bacon guacamole grilled cheese.

I love how versatile grilled cheese is. I know that's a strange statement but think about it... You can use different kinds of bread- white, wheat, sourdough, and even cauliflower!

You can use a variety of cheeses along with so many different add-ins and it pretty much always turns out delicious.

Gant and I found our new favorite go-to grilled cheese.  It is loaded with bacon, gaucamole, and plenty of cheese- all between delightful, buttery bread. It takes a bit more time to make 

than a normal grilled cheese but worth every ounce of effort. Give it a shot and let me know what you think!

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bacon guacamole grilled cheese.

Ingredients (per sandwich)

2 slices bread (I used flax & fiber)

2-3 slices bacon 

2-3 Tbsp Guacamole

1-2 Tbsp Butter, softened

2-3 slices of your favorite cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare baking sheet with foil. 
2. On top of foil, weave your bacon like this: http://diyready.com/how-to-make-a-bacon-weave-sandwich/. They used 3 slices, I only used 2 slices. Go with your heart's desire though ;)
3. Cook bacon in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until however done you like it.
4. Make your guacamole. I used 2 avocados and a seasoning packet. You won't need all the guacamole. With the extras, make more sandwiches tomorrow or eat it with chips or veggies. Refrigerate guac until ready to use.
5. Butter one side of each piece of bread.
6. Turn burner onto medium heat and place a nonstick skillet on it. 
7. Assemble sandwiches. Put bread, butter side down, onto skillet. Top with your favorite cheese. Grant likes pepper jack and havarti and I like colby jack and havarti. 
8. Top with bacon and close sandwich by putting the last piece of bread butter side up. Do not put gauc on yet. 
9. Cook sandwich for a few minutes on each side, until it is grilled to your desired perfection. 
10. Remove sandwich from skillet. Open sandwich, bacon side up. Carefully layer guacamole on inside of the sandwich. 
11. Cut sandwich as desired & devour!

 

creamy zuppa toscana soup.

You are probably wondering why I am posting a soup recipe in the middle of spring. And I know winter is finally over (well, hopefully it's over) but this recipe is too good not to share. I know I will be making this in the summer (we have fans and AC, we'll be just fine!)

I've never had Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana soup so I'm not even sure if this is what it tastes like. It's awesome nonetheless so you should definitely try this stellar recipe!

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INGREDIENTS:

3 cans (14 oz) chicken broth
2 cups heavy cream (whipping cream, milk, or half&half would probably work too)
1 lb Italian Sausage
½ pound bacon
4 russet potatoes
1 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2½ cups chopped spinach or kale (I used some of each)
salt and pepper (to taste)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook and crumble the bacon. Set aside.
2. Cook the sausage in a pot. Once it is cooked through, add broth and spinach/kale.
3. Put lid on the pot and bring sausage, broth, spinch/kale to a boil.
4. Slice potatoes in half and make about ¼ inch slices. You can slice these into fourths making the potatoes more bite sized.
5. In a skillet over medium heat, sautee potatoes, diced onion, and garlic. Sautee until potatoes are tender.
6. Once potatoes are tender/cooked, add potatoes/garlic/onion to the pot of sausage/broth/spinch/kale. Also add the crumbled bacon.
7. Reduce heat and add heavy cream. Don't let mixture boil so it doesn't curdle.
8. Cook until heated through and add salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe Source: http://centslessdeals.com/2013/10/zuppa-toscana-soup.html/

potato-omelette casserole.

Breakfast for breakfast. Breakfast for lunch. Breakfast for dinner. 

I don't really care when I eat it, I just love BREAKFAST!  I found a breakfast dish I could eat all day long. 

So if you love breakfast as much as I do, you have to try this all-star one course meal. 

This breakfast dish is loaded with good-for-you

 veggies and tasty breakfast meat. 

The first time I made it, I used bacon, bell peppers, fresh spinach, and onions- it was incredible. The second time, I made it with sausage, bell peppers, and onions and it was equally amazing.  Try out this dish- you won't be disappointed!

Potato-Omelette Casserole

Ingredients

• 36 (roughly) crispy crown tater-tots 
• 8 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 cup shredded cheese
Omelet Fillings (suggestions):
• Meat (sausage, bacon, ham)
• Veggies (onion, red and/or green peppers, spinach, mushrooms, etc.)

Instructions

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease an 8" or a 9" baking dish. 
2. Heat your tater tots in the microwave for a minute or two to thaw. Cover the bottom of baking dish with the tater tots.
3. Bake your tater-tots for 10 minutes. 
4. While baking tater tots, prepare other ingredients (i.e. cook meat, cut veggies).
5. After removing your tots from the oven, lower oven temperature to 350 degrees. Sprinkle your toppings over tater tots.
6. Whisk together 8 eggs and 1/4 cup milk with a fork or whisk. Pour your egg mixture on the toppings. Then, sprinkle cheese on top of the egg mixture.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15-25 minutes, or until the egg is cooked through.
8. Slice into servings and devour!

Recipe Source: Finger Prickin Good - Thank you for this double delicious recipe!!

chicken bacon ranch mac & cheese.

Grant got this recipe from the house he lived in during college. His roommate and good friend, David found it and changed it a little bit too.  It is so. good. As Grant said, it combines some of the best things in life. Bacon AND mac & cheese. So what's not to love? This is some ultimate comfort food.  

Ingredients-

8 oz uncooked elbow macaroni

4 slices bacon

8 oz boneless skinless chicken breast, cut in 1/2 inch pieces

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt (I omitted this)

1 T butter

1 T flour

1 1/2 cups skim milk

5 oz condensed cream of chicken soup

1/4 cup bottled ranch dressing

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or more)

Directions-

1. Cook pasta according to package.

2. Cook bacon in large non stick skillet over medium heat until crisp.

3. Remove bacon from pan. Reserve drippings in pan.

4. Chop bacon and set aside.

5.  Season chicken with garlic, onion, and salt.  

6.  Cook chicken in bacon drippings on medium high heat for 6 minutes or until done.

7. Melt butter over medium heat in large saucepan. Sprinkle flour into butter. Cook 2 minute, stirring constantly with a whisk. 

8. Combine milk and soup, stirring with a whisk, then gradually add milk mixture to saucepan and stir. 

9. Bring this mixture to a boil, cook 2 minutes or until it is thickened.  Add ranch dressing and 1/2 cup cheese, stir until cheese melts.

10. Preheat broil.

11. Spoon pasta mixture into an 8 inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Sprinkle evenly with bacon and 1/4 cup cheese. 

12. Broil 3 minutes or until cheese melts.  

13. Dish up and enjoy!