bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast casserole

ingredients:

• eggs – 6 large
• milk – 2 cups
• salt – 1 tsp
• dry mustard – 1/2 tsp
• bread – 6 – 9 slices, cubed
• bacon – 12 slices, cooked and chopped
• cheddar cheese – 1 cup, grated

how to:

• Grease a 9″ x 13″ baking dish.

• Mix together the eggs, milk, salt and dry mustard.

• Spread the bread cubes in the bottom of the dish, sprinkle over the bacon and cheddar cheese.  Pour the egg mixture over the top.

• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, then bake at 350 F for 45 – 60 mins.

Bacon Hashbrown Pie

http://m.hormel.com/recipes/detail/7597/bacon-lattice-hashbrown-pie.aspx

Bean, Ham & Bacon Soup

Ingredients

4 can(s)	great northern beans; drained and rinsed (or use dry beans & soak overnight)
1/2 lb	bacon, fried crispy and crumbled
1/2 lb	ham, diced & fried golden brown
3 md	carrots, diced
3	celery stalks, diced
1 md	onion, minced
1/2 tsp	thyme, dried
1 tsp	garlic powder
1 can(s)	tomato paste (6 oz)
6 c	vegetable stock
1 Tbsp	red wine vinegar
	salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

1

 Place all ingredients except wine vinegar, beans, salt and pepper in a large kettle. Simmer until veggies are tender. Add beans until cooked through. Stir in vinegar. Season with salt & pepper if needed.

2

 Use an immersion blender to puree some of the beans in the pot to thicken to your desired consistency.

3

 You probably won't need to add salt to this as there is plenty from the bacon and ham. I used lower sodium bacon and it was perfect.

Microwave Breakfast Sandwhich

I don't know if one piece of bread is still considered a sandwich, but that's the way I like my breakfast sandwich.  If you like two pieces of bread or muffins, than do that.
You'll be enjoying your breakfast within 5 minutes from start to finish.

Makes 2

Ingredients:
2 pieces of bread
2 slices of cheese
2 slices of precooked bacon cut in half
2 eggs
Butter flavored cooking spray
Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:
Spray your egg cookers with cooking spray.
Start your toast.
Crack eggs in the egg cookers and whisk with the tines of a fork or if you want them poached, add a little bit of water to the container (1/2 tsp) and gently poke the yolks.
Cover, place in microwave for about 1 minute, 15 seconds.  If you want poached eggs, cook the eggs for 2 minutes at 50% power.  Your time may vary depending on the power of your microwave.
When eggs are done, take them out of nuker and reheat bacon for about 30 seconds.  This also allows the poached eggs to finish up so keep the eggs covered until the very end.

When toast is done, place a slice of cheese on each slice of toast.
Put two half slices of bacon on each slice of toast.
Salt and pepper your eggs and slip them on top of it all.  (I never salt the eggs until the end.  Salt makes eggs rubbery)

This tastes so much better than an egg McMuffin from McD's IMO, because you control the ingredients.  You get your favorite bacon, and your eggs are real eggs cooked to perfection.
Faster than going through the drive thru too.

Enjoy

Make your own Precooked Bacon

I'm cheap and I never buy precooked bacon.

It's easy to make your own in the oven and has more flavor than the overpriced rubbery flavorless precooked bacon you pay too much for at the store.
Cooking time will depend on the thickness of your bacon.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Arrange bacon slices on a rack over a rimmed pan.  Your broiler pan will do wonderfully.
A pound of bacon will have to be baked in 2 batches if you only have one pan.
Bake for around 20-25 minutes or until your prefered doneness.



Store bacon in a covered container in the fridge or you can freeze them too.
Bacon can be reheated in the microwave.  2 slices take about 45 seconds in my microwave.

Warning:  It will take extreme self control to not eat any bacon before it gets to storage and everyone in the house will wonder what that wonderful aroma is and why they can't eat any now.

Penne Pasta with Spinach & Bacon

Penne Pasta with Spinach & Bacon
As you may have guessed from the picture, I used Rotini pasta instead of Penne :) Rotini means "twists" BTW. I used a can of Italian Stewed Tomatoes for the diced tomatoes as well.
This was delicious Neen..and easy!

1 (12 ounce) package penne pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
6 slices bacon, chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 bunch fresh spinach, rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.

Add the penne pasta, and cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.

Place bacon in the skillet, and cook until browned and crisp.

Add garlic, and cook for about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes, and cook until heated through.

Place the spinach into a colander, and drain the hot pasta over it so it is wilted. Transfer to a large serving bowl, and toss with the remaining olive oil, and the bacon and tomato mixture.

Recipe, courtesy Neen: Good Eats, Sweet Treats, and Eye Candy