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Featured ingredient: BACON

French Toast and Bacon Cupcakes

Lifewithcake.com

Blackberry Cobbler

No Fuss Potato Soup

Broccoli Cheese Soup

 

Which one was your favorite?

Featured ingredient: Bacon

 

Featured Ingredient: BACON

One of my colleagues first gained my respect when I learned she was a vegetarian except for bacon. Bacon is a wonderful food notwithstanding it's bad reputation as a healthy choice. In the South, it's a staple.

Here are three very different recipes which each proudly list bacon in the ingredients. I love each of these!

Maple Bacon Cupcakes



There are a lot of variations of the recipe on the internet. Here are three I would recommend. Or try a combination of the three.

Foodnetwork - Maple french toast bacon cupcakes

Myrecipes.com -Maple bacon cupcakes

Lifewithcake.com - French toast and bacon cupcakes

Lislestyle: I want my cupcakes to not only taste delicious, but look beautiful. This means not any bacon will do. I suggest buying the precooked bacon to make sure it's crisp and beautiful or baking it in the oven on a cookie sheet.

Peanut Butter, Bacon, Banana Sandwich

This sandwich is on the menu of a local restaurant, Parker & Otis. When I saw it served on my friend's plate, I was drooling. Peanut butter was melting over the edge of the toasted bread. I've since made this at home and love it!

Lislestyle: I prefer peanut butter and bacon or peanut butter and banana. All three together has too many flavors, something is lost.

Brussel Sprouts

This is one of my favorite recipes and something I cook several times a month at least. I know some of you turn your nose up at hearing the word brussel sprouts and many of you haven't ever tasted one. This recipe is for the skeptics of brussel sprouts and for those who have only had them steamed and soggy.

It's from Rachel Ray!
Brussels Sprouts with bacon

Lislestyle: I like to pair it with a meat and another veggie or salad.

What is your favorite way to use bacon?

 

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Broccoli Cheese Soup

picture by Kimberly Campbell

Do you have 20 minutes? Then you have enough time to make this. Throw some rolls in the oven or make a sandwich and you will be ready to eat. It is a great meal to take to a friend too.

Cream of Broccoli Soup
1/4 cup     butter
3 tbls        flour
11/2 cup   milk
salt and pepper to taste
2   Chicken bouillon cubes or 3 cups broth
1 can        cream of chicken soup
1 10oz      box of frozen broccoli
1 cup        grated cheddar

1. In a sauce pan, melt butter. Add flour and combine thoroughly. Add milk gradually and cook, stirring until thickened to make a creamy white sauce. Add bouillon cubes and cream of chicken soup. Stir until blended. Set aside.
2. Cook broccoli briefly and drain. Mostly just make sure it is thawed.
3. Add broccoli and cheese to the soup mixture. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted and broccoli is done.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Add water for thinner soup.

Lislestyle: 
*My friend Anna never adds the cream of chicken and actually it is really thick and rich if you do. It is a very creamy soup without it. I don't usually add it either and I thin it with milk too.
*I like to use sharp cheddar because it has a strong flavor.
*I've used a variety of frozen broccoli. If you want bigger pieces find the cut that is bigger. If you want it to be completely smooth, stick the soup in the blender.
*I never cook the broccoli. I put it in a strainer and run water over it for a couple minutes. It thaws and I throw it in.

White creamy sauce

One of my favorite kitchen tools...the pampered chef grater.

I used chopped broccoli this time.

Adding the cheese

Hot and Creamy!

 If you try this recipe, let me know what you think.

Blackberry Cobbler

Blackberry Cobbler

 

 

In the freezer, I discovered a bag of blackberries that I picked this summer. In preparing for a New Year's Eve party, I decided to make blackberry cobbler, possibly the world's best dessert!

 

I got this recipe from my neighbor a couple of years ago after she surprised me with a blackberry cobbler with fresh berries. It is really simple and mouth-watering good!

 

Recipe:

Fruit cobbler from Mary Z.

1/2-3/4 cup      butter

1 cup                flour

11/2 tsp            baking powder

1/2 tsp              salt

1 cup                sugar

3/4 cup             milk

4 cups              canned or fresh fruit

3/4 cup            sugar

2 tsp                cinnamon

 

1. Melt butter in a 8 x 12 or 9 x 12 glass dish or 2 quart casserole dish.

2. Mix next 5 ingredients and pour over butter.

3. Put fruit on top.

4. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.

