Alsatian Bacon and Onion Pizza

Anyone else have a husband who loves bacon?  So much so that you got him "Bacon of the Month Club" for his wedding gift, a Bacon cookbook for Valentine's Day, Bacon vodka for our anniversary, made Bacon Chocolate Cupcakes for his birthday, and bought a You Had Me At Bacon" T-shirt for Christmas?  Well, if you're like me, and your husband considers bacon a food group all on its own, then this pizza is surely the way to your bacon man's heart. 

Traditionally, this Alsatian dish is composed of a thin bread dough rolled out in a rectangle and is covered with fromage blanc, thinly sliced raw onions, and bacon lardons.  It is traditionally baked at a very high heat so the edges of the crust are almost charred.  This recipe is a delicious interpretation, and no surprise - my husband absolutely LOVED it (and so did I).  

It's creamy, it's oniony, it's bacony, and according to my husband, "It's the best pizza I ever made."  Works for me!

Alsatian Bacon and Onion Pizza

Ingredients

• 1 can refrigerated pizza crust (I used Pillsbury Thin Pizza Crust) OR 1/2 pound pizza dough


• 1 teaspoon olive oil


• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese


• 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour


• 1/2 cup sour cream


• salt and freshly ground black pepper


• 1/4 pound thickly sliced smoky bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips


• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.


2. In a small bowl, whisk together the ricotta, flour, and sour cream.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.


3. In a medium skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until the bacon is crisp.  Leaving the rendered fat in the pat, transfer the bacon bits to a paper towel to drain.  Add the onions to the fat in the pan and cook until softened and slightly caramelized.  Remove the pan from the heat and let cool.


4. Spread the pizza dough onto a baking sheet that has been lightly greased with 1 teaspoon olive oil.  Spread the ricotta sour cream mixture on top of the dough to within 1/4 inch of the edge.  Sprinkle with the bacon and onions. Bake on the bottom rack of the oven for about 10-12 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown (ovens and crust thicknesses vary, so keep an eye on it).  Cut into squares and serve.

*Slightly adapted from Food and Wine.

Baked Pork Chops with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Before I came across this recipe, I always associated pork chops with the word "dry" and therefore always stayed away from them.  Then I got married.  And now, much to the hubs' delight, I'm a seasoned pork chop maker.  This recipe converted me.

After trying more "pork chops with mushroom sauce" type recipes than I can count, this one stood out as the tried and true winner.  The most tender and juicy pork chops I've ever had, no chopping required (quick prep!), and made with ingredients I usually already have on hand.  This recipe is pork chop perfection!  Serve with a side of rice or potatoes and some green veggies and dinner is done!

Note:  A few handfuls of sliced fresh mushrooms are a great addition to the sauce if you have them on hand.  Speaking of the sauce...  It's really good, so you might want to double it for extra dipping.

Baked Pork Chops with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Ingredients

• 6 pork chops
• 1-2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon seasoning salt (I prefer Lawry's brand)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups Italian-style seasoned breadcrumbs (I made my own using Italian seasoning)
• 4 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 (10.75 oz.) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/3 cup white wine (to omit the wine just double the milk)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Season pork chops with garlic powder and seasoning salt.
3. Place beaten eggs, flour, and breadcrumbs in 3 separate shallow bowls.
4. Lightly dredge the pork chops in flour, dip in the egg, and then coat liberally with breadcrumbs.
5. Heat the 4 Tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet set over medium-high heat.  Once hot, add the pork chops and cook for 5 minutes per side or until breading is well-browned.  Transfer the pork chops to a 9x13 inch baking dish, cover with foil, and bake for 45 minutes.
6. While the chops are baking, whisk together the soup, milk, and white wine in a small bowl.
7. After baking for 45 minutes, remove the chops from the oven and cover them in the soup mixture.  Replace the foil and bake for another 30 minutes.

