Zesty Bacon Broccoli Bowtie Alfredo

 Bacon~ How do I love thee? Let me count thy ways! No, but, FOR REAL, I could seriously list a 100 reasons (or more) why and how I adore bacon. It may not be the healthiest meat on the planet, but it is definitely one of thee tastiest. You want to elevate a dish, just add bacon. It goes with just about anything and everything and is 99% likely to improve any dish it is in, on, or wrapped around! Just stating the facts here people. Cheeseburgers are good, but BACON cheeseburgers are great. Asparagus is good, but BACON wrapped asparagus is great. Eggs are good, but EGGS and BACON, you guessed it, GREATness! Bacon is the deliciously crisp wavy line between good and GREATNESS. No joke, one of my all time favorite comfort foods is the classic BLT. However, take away the bacon and you have just a lettuce, mayo and tomato sandwich. How lame is that??! Without the bacon... that sandwich would pretty much suck, the bacon makes it. Now that we've cleared that up, let's dish about the awesomeness of this easy bacon broccoli Alfredo dish! I should just call this dish BOMB DIGGITY BOW TIES PEEPS, cuz it is just that.

(I always save the napkins when I get fast food since they give you a bazillion every time, this comes in handy if you run  out of paper towels)  

I use this cheese in place of cream cheese ALL the time and it never lacks in flavor/no one ever knows it's a tad healthier ;)

• Whatcha' need: 
• 1 Box Bow Tie Pasta Noodles (uncooked)
• 1 lb Bacon cooked crisp (you could use turkey bacon if you prefer) 
• 2 cups frozen Broccoli
• 1 medium sized Onion (chopped)
• 2 cups Milk (I use 1%)
• 1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese
• 1 8oz pack of Neufchatel or Low fat Cream Cheese (1/3 less fat than cream cheese, but they'll never know it)
• 1 &1/2 teaspoons Italian Blend Seasoning
• 1& 1/4 tsp each Red Pepper Flakes and Lemon Pepper (1/4 each for the bacon)
• 1 TBSP lemon Juice
• 2 &1/2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon each minced garlic, salt, and paprika 

Opt 2 teaspoons bacon grease/pan drippings

Start by cooking up your bacon either on the stove top or in the oven, however you prefer. I seasoned my bacon with a dash of paprika and a dash of lemon pepper and red pepper flakes. This will add a nice zing to the dish without it being super spicy. Also, the crispier the bacon, the better for this recipe, because when you add it to the gooey pasta it will maintain it's crunchy texture better (and because floppy bacon is just not too swell) I also find it much easier to save the bacon grease and drippings via stove top cooking method, and bacon grease is like cooking gold folks. A little bit of bacon grease packs a whole Lotta awesome flavor and can be used for gravies and all sorts of yummy dishes!

Thrifty Tip~ Always save excess napkins when you get fast food, they come in handy when you run out of paper towels  and they always give you much more than you need $

 Once the bacon is done, carefully remove it from the pan onto a paper towel lined plate, allow it to cool and set it aside. OF COURSE, taste test a piece or two, perks of being the cook a' ;) Carefully, poor all that lovely liquid bacon gold into a sturdy container with a lid (like an old, clean coffee container or glass Tupperware container of sorts, don't pour it into a flimsy plastic container because it will eat through it) to save for later uses. When the grease has cooled a few minutes, place 2 teaspoons plus the pan drippings into a large pot with the chopped onion. Heat on Medium for about 5-7 minutes or until onions are tender.

Bacon Gold my friends ^

Next, add the milk, Parmesan, lemon juice, water, broccoli and seasonings. Bring the mixture to a slight boil over medium low heat stirring occasionally.

Once the mixture starts to slightly bubble, add the noodles and cook about 10-15 minutes or until the noodles are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Stir frequently. 

While this is going down, coarsely chop or crumble the bacon.

When the noodles are done, quickly stir in the Neufchatel or low fat cream cheese until well-blended and then, fold in the crumbled bacon. Cook for about 5 more minutes stirring frequently.

