Bacon & Egg Angel Hair Pasta

Can I get a woot-woot for Bacon Month, friends?  I am so excited to be a part of this month-long celebration of bacony goodness!

First up in my bacon delish recipes for the month is my Bacon & Egg Angel Hair Pasta.  Now this is truly breakfast for dinner elevated to a whole 'nother level, my friends. ;)  

I was originally inspired to make this dish when flipping through the March 2013 issue of Better Homes & Gardens and came across a recipe for their Bacon & Egg Spaghetti.  I made a few tweaks of my own to it- nothing too major though.  

I created the recipe to serve just two, but like many of my recipes this one could easily be doubled or tripled if needed. :)

Bacon & Egg Angel Hair Pasta

by Frugal Foodie Mama

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes total

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Ingredients (2 servings)

• 2 thick slices of Italian or French bread (day old is fine), cubed
• 1 1/2 tbsp + 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 4 slices of bacon, crisped ( I like to bake my at 425 for 15-20 minutes on a rimmed baking sheet.)
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 4 oz of dry angel hair pasta (be sure to reserve a 1/2 cup of the pasta water after cooking and before draining the pasta)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 eggs
• More Parmesan & fresh parsley for topping the pasta

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

In a medium bowl, toss the bread cubes with the 1 1/2 tbsp of olive oil and grated Parmesan. Spread evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring once halfway through.

Set aside.

Cook your bacon according to your preference. Set aside.

Prepare your pasta according to the box directions. When done cooking, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining the pasta in a colander. Set aside.

In the same saucepan you cooked the pasta in, heat the 2 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp of olive oil. Once the butter is melted, add in the garlic, salt, and crushed red pepper. Saute for 1-2 minutes and then remove from the heat. Add in the pasta and the reserved pasta water and toss well.

In a medium skillet, heat a little of the bacon drippings or spray with cooking spray. Once the pan is hot, crack in your two eggs. Cook to your preference. I cooked mine to over medium. You do want some runny yolk as this will mix with your pasta and make the entire dish more creamy and rich.

Divide the prepared pasta onto two plates, and then top with the bacon, croutons, and a fried egg on each plate. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese and some chopped fresh parsley, if you desire.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

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Just how gorgeous is this dish?  Almost too gorgeous to eat, right?

Nahhhhhhh... ;)  Who are we kidding??  I practically licked my plate!

Beer Cheese Risotto with Bacon {GYCO ~ Beer}

I have some redeeming to do for this month's Get Your Chef On Challenge from Julie at White Lights on Wednesdays and Jen from Four Marrs and One Venus.  I totally skipped out on January's challenge after winning the GYCO title in November for my Cranberry Cheesecake Ice Cream.  January's ingredient was pears.  

Pears.  I have no idea why, but my mind just completely blanked.  Maybe it was too much champagne on New Year's?  ;) But I just couldn't come up with a pear recipe I would be proud to enter for the life of me.

Then Julie announced March's ingredient... BEER.  

Beer I can do.

Beer could be my redeemer, maybe even my chance to reclaim the GYCO title? 

My inspiration for my Beer Cheese Risotto with Bacon came from our favorite appetizer at our favorite restaurant to eat at when we are in the Pittsburgh area- the Beer Belly fries smothered in Beer Cheese & Peppered Bacon from Bocktown Beer and Grill.

Yeah, I am sitting here drooling now daydreaming about those fries, and their Three Rivers Burgher, and that vast & amazing selection of craft beers...

*sigh*

What you will need:

4 cups of chicken broth

1 cup arborio rice

1 small onion, chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

1 cup of beer + a splash (I would suggest a pale ale.  I used Saranac Pale Ale in my risotto.)

4-5 slices of bacon

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese + 1 tbsp butter

Salt & pepper

Pour the chicken broth into a large saucepan.  Over medium-low heat, start to slowly heat the broth to a low simmer.

Heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat in a large dutch oven.  Once the butter is melted, add the onion and saute for 2-3 minutes until tender.

Add the cup of arborio rice to the onions.  Saute for another 1-2 minutes to slightly toast the rice.

Pour in your cup of beer.  Cook and stir the rice/beer mixture over medium heat until all the liquid is absorbed.  

Using a ladle, scoop in one ladle full of the chicken broth.  Cook and stir over medium-low heat until all the liquid is once again absorbed.  

Continue doing this- ladling in the broth, stirring until absorbed until you have used all the chicken broth.  This entire process should take between 30-35 minutes.

Risotto is a labor of love, folks.  But a labor that is well, well worth it. ;)

In between ladling in chicken broth, cook your bacon strips.  Personally, I am a huge fan of baking bacon.  It is easy.  You don't get splattered with bacon grease trying to flip frying pork.  And your entire house doesn't smell like a grease pit all day.  

Simply line a RIMMED baking sheet with foil, lay out your bacon strips, & place in a cold oven.  Then heat the oven to 425 degrees.  In about 20-25 minutes, you should have crispy perfect bacon.  Easy, peasy!