*Recipe slightly adapted from Allrecipes.com

Simple Slow Cooker Pot Roast

This is pure comfort food.  A cinch to prep and absolutely delicious.  I'd never made a pot roast before, but several friends of mine had mentioned it was a perfect meal for the crock pot, so I figured I'd give it a shot.  I knew it would please the hubs, who is just as much of a meat and potatoes guy as the next, and I also knew it would result in a meat that would be tender enough to serve to my 10 month old.  He had never had red meat before this meal, so I wasn't sure what his reaction would be, but sure enough, I put a few thin shreds of the beef in front of him, and he dug right in without hesitation and immediately went for a second, third, and fourth bite until it was gone.  I have a feeling he'll be a meat and potatoes guy just like his Daddy. 

Another bonus to this dish (for all the parents of little ones out there), is that the slow cooking of the vegetables in this dish made them incredibly tender and perfect for serving to a little one such as my son...who only has 6 teeth.  Cut into small pieces, he went to town.  (You could even mash them easily with a fork if your little one is still eating purees.) 

Any meal I can prep that makes everyone happy and doesn't require me to be a short order cook is a super win in my book!

This dish wasn't just about convenience though.  I believe my husband said, "This is good.  Wow, this is really good.  No, really - this is really good!" at least 5 times throughout the meal...and then again after he went up for a second helping.  So I'll take that as a sign of a true keeper.

Simple Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Ingredients

• 3-4 lb. roast


• 2 (10 3/4 oz.) cans cream of mushroom soup


• 1 envelope dry Beefy Onion soup mix


• 1 Tablespoon worcestershire sauce


• 1 teaspoon dried thyme or rosemary (I used thyme)


• 2 cups baby carrots


• 2 cups small potatoes (I kept mine whole since they were small, but you might want to halve yours if they're on the large side)


• 8 oz. sliced mushrooms

Directions

1. Combine the cans of soup, dry onion soup mix, and worcestershire sauce in the crock pot and mix until combined.


2. Place the roast in the pot. 


3. Add the carrots, potatoes, and mushrooms (and any other veggies you're in the mood for). 


4. Cook on low for 4 hours and then turn the heat up to high and cook for another 2-4 hours.  (You could also do high for 3-4 hours or low for 7-9 hours.  4 on low followed by 2 on high is the route I chose though, and it resulted in a ridiculously tender meat.)

Note:  This is a versatile recipe in that you can vary the herbs and use any veggies you have in the fridge (onion, celery, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, etc.).  You could even leave out the veggies and just prep them on the side if you wish.

*Adapted from allrecipes.com.

Crock Pot Beef Bourguignon

Who doesn't love the crock pot?  As they say, "Set it, and forget it!"  Well not this one.  About an hour into cooking this one pot meal and your whole house will be filled with the aroma of this glorious beef stew look alike, making it next to impossible to forget what you'll be eating for dinner that night.  Best of all, this recipe only takes 5 minutes to prep, yet it will taste like you slaved in the kitchen for hours.  Perfect for a cold winter day served with egg noodles or a loaf of crusty french bread to soak up all the yummy goodness.

Crock Pot Beef Bourguignon

Ingredients

• 1 can (10 3/4 oz.) condensed Cream of Mushroom soup


• ½ cup dry red wine


• 1 package (1.25 oz.) Beefy Onion Soup Mix


• ½ tsp dried thyme


• 1.5 lbs. lean beef chuck, cut in chunks


• 2 cups baby carrots


• 8 oz. sliced mushrooms (any kind)


• Pepper to taste


• Egg noodles (optional)

Instructions

1. Combine the cream of mushroom soup, red wine, soup mix, and dried thyme in a 3 qt. slow cooker and stir until blended.


2. Add the beef, baby carrots, and sliced mushrooms to the pot and stir until coated.


3. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low 8-10 hours. 


4. Season with fresh ground pepper and a sprinkling of thyme. 


5. Serve alone with a crusty loaf of french bread or with egg noodles.

Something to try:  Next time I make this recipe I’d like to try adding halved small potatoes and a small bag of frozen peas for even more of a beef stew feel.

Serves 4

*Recipe courtesy of one of the many yummy food blogs I follow, Tasty Kitchen.