For those of you who haven’t heard of this delicious gluttonous meal; you’ve obviously been hiding behind an extremely slow bandwidth. No, this burger is not made out of turtle meat. We did say that it’s a gluttonous meal, not an exotic one. The Bacon Turtle Burger is an amazing burger that combines hotdogs, beef, and bacon all in one. A combination of multiple meats for the over zealous carnivore. And this particular version even brings melted cheese into the mix. Have you heard of the Juicy Lucy? Yep, it’s just like that. But different. And by different, we mean wrapped-in-bacon and steal-your-heart different. Don’t know what we’re talking about? Look at the pictures, follow the recipe below, and be your own Gluttonous Meal Master. C’mon, it’s covered in bacon. ‘Nuff said.

Ingredients:
4 oz. lean beef
1 pack of Hot Dogs
1 package of Bacon (at least ten strips)
Cheddar cheese (or any cheese of your choice)
1 egg white
Spices (salt, pepper, garlic salt, Worchestire sauce)

Directions:
1. Start by weaving the bacon just like a basket. Cut some of the fat off the outside of the bacon if you need to in order to make it straight. Make it into a square. (5X5 strips of bacon usually work.)
2. Mix the ground meat, spices and egg white together in a bowl. (The egg whites are used to help hold things together.)
3. Make a thin, flat meat patty with part of the meat.
4. Place the meat on the center of the bacon weave.
5. Place some cheese slices on the center of the patty. Make sure there is a “crust” of burger meat around the cheese.
6. Place another thinly formed meat patty on top of the cheese and form it into one meat patty. (Form the edges of the meat together- causing the meat patty to be “filled” with the cheese.)
7. Fold the bacon weave over it.
8. Take out three hotdogs. Make 2 cuts on both ends of two of the hot dogs (acting as the “feet”.) Cut the two hot dogs directly in half. Now you have the feet.
9. With the other hot dog, cut it in half, and on one end, cut the hot dog into a point to act as the tail. The other end will be the head.
10. Make holes in the bacon weave, (one each for the head, tail, and four legs), poke hot dogs into the body- embedding them into the meat by about 1/2 and inch to 1 inch.
11. Use extra bacon to cover the gap and bring stray ends of bacon into the weave.
12. Use a spatula to get it onto the pan.
13. Put toothpicks (that have been soaking in water) into the body to secure the hot dogs and keep the bacon ends secure.
14. Cook the Bacon Turtle at 400 to 450 degrees (depending upon oven)
*Cooking time will vary so check the turtle to see how well done you want your burger to be. For less cooked, make sure it’s still juicy. If juices aren’t flowing, your turtle will be well done.

And what’s beautiful about this Turtle, (aside from the sexy bacon), is that you can make a regular burger as opposed to the cheeseburger. Skip the egg whites and just make a meat patty for the center of the Bacon Turtle Burger. After it’s cooked, throw cheese on top, or an egg, or peanut butter… We don’t care what you put on it, just do it. You only live once and this baby just might bring you closer to that final date, but who cares? Go ahead and walk on the wild side.

Bacon Jam Spinach Dip

Ingredients:
-Kosher salt
-1 10-ounce bags spinach, stems removed
-1 10-ounce bag of arugula
-1 tablespoon unsalted butter
-2 tablespoons minced onion
-1 clove garlic, minced
-2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
-1 1/4 cups whole milk
-1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
-1 1/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese
-1/4 cup sour cream, plus more for serving
-1/4 cup Skillet Bacon Spread
-1/2 cup shredded white sharp cheddar cheese
-1/2 cup frozen artichoke hearts, thawed, squeezed dry and finely chopped
-Tortilla chips and salsa, for serving

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Stir in the spinach and arugula and cook until bright green, about 30 seconds. Drain and rinse under cold water; squeeze out the excess moisture, then finely chop.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until the onion is soft, about 2 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 2 minute. Remove from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice, bacon jam, Parmesan and sour cream. Return the pot to low heat. Add the spinach, cheddar and artichokes and stir until the cheese melts and the dip is heated through, maybe 1 minute. Serve warm with tortilla chips, or a sliced baguette.

And enjoy! Who knew bacon and spinach could be so delicious together? Wait… we did.

