must say, Ina really was so sweet and gracious...just as nice in person as she is on her show. I heart her even more now!

To commemorate my awesome day, I felt it was only fitting to make a Barefoot Contessa recipe from Ina's new book, Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That?. This was pretty much the best grilled cheese sandwich I have ever eaten. Hands down. Trust me. Ina always pulls through with a shining star!

Ultimate Grilled Cheese
From: Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That? cookbook, 2010

Ingredients:
12 slices thick-cut bacon, such as Nodine’s applewood smoked
1 cup good mayonnaise
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 white pullman loaf or sourdough bread, sliced 1/2-inch thick (12 slices)
6 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature (for spreading, you probably won’t use it all)
6 ounces aged Gruyere or Comte cheese
6 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, such as Cabot or Shelburne Farms

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange the bacon on a baking rack set over a sheet pan in a single layer and roast for 20 to 30 minutes, until nicely browned. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels and cut in 1-inch pieces.

2. Meanwhile, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, Parmesan, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Lay 12 slices of bread on a board and spread each one lightly with butter. Flip the slices and spread each one generously with the mayonnaise mixture. Don’t neglect the corners!

3. Grate the cheeses in a food processor fitted with the largest grating disk and combine. Distribute the bacon evenly on half the slices of bread. Pile 1/3 cup grated cheese evenly on top of the bacon and top with the remaining bread slices, sauce side down.

4. Heat an electric panini press. When the press is hot, cook the sandwiches for 3 to 5 minutes in batches until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted. (Or, heat a nonstick skillet on medium-low, place two sandwiches at a time inside, and use a lightweight metal cake pan to weigh them down gently. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Flip the sandwiches, press them down with the cake pan, and cook for about 2 minutes, until golden brown. Repeat until all of the sandwiches are done.)

5. Allow the sandwiches to cool for 2 minutes. Cut in half, and serve warm.



The Result:
Drool-worthy. Soooo delicious and decadent! I halved this recipe for my little family and it was perfect. A perfect end to a perfect day!

Chicken Cobb Burger

I swear I don't usually like Bobby Flay recipes. Really. Truly. The king of 'honey and jalapeno' usually does not do it for me. Seriously! However, this just happens to be another one of his --ahem!-- recipes. I know, I know...you don't even have to point out the obvious. Why have I made two of his recipes just this week alone, if I dislike him so much????? Well, it's complicated.

Just like I got sucked into trying a Sandra Lee recipe a few weeks ago, I found myself in the same situation with Bobby Flay. It all started out innocently enough... You see, I was on the elliptical watching the Food Network and minding my own business. I started out with a show that I liked and that show came to it's conclusion. That is when I ended up trapped. Next in the viewing line-up was one of a dozen-bazillion Bobby Flay shows (it seems like he is everywhere...I think the Food Network only really has two employees at this point--Bobby Flay and Guy Fieri.) Anyway, I had a half hour to go for my allotted exercise time; so I watched. Then, ironically, the same thing happened again the next time I exercised. To make a long excuse short, I watched him make this recipe and the pizza recipe from the other day. I must admit, they both looked really good. So, I swallowed my pride and set aside my personal distaste for Mr. Flay and gave both dishes a go. Well, the pizza turned out really, really, really good. However, the star of this little saga is really this burger. It. was. AWESOME. ::Sigh:: Awesome. Ugh. This burger was so fantastic, I may have to swallow all the bad stuff I have ever muttered about his less-than-perfect ego (Ginger-haired gentlemen should not be so cocky!) and weird herb-infused oils (One trick pony, anyone???...Doh, there I go again!) and investigate some of his other recipes.

I hate it when I am forced to admit that I could possibly be wrong.

Oh well, here is the fantastic burger recipe.

Chicken Cobb Burger
From: foodnetwork.com; by Bobby Flay 2007, Boy Meets Grill

Ingredients:

For the burgers:
8 (1/2- thick) strips bacon
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken, 90 percent lean
2 tablespoons canola oil
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
4 burger buns, split
1 large ripe beefsteak tomato, cut into 4 slices
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into 8 slices

For the vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely shredded romaine lettuce

Directions:

For the burgers:
Heat the grill to medium.

Place the strips of bacon on the grill (lay them across the grate so they don't fall through) and grill for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden brown and slightly crispy. Remove the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels. Increase the heat of the grill to high.

Form the meat into 4 (8-ounce) burgers, brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill the burgers until golden brown on both sides and cooked completely through, about 5 minutes per side. Top the burgers with the blue cheese, close the cover, and continue cooking until the cheese begins to melt, about 1 minute longer.

