Mashed potatoes mixed together with sautéed cabbage and onions create this traditional Irish dish know simply as Colcannon. With an amazing depth of flavor and textures, these potatoes are remarkable light, fluffy, and delicious.  There are many versions of these potatoes, some using kale in place of cabbage, while others call for leek, garlic, or scallion. Customarily eaten in the fall when cabbage and kale are in season, I believe Colcannon would make an outstanding and interesting addition to the Thanksgiving table. I have also added this to my list of signature side dishes, along with my Blue Cheese & Bacon Stuffed Onion should I ever open a steak house.

Print

Colcannon

Mashed potatoes mixed together with sautéed cabbage and onions create this traditional Irish dish know simply as Colcannon. With an amazing depth of flavor and textures, these potatoes are remarkable light, fluffy, and delicious.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Irish

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 12

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 3 - 4 large russet potatoes peeled, cubed, and boiled
• 3 Tablespoon butter
• 2 Tablespoon milk or half-n-half
• 4 - 5 strips bacon crisped and crumbled (optional)
• 1/2 small head of cabbage cored and thinly sliced
• 1/2 onion thinly sliced
• 3 - 4 cloves garlic finely diced
• 3 Tablespoons fresh parsley rough chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Peel, cube, and cook potatoes in a pot of boiling water until fork tender.
• Crisp bacon in a large skillet. When cooked remove and place on a paper towel. Crumble bacon when cool enough to handle.
• Reserve fat in the skillet.
• Add cabbage and onion to the skillet with the bacon fat and sauté over medium heat until onions become translucent.
• Add garlic and cook for another minute. Remove from heat.
• Drain potatoes and rice them into a large mixing bowl. Add butter and milk, whip potatoes until smooth (add milk only as needed for consistency).
• Fold in cabbage and onion mixture, two-thirds of the bacon, and parsley.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Transfer Colcannon into a serving dish and top with some butter, and the remaining bacon. Garnish with some fresh ground black pepper, and parsley.

Notes

As mentioned there are many versions of this dish, this is my just my spin. Spinach or Kale makes an excellent ingredient for a variation. Colcannon however should be light and fluffy. I use my potato ricer for best results.

You have been busy planning your Thanksgiving meal for weeks. You’ve looked at literally hundreds of recipes from food bloggers, and poured through cook books deciding what to prepare. Your orders have been picked up from the local butchers, and hopefully frozen turkeys are thawed. You have been on the phone with relatives that will be arriving for the holiday, and discussed favorite family dishes that must be included on your table. Laundry is done, and guest rooms are prepared. Groceries have been purchased, and the wine has been secured. You have thought of everything. Right? Well what are you planning to serve your house guests for breakfast? As if there was not already enough to consider. Whatever it is, you need it to be painless, you already have enough to manage. Well this easy cheesy bacon and egg strada is the answer. Made with a just few simple ingredients and held in the fridge overnight, all you have to do is pop it in the oven in the morning. This breakfast bake is simply delicious, and will keep your family satisfied so you can get about your business.

Print

Cheesy Bacon and Egg Strada

Delicious egg bake with bacon and cheese. Perfect for house guests. Prepared the night before all you have to do is pop in the oven in the morning.

Course Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine French

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Ingredients

• 8 slices bread cubed (Use bagels, bread, dinner rolls, or any combination)
• 2 cups cheddar cheese grated
• 1/2 pound bacon crumbled
• 1/2 pound mushrooms sliced (optional)
• 8 eggs
• 4 c. milk
• 1 tsp. dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• pinch of salt bacon usually adds enough salt

Instructions

• Mix milk, eggs, salt, pepper, dry mustard and set aside.
• Heat a sauce pan over medium heat.  Add a tablespoon of olive oil and tablespoon of butter. When shimmering add the mushrooms and cook until liquor is released. This prevent your dish from being too wet. Allow to cool before adding to your dish.
• Lightly coat a baking dish with oil or non-stick spray.
• Place half of the bread in the dish.
• Spread bacon, mushrooms, and a third of the cheese over bread.
• Cover with remaining bread and sprinkle the rest of the cheese over top.
• Pour liquid carefully over the dish.
• Cover and place in the fridge for 12 hours or overnight.
• In the morning heat oven to 350° F. Remove strada from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for thirty minutes while oven heats.
• Place baking dish in the oven and bake for 50 – 60 minutes or until center is firm and the top is golden brown. Allow to cool for five minutes before serving.

