Tomato, Cheddar, And Bacon Pie

We raised the ante on classic tomato pie with a sour cream crust studded with bacon, layers of colorful tomatoes, and plenty of cheese and herbs to tie it all together. For best results, seed the tomatoes and drain the slices before baking.

Ingredients:

Crust:
 

2 1/4 cups self-rising soft-wheat flour (such as White Lily)

1 cup cold butter, cut up 

8 cooked bacon slices, chopped 

3/4 cup sour cream 

 

Filling:

 

2 3/4 pounds assorted large tomatoes, divided 

2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) freshly shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese 

1/2 cup mayonnaise 

1 large egg, lightly beaten 

2 tablespoons fresh dill sprigs

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 green onion, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons sugar 

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons plain yellow cornmeal

 

Directions:

1. Prepare Crust: Place flour in bowl of a heavy-duty electric stand mixer; cut in cold butter with a pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles small peas. Chill 10 minutes.
2. Add bacon to flour mixture; beat at low speed just until combined. Gradually add sour cream, 1/4 cup at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
3. Spoon mixture onto a heavily floured surface; sprinkle lightly with flour, and knead 3 or 4 times, adding more flour as needed. Roll to a 13-inch round. Gently place dough in a 9-inch fluted tart pan with 2-inch sides and a removable bottom. Press dough into pan; trim off excess dough along edges. Chill 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, prepare Filling: Cut 2 lb. tomatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices, and remove seeds. Place tomatoes in a single layer on paper towels; sprinkle with 1 tsp. salt. Let stand 30 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 425°. Stir together Cheddar cheese, next 10 ingredients, and remaining 1 tsp. salt in a large bowl until combined.
6. Pat tomato slices dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle cornmeal over bottom of crust. Lightly spread 1/2 cup cheese mixture onto crust; layer with half of tomato slices in slightly overlapping rows. Spread with 1/2 cup cheese mixture. Repeat layers, using remaining tomato slices and cheese mixture. Cut remaining 3/4 lb. tomatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices, and arrange on top of pie.
7. Bake at 425° for 40 to 45 minutes, shielding edges with foil during last 20 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Let stand 1 to 2 hours before serving.

Source: Southernliving.com

Gooey, Genius Patty Melt

Chefs are learning what diner fans already know: A patty melt is griddled, gooey genius. Here’s how to perfect it at home.

The Patty

The most important thing to know: This is a sandwich, not a burger. The ground beef is seasoned with onion and spices, and it’s pressed thin into a ¼”-thick patty so the meat doesn’t dominate. See our recipe below to get the juiciest results.

The Bread

The only type we can get behind is rye, preferably the seeded, grocery-store variety (Levy’s seeded rye is our patty-melt pick. The slices are the indeal thinness, while the dense crumb browns evenly to seal in the juicy patty). Its uniform crumb will help contain the messy fillings.

The Cheese

Swiss is traditional, but cheddar’s an all-American classic—which is why ours boasts slices of Swiss on one side and aged white cheddar on the other. More really is better.

The Onions

A generous helping of caramelized onions is a must. Cook slowly and gently until they’re a deep golden color. (Sorry, you just can’t rush it.)

The Press

Toasty bread, onions tangled in melty cheese, a patty that stays put: This is why we press. Weigh it down with a heavy pan to compress it. A swipe of mayo, not butter, on the bread encourages that gorgeous exterior.

Tool for the Job

Use a diner-style offset spatula or a fish spatula to cook the beef patty. The flexibility lets the meat make close contact with the pan for a good sear.


Ingredients:

Caramelized Onions:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced

Patties And Assembly:

• ¼ small onion, finely chopped
• 1 pound ground beef chuck (20% fat)
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 8 slices seeded rye bread (preferably Levy’s)
• 4 ounces aged sharp cheddar, thinly sliced
• 4 ounces Swiss cheese (such as Emmenthal), thinly sliced
• 8 teaspoons mayonnaise

Directions:

Caramelized Onions:

• Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat and cook onions, stirring often and adding water as needed to prevent burning, until deep golden brown and very soft, 20–25 minutes. Set aside.

Patties And Assembly:

• Gently mix onion, beef, ketchup, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, in a medium bowl. Divide into 4 portions and press each between 2 pieces of parchment or waxed paper until about ¼” thick (you want them roughly the same dimensions as the bread you're using.)
• Heat oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, cook patties, pressing gently, until browned but still pink in the center, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
• Wipe out skillet and reduce heat to medium. Top 4 slices of bread with cheddar, then beef patties, caramelized onions, and Swiss cheese. Close up sandwiches and spread each top with 1 tsp. mayonnaise. Place in pan, mayonnaise side down, and weight with a foil-covered heavy pan. Cook until bottom slice is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove weighted pan and spread the top of each sandwich with 1 tsp. mayonnaise. Flip and weight again. Cook until other side is golden brown and cheese is melted, about 3 minutes.
• DO AHEAD: Patties can be formed 8 hours ahead. Cover and chill.

