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Recipe: Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

07 Jun
Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

 

Is there a better comfort food than a great grilled cheese sandwich? Maybe. I think fried chicken and macaroni and cheese come pretty close. During a recent football party, I put together a grilled cheese menu and this one, the Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwich, was my favorite.

Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Assembling the Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

This grilled cheese uses Cheddar, cream cheese, jalapeño strips (all the ingredients in a jalapeño popper) and bacon. Why hasn’t anyone thought to add bacon to jalapeño poppers? That’s a mystery. Anyway, this is super easy to make and quick.

Ingredients:

  • 2 jalapeños, seeded and cut into strips
  • 4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
  • 10-12 pieces of nice crusty bread, cut along the bias
  • 4 TBSP cream cheese
  • 4 TBSP salted butter, melted
  • 1/2 pound sharp Cheddar cheese, sliced
Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Unsalted butter is a necessity when grilling sandwiches.

Directions:

  1. Preheat a panini press, griddle, grill or skillet.
  2. Spread cream cheese on one slice of bread.
  3. On another, place two slices of Cheddar cheese.
  4. Lay three or four jalapeño strips on the cream cheese side.
  5. Sprinkle bacon on top of cream cheese side.
  6. Place cheddar cheese side, cheese down on top of the cream cheese side.
  7. Brush melted butter on top of sandwich and place buttered side down on the panini press.
  8. Brush top side with melted butter.
  9. Shut panini press and grill four to five minutes or until Cheddar cheese is melted. Alternately, flip sandwich after two or three minutes if using a griddle, grill or skillet.
  10. Cut in half then serve.
Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Use a panini press to make the perfect grilled cheese sandwich.

You may think this Jalapeño Popper Grill Cheese Sandwich recipe is spicy, but to me, fresh jalapeños aren’t too spicy. Especially, when compared to pickled jalapeños. The peppers give the sandwich a nice crunch.

Be sure to pick a nice bread that won’t fall apart. I used a jalapeño-Cheddar bread from my local Whole Foods and it was perfect. Try this sandwich next time you need some good ‘ol fashioned comfort food.

 
3 Comments

Posted by on June 7, 2017 in Appetizers, Cookin', Entrees, Recipes

 

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Recipe: Golden Raisin and Bacon Scones

10 Jul
Golden Raisin and Bacon Scones

Golden Raisin and Bacon Scones

Having never made scones before, I wasn’t sure how this recipe would turn out. Luckily, it worked. Thanks bacon!

These Golden Raisin and Bacon Scones are a great sweet-savory treat around breakfast time.

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/4 cup self-rising flour
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 6 TBSP butter (the colder the better)
  • 1/2 cup cooked bacon (drained)
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
    • Golden Raisin and Bacon Scone Dough

    Golden Raisin and Bacon Scone Dough

  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400F.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together flour and sugar. Using a fork, cut in 6 tablespoons of butter until mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
  3. In a small bowl, combine bacon, golden raisins and walnuts.
  4. Stir 1 cup of bacon mixture into the flour mixture. Set remaining bacon mixture aside.
  5. In another small bowl, lightly whisk egg and cream together. Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in egg-cream mixture. Stir with a fork until the mixture is moist.
    6. Golden Raisin and Bacon Scones

    Golden Raisin and Bacon Scones Close-Up

  6. Divide dough into two balls of the same size.
  7. On a greased cookie sheet, place dough balls about 3 inches apart and pat each one into an 8-inch round.
  8. Using a knife dipped in flour, cut each round into 8 pieces, but do not separate.
  9. Sprinkle remaining bacon mixture over each round then bake 14-16 minutes until edges are light golden brown.
  10. Carefully separate each round into 8 pieces. Serve warm with fresh jam.

Scones make a great grab-and-go breakfast option if you don’t have time to prepare a full breakfast every morning.

Scones are also very customizable. You can easily substitute in the ingredients of your choice when making this recipe.

 
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Posted by on July 10, 2012 in Breakfast, Cookin', Recipes

 

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Recipe: Bacon-Jalapeño Deviled Eggs

19 Mar
Bacon-Jalapeño Deviled Eggs

Bacon-Jalapeño Deviled Eggs

No picnic is complete without deviled eggs. And what better way to take deviled eggs to another level than by adding bacon and jalapeño?

These Bacon-Jalapeño Deviled Eggs are sure to disappear very quickly so be prepared to whip up some more. Luckily, they’re very simple.

