Here is a very simple recipe for a delightfully delicious and temptingly tasty substitute for that “a little too regular, increasingly boring, every-day vegetable soup that literally every loves but is simply getting a bit tired of / bored with after too many appearances on the kitchen table this year.

There certainly will be no “suffering with THIS succotash, as this flavorful break away from the ordinary is sure to put smiles on everyone’s faces and a good feeling in your heart and mind, knowing that you fed them some seriously good eatin’! Enjoy!

(Serves

1 lb. Gourmet Sun-dried Tomato Bacon

8 ears of corn, chopped into thirds

2 large red bell peppers, chopped

2 large onions, chopped

2 “15 oz” cans of low-sodium chicken broth

4 cups of fresh lima beans

4 cups of green squash 

6 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp. of dried thyme

½ tsp. crushed red pepper

½ tsp. salt

Instructions:

Heat a large frying pan over a medium-high heat and place the bacon in the pan. Cook the bacon till crisp by frying for 3 to 4 minutes on each side.

When bacon is crispy, remove to paper towel lined plate and once cool enough to touch, pat with another paper towel to remove excess grease.

Now add the onion to pan and cook, stirring and turning continually until lightly browned.

Add the bell pepper, squash, garlic, thyme, salt and red pepper flakes to the pan of onions and cook while continuously stirring for another 3 to 4 minutes.

Pour the chicken broth into the pan, being sure to stir up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Now add the corn and lima beans, turning then often so that they cook evenly and until the corn and beans are tender and the liquid reduces slightly to a thicker, soupy broth like consistency, approximately 5 minutes.

Now chop the bacon into quarters and stir into the mixture, allowing the bacon to saturate itself into the mix for about 5 minutes on a very low flame / heat.

Serve and Enjoy!

Growing up in a family that was originally from a very tropical place, meant that there was always fruit in the house. The counter was always littered with slices or baskets of watermelons, oranges, strawberries, blackberries, mangos, grapes, etc. etc. etc. With such a variety of fruit always at an arm’s reach, it was almost natural to love fruit salads.

Everyone makes fruit salads differently. It’s all about personal preferences. My favorite type of fruit salad has small square shaped chunks of fruit, mixed together with a little bit of condensed milk with grated mozzarella cheese and coconut on top. For anyone who hasn’t tried it, it’s delicious but you have to make sure to use at least 6 different types of fruits (mangos, bananas, apples, strawberries, oranges, and grapes work well). As the end of summer approaches, I decided to look up fun picnic meals. Here is where I discovered the bacon fruit salad.

I didn’t really look too much at what was in the salad (aside from remembering there was watermelon). But the idea of adding bacon to my favorite fruit salad, suddenly seemed amazing. That little bit of salt, I’m not sure if the condense milk would still be as good but I might try it both ways. But the bacon could replace the cheese, or who knows the cheese might be as delicious on the fruit with the added compliment of the bacon. I wanted to share my excitement and suggest to all fellow bacon and possible fruit lovers this awesome combination.

OK, what do you do when your hunger is on over-load and you are so famished, you can’t figure out which teasingly tempting taste treat you should stick in your mouth first, in order to successfully satiate your “craver for flavor” as well as your stomach which is now dangerously below empty.

You’ve definitely gotta have bacon and at this point a burger sounds good, but your sweet tooth for chocolate is screaming out in need to be satisfied! So what do you do first? The good people over at “Epic Nomz” came up with a solution that sounds most reasonable and definitely enjoyable, to boot!

It’s called the “Brooklynite,” as the chefs that put their culinary creativity together to come up with this burger are located in … well you’re probably already well ahead of me on this one, and I’m guessing that you’ve already assumed … the city of Brooklyn, NY.

That is correct! Here’s what they have to say for themselves about this appetizing adventure and precisely how this deliciously delectable delight can find its way to a “mouth” near you … SOON!

“Step 1: Bacon Dipped in Chocolate (Rain)

… You can cook the bacon like you would for any other dish, according to your preferences.  We went for a crispier texture that would really give the chocolate something to hold onto.

