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Bacon and Cheddar Deviled Eggs

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Bacon and Cheddar Deviled Eggs
OK, you’ve heard this from me before. Bret goes to Costco…and this time he brings home a carton of eggs, which has a dozen and a half of eggs (yes, 18 eggs). I bake and cook so much and it’s really sweet he thinks of me when picking up stuff. The only thing is he also brought home another 18 eggs about two weeks ago, so I need to do something with them before they start hatching!

Good timing though, with Easter right around the corner. And since the eggs are from Costco, I decided to make these Bacon and Cheddar Deviled Eggs from the April 2019 Costco Connection magazine. They have several different versions of deviled eggs, but this looks like the one we’ll enjoy the most.

I made a few little changes because I prefer a little tangier deviled egg. Added a little yellow mustard and a bit of salt to make them really good deviled eggs.

I also halved the recipe since theirs call for 14 hard-boiled eggs and I can’t imagine us eating that many deviled eggs!

Bacon and Cheddar Deviled Eggs

The bacon is a nice touch to this recipe. Of course, you can’t really go wrong adding bacon to anything (apologies to my vegan friends). They also add one finely chopped egg (without the yolk) into the mixture and that gives it more texture than regular creamy deviled eggs.

I’m not sure we would miss the shredded cheese if it was left out.  It didn’t seem to add a lot to the final result.

I liked these eggs and they would be a nice addition to an Easter lunch or dinner, or a good choice for a pot luck.

Bacon and Cheddar Deviled Eggs

Bacon and Cheddar Deviled Eggs

Yield: 6 servings (2 deviled eggs in a serving)
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Deviled eggs loaded with bacon and cheese.  Great for Easter or any party potluck. 

Ingredients

  • 7 hard-cooked eggs, peeled
  • 1/4 C mayonnaise
  • 1/4 C sour cream
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp yellow mustard
  • 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • pinch of salt
  • 3 tbsp crisp-cooked and crumbled bacon (about 3 slices)
  • 2 tbsp shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 2 to 3 tsp chopped fresh chives

Instructions

  1. Slice the eggs in half lengthwise.  Take the yolks out of each and put into a medium bowl.  Reserve 12 of the egg halves, and finely chop up the remaining 2 egg halves.
  2. Mash the yolks with a fork.  Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon and yellow mustards, lemon juice, pepper and salt.  Mix well.  Add the chopped egg halves, 2 1/2 tablespoons of the bacon, cheese and chives, then mix well (it will be lumpy from the chopped egg and bacon).  Taste and add more salt if needed.
  3. Fill the eggs generously with the yolk filling and sprinkle the tops of each with a little bacon.  Cover and refrigerate at least one hour so the flavors will blend.  Makes 6 servings (2 deviled eggs per serving).

Notes

Tips and Stuff:

These aren't creamy deviled eggs because of the chopped egg and bacon, but you can still pipe them through an edge-snipped plastic bag if you want them neater.  I just dumped mine in with a spoon.

If you want tangier deviled eggs (which I prefer), add a teaspoon of dill pickle juice to the yolk mixture or chop up two or three teaspoons of dill pickle and add.  Be sure and taste before filling the eggs.

I used a little cilantro on top of some of ours because I had leftover cilantro.  It was pretty good!

If you don't have a deviled egg container, put toothpicks vertically in four of the deviled eggs, then cover with plastic wrap.  That way the wrap won't touch and smush the egg mixture.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 221Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 236mgSodium: 334mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 11g

Nutrition Values are Approximate

© Costco Connection, April 2019
Category: Appetizer

Easy Corn and Bacon Fritters

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Corn Fritters

I’m fairly new to making corn fritters and have been taking my time tweaking and developing these Easy Corn and Bacon Fritters. I knew they needed to have a few tasty special ingredients stirred in that didn’t get in the way of that wonderful corn flavor. Corn is my favorite vegetable, by the way.

The fritters use just an egg and a little flour as a binder so that you don’t end up with mainly crust. I love Tony Chachere’s, so added a bit to this for a spicy kick. Use your discretion on that – we like them fairly spicy.

