BACON!!!

Okay, so who is with me!?  I HATE frying bacon!  I don't use that word very often, but on very few occassions I use that word quite honestly!  Frying bacon has NEVER been a fun thing for me.  I can't stand the MESS it makes when fried up in a pan on the stove, and how it cooks so unevenly in the pan.  Keeping the temperature a right level in the frying pan is something I never did learn the science of.  Microwave was the next best thing, but even then it was hot to handle the dish in which you had to remove from the microwave, the MESS it created in my microwave from the grease splattering as it popped even under the paper towel, draining the hot grease, etc.  You get my point!  This task in my kitchen got so frustrating I completely skipped making any bacon at all!  I boycotted it with all I had! :) 

Fast forward, my dear hubby LOVES bacon!  I couldn't continue to be a cruel wife, so when I figured out how to FINALLY cook bacon, it's a REGULAR thing in our home now! :)  And everyone is happy!  My kids will eat and eat and eat and EAT bacon now! :)

Here's the trick! Your problems have now been solved and you won't BELIEVE what a difference this makes! Take a cookie sheet jelly roll WITH SIDES. Put a piece of foil on the bottom of that cookie sheet. Take your pound of bacon and lay each piece flat one right next to each other. They can be touching just a little. Put your pan in a preheated oven at 400 degrees. Bake for about 30 minutes, less or more depending upon your bacon crispiness likings. Take out of the oven, and let sit for a few minutes. I then take a plate and put paper towels on it and take the bacon and let it "degrease." Flipping on each side.

Not only does your bacon LOOK appealing with not such an ugly deformation, but it's PERFECT for things like bacon to top on your hamburger to make your bacon cheesebureger OR bacon for your BLT's in the summer!  OH MY! 

Alright, so there you have it! :)  THAT EASY & THAT SIMPLE!  Now...........off to eat some bacon in  my fresh egg omelet from our chickens! :)  Top of the day to you! ;)

Asiago Cheese Bagels

Any Panera lovers!? :)  I used to be until I moved out to the southwest where they have NO PANERA!!!!!  I've come up with my own solution when I get that REALLY BAD CRAVING (which it's been most recent cause a friend of mine came out here to stay a few months and facebooked that she missed Panera, and was SHOCKED there wasn't one here. :))  You have already seen a few other posts about my Panera addiction and this is just another! :)  Enjoy!

Balls of dough before hole is poked in the center!

Holes have been made.  This is a tedious process with LOTS of stretching needed!

 Water almost ready to start boiling the bagels! You'll notice the holes in the center are almost closed!

 Boiling!

Topped with cheese after they've been boiled!

 Baked!

PERFECT MATCH!  Asiago Cheese bagel WARM & a Breve!

It can't get much better than this! :)

4 c flour
2 pkgs yeast
1 1/2 c warm water
3 Tsugar
1 Tsalt
1 T sugar
1 c shredded Asiago Cheese

Put yeast into your warm water and stir.  Let sit for a few minutes, it will start to foam.  Meanwhile, mix together your flour, sugar (3T) and salt.  Pour yeast mixture into your bowl and mix until everything is well blended and a dough ball forms.  I use my Kitchen Aid with the dough hook, this is THE BEST way to do it if you have it.  Once you've mixed the dough and nothing is sticking to the sides (add little bits of flour if still sticking to the sides of bowl until it doesn't any longer), drop it onto the counter and hand knead for another 5 or so minutes.  Then let rest on the counter with a damp dish towel over the top.  Let it sit for about 20 minutes.  Take and divide the dough into 8 even sections.  Once that is divided take each ball of dough and knead so that the creases are in the bottom of the bagel when put onto a GREASED pan for their second raising.  Once all have been formed into smooth circles, stick your finger into the center of each piece of dough and stretch as much as possible.  This dough is stiff and will spring back, just keep restretching them.  Put the dish towel over the top of the pan and put into your oven with JUST THE LIGHT on.  Let them raise for another hour like that.  Remove and preheat your oven to 375.  While your oven is preheating, boil about a gallon of water with 1T sugar.  Boil bagels 7 minutes, flipping them ONCE at about 3 1/2 minutes.  Remove and let drain on a paper towel.  It will stick to the paper towel, but will also remove fairly easy.  I let them drain for only about one minute.  Top with shredded Asiago Cheese.  Bake in the preheated oven for about 30-35 minutes.  Just WATCH CAREFULLY as every oven will vary.  Mine were definitely done at 30 minutes.  I don't care for mine super dark.  They are best eaten right out of the oven.  Just my own opinion! :)  Otherwise when through, make sure to put any leftovers (if there are any) in a Ziploc to keep them moist.  Toast the next morning and top with cream cheese! :)

