Tag: bacon

Pepper recipes abound for whatever might pop up

Post author By Lindsey Young
Post date August 10, 2023

These grilled jalapeno poppers feature sharp cheddar along with bacon instead of the traditional cream-cheese-filled offering. The combination of flavors is a delicious change of pace.

If you have read this column for any length of time, you know that I am, in no way, a gardener. Despite that, I still follow a Kansas gardening group on Facebook, and I love seeing the posts of beautiful gardens, weird plants and bugs that show up in people’s yards and discussions about how to keep everything alive.

One of my biggest fascinations this summer is with what local gardeners are calling “peppergate.” Apparently, a large seed manufacturer mixed up pepper seeds, and as plants are popping up and peppers are growing, people are discovering that their gardens aren’t producing exactly what they thought they would.

Unfortunately, that means many people who thought they were growing bell peppers are ending up with spicy ones instead. That has to be so frustrating.

In our house, we’re not scared of spicy peppers, although I almost exclusively use them to make salsa, so I was excited to try something a bit different—especially since Joey was firing up his smoker, and that meant I could make him actually cook my experiment for me.

I ended up making some jalapeno poppers that were a bit different from most recipes, because they used sharp cheddar instead of cream cheese, and they were certainly worth the try.

This recipe comes from the blog “Sur la table” and featured a recipe by chef Steve Raichlen. You can find the original post at https://www.surlatable.com/steve-raichlens-grilled-jalapeno-poppers/REC-283658.html. I added seasoning to my version and didn’t add almonds like the original recipe dictated.

Also, I used a jalapeno grill rack to make mine, which lets you stand the peppers upright while they roast. If you don’t have one, you can cut your jalapenos lengthwise instead. They may cook a little quicker that way, so be sure to keep your eye on them.

Grilled Jalapeno Poppers

These grilled jalapeno poppers feature sharp cheddar along with bacon instead of the traditional cream-cheese-filled offering. The combination of flavors is a delicious change of pace.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Keyword bacon, barbecue rub, barbecue seasoning, grilled, jalapeno peppers, jalapeno poppers, sharp cheddar cheese, smoker

Ingredients

8 to 10 large straight(ish) jalapeno peppers
4 to 6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
3 to 6 thin slices bacon
Barbecue seasoning of your choice

Instructions

You’ll want to get your grill heated up to about 375 degrees.
To prepare your jalapenos, cut the tops off of each, and carefully scoop out the seeds and ribs inside.
Cut the cheese into sticks that leave at least one-eighth of an inch clearance all the way around when you slide them into the jalapenos.
Cut the bacon slices into three pieces (not length-wise; you want short, wide pieces).
Pour about two tablespoons of barbecue seasoning on a small plate.
To assemble the poppers, roll a cheese stick in the seasoning, wrap the bacon tightly around it, and stuff it into the prepared jalapeno. Continue until all the jalapenos are filled.
Roast upright in a rack on your grill or smoker for 20 to 30 minutes or until the jalapenos are tender and the bacon is cooked through.
Serve hot.

These were a nice change of pace from traditional poppers. I really liked the combination of the sharp cheese with the spicy pepper and a little sweet from the barbecue seasoning.

The other nice thing is you can customize this for however many people you’re feeding. The original recipe made 18. I ended up making 10, because we didn’t have a ton of people coming over.

I can’t tell you how these reheat, as we didn’t have any left over, but I would guess they’re one of those things that’s best eaten right away.

If you happened to be a victim of “peppergate” this year, hopefully you’ll be able to find uses for all of your garden surprises. For me, this might be the first summer I’m pretty glad I just get my produce from the grocery store; gardening is already hard enough.

This piece first appeared in print on Aug. 10, 2023.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Tags bacon, barbecue rub, barbecue seasoning, grilled, jalapeno peppers, jalapeno poppers, sharp cheddar cheese, smoker

Side Dish

Flex your cooking ‘Brussels’ with a new summer side dish

Post author By Lindsey Young
Post date June 22, 2023

Brussels sprouts with bacon and pesto pasta is a light, summer side dish that is best served warm. It features bright flavors from pesto and fresh lemon juice, which makes it a crowd pleaser.

I don’t know about you, but I find myself searching the Internet every summer for new side dishes to take to barbecues.