Turn off the heat and allow that loveliness to cool slightly before sprinkling it with a little more Parmesan Cheese and devouring it! Serve up this Beaut with a small side salad, garlic bread or even solo, either way it is sure to be an easy, delicious dinner winner! Hugs and Chow for Now...

~BOMB DIGGITY BACON BROCCOLI BOW TIES~

Easy UPcycled Clock

Speaking honestly, I'm not a big fan of  the whole concept of "time." It seems like there is never enough of it in one day, you feel guilty if you waste it or don't get enough done in a certain amount of it. It forces us to rush around when we need to be somewhere, and it is seemingly a source of anxiety and panic more often than not. Heavy stuff, I know right :) I truly wish we never had to know the time! LIKE, NO JOKE, but we do. We all need to know the time and have some legitimate time telling object in our homes in this world (I suppose lol). Everything is intertwined with "time," in some silly way or another. You can't just show up to work any time you please or leave any time you want. Or if you favorite show comes on at 9 you'll miss it if you don't know the time. We are told from a young age to spend our time wisely, make thee most of our time, cherish the time we've shared with those near and dear to our hearts, that we can't go back in time, don't be at the wrong place at the wrong time, and that time is precious among many other time related tidbits of life insight. I guess, time diminishes some confusion and chaos in this complicated world, yet, creates other kinds of chaos like rushing about to be on time or the frequent confusion felt by the unsureness of the time in which we are suppose to be somewhere important and if we don't know that specific time, we panic. I guess you could say, time is not my favorite concept lol. I'd much rather mosey places leisurely like when the sun peaks at a certain point in the sky (and ban the whole concept of working when the moon is out, no one should have to be up before the sun, just saying lol) than feel time induced panic when I know I'm suppose to be somewhere important by such and such specific designated times. Sorry for the rant, JUST GETTING THAT OFF MY CHEST :) I know, Ain't nobody got time for that and I shouldn't be wasting your valuable time with my jargon  ;) 

So let's talk about up-cycling, recycling, and repurposing. It's truly awesome (unlike time lol) and it can be super fun, rewarding, and rarely panic inducing. To transform something that might have ended up in the trash into a lovely little treasure is not only good for all Earth's inhabitants, it makes us feel a sense of pride when it goes from blahness to beautiful. It is an art in itself to see the weird potential of random, rundown, everyday items as something other than what easily meets the eye and further, transform those average objects into unique, thrifty lil' masterpieces of sorts. Not only is it good for the environment and good for the wallet, it's pretty sweet for the soul!

I've been feeling pretty blah about this basic, worn down time telling device on my wall for quite some TIME now. Yeah, it served its purpose, but it was cracked and a lot bit whack. I believe it was my Grandma's kitchen clock at some point (no offense G-Ma) but it was most definitely not my style. I wouldn't have paid 10 dollars for that plain Jane time contraption unless it was the only time telling device left on Earth; it truly had NO CHARACTER, and was the definition of true blah designs! It def didn't tie into my eccentric, funky, eclectic decor lol. So, I started thinking how could I revive this old beast without just chucking it into the trash or without spending any extra cash?!? I looked around at random objects in my domain and I scrolled Pinterest for some nifty ideas, and OF COURSE, there was no shortage of funky clock inspiration! I so love Pinterest, and all the lovely, creative concoctions people come up with! I especially adore, the Eco-friendly, Upcycled and Recycled masterpieces these glorious geniuses make out of everyday objects or things that would be laying in landfills if not otherwise repurposed. Anyhow, after brainstorming and scouring my house staring at random objects and snooping around the Internet, I decided to turn an old piece of funky, vibrant, wall art, gifted to me many moons ago from my older brother, into my new clock! It was perfecto' and a really fun way to revive both of these old pieces without spending a single penny. Thrifty and Nifty folks <3  It even makes checking the time a little bit funner and that's a mega plus in my book!

