Bakin’ With Bacon and Teddy

Greetings Bacon Fans!   It’s me – with another recipe for you!

Today I have to tell you all that I’m going to be using recipes from a FAB book that THE ROYAL MOM’s friend Miss Ellen gave her when Mom and Dad were in Maine on vacation last week.  They met up with Miss Ellen and her husband for a cruise about Kittery Trading Post AND lunch and they usually exchange “goodie bags”.    The wonderful book “BACON NATION” by Peter Kaminsky and Marie Rama was in Mom’s goodie bag!!  Imagine how excited I was to see that when Mom and Dad got home.     So today’s recipe is from that book and Miss Ellen – MOM AND I THANK YOU FOR THAT SO MUCH……………………….BIG HELP.

This recipe has all the stuff my Mom and Dad love – curry, broccoli, bacon, raisins and of course – BACON.   OOPS – I guess I said that twice – well I do love the stuff!

 

Curried Broccoli Salad With Bacon

INGREDIENTS

4 slices bacon cut into 1/2″ wide pieces

Olive oil (if necessary)

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar OR white wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon curry powder

salt and pepper

4 cups uncooked bite-size broccoli florets

1/4 cup minced red onion

2 tablespoons raisins

2 tablespoons roasted sunflower seeds (optional – we didn’t use them!)

DIRECTIONS

1.  Cook the bacon in a skillet until browned and crisp.  Transfer bacon to paper towel to drain setting aside 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat in a large bowl.   If you don’t have enough bacon fat – use some olive oil.
2.  Add mayo, honey, vinegar and curry powder to the bacon fat in the bowl and whisk until smooth.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Add the broccoli and stir to coat the florets evenly with the dressing – add the onion, raisins, sunflower seeds and drained bacon and stir to combine.   Taste for seasoning adding salt/pepper if needed.

If you use frozen broccoli instead of fresh obviously you have to let the florets thaw first!    If you can let this salad sit for a couple of hours in the refrigerator before serving it will give it time to pick up all that yummy flavor in the dressing!

YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT!

Thank you again Miss Ellen and Mr. David for gifting the bacon recipe book to Mom……………………..I’m sure we’ll find lots of great recipes to share with everyone who tunes in on Saturday to see what’s up in MY kitchen!!

Bacon – the perfect food (haha)   

Hugs, Teddy

 

Bakin’ With Bacon and Teddy

Hello Bacon Lovers!    Ready for something YUMMY for dessert?

Yep today it’s a dessert I’m sharing.    This is a perfect FALL dessert and while it has a ton of ingredients – I think once you read them and realize how yummy they will all go together in a recipe, you’ll want to try this.    Bacon and pumpkin are a GREAT combination too so it’s hard to “MISS” with this one!   Ready??

Bacon Gingerbread Sponge Cakes

 

Ingredients

• For The Sponge Cakes:
• 6 large eggs, separated
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon dark molasses
• 1 teaspoon bourbon vanilla extract  (regular vanilla extract is fine if you don’t have the boozy kind)
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup Hickory Smoked Bacon (or your favorite bacon whatever it may be), finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar

For The Creamy Maple Frosting:

• 3/4 cup chilled whipping cream
• 1/4 cup chilled greek yogurt  (greek yogurt has a different texture and taste and is just extra yummy but you can use any PLAIN yogurt)
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoon Maple Syrup
• 3/4 cup hickory smoked bacon (or whatever kind you like), finely chopped

