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Bacon wrapped asparagus...need I say more? It's hard to describe how truly delicious it is. When you take two amazingly delicious things on their own and put them together it's like a flavor explosion!
Of all the vegetables I have ever tried, asparagus has to be my favorite. And bacon, well bacon is just plain awesome! When you put the two together, the flavors compliment each other and come together to create an amazing flavor explosion.
Want to experience this little flavor explosion? It takes a little time to prep (wrap bacon around asparagus spears), but then all you do is pop it in the oven and in a little over half an hour you have your very own bacon wrapped flavor explosion good enough to share. You can prep this ahead of time, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake. Perfect for almost any occasion from graduation parties to anniversary dinners.
I am kind of partial to crispy bacon so I bake them on a cooling rack over a sided baking pan to get more air flow and crispier bacon. The baking pan underneath has to have sides (like a jellyroll pan) to keep the grease in the pan. I also line the pan with foil as shown to help with clean-up.
When prepping the asparagus, wash, then break each spear where it naturally breaks off at the cut end. Throw away or compost the two to three inch end pieces that break off. Then wrap the asparagus spears in bacon. I cut the bacon lengthwise with kitchen shears to make long thin strips that easily wrap around the asparagus spears.
Ingredients:
1 bunch asparagus spears 1 package bacon (not thick cut) 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 2. Prep asparagus (above paragraph) 3. Prep pans with foil and cooling racks (you will probably need 2 pans) 4. Cut bacon slices in half lengthwise then wrap around asparagus spears. 5. Place bacon wrapped asparagus on cooling racks over pans as pictured leaving a little space between each one. 6. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until asparagus is tender and bacon is getting crispy. 7. Then put under the broiler for a couple of minutes to finish crisping the bacon. 
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One of my favorite things about summer is the food. These hot days call for cool crisp salads and slaws. This is one of our old favorites. We love vidalia chicken slaw!
No need to turn on the oven and heat up the kitchen. I use a can of cooked chicken or slow cook a chicken breast. Delicious as a main dish or a side. You can also leave the chicken out and just make a delicious vidalia onion slaw. The ramen noodles add the yummiest crunchy texture with the cabbage but soak in the dressing so they aren't too crunchy.
Vidalia onion slaw needs to sit in the fridge for a couple of hours to blend the flavors so it is a great make ahead dish and always goes over well at potlucks. The leftovers are great the next day too, great for packing in the lunchbox.
Ingredients:
Two 10 oz. bags angel hair shredded cabbage or about 9 cups shredded cabbage 2 packages chicken flavored ramen noodles 1 chicken breast cooked and shredded/diced* or 1 can chicken, drained 12 oz bottle (1 1/2 cups) Vidalia onion dressing 1 bunch green onions, sliced Break up ramen noodles. Mix all ingredients together including ramen noodle flavor packets. Chill in fridge to blend flavors. *I cook a chicken breast in the crock pot all day. Simply cover with water and cook on low in slow cooker. 
Disclosure: The links in this post are affiliate links. When you make a purchase through one of my links, I will receive an affiliate payment. However, any opinions are honest and are my own.
Have you heard of Zaycon Fresh? I have been hearing about Zaycon fresh chicken deals for a couple of years, but always assumed it was not available in my area. I decided to just check and see and was surprised that there are several delivery stops in my area. I was excited to take advantage of this $0.99 a pound fresh chicken deal and was able to put in an order for a June delivery at a church just 20 miles from here. I ordered in February last time they posted this new customer deal so delivery is always a few months out, but that gives you some time to make room in your freezer:)
The Deal:
Use coupon code firstcase to drop the price down to $0.99 a pound. Offer only valid for the following products: Fresh Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts. Excluding sales tax where applicable. Offer ends 11:59 pm PST on 5/10/2018 unless it sells out first. Offer available to new orders only. Cannot be combined with any other offer or promotion. One promo code per order. Limited to one-time usage per household. If you have never ordered from Zaycon Fresh before, you can order a 40 pound box of boneless, skinless chicken breasts for just $0.99 a pound. That's a great deal worth stocking up on! A little about Zaycon Fresh chicken:
And if you are a blogger, you can become a premier influencer and get paid when you share Zaycon Fresh with your readers!
Here are a few of my favorite chicken recipes.