Joey is really, really not a mayonnaise fan, so the traditional offerings like potato salad and coleslaw are mostly out of the question.

But then you also have the problem of how to keep a cold side dish cold while you’re hanging out in 90-degree Kansas weather. Instead, I prefer a dish that can be warm (or at least room temperature) and still be delicious.

This week’s recipe definitely ticks that box.

You can find it on the blog “Recipe Runner” at https://reciperunner.com/brussels-sprouts-and-bacon-pesto-pasta/. I added extra garlic and red pepper flakes in my version.

Brussels Sprouts, Bacon and Pesto Pasta

Brussels sprouts with bacon and pesto pasta is a light, summer side dish that is best served warm. It features bright flavors from pesto and fresh lemon juice, which makes it a crowd pleaser.

Course Side Dish

Keyword bacon, barbecue side dish, basil pesto, Brussels sprouts, garlic, lemon juice, minced garlic, parmesan cheese, picnic side dish, summer side dish

Ingredients

8 ounces pasta shells
4 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
12 ounces fresh Brussels sprouts
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
4 to 6 cloves garlic minced
3 tablespoons pesto
Juice of one lemon about 2 tablespoons
1/4 cup parmesan cheese shredded (plus more for topping)

Instructions

Boil your pasta according to package directions.
While it’s cooking, wash and trim your Brussels sprouts and slice them thinly. Set them aside.
In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until it’s crispy, and then remove it from the pan to a paper towel to drain.
Remove all but about one tablespoon of the bacon grease from the skillet, and add in the sliced Brussels sprouts, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper. Saute for a few minutes or until the Brussels sprouts are as tender as you like them.
Stir in the garlic and saute for about one more minute or until it is lightly browned and fragrant.
Add in the rest of the ingredients (drained pasta, too), and stir to combine. Add more seasoning if necessary, and serve warm with some extra cheese on top.

We ate this hot the first time, and it was amazing. We ate it cold as leftovers, and while it was still good straight out of the fridge, we both agreed we liked it better at least warm.

The flavors married well and were bright and perfect for a summer side dish.

The next time we’re hosting (or invited to) an outdoor summer meal, this will be on my short list of dishes to take. It’s tasty, easy to make, and there are no ice packs or other contraptions needed to keep this dish cold throughout a get-together.

With the heat outside rising, if I can at least find some relaxation through not worrying about my cooking, I’ll be very happy.

This piece first appeared in print on June 22, 2023.

Tags bacon, barbecue side dish, basil pesto, Brussels sprouts, garlic, lemon juice, minced garlic, parmesan cheese, picnic side dish, summer side dish

Main Dish

Get ready to ‘chowder’ down on some hearty soup this week

Post author By Lindsey Young
Post date February 2, 2023

Chicken potato chowder is hearty and delicious. It’s great for feeding a crowd, for leftovers or for storing in the freezer for a busy night when there’s no time to cook.

We always host friends at our house for the NFL playoff games—especially if the Chiefs are still in the race—and the recent AFC Championship game was no exception.

Along with having folks over to yell at the TV with us, we try to put out a good spread of food for everyone to enjoy. While we were shopping for the party, Joey announced that he was going to get a big pack of bone-in chicken thighs to cook on the smoker and that I might want to think about a soup to make with the end result.

Challenge accepted.

I landed on a chicken potato chowder recipe that turned out to be absolutely fabulous—especially because Joey not only deboned the chicken thighs for my soup, he also boiled the bones to make a great stock for the recipe, too.

So, if you or someone else in your household are good at smoking meats, I highly recommend trying that process for the chicken for this recipe.

But even if that’s not in your wheelhouse, cook up some chicken on the stove or grab a pre-cooked rotisserie and still give this a try. You won’t be disappointed.

This recipe comes from the blog “Fearless Dining” by Sandi Gaertner. You can find the original post at https://www.fearlessdining.com/chicken-potato-soup-recipe/. I added extra seasonings in my version.

Chicken Potato Chowder

Chicken potato chowder is hearty and delicious. It’s great for feeding a crowd, for leftovers or for storing in the freezer for a busy night when there’s no time to cook.

