Bacon Wrapped Poultry and Pan Gravy

I used a whole chicken, adjusting the ingredients a bit. It was very tasty! The whole chicken tasted like smoked bacon. Yum! Such a fun variety on normal chicken or turkey. I love that you rub such deliciousness under the bird's skin; it really makes a flavor difference. I found this in my Better Homes and Gardens magazine, though I tweaked it a bit. Serves 8 plus leftovers.

Bacon Wrapped Poultry

10 slices bacon flavor of your choice
1/2 c onion, finely chopped'
2 tsp dried sage, finely crushed or 2 Tbsp fresh snipped sage
1 tsp dried parsley flakes
1 tsp salt, plus more for sprinkling
1/2 tsp pepper, plus more for sprinkling
1 12- to 14- lb turkey, thawed
2 to 3 fresh sprigs sage
1 medium sweet onion, cut in wedges

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Finely chop 2 slices of the bacon; add to medium bowl and mix in chopped onion, crushed or snipped sage, parsley, salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Remove neck and giblets from turkey; discard. Rinse turkey; pat dry with paper towels. Starting at neck end of turkey, loosen skin by sliding fingers underneath, separating skin from meat. Rub onion mixture under skin, over breast and toward thighs.
3. Sprinkle salt and pepper inside body cavity. Insert sage sprigs and sweet onion wedges. Pull neck skin to back; fasten with a small skewer (I broke one to make it smaller). Tuck wings under breast. Loop kitchen string (I used dental floss) around drumsticks; tie securely to tail. Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Wrap remaining 8 strips of bacon in a lattice pattern over breast. Tuck additional fresh sage leaves into lattice. Cover loosely with foil.
4. Roast 2 hours 45 minutes. Remove foil. Roast 15 to 45 minutes more, or until meat thermometer reaches 175 degrees F. Remove turkey from oven.
5. Cover turkey with foil; let stand 15 minutes. Remove and discard vegetables from body cavity.

Pan Gravy

2 1/2 c pan drippings
1/4 c flour
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Let pan drippings sit a few minutes, until it separates. Use a ladle to skim fat off the top (the oil-colored liquid on top); discard (not down drain unless you want your pipes to clog!).
2. Place remaining liquid in saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and bring to a boil; let boil one minute. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper according to taste.

Veggie Chicken Alfredo

I tweaked a recipe I found online. YUM. Creamy goodness, the flavors meld together so well. I've been searching for a good recipe all summer (not too diligently since I'm pregnant and ill but still) and finally, here it is. Omit the chicken and you have a delicious vegetarian dish. My boys weren't too keen on the squash (but they never are), but they loved the noodles. Serves 6.

Veggie Chicken Alfredo

1 8-oz package uncooked penne rigatoni pasta
6 slices bacon
1 large chicken breast, cubed
2 Tbsp garlic, minced
1 small zucchini, sliced
1 small yellow squash, sliced
1 c mushrooms, sliced
2 c Alfredo sauce
1/4 c milk
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c sliced almonds, optional

1. Boil noodles according to package directions. Set aside.

2. Meanwhile, brown bacon in large skillet over medium heat until cooked through. Set aside on paper towel to cool; crumble bacon into small pieces.

3. Drain most of bacon grease, leaving a thin coating on bottom of pan. Return to burner and add cubed chicken. Cook until no longer pink and juices run clear. Add garlic, zucchini, yellow squash and mushrooms. Cook until squash is tender according to your preference, about 5-10 minutes. Add Alfredo sauce and milk to skillet and cook until heated through. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and sliced almonds, if using. Serve warm.

Creamy Potato and Leek Soup

It's ridiculous how delicious this soup is! Everything melds together perfectly to make one delicious concoction. We've had some chilly Spring evenings and soup really hits the spot. You can serve with shredded cheese on top, but really I think it's perfect as it is. I included a video on how to prepare leeks if you've never done it before. Serve with crusty bread. Serves 6.