Easy Weeknight Chicken Fajitas Chicken Pot Pie Chicken and Dumplings Chicken Noodle Soup Orange Chicken Bourbon Chicken 
We Tried Once Again Hazelnut Spread and You Can Enter to win a 6-pack of Amoré Hazelnut Spread!5/8/2018
I received this product for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com) to use and post my honest opinions. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.
We love chocolate and hazelnuts so I was happy to try Once Again Amoré Hazelnut Spread. It is high in protein and fiber and has fewer calories and less saturated fat than the leading hazelnut spread. While it is still a treat and no one should eat the whole jar in one sitting (although you might be tempted to), it is nice to have a lower calorie option. It's also nice to know that it is Non-GMO Project Verified, Gluten Free Certified, and Fair Trade Certified. In addition, it is made with no artificial flavors, colors or hydrogenated oils.
Delicious drizzled over vanilla ice cream or spread on your favorite bread! With strawberry season coming soon, I think Amoré Hazelnut Spread will make an amazing dip for fresh strawberries. The options are endless...so many delicious ways to treat yourself to this chocolaty hazelnut goodness!
Enter the Once Again Nut Butter Sweepstakes through May 9th. You can enter for a chance to win a free case of product and a toy racoon. The winners will be announced during the Once Again Nut Butter Facebook Live on May 10.
Once Again Nut Butter is an employee-owned business located in upstate New York that has been manufacturing nut butters, seed butters, and honeys since 1976. They follow Fair Trade and Sustainability standards for their farm partners, suppliers, and prices.
Have you ever tried Amoré Hazelnut Spread? What's your favorite way to eat chocolate hazelnut spread?
Since it is grilling season and when I think of grilling season I think of hamburgers and potato chips I thought I would share my favorite homemade potato chips. These are the best! Way better than store bought chips and really not that hard to make.
Years ago before we had children, we used to go to this little old fashioned bar/restaurant and we always got the homemade chips. We have since moved away and I don't even remember the name of the little unassuming restaurant that we loved so much, but we still enjoy the homemade chips made fresh in our own kitchen.
My favorite way to eat these delicious homemade chips is to drizzle them with blue cheese dressing and sprinkle with fresh chopped chives or green onions.
You want to slice your potatoes really thin so that they crisp up nicely in the hot oil, but don't worry, the softer pieces are yummy too.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients: 4-6 Russet Potatoes (I make 1 potato per person) Peanut oil Sea salt Blue Cheese dressing, optional Chopped green onions, optional 1. Heat oil in a large dutch oven or deep skillet. I turn my burner up to high and then bring it down some later if I need to. I never check the temperature, but if you are using a thermometer, 350 degrees is where you want to be. 2. Slice potatoes into very thin rounds with a mandolin or sharp knife. I have made these with skins and without and we didn't see much difference between the two. Your preference - peel the potatoes or leave the skins on. I leave them on...it's easier:) 3. When the oil is hot, gently lower the potatoes into the oil. Deep fry until the potatoes are a deep golden brown. You want them to be nice and crispy, not soggy. I stir to separate them a little while frying. Also, fry in small batches. 
4. When the chips are a deep golden brown, remove them to a cooling rack that is over a paper towel lined pan. This helps the excess oil drip off and keeps the chips crispy.
5. Sprinkle with salt and serve warm. These are delicious with blue cheese dressing and chopped green onions or chives.
This has been kind of a late night flashback Friday post that went into early Saturday morning. I stayed up way too late tweaking this old post (which I do not recommend for anyone who has an 18 month old that wakes up around 7:00 every morning even on Saturday), but I got it done. Here is the updated recipe for Easy Enchiladas.  This is a great recipe for using leftover shredded meat or beans and rice. I wrote all about our week of using leftover pork roast from Easter in various recipes in the post, so check it out.
I received this product for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com) to use and post my honest opinions. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.
I think bacon and macaroni and cheese were meant for each other and I can't believe this is the first time I have put them together. These little bacon macaroni and cheese cupcakes are amazing! They are basically little handheld mac and cheese casseroles. So much delicious flavor in such a cute little package.
Delicious and easy to eat! Talk about kid-friendly. I am thinking these will go well at kid's birthday parties. I may even try making bacon mac and cheese bites in my mini muffin pan for my 6 year old's birthday this summer which would be even smaller and easier for little hands.
These savory little mac and cheese cupcakes are perfect for backyard BBQ's, graduation parties, and even bridal showers when you want something simple yet unique.
