Important matters concerning the existence of Humanity - BACON

Capt MJ said:
Feeling house-bound? Mind turning to mush? Wanna push the envelope on that? How about a SAF Virtual Watch Party for the debut of the original Hallmark movie this Saturday night:
“You’re Bacon Me Crazy”

www.hallmarkchannel.com

You're Bacon Me Crazy | Hallmark Channel

Find video, photos and more for the Hallmark Channel Original Movie “You’re Bacon Me Crazy” starring Natalie Hall and Michael Rady.
www.hallmarkchannel.com www.hallmarkchannel.com

Do not ask me why I know this. I will say it was a mixture of karma and channel-surfing.
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Yes, it’s 9 PM East Coast time, and at this very moment I am on the sofa with port and starboard boxers, just returned from the evening walk, watching this movie.

Brainless plot + bacon = mental floss.
 
Capt MJ said:
Yes, it’s 9 PM East Coast time, and at this very moment I am on the sofa with port and starboard boxers, just returned from the evening walk, watching this movie.

Brainless plot + bacon = mental floss.
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ABC is airing The Ten Commandments tonight too. Every commercial break is a press of the prev. ch. button on the remote my brain at war with mental floss vs. a classic with a message and meaning and depth. During a commercial break, while the cortex was properly flossed, a quick search yielded this mighty blend for your enjoyment:

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Here is a joke our DS just shared with me:

Two cowboys are stranded in the desert, they are starving.
One of the cowboys sees a tree in the distance, and he notices there is bacon all over it.
He starts to run toward the tree and yells, "yes, it's a bacon tree"
But just before he gets there he is shot down in a flurry of bullets.
With his last breath, his finals words are, "it wasn't a bacon tree.......it was a hambush"
 
@THParent my dogs are jealous. They have now read your post, walked out in protest and refuse to cross picket line at kitchen island until they receive same benefits as your pups are provided. Dangit!
 
Heatherg21 said:
I am going to need that recipe. For humanitie's sake. Any mac and cheese that uses fontina is a keeper. Add bacon? Gold
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My mom’s scribbled notes are still in the margin. I am appalled by the apparent fat content but know that’s why the mouthfeel is so good. I don’t add salt; there is plenty from the bacon and cheese. My mother was slim and fully mentally acute until she died at 94. She never took seconds; I think that was her secret.

Bacon Mac from Church Cookbook, with Mom Variations

Pound of pasta, elbows or small “fancy” shapes, cooked 1 minute short of recommended time, drained
Pound of good-quality thick-cut bacon, cut cross-wise into 1/2” pieces
Pound of cheese, grated (8 oz Fontina, 8 oz extra-sharp cheddar)
More cheese: 1 c or about 4 oz grated Parmesan cheese
Qt of whole milk, plus maybe a tetch more
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 c all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 Tbsp spicy brown mustard
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 Vidalia or other sweet onion, tiny dice

  1. Put olive oil in large heavy skillet or Dutch oven. Add the bacon. Cook over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Reserve 4 Tbsp bacon fat.
  2. Add bacon fat back to pan with butter and onion. Cook until the onion is soft and clear but not browned. Add the flour and cook, stirring frequently, until about 3 minutes. It will look like wet sand.
  3. Slowly whisk in the milk, mustard and garlic. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the mixture is a bit thicker than heavy cream.
  4. Add the 3 cheeses to the milk mixture and whisk to combine over low heat. Add a bit more milk if the mixture seems too thick. Stir in the bacon and pasta. Pour into a baking dish or small ramekins and bake in a 375 oven for 15-20 minutes, until bubbly.
 
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Capt MJ said:
You have put this into my brain. I had to go dig up my mother’s favorite church cookbook recipe. My mom’s secret: double the bacon, use half Fontina cheese, half extra sharp cheddar. It looked something like this:

View attachment 5412
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Damn you Capt! Thanks for posting the recipe. Can't wait to taste that wonderful dish. However I expect my wife to say, "Its good, but its not Aunt Carolyn's". But hers doesn't have bacon so I expect my wife is all wet!
 
kinnem said:
Damn you Capt! Thanks for posting the recipe. Can't wait to taste that wonderful dish. However I expect my wife to say, "Its good, but its not Aunt Carolyn's". But hers doesn't have bacon so I expect my wife is all wet!
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Mac n’ cheese recipes are right up there with bbq sauce, fried chicken, turkey stuffing/dressing, etc. in the pantheon of family secret recipes, discussion and comparison of which is a time-honored pursuit. Bread crumb topping or not? Sour cream yes or no? Type of cheese? Use the roux method or not? Onion yes or no? The only ones that don’t appeal to me are the ones where the pasta has lost its bite and is just mush, or the cheese is too bland.
 
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In college, my poor and starving roommates and I concocted something we called Yellow and Green: Kraft Mac & Cheese and frozen peas. Basic but good. Cheap and easy. But looking back, we could've taken it up a notch -- "Bam!" as Emeril would say -- by adding a couple strips of bacon, crisp and chopped. Shoot!
 
I think I may have posted this way earlier in the bacon thread, but there are too many posts now to look through to check - Try making your favorite mac and cheese recipe (with bacon, of course) then put it in the smoker for the finish. Pour a glass of bourbon and sip it while the mac and cheese is in the smoker. When your glass is empty remove the mac and cheese from the smoker. If you like extra smoky flavor, pour another glass of bourbon.
 
I like smoky Scotch, but I get the idea!
 
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