Course Main Course

Keyword bacon, celery salt, chicken, chicken broth, chicken stock, chowder, cold weather meal, garlic powder, immersion blender, potatoes, shredded cheese, soup, winter soup, yellow onion

Ingredients

2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1 medium-sized yellow onion diced
6 slices bacon cut into half-inch pieces
5 cups potatoes cut into one-inch pieces
1/4 cup flour
4 cups chicken broth or stock
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
black pepper to taste
2 to 3 cups cooked chicken cut into one-inch pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup cheese I used Monterrey jack and colby

Instructions

In a large pot or Dutch oven with a lid, heat the oil over medium heat. Add in the onion and bacon and saute until the bacon is cooked through and the onions are soft.
Add the potatoes to the pot, along with the flour. Mix to evenly coat everything with the flour.
Add the chicken broth, salt, celery salt, garlic powder and black pepper, and stir to combine.
Stir in the cooked chicken and place the lid on the pot. Let it come to a slow boil and leave it for about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to a simmer and let it cook for another 10 minutes (with the lid still on).
Stir in the heavy cream and simmer for five more minutes with the lid off.
Remove the pot from the heat and blend about one to two cups of the soup with either an immersion blender or by pouring that portion into a traditional blender. (The goal is to get more of a chowder consistency at this point while still having nice big chunks of potato and chicken.)
Stir in the shredded cheese until it is melted, and serve immediately.

We made this the day before our get together and then reheated it in the crockpot for the game, and let me tell you: it was delicious. We had a big loaf of Italian bread to go with the chowder, and it was hearty and such a great belly-warmer for a cold day. Also, it reheated really, really well again for more leftovers.

And, on top of the great food, we watched the Chiefs advance to the Super Bowl. If you make this soup for your own sports get-together, I can’t guarantee it will result in a win for your team, but either way, your stomach will be happy.

This piece first appeared in print on Feb. 2, 2023.

Tags bacon, celery salt, chicken, chicken broth, chicken stock, chowder, cold weather meal, garlic powder, immersion blender, potatoes, shredded cheese, soup, winter soup, yellow onion

Appetizer Main Dish Side Dish Snack

Kick football season off with a bang by making shotgun shells

Post author By Lindsey Young
Post date September 15, 2022

These smoked shotgun shells are made with seasoned sausage stuffed into manicotti shells and wrapped in bacon. They are a fantastic dish for a football snack table.

As soon as the weekly forecast came out, telling us that the opening weekend of football would be perfect for spending some time outside, Joey announced we were going to invite some folks to watch the games and throw some food on the smoker.

Of course, I had to stick my nose in and announce to him that I already found the perfect recipe to try, and being completely used to me regularly doing this to him, he immediately agreed—even though the name caught him off guard for a second.

I wanted to make shotgun shells.

The recipe is actually aptly named, considering it consists of stuffed manicotti shells. I suppose it sounds a little more macho than calling them stuffed tubes.

Also, I know I have given you a couple smoker recipes of late, but these can also easily be made in your oven or on a normal grill (as long as you watch your temperature).

This comes from the website “Or Whatever You Do” by Nicole Johnson. You can find the original post at https://www.orwhateveryoudo.com/2022/05/traeger-smoked-shotgun-shells.html. I added garlic and extra spices to my version and used sausage instead of ground beef.

Smoked Shotgun Shells

These smoked shotgun shells are made with seasoned sausage stuffed into manicotti shells and wrapped in bacon. They are a fantastic dish for a football snack table.

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish

Keyword bacon, barbecue rub, barbecue sauce, barrel smoker, Big Green Egg, football snack, garlic, ground sausage, Kamado Joe, manicotti, shredded cheese, smoker, Traeger

Ingredients

1 pound sausage
1 cup shredded cheese I used Mexican blend
2-3 tablespoons barbecue seasoning
4 to 6 cloves garlic minced
12 manicotti shells uncooked
12 slices bacon not thick sliced
about 1/4 cup barbecue sauce

Instructions

At least six hours before you want to start cooking, prepare your shotgun shells.
In a large bowl, mix the sausage with the cheese, seasoning and garlic. Once it is well combined, stuff each manicotti shell with the sausage and wrap each one with a strip of bacon.
Place the assembled shells in an airtight container or on a plate wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerate for six hours or overnight.
To cook them, preheat your smoker or oven to 250 degrees. Place the shells about an inch apart on the grill and let them cook with the lid closed for at least one hour before opening to check the temperature (you’re looking for 160 degrees for done sausage) and turning them on the grill to make sure they cook evenly.
Just before the shells are finished cooking (ours took about one and one-half hours), baste them with barbecue sauce on all sides.
Once the sausage in the center of the shells is cooked through and the bacon is crispy, remove them from the grill and serve.

