Creamy Bacon Crescent

1 (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese, softened

8 slices bacon, cooked crisp, drained and crumbled

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

¼ cup green onions, sliced thin

1 Tbsp. milk

2 (8 oz.) cans refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

Poppy seeds, optional

 Preheat the oven to 375°.

 In medium mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, bacon bits, Parmesan cheese, onions and milk. Blend thoroughly.

 Separate dough into 8 rectangles; firmly press perforations together to seal. Spread each rectangle with 2 Tbsp. cream cheese mixture.

 Cut each rectangle in half diagonally; repeat with opposite corners. Cut in half crosswise to form 6 triangles. Roll up triangles, starting at short ends. Place point sides down, on ungreased cookie sheets. Sprinkle with poppy seeds, if desired.

 Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately.

Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Dip

This dip is so good served as a  bruchetta. Crusty French bread topped with the tangy, creamy dip is perfect for any party.

Loaf French baguette

Extra virgin olive oil

1 cup sour cream with chives and onions

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup cooked, crisp bacon, crumbled (about 8 slices)

1 1/2 cups shredded Romaine lettuce

1/2 cup Roma tomatoes, diced

1/4 tsp. Kosher salt

1 Tbsp. fresh chives, chopped

Slice baguette into 1/4-inch slices. Place on baking sheet. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and place in 400 degree oven for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove and set aside.

Meanwhile, place diced Roma tomatoes in small mixing bowl and sprinkle with salt.

Mix sour cream and mayonnaise in small bowl until well blended. Stir in crumbled bacon.

Arrange lettuce on large platter. Spoon sour cream mixture over lettuce. Top with diced tomatoes. To serve, place toasted baguettes around dip on platter.

Sugar Plum Bacon

8 oz. (8 slices) sliced bacon, room temperature, each slice cut in half crosswise
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line broiler pan with foil. Replace broiler pan rack.2. Mix sugar and cinnamon. Dip bacon in mixture to coat. Twist each piece and place on broiler rack.
3. Bake 15 to 20 minutes until bacon is crisp and sugar is bubbly (watch carefully the sugar burns easily).
4. Place bacon on a piece of foil to cool (it will stick to paper towels). Serve warm or at room temperature. Serves 8. 98 calories per serving.

Perfect Oven Baked Bacon

1 to 2 pounds bacon

Equipment
Aluminum foil                                            
1 to 2 baking sheets
Tongs
Paper towels
Platter

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F: Turn on the oven and preheat to 400°F. Place a rack in the lower third of the oven. If you're cooking multiple sheets of bacon, position a second rack in the top third of the oven.
2. Arrange the bacon on a baking sheet: Line a baking sheet with foil (this makes clean-up easier). Lay the bacon on the baking sheet in a single layer. The bacon can be close together, but don't let it overlap or the bacon will stick during cooking. If necessary, use a second baking sheet.
3. Bake the bacon: Place the baking sheet of bacon in the oven and bake until the bacon is deep golden-brown and crispy, 15 to 20 minutes. Exact baking time will depend on the thickness of the bacon and how crispy you like it. Begin checking around 12 minutes to monitor how quickly the bacon is cooking. The bacon fat will sputter and bubble as the bacon cooks, but shouldn't splatter the way it does on the stove top. Pour off the bacon grease as needed so the bacon isn't totally submerged in grease.
4. Cool the bacon: Remove the bacon from the oven and use tongs to transfer it to a paper-lined platter to drain and finish crisping. Serve immediately. You can also refrigerate leftover bacon for a week or freeze it for up to three months; warm the bacon in the microwave before serving.
5. Clean up: If you want to save the bacon grease, let it cool slightly, then pour it into a container and refrigerate. If you don't want to save the grease, let it solidify on the baking sheet, then crumple the foil around it and discard.

Recipe Notes

• Even Crispier Bacon: For even crispier bacon, set a metal cooling rack over the foil-lined baking sheet and lay the raw bacon over the cooling rack. Elevating the bacon allows it to cook from all sides and become extra-crispy.

Bacon Wrapped Hot Dog Appetizers

Bacon
Hot dogs
Light Brown Sugar

Cut the hot dogs into bite-sized pieces.then wrap each piece in bacon;  Use toothpicks to hold bacon on hot dogs - layer in frying  pan. Cover with light brown sugar. Cover and simmer  until lightly brown.

Fusilli with Bacon and Tomato Sauce

This recipe comes from CarmensKitchen - be sure to check out her blog... she's a new recipe blogger and has some unique recipes that I've not seen before.... you won't be disappointed! 

Fusilli with bacon and tomato sauce is a basic Italian pasta dish. Its a mid-week treat for a quick and easy to make after work dinner. It takes less than 20 minutes to prepare and cleanup is just ONE pan to wash!  It's tastes good, looks fancy and fills you up.

