BACON & EGG SALAD SANDWICHES

2 slices bacon
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 tbsp. chopped celery
1 tbsp. chopped green olives
2 tbsp. mayonnaise
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 lettuce leaves
2 slices whole grain bread

Fry or microwave bacon until crisp; drain on paper towel. In a small bowl, combine eggs, celery and green olives. Stir in mayonnaise and mustard until well blended. Spread more mayonnaise on both slices of bread; top one slice with lettuce leaves and egg salad mixture. Cut bacon slices in half and lay on top of egg salad. Top with second piece of bread.

CINDY’S GREEN BEANS

1 cup butter, melted

1/2 pound bacon, diced

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon soy sauce

3 cans green beans*

Melt butter and add remaining ingredients.  Refrigerate overnight.  Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes. *Originally this recipe was for GREEN BEAN BUNDLES, using whole green beans wrapped with a half piece of bacon and secured with a toothpick, but using cut green beans is easy and diced bacon tastes just as good!

CALICO BEANS

1 pound ground beef

3 slices thick bacon, diced

1 medium onion, diced

1 can pork and beans

1 can butter beans

1 can lima beans

1 can kidney beans

3/4 cup ketchup

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons mustard

4 tablespoons vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Brown ground beef; drain and place in a bowl. In same pan, brown diced bacon and diced onion.  Add bacon and onions to ground beef.  Drain half of liquid from beans and add remaining beans with liquid to the ground beef.  Mix ketchup, sugar, mustard, vinegar, salt, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice; pour over bean mixture and stir well to mix.  Pour into a casserole dish and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.  Can also be made in a crockpot.

SPINACH SALAD WITH HOT BACON DRESSING

fresh spinach, stemmed, washed and dried

3/4 pound bacon, cut up

1 cup chopped Vidalia onion

1 cup cider vinegar

1 cup mayonnaise

Fry bacon; reserve 1/2 cup grease in pan and drain bacon on paper towels.  Fry onion in bacon grease until transparent.  Add vinegar and bring to a boil.  Add bacon and sugar.  Add mayonnaise, one spoonful at a time, and stir until smooth. While dressing is still hot, spoon over fresh spinach salad and toss.  Serve immediately.

HOT AND HOT FISH CLUB TOMATO SALAD

6 large red tomatoes

4 large yellow tomatoes

Balsamic Vinaigrette, divided

3/4 cup cooked lima beans

2 cups cooked corn

10 slices thick-sliced smoked bacon, cooked and diced

Wash, core, and slice red and yellow tomatoes.  Drizzle tomato slices with 1/2 cup Balsamic Vinaigrette; set aside.  Combine beans and corn with remaining 1/2 cup Balsamic Vinaigrette.  Arrange tomatoes slices on a salad platter.  Top with corn mixture and diced bacon.

Balsamic Vinaigrette:

3/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 green onions, thinly sliced

6 fresh basil leaves, chopped

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Combine all ingredients in a jar; cover tightly and shake vigorously.  Store in refrigerator.

BACON, RADISH AND OLIVE POTATO SALAD

5 potatoes

1 lb. bacon

2 stalks celery

4 small green onions

12 stuffed green olives

5 radishes

1/4 c. mayonnaise

1 tbsp. lemon juice

Wash and peel the potatoes and cut into bite-size pieces.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 10 mins.  Slice the bacon into small pieces and cook over medium high heat in a large, deep skillet until evenly brown.  Do not overcook.  Chop the celery, green onions, stuffed olives and radishes into small pieces and put into a large bowl.  Add the potatoes and bacon and mix together.  Add the mayonnaise and lemon juice to taste, stir, and place in the refrigerator for a few hours to chill before serving.

BACON-WRAPPED BEEF TENDERLOIN STEAKS

4 beef tenderloin steaks, 1 1/2-inches thick

4 slices bacon

olive oil

kosher salt

freshly ground pepper

Take steaks out of fridge and let sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes. In the meantime, get grill ready.  Tightly wrap one slice of bacon around each steak, securing with a toothpick. Brush a thin layer of olive oil on both sides of steaks and season with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.  Place steaks over a direct medium-hot flame; cook for 4-5 minutes on each side. Move steaks to indirect heat, reduce grill temperature to medium, and continue cooking until the interior temperature reaches 145 degrees for medium rare (medium 160, well-done 170).  Remove steaks to a platter, top each steak with a slice of Spicy Smoked Paprika Butter and resist the urge to cut into them for at least 10 minutes!! It is important to let ANY meat rest for 10 minutes after it comes off the grill, so the juices can redistribute throughout the meat. If you cut it right away, all the juices will run right out.