These were absolutely fabulous. We didn’t have a single shotgun shell left by the time Sunday Night Football came on TV—and I made a double batch. It was absolutely perfect, both for lunch and for snacking during the later afternoon games.

And in case you’re wondering, yes, the manicotti cooked all the way through on the smoker. Joey and I were both really skeptical and almost par-boiled the shells just in case, but I decided to trust the process, and they were perfectly al dente by the time the sausage and bacon was done. It was a strange sort of magic that I don’t understand but definitely appreciate.

Hopefully we’ll have a few more weekends of dragging our TV outdoors for football and enjoying good food with good people in our backyard. But even if winter comes quickly and drives us indoors, I think shotgun shells will remain a regular on the menu.

This piece first appeared in print on Sept. 15, 2022.

Tags bacon, barbecue rub, barbecue sauce, barbecue seasoning, barrel smoker, Big Green Egg, football snack, garlic, ground sausage, Kamado Joe, manicotti, shredded cheese, smoker, Traeger

Appetizer Breakfast Main Dish

You have ‘Scotch’ to try these tasty smoked eggs

Post author By Lindsey Young
Post date September 1, 2022

This twist on Scotch eggs is made on a smoker, using barbecue seasonings and sauce and wrapped in bacon. They can also be baked in an oven.

Just as French fries are from Belgium and Hawaiian pizza was invented in Canada, Scotch eggs are actually a British creation.

Traditionally, a Scotch egg is “a shelled hard-boiled egg that is wrapped in sausage, covered in breadcrumbs, and then deep-fried or baked until crispy,” according to the Encyclopedia Britannica.

They’re often served cold in pubs, but in the U.S., people most often serve them hot instead.

Joey has been hinting—strongly—for a few weeks that he would really like to try making Scotch eggs on his smoker, so on a recent day when the heat lifted for a bit, we finally decided to give them a try.

I will tell you that these are not traditional—they lack the breadcrumbs, have barbecue flavors, and we added bacon to ours, too. But they were very, very good.

This comes from Susie Bulloch at the blog “Hey Grill Hey.” You can find the original post at https://heygrillhey.com/smoked-scotch-eggs/. I added bacon to my version.

Smoked Scotch Eggs

This twist on Scotch eggs is made on a smoker, using barbecue seasonings and sauce and wrapped in bacon.They can also be baked in an oven.

Course Main Course

Cuisine British

Keyword bacon, barbecue rub, barbecue sauce, barrel smoker, Big Green Egg, breakfast sausage, ceramic grill, hard-boiled egg, Kamado Joe, Scotch egg, smoker

Ingredients

6 eggs
1 pound ground breakfast sausage
1-2 tablespoons sweet barbecue rub
12 slices bacon
1/4 to 1/2 cup barbecue sauce

Instructions

Preheat your smoker or oven to 225 degrees. (Use a lighter flavored wood; we used pecan in ours.)
Place the eggs in a saucepan large enough for them all to fit in a single layer and fill with cold water until they are all just covered.
Place the saucepan on the stove over high heat. Once the water boils, turn off the heat (leave the pan on the burner), cover with a lid, and let the eggs sit for five minutes. Meanwhile, prepare a large bowl by filling it with ice and cold water. Carefully remove the eggs from the pan with a slotted spoon and submerge them in the cold water for another five minutes before peeling them. Set them aside.
Divide the pound of sausage into six even balls.
To assemble, flatten one of the balls of sausage into a disc in your palm. Carefully place the egg in the center and then wrap the sausage evenly around the egg, making sure it is completely covered. Sprinkle a healthy amount of barbecue rub onto the sausage-wrapped egg, and then finish off by wrapping two slices of bacon around it. Set the finished Scotch egg aside and repeat to complete all six eggs.
Place the eggs in the refrigerator until the smoker/oven is ready. When ready, place the eggs onto the grates of your smoker or on a aluminum-foil-lined baking sheet in your oven. Let the eggs cook for about one hour, turning them at least once during the cook time to let them evenly crisp. (They’re done when the sausage reaches 160 degrees.)
During the last 10 minutes, glaze the eggs with the barbecue sauce.
Serve with additional barbecue sauce or along with breakfast fixin’s.