5. Bake 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

 

 

Lislestyle:

*I like to make individual cobbler in a set of bakeware I got as a gift. It's fun for each person to have their own. If you are eating leftovers it hold it's shape instead of spreading to fill the pan. The crust doesn't get soggy and the berries and crust are more evenly distributed. Try it! Of course, it's best served hot topped with vanilla ice cream!

*If you opt to use frozen fruit like I did, you don't have to thaw it first.

 

 

Step 2: Mix flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and milk.

I used whole wheat flour this time. It seemed to work okay but the crust is brown instead of white.

 

 

 Step 3: Top with fruit...you can use any fruit...my favorite is blackberries.

 

 

Step 4: Top with sugar and cinnamon

 Take it out bubbling! It smells delicious!

Serve it hot with ice cream on top!

No Fuss Potato Soup

Looking for an easy meal?

I found this recipe in a magazine right after college. I've used it for years and love it! It's easy and delicious!

Plug in your crock pot and give it a try! Scoop out a bowlful and enjoy it with your favorite bread!

No Fuss Potato Soup
Servings: 8-10

6 cups    cubed peeled potatoes
5 cups    water
2 cups    chopped onion
1/2 cup  chopped celery
1/2 cup  thinly sliced carrots
1/4 cup  butter
4 tsp      chicken bouillon granules
2 tsp      salt
1/4 tsp   pepper
1 can     12oz evaporated milk
3 tbls     chopped fresh parsley

Directions:  In a large slow cooker, combine the 1st nine ingredients. Cover and cook on high for 7-8 hours or until the vegetables are tender. Add milk and parsley, mix well. Cover and cook 30-60 minutes until heated through. Garnish with chives if desired. 

Lislestyle: I add more onion, celery, and carrots than called for. This recipe makes a lot. Fill some freezer bags of plastic containers with leftovers to thaw for a quick meal later when you are needing a fast and tasty dinner. Pop it in the microwave or heat it on the stove.

Day 20: Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

This is one of my favorite pumpkin recipes so far. It is a combination of recipes I've found. I used the pumpkin bread dough that I used for the monkey bread recipe. Then I made the rolls in a design I learned from a friend a few years ago. Nikkie Bojanski is one of the best cooks I know. I also used the icing from her cinnamon roll recipe. These were delicious! I will definitely make these again.

 

 

 

 

Day 19: Pumpkin Hot Chocolate

I got this idea from a recipe I saw on-line. I made my own version from my favorite hot chocolate recipe. I love making homemade hot chocolate using the Nestle's recipe on the back of the box of Baking Cocoa. So much richer than from a package. I just added pumpkin puree to taste. It was yummy! And you guessed it, I topped it with whipped cream!

Nestle's Hot Chocolate

4 servings

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup Nestle Toll house Baking Cocoa

4 cup milk divided

1 tsp vanilla extract

 

 

Individual serving

(I have adapted this version)

2 Tbls sugar

1 tbls Baking cocoa

1 cup milk

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

 

I use equal servings of sugar and baking cocoa. (1 tbls each)

I also put a dash of salt. I don't remember why I started doing that, but it makes a difference.

 

Nestle directions:

Stir together sugar and cocoa in large mug. Stir in a few tbls milk to make a smooth paste; stir in remaining milk. microwave on High for 1 min; stir. Microwave for a few sec. longer until hot. Stir in vanilla extract.

 

Lislestyle:

I actually usually mix the cocoa and sugar in a mug. Then microwave the milk for one minute and then add to the powder. Then add vanilla and a dash of salt.

 

Play with it! You may want more cocoa, more sugar, or more milk. Come up with your own version and enjoy it all winter long! You'll never look at a package of hot chocolate the same way!

 

Day 18: Pumpkin Ice Cream

I have a friend at work who loves pumpkin ice cream. I had never heard of it before this year. I was skeptical, but it's actually really good. You can make your own by mixing your favorite vanilla ice cream with pumpkin puree. And, of course, if you have some, top it with whipped cream!

Day 16: Pumpkin Cheesecake

 Pumpkin Cheesecake

I don't think I've ever made a cheesecake before. This one was creamy and delicious. It had a graham cracker crust and I added whip cream. It came out a beautiful color.

31 Days of Pumpkin

For the month of October, I am making a pumpkin dish everyday. Check out what I've made.