Spicy Smoked Paprika Butter

1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 c.) at room temperature

1 tbsp. smoked sweet paprika

1 tsp. chili powder

1/4 tsp. chipotle chili powder 

1/2 tsp. powdered cumin

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

salt to taste

In a small bowl, mix all ingredients with butter until well combined. Add salt to taste and mix well.  Spoon mixture onto a sheet of waxed paper, roll it into a cylinder and twist each end tightly. Refrigerate overnight or place the wrapped butter in a freezer bag and freeze until ready to use. The butter will keep in the freezer for 6 months. When ready to use, defrost in the fridge to make it easier to slice.

SUGAR AND SPICE BACON

1 pound bacon, not thick-sliced, room temperature

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Cut each slice of bacon in half, crosswise. Mix sugar and cinnamon together and thoroughly coat each slice of bacon. Line jellyroll pan with foil.  Lay bacon flat on an oiled rack and place rack on the jellyroll pan. Bake at 350 degrees until bacon is crisp and sugar is bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. The sugar can burn quickly, so watch closely. Let cool and serve at room temperature.

RENEE’S LENTIL SOUP

adapted from Everyday Food magazine

3 strips bacon, diced
1 large onion, chopped
1 c. shredded carrots, chopped roughly
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp. tomato paste
2 - 3 c. cooked lentils
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
2 cans (14.5 oz each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp. red-wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. coarse salt
1/4 tsp. ground pepper

In a 5-qt. Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium-low heat until browned and crisp, 8 to 10 mins. Pour off all but 1 tbsp. fat. Add onion and carrots, cook until softened, about 5 mins. Stir in garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste, and cook 1 minute. Add lentils, thyme, and broth. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Cover; cook until lentils are tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Stir in vinegar, 1 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Serve immediately.

GRILLED PIMENTO CHEESE, BACON & PEPPER JELLY SANDWICH

2 slices good white or whole grain bread
Homemade Pimento Cheese
2 slices crisp bacon
red or green pepper jelly (store-bought or homemade)
butter (the real stuff is all I use, but you use what you want)

Lay out two pieces of bread. On one piece of bread, spread a generous, but not ridiculous, amount of pimento cheese. Break bacon into 4 pieces and place on top of pimento cheese. On second piece of bread, spread a fairly thin coating of pepper jelly. Place pepper jelly side on top of pimento cheese-bacon side of bread. Heat griddle or heavy skillet over medium heat. When surface of pan is hot, melt some butter in the center of the pan and place the sandwich right on the melted butter. Cook until first side of bread is golden brown and crispy. Remove sandwich with a spatula and melt more butter in pan. Flip sandwich as you place right on melted butter. Continue to cook over medium heat until second side is golden brown and crispy. Remove from heat, slice in half and place on plate. Eat it while it's hot!

HOMEMADE PIMENTO CHEESE

adapted from Frank Stitt's Southern Table

3 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese (I usually use packaged Kraft or Sargento
shredded sharp cheddar cheese)
1 oz. cream cheese, softened (low-fat, if you prefer)
8-oz. jar diced pimento
1/2 c. mayonnaise (Hellman's, Duke's or Homemade only!) 
Cholula or Tabasco hot sauce, several shakes (or to taste, or not at all)
1 - 2 tbsp. Howard's Sweet Pepper Relish

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Keep in refrigerator for several hours, or until ready to use for sandwiches, crackers, celery sticks or eating from a spoon.

SCRAMBLED EGGS À LA QUICHE LORRAINE

(measurements are approximate - be generous for full flavor!)
1/4 cups chopped leeks, rinsed
1-2 tbsp. butter
3 extra large eggs
large splash of cream
pinch of kosher salt
pinch of freshly ground pepper
pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
splash of white wine (I used vermouth)
1/2 cup finely shredded Swiss cheese
(1/4 cup crumbled cooked bacon - optional)

Melt butter in a large non-stick skillet. Add chopped leeks and saute until just beginning to brown. Crack eggs into a bowl and beat until well combined. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg, vermouth and finely grated Swiss cheese; stir to combine. Pour egg mixture into skillet with sauteed leeks and cook over medium low heat, stirring gently until eggs are softly cooked. Serve immediately!
Note: Cooked eggs could also be served in blind-baked mini pie shells or puff pastry cups.

