Bacon

**Mama Mangia** · 02-10-2010, 08:06 AM

That's right - BACON!

Bacon is a great addition to breakfast; goes great on burgers; makes a wonderful BLT or turkey club sammie; adds great flavor as a salad topping, and flavors roasts - as well as many other ways it can be added to a dish.

How do you prepare bacon and how do you like to use it in your cooking?

**Mama Mangia** · 02-10-2010, 08:06 AM

Pig Candy

Bacon (several strips)
Brown Sugar (enough to coat strips of bacon)

1. Coat uncooked bacon in some dark brown sugar.

2. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

**Mama Mangia** · 02-10-2010, 08:07 AM

PRALINE PECAN BACON

1 slab of bacon
3 Tbl sugar - brown sugar is best
1 1/2 Tbl chili powder
1/4 cup pecans, chopped fine

Preheat oven to 425°F.

On rack of a large broiling pan, arrange bacon slices in one layer and cook in middle of oven 10 minutes, or until just begins to turn golden. In a small bowl, mix together sugar and chili powder. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle bacon with sugar mixture and top with pecans. Return to oven and cook for as long as you desire (soft is flavorful but crispy bacon is like a candy treat).

**Mama Mangia** · 02-10-2010, 08:08 AM

Hearty Bacon Casserole

1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
2 cups elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
12 ounces bacon, cooked crisp and quartered (cooked and drained)
2 cups soft bread crumbs
1/4 cup melted butter

Combine sour cream, cheese, salt and paprika in saucepan. Stir in hot macaroni; cover and cook over low heat 5 minutes or until heated through.
Stir in bacon and pour into a 10 x 6-inch baking dish.
Combine bread crumbs and butter and sprinkle over top. Broil 3 to 5 minutes until crumbs are browned.
Makes 6 servings.

**Mama Mangia** · 02-10-2010, 08:08 AM

CHILI BACON

YIELD: About 8 slices, depending on thickness of bacon

1/2 pound thick-sliced bacon
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon dried, ground chili, mild or hot
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Arrange bacon in single layer on jelly-roll pan (baking sheet with sides). Bake about 10 minutes and pour off rendered fat.

Mix remaining ingredients together and brush bacon with mixture. Return bacon to oven and bake four minutes. Turn bacon over and brush bacon again. Return to oven and bake four more minutes or until bacon is medium brown and crispy. Serve hot.

**Mama Mangia** · 02-10-2010, 08:10 AM

POTATO BACON PIE

4 c. cooked potatoes, grated or mashed into bits
Lots of coarsely ground black pepper
Salt to taste
1/2 c. milk
12 slices bacon, fried, patted dry of fat, and crumbled

The next time you bake or boil potatoes, make extra so that you will have enough left over to make this pie. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch pie pan. Put the potato, pepper, salt, milk and bacon in a bowl, and mix well. Spread the potato mixture evenly into the pie pan. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the top has become lightly browned. This can be prepared in advance, kept refrigerated overnight, and baked in the morning.

**Mama Mangia** · 02-10-2010, 08:10 AM

BACON AND EGG BAKE

6 slices bacon
2 med. onions, sliced
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup milk
5 hard cooked eggs, sliced
2 cup (8 oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese
Dash of salt & pepper
English muffins, split & toasted

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Fry bacon until crisp. Remove from skillet.
Drain fat, reserving 2 tablespoons. Saute onion in bacon fat. Stir
in soup, milk, eggs, cheese and seasonings. Pour into 10 x 5 inch
baking dish. Top with crumbled bacon. Bake 20 minutes. Serve on
muffin halves. 6 to 8 servings.

**Mama Mangia** · 02-10-2010, 08:16 AM

Bacon Jack Chicken Sandwich

8 slices bacon
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
4 slices pepperjack cheese
4 hamburger buns, split
4 leaves of lettuce
4 slices tomato
1/2 cup thinly sliced onions
12 slices dill pickle

1. Preheat a grill for medium heat.

2. While the grill preheats, place the bacon in a large skillet
over medium-high heat. Cook until browned on both sides. Remove
from the pan, and drain on paper towels.

3. Rub the poultry seasoning onto the chicken pieces, and place
them on the grill. Cook for about 6 minutes per side, or until no
longer pink in the center. Top each piece of chicken with 2 slices
of bacon and 1 slice of pepperjack cheese. Grill for 2 to 3 more
minutes to melt the cheese.

4. Place each piece of chicken on a bun, and top with lettuce,
tomato, onion and pickle slices before serving with your favorite
condiments.

**Mama Mangia** · 02-10-2010, 08:17 AM

Bacon Cheddar Chicken Fillet Melts

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
8 slices bacon
1 small red onion, sliced
4 slices pumpernickel bread, toasted
4 tsp steak sauce
4 ounces (1 cup) shredded Cheddar cheese

Place one chicken breast half, boned side up, between 2 pieces of plastic wrap or waxed paper. Working from center, gently pound chicken with flat side of meat mallet or rolling pin until about 1/4-inch thick; remove wrap. Repeat with remaining chicken breast halves.

In large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon from skillet; drain on paper towels. Reserve 1 tablespoon drippings in skillet.

Add onion to drippings; cook and stir 2 to 4 minutes or until tender. Remove onion from skillet. Add chicken to skillet; cook 6 to 8 minutes on each side or until chicken is fork-tender and juices run clear.

Place toasted bread slices on ungreased cookie sheet; spread each slice with 1 teaspoon steak sauce. Top each with chicken, bacon slices, onion and cheese. Broil 4 to 6 inches from heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Makes 4 sandwiches.