These turned out great. They’re extremely filling, because they’re packed with a ton of protein between the eggs, sausage and bacon. We did try them both with and without the barbecue sauce, and I recommend using it. The glaze was really nice and added a great flavor to the eggs.

Also, these did reheat OK from the fridge later in the week, but they were much better fresh off the smoker. You could also accomplish these in your oven, although you’ll really be missing out if they don’t have that smoked flavor.

I’m not sure the Brits would approve of this Americanized version of Scotch eggs, but I’m not going to lose sleep over it. I figure we stopped paying attention to British judgement a long time ago.

This piece first appeared in print on Sept. 1, 2022.

Tags bacon, barbecue rub, barbecue sauce, barrel smoker, Big Green Egg, breakfast sausage, ceramic grill, hard-foiled egg, Kamado Joe, outdoor breakfast, Scotch egg, smoker

Crockpot Main Dish Soup

‘Peas’ your tastebuds with a spicy crockpot soup

Post author By Lindsey Young
Post date January 13, 2022

Spicy black-eyed peas are a great way to warm up on a cold day and are even better with some fresh cornbread on the side.

There is enough debate about black-eyed peas that there’s actually an article about them on the Library of Congress website.

It starts out very simply, asking, “Are black-eyed peas really peas?”

The answer is simple: “No.”

The article then goes into a very technical, scientific explanation of how peas, beans and legumes are classified and named. It’s great reading if you want to take a nap.

But I suppose no matter what their official classification, their presence in our house every New Year’s Day is a constant, as they are supposed to create good luck in the coming year.

Obviously, with all the craziness over the past year, I must have not cooked them quite right in 2021, so I’m hoping this year’s recipe was a better one.

I decided to go with a spicy version of black-eyed peas this year, mostly because I had some jalapeno peppers languishing in my crisper drawer already. You can leave those out and just add another bell pepper and cut out the cayenne if you want to try this recipe and you’re not much of a spice person, but if you like a little heat, you’re really going to like this one.

This recipe from Trisha Haas comes from the blog “Salty Side Dish.” You can find the original post at https://www.saltysidedish.com/slow-cooker-black-eyed-peas/. I added extra spices in my version.

Crockpot Spicy Black-Eyed Peas

Spicy black-eyed peas are a great way to warm up on a cold day and are even better with some fresh cornbread on the side.

Course Main Course

Keyword bacon, bell pepper, black-eyed peas, cayenne, crockpot, cumin, garlic, ham, jalapeno, oregano, slow cooker, soup, spicy, yellow onion

Ingredients

16 ounces dry black-eyed peas
3 beef bouillon cubes
1 small yellow onion diced
4 to 6 cloves garlic minced
1 bell pepper diced (any color)
1-2 jalapeno peppers diced (remove the seeds for less kick)
1 cup ham chopped
6 slices bacon chopped
3 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons oregano
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Add the beef bouillon cubes to about 1 cup of hot water. Smash the cubes before adding them to a large crockpot along with five more cups of water, and then add all of the rest of the ingredients, as well. You do not have to do anything to prep the peas. Just dump them in.
Give the mixture a good stir and then cook on high for six hours or until the peas are cooked through.
This is fantastic served with fresh cornbread.

The photos on the recipe’s website show a mushier-looking soup without a lot of broth. I had a decent amount of broth with mine, so it’s really more about what you prefer with yours if you let it cook down even longer to really get the liquid thinned out. Personally, I love having broth with soups like this so I have something to soak up with my cornbread.

This was so, so easy, since it was as simple as just dumping everything in the crockpot. It literally took no cooking skills whatsoever, which I appreciate sometimes.

Now, with our bellies warmed, supposedly Joey and I are covered for 2022 and all the luck life can bring us. I’m not sure if it worked, but I have some leftovers in my freezer just in case we need a boost in the coming weeks.

This piece first appeared in print on Jan. 13, 2022.