How and when bacon was created, we’re not exactly sure. We think that many years ago, upon searching for the Holy Grail, man found bacon instead. And with it, the knowledge to make more bacon. We know. It’s quite a miraculous thing; the human race hasn’t been the same since.

And now, in the 21st century, bacon is sweeping the nation with its salty, bacony goodness. It’s one of the biggest, baddest meats around. Coiling itself around other foods, creating a whole new edible beast; transforming dishes into something that is almost otherworldly in flavor, and laying the smack down on vegetables. Who knew asparagus could be so bold and… sexy? But have we really exhausted all of bacon’s resources? I really didn’t think so. Therefore, I wanted to take bacon to a greater, more adult level. I wanted to pair it with something boisterous and jovial. With the help of a few good friends, I went on a quest to combine two treats many of us Americans adore: Bacon and booze.

Booze is the quintessential ingredient of good old fashioned tom foolery and comical shenanigans. However, she can be quite the temperamental vixen and must be treated with the utmost care. Otherwise she’ll turn on you just when you think all is fun and copacetic. In order to avoid this drama, (and not to mention headache), you must pair her up with other ingredients in just the right way. However, I decided to throw caution to the wind and dance with the devilishly good pork candy. You throw in bacon, and things just get a little crazier. Like when someone decides to use a piece of frozen bacon as a ninja sword… Yes, this happened. No, we don’t have video… unfortunately.

So within my bacon dreaming and boozy scheming, I wanted to take on two bacon drinks: The Bloody Mary Sue-eee and the Hawaiian Luau. Since I didn’t have six weeks to create my own bacon infused vodka, I went on a liquor store hunt for it ready-made. Instead of looking online, I went the old fashioned way of driving from location to location searching for this alcoholic enigma. (I did say this was a quest, right?) After what seemed like a dozen locations, and many puzzled expressions, I finally had it within my possession. Ready to take on the beast, I needed a small group of fellow soldiers to help me in this battle.

After I had gathered a few eager guinea pigs, err… I mean, soldiers, we were ready for our bacon drink challenge. However, much to my chagrin, a few of my fellow comrades got cold feet and decided to play the game of, “Oops, we broke the bottle of bacon vodka”. Not cool, guys. Not cool. Way to back up your Captain, soldiers. Luckily, after they saw my Lieutenant’s wide-eyed incredulous expression, as well as my mounting anger, they laughed and admitted that the bottle was hiding in the freezer. Good thing too. We definitely didn’t need mutiny among us, let alone the fact that we were quite thirsty. Finally the bacon drink challenge was going down and we were eager to face the beast.

First up was the Hawaiian Luau:
1½ oz Bacon flavored vodka
3 oz Pineapple Juice
Splash (½ oz) Butterscotch Schnapps

Chill and serve in a hi-ball glass. Garnish with a pineapple wedge or other fruit. It can also be served as a martini or shot. I decided to go with the martini glass. We all agreed that this drink tasted just like you were at a Luau, eating succulent pork and juicy pineapple. We imagined ourselves surrounded by grass skirt and coconut top clad women dancing as the BBQ pit fire raged on. We could hear the drumbeat in the distance. It was an amazing combination; a genius creation of flavorful science. We rated this drink an eight out of ten points.

Second on the list was the Bloody Mary Sue-eee:
1 oz. Bacon flavored vodka
4 oz. Tomato Juice
1 oz. Bacon Hot Sauce (or more if you like it hot)
A couple dashes of Bacon Salt Peppered
A couple dashes of lemon juice
Garnish with a couple of strips (or more) of Coastal Caliente Jalapeno Bacon (cooked).

Grab a cocktail shaker and add ice. Combine ingredients into the shaker. Shake and pour into a glass. Add the bacon in place of a celery stick. You can add olives if you wish. We didn’t, we just wanted to get down to it! This baby was the ultimate crowd-pleaser. It was definitely the best Bloody Mary we ever had. We all mastered this one and gave it a ten out of ten. I’m not even sure I want a regular Bloody Mary anymore. Once you go with bacon, that’s all you’ll be makin’.