You know what else? These yummy morsels are made with one of my favorite ingredients which I always keep on hand, Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It is made by pressing without heat or chemicals and is the freshest and purest olive oil available.
Did you know the greatest impact on taste is the type of olive tree (cultivar), region (which affects climate and soil) and time of harvest? Olives harvested early in the season, late August (varies by region), are under-ripe and produce oils that are greener, more bitter and pungent. Olives harvested at the end of the season, late November into December, are over-ripe and tend to be mild and buttery. Spanish oil is usually golden yellow with a fruity, nutty flavor. Italian olive oil is often dark green and has an herbal aroma and a grassy flavor. Greek olive oil is strong in flavor and aroma and usually green. French oil is typically pale in color and mild in flavor. So many delicious varieties for all of your culinary needs. 
I love using olive oil and cook with it frequently. It has a high smoke point (400° F), so it can handle anything from a light sauté to a deep fry. Have you ever deep fried anything in olive oil? I have not, but will have to try it. If you have, what are your favorite foods to fry in olive oil? You can also bake with olive oil. I love to use it in muffins and cakes.
Store your olive oil someplace dark and cool (around 57° F, if possible), not on a counter or near a stove, and never in the refrigerator. Keep it sealed tight and use your oil within 6 months of opening and within 18 months of purchasing. 
Bacon Macaroni and Cheese Cupcakes
Serves 12 Cupcake liners 2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil 8 strips bacon 8 oz. elbow macaroni 2 C. cheddar cheese, shredded 2 eggs 1 C. milk Fresh ground salt and pepper to taste Seasoned bread crumbs 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 2. Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with liners. Brush each liner with some of the EVOO or spray with some olive oil spray. 3. Cook the bacon in a large frying pan or a microwave bacon pan. Drain cooked bacon and cool. When cool, rough chop the bacon and set aside. 4. Cook the macaroni according to package directions. Drain the cooked pasta, then return it to the saucepan. Add the cheese, chopped bacon and 1 Tbsp. of the EVOO. Gently stir together until the cheese begins to melt. 5. Mix the eggs and the milk together. Pour into the macaroni mixture. Salt and pepper to taste. 6. Scoop mixture into the cupcake liners and sprinkle with bread crumbs. 7. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown on top. When done, take out of the liners, place on a platter, and drizzle with the remaining extra virgin olive oil. Some liners will pull away from the sides of the cupcakes on their own and will look pretty to serve the cupcakes in. (pictured, If You Care cupcake liners which do not stick) 
Zucchi is an Italian Olive Oil Company producing traceable and sustainable products that you can trust. Look for Zucchi at Big Y, HEB, King Kullen and Shaw’s.
The Flavor Your Life campaign's goal is to educate North American consumers about authentic extra virgin olive oil from Europe. With funding from the European Union, the Italian government, and a consortium of European Extra Virgin Olive Oil producers, Flavor Your Life is debunking misconceptions while empowering consumers.
Linking up at Mommy Moments, Inspire Me Monday
I love a hot breakfast and since I am home with a little one, we enjoy our favorite veggie breakfast bowl several times a week. (My 17 month old likes to share with me.) I should probably start making this for the big boys, but they leave for school so early that it hasn't happened yet. Sometimes I scramble some eggs and add sauteed veggies, maybe sprinkle on some cheese, but this has been my favorite. I have decided I like more veggies and less egg so this works perfectly...lots of sauteed veggies and one fried egg on top. Plus, oooooooooh that delicious avocado toast. It is my new fave! The baby loves it too.
I start with a little coconut oil or bacon grease if I have it and saute some sliced onions, mushrooms, and peppers until tender. I add some grape tomatoes about half-way through cooking the vegetables and spinach towards the end. l salt and pepper while I am cooking. I use specialty salts like Alaea salt (my husband brought some back from a work trip to Hawaii) or Himalayan pink salt. Use anything you like to add flavor. Then I move the veggies to a bowl and cook an egg in the same skillet. I usually just fry the egg in a little coconut oil, but you can cook it however you like. Then add the egg to the vegetable bowl for a delicious and healthy breakfast or lunch or even dinner if you like.
Yum! All my favorite vegetables in one bowl! Almost...asparagus would be amazing too. Add your favorites and enjoy, no savor this delicious veggie bowl!
And then the avocado toast...where do I even begin. It is amazing, delicious...green gold. I like to spread butter on my toast first followed by a healthy smear of soft avocado. I use about 1/2 avocado per slice of toast and sprinkle with a little sea salt to finish.