Serving

• Try serving your strada with a roasted red pepper hollandaise. To do so, prepare a basic hollandaise sauce, and add a couple of tablespoons of diced roasted red pepper. Or if your people like it spicy, add some Ajvar, salsa, or Sriracha for a little kick.

Notes

Strada or Strata is a great recipe for holiday guests. It is extremely easy to make and can be adjusted for any size and any taste. Use sausage instead of bacon, or omit the meat all together and make a veggie version. Also you can use any bread for this dish, leftover dinner rolls work great!

Strada has absolutely nothing to do with Erik Estrada, although he may have eaten this dish since he played a cop, and everyone knows cops like breakfast. (Sorry the voices in my head made me do it). 

I love onions. All kinds and in almost any application, however I must confess I was a bit leery about this one. I had seen this concept a few times, prepared in varying manners, but it just seemed like even for me it might be too much onion. Well I finally got around to making these grilled blue cheese and bacon stuffed onions, and am here to tell you, I am a fool. The time I have wasted not enjoying this delight is really a shame.

The tender mellow flavor of the roasted onion melts together perfectly with the blue cheese and bacon to create a side dish that is out of this world. If I had a steak house, this little gem would certainly be one of the choices marked as “house specialties”, right along with twice baked sweet potatoes and corn souffle.

Print

Grilled Blue Cheese & Bacon Stuffed Onions

The tender mellow flavor of the roasted onion melts together perfectly with the blue cheese and bacon to create a side dish that is out of this world.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American, Steak House

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 4

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 4 large-sized sweet onions Vidalia, Maui sweets, sweet yellows
• 1 stick butter room temperature
• 2/3 cup blue cheese crumbled
• 4 strips bacon crisped and crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme crushed
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Trim the ends off of the onions, and peel. Using a melon baller or small spoon, scoop out the inside of the onion to create a cavity. (Be careful not to dig all the way through the bottom).
• In a small bowl mix together butter, cheese, bacon, and thyme. Season lightly with salt and pepper. (Blue cheese is a bit salty so go easy).
• Using a spatula or small spoon, stuff the mixture into the onions, completely filling the center.
• Place each onion on a square of aluminum foil. Draw foil up to create a sealed pouch. (Keep the foil from touching the sides of the onion, and make sure the top is sealed to hold in steam).
• Heat your grill on high. Reduce heat to medium low and place the foil pouches directly over the heat. Close the lid of the grill and cook for 30 - 40 minutes. (Cooking time will vary upon size of onions). Resist the temptation to open the grill and the pouches.
• Remove from grill and allow to stand for a full 5 minutes before opening the pouches. (Caution, the steam from the pouches will be hot).
• Using tongs or a spoon carefully transfer the onion onto a plate or bowl. Use a spoon to drizzle any remaining butter from the bottom of the pouch over the onion.

Notes

I was complete amazed how the cheese did not "run away" and how the onion took on such a mild flavor. I hope you will give this one a try, I really think you will like it.

One of my favorite methods for cooking vegetables would have to be roasting. The delicately browned outside layer, along with the tender inside create an amazing explosion of both texture and flavors, and this dish is no exception. This colorful combination pares the slightly sharp flavor of Brussels sprouts with the natural sweetness of yams, balancing it perfectly with the goodness of bacon. The flavors of this dish truly announce that fall is in the air, and I am now thinking this one most likely will grace the Thanksgiving table at our house this year.

Print

Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Yams with Bacon

This colorful combination pares the slightly sharp flavor of Brussels sprouts with the natural sweetness of yams, balancing it perfectly with the goodness of bacon.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American, Holiday

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 2 pounds fresh Brussels Sproutsm trimmed and halved
• 1½ pounds of yamsm peeled and cut into 1″ pieces
• 6 cloves garlicm sliced
• toasted walnutsm optional
• ½ pound bacon
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Heat oven to 400° F. Brown the bacon in a large skillet over medium high heat. Crumble the bacon and hold to the side. Reserve the renderings.
• Prepare the Brussels spouts, yams, and garlic. Place the vegetables in a large roasting pan. Add olive oil to the bacon fat. Mix and pour over dish. Toss well to coat
• Roast uncovered for about 30 minutes, remove from the oven and stir well. Return to the oven for another 20 – 30 minutes or until the yams are slightly browned and fork tender.
• Remove from the oven and toss in the crumbled bacon.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Notes

Red pepper flake or chili powder would also make a welcome addition to this dish for those of you who like things a bit of spicy.

