A Dip Recipe and A Chinet Bakeware Giveaway!

The month of November has slipped on by me without me noticing it. How is it possible that Thanksgiving is next week? It was 82 degrees here a couple days ago and I've been seeing Christmas stuff filling up the stores. It just doesn't feel right. I'm not ready! Surely I'm not the only one? I'd love to have a lineup of Thanksgiving sides and dessert ideas for you, but that's just not going to happen. Instead I have one delicious dip for you that you can serve to your guests while watching the ball game and enjoying a cold beer. That's better than green been casserole, any day. 

I was asked by the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board to come up with an original idea for a dip containing dairy. I brainstormed a bit with my mom and my friend Maranda, from Jolts and Jollies and we came up with  this Cheesy Ranch BLT Dip. It's loaded with spinach, tomatoes, bacon, held together with a healthy serving of Mozzarella and cream cheese and seasoned with Ranch dressing and fresh garlic. Served atop a a sliced baguette, this was like the classic sandwich kicked up a few notches. Maranda and I came up with several ideas for dips that we wanted to make so she decided to throw herself an impromptu birthday party and asked people to bring a dip along with them. I brought two dips- this hot BLT dip and Mr. H :-) It was great fun, we laughed, made new friends and no one went home hungry- Happy birthday Manna!

Cheesy Ranch BLT Dip from Monica h

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Serves 8

• 6 slices bacon
• 1 box (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
• 8 oz. (2 cups) Mozzarella cheese, freshly grated
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup diced tomato, seeded
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 3 Tablespoons Ranch dressing powder

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a 2 quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

Dice bacon into 1/2-inch pieces and cook over medium-high heat til crisp. Remove bacon from the grease with a slotted spoon and allow to drain on a paper towel lined plate. 

In a large bowl, combine spinach, cream cheese, 1 1/2 cups of the grated Mozzarella, cooked bacon, mayonnaise, tomato, garlic and Ranch dressing powder. Using a rubber spatula, mix until well combined. Scrape mixture into the prepared dish and smooth the top. Sprinkle the top with the remaining half cup of Mozzarella. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly and golden. Serve with a sliced baguette or crackers. 

Earlier this year, I did a review of Chinet Bakeware and loved it. Anytime I have a gathering to go to or if I'm taking a dish to a friend, I now bake it in these wonderful pans. You can read my review of the product HERE, if you'd like. Since the holidays are right around the corner, Chinet has graciously offered to give one of my readers a set of disposable Chinet Bakeware. One lucky reader will receive a set of each of the sizes pictured in the photo above. 

All you have to do is tell me what your favorite Thanksgiving food is by leaving me a comment on this post. Please leave a way for me to contact you if you win. I will select a winner this week. Offer valid to residents of the USA only. Good luck!

"Whatever Happened To Sunday Dinner?" Cookbook Review & Giveaway

Two savory recipes in a row! No, I'm not sick and yes, I have more sweetness coming your way, but first I have a cookbook to share with you- Whatever Happened To Sunday Dinner? by Lisa Caponigri. This is such a clever book. The concept behind this book is bringing back Sunday dinner. "Fifty-two menus are presented in the Italian tradition: an antipasto (usually a crostini to pass at the table), a primo (first course: almost always a pasta), a secondo (call it the main course) served with a single contorno (side dish) and finally, dessert. Every menu is different; not a single repeated."

Sunday dinner according to Lisa is not just about eating. It's about getting the family together in the kitchen and dividing up the tasks so that everyone is involved and contributing to the family meal, whether it's by chopping, baking, stirring or setting the table. "Sunday dinner doesn't have to be elaborate, just delicious." There are 260 recipe in this book to choose from. Obviously you don't have to follow each menu as written; you can mix and match recipes from different menus to create your perfect meal. The idea is to get comfortable in the kitchen, eat, linger at the table, relax and share the highlights of your week. "Sunday dinner is irreplaceable, the meeting place of memories that will last a lifetime."

You can feel Lisa's passion for Sunday dinner through her family photos, words and menus. As I read about her love of food and family, I started planning my own Sunday dinners. We often have Sunday dinner at my mom's house, but that usually means my mom does most of the cooking and I provide dessert. We all sit down together, share stories and laughter and enjoy a great meal. But I realized after reading Lisa's stories that we could all help out a little more and make it more of a family activity.  

