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You are here: Home / Archives for Bacon

Bacon

Review: Quesadillas by Donna Kelly (I LOVE this Cookbook to Distraction!)

April 11, 2022 By Joi Sigers

Chicken Bacon and Ranch Quesadillas

Four-Layer Folded Ranch

I was recently sent a copy of a wonderful Quesadilla cookbook in exchange for telling you all about it and I KNOW you’ll love it as much as I do.  Quesadillas by Donna Kelly (Amazon link) is a dream come true for me for more reasons than one.

  1. When you have to eat gluten-free, you turn to gluten-free tortillas, like the AMAZING ones from Mission (Amazon link) often. Roll-ups, wraps, quesadillas, burritos, etc. Things you can’t put in pliable bread, you can most absolutely put in pliable gluten-free tortillas!
  2. I am obsessed… obsessed I tell you… with everything even remotely connected to Mexican or even Tex-Mex.
  3. Quesadillas are a meal that comes together really fast. Meal prep can all be done ahead of time, leaving you with only one task – put it all together and make the magic happen.
  4. This is a cookbook with easy to find (I’ve found that I usually have the ingredients on hand) recipes – ones you’ll use again and again and again.
  5. It’s a physical cookbook. Let me tell you why I find this to be a HUGE plus… I detest searching through my phone, files, and drawers for a recipe! Detest it like a shy 12 year old kid hates giving an oral book report in front of a roomful of other kids with every single eye staring a hole right through me… I mean her. Physical books mean the recipe is always right where you left it. Each and every time.

Book Description from Amazon:

Simply put, the quesadilla is a delightful package of melted cheesy goodness―all sandwiched inside crispy tortillas. But now these little gooey snacks we all used to make as kids have evolved into savory meals and scrumptious desserts that are bursting with flavor. Featuring all new photography, Quesadillas contains some of these delicious favorites, including Roasted Veggie and Goat Cheese, Thai Peanut, Parmesan-Crusted Italian, Chicken Caesar, Philly Cheesesteak, Peanut Butter Apple, Triple Chocolate Decadence, and Pecan-Crusted Pear.

The first recipe I made was the one titled Four-Layer Folded Ranch. It involves bacon, cream cheese, Ranch dressing mix, chicken, tortillas, pepper jack cheese… see why I chose it first?? It’s pictured at the top and was even more delicious than it looks.

Remember how I spoke of meal prep above? I am a firm believer and ardent follower of the meal plan attack for suppers. I have the JOY (one of the greatest blessing of my life if we’re keeping score) of watching my grandbabies (from around 8:00am to 4:00-5:00 pm) while their parents are at work. I have two (ages 4 and 2, both boys) every weekday and some days also have their cousin (18 months, also a boy!). My days are FULL of fun, dinosaurs, Hot Wheels, laughs, and immeasurable love.

They’re also deliciously busy – and, if you’re familiar with little people, you know that between 3-5 is the crazy zone. I mean, they kick it up a notch or 50 around then, don’t they?! That’s why I love meal prep and that’s why I turn to things like quesadillas so often.

For the quesadillas pictured at the top, I cooked the chicken and the bacon earlier and placed them in meal prep containers. Then I sliced the cheese and combined the other ingredients I’d need. When 5:00 came, all I had to do was heat up the gridle and throw everything in place.

Whether it’s adorable miniature humans or a not so adorable 9-5 job, meal prep may be your new best friend.

Other Recipes Include:

  • Crowd-Pleaser Sheet Pan (Giant Quesadilla!)
  • Old World Mexico (potatoes and chorizo)
  • S’Mores (a scrumptious looking dessert)
  • Peaches and Cream
  • Greek Isles (Feta, spinach, black olives…)
  • Black and Blue (spicy beans and several cheeses)
  • Four-Layer Folded Caprese (cream cheese, diced tomatoes, mozzarella, basil..)

There are International, Vegetarian, Meat-y, and dessert recipes as well as a section for salsas and sauces… they are amazing.

I can’t recommend this wonderful cookbook enough. I know you’ll love and use it as much as I do!

