Melty Bacon-Cheeseburger Dip

I have only made this once, but I really liked it.  The rest of the test group didn't seem to enjoy it as much, but they are a couple of moody bastards so you can't go by them... :)

 

This recipe is easy and kids love to make it:

Cook and drain 1# ground meat.

Mix with 1# cubed Velveeta, 1 can (drained) chopped tomatos or chopped green chilis.

Add 1c shredded mozzarella and 1/4 c bacon bits.

 

Heat over low heat in a saucepan  - OR -  microwave on high.  Stir every two minutes until cheese is fully melted.

Serve with tortilla chips or veggies for dipping!  You might need to pop the dip into the microwave to re-warm if it gets too thick as it cools.

A Baddie but Goodie - Breakfast Calzone

There is nothing healthy about this recipe, but it is really very tasty. You can use more or less cheese to adjust to your preferences.



This can be made in advance and heated in the oven later.  I recommend allowing the potato and sausage patties to cool a bit before adding them - if they are too hot, they create a lot of steam inside which can mess up the top dough.  Don't let them get too cool though, because the inside won't be heated through by the time the dough is cooked.

Don't use thin crust dough - it rips.  Get the Classic crust.

Heat potato patties and sausage patties according to package directions.




Spread out one dough on greased cookie sheet.



Cover with layer of partly-cooled potato patties.



Top with cheese (you can use any kind of shredded or sliced cheeses.  I like spicy ones)



Next layer - precooked sausage patties.


Optional - another layer of cheese



Scramble 4 eggs with 3 TB milk.  Optional - add spices such as black pepper or Tabasco sauce.
Spread egg layer on top.


Optional - crumbled bacon


Cover with second dough and crimp edges.



Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.


Serve immediately with salsa and sour cream. 

Zesty Buffalo Chicken Calzone

Calzones are fast and easy to make!



2 Pillsbury Pizza Crust dough (not thin crust)
1 pkg Perdue Short Cuts - original roasted
1/2 c diced ham
1 pkg microwave bacon, cooked crispy
2 stalks celery, diced
1/2 c. blue cheese crumbles
16oz shredded mozzarella
Buffalo Chicken Sauce (I use Franks)


Spread one dough on cookie sheet or baking stone.

Layer with chicken, celery and ham.

Splash with sauce, then top with bacon and cheeses.


Stretch second dough over top and crimp edges.

Sprinkle with parsley.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes - it will take a little longer than the package directions because it is thick with cold ingredients.


I use Franks Buffalo sauce because it tastes the way I think buffalo sauce should, but you should use your favorite if you have one...

Even with the cheese and bacon, this version has lower calories than a similar calzone from a restaurant, and lower cost too :)

Stuffed Potato Skins Wraps

These are like loaded potato skins, in two-bite wraps!

Stuff them with anything you like in potato skins...



Bake or fry tater tots according to package directions.

Load your wraps!


Fold sides in like an envelope to cover stuffing.

Moisten edges of final flap to seal.


Place in rows on baking sheet sprayed with nonstick spray.



Spray tops of rolls with spray too.





Bake at 400F for 10-12 minutes, until tops are golden brown and puffy.


Serve with sour cream or plain greek yogurt for dipping.

CheeseSteak & Bacon Pie

Next in the "What Else Can I Put Into Pie Crust" series...

It is like a cheesesteak sub, in a pie.  Add anything you would order in a steak sub, such as onions, peppers, salami. I used mushrooms and bacon, and WOW was that tasty :)  Bacon is good with lots of things, but really added the right flavor to this recipe.



1.Saute sandwich-shredded beef (most grocery store meat counters will have this). Drain, then add pepper and salt. (I use Montreal Steak seasoning)


2. Saute whatever veggies you might want - pepper, onion, mushrooms, etc.  If you are making Steak Bomb Pie with salami, try slicing the salami into strips and saute a little bit before adding to the pie.




3. Microwave 1 pkg bacon according to package directions.  (trust me on the bacon).  Crumble when cool.



4. Here comes the fun part - Fill pie! 



5. Layer sliced american cheese on top. The cheese really makes the texture come out right, but if you want to do a dairy-free version, use a small jar of brown gravy instead.





6. The top crust will come out better if you put some or all of the crumbled bacon between the cheese and the top crust.  If the crust touches the cheese it gets stuck to it and won't rise.





7. Bake @ 350 for 40 minutes, covering the crust edge with foil after 20 minutes.  Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes (if you can hold off that long).

It's Game Time: Turky Bacon Apple Swiss Panini!

It turns out that turkys have TWO breasts.  Since the first one went into a pie, this one is going in paninis!

Underneath all that bacon is a big slab of wild turky.  Wild game meats are often dry, so the bacon is meant to keep it moist.  If you use commercially available turky meat, the bacon just makes it extra yummy :)

In any case, lay the bacon across the meat and roast at 325 for two hours, covered loosely with foil.  Thats it -  just put in the oven and leave it.

When the meat is ready, slice both bacon and turky into thin slices.


Panini can be made in a sandwich press or in a nonstick frying pan.  I have a waffle iron that can have flat grilling plates.

Thick cut "texas toast" style bread works really well - it can tolerate the heat long enough for the whole sandwich to get cooked.

Brush the bread with olive oil, and layer from the bottom up- turky and bacon first, then thin slices of apple, then swiss cheese, and another piece of bread brushed with olive oil.  Putting the apple in the middle prevents it from becoming overcooked before the cheese is melted.

The biggest challenge was holding off the testing group long enough to take a photo!  This combination was highly approved.