Salty Sister Cooks

I have tried to do a cooking post before but my food photography is waaaay bad.  Although I never really give on an idea, so I decided that I would give it one more try.

  

This is one of my dishes that I haven't seen anyone else do so I though I would start with this one first.  Welcome to the new Salty Sister Cooks segment of this here blog.  Thank you.

I found this recipe in a cook book years ago, I can't remember which one but I can still see the cover of the book in my mind's eye, if that helps any. ?  Also, no clue as to if it had a name or what that name might be so here are the ingredients.

Um hum, yep broccoli and bacon.  Some of my family loves it, some not so much but she's just scared that way.  

So here is how I do it.  Chop up the broccoli first, put it in a bowl and set it aside.  Then cut the bacon in one inch sections.  That way only one cutting board.  Just a little diddy from me to you.

Separate the bacon and drop it in a preheated pan.  You know just like you would anytime your cooking bacon.
I use the largest size pan I have because your pan is going to get pretty full.

Start the water boiling for the pasta.

Cook bacon until it is almost done.  Drain grease.  One f the easiest ways for me to drain grease from a pan with bacon or hamburger cooking is to spoon the meat out of the pan and then clean the pan with paper towels or you can pour it into an empty can.  I've noticed that the older I get my wrist can't handle the weight of the pan as easy so using the paper towel method works for me.  Paper towels and paper plates....I keep the paper making people in business.  Just call it my contribution to the economy.

check pasta for doneness.  You seriously need to leave the pasta a little crunchy.  Al dente as they say.  Because it is going to cook more in the pan with the other ingredients in a minute.  So, get one of the pasta pieces and take a bite.  

Push the bacon to the sides of the pan and add the broccoli in the center of the pan. 

 
I didn't make note of the time but I leave my broccoli crunchy too, so don't cook it to long.  Just steam it and when it looks nice and dark green but still crunchy, stir the broccoli and bacon together and add the drained pasta. Turn the heat off here.

Gently toss together.  I think the original recipe called for one-half pound bacon and half the box of pasta but I use the whole package.  Like I said I've been cooking this for a long time.  

Now add the cheese.  It calls for parmesan but I for the longest time I could only find mozzarella and parmesan mixed together.  So I used that.  Now I can buy the parmesan separately but I like the mozzarella so I keep it in there.  The one thing I have learn, don't use cheddar cheese - hmm, not so much.  
Again, gently stir the cheese in.  Not too much just mix it a little. And if you like things even more spicey  sprinkle cayenne pepper on top.

Okay, that's it.  It really is yummy. 

I serve it with a salad or wedge of lettuce a slice and maybe a slice of bread.  This is a garlic bread I found at the grocery story in their fresh baked area.  And un-sweet ice tea but that's just me. 

I use the whole package of bacon - sliced in one inch segments, two broccoli heads - chopped, one box of pasta - I use the penne rigate or the spiral and parmesan and mozzarella cheese.  I my experience the parmesan is a must, you can do with out the mozzarella.  And as I have been preparing this post I realized that the original called for a garlic clove minced.  I haven't used that in years but it sounds good.  Next time for sure. 

 

So there you go.  My first "Salty Sister Cooks" post.  I hope you try this dish and I really hope you like it.  That would be bad if you didn't.  Leave me a comment and let me know what you think.

  

See ya.  :))