Recipes

Baked Sweet Potato

Baked Sweet Potato

It saddles on up next to your entree at this huge steakhouse chain, but it’s not what it claims to be. Sure, the menu says “baked sweet potato,” but you’re actually getting a sweet and tender red-skinned yam underneath all that yummy melted butter and cinnamon/sugar. And don’t just get any yam for this top secret clone. You want to use garnet yams, if you have a choice. Then be sure to cook them long enough that the sugar in the yams begins to squirt out and burn in a couple of spots. Each yam should be tender, but not mushy. The skin on the outside will turn from red to greyish-brown, and inside it will be a hearty shade of black.
Couverts4
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Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Bake yams for 45 to 75 minutes (bigger yams take longer to cook).
  • When they are done, the outside will have darkened and the inside will be soft.
  • You may see liquid from the potato oozing out and charring.
  • When the potato is sliced open, the inside of the skin will be charred black from the caramelizing sugar in the potato.
  • This is a perfectly cooked potato.
  • To serve, slice a potato down the center.
  • Add two tablespoons of whipped butter, then sprinkle some cinnamon/sugar over the top.
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Course; Side Dish / Vegetables

Baked Potato Soup

Baked Potato Soup

“A house specialty full of baked potatoes and topped with Cheddar cheese, bacon and green onions.” The thick-and-creamy texture and rich taste of Tony Roma’s best-selling soup can be easily cloned with basic ingredients. This TSR version is thickened with a little flour, some half-and-half and, most notably, instant mashed potatoes. Give yourself an hour to bake the potatoes and around 30 minutes to prepare the soup. Garnish each serving with shredded cheese, crumbled bacon and green onions and you will have a home kitchen Tony Roma’s recreation that will surely impress.
Couverts8
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Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake the potatoes or 1 hour or until done.
  • When potatoes have cooked remove them from the oven to cool.
  • As potatoes cool prepare soup by melting butter in a large saucepan, and sauté onion until light brown.
  • Add the flour to the onions and stir to make a roux.
  • Add stock, water, cornstarch, mashed potatoes, and spices to the pot and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out contents with a large spoon.
  • Discard skin.
  • Chop baked potato with a large knife to make chunks that are about 1/2-inch in size.
  • Add chopped baked potato and half-and-half to the saucepan, bring soup back to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer the soup for another 15 minutes or until it is thick.
  • Spoon about 1 1/2 cups of soup into a bowl and top with about a tablespoon of shredded cheddar cheese, a half tablespoon of crumbled bacon and a teaspoon or so of chopped green onion.
  • Repeat for remaining servings.
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Course; Soup

Baked French Onion Soup

Baked French Onion Soup

Don't even try to find this one on the menu at Applebee's, because it isn't there; though it's the most popular soup served each day at this huge restaurant chain. This is the first of several big-time soup clones we'll unveil here in the next few weeks to help get you through the cold winter months. And they're all a cinch to make. Just be sure you have some oven-safe soup bowls for this one, since we'll have to broil it a bit before serving. Under the gooey melted provolone of the original version you get from Applebee's is a unique round crouton that's made from bread similar to a hamburger bun. So that's exactly what we'll use in our clone.
Couverts10
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Ingredients

Instructions

  • Add 3 tablespoons oil to a large soup pot or saucepan over medium/high heat.
  • Add the sliced onions and sauté for 20 minutes until the onions begin to soften and start to become translucent.
  • You don’t want them to brown.
  • Add the beef broth, water, salt, garlic powder and black pepper to the pan and bring mixture to a boil.
  • When soup begins to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.
  • To make the croutons cut off the top half of each top of the hamburger bun so that the bread is the same thickness
  • as the bottom half of each bun.
  • Throw the tops away.
  • Now you should have 10 round pieces of bread — 5 bottom buns, and 5 top buns with the tops cut off.
  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  • Place the bread in the the oven directly on the rack and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until each piece is golden brown
  • and crispy.
  • Set these croutons aside until you need them.
  • When the soup is done, spoon about 1 cup into an oven-safe bowl.
  • Float a crouton on top of the soup, then place a slice of provolone cheese on top of the crouton.
  • Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of shredded parmesan cheese over the provolone.
  • Place the bowl into your oven set to high broil.
  • Broil the soup for 5 to 6 minutes or until the cheese is melted and
  • starting to brown (you may need to broil longer if you are making more than one bowl at a time).
  • Sprinkle an additional
  • 1/2 teaspoon of shredded parmesan cheese over the top of the soup and serve.
  • Repeat process to prepare remaining servings.
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Course; Soup