Poor ol' clock has had a rough time :)

I started by carefully taking apart the old plastic clock, removing the tiny screws in the back, and removing the membrane or mechanical mechanisms that hold the "time."

I then, measured the pictures width and length with a basic ruler, located the center, and marked it lightly with a dot (in pencil). There, I drilled a basic hole and put those mechanisms removed from the old clock into the hole drilled in the center, similarly, to the way they were in the basic old blah clock. (I believe the hour hand goes on the bottom, then minute hand, and then seconds hand lastly, just in case you get fumbled up when taking it apart ;) I applied 2 long pieces of clear masking tape to the back to secure the mechanism in place, but if you prefer, use super glue, or whatever works for you best! (It is completely secure with the tape and won't be visible when on the wall, and it will also be easier for me to remove if I want to in the future or if the ol' beast fizzles out on me and needs replacing)

Next, I thought of how I wanted to display the numbers. Honestly, lovely penmanship is not my forte and I don't own stencils to to make nice legible anythings lol, SO, I decided to go through a few old magazines and look for numbers or relevant words or symbols that I could decoupage onto my clocks surface for easier reference of time. (I didn't want to have to decipher the time for my dude every time he tried to read my clock, ain't nobody got time for that lol) Though... you could do a wide variety of things to represent the numbers that flows with your decor or personal taste. You could print some neat #'s off the internet, paint Roman Numerals on, use random objects like buttons or seashells or really, whatever your heart desires!

I cut a few numbers and phrases out of an old magazine, laid them out on the pictures surface and played around with location and such. Obviously, you want the time hands to fall fairly near the true time so your not panicking or creating chaos with your up-cycled clock lol! I also didn't want to completely clutter up the picture with numbers so I choose to leave a few off here and there, but you can still easily tell what time it is and it serves its' main purpose, while not being too cookie cutter blah :)

Mix a little water into some some basic white glue with a small, funky paint brush (you just made Mod Podge for half the price) and put a thin layer underneath where you want each number to be. Just make sure it is a nice and thin layer so you don't get that crusty effect (icks). Place the relevant number back on the glue in its predesignated area and cover it again with another thin layer or two of the watered down glue/MOD PODGE. Repeat until all the desired numbers are glued on and in the desired locations with a few thin layers of the Mod Podge on top of each #. THEN... allow the little beaut to air dry and put it back up on your wall so you won't run late for any important dates!

Shazam! You just totally up-cycled a blah clock that was destined for the trash in the near future into a fun whala wall clock, all while doing something nice for the planet and all your fellow creatures! Bravo, my fellow thrifty tree huggers and may time treat you kindly ;)

Sorry for the funky lighting, but I was working on this project in the evening, but hopefully, you still get the drift!

P.S. Here's a few more fun, crafty up-cycled inspirations to get your thrifty DIY juices flowing:

http://coolmaterial.com/home/palletart-clock/

http://refurbished-ideas.com/unique-diy-wall-clocks/

http://mydesiredhome.com/40-diy-driftwood-inspiration-ideas/

http://www.hometalk.com/5623161/how-to-make-a-t-shirt-pillowutm_source=original&utm_medium=pinterest&utm_campaign=featured&crlt.pid=camp.Jxltv5uihKYU

http://rooflab.blogspot.gr/2013/02/15-kitchen-ideas-with-vintage-touch.html

isn't that cute!

