Extreme Bacon Cheese Pizza

I am not so old that I cannot remember fun and fabulous times on Spring Break in college. I can actually map out my life to date in a sort of "Spring Break" timeline:

• Let's start with college...fun times in Ft. Lauderdale (yeah I know, I'm old- Ft. Lauderdale for Spring Break is so 80's)
• Post graduation years...Spring Break morphed into summer weekends in the Hampton's in a house shared with 20 of my "closest friends".
• Early married life...Spring Break was romantic weeks or weekends just for two-enjoying Robert Cray at Jazz Fest in New Orleans comes to mind.
• The kids were young years...Spring breaks were spent usually in a place with costumed characters and eating at anyplace that served chicken nuggets.
• The kids are getting older years...I've come almost full circle, we just returned from Spring Break and it was spent going on college visits for my oldest son who is a Junior this year.

I am pretty sure that I am a college marketers dream come true; I sat at every power point presentation mesmerized...drawn in...wishing I could choose college all over again. Don't get me wrong I love my alma mater (Fordham) and would probably choose it again given the choice (and would be thrilled if my son got in and chose it), but man...the presentations we saw this week...each one out did the next. I had to keep reminding my son (and myself) that they were in fact sales presentations. Oh and it didn't hurt that at one campus it was "Spring Fling" and the campus was bustling with activity-of course my 17 year old liked that school the best.

Our return from "Spring Break" has given me a real hankering for college foods so the kids and I made Extreme Bacon Cheese Pizzas which got an A+ from everyone.

Extreme Bacon Cheese Pizzas

5 slices bacon

1 prepared pizza crust divided into 4 equal pieces

1 cup prepared sauce

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Arrange the bacon in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake the bacon in the preheated oven for 10 minutes; remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate to drain.

Stretch the dough pieces into 6x4 inch ovals and place on a baking pan lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Divide the sauce between each crust, spreading in an even layer.

Sprinkle each with the cheeses, evenly dividing. Crumble the bacon and divide between the pizzas arranging on top of the cheeses.

Raise the oven temperature to 425 degrees. Bake pizzas in the oven for 12 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and crusts are golden brown.

Spinach, Pear, Blue cheese Bacon Wraps

Apples are not the only delicious fruit in plentiful supply this time of year; Bosc pears can still be found gracing supermarket produce aisles.

There are few food combinations I love more than blue cheese and pear. I had it for the first time a few years ago at a party when not wanting to be rude I was too afraid to say to the hostess I didn't (think) I liked blue cheese when she was passing blue cheese and pear on toasts... well I loved it.

I love the blue cheese pear combination in salads, broiled on French bread slices as an appetizer and I love it in this quick and easy wrap. It makes a perfect lunch or slice each wrap into 6 bite-sized pieces, secure with toothpicks and serve as appetizers.

What is your favorite food combination? Does it change with the seasons?

Spinach, Pear, Blue cheese and Bacon Wraps

3 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 ounces Saga Blue cheese

3 slices center cut bacon, cooked until crispy then crumbled or thinly sliced

6 small flour tortillas, warmed

2 cups fresh spinach leaves, trimmed

2 Bosc pears, very thinly sliced

In a small bowl combine the cream cheese and blue cheese with a fork. Stir in the crumbled bacon.

Spread the cheese mixture over one side of each tortilla.

Divide the spinach between the tortillas arranging in an even layer on top of the cheese. Layer the pear slices over the spinach.

Roll the tortillas around the filling then cut diagonally to serve.

Yield: 6 wraps

BLTs with Jalapeno Mayo (and a quick potato tip)

The end of summer is always bittersweet.

Carefree days at the beach and on vacation have to come to end, the kids go back to school and activities. But there is one bright spot for me at the end of summer, the supermarkets and farmer's markets are overflowing with countless varieties of tomatoes.

This time of year I could (and often do) eat tomatoes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It's important though to be careful in the supermarket when you are selecting your tomatoes. A few super tips are:

• If at all possible, select tomatoes that are locally grown they will always have the best flavor
• Look for firm unblemished tomatoes that feel slightly heavy in your hands
• Don't buy tomatoes stored in a refrigerator section of the store and don't refrigerate tomatoes when you get them home. Refrigerating tomatoes decreases their flavor.
• The tomatoes "on the vine" at the supermarket can be pretty flavorful and are a good choice only when you cannot find the locally grown varieties.

The BLT recipe I made today calls for wheat rolls, thick sliced bacon, and a jalapeno spiked mayo. I cooked the bacon my new favorite way: in the oven. I line the bacon in an even layer on a baking sheet and bake at 375 for about 10 minutes. It's so much easier than messing with a frying pan and cooking in batches when you're making bacon for a crowd. Super tip:

Now don't tell your cardiologist or family doctor that I told you to do this but, when you are finished cooking the bacon, reserve about 1/2 of the drippings on the baking sheet, dice up some baby red potatoes and a bit of shallot. Toss the potatoes and shallot onto the pan with the drippings using your hands coat with the drippings. Bake the potatoes at 425 for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Let me tell you, those will be about the best roasted potatoes you've ever tasted....but really, don't tell your doctor.