After letting the bacon dry off a bit, we began dipping the strips into chocolate that was melted in a makeshift double-boiler (read: two shallow pots stacked on top of each other).  The key is to fully submerge the bacon into the chocolaty goodness so that it really seeps into the ridges.  Once you’ve got all your bacon smothered, set it on a plate in the freezer for about 20 minutes to let the chocolate solidify.

NB:  It was our original plan to drizzle melted white chocolate over the chocolate-coated bacon, but it was fairly uncooperative so we abandoned that ambition fairly quickly.  Kudos to those to achieve the white chocolate drizzle effect.

Step 2:  Prepping the Patties

With one pound of vegetarian-fed ground beef on hand, we began sculpting the foundation of our meal – the rock on which our Church of Nomz is built. Since the quality and freshness of the meat was so high, we felt it unnecessary to add any spices or additional flavoring to the patties.  We did, however, chop up some Armenian string cheese, and carefully fold it into the meat.  You can really add in any kind of cheese you want (or omit it completely if you want your burger to be not as epic), but if you haven’t tried string cheese of the Armenian variety, you may find yourself surprised by its mild flavor, smooth texture, and well, stringy goodness.

Step 3:  Baking Buns, Cooking Cow

We went with a traditional white bread sesame seed bun, applied a layer of pepper-jack cheese, and laid each half open-faced on a baking rack.  We advise to let bake for about 5-7 minutes, or until buns reach the proverbial golden-brown hue.

Concurrently, we began cooking the patties on the stovetop in a pan greased in butter (as the bacon grease was busy cooking our fries).  For best results, keep the burger-flipping to a minimum.  Too much man-handling of the beef makes it tough and dry.  You want to be able to see the juices dripping from your burger when you take your first glorious bite.  Total cooking time on the two 8 oz. burgers for us was about 15 minutes, and the result was tender, juicy, savory patties of perfection.

You can also wash and prep the lettuce at this point.  We used a head of organic lettuce, but let’s be honest, leafy greens are not to be emphasized in this dish.  As long as you have something to add a little crispy crunch, we think you’re covered.

Step 4:  Put It Together, Admire Your Edible Artwork, and Nom Epically

Now, just look at that beautiful thing that is just sitting in front of you, begging to be devoured.  Notice how the chocolate, warmed by the heat emitted from the burger, begins to melt onto the patty.  It is truly love at first sight – beef and pork making sweet love on your hot buns.

As you attempt to wrap your mouth around this beastly creation, reflect on the savory aroma, mixed textures, and downright weightiness of the sandwich.  If you made the Brooklynite correctly, it will be massive.  When you finally take that first bite, the dichotomous flavor dynamic between the chocolate and bacon may be initially strange and confusing, but as your taste buds familiarize themselves with this new combination, you will begin to appreciate this unique, delectable taste.

Feel free to pair with your drink of choice.  We accompanied the Brooklynite with Stone Pale Ale.

Step 5: Reflect on What a Badass You Are

As digestion sets in and you find yourself slipping into a divine state of unconsciousness, think about what a great thing you did for yourself and for humanity. Rub that belly… you are a Hero.  Hells yeah, that was Epic.”

OK, in order to prevent potentially passionate pork patrons from walking away from this most enjoyably enticing epicurean experience before they fully realize just what a truly amazing meal this really is, let’s quickly clarify a couple of terms that sometimes gets some people making that quizzically stumped face while muttering the words “What The Huh?” to themselves.

Confit: is a term borrowed from French cuisine, actually pronounced as “con-fee.” The culinary term designates a piece of meat that has been immersed, marinated, cooked and even stored in it’s own fat, sometimes with the augmentation of other additional juices and / or spices, for the bountiful benefit of both immaculate flavor, as well as superior preservation.

Pork Belly: Though mostly heard these days in reference to piggish spending and / or political pigeon-holing of funds, Pork Belly is precisely what the term would logically designate, the belly section of a pig, from which most continental bacon is traditionally cut.

Alright, now that we’ve got tat out of the way, this is a savory, slightly sweet and salty, subtle and sapidly scrumptious recipe created by Jimmy, the “gastronomical genius” over at “Eat It, Atlanta,” a blog dedicated to “Cooking, Dining & General Food Philandering, Mostly in ATL.