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F. Place cupcake papers in 12 cupcakes slots.
• In a stand mixer, whisk yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, and brown sugar in large bowl until mixture falls in heavy ribbon, about 5 minutes. Add in melted butter, molasses and vanilla until incorporated then sift the flour, baking powder, spices and salt over yolk mixture. Fold in gently, then Fold in the bacon bits. Using clean dry beaters, whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and whisk until stiff, but not dry. Fold the egg white mixture into yolk mixture in 3 additions until well combined.
• Fill each cupcake paper 3/4 full with the sponge cake batter, about 1/4 cup each. If you have extra, you can fill more cupcake wrappers.
• Bake cake until tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 15 or 20 minutes. Let them cool for 5 minutes, then remove the cakes from the tray. Remember, these are sponge cakes so they will deflate a bit as they cool. That is normal.
• While the sponge cakes are cooling, beat together the whipping cream, greek yogurt, powdered sugar, brown sugar and maple syrup in a bowl until smooth. Fold in the bacon bits. Once the cakes are cool, pipe on the frosting how ever you’d like. Enjoy or as or top each sponge cake with any extra bacon you may have!

Doesn’t this sound incredible?   Seems like a perfect Fall treat……………………………GO FOR IT!

Happy Saturday – see you next week!  I’m getting ready for BACONWEEN!

Bakin’ With Bacon and Teddy

“What Time Is It??  It’s BACON TIME!”

That’s right – every Saturday we get together and I share one of my grand baconized treats with you – can be a breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, dessert or even a beverage!   But today it’s all about BREAKFAST.   And it’s something VERY different but extremely tasty.    You’ve just GOT to try this one.

BACON-CRUSTED FRUIT-STUFFED FRENCH TOAST

 

INGREDIENTS:

Four slices of bacon (yes of course there’s more stuff – but it’s “filling” !!

FILLING:

1/2 (8oz.) package cream cheese – softened

2 tablespoons butter at room temperature

2 tablespoons white sugar

4 strawberries – diced (or more strawberries if you want – you can also use OTHER berries if you prefer OR a mix of berries)

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

4 slices bread

EGG WASH:

3 eggs

1/2 cup coconut milk (or regular milk – which is what I used)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 dash ground nutmeg

1 dash salt

2 tablespoons butter

1 spring mint leaves slivered (I skipped the mint)

Directions:

Place bacon slices in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer bacon slices to paper towels; dice. Reserve bacon grease.

Blend cream cheese, 2 tablespoons butter, and sugar in a separate bowl. Fold strawberries and lemon juice into the filling.

Divide filling between 2 slices of bread, spreading it out to the edges. Cover with remaining 2 slices of bread. Press sandwiches lightly together.

Mix eggs, milk, vanilla extract, ground nutmeg, and salt in a shallow bowl to make egg wash.

Melt 1 1/2 teaspoon reserved bacon grease and 1 1/2 teaspoon butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle half the diced bacon evenly in the skillet. Dip 1 side of each sandwich in the egg wash. Place on top of the bacon in the skillet; cook until eggs are set and slightly browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Melt remaining 1 1/2 teaspoon bacon grease and 1 1/2 teaspoon butter in the skillet. Sprinkle remaining diced bacon in the skillet. Dip the second side of each sandwich in egg wash and return to the skillet; cook until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes.

Cut sandwiches in half and garnish with mint.

 

Now doesn’t that sound delicious?   Maybe a little more complicated but so what – it’s delicious and maybe something special and just a little bit different from the USUAL breakfast.    AND IT HAS BACON!      I have to say that when Mom made it, it did not look like the photo above – it looked more “sandwich-ey” – but it was delicious.   So no matter WHAT it looks like – if you follow the directions you will NOT be disappointed!

The Guy With The Bacon!

Bakin’ With Bacon….and a Friend!

Greetings From The Castle!   King Teddy and his Assistant Chef, Raz from Friends Furever are here to cook for you!

That’s right – Raz said he’d come help me show you a fabulous baconized recipe that his Mom recently made on their “Green Egg” Grill and it sounded just too good NOT to share it with all of you bacon lovers.     I think the name of it is as wonderful as these taste!

Pig Shots

Yes that’s really the name and oh boy boy do they ever look delicious!   Wait until you read the recipe and I think you will want to try them too…………..BUT first things first – you might be curious!

WHAT IS A PIG SHOT?