Tags bacon, bell pepper, black-eyed peas, cayenne, cumin, easy, garlic, ham, jalapeno peppers, oregano, slow cooker, yellow onion

Appetizer Side Dish

Sweet peppers are the stuff of dreams

Post author By Lindsey Young
Post date August 12, 2021

Stuffed sweet peppers are a showstopper appetizer that are extremely simple to prepare and can be served warm or cold.

Joey and I tied the knot back in 2010, which meant our 10-year anniversary was pretty anticlimactic last summer with COVID in our backyard.

No date night out on the town. No restaurant dinner.

We still enjoyed one another’s company (I mean, it’s not like we could be apart while quarantined in the same house.), but when our anniversary hit this summer, we decided we should have a night out for number 11.

We ended up going to Lola’s Bistro in Wichita, a favorite spot of Wichita food blogger “Wichita by E.B.” (Check out his site, if you never have. He does a great job and has visited a lot of mom and pop spots all over the state. It’s at wichitabyeb.com.)

The meal was fantastic, and one of the items we liked quite a bit was a palate starter our waiter brought out before our appetizer. They were bite-sized, delicious stuffed sweet peppers, and we decided the next time we needed an appetizer for a group, we were going to try to recreate the recipe.

The recipe I decided to try did not disappoint. It comes from the blog “From Which Things Grow.” You can find the original post at http://fromwhichthingsgrow.blogspot.com/2012/01/chew-on-this-stuffed-mini-sweet-peppers.html. I added extra garlic powder in my version.

Stuffed Sweet Peppers

Stuffed sweet peppers are a showstopper appetizer that are extremely simple to prepare and can be served warm or cold.

Course Appetizer

Keyword bacon, cream cheese, garlic powder, seasoning salt, sharp cheddar cheese, sweet peppers

Ingredients

about 2 pounds mini sweet peppers
8 ounces cream cheese softened
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
5-6 strips bacon cooked and crumbled

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a muffin tin by spraying each well lightly with cooking spray.
Wash the peppers, and then cut off the tops. Scoop out the seeds and ribs to hollow them out.
Mix the rest of the ingredients together and fill each pepper with as much of the filling as you can (it’s OK if they’re overflowing just a bit).
Stand the peppers up, filling side up, in the wells of the muffin tin. The peppers can share wells to help them stand up. Crowding isn’t a problem.
Bake for 20 minutes, and then serve warm, or refrigerate them and serve them cold later on.

These were absolutely delicious. Our local grocery store didn’t have itty bitty sweet peppers like we tried at the restaurant, so these were more like two-bite appetizers, but they were fabulous.

Personally, I like them better warmed up than cold, but they were good both ways, and they actually reheat out of the refrigerator pretty well, if you end up with leftovers.

I also had extra filling when I was done. It would be delicious on crackers, and I even tried it inside a quesadilla, which was pretty darn good.

I’m certainly not trying to claim that my cooking is anywhere near the quality of a fine dining restaurant, but if I can brag just a bit, I do think these stuffed peppers turned out extremely well.

Hopefully, when our 20th anniversary rolls around, Joey and I will be able to celebrate with someone else doing the cooking. But if the next decade repeats the last, at least I know what we can have for our first course.

This piece first appeared in print on Thursday, Aug. 12.

Tags bacon, cream cheese, garlic powder, seasoning salt, sharp cheddar cheese, sweet peppers

Main Dish

‘Poutine’ all this in a taco is a little crazy

Post author By Lindsey Young
Post date May 13, 2021

Poutine tacos are a strange twist on the Canadian classic but don't skimp in the calories the dish normally presents.

I have had several people over the years tell me that this column is promoting bad eating.

I mean, yeah, I agree at least somewhat. If you eat many of the recipes I write about every day of the week, you’re probably not making your doctor or your bathroom scale all that happy.

But I also think reading about decadent desserts or calorie-laden meals is kind of fun. There’s a reason the Food Network doesn’t have a full slate of salad shows in its line up.

It’s not that I’m against eating healthy. Actually, Joey and I try hard to eat well regularly. I have a big bunch of asparagus in my fridge right now, along with some other fresh greens, ready to be cooked for dinner this week.

But sometimes I like to try out the dark side of the cookbook, and if you didn’t see it coming, this week’s recipe is way, way on the caloric dark side.