I flipped through page after page of this book. The recipes are enticing and the photos are gorgeous. This really is a handsome book, and hefty at that. And because there is so much variety, you could cook through it all throughout the week, not just on Sundays. I chose to make Pasta alla Carbonara and Pesto Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes, only to simplify things I used store bought pesto because it's what I had on hand. I made the pasta recipe as written but I added my thoughts and notes below. Both were delicious and easy enough to make on a  busy weekday. To win a copy of "Whatever Happened To Sunday Dinner?" scroll down. 

Pasta Alla Carbonara- Pasta with Eggs and Bacon

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Recipe serves 8, but can easily be halved-

• 8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter* (see note)
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound thick-sliced bacon or pancetta, cut into 1-inch pieces
• head of garlic, separated into cloves and chopped
• 2 pounds of spaghetti
• 6 large eggs
• 2 cups grated pecorino romano 
• freshly ground pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. 

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the olive oil. Add the bacon and garlic and cook until the bacon is very crisp, taking care not to burn the garlic* (see note). Remove the bacon and garlic from the skillet, using a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels. 

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. 

Meanwhile, in a large serving bowl, beat together the eggs, cheese, and pepper to taste. Stir in the bacon and garlic. 

Drain the pasta and add to the bowl. Toss until the pasta is well coated with the eggs and cheese mixture and serve immediately. 

NOTE: I didn't find that cooking the bacon and garlic in butter and olive oil was necessary. It just resulted in a lot of grease in a pan that had to be thrown away. The bacon yields a lot of fat on it it's own- next time, I'd crisp up the bacon then just before it's done, add the garlic. I found cooking the garlic along with the bacon just overcooked it.

Pomodorini Ripieni Di Pesto- Cherry Tomatoes Stuffed with Pesto

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• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 3-4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 5 Tbsp. pine nuts
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
• 1/2 cup grated pecorino romano
• 1 pound cherry tomatoes

Place the basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, salt, olive oil, and Pecorino in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. If the pesto is too thick for your taste, add a little more olive oil. 

Cut the tops off the tomatoes. With a small spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp, taking care not to puncture the skin. Fill the tomatoes with the pesto and serve at room temperature. 

NOTE: Don't use grape tomatoes to make this- they won't stand upright and the filling will spill out.

To win a copy of "Whatever Happened To Sunday Dinner?" by Lisa Caponigri all you need to do is leave me a comment below telling me about your family meals. It doesn't have to be Italian, it can be anything. Do you have a tradition of getting the family together on a regular basis, cooking and eating? Tell me about it! 

Be sure to leave your contact info so if you win I know how to get a hold of you. I'll announce a winner next week and ship the book out. One comment per person, please. Giveaway open to US residents only. Good luck!

My little helper!

Christmas Eats and Greetings

Last year, I did 7 days of Christmas Breakfasts and it was a lot of fun. I had intentions of doing the same thing this year but time slipped through my fingers, just like the last 12 months did! I guess next year I should start my holiday posts in August so I can ensure they get done. If you think about it, that's not much unlike the stores that start putting Christmas stuff out in September, or Valentine stuff out the day after Christmas. That's annoying isn't it?

Well today I have a pancake recipe for you. Like pancakes and bacon covered in maple syrup? Me too. Ever had a whole slice of bacon cooked into the pancake? Well, that's what makes these special enough to serve on Christmas morning. If you're not a bacon fan we can't be friends just make the pancakes and serve with fruit, because they are delicious. I hope your family will love them as much as we did.

If you're needing other breakfast ideas, I hope you'll check out my Recipe Index (scroll down to breakfast) for inspiration. I have over 25 delicious ideas for you to choose from. And if you're wanting a sweet version of bacon and eggs, check these out!

Bacon Pancakes from Everyday Food

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• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 egg
• 8 slices thick cut bacon

Preheat oven to 200 F.

In a bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, combine buttermilk, butter, and 1 large egg. Combine and stir until just moistened with small lumps remaining.

In a large skillet fry bacon until it is just crispy. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. Remove grease from pan, retaining a few teaspoons.

Place about a teaspoon of bacon grease on a hot griddle. (I skipped this step because I use a nonstick griddle). Pour pancake batter on pan, using about 1/4 cup for each pancake. Place a strip of bacon in the middle of each pancake.