Then the best ingredient – bacon! Fry the bacon until almost done – it’s best a little soft instead of hard and crunchy. Sprinkle the top with a little green onion and use just a touch of the spicy sour cream to make the fritter experience complete. (I ran out of green onion for my photos, but I do recommend it.)

Corn Fritters

These Easy Corn and Bacon Fritters go great with any protein you serve for lunch or dinner, or you can eat them by themselves for lunch like I did today! I’ve made them with fresh corn off the cob as well as with canned corn and both work, although the fresh corn is just a touch better. Use what you’ve got.

If you don’t have access to Tony Chachere’s Cajun Season, use your favorite spicy seasoning.

Corn Fritters

Easy Corn and Bacon Fritters

Easy Corn and Bacon Fritters

Yield: 4 - 5 medium fritters
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Corn-filled lightly spicy fritters with bacon.  Great for a light lunch or as a side for dinner.

Ingredients

  • For the spicy sour cream:
  • 2 tsp green onion
  • 1/4 C sour cream
  • 1/4 tsp Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning
  • For the fritters:
  • 2 slices bacon
  • 2 ears fresh corn, or one 15 oz. can of kernel corn (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • 1/4 C flour
  • 1/2 tsp (or to taste) Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 2 tbsp vegetable or canola oil

Instructions

  1. In a large non-stick skillet, slowly fry the bacon until done, but still soft.  Chop into small pieces and set aside on paper towels to drain.   Pour grease out of the pan and lightly wipe - we'll use it later and want some of that bacon flavor.
  2. For the Spicy Sour Cream:  Finely chop about 2 teaspoons of the green part of the green onion.  In a small cup, combine the sour cream, seasoning, 1 teaspoon of the bacon and 1 teaspoon of the green onion.  Stir well and set aside for the flavors to come together.
  3. Cut the corn off the cobs (if you're using canned corn, drain the corn well, then pour onto a stack of paper towels and pat as dry as possible)  In a medium bowl, mix together the corn, flour, seasoning, and the rest of the bacon, stirring until well mixed and corn is coated.  Stir in the egg until completely combined.
  4. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in the skillet over medium heat until it shimmers.   Drop corn batter by heaping 1/4 cups into the skillet, flattening just slightly with the bottom of the cup.  
  5. Cook about 2 minutes on each side until golden brown, flipping carefully away from you.  While cooking, add a little more oil if needed. You don't want the skillet dry while the fritters are cooking.  Place cooked fritters on a paper towel covered plate.  If not serving immediately, put oven on lowest setting and put the fritters in there to keep warm and crisp.
  6. Serve with the sour cream and sprinkle the tops of the fritters with the leftover green onion if you'd like.

Notes

This makes 4 to 5, 3-inch round fritters. You can easily double the recipe if needed.

Don't let the pan go dry while the fritters are cooking. I sneaked a couple of teaspoons of the drained bacon grease back into the pan when it needed more oil.

You can sprinkle these with finishing salt just after frying if you think they need salt.

Use the spicy sour cream sparingly so you don't cover up that nice corn flavor.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 5 Serving Size: 1 fritter
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 219Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 478mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 3gSugar: 6gProtein: 8g

Nutrition Values are Approximate

© Susan Blades
Category: Vegetables/Side Dishes

Corn Chowder (with Bacon and Potatoes)

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This Corn Chowder (with Bacon and Potatoes) is the second Joy of Cooking recipe I’ve made this month. There are some great recipes in that little cookbook – well, maybe not so little since it has over 4000 recipes!

Some of the recipes are basic, some are a little more involved. I think they can squish all those recipes in there because there are no photos. That doesn’t take away from the recipes, though, and they’ve tested them so many times that I know they’ll be good. So far, so good.

Since Winter is winding down in this part of the country (about 60° today – sorry North Dakota), this Corn Chowder caught my eye while thumbing through this tome. It has chunky potatoes, bacon, and fresh corn in it and is a hearty chowder. Use the best, freshest produce you can get. It really makes a difference.

