Chocolate Covered Bacon

Get yourself some thick cut bacon. Place slices ona cookie sheet and bake in the over at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes (remove them just before they reach the crumbly stage).

While the slices are still warm, dip them in melted milk chocolate. For an added bonus, top with drizzled white chocloate and chopped hazelnuts.

Mmmmmmmmmmmm......chocolate and bacon.............

Turkey Lasagna

I was looking for a new lasagna recipe and came across this one for Turkey Lasagna the Food Networks website. There were 308 reviews and it had a five star rating so I figured it had to be a good one. I also liked the idea of using turkey sausage and a ricotta mixture that had goat cheese mixed in sounded interesting.

What You Need:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes in tomato puree
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound lasagna noodles
15 ounces ricotta cheese
3 to 4 ounces creamy goat cheese, crumbled
1 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

The Steps:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large (10 to 12-inch) skillet. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the sausage and cook over medium-low heat, breaking it up with a fork, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until no longer pink.


Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat, for 15 to 20 minutes, until thickened.


Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with the hottest tap water. Add the noodles and allow them to sit in the water for 20 minutes. Drain.

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, goat cheese, 1 cup of Parmesan, the egg, the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.

Ladle 1/3 of the sauce into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch rectangular baking dish, spreading the sauce over the bottom of the dish. Then add the layers as follows: half the pasta, half the mozzarella, half the ricotta, and one 1/3 of the sauce. Add the rest of the pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, and finally, sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.



The Verdict:
I thought this was really great! The sauce was amazing and the addition of the goat cheese made the ricotta mixture nice and creamy! The Doc isn't much of a lasagna fan but even he liked it. I made this as a double batch and ended up accidentally getting one package of hot turkey sausage and one sweet. I liked the combination, gave the dish some touch of heat. If your looking for a different take on lasagna, then check this one out!

The Perfect Baked Potato!

For the past few weeks David has been able to participate in a cooking class at our local recreation center. At the last class they made these super cute "Mr. Potato Heads"



It gave me the idea for tonights dinner, baked potatoes with broccoli and cheese. I never had luck with making a baked potato before, I usually end up under cooking them. I decided to google baked potato to see what I could find on timing and came found a link to the Alton Brown's recipe for baked potatoes. I decided to pair it up with the creamy cheese sauce from the Pioneer Woman's macaroni and cheese. Add some steamed broccoli and voilà!

How to Bake the Potato:

What You Need:
Russet Potatoes
Canola Oil
Kosher Salt

The Steps:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees and position racks in top and bottom thirds.
2. Wash potato (or potatoes) thoroughly with a stiff brush and cold running water. Dry, then using a standard fork poke 8 to 12 deep holes all over the spud so that moisture can escape during cooking.
3. Place in a bowl and coat lightly with oil.
4. Sprinkle with kosher salt and place potato directly on rack in middle of oven.
5. Place a baking sheet on the lower rack to catch any drippings.
6. Bake 1 hour or until skin feels crisp but flesh beneath feels soft.
7. Serve by creating a dotted line from end to end with your fork, then crack the spud open by squeezing the ends towards one another. It will pop right open. But watch out, there will be some steam.

NOTE: If you're cooking more than 4 potatoes, you'll need to extend the cooking time by up to 15 minutes.

How to Make the Cheese Sauce:

What You Need:
1 whole Egg Beaten
¼ cups (1/2 Stick Or 4 Tablespoons) Butter
¼ cups All-purpose Flour
2-½ cups Whole Milk
2 teaspoons (heaping) Dry Mustard, More If Desired
1 pound Cheese, Grated
½ teaspoons Salt, More To Taste
½ teaspoons Seasoned Salt, More To Taste
½ teaspoons Ground Black Pepper

The Steps:
1. In a small bowl, beat egg.
2. In a large pot, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together over medium-low heat. Cook mixture for five minutes, whisking constantly. Don’t let it burn.
3. Pour in milk, add mustard, and whisk until smooth. Cook for five minutes until very thick. Reduce heat to low.
4. Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pour it into beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking eggs. Whisk together till smooth.
5. Pour egg mixture into sauce, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth.
6. Add in cheese and stir to melt.
7. Add salt and pepper. Taste sauce and add more salt and seasoned salt as needed! DO NOT UNDERSALT.

The Verdict:
Success! Seriously, it was the BEST baked potato I have ever had. They were cooked to perfection! I never knew how restaurants got the potato to open like a pocket and now I do! I really liked the how well the cheese sauce worked on the potato, rather than just melting some shredded cheese. By the way, these would be delicious with some butter, sour cream and chives too, or substituting the broccoli for bacon!!! YUM!