Reeses Dream Pie

HUGE fan of Hershey's Reeses Peanut Butter Cups OR Reeses Pieces! :)  My mom introduced me to this recipe less than a year ago!  OH MY!  Get ready to brew your cup of coffee to go with it! :)

2/3 c peanut butter
1 c powdered sugar
1/4 c milk
1 t vanilla
1 8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 8 oz tub cool whip
Reeses Magic Shell Ice Cream Topping
1 premade cookie crust (Oreo)

Cream cream cheese, vanilla and milk until it's not lumpy. Add the peanut butter and powdered sugar and again stir. Fold in the tub of cool whip to the cream cheese mixture. Put this into your prepared Oreo crust. Top with Magic Shell and freeze for 2 hours. Take it out about 30 minutes before serving. You can also simply refridgerate for several hours before and keep the remainder (if there is any :)) in the fridge.

Roasted New Potatoes

 Wash potatoes well removing all dirt.

 Throw all ingredients in a bowl to coat.

 Single layer in a 9x13 pan.

Should be golden when through with baking.

1 1/2 lb golden or red new potatoes
1/4 c olive oil
3 cloves garlic
handful of rosemary, fresh
1/2 c parmesan cheese

Rinse and half new potatoes.  Throw them in a bowl.  Drizzle oil over them and add the garlic and rosemary.  Toss all of this together so everything gets well coated.  Put these into a 9x13 pan and sprinkle 1/4 c parmesan cheese over the top.  Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes.  Every 10 minutes stir and recoat.  On the third time stirring (10 minutes baking time remaining) add the other 1/4 c parmesan cheese over the top and finish baking.  Serve immediately.  They cool quickly.

Italian Beef Sandwiches

An incredibly different sandwich, but OH SO GOOD!  This reminds me of the MIDWEST where my true roots are! :) 

2-3 lb beef roast (sirloin, top roast)
1 - 10 oz jar Pepperocinis (the WHOLE jar, juice and all)
2 beef boullion cubes
1 t garlic powder/salt
1 T Italian Seasoning (if you don't have Italian seasoning, use what you've got, oregano, basil, etc)
salt & pepper
1 pkg hoagie buns (sub type)

In your crockpot, cut your roast into smaller chunks.  Cover the roast with water, just to the top of the roast.  Cook on low for at least 5 hours.  I did mine overnight from midnight to 8AM.  Remove the chunks onto a plate and shred (the longer it cooks, the easier it is to shred) until all is shredded.  Pour the water out of the crockpot completely.  Add shredded beef back into the crockpot and add seasonings & peppers along with about 3-4 c beef broth (made from the beef boullion cubes listed above).  Let stew another 2 or so hours.  Drain as you put it onto your bread (we toast ours).

Lemon Snowflake Cookies

I seriously can't remember where I first tasted these yummy cookies, but they are AMAZING!  Soft, chewy, light and lemony!  If you like anything lemon (even lemonade), you'll want to try this recipe!  AND, they are SO SIMPLE!