Intended to serve four people, with a nice glass of slightly chilled Pinot, here’s Jimmy’s story about how the whole thing went down: I first acquired my pork belly. I found out the hard way that Whole Foods Buckhead doesn’t carry it. I asked the butcher why they didn’t have it, he laughed and said, “We cater to Buckhead”. No fat back either. So I picked up a small piece from Star Provisions. It was much smaller than the 2.5lb slab recommended, but my 1lb piece was plenty as an appetizer for four people.

”

The pork brines for about 12 hours before cooking. This was a cooked brine of rosemary, thyme, pepper, garlic, parsley, honey, and salt.The next morning I set my alarm for 5AM, dragged my ass downstairs, then melted some lard and duck fat, submerged the pork, went back to sleep, and let the pork cook at 200F for five hours.Then I poured the fat into a firm container, covered it with wrap, set a heavy can on it to press it, then it went into the fridge for six hours.When I was ready to sear the pork, I took it out of the fat and cleaned it off fairly well.I scored the fat side, then cut it into squares.Then I seared the belly, fat side down, on low heat for 15 minutes. After that, it went into the oven for 10 minutes to warm through.Then we dug in.Divine. With each bite, the fat melted and pressed into the flesh of the pork, creating a warm, and savory bite of the best pork belly I’ve had to date. This is the way fat was meant to be consumed.”

Bon Appetit!

One “not so healthy” thing that tends to happen to us all during the hot summer months, is that we are often so very busy and on the go all the time, we begin to neglect or need for healthy veggies to healthfully balance out all the fast food and quick snack “carbs” and proteins that we continue to consume to fuel our flight and fancy while constantly on the run from morning to night.

Here’s a great recipe to fix that scenario in a very tasty, time sensitive treat that is as good for us as it is delicious.

Baby Bubba’s Braised Veggies & Bacon Bonanza.

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

1 tbsp unsalted butter

8 slices of Baby Bubba’s Butcher Block Hickory Smoked Peppered Bacon chopped into ¼ inch segments.

1 lb. chopped potatoes

8 oz. chopped carrots

8 oz. chopped onions

sea salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

¼ cup chicken broth

1 lb. green beans, trimmed and cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces

¼ cup “creme fraiche”

5 sprigs chopped tarragon

Directions:

First melt your butter in a wide shallow braising pan or large, deep skillet over medium heat.

Toss in the bacon and fry for 5 minutes, stirring often until well browned and crisp on the outside but still flexible.

Dump in the potatoes, carrots and spring onions.

Season to taste with salt and pepper

Pour in the broth.

Once the broth begins to bubble at the edges of the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low.

Cover and cook for 12 to 18 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender.

If the mixture seems dry, add a few additional tbsp of broth or water.

Cover and cook for 5 minute, until all the vegetables are tender.

Uncover and add the creme fraiche.

Now increase the heat to medium-high cook for an additional 3 or 4 minutes, stirring constantly until the creme fraiche thickens and the vegetables take on an appealing fawn-colored glaze.

Stir in the tarragon.

Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Enjoy!

Are you getting “sick and tired” (literally) of all those horrendously disappointing and sometimes stomach wrenching “Samo-Samo-Lamo” fast-food “Bacon-Buggers” (pun intended) that continue to promise you a satisfying squeal of delight … but usually tend to deliver nothing more than a desperate moaning, groaning 3-way conversation with yourself and the “Big Guy Upstairs” exchanged over the Ralph’s big, white porcelain phone?

Well we feel you pain and want to introduce you to our good friend Sara over at “Average Betty’s” , who offers up her very own, scintillatingly savory, sense seducing sizzle of a recipe to craftily create your very own gourmet bacon burger, called “The Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno POP Burger.”

For those of you who don’t yet know who Sara is … she’s not only one totally cool and awesome cook who has a deep understanding and penchant for meat, but she is also one truly bodacious “Bacon & Burger Babe!” You might even go so far as to view her as a definite “Betty,” and thus, I suppose the name of her tasty and tantalizing website.

Here’s what Sara had to say, in her very own words:

‘Hi Bacon Today, I love bacon and I love your site!

I wanted to share my latest recipe for the Jalapeno POP Burger and I hope you love it! It is a spicy take on a cheeseburger topped with cheese stuffed, bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers.