Ingredients:

  • 6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved
  • 4 slices thick-cut bacon
  • 1 fresh jalapeño, seeded and diced
  • 4 TBSP mayonaisse
  • Pinch of sugar
  • Pinch of chili powder
    • Deviled Egg Yolk Mixture

    The Egg Yolk Mixture

  • Pinch of salt
  • Pinch of garlic powder
  • Paprika, for dusting

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425F.
  2. Cut up bacon and place in a oven-safe pan. Bake bacon for roughly 20-25 minutes or until crispy throughout. Remove from oven and cool on a paper towel-lined plate. Once cooled, cut into small pieces.
  3. Remove the yolks from the hard-boiled eggs and place in a mixing bowl.
  4. To the yolks, add salt, garlic powder, chili powder, jalapeño and most of the bacon (save some bacon for later).
    5. Bacon-Jalapeno Deviled Egg

    Bacon-Jalapeño Deviled Egg

  5. Mash/mix all ingredients with large fork. Gradually incorporate mayo until a fluffy mixture is formed. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
  6. Using a pasty bag (or a Ziploc bag with a corner cut off), place yolk mixture into bag and squeeze into boiled egg white centers.
  7. Garnish with remaining bacon and dust with paprika.

Once the bacon is cooked, preparing these deviled eggs takes no time at all. And you’ll get a lot of flavor for a little time.

This is a dish you can take to any party. I guarantee they’ll be a hit.

 
3 Comments

Posted by on March 19, 2012 in Cookin', Recipes, Sides

 

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Recipe: Bacon Cheddar Biscuits

14 Dec
Bacon Cheddar Biscuit Dough

Bacon Cheddar Biscuit Dough

Biscuits from scratch can seem like a fairly daunting task. But don’t worry, this Bacon Cheddar Biscuit recipe is simple and you can go from step 1 to a finished batch in 45 minutes (cooking time included).

Rather than making plain biscuits, I added some bacon and cheddar to make this extra tasty. Feel free to add more cheese or more bacon if you so desire.

Ingredients

  • 6 slices bacon, diced
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 3/4 cup flour
  • 2 TBSP cornmeal
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 1 cup milk (I used 2%)
    • Frying Bacon

    Frying Bacon

  • 1 TBSP salt
  • 1 TBSP pepper
  • 1/4 cup chives, minced
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, frozen

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 450F.
  2. In a cast iron skillet, fry bacon until just crispy. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Discard or reserve all of bacon grease except for 1 tablespoon and set the skillet aside.
    3. Bacon Cheddar Biscuits

    Bacon Cheddar Biscuits

  3. Whisk all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Use a grater to shred butter and toss in with dry ingredients. Using a fork, cut the butter into the flour until pea-sized crumbs form.
  4. Stir in the bacon, cheese, chives and milk. Using a fork, mix until no dry flour remains.
  5. Sprinkle some flour on a clean counter and dump the dough on it. Sprinkle some more flour on top and using your hands, pat the dough into a circle about 1/2- to 1-inch thick. Use a biscuit cutter or other round item (such as a jar or glass) to cut out biscuit shapes. Transfer cut dough to the skillet. Reform remaining dough and cut more biscuits until no dough remains.
  6. Bake the biscuits for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
  7. Let biscuits cool for 5 minutes, then serve.

These biscuits go great with most meals. They’re especially an awesome way to make a breakfast biscuit sandwich.

No matter how you consume them, you can store them in a sealed container for several days. If you have any left over, that is.

 
1 Comment

Posted by on December 14, 2011 in Cookin', Recipes, Sides

 

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Recipe: Butternut Squash and Bacon Chowder

30 Nov
Butternut Squash and Bacon Chowder

Butternut Squash and Bacon Chowder

If you’ve seen some of my other recipes, you’ve probably figured out that I enjoy butternut squash. However, this is my favorite butternut squash recipe.

This is a very hearty soup that I think it restaurant-quality. In fact, a friend recently told me it was the best soup he’s ever had. I’m actually somewhat reluctant to share this recipe at all, but everyone should experience this dish at some point.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. butternut squash, cubed
  • 1 medium onion
  • 4 red potatoes
    • Butternut Squash

    Butternut Squash

  • 3 TBSP butter
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup milk (or cream)
  • 4 slices thick-cut bacon
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425F.
  2. Melt butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped onions and saute for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent.
  3. Add potatoes, butternut squash and chicken broth. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes.
  4. While soup is simmering, bake bacon on a foil-lined baking sheet until crisp.
  5. Remove soup from heat. Puree the soup with a blender (immersion or standard) or food processor until smooth.
    6. Bacon in Butternut Squash

    Adding in the Bacon to the Butternut Squash Puree

  6. Add the milk (or cream) and bacon, then stir. Return soup to heat and warm over medium, but do not boil rapidly. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

I highly suggest baking the bacon. It will cook evenly and be crisp all around.

It’s no secret that bacon goes well with everything, but it goes really well with the butternut squash and potato base for this chowder. And I’m calling it a chowder because it’s thicker than most soups. Enjoy!

 
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Posted by on November 30, 2011 in Cookin', Recipes, Soups/Stews

 

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