Bacon & Eggs..But Not For Breakfast!

No, seriously, it's bacon and eggs. You can eat one. Or....

You can eat a whole plate full.  

Either way, it's just a really fun treat to make for Easter. And it's super easy to do.
If you like M&M treats, checkout these Pretzel Kisses. If you'd like some real bacon & eggs in an easy and fun way, here's how to make perfectly crisp bacon every time to eat with personal frittatas or an easy 3-minute omelette.

What you need:

White melting chocolate (either bar or discs)

Yellow M&M's (cheapest to buy a large bag and pick them out)

Pretzel sticks, each broken in half.

Technique:

Prepare wax paper ahead of time by laying out on table or baking sheet.

Have yellow M&M's ready to go in a bowl.

Break pretzel sticks in half so they are ready to go.

It's important to have everything ready because the chocolate cools very quickly and the M&M's and pretzels won't stick.

Put white chocolate in a microwavable bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir.

Continue to microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until chocolate is completely melted.

With a small spoon, drop a very small scoop of chocolate on the wax paper.

Gently press M&M into the chocolate on one side.

Gently press 2 pretzel sticks side by side, opposite of the M&M.

Note: If you are doing this by yourself, drop 3 chocolate eggs then stop and add the M&M and pretzels to them quickly. Then do 3 more. I found that doing any more than that gave the chocolate just enough time to start setting up and the M&M and pretzels won't stick. If you have someone to help you, they could come behind you and put the decorations on, allowing you to keep going with the chocolate drops.


One day when my in-laws were visiting I told them I made bacon and eggs for them and then presented each of them with one of these candies on a tiny plate. I also took a container full to church and told my Sunday School class that I had made bacon and eggs for all of them. They got quite excited. They were even happier when they discovered it was chocolate. It's just fun.


Happy Easter!!

Super Bowl Mac-N-Cheese

Great game, great commercials, great family & friends, great food! I love Super Bowl!

This week I will share 3 of my favorite recipes that will feed a crowd and always get rave reviews. If you are lucky enough to have leftovers, they are just as good the next day. Check back later this week for Crock Pot Lasagna and Almost Better Than Sex Cake!

This Mac-N-Cheese recipe may sound small (only 1 box of pasta), but don't be fooled. It makes a huge pan of deliciousness! It is a hit with or without the chicken. But I always use bacon. If you love bacon but are not a fan of having splattered bacon grease all over the stove, check out how to make perfectly crisp bacon every time!

I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does!

5 CHEESE MAC-N-CHEESE

1 Box of Pasta (I like one that will collect cheese, like shells)

1 Cup Grated Mozzarella Cheese 

1 Cup Grated Pepper Jack Cheese  

1 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese (NOT the sprinkle kind)

1 Cup Ricotta Cheese

2 Cups Grated Cheddar Cheese

3 Large Chicken Breasts, grilled and cut into bite size pieces

1 lb Thick Cut Bacon, cooked and crumbled into large pieces (click here for how to cook perfectly crisp bacon every time)

1 med-lg Onion, diced

1-2 Cups Bread Crumbs

3-4 Cups Skim Milk

4 Tbsp Butter

4 Tbsp Flour

Red Pepper Flakes

Preheat oven to 350*. Get a LARGE pan and spray it with non-stick cooking spray.

***This recipe will probably come close to filling two 9x13 pans if you don't have one really large pan***

Boil and drain pasta. Cook til al dente or "right before it's 'done' done" consistency - this will let the cheese sauce really stick to the pasta.

While pasta is cooking, start the sauce. In a large sauce pan, melt 1 Tbsp butter on high heat. Add onion and cook til onions are soft and clear. Add 3 more Tbsp butter. When melted, add 4 Tbsp flour. Stir with a whisk. The butter and flour should turn a nice golden brown - about 2-3 minutes.

Add 3 cups milk and stir. Reduce heat to medium high. Get this to a boil, creating a roux, or white gravy. Whisk vigorously til all lumps are out of the flour, then turn the heat down to medium low.