Creamy Potato and Leek Soup

9 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
5 c reduced sodium chicken broth
2 sprigs of fresh thyme, optional
1/2 lb to 1 lb package bacon, cut into 1" squares
3 leeks, cut into 1/2" inch slices*
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 c milk, half-and-half or heavy cream

1. In a large soup pot, bring potatoes and chicken broth to a boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer. Add sprigs of thyme, if using.
2. Meanwhile, in large skillet cook bacon over medium-high heat until evenly browned. Remove with slotted spoon to plate covered in double paper towels. Reserve 2 to 3 Tbsp of bacon grease and drain the rest. Return to burner and add leeks and garlic to bacon grease; cook, stirring frequently, 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Stir bacon, fried leeks and milk or cream into potatoes. If potatoes are done (fork enters and exits easily), remove pan from heat, discard thyme sprigs and serve hot.

* leeks can be a little tricky, but they're so delicious--milder than green onions--and healthy. To find out how to prepare the leeks, watch this video:

Cajun Chicken Salad

This is a DELICIOUS salad with a kick! My husband, who thinks salad is okay, loved it and ate way more than his share. I served it with cheesy garlic swirl rolls, but breadsticks or rolls would be great, too. Serves 4.

Cajun Chicken Salad

4 slices bacon
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cajun seasoning
2 heads romain lettuce, washed and dried
1/2 c Ceasar dressing
1/4 c shredded parmesan cheese

1. Place paper towel on small plate. Cook bacon until desired crispness. Set on paper towel and let cool; once cool, break into small pieces.
2. Cut breasts in half length-wise and slice into strips. Heat oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat; add chicken. Sprinkle cajun seasoning and stir until chicken is no longer pink. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Chop lettuce into bite-size pieces and add to large bowl. Top and toss with enough salad dressing to coat.

Green Bean and Bacon Bundles

I love to switch up my side dishes, and this one is soooooo good! It goes perfect with any steakhouse-style dish! I'd suggest preparing the bundles ahead of time because the prep can be time-consuming. These are great for the family--my kids LOVED them!--and to impress your family and friends. You can make these with asparagus, also. Serves 4-8 (I ate 3 because they were sooooo good). Enjoy!

Green Bean and Bacon Bundles

1 1/2 lbs fresh string beans*
8 slices lean, regularly sliced bacon
3 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees if cooking right away. If making head, preheat oven before baking. Line a baking sheet with foil; set aside.
2. Rinse string beans and cut ends off, discarding any icky looking beans or parts. Fill large saucepan 1/2 to 3/4 full of hot water. Lightly salt and bring to a boil. Add beans and boil for 2-3 minutes, or until the beans have turned bright green. Quickly drain in cold water until the beans have cooled.
3. Separate beans into 8 equal piles. Carefully wrap each bundle in a slice of bacon and place on prepared baking sheet. If you are preparing ahead of time, refrigerate until later.
4. If baking right away, place in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, or until bacon is crisped and sizzling.
5. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. When butter is bubbling, add onions and garlic and saute 2-3 minutes, or until onions are soft and fragrant. Turn heat to low and add vinegar, sugar, and salt. Stir for 30 seconds, then remove from heat and set aside.
6. When bundles are ready, pull them out of the oven and place on serving platter. Pour butter sauce over bundles and serve immediately.

* Can be made with asparagus, also. Snip of bottom of each stalk and cut in half. Boil 3-4 minutes and follow rest of directions accordingly.

Bacon/Ham Potato Torte

This was my first attempt at pie crust. It always intimidated me! But really, it was easy...as pie! :) For the pie crust recipe, click on this link. ;) This is tasty and filling and feeds lots of people. It takes a while to prepare, so be aware and start early enough...I made the crust in the morning to save time. Eat for breakfast or dinner. If you want to be creative, sprinkle some scrambled egg in with it! Serve with a salad or steamed veggie or fresh fruit...and let me know what you think!
 