Cook until batter is bubbling and side touching pan is golden brown. Flip the pancake (so now the bacon side is down) and cook until golden brown.

Place cooked pancakes on plate in oven to keep warm until all pancakes are done. Serve with butter, maple syrup and fresh fruit.

This will be my last post before Christmas, so I wanted to take a moment and thank each and every one of you for supporting me and this blog. I bake, photograph and blog for my own satisfaction, but it wouldn't be nearly as much fun or rewarding without YOU. Thank you for being here.

I cherish your comments, your emails and the friendships that I've made along the way and I wish you all a peaceful and memorable holiday.

Merry Christmas and blessings to you and your family,

Monica and Mr. H

Photo taken by my friend Lori of Each Day Wiser.

Breakfast In A Cup and A Winner!

It has been a loooong stressful week. My mom had back surgery on Monday and I've been tending to her needs for several days. Luckily she doesn't live too far, but it's hard to help her out the way I want/need to as well as live my own life. She is recovering and doing very well...it only takes time!

There are a lot of things I have yet to do. I try and do one little thing a day, so I don't get overwhelmed, but the boys' Christmas tree still isn't decorated. There are boxes stacked up in our living room and presents need to be wrapped. I haven't started my holiday baking or sent out Christmas cards (eeek!), and things keep piling up. On top of that, there's friction between my sister and I over something stupid. All this led to a minor meltdown on Tuesday and Ingrid got to hear all about it. Thanks for listening my friend :-)

There's just not enough time in my day and the holidays are fast approaching. That's where this meal comes in. It's an all-in-one breakfast in a cup. You have toast, eggs, bacon and cheese all wrapped up into one. They're cute and delicious and come together in a matter of minutes. They're perfect for breakfast any day of the week as well as a simple supper, when you're too tired to do anything else. I baked these in a ramekin, but I'm pretty sure they'd work well in a muffin tin. Get creative and have fun.

Bacon, Egg, and Toast Cups adapted from One Ordinary Day

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Makes 2 servings

• 4 slices whole wheat bread, crusts removed
• 4 eggs
• 4 slices bacon, cooked or uncooked
• shredded Cheddar cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter four ramekins and set aside.

While oven is warming, fry bacon slices in a pan until partially cooked, but not crispy (if using precooked bacon skip this step). Remove from pan and drain on paper towel.

Meanwhile, butter the insides of 4 ramekins and cut crusts from 4 slices of bread. Gently press the bread slices into the ramekins.

Place the bacon slice inside the bread, creating a well for the egg. Sprinkle a small amount of shredded cheese in the center of each bread cup.

Crack an egg into the center of each bread cup. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Cook for 10-15, to your desired level of doneness. Pop toast cups out of ramekins to serve.

And the winner of the Tate's Bake Shop cookies and cookbook is...

Andrew's Mom!

Congratulations sweetie! Email your address and they'll be shipped right out to you.

Summer Sandwiches

This is not really a post with recipes. I just wanted to show you the sandwiches that we've eaten recently that we've really enjoyed. It's so hot out and there are nights that I don't want to turn the oven on so we turn to sandwiches. Besides them being easy to whip up, they're totally quick and customisable and they're good for lunch or dinner.

Both of these sandwiches are served on OroWeat OatNut Bread. This first sandwich is lightly toasted bread then slathered with Hellman's mayo on each slice of bread. On one slice I added a handful of sweet baby greens, 2 slices of crisp bacon, cut in half, then one hard boiled egg, sliced and seasoned with salt and pepper. A spoonful of garlic pesto tops the remaining slice of bread. We had these again for dinner last night so I had to share them with you- so good!

For tips on how to cook a perfect boiled egg, go HERE.

The second sandwich was a result of a craving. What else is new? It's basically a BLT sandwich with a cornmeal crusted Fried Green Tomato in place of the red tomato slices. Toasted bread with a slather of mayo, sweet baby greens, 2 slices of crisp bacon, 2 slices of fried green tomatoes. I coated the tomato slices with buttermilk and spices (salt, garlic powder and cayenne pepper) then dipped them in seasoned cornmeal then pan fried them til golden. We served these with a side of even more fried green tomatoes and ranch dressing. yes, ma'am.

