Bacon Testing, Testing 1,2,3

I know this blog is followed by a bunch of lovers of bacon! So when I tell you about last week and my desire to eat bacon every night of the week because I had found so many delicious recipes, I know you will not judge me but whoop for joy at the recipes am I about to share that involve those delectable strips of cured pork belly.

bit o bacon humor

Test One:
Pasta Carbonara
So simple. So perfect.
In a pan, cook up 5 strips of bacon in a large pan. In the meantime, bring a pot of salted water to boil for your pasta. When bacon is finished, remove and chop into bits. Chop up half an onion and some garlic. Saute until translucent in bacon grease and splash of olive oil. In a seperate bowl, mix up 3 eggs with a splash of boiling pasta water. Cook spaghetti until al dente. Add 1/3 cup of white wine to onion mixture. With tongs, add spaghetti to pan with onion and wine. Never fear the extra water clinging to your pasta will help keep your sauce together. Add bacon, eggs and 1/3 cup of parmigiana cheese. Toss pasta with tongs and simmer for a few minutes. Plate up and top with more parmigiana cheese, some parsley and fresh ground pepper.. ah Say Wheen!

Test Two:
Roasted Cauliflower/Squash/Bacon/Cheese DELIGHT
Cook up 5 strips of bacon. Roast half a butternut squash in your oven. Remove cooked bacon. In bacon grease, saute one onion, 2 cloves of garlic and 2 Tbl of Sage, salt and pepper. Chop up a head of cauliflower. Toss with some olive oil and sea salt and roast on a cookie sheet for about 25 minutes. This can be done as the same time as the squash roasting. In a food processor, combine onion mixture, squash and 8 oz of goat cheese. Blend until it is a smooth sauce. Put cauliflower and bacon bits into a baking dish with 1 or 2 chopped apples depending on your preference. Pour squash mixture over top and stir up. Top dish with some shredded cheese. I chose Asiago and it was a smart choice. Cook in your oven for about 15 minutes.

Warning: This dish serves a lot which is fine because you will want to eat it every day for an entire week.
Another piece of Good News! This dish is gluten free if you're into that sort of thing.. Cholesterol free.. not so much.

Test Three:
Bacon Pastries
Bringing bacon back to its origin... Breakfast.

In a large bowl combine 1 package of yeast and 3 3/4 cups of flour. Mix in 1/2 stick of softened butter, 3 Tbl of sugar, 2 tsp of salt. Heat 1 cup and 2 Tbl of milk until warm. Add milk and 2 eggs to flour mixture. Mix up and dump onto floured surface.
Warning: This dough will be super sticky. Pull dough up and fold over itself continuously for about 7 minutes. It will get less sticky the more you work it. I had to add a few more Tbl of flour towards the end to make it workable but don't add a lot or you can ruin the softness of your dough.
Place in a lightly floured bowl. Let rise for 1 hour.

While dough is rising, make your bechamel as follows.
Heat 2 Tbl of butter in a pan until bubbling. Remove from heat and whisk in 2 1/2 Tbl of flour. Whisk in 1 cup of milk. Return to medium heat. Bring to simmer. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add a pinch of nutmeg, 1 cup of gruyere cheese shredded and salt and pepper to taste.

Cut bacon into 3 inch pieces. Aim for about 20 pieces. Lay on cookie sheet and bake in oven until just cooked but not to crispy. 

When dough has risen, punch down and roll out on floured surface into a 21x15 rectangle. Cut into squares. In each square, put a spoonful of bechamel and a strip of bacon. Take two opposite corners and fold over the top like a pig in a blanket. Place on cookie sheet and let rise for another 30 minutes. Brush with egg and top with more cheese! I used a combo of cheddar and gruyere. Bake at 375 for about 15 minutes.

Bust out your fat pants and get frying!!

Coming Soon!! OKTOBERFEST dessert recipes and Paw Paws!