Pasta w/Bacon, Avocado & Tomato

• 6 slices bacon, 1 small avocado, 8oz pasta, 2 Tbsp olive oil, 2/3 cup finely grated provolone, 2 Tbsp chopped basil, 1 large tomato diced, S&P to taste, grated provolone for passing.

Fry bacon crisp and crumble. Halve, pit and peel avocado, cut half in small dice, other half into 1/2 inch slices, divide slices among four plates. Cook pasta, toss with oil. Set aside 2 Tbsp cheese. Add to pasta the basil, remaining cheese, diced avocado, and crumbled bacon, and toss. Season with S&P to taste. Transfer to serving dish and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Serve beside sliced avocado on plate. Serves 4.

O'Henry's Bacon Buttermilk Dressing

• 1/2 c blue cheese               1 t minced garlic
• 6 slices bacon                  1/2 t black pepper
• 1 c mayo                        1/4 t paprika
• 1 c buttermilk                  Dash of tobasco 
• 2 T minced scallions

Saute bacon till crisp. Crumble. Set aside. Mix all other ingredients together. Whisk, add bacon.

Bacon Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes

• 1½ lb good meaty bacon
• ½ cup finely chopped green onion
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 24 cherry tomatoes, stems removed

Dice bacon, fry until crisp, drain and cool on paper towels. Mix bacon, green onion, and mayo. Place tomatoes, stem-side down, on cutting board, cut thin slice off the tops, scoop out pulp, invert on paper towels 30 minutes to drain, then fill with bacon mixture, and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

from the 1994 "A Taste of Mount Vernon" Cookbook by Mormons from Alexandria, Virginia.

Eggs Benedict w/Tarragon & Chive Hollandaise

For the Sauce:

• ⅓ cup regular mayonnaise
• 3 large egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons (or more) fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons boiling water
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon

For the Eggs Benedict:

• nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 8 large eggs, poached
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 8 slices Canadian bacon
• 2 English muffins, split, toasted

For the Sauce:

Combine first 5 ingredients in processor. Blend 5 seconds. With machine running, carefully pour melted butter down feed tube and process until well-blended.

Transfer sauce to double-boiler set over simmering water. Add 3 tablespoons boiling water and lemon peel to sauce. Whisk until sauce is very hot, about 4 minutes. Whisk in chives and tarragon. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

For the Eggs Benedict:

Fill egg poaching pan with enough water to come 3/4-inch up sides of pan. Bring water to simmer. Lightly spray egg poaching cups with cooking spray. Break 1 egg into each cup. Cover and cook until yolks are just set around edges but still loose in center, about 4 minutes. Transfer eggs to warmed plate and repeat with remaining 4 eggs.

Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add Canadian bacon and saute until heated through, about 1 minute per side. Place 2 bacon slices atop each toasted English muffin half. Top each with 2 poached eggs. Drizzle with sauce and serve.

BLT Salad 🥗

• ¾ cup mayonnaise
• 4 (1-inch-thick) slices Italian bread
• 12 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 bag (10 oz) chopped romaine lettuce
• salt and pepper to taste

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Spread 1/4 cup mayonnaise over both sides of bread slices and transfer to baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch croutons. 

Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate. Discard drippings.

Whisk remaining mayonnaise and vinegar in large bowl. Add bacon, tomatoes, lettuce, and croutons and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Serve

Creamy Shells with Peas & Bacon

• 1 cup whole-milk ricotta
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into several pieces
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 slices bacon, cut into ¼-inch strips
• 1 medium onion, chopped fine
• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound small pasta shells or penne
• 2 cups frozen peas
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

The peas cook right along with the pasta so there's one less pot to clean. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot for cooking pasta. Place ricotta, Parmesan, butter, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in bowl large enough to hold cooked pasta.

Fry oil and bacon in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer bacon to plate lined with paper towels. Add onion to empty pan and cook until lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer onion mixture to bowl with ricotta mixture.

Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta to boiling water. When pasta is about 1 minute shy of al dente, add peas and continue to cook for 1 minute. Reserving 1 cup cooking water, drain pasta and peas. Add 1/2 cup cooking water and lemon juice to ricotta mixture and whisk until smooth. Add pasta and peas to bowl and toss to coat, adding more reserved cooking water as necessary to moisten pasta. Stir in crisp bacon and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4.

Creamy Egg Salad with Bacon, Shallots, & Watercress

Makes 2½ cups, enough for 4 sandwiches.

• 4 slices bacon (about 4 ounces), cut into ¼-inch pieces
• 2 large shallots , chopped medium
• 6 large eggs
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
• ¼ cup watercress , leaves chopped coarse
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• Ground black pepper

In medium skillet over medium heat, fry bacon until brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer bacon with slotted spoon to plate lined with paper towel; pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from pan. Add shallots and sauté until softened and browned, about 5 minutes.

Place eggs in medium saucepan, cover with 1 inch of water, and bring to boil over high heat. Remove pan from heat, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, fill a medium bowl with 1 quart water and 1 tray of ice cubes (or equivalent). Transfer eggs to ice water bath with slotted spoon; let sit 5 minutes, peel and dice medium.

Mix all ingredients, including bacon and shallots, together in medium bowl, including pepper to taste. Serve. (Can be covered and refrigerated overnight.)

Epi’s Triad

 Canadian Bacon, Shredded Lettuce, Diced Tomato BLT 

on a Toasted Soft Hoagie with Extra Melty Mozzarella

🤤