Cowboy Beans

I'd like to think I'm a decent cook. An advanced beginner, perhaps. But the one area where I really lack in inspiration and technique is side dishes. I tend to focus my energy on one main dish, after which I just want to slap it on the table and declare dinner to be done. I know that's bad. I'm working on it. Starting with this recipe.

These Cowboy Beans are an excellent side dish. Tasty, relatively quick to make, and inexpensive. What more could anyone want? I've also eaten this alone for lunch (I had to do something with my test batch), and, while I wouldn't call this dish heavy, necessarily, it's pretty hearty. I personally love beans, especially at this time of year with the weather getting cold. Beans make me think of Texas and places south where winter doesn't suck so hard. I find dishes like this incredibly warm and comforting.

The only real I change I made from the original recipe I used was to swap out chorizo and replace it with bacon. I did this because I thought it would be easier to use of the rest of a package of bacon as opposed to being left with a random amount of chorizo. And I really think the smokiness from the bacon worked well in this dish. These beans are not particularly spicy, so heat lovers might want to add the whole jalapeno.


COWBOY BEANS

2 slices bacon, diced
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1/2 jalapeno, finely chopped
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano
1 garlic clove, minced
1 large tomato, diced
1 15oz can pinto beans, undrained
3/4 c water
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a 2-quart stockpot, cook the bacon over medium-high heat. Drain grease, leaving some behind to help cook the vegetables.

2. Turn down the heat to medium. Add onion to the bacon and cook until tender, or about 4 minutes. Add jalapeno and cook for another minute. Stir in the chili powder and oregano. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add in the tomato and heat through for about a minute. Add the can of pinto beans and water.

3. Bring mixture to a simmer. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Source: Food Network Magazine

This recipe is shared with Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Craft-O-Maniac, Made by You Monday, Tuesday Talent Show, Totally Tasty Tuesdays, This Chick Cooks, Full Plate Thursday, It's a Keeper, Foodie Friday, Sweet Tooth Friday, Sweets for a Saturday

Arugula and Bacon Flatbread

There are certain recipes I'm just drawn to, with no real rhyme or reason behind it. When I came across this recipe in Cooking Light Magazine, it pulled me in, and the next day I was at the market buying all the ingredients. Well, the ingredients I determined were necessary, that is. Originally, this "pizza" (which I put in quotes, because in my strong and judgmental opinion, anything resembling a pizza without red sauce is called a flatbread) was topped with six poached eggs. I swapped out the eggs for center-cut bacon, because runny yolks make for poor finger food. Fun fact: a slice of center-cut bacon has half the saturated fat and calories of an egg.

I like how this recipe is something different, something off the beaten trail of my usual dinner creations. I enjoy any leafy green, and I thought the arugula paired well with the bacon. Cut this flatbread into smaller pieces and it would make a great appetizer.


ARUGULA AND BACON FLATBREAD

1 11oz package thin-crust pizza dough, or a fresh dough ball
1/2 c. part-skim ricotta cheese
4 tbsp grated Pecorino-Romano cheese, divided (or substitute Parmesan)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 5oz package baby arugula
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
6 slices center-cut bacon, diced and cooked

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. As the oven is preheating, grease your largest baking sheet with a light coat of non-stick spray (I used a 11 x 17 inch cookie tray). Roll out your pizza dough onto the baking sheet. If it winds up looking wonky, tell people you were going for a rustic appearance. Place in the preheating oven for 7 minutes.

2. Combine the ricotta, 2 tbsp Pecorino-Romano, garlic powder. Season with salt and pepper. When the the pizza dough has finished its 7 minutes in the oven, remove and immediately spread ricotta mixture on it, avoiding the edges. Place back in the oven for another 5 minutes.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, balsamic vinegar, and remaining 2 tbsp cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Place arugula in bowl and toss with dressing. Once pizza dough is out of the oven, top with the arugula. Sprinkle cooked center-cut bacon on top.

Source: Cooking Light Magazine, September 2011

This recipe is shared with Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Craft-O-Maniac, On the Menu Monday, Recipe Sharing Monday, Made by You Monday, Delectable Tuesday, Tuesday Talent Show, This Chick Cooks, Full Plate Thursday, It's a Keeper Thursday, Fresh Food Friday,

Bacon Deviled Eggs

I'm no bacon queen. In most cases, I merely tolerate it. I realize this is near culinary blasphemy. But there are a few dishes where I don't just accept the bacon in it, I love it. These Bacon Deviled Eggs are such a dish. Never before has the humble deviled egg tasted so good. There's something about the salty and smokiness of the bacon that elevate this common picnic fare into something truly special. I make these for Thanksgiving h'ordeuvres each year, and they are always a hit. In fact, I never make any other kind of deviled egg anymore, because when I do, I wind up missing the bacon so much.

BACON DEVILED EGGS

12 large eggs
4 slices bacon, diced (bare minimum, increase as you please, I often use 6-8 slices)
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

1. Place eggs in a stockpot and cover with water. Bring water to a boil and continue to boil for 10 minutes. Drain and run eggs under cold water. Once cool, peel eggs.

2. In skillet, cook diced bacon over medium-high heat. Once bacon has cooked to the point of being browned and crsipy, drain off fat. Transfer bacon to paper towels and blot any remaining grease.

3. Slice eggs. Scoop out yolks into a small mixing bowls. Combine yolks with mayonnaise, bacon, and mustard. Spoon mixture back into egg whites.

Note: These are best served the day they are made.

Source: Allrecipes

Mushroom Bacon Quesadillas

This recipe is my little love letter to my home town. It is a place that does two things well: growing mushrooms, and Americanizing Mexican foods. So, in honor of my childhood town, I present my recipe for Mushroom Bacon Quesadillas. These quesadillas make for excellent snacking during football games, or a quick dinner. The amount of bacon is just enough to give these quesadillas some added flavor without over-powering the mushrooms. Of course, bacon fanatics (of which I am not) can feel free to add more!

MUSHROOM BACON QUESADILLAS

• 8 oz white button mushrooms, coarsely chopped
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 4 10-inch flour tortillas
• 2 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 2 oz (1/2 c) pepper jack cheese, shredded
• 2 oz (1/2 c) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1. In skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Cook mushrooms over medium heat until soft, about 10 minutes.

2. In the center of each 10-inch flour tortilla, place 2 tbsp of each cheese. Top with 1/4 of the cooked mushrooms and 1/4 of the crumbled bacon. Fold over the tortillas. Heat an indoor grill* to it's highest temperature. Grill quesadillas one at a time, until cheese is melted. Cut into wedges and serve.

* I use my indoor grill to make these. Alternatively, quesadillas can be cooked using a regular frying pan. Cook quesadillas over medium-high heat, flipping occasionally, until cheese is melted and tortilla is crisp.

Souce: Cats and Casseroles original recipe