Showing posts with label bacon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bacon. Show all posts

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Bacon Cheddar Chive Scones




2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) All Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick, 2 ounces) cold  butter
1 cup (4 ounces) very coarsely grated or  diced cheddar cheese
1/3 cup (about 1/2 ounce) snipped fresh chives, or finely diced scallion tops (the  green part, 3/4 ounce)
1/2 pound bacon, cooked, cooled, and crumbled (about 1 cup)
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (7 ounces) heavy cream or whipping cream, or enough to make the dough cohesive
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet, or line it with parchment.

1) Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar. 
2) Work the butter into the flour until the mixture is unevenly crumbly, with some of the butter remaining in larger pieces. 
3) Mix in the cheese, chives, and bacon until evenly distributed. 
4) Add ¾ cup of the cream, stirring to combine. Try squeezing the dough together; if it’s crumbly and won’t hang together, or if there are crumbs remaining in the bottom of the bowl, add cream until the dough comes together. Transfer the shaggy dough to a well-floured work surface. 
5) Pat the dough into a smooth 7" disk about ¾" thick. Transfer the disk to the prepared baking sheet. 
6) Use a knife or bench knife to cut the disk into 8 wedges, spreading the wedges apart a bit on the pan. 
7) Brush the scones with a bit of cream; this will help their crust brown. 
8) Bake the scones for 22 to 24 minutes, until they’re golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and cool right on the pan. Serve warm, or at room temperature. 
Yield: 8 large scones 

Baker's tips 
•Want to make scones now, freeze and bake later? Make scones up to the point they're on the baking sheet, cut and ready to bake; don't brush them with cream. Freeze, then remove from the sheet, and wrap airtight in a plastic bag. When you're ready to bake, remove however many you want to bake from the freezer, place on a baking sheet, brush with cream, and bake in a preheated 425°F oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown.

•Make mini-scones: Divide the dough in half, and roll each half into a 5" round. Cut each round into 8 wedges. Bake in a preheated 425°F oven till golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes; or for about 25 minutes if frozen.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

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.