Cheddar Bacon Mini Muffins

A while ago Tracy posted a recipe for some Jalapeno and Bacon Cheesy Bread and it was the most ooey gooey delicious bread I have ever tasted! Since then I have wanted to make something similar, and actually came across a recipe for Bacon Parmesan Muffins that looked good. I changed it up a bit and used shredded cheddar jack instead of parmesan, and oh my were these delicious! If you want to see the original recipe for the bacon parmesan muffins, click here.

Autumn Apple Salad

I used to think that fruit had no place on a salad, but over the last year or so I have changed my mind.  It is amazing how apples compliment the other ingredients.  Now I find myself experimenting with different ingredient combinations in our salads all the time.  I used this as a side dish, but you could easily add left over chicken and make it a meal.

Ingredients

• Fuji Apple
• Bacon cooked and crumbled
• Romaine Lettuce
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
• Salt and Pepper to taste 
• 1/2 teaspoon Minced Garlic
• 1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
• Toasted Pecans

In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, dijon mustard, minced garlic, and balsamic vinegar.  In a large bowl place chopped lettuce.  Top with bacon, toasted pecans, and Fuji apple pieces.  Drizzle with dressing and enjoy!

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B.B.B. Bacon Bean Bundles

I am always looking for new ways to serve vegetables.  My family doesn't like a large variety so I have limited options that I know everyone will eat.  This sweet and salty recipe goes great with just about anything.  I like the convenience of it being already portioned out.  

Ingredients:

• 1/2-3/4 lb Fresh Green Beans- washed and trimmed
• 5 Strips of Bacon Cut in half (don't use thick bacon because it takes too long to cook)
• 2 Tablespoon of Brown Sugar
• 3 Tablespoons of Butter
• 2 teaspoon of Soy Sauce
• Pepper

Recipe serves 4 but can easily be adjusted to serve more

Preheat oven to 400.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean up.  Divide green beans into 10 piles.  I usually put about 8 beans in each pile.  Take a half a piece of bacon and place a pile of green beans at one end.  Tightly roll the bacon around the beans and place the bundle on the baking sheet.  Do the same to all of the bundles.
In a bowl, melt butter in the microwave.  After butter is melted mix in the brown sugar and soy sauce.  Brush mixture over green bean bundles.  Sprinkle with pepper.
Bake about 30 minutes or until bacon is thoroughly cooked.  Enjoy!

I recently served this with Puff and Stuff Chicken (recipe to come soon).

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pockets

I have many tips up my sleeve when it comes to making dinner for my family.  One of them is that I always have cooked chicken on hand.  The most time consuming part of many recipes it cooking the chicken that goes it them.  If the chicken is already cooked I can throw this super kid friendly dinner together in 20 minutes!  

Ingredients:

• Two Chicken Breasts Boiled and Shredded 
• 6 oz of Cream Cheese- softened (I used 1/3 less fat)
• 2/3 cup of Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 2 Tablespoons Hormel Real Bacon Bits 
• 1 Tablespoon Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
• 1 Tube of Cresent Rolls (I actually used the sheet and rolled out just a little bit)
• A little bit of pepper
• Butter
• About a Tablespoon of Unseasoned Bread Crumbs

Preheat oven to 350.  Beat together cream cheese, Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix, Bacon, Pepper, and Cheddar Cheese.  When thoroughly mixed, stir in the shredded chicken with a fork.

Roll out Cresent Roll dough if needed.    

 If using dough sheet- Divide into about 8 squares or just use triangles if using regular Cresent Roll Dough.  Place chicken mixture in center of each piece and fold in the sides and ends.

 Lay seam side down on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Melt a couple tablespoons of butter and brush it on top of chicken pockets.  Sprinkle with bread crumbs.

 Bake for about 15-17 minutes or until golden brown.

This recipe was featured in Two Magical Moms March Menu Madness.  Check out the entire menu and try out some of our other YUMMY recipes!

Baked Bacon WHAT!?! No way!

So I know that you have all seen something on Pinterest and thought WHAT!?!  Well one of those things for me was baking bacon in the oven.  I thought that it would make a huge mess and would taste different.  I was wrong.  We had some family in town for the weekend and she told me that her mom has always made bacon in the oven.  So I decided to give it a try and it was a success!  I was so happy that I didn't have to clean the grease from my stove or microwave.

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  Place a cooling rack on a cookie sheet (with sides) and lay bacon on top of the rack.  Bake in oven 22-28 minutes.  Time varies because of thickness of bacon and desired crispiness.  I know that bacon is never healthy, but the bacon seemed to be less greasy as well.

I served this with Oven Baked French Toast and it was the perfect addition to our Easter morning.

