Tag: bacon

Recipes and Cooking

Loaded Potato Soup in Crockpot

Brandi C

Loaded Potato Soup in Crockpot

Loaded Potato Soup in Crockpot

When I was cleaning out all areas of my kitchen, I had a few things I needed to use up before they went bad. Here is how I can up with Loaded Potato Soup in Crockpot. It was really easy to make and I was able to clean out a lot of “little bits of things” I needed to use.

8-10 potatoes, peeled, washed, cubed

8 tsp chicken bouillon powder

Seasoning mix

32 oz. water

In crockpot, place all of those items.

Next Up

Take 1 onion and chop it up and put it in a saute pan with some bacon grease and a pat of butter. Cook until it is translucent. Once that is done, mix in the crockpot. Stir well. It would have been good to add in some fresh mushrooms to saute down with the onion and garlic. I am also not opposed to throwing broccoli in there, but be sure and season it.

Cook on high for 2-3 hours and then turn it to low, if you have the time. Once the potatoes are fork tender is when I ladle some out into a big bowl. In that bowl of hot potatoes, I had 1 c. sour cream and 1 can cream of potato soup. I used my immersion blender to blend that up. Pour this mixture back into the soup. Next, add 2 good handfuls of cheddar and 1 c. heavy cream. You will need to put some extra chicken bouillon flavoring in it and a tad bit more seasoning.

Stir, cover, and let sit till all working together for the glory of God.

Almost Done

Get some bacon in the oven and start cooking on that. While that is cooking, chop up some green onions, and get out the cheddar for garnish (and more LOL). Get the cooked bacon out, drain and then crumble it up for a topping. You can top your soup with green onion, more cheddar, bacon, biscuits, or more sour cream. Also, you can serve with crackers.

Enjoy.

Recipes and Cooking

Hashbrown Chicken Casserole

Brandi C

Hashbrown Chicken Casserole

As I searched through my freezer, fridge, and pantry, I came up with this dish. At the end of this post, I’ll share what I plan to do differently next time. This recipe fills a 13×9 dish, ensuring we have leftovers.

Next time, I’ll split the batch—using a smaller glass dish for immediate cooking and an aluminum pan for freezing. By covering it well and storing the extra, I can stock up my freezer. Making a large batch and freezing half allows me to build up meals over time. In my case, I usually do this once a month, giving me enough homemade meals to last an entire month. Cook once, enjoy leftovers, and freeze the rest—you won’t regret it!

Ingredients

Chicken (I had frozen Tyson grilled chicken. You can use canned chicken, cook a whole chicken, or buy a rotisserie chicken or chicken breasts. I sound like the guy off of Forrest Gump describing the different types of shrimp.)

Bacon (bits or fry and crumble)

Seasoning

Garlic butter (I used leftover Papa John’s garlic butter)

Minced garlic

Onion, chopped

Portobello mushrooms, chopped

Two c. sour cream

One can of corn, drained

1/3 c. milk

Bread crumbs

Cheddar

Hashbrowns (I bought the cubed southern hashbrowns that have chopped-up peppers)

Cheesy Ranch Chicken & Hashbrown Bake

Ingredients:

  • 1 bag frozen hashbrowns
  • 1–2 packets dry ranch seasoning mix
  • 4 tbsp garlic butter (or ghee)
  • 1 lb chicken tenders, chopped
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (divided)
  • ½ cup Italian bread crumbs (or Panko)
  • Salt, pepper, and any additional seasoning of choice
  • Optional: chopped bell peppers, bacon bits or cooked bacon, chopped spinach

Directions:

  1. Preheat & Prepare – Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 13×9 baking dish and spread the hashbrowns evenly in the dish. Sprinkle with seasoning and one packet of ranch mix, then toss to coat. Dot with garlic butter or ghee.

  2. Prepare the Chicken – In a large bowl, mix the chopped chicken with another packet of ranch seasoning, a handful of shredded cheddar, and any additional seasonings. Stir until well combined.

  3. Assemble the Dish – Spoon the chicken mixture over the hashbrowns. Sprinkle with Italian bread crumbs (or Panko) and the remaining cheddar cheese.