Cook Time: 20 mins

Serves: 2-3

Estimate Cost: $ 6

Ingredients:

• 1 pound thick-cut bacon diced
• 16 ounces fusilli pasta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 2 cups tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 tablespoons mixed herbs
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese

Preparation:

1. In a large pot, boil some water, when boiling add 1 teaspoon salt and the pasta and cook until the pasta is al dente.
2. Fry bacon in a large pan until it is crispy. Remove  to drain on a paper towel-lined plate and remove 3/4 of the bacon fat from the pan. Add olive oil, onions and garlic, cook for 2 minutes. 
3. Then put in the tomatoes, cook for 5 minutes, mix in the wine, simmer for 5 minutes
4. Drain pasta and add to the tomato mixture pan. Add basil and bacon. Sprinkle Parmesan Cheese on top

Bacon Cheddar Chive Scones from King Arthur Flour

I am a huge fan of King Arhur Flour - and their recipes.  If you love bacon and/or scones, you'll love this recipe.... imagine eating one of these warm scones ... they melt in your mouth.

Recipe

Hot Cheese and Bacon Hors d'oeuvres

2 cups grated cheese
1 cup mayo
2 TBSP minced onion (green onion best)
1 can minced black olives (optional - I don't use these)
Cooked bacon, crumbled
Party bread (I like the rye)

Mix together:
Cheese, mayo, onions and olives, if using them.  Spread on party bread. Sprinkle cooked and crumbled bacon on top and bake at 300 degrees for 10 minutes.

Serve immediately.

Makes 30

Brown Sugar and Black Pepper Bacon

by Karin Calloway

If you love bacon, you know that it is almost impossible to make it any better than it is when you simply fry it up in a pan. But if you’re a fan of “salty/sweet” AND a bacon fan, then this dish is for you.

You simply place some strips of bacon on a foil-lined baking sheet, sprinkle with coarsely ground black pepper and brown sugar and bake until the bacon is crisp. The splatters and mess associated with frying bacon in a skillet are eliminated, and you end up with delicious sweet and salty bacon strips that can be served at breakfast or brunch, or cut into small pieces and passed as an hors d’oeuvre.

• 1 pound high-quality bacon
• 1 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cover a baking sheet with foil and then place a piece of parchment paper on top of the foil. Place strips of bacon on the parchment, spacing them evenly. Sprinkle with pepper and press into the bacon. Sprinkle with brown sugar and press into the bacon.

Place baking sheet on the top rack of the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, until crisp. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.

Layered BLT Dip

This layered dip is really delicious served with soft or crisp breadsticks - or use it to make mini sandwiches.


Prep Time: 25 minutes

•8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

•1/2 cup mayonnaise

•1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

•1 cup torn lettuce

•8 slices bacon, cokoed crisp and crumbled

•4 plum tomatoes, chopped

•4 green onions, chopped

•1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, and Parmesan cheese in small bowl. Spread onto serving plate. Top with lettuce, cooked bacon, plum tomatoes, green onions, and cheddar cheese. Chill until serving. This is great served with crisp breadsticks for dipping, along with some chewy Italian bread slices.

Super Easy Oven Baked Bacon

 I use a 10"x15" jelly roll pan or the bottom of a broiling pan. I buy parchment paper for baking in rolls in bulk online, but you can get it at the supermarket or any cooking supply store.

 

I bake 3 pounds of bacon at a time ( not all at once - in batches) and freeze it in individual servings.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Line a 10"x15" jelly roll pan with parchment paper for cooking/baking.

Place 8 slices of bacon across the short side of the jelly roll pan flat on top of the parchment paper.
When the oven comes up to temperature, place the pan with the bacon on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 15 minutes. When the 15 minutes is up, check the bacon.
Sometimes, I like to have it a little limp (for things like potato soup) , but if you like it crispy, add more time, rechecking it every 1-2 minutes for desired doneness. ( crisp is usually about 20 minutes)

Remove finished bacon to paper towels or brown paper and blot excess grease off bacon with paper towels.
Drain bacon grease into a can.
Repeat process until entire 3-pounds of bacon is cooked.
Freeze in portion sized bags.
 
 

Glazed Brunch Bacon

Another great recipe from Folger's - the coffee in this brings out the flavor even more!


1 pound thickly sliced smoked bacon
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon Folgers® Instant Coffee Crystals granules
1 teaspoon Pillsbury BEST® All-Purpose Flour
1/3 cup very finely chopped pecans


1. Place the bacon slices in a single layer onto a broiler pan on a rack.

2. Place in a shallow baking pan.

3. Thoroughly blend together the sugar, coffee, flour, and pecans.

4. Sprinkle evenly over the bacon.

5. Bake in a preheated 350° F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until crisp and golden brown.

Remove from pan onto a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.