The Bloody Mary Sue-eee concluded our bacon drink challenge and we came out victorious. The beast had been conquered and we felt confident that we could do it again. However, the challenge wasn’t over yet… Our friend, Rev, from Burger Conquest, also decided to mix booze with bacon and created an edible beast of his own. Instead of Russia’s favorite toasting drink, he decided to use bourbon. With this magical meat and drink medley he created the Bourbon Soaked Bacon Beast- mini burger style. Talk about a seriously enticing challenger! His soldiers devoured this beast and were anxious for more. We recommend taking it on yourself.

Bourbon Soaked Bacon Beast Ingredients
3 TBSP Maker’s Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon Handmade Whisky
1 pound ground Sirloin at least 20% fat
1 TBSP Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp Liquid Smoke
1/2 tsp Onion Powder
1 TBSP Crushed Garlic
2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
Salt to taste
1 package of smoked Gouda Cheese
1 package of Bacon
Martin’s Mini-Burger or Hot Dog Potato Rolls
Rev’s full recipe of beastly flavor!

Honestly, we feel that the bacon and booze challenge may never be over. We encourage others to embark on this journey and to conquer their own beasts. Do you consider yourself a champion of bacon? Gather your own soldiers and create one epic battle. Bacon deserves nothing less. Bacon and Booze: Recipe for Champions. Seriously.

*GASP* A day dedicated to the world’s best salty, savory, and crunchy version of the other white meat? Have I died and gone to hog heaven?

Nope, you are very much still alive. There truly is a day dedicated to our beloved pork treat. Oh bacon, how we love thee. We have devoted an entire day to celebrate your scrumptious existence. According to Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia, “International Bacon Day or Bacon Day is an unofficial observance, often celebrated on the Saturday before US Labor Day (the first Monday of September)… Bacon day celebrations typically include social gatherings during which participants create and consume dishes containing bacon, including bacon-themed breakfasts, lunches, dinners, desserts, and drinks.”

Well, there you have it. Permission to indulge in all that is bacon. Because you know that once it’s been published on the internet, it must be real. And you must observe this day of devout love for pan-fried pork goodness. Start calling your neighbors, invite the family, text your friends, gather the kids… Join together in celebration of epic bacon proportions! Bring on the bacon dishes and bacon drinks! Yes, bacon drinks! Bacon goes well with booze, right? Sure, it does. Bacon goes well with everything! And if you don’t know how to make a bacon drink, we’ll help you out. Here are a couple of gourmet drink and food recipes that are sure to impress the most knowledgeable swine connoisseur:

The Bloody Mary Sue-eee

1 oz. Vodka
3 oz. Tomato Juice
2 oz. Bacon Hot Sauce
A couple dashes of Bacon Salt Peppered
A couple dashes of lemon juice
Garnish with a couple of strips (or more if you’d like!) of Coastal Caliente Jalapeno Bacon (cooked)

(Grab a cocktail shaker and add ice. Combine ingredients into the shaker. Shake and pour into a glass. Add the bacon in place of a celery stick. Add olives if you would like.)

Pair this bacon version of a Bloody Mary with some bacon wrapped hot dogs and you’re good to go! For an appetizer, wrap up some garlic stuffed olives with a half slice of bacon, place a toothpick in the center to hold the bacon and olive together, and bake until crisp.

Feel like indulging in the fancier side of swine? Want to impress your friends and make the ladies “squeal”? Try this gourmet martini on for size. It’s a One-Size-Fits-All-Who-Love-Bacon.

The Bacon Appletini

2 oz. Vanilla vodka
1 oz. Amaretto
1 oz. of Baby Bubba’s Gourmet Apple Syrup
Half a strip (or two) of Baby Bubba’s Apple Cinnamon Bacon (cooked) to garnish

(And remember, this martini is “bacon”, not stirred. Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker over ice, then pour into your favorite martini glass. The bacon slice will float beautifully on the top, adding its savory-sweet flavor.)

For a delightfully decadent sandwich to pair up with this swanky swine-tini, try this recipe:

Swiss Apple Bacon Melt

1 sliced green apple
2 pieces cinnamon raisin pumpernickel bread
4 slices of bacon
2 pieces Swiss cheese

Directions:

Butter bread on one side of each piece
Place a slice of Swiss on one slice of bread.
Add sliced apples and slices of bacon. Top off with second slice of cheese and other piece of bread.
Add butter to sauté pan on medium heat. Add sandwich with butter side of bread into the pan.
Cook for 3-4 minutes or until cheese is melted. Flip sandwich and repeat.