  4. Bake – Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until golden and bubbly.

  5. Serve – Enjoy with buttered garlic toast or your favorite side!

Next Time Adjustments:

  • Add larger chunks of chopped bell peppers.
  • Use two packets of ranch seasoning for extra flavor.
  • Try frying bacon instead of using bacon bits and cook the chicken in bacon grease for added depth.
  • Consider adding chopped spinach.
  • The jury is still out on corn—it adds a sweet pop, but the texture is different.

 

 

Recipes and Cooking

Spaghetti Carbonara

Brandi C

Spaghetti Carbonara

Easy Spaghetti Carbonara – A Shelf-Cooking Favorite

Spaghetti Carbonara is a simple, satisfying dish that comes together with just a handful of ingredients. It’s the perfect shelf-cooking pasta recipe, using staples I always keep on hand. To round out the meal, I like to serve it with garlic cheese bread and a Caesar salad—quick, easy, and delicious.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. pasta (I used linguine)
  • Seasoning mix (your favorite blend)
  • 3 room-temperature eggs
  • Bacon (reserve 3 Tbsp. of bacon grease)
  • Fresh mushrooms (sliced)
  • 1 large onion (sliced)
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • Parmesan cheese (a generous amount)
  • Reserved pasta water (about 2 ladles)

(Want to mix things up? Try adding sautéed bell peppers or spinach for extra flavor!)

Directions

Cook the Bacon & Veggies

  • Cook the bacon until crispy, then remove and crumble.
  • In the same pan, sauté garlic, mushrooms, and onions in the reserved bacon grease until soft. (Spinach would also be a great addition here!) Remove from heat and set aside.

Prepare the Egg Mixture

  • Crack 3 room-temperature eggs into a bowl and lightly beat them.
  • Ladle about 2 scoops of hot, starchy pasta water into the eggs, whisking constantly. This helps temper the eggs, so they don’t scramble when added to the pasta.

Cook the Pasta

  • Boil linguine (or your pasta of choice) in salted water until al dente.
  • Drain the pasta and return it to the pot while it’s still hot.

Bring It All Together

  • Add 3 Tbsp. of reserved bacon grease and the sautéed vegetables to the pasta.
  • Use tongs to toss everything together, evenly coating the noodles.
  • Slowly pour in the egg mixture, continuously tossing the pasta to create a silky sauce.
  • Add lots of Parmesan cheese, stirring until fully incorporated.
  • Finally, mix in the crumbled bacon and serve immediately!

Final Thoughts

This meal was so freaking good and ridiculously easy to make. My family loved it. If you want a vegetarian option, just skip the bacon (though in my house, that’s not happening). I may experiment with turkey bacon next time for a slightly lighter version.

After 30 years of cooking, I’ll admit—some nights, I am just over it. The inspiration runs dry, and I find myself staring at the fridge with zero motivation. That’s why I’ve started writing down my favorite recipes and tweaking them to fit my family’s tastes.

Originally, I found this dish in a Rachael Ray cookbook back when I was obsessed with collecting cookbooks. Now? They just sit on my shelf collecting dust. Maybe it’s time to dust them off and find some new inspiration!

The beauty of cooking is making a recipe your own—adjusting flavors, swapping ingredients, and creating something that works for your family. So, grab your pantry staples and give this one a try! You won’t regret it. 🍝

Recipes and Cooking

Loaded Chicken & Potato Casserole

Brandi C

Loaded Chicken & Potato Casserole

Loaded Chicken & Potato Casserole

Loaded Chicken & Potato Casserole is quickly becoming one of my family’s favorite recipes. I’ll be just writing this as I cook it because the “proper way” is not my style, it irritates me, and this way, I don’t forget anything.

I bought a family pack of boneless skinless chicken breasts. All the chicken was placed in my instant pot with my seasoning mix (if you want this recipe to be garlic-free, then use 1 c. kosher salt, 1/8 c. pepper, 1/2 c. onion powder) and minced onions. There was a total of about 6 c. water that was used. The instant pot was set on manual for 20 minutes. For the love, save the broth. Let it cool in a bowl overnight, and then skim the fat off the top. You can store this in a DOUBLE BAGGED gallon freezer bag to use for anything under the sun.

