Pumpkin Bacon Sauce

If you are looking for more of a "grown-up" Halloween dinner, this recipe for pumpkin bacon sauce will not disappoint!

Fall=pumpkin everything. That’s a fact. However pumpkin doesn’t always mean sweets like cookies, cakes, and breads (although I love those too!). Pumpkin works just as well in savory dishes! I always make it a point to make a new savory pumpkin recipe every year, and so far, I’ve never been disappointed. So grab some pumpkin and local bacon and head to the kitchen!

 {Pumpkin Bacon Sauce}

 {Serve the sauce over whatever you prefer be it pasta, rice or steamed veggies like cauliflower!}

 {Want a bite?  Head to the kitchen and get cooking!  This was done in under 30 minutes!}

Two years ago:  Lazy Pizza Dough

Pumpkin Bacon Sauce
adapted from Created by Diane

1/2 pound bacon (local), diced
1/2 medium onion (local), diced
4 cloves garlic (local), minced
12 oz tomato sauce
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup broth
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup Greek plain yogurt
Pasta, cooked (rice, steamed cauliflower, etc)

1. Fry bacon until crispy.
2. Turn heat down, and add onions and garlic. 
3. Cook onions and garlic until transparent and fragrant. 
4. Add tomato sauce, pumpkin, broth, nutmeg, and pepper flakes, stirring to combine. 
5. Allow to simmer 10-5 minutes or until thickened. 
6. Turn off heat and add yogurt. 
7. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 
8. Serve over cooked pasta. 

The Hubby loved this! Several co-workers were lucky that I was able to sneak some out of the house! Not a bad word to say about this recipe, and I even brought steamed cauliflower to serve it with at work instead of pasta. Everyone was surprised at how delicious a savory pumpkin recipe can be! Won’t they be even more surprised when I bring a Pumpkin and White Bean Stew for our potluck on Halloween? It’s just as delicious!

Do you use pumpkin for more than just sweets? Comment below with some of your favorite recipes because I am always looking for more ideas (and I don’t think I have all of my pumpkin-eating out of my system)!

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National Bacon Day

National Bacon Day is Saturday, August 30!  Just giving you a heads up in case you need to run to the grocery store and get some bacon to celebrate properly (using one of my delicious recipes below of course!).

Bacon is so versatile!  Many of the recipes below use it to add another flavor and depth to the dish.  Or it's the star of the meal like the BLT or wrapping a whole chicken in bacon.

BLT with Basil Mayo

Brie, Bacon, and Basil Pasta

Coq au Vin (Rooster with Wine)

Grilled Potato Pack

Jalapeno Cheese Stuffed Chicken

Jamaican Rice and Beans

Roasted Chicken wrapped in Bacon

 Bacon and Ranch Potato Salad

Like I (or anyone else) really need an excuse for eating bacon, but the above are my favorite recipes with bacon!  How do you like to eat your bacon?  The Hubby says that I like it 'burned', but I actually like it crispy (floppy bacon--not my favorite!) not burned.

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Jalapeno Cheese Stuffed Chicken

Jalapenos + cheese + bacon + chicken = winning combination and two thumbs up in the hubby's eyes.  I must say, he might not come up with the healthiest recipes in this world, but he does make being bad taste so good!

 {Jalapeno Cheese Stuffed Chicken}

 {Chicken wrapped and ready for the oven!}

 {Jalapeno Cheese Stuffed Chicken top view}

Jalapeno Cheese Stuffed Chicken

Serves 6

1-8 oz package of cream cheese, softened
2 jalapenos, finely diced (scoop the seeds out of one to reduce the heat if you want)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
1 pound bacon

1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. Mix jalapeno, cream cheese, and garlic together until well combined; season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Take each chicken thigh and lay it out.
4. Evenly divide the jalapeno cream cheese mixture amongst the chicken thighs.
5. Roll up the chicken thighs around the cheese and wrap with 3 slices of bacon; secure with a toothpick.
6. Place chicken in a greased baking dish.
7. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until chicken is done (at 160 degrees) and bacon is crispy. 

Does your spouse help with cooking and/or coming up with recipes?

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Grown-Up Mac and Cheese

I hope that everyone had a fantastic Christmas!  I know I did!  We made some wonderful memories, and I got to make a Christmas goose!  Most of my family loved it.  I would definitely make and eat it again!  Anyway, on to today's post!

