Bacon Pancakes

Pedro did it again...he sent me an email with 10 amazing idea's. This was one of them and my family loves these pancakes.  

 My husband thinks the size is perfect, he said they weren't all doughy like most pancakes.   The bacon just made the pancakes so delicious!  I will definitely make these again.

  

This is a self explanatory recipe.  Just make your favorite pancake recipe and pour it over the cooked

bacon.  In the recipe Pedro sent me they put the pancake mix on the griddle first and then put the bacon on top.  Then they added a little extra pancake mix on top of the bacon to cover it.  They were longer and skinnier and better looking but I am sure they taste the same and this is easier.

All Recipe Creamy Rice Pudding

This is the best Rice Pudding...easy and no cream so less calories. 

My only regret is I didn't double the recipe. 

Original recipe makes 4 servings Change Servings

Makes servings USMetricAdjust Recipe (Help)

Ingredients

                       

3/4 cup uncooked white rice                                                              

2 cups milk, divided               

1/3 cup white sugar      

1/4 teaspoon salt                                                                       

1 egg, beaten

2/3 cup golden raisins                                                    

1 tablespoon butter                                                    

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a saucepan; stir rice into boiling water. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

In a clean saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups cooked rice, 1 1/2 cups milk, sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat until thick and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup milk, beaten egg, and raisins; cook 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.

Mini Dessert pizza's

Recipe adapted from Pampered Chef

All the recipes I have found call for making a big pizza not the individual size.  I like the mini pizza's because they don't get soggy in the middle and it is nice to have your own pizza.  I had left over cream cheese frosting so I used that instead of yogurt.  The Pampered Chef recipe calls for yogurt... I like the cream cheese frosting better.

Ingredients

1 pkg of Pillsbury sugar cookies

1 to 2 banana's

10 to 12 strawberries

Ceam cheese frosting

Garnish with:

Reddi whip

Chocolate syrup

Cherries

Nuts

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients
4 tablespoons room-temperature unsalted butter
4 ounces room-temperature bar cream cheese
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract; beat until light and fluffy. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1 day.

Spaghetti Sauce and Meatballs

Papa's Favorite Spaghetti Sauce

   INGREDIENTS:

2-12 oz. cans of tomato paste

1 or 2 package[s] of dried porcini mushrooms

5 cups of warm water

2 cups red wine

2 medium yellow onions diced fairly small

5 or 6 good size cloves of garlic

½ to ¾ of a bell pepper – green is best, red OK – diced same size as the onion

½ bunch of Italian parsley, chopped fine

4 Tbs. olive oil

2 Tbs. mixed Italian seasonings

2 Tbs. dried basil (or ½ cup fresh chopped fine)

1 Tbs. dried oregano (or ¼ cut fresh chopped fine)

¼ tsp black pepper

Dash of nutmeg

Salt as needed (there is quite a bit in the tomato paste)

Ground beef –use 1 – 1.5 lbs if you are not adding meatballs/sausage, about ¾ to 1 lb. if you are.

5 or 6 Italian sausages if desired

Preparation:

      Place tomato paste, 3 cups of the water and the wine in the pot and stir it up to dissolve the paste. Add all the dry ingredients except salt. Add the chopped parsley too. Put garlic through a press or dice it finely and add to pot.  Use the olive oil and saute the onions and bell peppers.

      Soak the mushrooms in the other cup of water until soft, then chop them up a little and add them and the water to the pot. 

      Saute the onions in the olive oil in a large skillet until translucent. It’s O.K. to brown them slightly, but not too much, because they get bitter. Add the bell pepper to the onions after the onions have sauteed for a couple of minutes. 

      Add onion/pepper mix to pot and brown the ground beef in the skillet breaking it up as it cooks. The beef should be browned, not just cooked through. Add to pot with a slotted spoon so you do not get excess grease in the sauce. 

      Brown the meatballs in the same skillet. Get them pretty brown, as that will add flavor to the sauce. Add to sauce. 

      Cut sausage in half, so not too long, and brown them in same skillet. Add to sauce.

      Drain fat from skillet and deglaze with a little water or wine – add to sauce. 

The sauce should simmer over as low a heat as you can make it and still get it to simmer. It should simmer for at least 2 hours, preferably 4. Check it periodically to make sure it is not too thick – add water if necessary. 

MEATBALLS:

Ingredients: 

1 lb.  lean ground beef
1 lb.  ground pork
1 lb.  ground Italian Sausage
1 small yellow onion chopped fine
1 Tbs. mixed Italian seasoning
1/8 to ¼ cup finely chopped Italian parsley
2 lg eggs
1/4 grated parmesan
¼ tsp black pepper
½ tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1/3 Cup Panko or cracker crumbs (more if needed)

Preparation:     

      Mix everything but the breadcrumbs in a mixing bowl. Use your hands. If you are squeamish, use latex gloves, but you will not get it mixed up right with a spoon. After the mixture is uniform add breadcrumbs and mix with your hands adding more until consistency is OK for rolling into balls. Make balls about 1½ inch's in diameter, again using your hands.  I brown the meatballs in a frying pan and finish them in the oven.  I usually cook them for 20 minutes on 350.  If you cook the meatballs all the way on the stove top don't finish them in the oven.  I just usually cook a lot of meatballs and this speeds things up.  Cut a meatball in half to see if it is cooked.