Ingredients:
Coconut oil or olive oil Sliced mushrooms, onions, peppers Grape tomatoes Fresh spinach leaves 1 egg Salt and pepper For toast: bread, butter, avocado, salt I start with a little coconut oil or bacon grease if I have it and saute some sliced onions, mushrooms, and peppers until tender. I add some grape tomatoes about half-way through cooking the vegetables and spinach towards the end. l salt and pepper while I am cooking. I use specialty salts like Alaea salt (my husband brought some back from a work trip to Hawaii) or Himalayan pink salt. Use anything you like to add flavor. Then I move the veggies to a bowl and cook an egg in the same skillet. I usually just fry the egg in a little coconut oil, but you can cook it however you like. Then add the egg to the vegetable bowl for a delicious and healthy breakfast or lunch or even dinner if you like. 
Linking up at Mommy Moments, Inspire Me Monday
We get really excited about holidays at our house. Not just the big ones like Easter and Christmas, but the little ones like Valentine's Day, Mardi Gras, and St. Patrick's Day too. You can bet we're having corned beef and cabbage and shamrock shaped green jello next weekend. Since we love holidays so much, I wanted to do something special for the boys for Valentine's Day, so I made a strawberry waffle cake.
Talk about happy kids! They loved it and it was pretty simple to make. I actually enjoy making waffles so we eat them fairly often...well once or twice a month which is a lot in my book since I like to keep breakfast simple. Here is the recipe I always make.
I actually mashed up some strawberries and added them to the batter, but don't think I really tasted them in the waffles. I doubt I will go to the trouble to do that again since it didn't change the flavor of the waffles, but it's always fun to try new things.
I love the simplicity of this. Waffles, whipped cream, and strawberries layered to make a beautiful cake. I make homemade whipped cream which is super easy if you have a mixer. I put cream and strawberries between each layer, cutting the strawberries thinner for the inner layers so they will stack easier. You will want to serve this treat shortly after assembling to prevent the waffle layers from getting too soft, although it's still good if it has set awhile.
Ingredients:
Waffles (my favorite recipe) Whipped cream (homemade or store bought, honestly homemade is easy and so much better) Strawberries, washed and sliced Prepare all ingredients then layer as pictured for a fun sweet treat. 
Greek Skillet Supper is one of my favorite quick and easy one-skillet meals. Start to finish you can have this on the table in 30 minutes or less. Perfect for busy weeknights and feeding hungry kids fast. Between the boys' activities, my grad class work, and my husband's work schedule, life has been crazy busy around here, so I have been relying on easy meals like this. I have been using my slow cooker a lot lately too which is especially convenient on nights when we don't get home until dinner time.
Try Greek Skillet Supper and change things up a bit in your dinner rotation. We love this hearty dish with so much delicious flavor.
The combination of oregano, cinnamon, and garlic powder give a wonderful and unique flavor to this dish. I just put the spinach in without thawing and it works well since it is loose in a bag of frozen spinach and not compact in a box of frozen spinach. It thaws quickly and blends right in.
Greek Skillet Supper
Serves 6 1 lb. lean ground beef or lamb 1/2 sweet onion, diced 2 tsp. dried oregano 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp. garlic powder 1 3/4 C. beef broth 1 can (14 ½ oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained 2 Tbsp. ketchup 1 1/2 cups uncooked penne pasta (I use ancient grain pasta) 1 bag frozen leaf spinach (10-16 oz.) ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese, divided 1. Cook ground beef and onion in large skillet on medium-high heat until beef is no longer pink, stirring occasionally. 2. Add oregano, cinnamon and garlic powder, mix well. 3. Stir in broth, tomatoes and ketchup. 4. Bring to a boil. Stir in pasta. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook 10 minutes or until pasta is nearly tender. 5. Stir in spinach and ½ cup of the feta cheese. Cover. Cook 5 minutes longer or until pasta is tender. 6. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup feta cheese. 
Linking up at Inspire Me Monday
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Welcome to Home Ec @ HomeHi, I'm Faith, a former Family and Consumer Science (Home Economics) Teacher turned work at home Mom, bringing you family friendly, homemade recipes and homemaking tips to simplify your life. Join me on my homemaking and mothering journey. Most Popular Posts
Easy Weeknight Chicken Fajitas
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