Add the cheese. Stir while melting. Add 1 Tbsp red pepper flakes. Once the cheese is melted, I use the "taste and eyeball" method. If it is too thin, add more cheese (best to add Cheddar, Mozzarella or Pepper Jack). If it's too thick, add 1/2 cup of milk (put in microwave for 30 seconds to take the chill off before adding). If it needs a little kick, add more red pepper flakes.

Add the pasta to the cheese sauce. Add the chicken and stir til everything is covered in sauce. Pour the mac-n-cheese into the pan. Spread the bacon on the top. Sprinkle bread crumbs over everything.

Ready to go in Oven

Bake approximately 20-25 minutes, til the top is golden brown. Broil for a few minutes if needed for more color on top.

Question: What food do you traditionally make for your super bowl get together?

BAKED POTATO SOUP

Will you be having baked potatoes or mashed potatoes with your Christmas dinner? I love fresh mashed potatoes, but I inevitably make about four times too much! What to do with the leftovers?!


This recipe for Baked Potato Soup can be made with leftover baked potatoes or leftover mashed potatoes. It is super easy and SUPER DELICIOUS!


What you need:
4 Large Baked Potatoes OR 3-4 Cups leftover Mashed Potatoes
2/3 Cup All-Purpose Flour
6 Cups Skim Milk (could use 1%)
3/4 Cup Cheddar Cheese
1 Tbsp Salt (note- if using already seasoned mashed potatoes, use S&P to taste)
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 Cup Reduced Fat Sour Cream
1/2 Cup Chopped Green onions


Toppings (optional):
Cheddar Cheese, shredded
Green Onions, chopped
Bacon, cooked and crumbled


Directions:
1. If not using leftover potatoes (Baked or Mashed), then preheat oven to 375*, pierce with a fork and bake for 1 hour or until potatoes are tender. Let them cool. Cut open and scoop potato out. Coarsely mash them in small bowl (leaving some chunks). Set aside.


2. In a large soup pot, add the flour. Gradually whisk in the milk, whisking until smooth. Cook over medium heat until thick, about 8 minutes. Add mashed potatoes, cheese, salt and pepper. Stir until the cheese melts.


Note: Do not overdo S & P if using already seasoned mashed potatoes.


3. Add in Sour Cream and Green Onions. Cook over low heat until thoroughly heated, do NOT boil the soup.


4. Ladle into bowls and garnish with choice of toppings. Serve warm.

You may also want to try Broccoli Soup or Butternut Squash and Apple Soup.


Enjoy! Merry Christmas!!

PERSONAL FRITTATAS

Now that we've cooked Perfectly Crisp Bacon, and made BLT's for dinner, what do you do with the rest of the bacon. One of my favorite Holiday Breakfasts is Personal Frittatas. These are always a huge hit at the holidays. You can customize them if needed and family can serve themselves while you are busy preparing the big holiday meal.


You can make a batch of these on the weekend and put them in baggies in the fridge to heat during the week for quick breakfasts. They also freeze well for future use.

What you need:
12 Eggs
Water
Veggies/Meat of Choice (I'm using Bacon, Spinach & Cheese)
Cheese


In this demo I am using Crumbled Bacon from Perfectly Crisp Bacon, Fresh Spinach and Cheese. You can use Sausage, Canadian Bacon, Broccoli, Mushrooms, Peppers (Red or Green), well, pretty much any meat and/or veggie makes a great addition to this Frittata.


How you do it:
Preheat oven to 350*
Spray a muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. 
Crack an egg into a bowl, add 2 tsp water and beat the egg.

 Pour the egg into a muffin mold. Repeat 12 times. (I told you this was easy!)

Now add the Crumbled Bacon and Chopped Spinach (or veggies of your choice).
Sprinkle with a little Salt and Pepper.
Next top with Shredded Cheese.

Put into the 350* oven and bake for about 25 minute, until puffy and golden brown on top.

Run a plastic knife around each Frittata to remove easily. Serve with Fruit and Toast for a complete breakfast.


Do you have a favorite Holiday Breakfast food? Feel free to add a link to your favorite recipe in your comment.