6. Serve warm.

Bacon Cracker Appetizers

1 package Club Crackers

1 pound Thin Sliced Bacon (or More Depending On Number Of Crackers)
(This will do one of the 3 sleeves in the box of club crackers)

Kraft (or generic)Grated Parmesan or Parmesan Romano Cheese (don't say ewww until you've tasted these!)
( or skip the cheese and add a thin (well-drained) slice of water chestnut
and top with brown sugar

Prepare your baking rack - I put a a large wire rack, like you use to cool cookies on top of a baking sheet that has 4 sides

I dump my cheese in a small bowl

I lay my crackers face up lined up in row on another cookie sheet with sides on it to keep the stray cheese that falls off during assembly contained.

Put 1 tsp parmesan cheese on top of each cracker (once you do this a few times and get a feel for what it looks like, I just dump shake on the cheese rather thickly.

NOW you are ready to slice that slab of bacon right down the middle so the long strips are now equally cut in half.

Pick up a half strip of bacon - starting on one end of the cracker, lay one end of the bacon on the end and wrap while "stretching" the bacon to make sure it wraps around and gets the other end covered too.

Place this wrapped cracker on the rack on the cookie sheet.

When you have the rack filled, carefully put it in the oven - making SURE that the crackers are not hanging over the end of the trays ( you don't want an oven fire)

Bake for 1 3/4 hour - 2 hours at 250 degrees.

Cool. I put these in a zip lock bag if I am making them ahead of time.......to serve, put in the oven at 350 for 10 - 15 minutes and serve warm. Delish!

(They are also good at room temperature)


Lay crackers (as many as you want) face up on a cookie sheet.

Scoop about 1 teaspoon of grated Parmesan cheese onto each cracker. Cut your package of bacon in half (or cut pieces individually) and carefully, so the cheese doesn’t fall off, wrap each cheese covered cracker in one half piece of bacon, completely covering the cracker. It should fit snugly around the cracker.

Place the bacon wrapped crackers onto a baking sheet that has a rack on it.

Place in a 250-degree oven for about 2 hours.

Oven Baked Bacon

It's Christmas and who wants to spend Christmas morning slaving over the stove cooking bacon?  Not me.  I suggest you bake it in the oven.
Don't pre-heat the oven! 
Make sure the oven is cold when you put the bacon in.

1. Line a baking sheet with foil. This will make cleanup easier later.
   
2. Arrange bacon slices on the foil and place on the center rack of a cold oven. Close oven door. Turn oven on to 400°F. Walk away.
   
3. Come back 17 to 20 minutes later. As soon as the bacon is golden brown, but not excessively crisp, it's done. The exact time will depend on the thickness of the bacon slices, and also on how quickly your oven reaches the target temperature.
   
4. Remove the pan from the oven. Transfer the bacon to another sheet pan lined with paper towels to absorb the fat. You can pour the liquid fat into a heat-resistant container to save for other uses.
   

Tips:

Keep your eye on the bacon during the final few minutes of cooking to make sure that it doesn't burn. Also, remove the cooked bacon from the hot pan right away. The heat from the pan and the hot bacon fat will continue cooking the bacon.

You can slightly undercook the bacon, then cool it and freeze it in a zipper bag. Then, to reheat, cook two slices in the microwave on medium power for 30 seconds or so.

Variation: Sprinkle bacon with brown sugar or freshly ground black pepper before baking.

Niman Ranch bacon. This is the real deal. Thick cut, smoky, and meaty, this stuff is made from happy, pesticide-free, free range pigs that lead productive, satisfying lives and died in the prime of their tastiness for you and me. Oh man, this stuff is good as is everything from Niman Ranch. Go get some today (Trader Joe's carries the stuff as do other good stores.)

Freezing a few slices of raw bacon for easy access is a great idea, but don’t freeze cooked bacon, it won’t taste right later.

Bacon Tomato Dip in Bread Bowl

1 box dry Knorr's leek soup mix


1 16 oz container sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 large tomatoes, chopped

1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
 
Mix all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for a couple hours... but if you can't wait that's okay! You can eat it right away!




When you chop the tomatoes, try to remove some of the seeds so the tomato is not too wet. You can actually dap the tomatoes with a paper towel to dry them a bit.



Serve the dip with chips or veggies. This makes a great dip to bring to any gathering or party. Everyone will love it!



Want a really special dip bowl? Buy a round bread and cut off the top and scoop it out a bit. Put the dip in the bread. It's a great way to serve this dip! You can even rip off pieces of bread and eat it with the dip.