This recipe, a twist on the classic Canadian dish of poutine, which features cheese curds, French fries and brown gravy, comes from the website “Recipe Champions” by Josh Elkin. If you haven’t ever heard of his website, check it out sometime. He has some truly crazy recipes on there. You can find the original post at https://recipechampions.com/recipe/poutine-tacos/. I took out some steps in my version. Also, I used yellow cheese curds, although the classic uses white. I’d recommend just using what is available in your local grocery store.

Poutine Tacos

Poutine tacos are a strange twist on the Canadian classic but don't skimp in the calories the dish normally presents.

Course Main Course

Keyword bacon, brown gravy, cheese curds, French fries, mozzarella, poutine, tacos

Ingredients

1 cup shredded mozzarella
12 ounces frozen French fries
1 cup beef broth
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 to 3 tablespoons corn starch
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups cheese curds
6 strips bacon cooked and chopped

Instructions

Start by making the taco shells. Set out a taco holder or a cupcake pan, turned upside down. Heat a small skillet (about five inches wide) over medium heat. Sprinkle half of the mozzarella cheese evenly into the bottom of the pan. Let it cook, undisturbed, for about three minutes. Then turn the heat to medium high, and when you notice the edges starting to turn brown, check to see if you can move the cheese, if it can move, it’s ready. Remove the circle of cheese from the heat.
While the cheese is still hot, carefully place it in the taco holder to create a taco shape or place it in a taco shape between two of the cups on the cupcake tin.
Repeat the process with the rest of the mozzarella.
As the shells cool and harden, cook the French fries in your preferred method.
Create a brown gravy by bringing the beef broth to a boil in a small saucepan. In a separate bowl, whisk the cornstarch with about 1/4 cup cold water. Once the broth is boiling, turn the heat to medium-low and whisk in the garlic powder, onion powder, Worcestershire, dissolved corn starch mixture and salt and pepper. Let the gravy thicken, stirring regularly, and add more salt and pepper if desired.
To assemble the tacos, start with a layer of fries in the mozzarella shell, top with cheese curds, and then add gravy and bacon pieces. Serve immediately.

These were ridiculous. They were delicious, with lots of great texture, but they felt ridiculous to eat because of how bad for us they were. It was kind of like when you get something fried and delicious at the state fair.

I can’t say that we’ll be making them again any time soon, but it was definitely worth eating once, feeling bad about it, and ticking this off the life experience list.

I’m sure I’ll wound the egos of some Canadians for putting out this non-traditional version, and I’m also certain I’ll have some health professionals wagging their finger at me, but this was so, so good, and it was fun to make, too.

And to all my naysayers, don’t worry. I promise my asparagus will be made with no frying or bacon involved. I’m just not making any commitments for next week’s column.

This piece first appeared in print on May 13, 2021.

Tags bacon, brown gravy, cheese curds, French fries, mozzarella, poutine, tacos

Side Dish

Tasty collards will ‘leaf’ you wanting more

Post author By Lindsey Young
Post date April 8, 2021

Collard greens are slow simmered and paired with bacon to create a traditional southern side dish.

While I have always thought of collard greens as something eaten mainly by southerners, an article from the website “What’s Cooking America” notes that even the ancient Greeks and Romans enjoyed the leafy greens.

For the U.S., the tradition of cooking collard greens with pork—often using a ham hock to simmer in the broth—came from Africa as southern slaves honed the technique of cooking collards with the food scraps given to them for sustenance.

Collard greens, which are in the cabbage family, have a taste similar to kale or mustard greens. They have a deep, earthy flavor, and they’re especially good when you cook them down with plenty of pork fat. They’re not healthy that way, but they’re definitely delicious.

I recently decided to give collard greens a shot in my own kitchen and decide to use a recipe from the blog “Cooking with Pennies.” You can find the original post at https://www.spendwithpennies.com/collard-greens/. I added lots of extra garlic in my version.

Collard Greens

Collard greens are slow simmered and paired with bacon to create a traditional southern side dish.

