Because Who Doesn't Like Bacon and Eggs?

Really? Do you know anyone who doesn't like bacon and eggs? I mean, anyone who doesn't like bacon just isn't human, and eggs come in so many different forms--omelet, fried, scrambled, poached, etc.--there's something for everyone. There was one Saturday not too long ago that I was really into eggs and bacon. I had it for breakfast and dinner. Prepare yourself; it's about to get delicious.


Breakfast Quesadillas
3 eggs
2 flour tortillas (8 inches)
1/2 cup shredded fontina cheese
2 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 green onion, thinly sliced
Sour cream and salsa, optional

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Add eggs; cook and stir over medium heat until completely set.

Place tortillas on a griddle. Spoon eggs over half of each tortilla; sprinkle with cheese, bacon and onion. Fold over and cook over low heat for 1-2 minutes on each side or until cheese is melted. Serve with sour cream and salsa. Yield: 2 servings.

+ = Awesome!
 I pulled this recipe from Taste of Home and made this up before a clothing swap one morning.

Note: Ladies, you can save yourself SO much money by coordinating one of these little get-togethers. A lot of the girls in my department are about the same size, and most all of them have small children of varying ages. Everybody brings the stuff that they don't want anymore or doesn't fit their kids anymore and you just pick out what you want, try it on, and then take home "new" clothes for free. Anything that isn't taken at the end gets taken to Goodwill. Win-win-win.

Here's the assembly line. Then I just cooked everything up and fought (and mostly won) to resist eating it before the swap. I also cut the quesadillas into small pieces to try and stretch them. After all, everyone was bringing something, so one person didn't need a big slice. Too bad it didn't seem to make a difference. Those babies were gone in minutes. Guys think you're so good at eating. Try getting a dozen women into a room together and see how long any food lasts. We've got them beat six ways till Sunday. :-) Needless to say, the quesadillas were well enjoyed.

Then came dinner for Mike and I. I have been trying a lot more homemade pasta sauce recipes, so I found a recipe by Rachael Ray that was just too good to pass up.

Bacon and Egg Coal Miner's Pasta: Rigatoni alla Carbonara
Salt
1 lb rigatoni
1/3 lb pancetta, cured Italian meat, available at deli counter, chopped
Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil, plus 2 Tbsp (2 turns around the pan)
4 or 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, a few pinches, crushed in palm of hand
1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken stock
2 lg egg yolks
3 Tbsp (ab 2 palmfuls) grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus more, for sprinkling
A handful fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
A few grinds black pepper

Place a large pot of water on the stove to boil. When water is rolling, add salt and pasta and cook to al dente, about 8 minutes, reserving 1/4 cup pasta water.

While pasta cooks, heat large skillet over moderate heat. Sauté pancetta in a drizzle of oil until it browns, 3 to 5 minutes. Add extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, and crushed pepper flake. Sauté garlic 2 minutes. Add wine or stock to the pan and reduce liquid by half, 2 minutes.

Beat together egg yolks, cheese, and while whisking vigorously, stir in a ladle of the boiling pasta water. Beat in parsley and pepper and set aside.

Drain pasta. Add pasta to pan with sauce. Toss pasta with pancetta, then add egg mixture and toss 1 minute, then remove from heat. Continue to toss until sauce is absorbed by and thickly coating the pasta. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper and serve with extra cheese, for passing.

This is such a beautiful sight. I never get tired of seeing yummy, thick-cut bacon frying up in a pan. And the smell! Oh, don't even get me started. Anything with this deliciousness in it is going to be awesome.

That is a lot of pasta, but pasta's cheap, especially when it's buy-one-get-one-free at the store. Plus, you can get whole grain or vegetable pastas to take the nutrition factor up a notch or three.

And that is one bowl of amazingness. I have discovered the ease of making pasta sauces at home and love it! Mike's been waxing poetic about some of them too, which only encourages me too. This is such a cheap, easy, yummy meal, and I think it could double for breakfast too. After all, eggs and bacon seem like anytime-food to me.