Back to the BLT-it's not too heavy (a few of those potatoes on the side would be nice) and it will have you wishing summer tomatoes (real summer tomatoes) could be purchased all year round.

BLTs with Jalapeno Mayo

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 jalapeno, seeds and membranes removed, minced

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

1 pound thick sliced bacon

6 soft whole wheat rolls, lightly toasted

6 Romaine lettuce leaves, coarsely chopped

4 large tomatoes any variety, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise, jalapeno and cilantro; cover and chill until ready to use.

Arrange the bacon in a single layer on a large baking sheet; cook for 10 minutes in the preheated oven or until crispy and browned.

To assemble sandwiches, arrange toasted rolls on a work surface. Spread an even layer of the jalapeno mayo on the bottom half of each roll, top with a few pieces of the chopped romaine, a few tomato slices, 2 or 3 slices of bacon and top with the remaining roll halves.

Yield: 6 sandwiches

Chicken Corn Chowder for a Crowd!

Farm fresh corn without question is one of the best things about summer. By the end of July, supermarkets and farm stands will be bursting with super sweet golden ears of corn. Here in the east corn is just becoming available and I couldn't wait to make something with it.

Once a month I cook for a local shelter which houses and assists women trying to get their lives back on track. I try hard each month to come up with something to serve that I know I would love to be served. I have always felt that a good meal- I mean a tasty, lick your lips, When Harry met Sally diner scene type of meal can change your whole outlook on life. It is for this reason when I prepare my meals, I try to prepare the best meal I can for the 12-15 or so women housed there.

Today I'll be serving Chicken Corn Chowder made with some local fresh corn, on the side will be Barefoot Contessa Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread (made yesterday for the Barefoot Bloggers) and Mixed Greens with Grapes, Dried cranberries and Blue cheese.

The cheddar cornbread works really well with the chowder...is it a "When Harry met Sally diner scene" type of meal? I don't know but I was pleased with how it turned out and I was happy to serve it.

Chicken Corn Chowder for a Crowd

8 slices thick cut bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

1/2 cup finely chopped shallot

1 1/2 cups small diced celery

1 tablespoon minced jalapeño pepper, seeds and membranes removed

1 teaspoon salt plus additional to taste

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus additional to taste

1/4 cup flour12 cups chicken broth or stock

3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, diced

6 ears fresh corn, husks and silk removed

2 store supermarket purchased rotisserie chickens

2 (1lb.) packages frozen corn, thawed

1 quart heavy cream

1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried

Cook the bacon in a very large skillet until crispy; remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Add the shallots, celery and jalapeño to the pan with the bacon drippings and sauté over medium heat until tender.

Sprinkle vegetables with the flour, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper and stir to coat. Transfer the vegetables to a very large stock pot and add the chicken stock and the potatoes; bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 13 minutes.

Using a sharp knife, carefully remove the corn from the cobs, slicing downward from the tip to the base. Add the corn along with 2 of the empty cobs to the pot.

Remove as much chicken as possible from the 2 chickens; use both dark and white meat, but do not use the skin. Dice the chicken and add to the pot.

Puree the thawed corn in a food processor and stir into the pot. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Remove the cobs from the soup and discard.

Stir in the heavy cream the bacon pieces and the thyme along with additional salt and pepper to taste; simmer an additional 10 minutes until heated through and slightly thickened.

Serves 12-16

"Fries and Rings" Salad with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

Day 5 of salad week!!

I feel great. Salad for dinner always makes me feel great. In fact I feel so great after an entire week of salads, that today's salad might seem a bit over indulgent. But truthfully it's not all that bad. It's a salad twist on french fries and onion rings-no deep frying, but tasty nevertheless.

If you need a bit more for a hearty start to the weekend, pair this salad with your favorite burger or with one of my favorite burgers.

Red "new" potatoes are the highlight of this salad and obviously represent the "fries". Try to find the small red potatoes in your supermarket as they work best in a salad. If you cannot find the smaller ones, just make sure that you cut the potatoes small enough to be "bite-sized". I have used shallots for the "rings" but you may use either red onions or perhaps Vidalia onions if you would prefer. If you are using onions you may need to cook them a little bit longer so they get a bit of a crispness to them. Truthfully though, shallots-because of their size, I think would work best. Have a great weekend!

"Fries and Rings" Salads with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

1 lb. small red new potatoes, quartered
2 large shallots sliced into 1/4 inch planks, peeled
2 slices thick cut applewood smoked bacon, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 cups mixed mesclun greens

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Arrange the potatoes, shallots and bacon in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with the 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and season with the salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until potatoes and shallots are golden brown.

Arrange mixed greens on a salad plate. Scatter the potatoes and bacon over the greens, evenly dividing. Separate the shallot planks into rings and scatter over each salad. Serve with the Blue Cheese Vinaigrette.

To prepare the vinaigrette: in a small bowl whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper; gently stir in the blue cheese. Spoon a small portion of the vinaigrette over each salad.