Even though the recipe called for milk instead of cream (I used 2% milk as usual), it’s still rich and creamy, with chunks of goodness here and there. Simmering the corn cobs with the chowder really adds another level of corn goodness. We totally enjoyed it and will make it again when the weather gets cooler later this year.

I’ve never owned The Joy of Cooking, but after making the Chocolate Shortbread and this Corn Chowder, I’m inclined to invest in it. There are a ton more recipes from it that I want to try!

Update: I finally purchased The New Joy of Cooking (the 2019 version) and am loving it. More delicious recipes to come!

Corn Chowder with Bacon and Potatoes

Corn Chowder (with Potatoes and Bacon)

Yield: 5 - 6
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes

From The Joy of Cooking.  Chunky, but creamy, and a great corn flavor.  Very, very good!

Ingredients

  • 4 slices bacon
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 2 celery ribs, diced
  • 6 small ears fresh corn
  • 4 1/2 C milk
  • 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp white or black ground pepper
  • 1 tbsp butter

Instructions

  1. In a dutch oven or soup pot, cook the chopped bacon over medium-low heat until it begins to crisp (8-10 minutes).  It will finish cooking when onion and celery are added.
  2. Leave the bacon in the pot and drain all but 2 tablespoons of grease.  Add the onion and celery and cook until they're tender and slightly browned (about 10 minutes).
  3. Meanwhile, remove the kernels from the corn cobs and set the corn aside.  Keep the cobs.
  4. After celery and onion are done, add the milk and potatoes to the pot.  Add the corn cobs and submerge them (they'll submerge about 1/2 way).  Bring the mixture almost to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the potatoes are tender, 10-15 minutes.  Remove the cobs and discard.  Stir in the corn kernels and add the salt and pepper.
  5. Simmer on low until the corn is tender, uncovered, about 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat.  Remove about 1 3/4 cups of the solids from the soup and puree until smooth.  Return the puree to the soup pot and add the butter.  Let stand until the butter is melted, then stir to combine and serve.

Notes

Tips and Stuff:

I used a combination of russet potatoes and red potatoes.  If you want, leave the skin on the red potatoes for color (I don't prefer them).

I found that freezing the bacon for about half an hour made it much easier to chop.

I used about 1 1/2 teaspoons of onion powder instead of onion since Bret can't eat them.  

When simmering, make sure heat is on low so the milk won't boil up.  You don't want to ever get the milk to the boiling point.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 bowl
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 293Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 840mgCarbohydrates: 42gFiber: 4gSugar: 5gProtein: 14g

Nutrition Values are Approximate

© The Joy of Cooking
Category: Soups, Stews, and Salads

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Cauliflower with Bacon

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Roasted Brussels sprouts are hot, hot, hot right now and I’m glad since I’m a long time lover of the cute little cabbages.

I wanted to do a vegetable lunch today, so decided on roasting Brussels sprouts and cauliflower, adding a little bacon and finishing it off with a nice flavorful dressing.

Oh, and I roasted a couple of quartered Yukon gold potatoes that aren’t included in this particular recipe.

It’s easy enough to throw this together. Just half the sprouts, break up the cauliflower, sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss with a little olive oil.

Oh, and I forgot to tell you about the bacon crumbles and balsamic vinegar dressing. That really makes this dish into a complete and delicious meal.

You feel like you’re eating healthy except for that pesky bacon grease added to the dressing. You can lighten it up and just use olive oil if you want. Coward.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Cauliflower with Bacon Dressing is my idea of a filling and tasty side dish.  Kind of easy, too!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Cauliflower with bacon

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Cauliflower with Bacon Dressing

Yield: 2 main or 4 sides
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Outstanding served as a main or a side dish.  Finished with bacon bits and a bacon balsamic mustard dressing.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. fresh Brussels sprouts
  • 1 small head of cauliflower
  • Olive Oil
  • Freshly Ground Pepper and Salt
  • 4 thick cut bacon strips
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 heaping tsp Dijon mustard