Bake And Baste Chicken

Bake And Baste Chicken op rustieke houten tafel

Bake And Baste Chicken

Couverts4
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Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • In a small bowl, combine canola oil, honey, lime juice and paprika.
  • Place chicken, skin side up, in a 7×11 inch baking dish.
  • Apply mixture to chicken pieces in a single layer.
  • Bake in over for 35-40 minutes, basting every 8-10 minutes or until well browned and juices run clear when you cut into the thickest part of chicken.
  • Remove from oven.
  • Cover with foil for 15 minutes.
  • This softens chicken and keeps it hot until served.
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Course; Chicken

Bailey’s Irish Cream

Bailey’s Irish Cream

Couverts1 yield
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Ingredients

Instructions

  • Combine all the ingredients in a blender set on high speed for 30 seconds.
  • Bottle in a tightly sealed container and refrigerate.
  • The liqueur will keep for at least 2 months if kept cool.
  • Be sure to shake the bottle well before serving.
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Course; Alcohol / Cocktails

Bacon Swiss Crispy Chicken Sandwich

Bacon Swiss Crispy Chicken Sandwich on rustic wooden table

Bacon Swiss Crispy Chicken Sandwich

If you love crispy chicken sandwiches – and especially if you don’t live in the West – you’ll want to try out this clone of the tasty Carl’s Jr. creation. The recipe makes four of the addicting chicken sandwiches from the California-based chain, but will also come in handy for making a delicious homemade ranch dressing. Try using some lean turkey bacon, fat-free Swiss cheese, and fat-free mayonnaise if you feel like cutting back on the fat. Then you can eat two.
Couverts4
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Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat 6 to 8 cups of shortening in a deep fryer to 350 degrees.
  • If you don’t have a deep fryer, you can also pan
  • fry using a large frying pan and just a couple cups of shortening.
  • To prepare the ranch dressing, combine all of the ingredients except the water and gelatin in small bowl.
  • Mix the water with the gelatin in a small cup until all of the gelatin is dissolved.
  • Add this gelatin solution to the other ingredients and stir.
  • Cover and chill the dressing until it’s needed.
  • Beat the egg and then combine with 1 cup water in a small,
  • shallow bowl.
  • Stir.
  • Combine the flour, salt, paprika, onion powder and garlic powder in another shallow bowl.
  • Pound each of the breast fillets with a mallet until about 1/4-inch thick.
  • Trim each breast fillet until it is round.
  • Working with one fillet at a time, first coat each fillet with the flour, then dredge it in the egg and water mixture.
  • Coat the chicken once again in the flour and set it aside until all of the fillets have been coated.
  • Fry the chicken fillets for 8 to 12 minutes or until light brown and crispy.
  • As chicken is frying, prepare each sandwich by grilling the face of the hamburger buns on a hot skillet over medium heat.
  • Spread about 1 1/2 teaspoons of the ranch dressing on the face of the top and bottom buns.
  • On the bottom bun, stack a leaf of lettuce and a tomato slice.
  • When the chicken is done frying, remove the fillets from the fryer and drain them on paper towels or a rack for a couple minutes.
  • Stack one fillet on the bottom of the sandwich (on top of the tomato), then stack a slice of the Swiss cheese onto the chicken.
  • Arrange the bacon, crosswise, on top of the Swiss cheese, then top off the sandwich with the top bun.
  • Repeat the stacking process for each of the remaining sandwiches.
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Course; Chicken / Pork / Sandwiches

Apple Pie With Bacon Streusel

Apple Pie With Bacon Streusel

It’s almost an American obligation to love apple pie. But we expect apple pie with bacon may become more of a worldwide phenomenon. The apple mixture is boldly spiced to stand up to a streusel topping laced with bacon bits and crystallized ginger. The pastry shell is double baked for crispness. Cover the edges with foil if it is getting too dark while baking.
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Ingredients

Makes 1 (9-inch) pie

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375°F.
  • Toss together the apple slices and lemon juice in a large bowl.
  • In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, sugars and flour.
  • Toss the apples and spice mixture together to coat.
  • Fill the pie crust with the apple mixture and top with Bacon Streusel.
  • Bake until the top is browned and the apples are tender, 50-60 minutes.

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve warm or at room temperature
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Course; Pork

Bacon Buttermilk Caramels

Bacon Buttermilk Caramels

Another great gift idea or a special holiday treat, these caramels have a hint of saltiness and a sophisticated flavor that will please young and old alike.
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Ingredients