Rustic Chicken and Bacon

This recipe serves a big crowd, but is easily divided (with it's few ingredients) to serve 4-6 (with 1 - 4lb. chicken) as well. Try this for your next dinner gathering. I promise you won't be disappointed.


3 roaster chickens (3-4lbs each)
16oz. black label grade sliced bacon
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp herbs de Provence
1/2 tsp garlic salt
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
-Rinse chickens, pat dry, and lift skin off of breast and legs to form a pocket under skin.
-Salt and pepper liberally and place breast side up into large roasting pan with roaster rack.
-In small bowl, combine butter, herbs de Provence, garlic salt, and pepper to liking.
-Take 1/3 of butter mixer and spread evenly underneath skin of one chicken.
-Repeat with remaining chickens.
-Lightly salt and pepper tops of chicken breast and place 2 slices of bacon, in 'X' pattern across the top of each.
-Spiral remaining slices of bacon and place alongside of chicken on roasting rack.
-Insert thermometer into thickest part of the thickest chicken breast without touching the bone, and place into oven to cook.
-Cook until internal temperature of breast reached 170 degrees, about 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours. (if the bacon starts browning too quickly, cover with foil)
-Remove from oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes, covered.
-Line serving dish with spiraled bacon slices (to be served alongside chicken pieces on individual plates).
-Remove chickens from roasting pan and quarter (cutting down alongside backbones and then separating the breast and the leg).
-Place chicken quarters onto large serving platter and top with bacon 'X's, serving immediately.

Serves 12 to 16.

Melt-in-your-Mouth Zucchini

5 to 7 small zucchini (2 1/2 to 3 cups of 1/8-inch sliced zucchini)

3 to 4 slices bacon

1 cup chopped onion

Salt and pepper to taste

Use small, fresh zucchini that are no more than 1- to 1 1/2-inch in diameter. Wash and dry the zucchini. Slice 1/8-inch thick.

Slice the bacon into 1/2-inch pieces. Cook in a skillet over medium heat until the bacon is crisp. Pour off the excess fat except for 1 1/2 tablespoons. Sauté the chopped onion on low heat until it is translucent. Add the zucchini and stir with the bacon and onion. Cover the skillet and cook 7 minutes over medium low heat until the zucchini is tender. Add salt and pepper as desired. Serve immediately.

Variations include adding chopped banana pepper to cook with the onion or adding 1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese over the cooked zucchini before serving.

Bacon Lettuce and Tomato Salad

• 1 pound bacon
• 3/4 cup HELLMANS mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• salt to taste
• 1 head romaine lettuce - rinsed, dried and torn
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
  
• 2 cups seasoned croutons
• 1 bunch green onions, sliced, including the green tops
  

1. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat, turning frequently, until evenly browned. Drain, crumble and set aside.
2. In a blender, mixer or food processor, combine mayonnaise, milk, garlic powder and black pepper. Blend until smooth. Season the dressing with salt.
3. Combine lettuce, tomatoes, bacon and croutons in a large salad bowl. Toss with dressing, and serve immediate

Chicken and Corn Chowder

A big bowl of steaming chowder with a loaf of crusty bread and a simple green salad makes a great dinner.

4 bacon slices, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped fine
2 cups onion, chopped fine
4 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
3/4 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
3/4 pound cooked chicken cut in chunks
6 green onions, white and pale green parts, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons minced fresh thyme
2 1/2 cups half-and-half
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste


Cook the bacon: In a saucepan over medium heat, fry the bacon until crisp,
about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to
drain. Add the chopped onion, celery and potatoes to the fat in the pan.

Cook the vegetables until they start to soften. Add the corn to the
same pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are just
softened and the corn and potatoes are lightly tinged with gold, 4 to 5
minutes. Add the broth and wine and bring to a boil. Cover and cook until the
potatoes are almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken and cook,
covered, until heated throughout, 5 to 7 minutes.

Finish the chowder: Stir in the green onions, thyme and half-and-half. Bring
to a simmer over medium heat, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook,
uncovered, until heated through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Ladle the chowder into bowls, sprinkle with the bacon and serve immediately.

Serves 4.

7 Layer Salad

This is one of our favorites.........I could eat this every day.

Using a large bowl, place in layers in the following order.
1 head of lettuce cut in small pieces.
1 head cauliflower cut small
1/2 package frozen peas thawed
1# crisp bacon, chopped
1/2 med. red onion, cut in rings
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups HELLMANS mayo (don't even think of using anything else

Spread like icing over all. Cover and chill 8 hours or overnight. When ready to serve, let stand at room temp. for 10 minutes before tossing. Can be cut in half for less people.