Place the burgers on the bottom half of each bun and top with a slice of tomato, 2 slices of avocado, 2 slices of bacon and some of the dressed romaine. Cover each burger with the bun tops and serve.

For the vinaigrette:
Whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, Worcestershire, garlic, sugar, salt, pepper and oil in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using to allow the flavors to meld.

Just before assembling the burgers, place the romaine in a medium bowl and toss with the vinaigrette.



The Result:
I followed this recipe as written, and it was fan-freakin'-tastic. The burgers were flavorful, juicy, and moist. We loved them! I served these chicken patties on sandwich thins instead of buns, and a side of baked sweet potato fries. The whole meal was seriously delicious. Thank you (gulp) Bobby Flay.

Caesar Club Sandwich

I don't know what it is, but sometimes when the end of the weekend rolls around, I am spent. I was just sitting here trying to think of a good way to introduce this sandwich to you, but my mind is totally and completely blank. As a stall tactic, I have decided to just describe the state of my blankness...just so the empty page won't mock me. Anyway, I guess I could tell you that my friend Claire made this sandwich a week or so ago with good results. I could also tell you that it comes from both the Food Network website and the Barefoot Contessa At Home cookbook. Other than that, I've got nothing for you today. No thought-provoking or witty commentary here...just the facts. Oh, and I am going to serve this sandwich with some glazed carrots and a baked potato. Yup, I am officially out of things to type...here is the recipe.

Caesar Club Sandwich
From: Barefoot Contessa At Home cookbook, foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:
2 split (1 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
Good olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces thinly sliced pancetta (I am using bacon instead)
1 large garlic clove, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons anchovy paste
1 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup good mayonnaise
1 large ciabatta bread
2 ounces baby arugula, washed and spun dry
12 sun-dried tomatoes, in oil
2 to 3 ounces Parmesan, shaved

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan skin side up. Rub the chicken with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until cooked through. Cool slightly, discard the skin and bones, and slice the meat thickly. Set aside.

Meanwhile, place the pancetta (or bacon) on another sheet pan in a single layer. Roast for 10 to 15 minutes, until crisp. Set aside to drain on paper towels.

Place the garlic and parsley in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until minced. Add the anchovy paste, mustard, lemon juice, and mayonnaise and process again to make a smooth dressing. (Refrigerate the Caesar dressing if not using it immediately.)

Slice the ciabatta in half horizontally and separate the top from the bottom. Toast the bread in the oven, cut side up, for 5 to 7 minutes; cool slightly. Spread the cut sides of each piece with the Caesar dressing. Place half the arugula on the bottom piece of bread and then layer in order: the sun-dried tomatoes, shaved Parmesan, crispy pancetta (or bacon), and sliced chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and finish with another layer of arugula. Place the top slice of ciabatta on top and cut in thirds crosswise. Serve at room temperature.





The Results:
Oh man! This is definitely in my top 5 favorite sandwiches. Yum-freakin'-o! I am telling you...Ina rarely disappoints, and this was fantastic. It always amazes me how simple ingredients, when put together correctly, can be sooooooo delicious! Needless to say, this is a keeper.

Cooking Light's Bacon, Ranch, and Chicken Mac & Cheese

I know it is probably weird to be excited about food/cooking all the time, but I am. I derive a lot of pleasure from both the consumption and preparation of food, so it is hard to fathom not liking to eat or cook for my family. I could never be one of those people who are totally indifferent about eating and/or be someone who forgets to eat sometimes. I don't think there has been any time in my life where I just simply forgot to eat. Although, I would be a lot thinner if I was one of those people, that is for sure!

Anyway, tonight's dinner seems really yummy, and I can't wait to try it...as usual. This is a Cooking Light recipe that my friend, Claire recently made for her family. They all really liked it...but what is not to like about pasta, bacon, and cheese. I am going to serve this healthy version of mac and cheese with some salad. Thanks again, Claire for the great idea.

Cooking Light's Bacon, Ranch, and Chicken Mac and Cheese
From: March 2010 issue, by SaBrina Bone

Ingredients:
8 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni
1 slice applewood-smoked bacon
8 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups fat-free milk
1/3 cup condensed 45% reduced-sodium 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded six-cheese Italian blend (such as Sargento)
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded colby-Jack cheese

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

2. Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings in pan. Finely chop bacon; set aside. Increase heat to medium-high. Add chicken to drippings in pan; sauté 6 minutes or until done.

3. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; sprinkle flour evenly into pan. Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk. Combine milk and soup, stirring with a whisk; gradually add milk mixture to saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat; let stand 4 minutes or until sauce cools to 155°. Add Italian cheese blend, onion powder, garlic powder, dill, and salt, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in pasta and chicken.

4. Preheat broiler.

5. Spoon mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with reserved bacon and colby-Jack cheese. Broil 3 minutes or until cheese melts.

Nutritional Information:
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 2 cups)
Calories:497
Fat:17g (sat 9.2g,mono 4.7g,poly 1.4g)
Protein:33.3g
Carbohydrate:51.7g
Fiber:2g
Cholesterol:74mg
Iron:2.4mg
Sodium:767mg
Calcium:368mg


Jen's Notes:
For the Mac and Cheese dish, the recipe info indicates that a single serving size is 2 cups. Is it me, or does that seem like a really large portion???? Since we have artichokes on the side, I think I might actually dish out 1 cup portion sizes and see how it goes. Also, I don't have fresh dill so I need to use dried. I want this dish to have lots of ranch flavor, so I think I might incorporate some dry ranch dressing seasoning as some of the reviews indicate. I will let you know how it turns out, and how much ranch dressing I add to the mix later in my review.





The Result:
This was sooooo good! It totally felt decadent and did not seem like a "light" recipe. The dill and ranch dressing packet worked out well (I used 1/2 packet of ranch dressing mix) and will be changes that I incorporate again. I think next time I am going to try and make my own cream of mushroom soup, just for fun. Other than that, this was a dish we all loved and it will be something we have again.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

I think my pregnancy cravings are really starting to get aggressive. All I can think about lately is restaurant-style, dairy-laden, baked potato soup. You know...the kind with cheese, bacon, green onions, and sour cream for "garnish". Dairy products are not my friend these days, so I am not sure why I want a soup completely chock full o' lactose so badly. The only explanation is pregnancy cravings. I searched around on the Internet and finally found a soup that promises to fulfill all my starchy/creamy/soupy desires. I am going to make a quick salad to go along side of our yummy soup, and dinner will be served!

Loaded Baked Potato Soup
From: Cooking During Stolen Moments

Ingredients:
1 lb. bacon, diced (See Results below: I used a lot less)
1 onion, diced
5 large Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 cups chicken stock
3 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups milk
3 green onions, sliced
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoons black pepper
Sour cream for garnish, optional
(***Add a few sprinkles of white wine vinegar to balance the dish before serving.***)

Directions:
1. In a large stock pot, cook bacon until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain and set aside. Drain all but 2 T. of bacon grease from the pot. Cook the onions in the remaining bacon grease for about 5 minutes, until tender.

2. Add potatoes and chicken stock to pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer about 20 minutes, until potatoes are tender. With a slotted spoon, remove a few scoops of potatoes. Place in a bowl and mash with a fork. Set aside.

3. In a small sauce pan, melt butter. Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in milk, bring to a boil and simmer until thickened. Slowly stir in to stock pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer. Stir mashed potatoes back into pot.

4. Add 1/2 c. shredded cheese, three-fourths of the bacon and half the sliced green onions to pot. Add pepper. Stir to combine. Cook an additional 5 minutes.

5. To serve, ladle soup into individual bowls and top with some shredded cheese, bacon, green onions and optional sour cream.



The Result:
This was exactly what I wanted in a Baked Potato Soup. It was so satisfying!

I did make a couple of little changes, but nothing too major. For example, I used 4 potatoes instead of 5. Then, I only had Monterrey Jack cheese on hand (not cheddar), so that is what I used. I mixed half of the cheese I had (about 1/2 cup) into the sauce pan with the milk, to make the cheese melt better and the overall dish more cohesive. I only used 6 slices of bacon, and not the full pound recommended. A pound of bacon just seemed unnecessary. I cooked the full strips until crisp, and then crumbled them on top for garnish. It still turned out savory and bacony, and we didn't miss the extra fat/calories from the superfluous meat.
Lastly, I sprinkled some white wine vinegar into the soup right before serving. Maybe about a teaspoon or so total. It was a little too creamy and dull, so it really needed a small hit of acid to balance the flavors. The white wine vinegar was perfect...it gave the dish a tiny bit of brightness that it otherwise did not have. I would definitely not skip the vinegar.*** In the end, I totally forgot about the sour cream as a garnish. It was still great soup; so really the sour cream would have been just a little added touch, not a major flavor component.

This soup was a hit with my family, and this recipe is a keeper!