Cheers,

Sara O’Donnell

Average Betty’s Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno POP Burger

(Serves 5 – 6 Burgers & 1 cup Jalapeno Relish)

Ingredients For Burgers:

1 pound lean ground beef

1/3 cup chopped jalapeno (majority of seeds and membrane removed)

1/3 cup chopped onion

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp garlic powder

salt, pepper

(try a splash of soy sauce or balsamic vinegar for more flavor)

I typically get five to six quarter pound burgers out of one pound of meat. Like that math? The chopped pepper and onion bulk up the patties. A lot more flavor, a little less meat!

Ingredients for Jalapeno Relish:

2 fire roasted jalapenos

4 fire roasted “wheels” sweet onion

juice of 1-2 limes

salt

(enough relish for six burgers)

Additional Ingredients:

Buns

cheese (jalapeno jack)

lettuce

tomato

Instructions:

We don’t call this the Jalapeno POP Burger for nothing! Start by making the jalapeno poppers. The complete (and printable) recipe can be found here.

Next, make the jalapeno relish. Grill jalapeno and onion. Chop and combine with fresh lime juice and a pinch of salt. Set aside.

To season the meat, add chopped jalapeno, chopped onion, cumin, garlic powder and black pepper.

Shape into patties and season with sea salt right before placing onto a super hot grill or griddle. The salt ensures a nice crust on the outside of the patty.

TIP: Try making a juicy lucy by putting the cheese inside the patty. Watch the Jalapeno POP Burger video to see me make one!

Flip and top with cheese. To help melt the cheese you can cover for the last minute. Allow the burgers to rest while you grill or toast the buns.

Then, add lettuce, tomato, the juicy and delicious burger patty, some of that ultra-spicy fire roasted jalapeno relish and the top bun. Garnish with jalapeno poppers and enjoy.”

Thank You Sara!

Thank goodness for great weather, great times, great friends and great opportunities to eat outside under the wide open, sunny skies or cloudless, moonlit evenings with our family and all the other people who are truly near and dear and very important in our lives.

Here’s a great recipe that Boss Hog’s family has been handing down generation after generation, for those really special times when it people get hungry, but it’s more important to be spending time with the prized company at hand, than being off in the kitchen for hours sweating over a hot stove.

Enjoy the scrumptious simplicity and delightful “deliciousity” of Boss Hog’s Bodacious BBQ Bacon And Bean Salad!

Boss Hog’s Bodacious BBQ Bacon And Bean Salad

(Serves 8 )

Ingredients:

1 lb. Boss Hog Honey BBQ Rubbed Bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 large onions, diced

4 “15 oz.” cans of white beans, drained

1 jar or 15 oz. can of olives (black, green, or mixed)15 oz.” cans of corn kernels, drained

2 “15 oz.” cans of corn kernels, drained

1 cup Gourmet BBQ Sauce

½ cup chives, finely chopped medium bulbs of fennel, finely chopped tbsp. apple cider vinegar

2 medium bulbs of fennel, finely chopped

2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp. garlic powder

1tsp. powered cayenne pepper

1 tsp. smoked paprikaSalt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Cook the bacon till lightly browned in a large frying pan, over a medium flame or heat, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.the bacon is nice and crispy and the onions are tender and lightly browned

Now pour the chopped onions into the pan along with the bacon; and sauté them until

Take the pan off of the stove.

Drain all but about 2 tbsp. of bacon grease from the pan, leaving the bacon and onions in the pan.

Now slowly and carefully stir in the smoked paprika and the Gourmet BBQ Sauce.

Transfer the contents of the pan into a bowl and place the bowl in the freezer for 12 minutes.mix the corn, beans, olives and fennel together.

Now in a large mixing bowl,

Now toss in the cooled bacon mixture and toss it well.

Sprinkle in the apple cider vinegar and season with garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Garnish with the chopped chives.

Serve with chips and dip / salsa, some multigrain bread and a nice cold glass of Sangria and fruit juice or lemonade for the kids!

Enjoy!

This year, the hot new trend for grilling your way through the entire summer includes some interesting barbecue menu items, from grilled turkey to grilled duck and even grilled pheasant.

No matter what fowl you choose to toss up on the “barbie” the one ting that you are definitely going to need is a crown pleasing stuffing to flavorfully accentuate from the inside out.