Source: bonappetit.com

Bacon Cheddar Scallion Breakfast Tart with Grits Crust

Ingredients:

1.5 cups yellow grits
2 cups cold water
6 eggs
5 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
4 scallions, thinly sliced
4 oz mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated
salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease an 11 inch tart shell with butter or oil.
2. In a saucepan, bring the yellow grits and water to a boil, then cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread the grits evenly out into the pan, using a flat turner or knife to straighten up the edge.
3. Bake for 20 minutes. Take the tart out of the oven and let it cool slightly, and increase oven temperature to 400 degrees F.
4. Whisk to combine the eggs, bacon, scallions, mascarpone, and cheddar cheese. Add a generous pinch of salt and pepper, and pour the mixture into the grits tart shell.
5. Bake for 15 minutes until slightly browned on top. Serve and enjoy!

Source: fifteenspatulas

Crustless Tex-Mex Meatloaf-Cheddar Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 16 ounce jar  fire-roasted red peppers drained, split and seeded

• 12 ounces shredded Mexican cheese blend (3 cups)

• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

• 1 16 ounce jar  chunky salsa

• 1 cup bread crumbs

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

• 1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees . Grease a 10-inch pie plate lightly with olive oil and line with the red peppers. Scatter 1 cup cheese on top.
2. In a large bowl, mix 1 cup cheese, the beef, 3/4 cup of the salsa, the bread crumbs, eggs, parsley, salt and pepper until just combined. Press into the pepper-and-cheese-lined pie plate. Spread the remaining salsa over the top. Bake for 35 minutes.
3. Scatter the remaining 1 cup cheese on top and bake for 10 minutes longer. Let cool for about 15 minutes before slicing.

Cheddar Bacon Chicken Tenders

Ingredients:

1 egg
1/2 cup plain crispy bread crumbs
1/2 cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese (2 oz)
1 package or jar (3 oz) cooked real bacon bits or pieces
1 package (14 oz) uncooked chicken tenders (not breaded)
Chive and onion sour cream potato topper, if desired

Directions:


1 Heat oven to 400°F. Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray.
2 In shallow bowl, beat egg. In large resealable food-storage plastic bag, place bread crumbs, cheese and bacon. Dip chicken into egg. Place in bread crumb bag; seal and shake to coat. Place chicken on cookie sheet.
3 Bake 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until chicken is no longer pink in center and bread crumbs are golden brown. Serve with topper.

Expert Tips

**Use any flavor potato toppers- try sour cream and onion or taco flavored.

***You can make this low carb by using crushed pork rinds instead of panko bread crumbs.

Cheddar Broccoli Loaded Baked Potato Skins

Ingredients:

8 small Idaho potatoes, scrubbed and dried
canola oil/cooking spray
salt
8 oz. broccoli florets, chopped (about 4 cups)
4 slices bacon, diced (or Canadian bacon)
3/4 cup extra-sharp Cheddar, grated

Avocado Creme:

2 scallions, thinly sliced, greens reserved
1 medium avocado, peeled and pitted
1/2 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp. lime juice
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 F. 

2. Pierce potatoes several times with a fork and wrap in paper towels. Microwave on high for 12-15 minutes, until potatoes are cooked through. Remove from microwave and cool until potatoes are easy to handle. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop out about half of the inside of the potato, leaving skin intact. Reserve scooped potato flesh for another use.

3. Brush both inside and outside of potatoes with oil (I sprayed with canola oil cooking spray) and sprinkle with salt. Place potatoes, skin-side down, on a baking sheet and bake until skins are crisp and edges are golden brown, about 20 minutes.

4. In the meantime, prepare the filling. Steam the broccoli until crisp-tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and set aside. Cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp and set aside on paper towels to drain.

5. To make avocado cream, combine scallion whites, avocado, sour cream, lime juice, cilantro, garlic and salt in the small bowl of a food processor and process on high until smooth. About 30 seconds. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

6. Toss the broccoli with cheese and spoon filling evenly among potatoes. Lower oven to 400 degrees F and return potatoes to oven until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the avocado cream on top of broccoli-filled potatoes, then top with scallion greens and 1 teaspoon crisped bacon bits. Serve hot.

Serves 8.

Broccoli And Cheddar Quiche With A Brown Rice Crust

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked brown rice
1/4 cup cheddar cheese, finely grated
5 eggs
1 cup milk
2 cups broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces and blanched
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
4 green onions, sliced
1 pinch nutmeg (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste
  
Directions:

Mix the rice, finely grated cheese and one egg in a bowl. Press the rice mixture into a pie plate, about 1/4 inch thick.

Bake in a preheated 180 (450 degree F) oven until the edges and bottom just start turning golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Mix the remaining eggs, milk, broccoli, sharp cheddar cheese and green onions in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Pour the egg mixture into the pie crust.

Bake in a preheated 375 degree F oven until golden brown and set in the center, about 30 to 35 minutes.