Not that I need an excuse to make plain mac and cheese, but when you add bacon, veggies, Dijon, and thyme, you get something a little more grown-up and worthy of making a few nights a month without guilt.

 

{Grown-Up Mac and Cheese}

 

{Crisping the bacon}

 

{Creating the sauce}

 

{Adding broccoli and steam for a few minutes}

 

{Add cooked pasta to absorb some sauce}

 

{Add the cheese!}

One year ago:  German Breakfast Bread

Grown-Up Mac and Cheese

Serves 4

1 pound bacon, cut into chunks
1/2 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can evaporated milk
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cups veggies (any that go great with cheese like cauliflower or broccoli)
2 cups shredded cheese (your choice!)
8 oz pasta, cooked (your choice!)

1. Cook bacon in a skillet on high until crispy.
2. Add onion and garlic and cook until translucent.
3. Add milk, thyme, mustard, and Worcestershire, stirring until combined.
4. Allow to simmer for about 10 minutes or reduced by 1/4.
5. Add veggies and cover for another 10 minutes.
6. Add cheese and stir to melt.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Add pasta and stir to combine.
8. Serve.

Do you add anything to your mac and cheese either because you love it that way or to make it more wholesome and nutritious?

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Bacon Ranch Potato Salad

The hubby would eat potatoes all the time if I would let him.  Seriously--fried, baked, steamed, roasted, mashed--any way you can make them, he'll eat them.  He's never turned down any potatoes that I have made, and this bacon ranch potato salad is no exception.  In fact, he'd only had "plain" potato salad before he met me.  I have created a monster.....

{The only picture I got--mainly because the hubby ate. it. ALL!!!!! I wish I was kidding.....}

{Cutting potatoes}

{I cooled my potatoes overnight in the fridge}

{Mixing homade ranch dressing (that's the secret to it's awesomeness!)}

{Adding the dressing to the potato mixture}

Bacon Ranch Potato Salad

Serves 8

3 pounds yukon or red potatoes, diced into bite-sized pieces
1/2 large red onion, finely diced
5 oz bacon bits
1 1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons dried dill
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped (can substitute 1 green onion, finely chopped)
1 teaspoon salt

1. Boil potatoes until just done.
2. Drain and cool potatoes to room temperature or overnight in the fridge.
3. Add red onions and bacon to potatoes and stir to combine.
4. Whisk remaining ingredients together in a separate bowl until well combined.
5. Pour dressing over the potato mixture and gently fold until mixed well.
6. Taste and add more salt if necessary.
7. Chill for at least 4 hours, if not overnight for best flavors.

How do you make your potato salad?  Is it a plain potato salad or do you do something fancy like this salad?

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BLT with Basil Mayonnaise

Continuing with using ingredients from the garden, one word--BLT!!!  Okay...  So maybe technically three words, but the accronym is one word.  Anyway, I LOVE BLTs!  Actually, for me it's more of a BOLT (bacon onion lettuce tomato), and I like to make it "fancy" as the hubby says with basil mayonnaise.  Making the basil mayonnaise--it's so easy it's ridiculous!  Just add basil to some mayonnaise and go to town (or BLT crazy!).

{My BOLT with basil mayonnaise, and yes, I did immediately eat this after I snapped the picture}

{Add chopped basil to mayonnaise--yup that simple}

{I let the hubby cook the bacon--big mistake!!!  For every 4 slices he cooked, he ate 3!  I fired him}

{Tomatoes donated to me from the in-laws and co-workers!}

{Building my sandwich--okay so I made a wrap}

BLT with Basil Mayonnaise

Makes 4 servings

1 pound bacon, cooked
2-3 tomatoes, sliced
4 oz lettuce
2 oz red onion, sliced (optional and recommended)
Bread or wraps
4 teaspoons basil, chopped
4 tablespoons mayonnaise (I use olive oil based mayo, but it works with anything!)

1. Mix basil and mayonnaise together until combined.
2. Build sandwich.
3. Enjoy!

Do you like BLTs?  What do you put on yours?  I'd love to hear!

PS--Have a fantastic weekend!

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Brie, Bacon and Basil Pasta

This is one of those recipes that my hubby wouldn't like because of the brie.  So what do I do?  I tell my mom I am taking over her kitchen and making her dinner!  How can you say no to that?