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
  2. Wash and pat dry the vegetables.  Cut the Brussels sprouts in half and trim the stem.  Break the cauliflower into bite-sized pieces.  Place vegetables in a large bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper and 1 teaspoon salt.
  3. Spread the vegetables evenly on the prepared pan, cut side down on the sprouts, and cook for 20-25 minutes, tossing lightly and turning the sprouts after 15 minutes.   
  4. While the vegetables are roasting, fry the bacon and chop it into small pieces.  Save 3 tablespoons of the bacon drippings and put it into a small bowl.  Add balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, and add a pinch of salt and pepper.  Whisk until combined and set aside.
  5. When the vegetables are done, pour them into a large bowl.  Right before serving, toss with the dressing (to taste) and sprinkle with the chopped bacon.  Serve immediately.

Notes

Tips and Stuff:

The sprouts may get done before the cauliflower.  Keep your eye on them and taste test them for firmness.  Leave the cauliflower in another five minutes if needed.  You want them done, but not mushy.

If you'd rather, use olive oil instead of the bacon drippings.  It will still make a very nice dressing.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 148Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 416mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 5gSugar: 4gProtein: 8g

Nutrition Values are Approximate

© sblades
Category: Vegetables/Side Dishes

Lemony Carbonara Pasta (Cooking for Two)

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It’s still citrus season and this Lemony Carbonara Pasta from Ted Cavanaugh at Bon Appetit uses lemon juice and zest very nicely.

It’s a fairly easy recipe that’s quick to throw together as along as you have all of your ingredients prepped. It also uses up a couple of egg yolks that I had leftover from the Peanut Butter Pretzel Cake last week!

The result is a tasty, basic pasta dish that doesn’t have a bunch of weird ingredients. I halved the original recipe and used bacon instead of guanciale (salt-cured pork jowl). Darn, I ran out of pork jowl a couple of days ago.

The hot pasta will cook the yolks without scrambling them and creates a creamy, light sauce that goes very well over your pasta of choice.

Pair Lemony Carbonara Pasta with some nice garlic bread and maybe a little salad and you’ve got a great dinner in front of you!

Lemony Carbonara Pasta (Cooking for Two)

Lemony Carbonara Pasta (Cooking for Two)

Yield: 2
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Very good, hearty pasta dish that's easy on the ingredients.  Pair with some fresh garlic bread.

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 3 oz sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2" pieces, (2-3 slices)
  • 2 tbsp onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, diced
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 oz spaghetti, or your favorite pasta
  • 1 oz Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, plus a little more for the final dish
  • 2 large egg yolks, stirred lightly with a fork
  • 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Boil a large pot of salted water and add pasta.  Cook and stir occasionally until al dente, about 8 minutes.  Drain and reserve 3/4 cup of the pasta water.
  2. While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Cook the bacon pieces, stirring often, until browned and slightly crisp, 3-4 minutes.  Add the onion and garlic and stir occasionally until softened, about 3 minutes.  Add the pepper and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.   Turn heat to low.
  3. Add the drained pasta to the pan with the bacon mixture along with 1/4 cup of the pasta water and 1/2 of the Parmesan cheese.  Toss to coat. 
  4. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the egg yolks, stirring while adding them.  Toss again and add remaining pasta water if needed.  The sauce should be smooth and glossy. 
  5. Add the grated lemon zest, lemon juice and the other 1/2 of the Parmesan.  Toss to coat, taste,  and season with salt if needed.
  6. Divide the pasta among the bowls and add more grated Parmesan if desired.

Notes

Tips and Stuff:

The original recipe called for shallots, so if you have them feel free to use them.

Be sure and use most of the pasta water to thin the sauce - it will thicken upon sitting for a minute and you need the water so it won't thicken and be gluey.

Next time I'll probably use a little less lemon juice, but hey, it's called Lemony Carbonara Pasta, so it's up to you.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 638Total Fat: 32gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 333mgSodium: 1053mgCarbohydrates: 52gFiber: 3gSugar: 2gProtein: 35g

Nutrition Values are Approximate

© Ted Cavanaugh, Bon Appetit
Category: Cooking for Two