These are our favorite sandwiches right now, besides the usual turkey/cheddar or gooey grilled muenster cheese. Of course we can't forget about the fried egg topped ham and cheese or the Cuban sandwich or the egg salad sandwich either!

What is on your favorite sandwich?

Hey Mickey You're So Fine...

You're So Fine You Blow My Mind. Hey Mickey!

Remember last month when I made Berry Sour Cream Waffles for Mother's Day? Also remember me promising you that I'd share my Mickey Waffle Maker with you? Well here it is in all it's cuteness with an awesome waffle recipe loaded with caramelized brown sugar bacon, just in time for Father's Day. oh yeah!

I think this would be a great recipe to make for your favorite Dad this Sunday, granted he's not a vegetarian. Now I can't tell you what all fathers like, but I can tell you what my husband, Mr. H, likes- and that's BACON! I don't think he's ever met a slice he didn't become fast friends with. Add a little brown sugar to it and caramelize it in the oven and you've got crispy, sticky goodness on your hands. Fold it into a lightly sweetened waffle batter and you've got a winner. Make it nice and golden in a Mickey Waffle maker and you'll have smiles all around. You may even get a kiss right on your smackeroo!

Now it doesn't have to be made in a Mickey Waffler but you get extra points for cuteness if it is. These can be made in any size or shape waffle maker. Because mine didn't have that typical waffle design they did not get very crispy, instead they were like thick pancakes, which we were okay with. If you don't have a waffle maker you can add a little more buttermilk to it and make pancakes. That's what I did for Easter and they were well received. These waffles were the perfect combination of sweet and savory. Of course if you're a real bacon lover then make extra bacon to serve on the side, you'll be glad you did.

Brown Sugar Bacon Mickey Waffles adapted from Joy The Baker

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For the Bacon:

• 10 slices of bacon
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

For the Waffles:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cups canola oil* (see note)
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups buttermilk

For the bacon: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with non stick cooking spray (Non-stick foil works well here). Arrange bacon in a single layer on the baking sheet.

Sprinkle generously with brown sugar. Place in the upper third of the oven and bake until sugar is caramelized and bacon is brown and crispy, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove from oven. Immediately remove bacon slices using a pair of tongs. Place them on a cutting board (not paper towels, they'll stick!) to cool before chopping. Once cool, chop the bacon into bite size bits and set aside.

For the waffles: Set up your waffle iron on a level, clean surface and turn on to preheat.

In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and brown sugar. Whisk to blend.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, buttermilk and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold. Once almost fully incorporated, add the chopped bacon pieces. Stir just until incorporated- do not to over mix the batter or the waffles will become tough. It's ok if a few lumps remain in the batter.

Cook according to your waffle machine instructions.

Serve with butter, syrup and/or fruit.

NOTE: I used the remaining bacon grease in place of the full amount of canola oil. If you choose to do this, add the cooled bacon grease to a measuring cup then add enough canola or vegetable oil to make 2/3 cup.

Would you look at that!

The New Chicken Soup

Before I talk a bit about this recipe, I wanted to thank each and every one of you for your prayers and well wishes for my cousin. He was released from the hospital on Sunday and is staying with my aunt (his mother) while he fully recovers. But he is doing much better than expected and we think he'll make a full recovery. Thank you all so very much for your positivity!

I woke up with a sore throat on Friday and have been feeling like poo all weekend long. ugh! I've mentioned before that I'm a part time nanny and every time that the little man gets sick, so do I. It's so frustrating because I'll be with the sick kid all week long and by the weekend, I'm feeling miserable and doing nothing but sleeping, building up mountains of Kleenex and drugging myself up just to feel somewhat like a human. And doctors don't work the weekends, so what d'ya do?

I haven't been cooking much this weekend simply because I haven't had the energy. I did manage to whip out a pizza for dinner last night but that doesn't require much effort. Mr. H has been taking care of me and putting up with take out. He's even made breakfast a couple times and cleaned up- what a man! I was wanting something warm and comforting for dinner and thought of this meal that I made a couple weeks ago. I found it on Cassie Craves and I've made it a couple times now. It's loaded with bacon and garlicky goodness and gets even more flavor from the red wine and chicken broth that it's cooked in. The chicken gets really tender and falls apart and the veggies retain their texture. It's really simple and it's delicious and perfect for when you're feeling under the weather. I just wish I had someone to make it for me :-)

Crock Pot Coq Au Vin adapted from Cassie Craves

• 5 slices thick-cut bacon
• 2 cups frozen pearl onions, thawed (or 1 medium onion, chopped)
• 1 cup sliced button mushrooms
• 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped into 2 inch pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into halves
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Cook bacon in medium skillet over medium heat. Drain and crumble. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Layer ingredients in slow cooker in the following order: onions, bacon, carrots, mushrooms, garlic, thyme, pepper, chicken, wine and broth. Cover and cook on High for 4 hours.

