Bacon Beef Butternut Squash

Whats on the menu? Bacon Beef Butternut Squash (find it HERE)

How easy was it to make? So I really wanted something simple this week. I didnt want to have to come up with a side, or have sweet potato AGAIN. Came across this one and thought that there was no way I could go wrong with bacon, butternut squash and balsamic vinegar! Hello match made in heaven!

I stopped and grabbed what I needed (at Hannaford, no more of that Market Basket mess). It was easy, I flew through the store because all I really needed was the beef, squash and onion. I think the hardest part to this one was cooking the butternut squash. Usually I peel and cube the squash when I make it and either have it that way or mashed. I have baked it, but not whole, which is the way this recipe called for. I cut it in half, scooped the seeds and put it in the dish face down with water like it said, but it took WAY longer that the 30 minutes it said it would to be soft enough to scoop.

I made the filling different from the directions. I didnt want to wait and caramelize the onions and all that after. So I used only one onion, cooked it in the bacon fat, added the meat than the balsamic. Than when the squash was done, scooped it out and right into the hot pan... than back into the oven in the shell of the squash. I may or may not have added a teeny bit of goat cheese to the top...

So... how was it? Delish! I wasn't sure if the squash was going to be cooked enough, but it was. Hubs devoured it all the way down to the shell. I really liked the flavor of the meat and I of course added some more balsamic to mine. I love me some balsamic! 

Will I make it again? Yeah this one I would make again. It was pretty easy, I just have to remember that it takes longer than expected to make the squash.

Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yes, you read that correct... BACON chocolate chip cookies... and they are (and I quote) "de-friggen-lightful!"

Got the recipe from the "Make it Paleo" cookbook by Bill Staley and Hayley Mason... I wish I could take credit for it because they are that good!!


*Disclaimer: though the chocolate chips are dairy, nut and soy free they are not considered totally Paleo, so if you are doing a Paleo Challenge or staying completely 100% Paleo this recipe will cost you points. Also for the bacon to be considered Paleo it should be nitrate free.*

What you need:
- 6 Slices of Bacon (I use the thick sliced applewood from the deli counter, the thicker the better)

- 1/4 Cup Pure Maple Syrup

- 3 Cups Almond Flour

- 1 Tsp Baking Soda

- 1 Tsp Salt

- 2 Eggs

- 1/2 Cup Pure Maple Syrup

- 1 Tsp Vanilla

- 1/2 Cup Coconut Oil

- Half a bag of chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life)

What you do:
- Preheat oven to 350 Degrees

- Put 6 slices of bacon in a small dish and pour 1/4 Cup of maple syrup over them and toss around to coat each slice.

- Lay bacon on parchment lined (or tin foil lined) baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes

- Remove from oven and allow to cool than crumble into small pieces

- Adjust oven temp to 375 Degrees

- In large bowl mix almond flour, baking soda and salt

- In a smaller bowl with a hand mixer, mix eggs, 1/2 cup maple syrup and vanilla

- Add wet ingredients into dry and mix with hand mixer

- Melt coconut oil and add to mix with hand mixer

- Stir in chocolate chips and bacon bits

- Drop tablespoon size balls on cookie sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes.

- Remove immediately from cookie sheet and put on cooling rack

- Surprise all your friends at how good BACON is in a chocolate chip cookie!!  

Paleo Bacon Slaw

Original recipe is here, http://cfscceat.blogspot.com/2011/08/paleo-bacon-coleslaw.html. I use more oil and vinegar when I make it, so I included my quantities. Came out delicious. I love coleslaw and the extra little zing from the dijon mustard was great (and of course there is BACON in it!)

*Disclaimer: Unless you use nitrate free bacon this recipe is not considered totally Paleo, so if you are doing a Paleo Challenge or staying completely 100% Paleo this recipe will cost you points.*

What you need:

- 1 Head of Cabbage (I use a mandolin to shred it as thin as I can)

- 2 Carrots Shredded

- 1 Red Onion (I use the mandolin for this as well)

- 6 Strips of Bacon

- 1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

- 1 Tbsp Honey

- 1 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar

- 1/4 Cup Olive Oil

- Salt and Pepper

What you do:
- Cook bacon until crisp, reserve bacon fat for later

- Combine shredded cabbage, onion and carrots in a large bowl

- In a separate bowl combine mustard, honey, vinegar, olive oil, 2 Tbsp bacon grease, salt and pepper

- Crush up bacon into small pieces and add to cabbage

- Pour dressing onto cabbage and bacon mixture and mix well  

Apple & Bacon Stuffed Pork Chops

Got this recipe from (http://www.paleoparents.com/2011/stuffed-pork-chops/)... we made WAY to many, but they were good for leftovers.

They were a royal pain in the ass to make (I am not going to lie)... but I would do it again. They were worth it.

What you need:
6 1″ thick pork chops
2 Tbsp lard
2 medium baking apples, peeled, cored and diced
10 strips of bacon, diced
1 red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minces
4 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
1/4 tsp paprika
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

What you do:
- Pocket your pork chops
- In a medium pan melt lard over medium-high heat
- Cook apples, bacon and onion until onion is softened and bacon is crispy, about 8 minutes
- Add garlic, sage, paprika and lemon juice and toss for 2 minutes
- Remove stuffing from heat, transfer to bowl and set-aside
- Salt and pepper each side of pork chop, stuff it with as much stuffing as you can fit and use a skewer or toothpick to close and prevent spilling
- Insert pork chops into the hot pan to sear on each side, cook each side of the chops for 5 minutes in hot pan over medium-high heat
- Transfer pan/dutch oven to 350 degree oven and bake uncovered for 35 minutes

Bacon and Sweet Potato

After discovering (or so I think) my sensitivity to eggs I had to come up with an alternative for breakfast. Alas... we had some bacon, when dont we have bacon in the fridge, and some onion... and a sweet potato... it resulted in a FANTASTIC breakfast!!

What you need:
- 1 Small Sweet Potato (cut into small pieces)
- Olive Oil
- Onion
- Mushrooms
- Bacon

What you do:
- Coat sweet potato in a little olive oil and roast at 300 degrees for about 8 minutes
- While they are roasting on medium heat cook sliced up bacon
- Once it starts to brown add onion
- When bacon is almost crispy add mushrooms
- About 2 minutes later pull potatos from oven and add (oil and all) to pan
- Cook for another minute than remove from heat and serve
- I like mine with a little balsamic vinegar on it... thats optional...

Spicy Chicken and Bacon Poppers

These were GREAT for the Patriots game! Hubs whipped them up while I was getting some other things ready to take with us.

We got the recipe HERE... quick, easy and FANTASTIC!! Who dosent like bacon and pepperoncini!!


*Disclaimer: Unless you use nitrate free bacon this recipe is  not considered totally Paleo, so if you are doing a Paleo Challenge or staying completely 100% Paleo this recipe will cost you points.*

What you need:
(note, this makes 6-8 poppers, so increase as needed)
- 1 Large Chicken Breast
- 6-8 Pepperoncini
- 3-4 Strips of Bacon

What you do:
- Cut the chicken breasts into cubes
- Marinate the chicken if desired
- Slice each pepperonccini in half and stuff with cube of chicken
- Wrap with half a piece of bacon
- Secure with a tooth pick
- Cook on grill until chicken and bacon is cooked thoroughly.

http://cfscceat.blogspot.com/2010/08/spicy-chicken-bacon-poppers.html