Deviled Eggs

Deviled Eggs make me think of two things- Springtime and Family Picnics.  I think our grandmothers could whip them up with their eyes closed, but I am not sure they ever thought to top them with delicious things.  The possibilities are endless, these are a few of ours.
Ingredients:

• Hard Boiled Eggs
• Mayonnaise
• Mustard
• Dill Pickle Juice
• Pepper

Toppings:

• Bacon- cooked and crumbled
• Dill Relish
• Paprika
• Cinnamon Sugar Pecans (yes, I made them myself.  I will post recipe soon)
• BE CREATIVE! Black olives, Lobster, Pimentos, or Pickles!

I begin by hard boiling the eggs.  There are dozens of ways to make them and for years every time I made them, I would have to call my Grandma Lois and ask her how long to cook them.  I am not sure if I really forgot each time or if I used it as an excuse to call and chat with her.  I put them in a pot with water covering them, bring to a rolling boil, and then turn off stove and cover for 7 minutes.  Then remove from water.
 My mother-in-law taught my kids how to crack them.  Each person gets an egg and then you hit them together, whoever's egg breaks is the loser and the winning egg attempts to break another one and so on and so on.
Just like my grandmother, I don't measure how much stuff goes into the yolk mixture.  The consistency is the most important thing.  In the egg peeling process, one egg white usually gets busted up which leaves me with an extra yolk.  Having the extra yolk allows me to make sure that I have plenty of filling to make the eggs look extra full.
Then let your creativity show!
This recipe was featured on our 30 Days of Dinners June Menu, Make sure to check out all of the other great recipes on this month's menu!

Sweet and Spicy Bacon Wrapped Chicken

This is something that can be thrown together very quickly with ingredients that you probably have on hand. The blend of the sweet and spicy gives perfect flavor. This recipe is extremely easy to adjust based on the number of people that you need to serve. I can make a small amount for just our immediate family or for a large group. Either way, everyone LOVES it!

Ingredients:

• Garlic Powder
• Chili Powder
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Chicken Breasts
• Bacon
• Brown Sugar

First, cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise. Then sprinkle each side with chili powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

After that, spiral wrap each piece of chicken with a piece of bacon and roll in brown sugar. Place chicken in baking dish and bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

Serve with your fave side dish. I am sure that there won't be ANY left over!

This recipe was featured in Two Magical Moms March Menu Madness and our Appetizing April Menu.  Check out the menus and try out some of our other YUMMY recipes!

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Spicy Bacon Carbonara

This recipe is a variation on something that I made before, but this one is MUCH better. My family has actually requested it be put on the menu again and I just made it last week! My oldest son, who is VERY picky, loves bacon so I was able to get him to eat it too!
Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
• 2/3 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
• Parsley Flakes (I didn't measure, I just shook it a couple times)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 lb bacon fried crisp and crumbled
• sliced mushrooms (I didn't measure, I just through in a couple handfuls)
• 1/2 of small onion
• about 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1 teaspoon garlic
• 1 16 oz box of fettucini

First I cook and crumble the bacon. I have to do this quickly so that my son doesn't try to sneak any! Set bacon aside. Start water for pasta. Next I chop the onion. I am not a huge onion fan, but I do understand the flavor value of onion in cooking so I do use them. I cook the onion and minced garlic in about a tablespoon of butter, but you could use some of the bacon grease for extra flavor. When the onions are almost cooked all the way through I add the mushrooms. You might need to add just a little bit more butter to saute the mushrooms. When done, leave them in pan but set them aside

Next, in a bowl beat with a fork eggs and heavy cream. Add Parmesan, parsley, salt and red pepper and lightly mix again.

Drain pasta (save about 3 tablespoons of pasta water just in case sauce is too thick) and return pasta to pot. Add the mushrooms and onions to pasta (you may need to heat them up in their pan first depending on how long you had to wait for pasta to finish cooking). Pour the egg/cream mixture over the pasta. Stir over LOW heat for 2-3 minutes.

Stir in bacon. Top with additional Parmesan Cheese and serve with bread and a salad! DELICIOUS!
Note: Make sure that when you add the egg/cream mixture that you have the stove on LOW. You do not want to scramble the eggs! I was very worried about this process. The first time I made it I actually made my husband leave the room just in case I completely ruined dinner I didn't want him to witness my failure. It has gone together perfectly every time! Also, if you like less spicy food you can add less red pepper flakes.

This recipe was featured in Two Magical Moms March Menu Madness and our Appetizing April Menu.  Check out the menus and try out some of our other YUMMY recipes!

Loaded Potato Topping

Our family likes to put this on just about any potato- including Baked Potato, Potato Wedges, Flattened Redskins, and Waffle Fries.

Ingredients

• 1/2 block 1/3 less fat cream cheese
• 1/3 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons Hormel Real Bacon Bits
• 2 teaspoons Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing Mix
• 1-2 tablespoons of milk (use more or less to adjust desired consistency)

Combine all ingredients in bowl. Mix with hand-mixer until ingredients are well mixed. Add milk to adjust consistency.

Enjoy on top of any type of potato!

This recipe was featured in Two Magical Moms March Menu Madness.  Check out the entire menu and try out some of our other YUMMY recipes!