Tag Archives: bacon

Fried Rice


Posted by Erik

This one is easy to personalize, but the bacon is mandatory.

12 ounces uncooked bacon
4 ounces leftover (cooked) chicken, pork, etc. – optional
2 eggs
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 large carrot
1 can sliced water chestnuts – optional
2 cups bean sprouts
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 cups cooked (2 cups uncooked) white rice
6 green onions

 

Start cooking the rice. I use a rice cooker because I love rice.

Chop the onion. Shred the carrot with a large grater. Rinse the bean sprouts. Slice the green onions. Keep all these ingredients separate.

Rinse and drain the water chestnuts. Chop the larger pieces in half. Save the empty can for the bacon renderings

Cut the bacon into one inch strips and fry in a big frying pan. I recommend a 20 inch pan with 3 inch sides. Remove the bacon and drain the grease from the pan, reserving it for cooking the next ingredients. HINT: Use the can from the water chestnuts to hold your bacon grease.

Fry the vegetables in a couple tablespoons of bacon grease. Start with the hardest vegetables. The bean sprouts are last on my list. Do not add the green onions in this step. TRY: add different vegetables or (yuck) mushrooms.

Gently mix, not scramble, the egg and fry it in a tablespoon of the bacon grease. I perform this step in a smaller pan. Cook the eggs over hard, then use the spatula to cut it into small pieces. The goal is NOT to scramble the eggs.

Add the cooked rice to the frying pan with the vegetables. Add soy sauce and mix. Add bacon and eggs and mix gently. Garnish with green onions. HINT: If there is any left, it tastes even better the next day. It microwaves well.

ALTERNATIVES

Heart Attack Fried Rice – Omit the other ‘meats’ and get a whole pound of bacon. How about three eggs?

New Jersey Fried Rice – Substitute all the meats for 8 ounces (1/2 package) Taylor Ham, cubed. It did not produce any leftover grease, which sounds good, but there wasn’t anything to cook the onions and other ingredients in. In this culinary emergency, I used sesame oil to fry the vegetables.

Arbitrated Fried Rice – Use 12 ounces (uncooked) think-slice smoked bacon from the butcher for this alternative. Thick cut bacon cuts more easily into 1 inch pieces, and tasted much better than the pre-packaged kind. They were even prettier when fried. Add 1/2 cup of semi-cooked green peas from frozen; canned peas are gross. “Use what you have,” is a good motto for this recipe


Overnight Layered Salad


Posted by Erik

Overnight Layered Salad
From the kitchen of Mom

Place in order as layers in a high rimmed bowl:
1 head Iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 bunch green Onions, sliced with tops
1 can sliced Water Chestnuts, drained
1/2 Green Bell Pepper, sliced round
3 stalks Celery, sliced
other vegetables as desired
10 ounce package Peas, frozen

Top and seal with:
2 cups Best Foods mayonnaise
2 teaspoons sugar, sprinkled over mayonnaise
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt, sprinkled
1/4 tsp. garlic powder sprinkled

Refrigerate for at least 24 hours, then add:
3/4 pounds of chopped crispy fried bacon
3 hard cooked eggs, sliced
a few cherry whole tomatoes

I use a high rimmed glass bowl.  I had to search for a while to find one that was tall enough.  I eventually found mine at Goodwill.  It has a silver rim that adds to the presentation.

It’s important that the frozen peas be the top layer, before the mayonnaise.


Mom’s Potato Salad


Posted by Erik

Mom’s Potato Salad
From the kitchen of Mom

10 or more Brown potatoes, cooked until fork tender
10 Eggs, hard boiled
1 Onion, large chopped
1 teaspoon Pepper
1 teaspoon. Salt
1 Tablespoon Dill
1 + 1/2 cups Best Foods Mayonnaise – Hellman’s is okay
3 Tablespoon French’s Yellow Mustard
Garnish with parsley

Mix all ingredients together, best second day, if it lasts. What can I say, potatoes, hard boiled eggs, onion, and mayonnaise – how could I not like that?


Caesar Salad


Posted by Erik

Caesar Salad
From the kitchen of Mom

1 box Plain croutons
1/2 cup Olive oil
1 bud Garlic, soaked in olive oil

In shaker:
1 Egg, raw
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Pepper

For salad:
2 heads Romaine
8 ounces Bacon, fried and crumbled
a few cherry tomatoes
2 Eggs, hard boiled

I use the same bottle used to make Italian salad dressing.

Anchovies are gross.


Mom’s Potato Soup


Posted by Erik

Potato Soup
From the kitchen of Mom

5-6 Potatoes, diced
2/3 cup Onions, chopped
6 Tablespoons Butter
1 pound Bacon, fried and chopped (may use half or none)
1 cup Water
1 clove Garlic, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/8 teaspoon Pepper (or much more)
4 cups Milk
1 Tablespoon Parsley, chopped

Add onion, potatoes, melted butter and water to pot. Season with garlic, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook slowly until potatoes are medium soft. Add milk. Continue to cook until soup comes to a boil. Add parsley, adjust seasoning and heat through before serving. Sprinkle bacon on top before serving. May be halved

I never saw mom do this, but I sometimes add a cup or more of instant mashed potatoes after boiling the milk, makes for much thicker soup.  Oh how I love bacon, I would never make it without it.