Remove chicken and vegetables to a plate. Ladle 1/2 cup cooking liquid into small bowl; allow to cool slightly. Turn slow cooker to High; cover. Mix reserved liquid, tomato paste and flour until smooth. Return sauce mixture to slow cooker and stir. Add the chicken and veggies back to the sauce being sure that everything gets covered in sauce. Cover and cook for an additional 15 minutes or until thickened.

Serve over mashed potatoes.

NOTE: I left the carrots out of this recipe simply because I didn't have them. This is much better WITH the carrots.

Wontcha join me for a bowl?

Christmas Breakfast: Day 2

If you've come here looking for my White Chocolate Cake for The Cake Slice Bakers, I didn't have time to make it, but here is the printable recipe if you're interested.

Today's breakfast of choice is Eggs Benedict. Oh how I love me some eggs benedict with creamy hollandaise sauce. Yes!!! It's my favorite brunch item and I order it whenever it's on any breakfast menu, which is not as often as you would think.

The typical eggs benedict consists of english muffins, with canadian bacon (Hey Canadians, do you call it canadian bacon in Canada? just curious!) and poached eggs all smothered in hollandaise sauce. I make mine a little different, mostly because I'm lazy :-) I make mine with bacon and fried eggs. I don't have the patience for poaching eggs. I need to get me some of those silicone egg poachers.

If you've never had hollandaise sauce it's an egg based sauce with lotsa butter and a hint of acidity- either lemon juice or vinegar. It's creamy and smooth and rich but it has a slight tanginess to it. Yummy with all the other compents too. Lots of different textures in this meal. If you plan on making this, keep in mind kids aren't generally fond of the sauce.

Eggs Benedict- Monica's Way

• English Muffins, split and toasted (1 per person)
• Bacon, cooked til crisp (2 per person)
• Fried Eggs, cooked to your liking (2 per person)
• Hollandaise Sauce (recipe below)

Split and toast english muffins. Place on plate split side up. Arrange one slice of bacon (broken in half) on each muffin half. Top with cooked egg. Smother in hollandaise sauce. Swoon.

Hollandaise Sauce from Egg: From Benedict to Brulee

~serves 4

• 6 oz. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

Begin by clarifying the butter. Put the butter in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat, skim off any foam on the surface, and let cool for a few minutes. Carefully pour the butter into a jug, leaving and sediment behind.

Half fill a saucepan with water and bring to a simmer. Put the egg yolks, lemon juice, vinegar and 1 tablespoon water into a medium heatproof bowl and whisk until fully combined. (You're making a double boiler here). Put the bowl over the water, making sure that it does not touch the water, and whisk about 1 minutes until the edges are thick and foamy.

Slowly add the melted butter, whisking well until the sauce is thick and creamy. It should leave a trail if the whisk is lifted. Season well with salt and pepper.

NOTE: My hollandaise sat while I made the eggs so it got a little thick. I just added a little warm water and whisked til creamy again.

Oh my goodness, that looks so good! I want!

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Here are my Christmas Trees! You can click on the pictures to make them larger if you want.

I have a full size artificial tree. I really like the real ones but I just can't cut one down. I know they're grown specifically for that purpose and they're recycled, but I just can't do it. It's so sad to me. So we have a fake one and I'm okay with that because the one year I had a real tree, it wilted and sagged and dropped needles everywhere!

This is the little 3 foot tree we put up in honor of our sons. It's full of little boy ornaments- a rubber ducky, crayons, power tools, planes, trains and automobiles, and of course angels. I love it.

And this is my Kiss Tree. It's a wooden piece that folds flat in the shape of a tree. Then you fan it out and place Hershey Kisses on the boughs. Cute huh? It was given to Mr. H several years ago by his great aunt I think. We look forward to putting it up every year.

See you tomorrow for another breakfast treat and more of my Christmas decorations!