Makes 48 pieces

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Toast the hazelnuts in the oven until the skins are dark and the interiors are lightly browned and fragrant, about 8 minutes.
  • Transfer the nuts to a clean kitchen towel and rub briskly to remove the skins.
  • Chop coarsely.
  • Spray an 8×8 inch square baking pan with cooking spray.
  • Cut 2 (8×15 inch) pieces of parchment paper and lay 1 vertically and 1 horizontally in the pan so the pan is fully lined with extra paper coming up over the sides.
  • This will help you remove the caramels from the pan once they are cool.
  • Spray the parchment pieces with cooking spray.
  • Sprinkle the chopped hazelnuts and bacon evenly on the bottom of baking pan.
  • Set aside.
  • Combine the buttermilk and heavy cream in a large measuring cup.
  • Pour half of the mixed buttermilk and cream into a medium saucepan with the sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, and salt.
  • Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissolved.
  • Continue to cook without stirring for about 10 minutes.
  • Stir in the remaining cream mixture and continue to cook until the temperature reaches 250°F on a candy thermometer.
  • Remove the pan from heat and stir in the vanilla, being careful to protect your hands and face from any steam or bubbles.
  • Immediately pour the hot caramel into the prepared pan.
  • Leave to cool completely, at least 1 hour or overnight.
  • When the caramel is completely cold, lift it out of the pan with the parchment paper.
  • Cut the caramel into 48 even-sized pieces using a large, lightly oiled knife.
  • Wrap each caramel decoratively with wax paper and string.
  • Store at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
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Course; Pork

Bacon, Peanut Butter And Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Bacon, Peanut Butter And Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Bacon, peanut butter, and chocolate, it’s like a trifecta of bliss. This dough freezes well, so there is no reason why you can’t have a batch ready to bake off at any time.
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Ingredients

Makes about 24 (3½-inch) cookies

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
  • Sift it onto a large sheet of wax or parchment paper to make pouring it into the mixing bowl more convenient.
  • Beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth.
  • Add the sugar and brown sugar, and continue to beat until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes.
  • Beat in the peanut butter until fully incorporated.
  • Beat in the egg and vanilla until thoroughly combined.
  • Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the flour mixture in 2 additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  • Stir in the peanuts, chocolate chunks, and bacon.
  • Pour some granulated sugar in a small bowl.
  • Shape the cookie dough into 1½-inch balls.
  • Roll the balls in sugar and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
  • Flatten the cookies with the tines of a fork dipped in cold water to form a crisscross pattern.
  • Bake the cookies until they are golden brown, 12-14 minutes.
  • For best results, rotate the pans front to back and top to bottom halfway through cooking.
  • Cool the cookies for 2 minutes on the baking sheets before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.
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Course; Coockies / Biscuit / Pork

Bacon Baklava

Bacon Baklava

How can those delicate layers of pastry and nuts possibly be improved upon, except with bacon? Phyllo dough can seem scary at first, but once you understand that the sheer quantity of layers will mask the flaws of any individual sheet, you will gain confidence. Orange flower water and rose water are available at gourmet shops and Mediterranean markets.
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Ingredients

Makes about 24 servings

  • ½ pound raw walnut pieces
  • ½ pound raw pistachio meats
  • 1 cup cooked and crumbled bacon about 12 slices
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1¼ cup 2½ sticks unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 package 16 ounces phyllo dough, thawed
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup honey
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • ¼ cup orange flower water or rose water

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F
  • In a food processor, pulse the nuts until they are ground, but not turned into meal.
  • Add the bacon, sugar, and cardamom and pulse a few more times until the nut mixture is finely chopped and evenly blended.
  • Begin layering the baklava.
  • Brush a jellyroll pan, or sheet pan with sides, generously with the melted butter.
  • Unroll the phyllo dough and cover the sheets with a piece of plastic wrap and a damp towel.
  • This keeps the sheets from drying out while you are layering the baklava.
  • Read the package for detailed handling instructions.
  • Place a sheet of phyllo on the sheet pan and brush it with melted butter.
  • Repeat with 6 more sheets of phyllo dough and butter for a total of 7 sheets.
  • You do not have to cover every last inch of the phyllo with butter, but try and have it evenly dispersed between all of the layers.
  • Spread ⅓ cup of the nut mixture evenly over the phyllo.
  • Top the nuts with two more buttered sheets of phyllo.
  • Continue sprinkling with ⅓ cup of the nut mixture adding two sheets of buttered phyllo until all of the nut mixture is used.
  • Top with a final layer of 7 buttered phyllo sheets.
  • Use a sharp knife to cut the uncooked baklava into 24 diamond shapes.
  • Bake the baklava until it is brown and crisp, 30-35 minutes.
  • While the baklava is baking, combine the water, sugar, and honey in a saucepan.
  • Gradually heat the mixture until the sugar dissolves.
  • Add the cinnamon stick and bring the mixture to a boil.
  • Reduce the heat slightly and simmer for 25-30 minutes.
  • Remove the pan from heat, add the orange flower water and cool slightly.
  • Pour the syrup evenly over the baklava as soon as it comes out of the oven.
  • Make sure you get the syrup in every crack and crevice.
  • Leave to soak for several hours.

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve at room temperature and store leftovers in the refrigerator.
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Course; Pork