Again I will stress that you use a rimmed baking sheet & be VERY careful pulling the baking sheet out of the oven so you do not spill any of the grease that has rendered out of the bacon onto the hot oven.  I learned this one the hard way once.   Not a good scene- had to break out the fire extinguisher, the fire department came... 

It was a good time. 

Once your risotto has absorbed all the liquid, remove from the heat and stir in the shredded cheddar cheese and butter.  I also splashed in a little more beer at this point as a finishing touch.  This is totally optional, but I highly suggest it. :)

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Chop your bacon now that it has cooled.  Dish out your risotto and top with a little shredded cheddar cheese and chopped, crispy bacon.  And there you have it- Beer Cheese Risotto with Bacon!

Beer Cheese Risotto with Bacon

by Frugal Foodie Mama

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

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Ingredients (Serves 4-6)

• 4 cups of chicken broth
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 cup of beer + a splash (I would suggest a pale ale. I used Saranac Pale Ale in my risotto.)
• 4-5 slices of bacon
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese + 1 tbsp butter
• Salt & pepper

Instructions

Pour the chicken broth into a large saucepan. Over medium-low heat, start to slowly heat the broth to a low simmer.

Heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat in a large dutch oven. Once the butter is melted, add the onion and saute for 2-3 minutes until tender.

Add the cup of arborio rice to the onions. Saute for another 1-2 minutes to slightly toast the rice.

Pour in your cup of beer. Cook and stir the rice/beer mixture over medium heat until all the liquid is absorbed.

Using a ladle, scoop in one ladle full of the chicken broth. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until all the liquid is once again absorbed.

Continue doing this- ladling in the broth, stirring until absorbed until you have used all the chicken broth. This entire process should take between 30-35 minutes.

Line a RIMMED baking sheet with foil, lay out your bacon strips, & place in a cold oven. Then heat the oven to 425 degrees. In about 20-25 minutes, you should have crispy perfect bacon.

Once your risotto has absorbed all the liquid, remove from the heat and stir in the shredded cheddar cheese and butter. I also splashed in a little more beer at this point as a finishing touch.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Chop your bacon now that it has cooled. Dish out your risotto and top with a little shredded cheddar cheese and chopped, crispy bacon.

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Make sure you stop by the other blogs competing in the Get Your Chef On ~Beer~ Challenge and check out their beer inspired recipes...

Potato & Summer Squash Chowder

So earlier this week I showed you just how incredibly easy (and non-labor intensive!) making chicken broth from scratch is. (You missed that post?  No problem.  Just CLICK HERE. ;) ) Now you need a crazy good, cozy, comfy fall recipe to use it in, right?

How about a creamy, delicious bowl of Potato & Summer Squash Chowder?

I went 100% local and picked up Russian Fingerling Potatoes from one of my favorite vendors from the farmers market.  Another local farmer also turned me onto to how incredibly delicious and tender the smaller summer squash are.  Usually I think bigger is better (and goes further).  But not with summer squash.  I will never buy another larger, dark yellow summer squash again.  Look for squash with a pale, almost milky yellow color and that are less than a foot long.  Trust me on this, and thank me later. ;)

I also lucked out that another farmer had thick cut bacon available for sale.  I mean, you have to top potato chowder with bacon, right?  If you can't find a good local thick cut bacon, just pick up the thickest you can find at your local grocery store.

What you will need:

About 1 lb of potatoes, chopped into 1 inch pieces 

1/2 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups of chicken broth (homemade! homemade!)

1 cup of milk

1/2 cup half 'n half

1/2 cup of water

1 small light yellow summer squash, chopped

Salt & pepper, to taste

2-3 springs of fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 lb of thick cut bacon

First start by prepping and chopping everything.  I usually do this and set them aside in small bowls.  Get all the veggies, the potatoes, and the garlic chopped and minced.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Line a RIMMED baked sheet with aluminum foil.  Please make sure the baking sheet is rimmed.  (Trust me on this.  I speak from personal experience.  It is not fun setting your oven on fire! ;) )  Chop your bacon in about 1 inch chunks and place them in a single layer on the lined baking sheet.

Next heat the olive oil in a dutch oven or a stock pot over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic and onions, and saute until tender about 2 minutes.  Add the chicken broth, milk, half 'n half, and water.  Heat until you bring it to a slow boil.

Once the broth has been brought to a boil, add the potatoes and summer squash.  Boil for 3-5 minutes, and then reduce to low heat and allow it to simmer for 15-20 minutes until the potato chunks are fork tender.

While the chowder is simmering, pop the bacon chunks into the oven.  It will take them about 15 minutes to get crispy and yummy.  Remove from the oven and set aside.

At this point, take a potato masher or the back of a large wooden spoon and mash up some of the potatoes and squash in the pot.  This will make your soup a bit thicker.  But make sure to leave a decent amount of chunks!  This is a chowder after all. ;)

Be sure to taste your soup and add salt and pepper to taste.  During the last 2 minutes of cooking time, add the fresh parsley.

Ladle your Potato & Summer Squash Chowder into deep bowls.  I topped mine with some shredded cheese and a few chunks of the thick cut bacon. 

Spoon up and enjoy!  :)