You can also omit bacon and increase olive oil to keep this dish vegetarian.

A sumptuous bacon and egg cup perched high on top puff pastry and fresh tomato, served with steamed asparagus and hollandaise sauce, “Eggs Vivian” is the brunch dish dreams are made of.It is possible that you have never heard of a dish called eggs Vivian. You might have heard of fabergé eggs created by designer Vivian Alexander that are also works of art, but that is not where I got the name for my masterpiece. The inspiration for this delight was my mothers’, mothers’, sister, my great Aunt Vivian.

Born in 1897, Vivian spent her working years as a teacher, and by the time I was five years of age, was already an old woman. Upon her retirement, Vivian who had never married, moved to be close to her sister and our family. As a treat, from time to time she would invite us children, usually one at a time, to spend the weekend with her. We would have a wonderful time playing educational games like Authors, the 50 states, reading books, helping solve crossword puzzles, and making mobius strips. Things that would send a child of today run away screaming. As an extra treat, sometimes for breakfast, she would make me her special bacon and egg cups. I had never seen them anywhere else and remember thinking how fancy they were.

Several years ago, my partner Kelly and I hosted Christmas in our home, and invited the entire family to come and stay. It was rather exciting, since our family had not all been together for a holiday for more than twenty years. I decked the halls and planned the menus. One morning for breakfast we served bacon and egg cups, and me being me, and somewhat silly, called the dish “eggs Vivian”. As we sat enjoying the marvelous meal, my youngest sister Rosemary asked why the name. I related my story of how our great Auntie would make them for me on my stay overs. With a saddened look on her face, she announced that Vivian had never made them for her. With an equally disappointed look on her face, my other sister Jennifer followed suit and mentioned she had never had them either. My mother, who was know to be Vivian’s favorite niece put down her fork, and in a disgusted tone blurted out that she never made them for her either. Thus the birth of eggs Vivian. Oh the joys of sharing at the holidays.

Print

Eggs Vivian

A sumptuous bacon and egg cup perched high on top puff pastry and fresh tomato, served with steamed asparagus and Hollandaise sauce, “Eggs Vivian” is the brunch dish dreams are made of.

Course Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine American, French

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• 6 strips bacon precooked halfway
• 1 sheet puff pastry dough
• 1 tomato sliced
• ½ pound asparagus steamed
• 2 cups hollandaise sauce

Instructions

• Heat oven to 400° F.
• Roll out puff pastry dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut shapes out of the dough and bake on a parchment covered baking sheet for 12 minutes, according to the directions.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon for 4-5 minutes or until about half way cooked.
• Lightly spray a muffin pan with non stick spray. Curl a strip of bacon into each cup, followed by an egg.
• Bake egg cups at 400° F for about 12 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to stand for a few minutes before removing them from the pan. (The eggs will appear slightly under cooked but will set up quickly as they rest).

Serve

• Place a slice of tomato on the puff pastry and top with an egg cup. Serve with asparagus with Hollandaise sauce.

Notes

This is one dish I promise, that is certain to become a favorite in your house.

The post Egg & Bacon Cups ~ Eggs Vivian first appeared on James & Everett.]]> https://jamesandeverett.com/2012/08/26/egg-bacon-cups-eggs-vivian/feed/ 0 1281 https://jamesandeverett.com/2012/06/10/bacon-wrapped-tater-tots/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=bacon-wrapped-tater-tots https://jamesandeverett.com/2012/06/10/bacon-wrapped-tater-tots/#comments Sun, 10 Jun 2012 14:30:26 +0000 https://jamesandeverett.com/?p=1015 Bacon and Tater tots, two of America’s favorite foods, together in one bite size nugget. This is probably the biggest break through since the invention of the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. It is truly a “who put their tater tot in my bacon” or “who put their …

Bacon and Tater tots, two of America’s favorite foods, together in one bite size nugget. This is probably the biggest break through since the invention of the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. It is truly a “who put their tater tot in my bacon” or “who put their bacon in my tater tot” situation.