This is one time baking and cooking at the same time saved me. 
I would have forgot the meatballs in the oven...if I wasn't making cupcakes.  Unfortunately I overcooked the meatballs when they where sitting in the oven while it preheated for the cupcakes.  They were very dry but tasted good when I put them in the spaghetti sauce.

 I had to buy the Italian spice, Basil and Oregano.  I tried to use Pesto and skip those ingredients and it didn't work.   I will put a tablespoon of Pesto in my meatball mixture if I happen to have some in the refrigerator.
 

Churro's

Recipe from Allrecipe

 Ingredients

 1 cup water

 2 1/2 tablespoons white sugar

 1/2 teaspoon salt

 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

 1 cup all-purpose flour

 2 quarts oil for frying

 1/2 cup white sugar, or to taste

 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine water, 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar, salt and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in flour until mixture forms a ball.
2. Heat oil for frying in deep-fryer or deep skillet to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Pipe strips of dough into hot oil using a pastry bag. Fry until golden; drain on paper towels.
3. Combine 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon. Roll drained churros in cinnamon and sugar mixture. 

         

Pillsbury Cream Puffs

I ran out of Churro's, so I pulled out a can of Pillsbury biscuits.      

1. Heat oil for frying in deep-fryer or deep skillet to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Cut biscuits into strips. Fry until golden; drain on paper towels.
2. Combine 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Roll drained biscuits in cinnamon and sugar mixture or here are 3 other variations~ powered sugar, chocolate glaze and chocolate glazed filled with vanilla pudding.  *** How I made my chocolate glaze in a hurry~ I just melted Wilton's Chocolate frosting in the microwave for about 20 seconds. 

Candied Bacon Waffles

     I am so happy I found this recipe at  Penny Candy Studious blog.

Rice Pudding Dave Lieberman

 Recipe adapted from  Dave's Lieberman 

You will love the texture of this pudding and how easy it is to make.

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• Pinch salt
• 1/2 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup Arborio rice
• 2 cups whole milk
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Few dashes ground cinnamon
• Whipped cream, for serving

Directions

Bring water, salt, and butter to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the rice, return to a boil, and then reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Shake the pan occasionally and cook until rice has absorbed the water but it still al dente, about 15 minutes.

Bring milk, sugar, vanilla, and a few dashes of cinnamon to a simmer in a separate saucepan. Add the cooked rice and cook at a simmer over medium-low heat until rice absorbs most of the milk and mixture starts to get thick and silky, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Transfer pudding to a large bowl and cool to room temp.
 ***note~ In Dave's recipe he calls for a large bowl~
I don't think so! Notice that only half of the bowl has rice pudding in it.

     Dave's recipe                                            Contessa's recipe

Rum Raisin Rice Pudding

I have been making so much Bread Pudding lately that I forgot about, "The Barefoot Contessa's" Rice Pudding.  My friend Dawn came over today and mentioned how much she loves rice pudding. So, I made some for her.  I have made the recipe several different ways... substituting half and half for cream, using just milk.  And each time I have loved the recipe.  

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa
Ingredients
1/3 cup long grain
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cream
3 1/2 cup 2% milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 extra large egg or 2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions
Combine rice, salt and 1 1/2 Cup water in a sauce pan. Bring to boil, stir once, and simmer, covered over low heat for 8 to 9 minutes, until most the water is absorbed.
Stir in the cup of cream, 3 cups milk, raisins and 1/2 cup sugar and bring to a boil.  Simmer uncovered for 25 minutes, rice should be soft.  Stir often, especially at the last 7 minutes.  I have scrambled the eggs a couple times so I alway temper it. Click here for directions.  Once you have tempered the eggs pour it in the rice and let it cook for 1 more minute.  Take the pan off the heat and add the remaining 1/2 cup of milk and vanilla.  Stir well, it's ready to serve.

Rice Crispy Sushi

Kids and some adults go crazy for Rice Crispy Sushi.

 Click here for the directions There are a lot of different ways to make sushi.  I have tried them all and they are all great.
Click here to see a great you tube video with instructions.

Directions
1.  I made Rice Crispy treats and rolled them out to 3/4 in. thick
2.  Then I used a glass or a round cookie cutter and cut them into circles.
3.  I use butter or powdered sugar to work with the rice crispy.  It keeps them from sticking to your cookie cutter or round glass.
4.  I wrapped a fruit roll up (foot long) around them, topped them with a Swedish fish  and tied
another thin strip of the foot long roll up around the sushi.
 I found that tying the knot is hard and now
I just tuck the fruit roll up string under the sushi.  It is much easier.