SWEET POTATO BISCUITS WITH BACON AND THYME

(adapted from PinchMySalt.com)
½ cup mashed cooked sweet potato
2 cups Bisquick
6 slices meaty bacon, cooked and chopped
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves (stems removed) OR ½ tsp. dried thyme
½ cup milk
2 tbsp. brown sugar
all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Peel and cut sweet potato into chunks and boil until tender. Remove from water and place in a small mixing bowl to cool. In a medium bowl, combine Bisquick, chopped bacon and chopped thyme. Add milk and brown sugar to the mashed sweet potato and whisk until well blended. Pour sweet potato mixture into dry mixture and stir until just combined. Dump mixture onto the floured counter top and knead a few times, just until dough is blended. Pat dough with fingertips to ½-inch thickness and cut with biscuit cutter. Place biscuit rounds onto parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for 8 – 10 minutes, or until just lightly browned on top. Serve warm with butter. Makes 8 – 10 2-inch biscuits.

BACON RANCH POTATO SALAD

2 1/2 lbs. small Red Bliss or Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed clean
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 slices crisp cooked lean bacon, roughly chopped
6 hard-boiled eggs, sliced and roughly chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1 cup good ranch dressing (I like to use Hidden Valley dry packets and mix it myself)
3 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and add enough water to cover by 1-inch. Bring potatoes to a boil over high heat and cook until just tender, about 15 – 20 minutes. Drain, cool and then cut the potatoes into halves or quarters, depending on the size. Season with salt and pepper. In a large mixing bowl, combine potatoes with all remaining ingredients and gently toss to blend. Refrigerate finished salad for several hours before serving, to allow flavors to blend. Excellent for picnic lunch, dinner on the deck or breakfast!

LAYERED SALAD

1 big bunch of salad greens (your choice of fresh spinach with     stems removed, romaine and/or iceberg)
6 hard boiled eggs, peeled and sliced
1 lb. bacon, cooked and chopped
16 oz. frozen green peas - uncooked
1 large bunch green onions, sliced (or 1 thinly sliced purple or Vidalia onion)
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. sour cream
16 oz. shredded Swiss cheese
1 large clear glass salad bowl that will show off all the salad layers

Wash and dry salad greens; chop or tear into bite-size pieces. Combine mayonnaise and sour cream in a small bowl and whisk to blend; set aside. Place 1/2 of the salad greens in and even layer in the bottom of the glass bowl. Place the hard boiled egg slices in a layer over the salad greens -- use all the eggs. Spread a layer of chopped bacon pieces over the eggs. Add the remaining 1/2 of the salad greens. Spread the frozen peas over the salad greens. Spread onions over the frozen peas. Spread the mayonnaise-sour cream mixture completely over the last layer, covering completely to the sides of the bowl. Sprinkle the shredded Swiss cheese as the final layer. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap to seal tightly. Refrigerate until time to serve. Toss salad just before serving.

Easily serves a large group. Excellent for potluck dinners. Dig down to get all the good stuff!

GAIL'S BRAISED RED CABBAGE

1 small head of red cabbage
2 slices bacon
1/2 medium onion
1 large tart apple
3 tbsp. red vinegar
2 tbsp. honey
salt
1/8 tsp. caraway seeds (optional)

Quarter and core the cabbage. Slice thinly crosswise and immerse in cold water. Chop bacon and brown in a dutch oven on low, until fat is rendered out. Chop and brown onion in bacon fat. Drain cabbage and add to bacon and onion, along with chopped apple, vinegar, honey, salt to taste (and caraway seeds, if you wish). Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 1 to 1 ½ hours. Add boiling water during cooking, if the cabbage gets dry or sticks.
Note: This recipe is very forgiving; even if you don’t measure, it always comes out fine.

FRICASSEE OF BRUSSELS SPROUTS

(recipe from Libba Burns)

1 lb. Brussels sprouts

4 slices bacon

2 tbsp. olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Use food processor with slicing blade to slice Brussels sprouts ¼-in. thick. Cut bacon ¼-in. pieces. Put olive oil into hot skillet; add bacon pieces; cover and cook on high for 2-3 minutes, until crisp and brown. Add Brussels sprouts and salt and pepper to taste; cover and cook for 1-2 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook, tossing occasionally, for 2 minutes, or until Brussels sprouts are tender, but still firm. Serves 4.

PASTA CARBONARA

8 oz. spaghetti
salt
2 eggs
3 tbsp. cream
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. chopped cooked bacon
1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano
freshly ground pepper

Cook spaghetti in boiling, salted water. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat eggs and cream until blended. Drain cooked spaghetti and return to hot pan. Immediately add egg mixture and toss to coat spaghetti evenly. Egg should cook from the heat of the spaghetti; turn heat on very low, if necessary. Add butter to hot spaghetti mixture and toss until melted. Add bacon and parmigiano-reggiano cheese; toss until all ingredients are evenly distributed. Serve with freshly ground pepper. Serves 2-4.

*Note: I use Dreamfields pasta, heavy cream, unsalted butter and Oscar Mayer Real Bacon Pieces.