Spicy Caramel Bacon Popcorn

2 cups brown sugar
2 sticks of butter
1/2 cup karo syrup (dark or light)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. chipotle powder
1 pound of smokey bacon, cooked and crumbled
3 Tab. bacon grease (optional)
5-6 quarts popped popcorn  (24 cups of popped popcorn)
1 cup salted peanuts (optional)

Cook bacon, crumble pieces, SAVE 3 TAB of grease.  Sprinkle bacon pieces and peanuts over popped popcorn.  Mix together, and put aside.
Stir together brown sugar, butter, karo, and bacon grease.  Bring to a boil and boil for 3 mins.  Remove from heat and add baking soda, salt, vanilla and chipotle powder.  Pour over popcorn mixture.  Stir to coat.  Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 mins.  ( I baked mine for 45 mins)

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts

Ingredients:
1 cup ketchup
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
6-10 dashes Tobasco (more or less depending on how much kick you like!)
1/2 to 1 tsp. soy sauce (to taste)
16 ounces sliced bacon
2 (8 ounce) cans whole water chestnuts, drained

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Cut bacon slices into thirds. Wrap chestnuts in bacon and secure with toothpicks; place in a 9x13 pan.
3. Bake for 20 minutes then pull pan out of the oven and remove as much bacon fat as possible.
4. While chestnuts are baking for the first 20 minutes - in a saucepan, combine ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, tobasco, and soy sauce; heat just to boiling. Pour sauce over bacon and water chestnuts (after they have baked for 20 minutes)
5. Return sauced up chestnuts to the oven for another 30 minutes, or until the bacon is cooked.

One Word...
YUMMO! (I will certainly be making these babies again...probably for Thanksgiving!)

Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pulls

CHEDDAR BACON RANCH PULLS (such an easy and terribly addictive appetizer!)

1 unsliced loaf of sourdough bread (round is preferable)
8 to 12 oz. cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
3 oz. bag Oscar Mayer Real Bacon bits (I used bacon that I cooked instead of the packaged kind)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tbsp ranch dressing mix

Using a sharp bread knife cut the bread going both directions. Do not cut through the bottom crust. Place slices of cheese in between cuts. Sprinkle bacon bits on bread, making sure to get in between cuts. Mix together butter and ranch dressing mix. Pour over bread. Wrap the entire loaf in foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Unwrap. Bake an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Bacon Brittle

BACON BRITTLE

**This is probably the easiest candy recipe ever, which is a blessing and a curse. :)

1/2 c water

2 sticks of butter

large pinch of salt

2 c sugar

10 strips of bacon (I used a pound, more is better!  I also cut it into strips before cooking)

1. Line a baking tray with a silpat, or oil it very well.  I didn't have a silpat, so I lined the pan with parchment paper and it worked well. I used the medium sheet pan from PC.

2. Crisp 5 pieces of bacon in a skillet or a broiler and drain on paper towels. Break or chop them into 1/4" bits and set aside. Don't go too small so that the bacon pieces are noticeable.

3. Place in a heavy saucepan, in this order: water, butter, a large pinch of salt, and sugar.
4. Over medium-high heat, cook till the mixture reaches 285*F, stirring often.

5. Pull it off heat, mix in the bacon bits, and pour onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread quickly to about 1/4" thick, and let cool for 2 hours.
6. Break into bits.

Bacon-Cheddar Cheese Ball

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 lb grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion
• 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (or to taste)
• 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely minced
• 1 tsp hot pepper sauce at least (or adjust to taste)

1. Combine all ingredients; mix well then form into a ball.
2. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight to blend flavors. Delicious!

Bacon Bread

1 lb bacon, chopped into smallish pcs and fried (drain and cool)

4 c flour

2 tspn salt

2 tspn sugar

1 tspn black pepper

4 tspn yeast

1 1/2 c warm water (about 110*)

3+ TBLSP olive oil  (3 to start with and add more until dough comes together and is elastic/sticky)

 

Slice bacon and cook, drain and cool.  Combine flour, salt, sugar and pepper in mixing bowl. (I use the stand mixer) Stir yeast into water and then combine 3 TBLSP oil into the water/yeast mix.  Add this to the flour, mix until still partially dry and then add in bacon, mix adding in oil until dough is together and elastic. 
Allow dough to rise for 2 hours, covered or until doubled in size.

When it comes time to shape dough, shape as desired.  (I like making it into mini-loaves, although you can make it into boules and batards.)  After shaping, allow dough to rest for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375*.  Bake bread for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

 

Maple Butter
1 stick of butter, softened

1/4 c maple syrup

Whisk syrup into butter

 

Delicious on the bacon bread 

Breakfast Cookies

1/2 c butter, softened

3/4 c sugar (I do 1/2 c raw sugar and 1/4 c white sugar)

1 egg

1 c flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

10 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled (I used a whole pound, sliced, cooked and drained)

2 c cornflakes (I had honeybunches of oats w/ almonds so I used those)

1/2 c raisin

 

Cream butter and sugar.  Beat in egg.  Add flour and baking soda; mix well.  Add in bacon, corn flakes and raisin. 
Spoon onto baking stone/sheet, (I use a 2 Tbls scoop) and space about 1 in apart.  Bake for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool for 2 minutes before moving to cooling rack.  Store in the fridge.

Brown Butter Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
14 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
4 oz semisweet chocolate bar, diced into 1/4″ pieces
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (I like Ghirardelli 60% cacao)
3 tablespoons milk chocolate, grated
1 cup bacon that’s been fried until crispy and diced into roughly 1/4″ pieces

check out this link for step by step pictures and instructions.