While That was Cooking

I fried up a pound of bacon. I also chopped up an onion, and I fried that in the bacon grease. Once my chicken was done, I kept out 3 large chicken breasts. The rest, I put in a baggie and froze. You can use a large bowl and shred it up. I added more seasoning and put in 4 packets of dry ranch mix.  You could get away with using 2 packets if you wish (I just wanted the flavor).

I also cut up some green onions, 6 large potatoes (cubed, peeled, or unpeeled), 1/2 c. sour cream, my chopped-up bacon, 2 T. of bacon grease, a ladle of the chicken broth, and I smooshed it all together with my hands cause the spoon was not cutting it.

In the meantime, I shredded up some smoked gouda (you could use any cheese). I put, in a greased 13×9 dish, 1/2 the chicken/potato mixture, then the cheese, then the chicken, and topped it with cheese.

Cover and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 minutes.

Loaded Chicken & Potato Casserole is not just filling but bursting with flavors that make it a perfect comfort food for busy nights. It’s incredibly versatile too—you can swap out ingredients depending on what you have on hand. If you’re not a fan of smoked gouda, try cheddar or mozzarella for a different taste. The bacon and ranch seasoning create a savory punch, and the creamy texture from sour cream makes it irresistibly good. It’s a family-friendly dish that’s sure to satisfy everyone at the table. Plus, it’s easily customizable, making it a staple in my kitchen for any occasion.

It was good. Happy cooking.

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Recipes and Cooking

Copycat Alice’s Chicken From Outback

Brandi C

Copycat Alice's Chicken From Outback

Copycat Alice’s Chicken From Outback

We love this Copycat Alice’s Chicken From Outback. It is one of our favorite dishes.

Boneless skinless chicken breasts

Seasoning

Honey Mustard

1/2 stick butter

1# bacon, fried (save the grease)

Colby/Jack Cheese

2 c. fresh spinach

Fresh mushrooms

Directions

Cook your bacon on your broiler pan. It does not shrink up, and the grease catches in the bottom.

Cut your chicken into thin strips. Marinate them in the honey mustard for about an hour. In your electric skillet (well, that’s what I use), put in your leftover grease and the 1/2 stick of butter, and let that meltdown. Put your chicken in the skillet and put some seasoning on it.

When that is done, put it in a single layer in a greased 13×9 pan (I used 2 aluminum pans). On top of the chicken, put the crumbled bacon (I also used some bacon bits because I was cooking for *a lot* of humans). Next, put a layer of Colby/jack, spinach, and then Colby jack. Pour the leftover grease, butter, and the honey mustard’s drippings over your chicken’s top.

Cook at 350 for about 30 minutes.

Thoughts

Outback Steakhouse makes great Alice’s Chicken! I mean, it is good. There are so many ways to alternate the recipe, and this is one of those ways.

Recipes and Cooking

Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Asiago

Brandi C

Chicken.  Parmesan.  Asiago.  You can’t get much better than a Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Asiago recipe.  So, here is what I concocted.  This would be good with Gouda or Havarti, as well. Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Asiago is a savory and indulgent dish that is perfect for a family dinner or when you want to impress guests. The key to success with this recipe is ensuring that the chicken is seared to a perfect golden brown before finishing in the oven with a generous layer of shredded asiago and crumbled bacon. The egg wash and parmesan coating create a delicious, crispy crust, while the asiago cheese adds a rich, nutty flavor. The crumbled bacon brings an added smokiness, making this dish irresistible. Serve it with your favorite sides like roasted vegetables or mashed potatoes for a complete meal that will leave everyone asking for seconds.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Asiago

Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Asiago

Chicken (I use raw chicken breasts.  I cut off all the tough parts.  It was thick, so I sliced it in third.  It cooked quicker doing it like that)

2 Eggs with a splash of water.

1 c. parmesan with seasoning

After the chicken is cut, dredge in egg wash and then in parmesan.

In a large skillet, get the oil hot.  You do not want the breading to stick to the skillet and/or come off.

While that is cooking, put your bacon in the oven.

Place your chicken in oil and sear on both sides.

Next Up

350 for the stove.  Place the chicken on a broiling pan after the chicken is seared on both sides.  You need to put shredded asiago and crumbled bacon on top of the chicken.  I just put it in the oven long enough to melt the cheese.

Good gravy, that was some good stuff.

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