Bacon/Ham Potato Torte

1 double pie crust
6 to 7 strips bacon, or 2/3 cup diced ham
4 sprigs thyme
1 c heavy cream
4 medium russet or red potatoes, peeled
 Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 c grated Gruyere cheese
1 egg yolk, whisked with a 1 Tbsp of cold water

1. Prepare pie crust (<---I used the first one on that page), placing bottom portion in pie pan. Keep top crust in bag. Refrigerate both until ready to use.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
3. Cook bacon or diced ham over medium heat. Cook bacon just until crispy, the ham until it smokes. Let cool on paper towel-lined plate. Crumble bacon when cool to the touch.
4. Heat cream and thyme sprigs in small sauce pan over medium-low to medium heat until starts to simmer. Turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Remove thyme sprigs.
5. Remove pie crust from refrigerator. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise then slice thinly. Layer potatoes on bottom of pie crust, sprinkling salt and pepper and bacon or ham on each layer. There should be 3-4 layers, depending if you use bacon or ham. Layer until pie tin is almost full. Spread grated Gruyere cheese evenly on top. Slowly pour the cream over the cheese as evenly as possible.
6. Roll out pie crust top. Place it over the pie, gently pulling off any remaining crust, and crimp edges closed. Brush top and edges with egg wash and make a few slits on top. Put pie pan on baking sheet and bake until the top is crispy golden brown and the potatoes are cooked (you can tell if you cut through some of it....if the knife goes easily through the potatoes, it's done. It takes 45-60 minutes, depending on your oven. If the crust edges get too brown, you can cover them with pieces of aluminum foil.
7. Remove pie from oven and let sit 15 minutes before serving.

YUMMY Salad

This is seriously SO GOOD. My husband's not much of a salad eater but he loved it! It's a mix of a couple different recipes I've found. Use less cheese to lower fat content. This recipe feeds two people as a main dish (I like to serve it with warm bread--try breadsticks or rolls--and chocolate milk) or four as a side dish.

Super Yummy Salad

Dressing
1/4 cup vegetable oil + 2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Salad
1 head romaine lettuce + 1 handful of baby spinach - rinsed, dried, and torn into bite-size pieces
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 carrot, peeled and sliced how you like
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 bacon strips, cooked and diced (I used turkey bacon and it was fabulous)
1/2 cup salad croutons

1. In a jar with tight-fitting lid, combine oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper; cover and shake well. Chill.
2. In a bowl, toss romaine, tomatoes, Swiss cheese, almonds, Parmesan cheese and bacon. Shake dressing; pour over salad and toss. Add croutons and serve immediately.

Note: You can add any other fresh veggies you like. I added carrots because I love their crunchy sweet addition to any salad.

Spaghetti Carbonara alla Mario

We have a lot of spaghetti noodles (we like to buy a large package of wheat ones from Costco--they're seriously taste so much better than normal ones!) and I like spaghetti and all, but I wanted to try something different than marinara and alfredo sauces.
I tweaked a recipe from "The Food Nanny Rescues Dinner" cookbook (I LOVE her cookbook!) and let me say this dish is delish! ;) Be wary of the salt; the meat and Parmesan cheese give it a nicely salted flavor already. Serve with crusty bread and a green veggie or salad. Serves 4.

Spaghetti Carbonara alla Mario

8 oz uncooked spaghetti noodles
2 eggs
6 strips of bacon or 2 slices pancetta (Italian bacon), diced
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cook the spaghetti according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. In a large saucepan, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until it is cooked through but not crisp. Remove it from the pan and drain it on paper towels. Leave bacon fat in pan and add the olive oil. Heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until you smell the aroma. Careful not to burn garlic. Remove from heat. Crumble bacon and return it to the pan.
4. When spaghetti is cooked, lift it out of the water with tongues and put it in the saucepan with the bacon. Measure 2 cups of pasta water and discard the rest. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour the hot pasta water over the spaghetti and use tongs to turn the spaghetti over several times. Add the beaten egg and continue stirring quickly to cook the egg.
5. When the water is almost evaporated, add the salt, black pepper and cheese. Stir until well-mixed. When the cheese is mostly melted, take the pan off the heat.
Pass the crushed red pepper.
Serve with Italian bread and a green vegetable or salad of your choice...ENJOY!