Pulled BBQ Chicken and Baked Bean Chili

 Nothing shouts warm, happy, anti-polar vortex thoughts quite like BBQ Chicken. It's messy, carefree, soul food with a laid back summer living beachy kinda vibe. Am I right or am I right?! If summer had a flavor it'd have to be BBQ. Grill food, Juicy Melons, Pasta Salads, Icy drinks (sometimes spiked and w/ a lil' umbrella), and OF COURSE BBQ. But... when fall and winter come rolling around, we seem to forget all about our dearest pal BBQ until next summer, and embrace these so dubbed "winter/fall flavors." Why not keep summer alive in our icy hearts and BELLY, by combining the flavors of fall and summer into a warm and hardy, happy dish? BBQ, Chicken, Baked Beans and Corn sounds like summer goodness, right?! Only it's - 100 degrees out and freeze your face cold. But that's no reason to go all ANTI-BBQ CHICKEN! Whoever outlawed winter BBQ chicken and baked beans? Seriously tho, shame on them?!!! That's just ludicrous and this lil' foodie rebel is not gonna stand for it! NOPE ;) That's flavor discrimination and I'm not down with all that silly jazz. So today, I bring you a much needed splash of summer heat in a bowl, YUP, BBQ Chicken, Corn and Baked Bean Chili. These flavors taste just as good during freeze your face weather as they do during the I'm melting heat! So0... Let's do this dang thang my fellow foodie rebels :)

 Whatcha' Need:

• 1.5-2 pounds chicken breasts
• 1 cup BBQ Sauce w/ Brown Sugar (I'm a Sweet Baby Ray's Gal, but use what ever you want or what's on sale, switch it up)
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1 lg can Baked Beans (28 oz) not Drained (I used maple/brown sugar flavored with bacon) 
• 1 can Black Beans (drained)
• 1.5 cups frozen corn kernels
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 can diced tomatoes (w/ peppers) not drained
• 1 jalapeno seeds and all or 1/4 cup diced jar pepper slices (OPT)
• 2 TBS Brown Sugar
• 1 TBS Vinegar (white or apple cider)
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 28oz can of water ^ (+ 4 cups) 
• 2 tsp chili powder, 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp each lemon pepper and red pepper flakes
• 2 tsp garlic minced or dry and 2 tsp Salt  ~ Season to your tastes always~

Start off by placing the chicken breasts and 1/2 the various spices in a large pot. Cover the chicken with about 3-4 cups water and cover pot with a tight fitting lid. Over low/medium heat, bring the chicken to a boil, checking it and flipping it occasionally. 

 Boil for about 30-40 minutes with lid on (checking regularly/flipping the breasts a few times throughout) or cook until chicken is no longer pink and it becomes fork tender.

Turn off the heat and remove the chicken breasts from the pot and place them in a large mixing bowl, but DO NOT throw out the juices. It should be reduced down by about half by the time the bird is done and it is about equal to 2 cups broth without all the filler and unnecessary spent $.

This is now your broth/chili base. (For soups, chili and stews you really want to build layers of flavor from the bottom up, and low slow is always preferred, not that you couldn't rush the dish along if needed, but if you have the time, take it and you'll taste it)

Allow the chicken to rest or cool a few minutes in the large mixing bowl. Then, begin shredding the chicken with two forks by pulling the meat from opposite directions or allow it to cool enough to shred with your fingers. (Share any less appealing pieces with your pets who are probably eyeballing you right now lol!)

Once the chicken is shredded, place it back into the pot with the juices and spices aka you just made a homemade broth (THRIFTY AWESOME SAUCE).

Next, pour in all the remaining ingredients and stir well to combine.  

All the canned buddies ^

All the other veggies, additional spices, BBQ sauce, Brown Sugar , Ketchup, Vinegar and 28 oz of water

Heat on low/medium heat for about 1.5 hours (or longer) to really let the flavors develop. Stir occasionally throughout and reduce heat slightly if need be. (Also taste a bit of the juice and see if the seasonings need adjusting to your personal taste preferences. If so add a dash more of what you think might be lacking or needs balancing.)

Turn that winter-friendly BBQ beauty off and allow it to chill a few moments before topping it with a little shredded cheddar, sour cream, or garnish of choice. Buckle up and prepare to be transported to summer time where BBQ is all the rage and your belly button isn't cold anymore :) I hope you enjoy this fun twisted combo on 2 classic seasonal dishes!