1 box Lemon Cake Mix
1/3 c canola oil
1 t lemon extract
2 eggs
1/3 c powdered sugar

In a bowl, combine cake mix, oil, extract and eggs and mix together until everything is blended well. (NOTE: DO NOT ADD THE INGREDIENT AMOUNTS FROM CAKE MIX BOX, ADD THE ABOVE.)  Make small balls and dip each one into powdered sugar before putting on the pan.  Bake at 375 for 6-9 minutes.  They bake up QUICKLY, so be sure to watch closely starting at 6 minutes.  You want the bottoms to be light brown and the tops will crack apart, but not brown.

Honey Granola

So, many are "health conscious" at the beginning of the year always!  Thought I'd post my granola recipe that isn't too terrible.  Better choice than a donut! :)

This is all the ingredients mixed raw BEFORE the honey butter mixture.

 Honey butter mixture blending.

This is when the granola is coated with the Honey Butter mixture BEFORE it is baked. 

Completely baked and cooling.  You can see the color difference.

1 - 18 oz container old fashioned oats (6 c)
8 oz sliced almonds
1 c brown sugar (I prefer DARK brown sugar)
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 sticks butter
1/2 c honey

In a large bowl, toss together all ingredients except butter and honey.  In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. When the butter is completely melted, stir in honey. Stir continuouslly until the butter and honey blend together and are no longer separated.  Pour over oat mixture and toss until everything is well coated. Spread granola onto a parchment lined baking pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Stir right in the middle at 15 minutes.  Watch it closely as at the end it darkens quickly! The sugar will begin to caramelize. Cool completely on pan. Transfer to an airtight container or Ziploc bags.

My FAVORITE way to eat granola is over sliced fresh bananas and vanilla yogurt!  Mmm, mmm!

CHICKEN DEAL!!!!!!!

Hey guys! Just had to let my friends and family know about this great deal if you are in the Phoenix area! I am branching off of another ladies blog that I follow. Go read the post here.

Cents'Able Shoppin: Four More Days to Get your "Cluck" On! Buack!: "Buack! Buack Buack Buack! BUACK! Folks - have you ever heard of Zaycon Foods? They're a Spokane-based company that ..."

Au Gratin Potatoes

Heart attack waiting to happen, but the most delicious Au Gratin potatoes you will ever eat.  I have to be honest, this is a more recent favorite because growing up, I must've had a bad experience with the boxed kind and couldn't bring myself to eating them again!  NOT ANYMORE!  A dear friend of mine served these at a St Patricks'/birthday celebration and they've been a favorite ever since!  These are so amazing!  The key is cooking them long enough! 

6-8 RED potatoes, sliced thinly
1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (key ingredient!)
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 stick butter
salt
3 c Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1 c ham, ground

Peel and slice red potatoes. Cut the butter into thin slices and place randomly in and out of the potatoes.  Salt them well.  Cover the potatoes then with the liquids, cream and chicken broth and bake COVERED at 425 for 35 minutes.  Top with shredded cheddar cheese and ground ham and bake UNCOVERED for an additional 25 minutes. 

These go nice served with any beef or chicken meal.

Favor PLEASE! :) (until January 4, 2011)

So, I entered the Karo Cookie Exchange event and need your help! :)  I'd love to win the Grand Prize! :)  Who wouldn't? :)  I entered Chewy Caramels as a recipe on their Cookie Exchange.  I need to have the highest number of votes to win! :)  So, if you're on facebook, here's what you do!

1. Sign into your account.
2. Search for "KARO" and select the Karo syrup.
3. On their facebook group, click "like" at the very top.
4. Select then the "Cookie Exchange" tab up at the top.
5. Click then on "recipes."
6. At the top of the "recipes" page it will have a "most recent' or "most popular" link.  Click "most popular."
7. Find my recipe, right now I'm in 3rd, my name will be next to the recipe "Joanna Cowley Baltzly."
8. Click on the recipe "Chewy Caramels" and it will have a "vote" box on the left.
9. Click "vote" and you're done! :)

THANK YOU! :)