For more information, please see  Quesadillas by Donna Kelly (Amazon link).

Quesadillas by Donna Kelly

Quesadillas by Donna Kelly


Filed Under: Bacon, Cookbook Reviews, Daily Gift Ideas for Foodies, Gift Ideas for Cooks, Gluten Free Tagged With: best cookbooks, cookbook review, Cookbooks, quesadillas

The BEST Bacon is Made in the Oven-Baked Bacon (Here’s How)

April 26, 2021 By Joi Sigers

Oven Baked Bacon at 400 degrees

Oven-Baked Bacon

It’s already been established on the food blog that I’m a huge Rachael Ray fan. If she makes it, I buy it and use it. If she tapes it, I watch it and watch it. When I saw her bake bacon in the oven on an episode, I immediately bought her baking sheet (with a rack) and couldn’t wait to test the results.

The Rachael Ray Bacon Baking Sheet with Rack QUICKLY became one of my favorite things in the kitchen. How much did I love it? Well, I ordered a second one immediately.

I’ve used it most often for baking bacon but it is also ideal for roasting vegetables and, of course, the baking sheet itself can be used for anything, simply remove the rack.

The Best Oven-Baked Bacon

The basics (please read below for the whys and hows): Place your bacon onto the pan. Place into a cold oven and THEN turn on the heat to 400 degrees. Cook for 20 minutes.

Bacon in the oven simply tastes better and I have to admit, I was surprised just how much better. I also love that it doesn’t curl up – especially useful for breakfast wraps, crispy homemade bacon bits for salads, and BLTs.

(Continued below the goodness….)

Oven Baked Bacon at 400 degrees for 20 minutes

Oven-Baked Bacon at 400 degrees for 20 Minutes

While I, of course, use my baking sheet with rack for cooking bacon in the oven, it isn’t a necessity. You can put your bacon directly on a foil-lined baking sheet and you’ll do just fine. I have experimented for months with oven-baked bacon (I love my life) and these are my tips of the trade:

  • Buy good bacon. The whole bacon is bacon premise is incorrect and when you try different brands you’ll see what I mean. Smithfield and Oscar Meyer are the two I buy the most frequently.
  • Don’t pre-heat the oven. I mean, you CAN, but putting the bacon into a cold oven, then turning on the heat, seems to cause the bacon to render its fat more slowly (which is a delicious thing) and more evenly, as in less instances of a slice of bacon that’s half crispy and half fatty.
  • Baking Times Vary. Not only do oven temperatures and personalities vary, people’s individual preferences vary too. My husband likes for his bacon to be crisp whereas I like for mine to bend if you hold him out like a diving board. Use 400 degrees and 20 minutes as a “guide,” not as an “absolute.” Use this approach, but check the bacon at the 15 minute mark – unless you like yours to bend even more than I do, it will not be ready to eat at this point, but you’ll get an idea of how much further you want to go.
  • Keep Time. When you discover your favorite time frame for baking the bacon just as you like, write it down and put it someplace you’ll ALWAYS know where it is. On the refrigerator, in a frequently-used recipe box, or tattooed on your arm – this is vital information, treat it as such!

Not even remotely and ad and I have not been paid to say anything (if only I were paid to talk, I’d talk all the way to the bank!), but I highly recommend this Oscar Mayer Naturally Hardwood Smoked bacon, pictured below. Extraordinary and worth the extra pennies.

Oscar Meyer Baon

I just realized I don’t have a category for bacon on the food blog. What kind of madness is this?! I’m about to take care of that irresponsible oversight…

Done.


Filed Under: Bacon, Breakfast and Brunch, Cooking Tips, Food Reviews, Rachael Ray Tagged With: bacon in the oven, best bacon, oven-baked bacon

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Welcome to the Get Cooking Food Blog

My name is Joi (“Joy”) and Get Cooking is where I celebrate some of my greatest passions: Recipes, kitchen gadgets, gluten free food reviews, gluten free recipes, pig collectibles, chocolate, cookbooks, and coffee.

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