Seriously, these bad boys are so good, they are better than good, they are “shut your front door” good. Trailer Trash ramaki at it’s best. Super easy to make on the grill, these tasty morsels are excellent as an appetizer at a backyard party, or as a side dish next to a burger. And I can hardly wait until tailgating season starts, move over little smokies.

Print

Bacon-Wrapped Tater Tots

Bacon and Tater tots, two of America's favorite foods, together in one bite size nugget. This is probably the biggest break through since the invention of the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. It is truly a "who put their tater tot in my bacon" or "who put their bacon in my tater tot" situation.

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Ingredients

• 12 strips bacon cut in half
• 24 tater tots slightly thawed
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder cayenne pepper, or Cajun spice (optional)
• 2 jalapeno peppers cored and slivered (optional)

Instructions

• Spread tater tots out on a plate and allow to thaw about 15 minutes at room temperature. Cut the bacon strips in half.
• Loosely roll a strip of bacon around a tot with a sliver of jalapeno if desired. Be careful not to wrap the tot to tight as the bacon will tighten up around it as it cooks.
• Slide the wrapped tots onto a skewer leaving about an inch between them to allow the bacon to crisp on all sides.
• Place the skewers on a wire rack on top of a baking pan with an edge to catch the drippings.
• Sprinkle with chili powder, cayenne pepper, or Cajun spice if desired.
• Heat the grill on high then turn off one half. Place the pan of bacon-wrapped tater tots on the cold side of the grill and cook with the lid closed for 30 – 40 minutes, or until bacon is crisped. (grilling time varies depending on grills).
• Remove the tots from the skewers and serve.

Notes

The tots can also be baked in a 400 degree oven for about the same amount of time.

 

These little “food candies” will definitively be a hit, I promise! Caution: For your own safety, place the plate of tots on the table and get out-of-the-way!

 

Caution: For your own safety, place the plate of tots on the table and get out-of-the-way!  

The post Bacon-Wrapped Tater Tots first appeared on James & Everett.]]>

Created by a chef at the Hasselback Hotel in Stockholm, Sweden, this potato in no hassle to make. Combining the texture and flavor of a baked and roasted potato, this visually stunning side dish is an easy crowd pleaser.

There are numerous variations of this potato. Peeled or not peeled,  some adding slivers of garlic or onion between the slices, others sprinkled with herbs and drizzled with olive oil or butter, all of which are very good. But I kept hearing a small voice inside my head whispering “bacon”. So I acted upon the suggestion of the others who dwell inside, and  we all agree, success!

Print

Bacon-Stuffed Hasselback Potatoes

Delicious roasted potato with a tender inside and a crisp crust, stuffed with bacon. The perfect steak house side dish.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American, Scandinavian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 4 russet potatoes peeled or not
• 2 strips of bacon
• olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Heat the oven to 400° F.
• Wash the potatoes thoroughly and peel if desired.
• Cut a flat spot on the bottom of each potato to prevent rolling. Lay chopsticks or wooden spoon handles on both sides of the potato. With a sharp knife make cuts ¼” to ½” apart, cutting down to the sticks but not completely through the potato.
• Cut bacon into 1″- 1½” pieces, and place in between each slice of the potato (if you hold the potato in your hand you can open it slightly like a fan to easily insert the bacon).
• Drizzle the potatoes with olive oil and roast for 30 minutes. Remove potatoes and drizzle with a little more oil and return to the oven for another 30 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
• Remove from oven and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Top with a dollop of sour cream and green onion or chives.

Notes

Any size of potato can be used for this. These potatoes would also be great prepared on the grill using indirect heat. A perfect paring for a steak!

The Hasselback potato has absolutely nothing to do with David Hasselhoff, even though some people seem to believe that Hasselhoff is back. I guess if you close one eye, and squint with the other, they kind of look the same? Sorry, the voices in my head told me to do this.

It is hard to top the flavor of grilled shrimp, unless you add bacon that is. Bacon just seems to make everything a bit better, and wrapping shrimp with it is no exception. The combination of salty bacon with the crisp clean texture of shrimp results in a mouth-watering delight. Served on a bed of mixed greens tossed with an Asian dressing, these “nuggets of love” make this salad a winner.

