Bacon Mac and Cheese

This recipe is very similar to the Macaroni and Cheese Pizza.  It is very simple to make because the sauce doesn't need to be mixed in a saucepan before it is baked.

You will need:
1/2 cup Creme Faiche
2 cups Cheddar Cheese, divided
3/4 cup Mozzarella
2 cups Tubular Pasta
5 slices of bacon (or turkey bacon)

Step 1:
Chop the bacon and cook in a skillet until crispy.  Then place on paper towels to absorb the grease and set aside.

Step 2:
Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrres

Step 3:
While the pasta is cooking, combine the creme faiche, 1 cup cheddar, and mozzarella in a large bowl.

Step 4:
Drain the pasta, and fold into the cheese mixture.

Step 5:
Pour the pasta into a greased baking dish.  Top with the bacon and 1 cup cheddar cheese.

Step 6:
Bake for 20 minutes.  Then turn the broiler on and cook until browned on top.

Turkey Bacon Wrapped Dates with Goat Cheese

This is another recipe inspired by the Chicago restaurant Cafe Ba Ba Reba.  I have this theory that when you combine bacon and cheese you really can't go wrong.  I made this healthier by using turkey bacon, and the result was just as tasty.

This is the last recipe involving Turkey Bacon - sorry it look me a while to use it all up!  It is really good, and low fat.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes

You will need:
1 package Turkey Bacon
4 ounces Goat Cheese
2 cups Pitted Dates
Toothpicks

Step 1:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Then individually slice open the dates and fill them with goat cheese.

Step 2:
Slice the strips of turkey bacon in half.  Then wrap the bacon around the date.  Secure with a toothpick.

Step 3:
Repeat until all of the dates and stuffed with goat cheese and wrapped in bacon.  Then place on a baking sheet and cook for 40 minutes.  The bacon should be nice and crisp.

Step 4:
Remove from the oven.  Place the bacon wrapped dates on a paper towel to absorb any grease before serving.

Poached Eggs with Parmesan Pesto Sauce and Turkey Bacon

This breakfast might look fancy, but I promise you that showering, changing, and walking to brunch would have required more effort.  Poached eggs are simple to make, and if you have some cheese and pesto you can easily throw together a delicious sauce.  Perhaps the best part is that I only spent 15 minutes making this and I didn't even have to change out of my pajamas.

If you do not know how to poach an egg, I am re-posting a video with step by step instructions below the recipe.

Cook time: 15 minutes

Serves: 2

You will need:

2 tablespoons Pesto (I use low fat)

1 teaspoon Flour

1/2 cup Milk

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

2 tablespoons Ricotta

4 Eggs

Water

2 tablespoons White Vinegar

4 slices Turkey Bacon

Tomato, thickly slices

Step 1:

Cook the turkey bacon until crispy, using either a skillet or a griddle.  Turkey bacon takes longer to cook than regular bacon, but it is a very tasty low fat substitute for normal bacon.  It look about 10 minutes for my bacon to crisp up.

Step 2:

While the bacon is cooking, make the sauce.  Using a small saucepan or a small skillet heat the pesto over medium heat.  Then stir in the flour.  Add and milk and heat until it bubbles and thickens.  It should thicken after about a minute of boiling.  Then add the ricotta and parmesan.  Keep on the heat and stir until the cheese is melted into the sauce.

Step 3:

Poach the eggs.  Add 2 inches of water to a skillet, add 2 tablespoons of vinegar and bring to a slow boil.  Then crack an egg into a small bowl - make sure the yolk does not break.  Once the water has boiled, gently lower the egg into the water.  If the egg white spreads out too much you can pull it back together with a spoon.  Repeat putting up to 4 eggs in one pan.  After 2 minutes carefully make sure that the egg is not stuck to the bottom of the pan and roll the egg over.  Cook for 3-4 minutes total depending on how runny you like your eggs.

Step 4:

Assemble.  Stack the bacon on top of the tomato.  Then place the poached egg on top, and spoon the sauce over.  

Parmesan and Bacon Risotto

Charles took his last final exam of the semester on Tuesday and I told him I would cook whatever he wanted for dinner on Wednesday to celebrate. We try to eat healthy low fat meals most nights, but sometimes you have to splurge. So I just went for it and cooked exactly what Charles requested: Risotto with Parmesan, Bacon, Mushrooms and Peas.  I promise that I will come up with a healthier risotto recipe in the near future.

I had never made risotto from scratch before, and it was much easier than I expected.  The one thing I would do differently is that I would use a non-stick pan because the risotto did stick to the bottom of the pan a little.  The risotto was creamy and cheesy, and the crisp bacon on top was a very nice contrast.  Be careful not to set your smoke detector off while crisping up the bacon!  I set our alarm off, marking the second time I have set the alarm off this year.  Fortunately Charles was home; I am too short to reach the alarm to turn it off.

Total time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4-6

You will need:
2 cups Arborio Rice
7 slices of bacon diced (divided - set 2 of the slices aside)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup Peas
1/2 cup Mushrooms
1/4 cup White Wine
2 teaspoons Butter
1 large carton of Chicken Broth

Step 1:
Place 5 diced slices of bacon into a large pot over medium heat.  Heat for 2-3 minutes to render the fat from the bacon.  Once the fat melts add the rice and stir.  If there is not enough moisture and the risotto sticks to the bottom of the pan add a little olive oil to coat the rice.

Step 2:
Pour chicken broth over the rice and stir.  Pour just enough to completely submerge the rice.  Bring to a boil.  Keep the risotto over medium heat, you want the broth to be bubbling steadily.

Step 3:
Once the risotto has absorbed the broth (it takes about 10 minutes), add more broth.  As in Step 2, add just enough broth so that the rice is completely submerged.  Stir to make sure that no rice sticks to the bottom of the pan.

Step 4:
Repeat Step 3

Step 5:
Saute the mushrooms in the butter and white wine.

Step 6:
Once the risotto has absorbed the third addition of broth, add more broth until the rice is submerged.  Also add the sauteed mushrooms and the peas.  Stir.

Step 7:
Cook 2 diced slices of bacon until crispy.

Step 8:
Once the risotto has absorbed the broth the fourth time, add the Parmesan and stir.  Remove from heat and serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan and a bit of the crispy bacon.