There you have it folks. A rockin’ good start to celebrate International Bacon Day in style! Mark your calendars for International Bacon Day! To help you celebrate this pig-tastic day, grab a delicious bacon bundle of six different kinds of flavored bacon. In this bundle, you will find the Coastal Caliente Jalapeno Bacon and Baby Bubba’s Apple Cinnamon Bacon needed to make your bacon cocktails!

Enjoy the bacon and spread the bacon love!

(Swiss Apple Bacon Recipe: Jahn Kirchoff and Mike Maler of Lane Cafe and Tavern
Visit their website at www.delilane.com)

Sometimes company comes over unexpectedly for a surprise visit and the next thing you know, it’s getting late in the day and you want to make something special to mark the occasion and ensure that the event is a memory making experience.

So what do you do when you want to impress your guests without breaking the bank or spending too much time in a hot kitchen? That’s where Bacon Wrapped Roasted Beef Tenderloin comes in. It’s most definitely sophisticated and fancy, but at the very same time it’s uniquely hearty and down-home delicious!

Bacon Wrapped Roasted Beef Tenderloin

(Serves 8 with a slightly chilled, full bodied “red wine.”)

Ingredients:

3 pound beef tenderloin piece (large end), trimmed

2 1/4-inch-thick slices peeled garlic (from about 4 cloves)

1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 pound bacon slices

3 8 inch long fresh rosemary branches

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Using a small, sharp knife, cut twelve 1-inch-deep slits all over beef tenderloin.

Insert garlic slices into slits.

Rub pepper all over tenderloin.

Arrange bacon slices on work surface, overlapping slightly and forming rectangle.

Place 1 rosemary branch down center of bacon rectangle, perpendicular to bacon slices.

Place tenderloin atop rosemary branch. Place remaining 2 rosemary branches on top of the tenderloin.

Wrap bacon slices around tenderloin and rosemary to enclose tenderloin completely.

Place tenderloin in roasting pan, bacon ends down.

Roast tenderloin until meat thermometer inserted into center registers 125°F

Rare: roast for about 1 hour. Well Done: Roast for around 1 hour & twenty minutes.

Remove from oven.

Tent the roast with foil and let tenderloin stand for 10 minutes.

Transfer tenderloin to cutting board.

Using large sharp knife; cut tenderloin through bacon and rosemary into 1/2-inch-thick slices.

Serve & Enjoy!

Directions:

Beat the cream cheese and milk together in a small bowl until it is smooth and creamy.

Now add the onion, green pepper, cheese and eggs to the bowl and mix well.

Separate the dough into eight triangles

Lubricate your muffin pan cups with a thick coating of gourmet olive oil.

Place the dough triangles into the muffin pan, pressing the middle to the bottom and pushing the sides up the sides of the pan.

Sprinkle half of the crushed bacon pieces into cups.

Pour the egg mixture over bacon.

Top the cup off with your remaining bacon.

Bake the muffins in the oven, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until you can stick a butter knife in and it comes out clean!

Allow to cool for approximately 3 to 5 minutes to avoid burning your mouth.

Pig out!

 www.mygourmetconnection.com used Apple Cinnamon bacon to create to create a Bacon, Apple and Cider-Caramelized Onion Pizza

Lynne Web states, “This pizza recipe is full of contrasting flavor combinations. The onions and sliced garlic develop a mellow sweetness that’s accented by the cider, while the Granny Smith apples add a tart element. The most notable flavor, however, is the sugar-cured, hickory-smoked bacon with an apple-cinnamon rub (check the recipe notes for source information), although any top-quality bacon should do. The cheddar cheese adds a sharp bite, and the mild, smooth-melting Havarti pulls all the flavors together to create a truly mouth-watering pizza”

Ingredients
1/2 lb Apple-Cinnamon bacon, or other good quality bacon (see recipe notes for info)
2 large sweet onions, thinly sliced
6 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 cup apple cider
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
3 ounces Havarti cheese, grated
Pizza dough for one 10 x 15-inch crust (see recipe tips)
1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Preparation
Fry the bacon in a large pan until thoroughly cooked but not overly crispy. Drain on paper towels, reserving about 1 tablespoon of the drippings for cooking the onions. Cut the bacon into bite sized pieces and set aside.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings over medium heat. Add the onions and stir to coat. Season with about 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes, until the onions are softened and starting to develop color.