Pig shots is an interesting name, huh? Well, a pig shot is basically three components:

• a slice of sausage on the bottom
• wrapped in bacon to form a little “cup”
• and then a cream cheese mixture stuffed into the cup

INGREDIENTS

1 package of bacon, cut in half

1 pound of sausage or kielbasa (I used kielbasa)

8 oz. cream cheese

1 cup grated cheese (I used a three cheese blend)

Your “rub” of choice (see “NOTE” below about rubs…..also while this adds a lot of flavor it’s NOT a necessity in this recipe!!)

BBQ sauce of choice (optional)

toothpicks (optional but helpful)

INSTRUCTIONS

In a bowl, mix together cream cheese, grated cheese and 1/2 tbsp rub of your choice
Cut the bacon slices in half.
Cut the sausage links into 1/2″ slices.
Wrap the bacon around the sausage slice using a toothpick to secure it in place. Once you’ve done this, you should have a little “cup” created by the sausage bottom and bacon sides.
Fill the “cups” with cream cheese mixture until just under the top slice of bacon.
Sprinkle pig shots with seasoning rub.
Brush on BBQ sauce, if using.
Heat smoker to 225-250 degrees (or oven to 400 degrees).
Put pig shots on smoker (or in oven) until the bacon is done and crispy to your liking.

HELPFUL HINTS

If you’re finding the bacon/sausage cups difficult to deal with, you can put them in the fridge for 20 minutes or so. This helps make the bacon a little bit harder and easier to move into different positions. 

Use toothpicks to hold the bacon in place around the piece of sausage. You might need to use more than one.

You can spoon the cream cheese mixture into the cups but here’s a helpful tip: it is easier to put the mixture into a plastic bag, cut the corner a little bit and then use the bag to pipe the mixture into the bacon “cups”. This can also be less messy.

Now another question I’m sure you’re asking if you’re not familiar with smoking or grilling is “WHAT IS A RUB???”    Basically a “rub” is a blend of herbs and spices that add to or enhance a meat before, during, or after cooking. Most rubs usually have a sweet component (sugar, brown sugar), a salty component (kosher salt, sea salt), a savory component (herbs) and/or a spicy component (black pepper, chile powder).

Raz this is a WINNER I just know it.   My Dad is not a griller at heart but Mom says these could easily be baked (although she thinks they would taste BETTER on a grill).   We thank you and your Mom for telling us about Pig Shots.

Listen you all – Raz knows his food!    He has BEEN food for Halloween a number of times…………Spaghetti and Meatballs, a “S’More”, and even Bacon and Eggs!    You have to trust someone who appreciates food that much.     Raz and his sisters Noelle and Reesie are always up to something – if you don’t already follow their blog – you should!

Thanks Raz to you and your Mom…..Pig Shots must be tried!

Your King, Teddy of Baconia

Bakin’ With Bacon, The King and A Guest!

Welcome to Castle Baconia – I have SammyP from 15andMeowing helping today!

The reason we’ve asked our buddy and pal SammyP to join us is that HE and his Mom sent in a fabulous recipe that we’re passing on today and he said he’d help me make this while we share the recipe with you.

Ready?    This recipe is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO delicious and SammyP says his Mom Miss Ellen makes it at home and they LOVE it.

Miss Ellen’s Bacon Zucchini Quiche

This is easy to make and ever so delicious and yummy to eat!

INGREDIENTS

4 cups shredded zucchini

3 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup grated parmesan

1 small onion – grated

3 strips of bacon – cooked and crumbled

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup flour

DIRECTIONS

Combine all ingredients and place in a greased pie pan at 350 degrees for 45 minutes!

Next week I’ll have another exciting (hopefully) and delicious (hopefully) baconized recipe for you to try. Can’t get enough bacon – no such thing am I right? OF COURSE I AM – I’M THE KING!    THANK YOU my dear friends Miss Ellen and SammyP for sending in this recipe and especially thanks to SammyP for being such a GREAT Assistant COOK and BAKER!

It’s good to be King!    Hugs, King T