P.S. Shout out to my lovely, kind Mama <3 for hooking it up with the fresh Chicken, Much love and Thanks for sharing your meat with me lady ;)

Fully Loaded Potachos w/ Spicy Ranch Sauce

It doesn't get much better in my book than bacon, potatoes, sour cream, and cheddar cheese. Like seriously, if you don't love any of those glorious foods then I'm not sure we can truly be buddies!I don't think I'd even want to live in a world without dairy and potatoes. NOT. EVEN. KIDDING. If by some cruel twist of fate I ever become lactose intolerant, PLEASE, just take me out to the pasture because that would be way more humane than living a life without cheese. No, but for real, I'd be super sad without things like sour cream, cheese, and chocolate milk! And I'm fairly certain I've already stated my adoration for meat and potatoes a few times now. Don't get me wrong, I love fruits and veggies or a nice lite salad, but given the choice between a salad or fully loaded fries/nachos, I'm picking the fries or nachos 75% of the time! One of mine and my dudes guilty pleasures is ordering fully loaded fries from the local bowling alley, they totally rock. Not to too my own horn or anything tho ;) but my potachos (aka the love child of potatoes and nachos) were waaaay better!!! They are also less fatty because they aren't fried and I used low fat sour cream. So I didn't even have to feel super guilty when loading my face full of them. HECK to the YEAH! Though these aren't fried and full of greasy badness they are packed with mad flavor and they might just change your potato world :)

Just look at those lil Beauties :)

Whatcha' need:

• 5-6 Large Idaho or Russet Potatoes (cleaned)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or cheese of choice)
• 1 pack bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled (I used pork, but turkey bacon would be yummy too)
• 1/2 cup low fat sour cream
• 1/4 cup ranch dressing
• 1 TBSP Milk
•  1 jalapeno chopped or about 10 jarred slices diced
• Non stick cooking spray (I used butter flavored)

Salt, Pepper and other desired seasonings: Chili Powder, Oregano, Red Pepper Flakes, Minced Onion and Garlic, Onion Powder.

I started by frying my bacon on the stove top, but feel free to throw it in the oven or cook it however you prefer (if using turkey bacon be sure to add some oil to the pan because it does not naturally produce grease like pork or beef) Once the bacon has cooked and cooled crumble it into nice little chunks, it's okay to taste test a piece or 3 when no one is looking ;)

Next clean potatoes and remove any excessive bumps, bruises or blemishes on the skin or internally. Slice the potatoes in 1/4 inch - 1/2 circles or rounds (like chips) with a veggie slicer or by hand, but try to keep them all about the same size to ensure even cooking. Place the potatoes slices in a pot and cover them with water and a dash of salt. Bring them to a slow boil and allow them to just become fork tender. This only takes about 5 minutes of them boiling, they don't need to be mashably soft just par cooked.

I boiled these with salt and dried minced onion/garlic ^

Strain the potatoes and preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a large baking sheet or pizza pan with non stick cooking spray and layer the potatoes evenly across the pan overlapping them just slightly so when you sprinkle all that yummy cheese and bacon on it doesn't just fall through the cracks.

Now spray the tops of the potatoes with a generous dose of more cooking spray (I also drizzled on a teaspoon of the reserved bacon grease just for good measures lol) and sprinkle with your desired seasonings and a nice dash of salt. Place them in the oven and cook for about 45 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.



Combine the sour cream, ranch, milk and diced peppers in a measuring cup or small bowl and set aside.

Next, remove the potatoes from the oven and sprinkle them with cheese and the bacon crumbles and put it back into the oven for 5-10 more minutes or until cheese is nice and gooey.

Remove that glorious masterpiece from the oven and let it cool a few minutes. Drizzle it with the spicy ranch sauce or serve it on the side for dipping. AND NOW, Prepare to be mind blown by the Potachos! These things are what dreams are made of... For seriousness folks! They are like little slices of potato magic and cheesy happiness! Make these gems for your next gathering or couch-gating extravaganza and the people will <3 you forever, PROMISES!

Caution: If these potachos change your life, I am not legally responsible... but your way welcome ;)