Add the garlic and the apple cider and continue cooking, stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes more, until the cider has evaporated and the onions are golden brown. Stir in the apples and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes until the apples are soft. Taste the mixture and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Remove from the heat, add the bacon pieces, mix well and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Roll the pizza dough into a 10 x 15-inch rectangle and place on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Allow to rest for about 10 minutes, then re-stretch a bit if necessary. Brush the crust lightly with the vegetable oil and place in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until puffed and slightly crisped on the bottom.

Remove from the oven and spread the onion, apple and bacon mixture over the top to within 1 inch of the edges. Sprinkle evenly with the grated cheddar and Havarti cheeses. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 7 to 10 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the crust is uniformly browned. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes before slicing.

Preparations Tips
1. If your pizza dough is refrigerated, bring to room temperature before using.
2. Place the Havarti cheese in the freezer for about 20 minutes for easier grating.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

For full details and to view the original article written by Lynne Web of www.mygourmetconnection.com click here.

As the famous old saying goes, “one great pork deserves another” and never has that truth been as obvious as it is in this delightfully decadent and deliciously delectably dish.

Designed to be prepared to perfection with “Coastal Caliente – Smoked Jalapeno Bacon,” but if that sounds too hot for your taste try some peppered bacon! 

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

4 Pork loin Del Monico Style pork chops
8 strips of Coastal Caliente – Jalapeno Bacon
2 pinches fresh cracked pepper per chop
1 bottle of Barbecue Sauce to marinate your chops

Directions:

Allow your chops to soak and saturate in Barbecue Sauce as a marinade in the refrigerator for 1 full day.

Remove the chops from the fridge and allow then to warm to near room temperature.

When the chops are ready to grill, sprinkle them each with 2 pinches of fresh cracked pepper.

Now wrap 2 pieces of Coastal Caliente – Smoked Jalapeno Bacon around each of your chops

Place the chops on the grill and cover turning them regularly to ensure that they cook evenly all the way through. Depending on the type of fuel, charcoal, wood, or propane, as well as how thoroughly cooked you prefer your meat, this could take anywhere from 12 to 16 minutes if you turn the chops every 2 minutes or so. Basically, as a general rule, they will be done when the bacon is done.  Serve with your favorite side dish and enjoy!

Bourbon, Bacon & Bean Balderdash! 

(Serves 4 average size folk)

Ingredients:

½ lb. Bacon

2 cups dried white beans
½ cup mozerlla cheese
2 small onions
1 whole clove
½ cup of Barbque Sauce

3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
2 shots bourbon
2 tablespoons of Salsa
1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider or white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco Sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

Soak the beans in a large bowl of clear, drinking water overnight.

Then carefully drain and rinse the pre-soaked beans and add them to a pot.

Peel the onion and cut it in lengthwise in half.

Insert the clove into one of the halves and place both pieces of onion in the pot with the beans.

Place the garlic and bay leaf into the pot and make sure that you cover the contents with water approximately one inch above the beans.

Pour in the 2 shots of bourbon and stir it in well.

Partly cover the pot, stir and simmer the beans for 50 to 60 minutes or until the beans are tender and just enough water remains to keep the beans wet.

Remove the onion, along with the inserted clove and bay leaf.

Add the salt to the pot and mix well.

Now, in a small bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients listed on the ingredient list, with the exception of the bacon and add this mixture to the beans, mixing well.

Add a slice of bacon to the pot and simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes until the beans have thickened.

Meanwhile, fry the rest of the bacon to a state of moderate crispiness then and pat with paper towels in order to remove all excess grease.

Slice the pieces of bacon into 1? pieces.

When you are ready to serve the beans, toss them with all but a few pieces of the fried bacon.

Garnish with the Mozzarella Cheese and remaining pieces of bacon.

Enjoy!