Print

Bacon-Wrapped Grilled Shrimp

The combination of salty bacon with the crisp clean texture of shrimp results in a mouth-watering delight. Served on a bed of mixed greens tossed with an Asian dressing, these “nuggets of love” make this salad a winner.

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Salad

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

Shrimp

• 1 pound raw shrimp peeled and deveined
• 1 pound bacon cut in half or thirds
• 1 medium onion cut into large pieces
• jalapeno slivered (optional)

Asian Dressing

• 6 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 3/4 cup oil
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Instructions

Shrimp

• Begin by deveining and peeling the shrimp. I find that shrimp are easiest to peel while still slightly frozen, but make sure they are completely thawed before grilling.
• Place bacon in a large pan over medium heat. Cook bacon for about 5 minutes per side to cook half way.  This will let the bacon crisp on the grill without over-cooking the shrimp.
• Cut bacon strips on half or in thirds depending on the size of your shrimp. Make sure the bacon strips are long enough to completely wrap around the shrimp, overlapping just to skewer.
• Hold a sliver of jalapeno against the shrimp and wrap with bacon, place on skewer. Slide a piece of onion on to the skewer and then repeat with another shrimp. The onion acts as a shield and helps to keep the shrimp from overcooking while the bacon crisps.
• Once you have filled the skewer with the shrimp, slide a second skewer through parallel to the first. This will keeps the shrimp from spinning on the skewer.

Grill

• Grill over medium heat until shrimp turn white and the bacon is crisp. Be sure to watch the shrimp closely, turning them when needed to avoid overcooking.

Asian Dressing

• Whisk all ingredients together and toss with salad or shrimp.

Serve

• Serve the shrimp over a bed of greens tossed with Asian dressing, or frill pick them for a bite size appetizer.

Notes

I used meduim 21 – 25 ct shrimp. I would suggest nothing smaller for wrapping.

 

Remember with shrimp the smaller the numbers, the bigger the shrimp. The count is how many per pound.

Hot and cool at the same time, this cheesy potato casserole made with sour cream, bacon, and chicken soup is the perfect paring for any spicy barbecue. Adapted from a recipe from the Sante Fe Depot Diner in Leavenworth, Kansas, this easy to make dish is certain to be crowd-pleaser at a back yard party. The left overs are simply delicious served with eggs for breakfast.

Print

Cheesy Potatoes with Bacon

Hot and cool at the same time, this potato casserole made with sour cream and chicken soup is perfect for paring with some spicy barbecue. This easy to make dish is certain to be crowd pleaser at a back yard party or served with eggs for breakfast.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 1 large onion diced
• 1 32 oz package frozen potatoes O'Brien thawed
• 16 oz sour cream
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 2 cup sharp cheddar cheese divided
• ½ lb bacon crisped and crumbled (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Heat oven to 350°F, and lightly grease a 13″ x 9″ baking dish.
• In large skillet over medium heat sauté onions until slightly caramelized.
• In a very large bowl, combine potatoes, sour cream, chicken soup, bacon and one cup of cheese. Mix well.
• Stir in onions, butter and all. Season with salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.
• Transfer potato mixture into prepared baking dish.
• Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove pan from oven and carefully stir mixture. Top with the remaining cup of cheese and return to the oven for an additional 20 – 25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
• Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

These potatoes are fantastic with or with out the bacon. The addition of green chilis or other peppers would also be good.

Bacon and green beans. Now who wouldn’t like that? This simple to prepare dish is a “seconds please” way to serve green beans at your table.

Print

Bacon Wrapped Green Bean Bundles

Green beans wrapped in bacon with a hint of lemon make an easy and delicious vegetable for any meal or your holiday buffet.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• Fresh green beans, whole
• Bacon strips, cut in half
• Olive oil
• Lemon zest

Instructions

• Begin by heating the oven to 350° F. Lightly oil the bottom of a shallow baking dish.
• Wash and dry the green beans. Trim the ends and discard any beans that have damage.
• Halve the bacon and wrap it around 6 – 8 beans. Place the bundles in the baking dish an inch apart (this will allow air to circulate and cook evenly).
• Drizzle the bean bundles with olive oil and place in the oven for about 45 minutes or until the bacon is crisp.
• Remove from the oven and lightly season with salt and pepper. (Remember the bacon adds sodium so go light on the salt).
• Grate with lemon zest for a bit of added flavor.