Spaghetti Squash Bolognese [P]

This recipe is directly from Practical Paleo by Diane Sanfilippo

SPAGHETTI SQUASH BOLOGNESE

1 spaghetti squash
sea salt & black pepper to taste
2 Tblsp grass-fed butter
1 onion, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
1 stalk of celery, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 lb ground veal or beef
1/2 lb ground pork
4 slices bacon, chopped
1.2 cup full-fat coconut milk
3 ounces tomato paste
1.2 cup dry white wine (optional)
sea salt & black pepper to taste

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Slice the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise so that two shallow halves remain. Scoop out the seeds and inner portion of the squash, and then sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper. Place both halves face down on a making sheet. Roast for 35-45 minutes -- until the flesh of the squash becomes translucent in color and the skin being to soften and easily separate from the "noodles" that make up the inside.
• Allow the squash to cool enough so that you can handle it, and then scoop the flesh out from the inside of the skin into a large serving bowl. Set aside until the sauce is finished.
• While the squash bakes: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter, and saute the onions, carrots and celery until the become translucent, Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
• add the ground ceal, pork and bacon and cook until browned through. Once the meat is done, add the coconut milk, tomato paste, and white wine, and simmer over medium-low heat for 20-30 minutes or until the sauce is well combined and any alcohol is cooked out.
• Add sea salt and black pepper to taste before removing the sauce from the heat.
• serve over the roasted spaghetti squash.

This recipe is directly from Practical Paleo by Diane Sanfilippo

Chicken Corn Chowder

CHICKEN CORN CHOWDER

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 green pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 Tblsp vegetable oil
3 cups frozen corn kernels
1 14.5oz can chicken broth
1 cup potato, peeled and cubed (about 2 medium red potatoes)
1 cup half-and-half (or milk)
2 Tblsp all-purpose flour
2 tsp fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1-1/2 cups chicken, cooked and chopped
1/4 cup bacon bits (or 2 slices real bacon, cooked and chopped)

• In a dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and sweet pepper; cook until tender, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in corn, broth and potatoes. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 15 minutes or until potato is tender, stirring occasionally.
• In a small bowl, combine half-and-half, flour, thyme, salt and pepper; stir into corn mixture. Cook and stir until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 more minute. Add chicken and bacon; cook and stir until heated through.
• Garnish with thyme. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Easy Supper Club: Bacon-Arugula-Apple Bites

"Easy Supper Club"

from Southern Living's 

"Cooking for Christmas"
Bacon-Arugula-Apple Bites
Herbed Pork Roast
Roasted Fall Veggies
Puffed Mashed Potatoes
Basil-and-Blue Cheese Salad
Brandy Alexander Cheesecake

For the Introduction to this series of recipes, click HERE

Bacon-Arugula-Apple Bites

• Toss Red Delicious apple slices in lemon juice; pat dry. Spread each with about 2 tsp garlic-and-herb spreadable cheese. Top with cooked and crumbled bacon, baby arugula sprigs, and freshly cracked pepper.

Tuesday: Herbed Pork Roast
Thursday: Roasted Fall Veggies & Basil & Blue Cheese Salad

Friday: Puffed Mashed Potatoes

FBF: Bacon & Sage Potato Gnocchi

FLASH-BACK FRIDAY

BACON & SAGE POTATO GNOCCHI

Click on image to see full post from 7/14/11

Bacon and Chocolate Chip Cookies

Oh yes, you read that right! These cookies have an amazing chocolate and smoky flavor. These are defiantly my new favorite!

BACON & CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

For the bacon:
8 slices thick cut bacon
1/2 cup brown sugar

For the cookies:
2-1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 Tblsp vanilla extract
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the bacon:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


• Place bacon in a single layer on a foil lined sheet.


• Sprinkle brown sugar on top of bacon strips. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until crispy, making sure to turn bacon over after half way.


• Remove from oven and place on a wire rack for cooling. Once bacon has cooled chop it finely.

For the cookies:

• Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.


• Sift flour and baking soda.


• In a medium bowl, cream butter with the white and brown sugar.


• Add vanilla, egg, and egg yolk to the bowl and beat until light and creamy.


• Add flour mixture and mix well.


• Add diced candied bacon and chocolate chips and stir until just combined.


• Place golf ball sized balls of dough on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes or until edges are brown. Remove from oven and let cookies sit on the pan for a couple of minutes before placing on a wire rack.

This recipe is derived from Quick Dish

PW's Twice-Baked Potato

This is one of my favorite recipes from Pioneer Woman. I saw one of her episodes on TV and this was one of them she cooked on it, and it "reminded" me. Love it when that happens. =)

Pioneer Woman's

TWICE BAKED POTATOES

This image is my own!

Baked Potato Soup & Tips {linky}

Earlier this year, I made Paula Deen's Baked Potato Soup. It is my FAVORITE soup recipe to date. With the cold weather recently, I decided to make it again. And then I also took it to a potluck for a bible study I'm in. Its always a huge hit. HOWEVER, the hardest thing I have found is actually taking the picture. How do you take a picture of a bowl of soup? For some reason this is a huge challenge for me.

Old picture...

2-11-2011

New pictures from the last batch I made...

Sure, they have significantly improved since last shot, but still....not where I want to be.
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RECIPE:
8 slices hickory smoked bacon
1 onion, diced
1/2 cup flour
3 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
5 potatoes, baked, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
2 cups half & half
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup sour cream
salt & pepper to taste (optional)

In a duth oven, cook bacon until crisp; remove and crumble, reserve drippings.

Cook onion in bacon drippings until tender; stir in flour and cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add chicken broth; cook, stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly. Put in the diced potatoes, parsley, bacon and half & half; cook for 10 minutes. Stir in cheese and sour cream.

Garnish with cheese, bacon and sour cream.
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As humans, asking for help can be the hardest thing EVER for us to do....but I'm asking you now...HELP! Do you have any tips and tricks?

Link up your soup recipes and show me how you've taken your pictures!

Paula Deen's Baked Potato Soup

I have tried many baked potato soups, and this one is by far the best.  I'm not really a "soup"  person, but I'll eat the entire pot of this. Absolutely YUMMY. And the best part? It is sooooo easy!

PAULA DEEN'S BAKED POTATO SOUP

8 slices hickory smoked bacon
1 onion, diced
1/2 cup flour
3 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
5 potatoes, baked, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
2 cups half & half
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup sour cream
salt & pepper to taste (optional)

In a duth oven, cook bacon until crisp; remove and crumble, reserve drippings.

Cook onion in bacon drippings until tender; stir in flour and cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add chicken broth; cook, stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly. Put in the diced potatoes, parsley, bacon and half & half; cook for 10 minutes. Stir in cheese and sour cream.

Garnish with cheese, bacon and sour cream.