{Brie, Bacon and Basil Pasta}

{Cooking the bacon}

{Getting my mise en place together}

{Browning the onions and garlic}

{Adding cooked pasta}

{Add brie and milk, heating until brie melts}

{Stir basil in right before serving}

Brie, Bacon and Basil Pasta

Serves 4

1/2 pound bacon, chopped
1 small onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
7 oz brie, cubed
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
10 basil leaves, chopped
8 oz dried pasta

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. In a large saute pan, heat bacon on medium high heat until cooked.
3. Turn heat up to medium-high and add garlic and onions; saute until bacon is crisp and onions and garlic have a nice brown color to them.
4. Add cooked pasta to bacon mixture and stir to combine.
5. Add brie, milk and pepper to pasta mixture and turn heat down to medium.
6. Cook until cheese is melted.
7. Right before service, throw in the basil and stir to combine.
8. Serve (with a basil garnish if you want to get fancy!).

This recipe will utilize some of that basil growing in your garden, just like it did at mom's.  This recipe was delicious and quick!

PS--Thanks mom!

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Roasted Chicken Wrapped in Bacon

Because my husband has such a thing for bacon, I saw this recipe (originally called Chicken with a Lardon) in the book, 50 Shades of Chicken, courtesy of my best friend, I knew that I had to make it.  Period.  So here it is!

{Chicken wrapped in bacon}

{Making the spice rub}

{The spice rub will stain so rub it on the chicken in a sink!}

{3/4 of the way roasted and ready for the bacon wrapping!}

{Please be careful when placing the bacon on the chicken because the chicken will be HOT!!!}

Roasted Chicken Wrapped in Bacon

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 4-5 pound whole chicken, rinsed and dried off
1 tablespoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teapsoon black pepper
1 orange, zested and then cut into quarters
1 teaspoon olive oil
4-6 strips of bacon depending on the size of the bird

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Mix paprika, salt, pepper, and orange zest until combined.
3. Rub oil over the skin of the chicken.
4. Rub some of the paprika mixture into the cavity of the chicken; rub the remaining mixture over the rest of the chicken.
5. Place orange quarters into the cavity of the chicken.
6. Place chicken in a roasting pan and roast for 45 minutes.
7. Take chicken out of the oven and crisscross bacon over the breasts.
8. Place chicken with bacon back in the oven for another 20 minutes or until the chicken is done and bacon crispy.
9. Let the chicken rest (sit at room temperature) for about 10 minutes before cutting into it.

I wasn't too sure about the orangey taste that was bound to happen with the zest and orange in the cavity, but the husband loved this recipe!  The spicy from the paprika with the sweetness of the orange was fantastic.

Have you ever been unsure of a food pairing before trying it?  What was it?

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Feijoada (Brazilian Black Bean Stew)

So I had this date planned for my husband and I, but life got in the way (at least I let it...).  Work got crazy stressful, and at the end of the day, I just wanted to go home and relax.  I was going to "take" him to Rio de Janeiro for a mock Carnival on Fat Tuesday; I had the masks and beads already, but I didn't plan much else.  I did make a traditional Brazilian dish for us though--that counts right?  (Yes I know I am a horrible wife...) so yeah....  At least he loved the food--that's good!

{Feijoada--traditional Brazilian Black Bean Stew}

{Putting baked bacon and ham in the Dutch oven}

{Adding peppers and mushrooms}

I guess I forgot to take pictures of the soup before it was in the bowl--I plead temporary insanity during that time.  I'm kinda lucky I remembered my name and where I was going (if I even did...).

Feijoada (Brazilian Black Bean Stew)

Serves 4

Ingredients

8 oz country ham, diced

1 pound bacon, diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 pint mushrooms, chopped 

2 peppers, chopped (how to cut here)
2 bay leaves
6 cups chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon dried parsley
2-15 oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Place ham and bacon in a baking dish and bake until crispy about 15-20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan; add onions and garlic and saute until tender.
4. Add mushrooms and peppers; cook through.
5. Add ham and bacon to the pan along with the remaining ingredients except cilantro.
6. Simmer for 1 hour or until beans are tender.
7. Add cilantro and serve.

Do you do any theme cooking?  For instance, corned beef and cabbage around St Patrick's Day?  Please share!

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