For that task, may we recommend this delightfully delicious Apple Cinnamon Bacon, Mushroom & Oyster Stuffing. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 pound Apple Cinnamon Bacon

2 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup butter

14 oz. seasoned stuffing cubes

10 oz. oysters – drained and cut into thirds

1 onion, sliced thin

2 cloves fresh minced garlic

4 oz. fresh sliced mushrooms, sliced

1 cup white wine

Directions:

First preheat the oven to 350 degrees F

Then put the bacon in a large, deep skillet

Cook the bacon over a medium flame / heat until evenly browned on both sides.

Place bacon to a paper towel lined plate to allow excess grease to drain away.

Keep the rest of the bacon grease in the skillet.

.

Add the butter to the bacon drippings and allow it to melt over a medium-high heat.

Sauté’ the onion, garlic, and mushrooms in the butter and drippings combo until the onion has caramelized – approximately 12 to 13 minutes.

Pour the wine into the skillet and allow it to warm; and when warm, remove from heat.

Place the stuffing cubes in a large bowl.

Pour the vegetable mixture over the cubes.

Pour in the chicken stock.

Now fold the oysters into the mixture.

Transfer the stuffing to a 9×13 inch baking dish.

Bake in a preheated oven until golden brown on top – approximately 30 minutes.

Now stuff your bird of choice and get grilling!

Bon Appetite!

During the upcoming summer month celebrations, you’re going to want to continue to come up with some truly unique, original and unpredictably unusual taste treats to amaze and impress your guests.

This is a delightfully delicious dish that is so quick, simple and inexpensive to lay out for unexpected guests or hungry visitors who have come by to party or watch the big game, fight, concert or a cool movie.

It’s the perfect “pork power” protein combined with a veritable “Garden Of Eden” of your favorite fresh vegetables, so absolutely everyone is “hoppin’ happy” and in a veritable stated of absolute “hog heaven.”

Enjoy

(Serves

Ingredients:

12 slices of Maple Smoked Country Style Bacon.

16 oz. cream cheese set out to attain room temperature.

1 cup of “half and half”

2 tbsp minced chives.

2 tbsp horseradish

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice.

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper: to taste.

Directions:

Cook bacon at least till it is ‘moderately crispy” if not fully crispy – your choice!

Remove excess bacon grease after bacon is cooked by patting it down between two layers of a couple of paper towels, stacked on a plate.

Combine the room temperature cream cheese and the “half and half” in a large metal mixing bowl.

Mix vigorously, until the mixture is fully incorporated and smooth.

Now add the chives, horseradish, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce.

Mix well.

Now season to taste with the salt and pepper to taste.

Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hrs before serving.

Serve with your cut, fresh veggies and a nice punch bowl full of Fruit Sangria.

Enjoy!

As the weather continues to get nicer and nicer, there are more and more opportunities for some really nice outdoor dining experiences, combining a true touch and taste of gourmet sophistication and class to our usual inclination to feast on the best we lovingly and adoringly call porky.

This recipe will score you tons of “Brownie Points” with your more health conscious, light and breezy eaters who love lots and lots of vegetables, while at the same time, feeding the frenzy that burns inside of us, calling out for sweet and slightly salty satiation of our inherent “need to feed” on bacon, bacon and more bacon!

Hot Bacon Dressing

Ingredients:

1 pound sliced sun dried tomato bacon, diced

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 cup apple cider vinegar

2 cups fresh drinking water

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 ounces diced pimientos

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons cold fresh drinking water

Directions:

In a large skillet, cook up your bacon until it is medium crispy.

Remove bacon and place on a plate between a few layers of paper towels to absorb any excess bacon grease.

Retain 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings in the skillet.

Add the onion and sauté until tender; then remove from the heat.

Now add in the vinegar, water, sugar, pimientos, mustard, salt, pepper and bacon and mix it all up well.

Combine the cornstarch and cold water and then stir that combination into the skillet.

Cook and stir the mixture till comes to a boil.

Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Serve the dressing warm, over a variety of cut salad greens, fresh spinach or mixed vegetables … your choice.

Refrigerate any of the leftovers and reheat before serving again.