Course Side Dish

Keyword bacon, collard greens, garlic, onion

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
8 slices bacon cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small onion diced (I used yellow.)
1 pound collard greens
8 cloves garlic minced
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Wash and drain the collard greens and remove as much of the stems as possible, leaving the leaves in large, two- to three-inch pieces.
In a very large skillet with a lid or deep stock pot, melt the butter over medium heat and then fry the bacon until it is crispy.
Add the diced onions to the bacon and saute for three to five minutes or until they’re starting to soften.
Mix in the garlic and collard greens. Once everything is well combined, pour in the broth and place the lid on the pan.
Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 40 minutes or until the greens are tender. Stir them every 10 minutes or so to keep anything from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Add salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

While this recipe didn’t follow the tradition of boiling a ham hock with the greens, the bacon added plenty of great flavor. I served these with some fresh cornbread, too, and sopping up the juices from the pan—often referred to as “pot-likker,” according to “What’s Cooking America,” was amazing.

And I learned you don’t have to be southern to enjoy collard greens. They have travelled all over the world throughout history, and while this particular recipe probably doesn’t count as adding vegetables to your meal, I still highly recommend them.

As Paula Deen once said, “I figure it’s almost like a balance. We’re eating these wonderful collard greens and turnip greens, which are so medicinally good for you, and OK, so what if it has a little ham hock in it?”

This piece first appeared in print on April 8, 2021.

Tags bacon, collard greens, garlic, onion

Main Dish Soup

Leftovers may necessi’tater’ cooking some soup

Post author By Lindsey Young
Post date December 5, 2019

Leftover mashed potatoes can be easily transformed into a creamy, filling soup.

Well, I can officially say I survived my first experience with hosting Thanksgiving dinner.

I floated the idea a little over a week out from the big day to my mother-in-law, not wanting to step on her toes but also knowing she’s been extremely busy at work lately and could likely use a break from cooking all day—especially with family coming from out of state to stay with them.

And she took me up on my offer, which meant I took a deep breath, made an overly detailed list, and got to work.

The meal was a little late, since I wasn’t very good at timing out my side dishes on my first attempt, but everyone walked away full and seemingly happy, and it’s already been announced that the Young Family Thanksgiving meal is mine for the foreseeable future.

And while hosting is definitely an exhausting experience, it does have its benefits, namely: leftovers. While that’s arguably one of the best parts of Thanksgiving, it also gets tough to get creative with eating the same meal again and again over the next week, so I have an option for you if you, like I, had plenty of leftover mashed potatoes.

This is from the website “Thrifty Fun.” You can find the original post at https://www.thriftyfun.com/Leftover-Mashed-Potato-Soup-1.html. I added more seasoning to my version, but remember to take the amount of seasoning you did to your mashed potatoes originally into account when adding spices. I normally season my potatoes pretty simply with salt, pepper, milk and butter only. The amount of each of the ingredients depends on how much leftover mashed potatoes you have, but your rule of thumb is to add the amounts listed in the directions for evert two cups of potatoes. In my case, I had four cups leftover, so I doubled all those amounts as I made my batch of soup.

Leftover Mashed Potato Soup

Leftover mashed potatoes can be easily transformed into a creamy, filling soup.

Course Main Course

Keyword bacon, leftovers, mashed potatoes, soup

Ingredients

Mashed potatoes
Milk I used skim
Chicken broth or vegetable stock
Butter or margarine
Celery salt
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Salt and pepper
Shredded cheese
Cooked crumbled bacon

Instructions

You will add the following ingredients to every two cups of mashed potatoes you have—do so in a large cooking pot—1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup broth, 4 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon celery salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, salt and pepper to taste.
Place the mixture over medium heat, stirring regularly, until the soup is hot and creamy.
Serve with shredded cheese and crumbled bacon on top. (Cook up about a strip of bacon per bowl of soup you’re serving.)

This was a great belly warmer for a cold day’s dinner, especially paired with some leftover Thanksgiving cornbread.

And, ironically, if you have leftover soup, it reheats nicely, too, which is a nice bonus.

I’ll probably be making another batch of this soup in the coming weeks, since I, for some reason, made enough potatoes to feed the family four times over.

Cooking for Thanksgiving made me extremely thankful for all of the wonderful cooks who have provided that same spread for me over the years. It’s a lot of work, but seeing family enjoying themselves around the table makes the sore back and aching feet seem worth it.

This piece first appeared in print on Dec. 5, 2019.

Tags bacon, leftovers, mashed potatoes