Gnocchi with Tomatoes & Watercress

Ingredients

* 2 ounces veggie bacon, chopped
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 large tomatoes, chopped
* 1/2 teaspoon sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
* 2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 pound gnocchi
* 4 ounces watercress,tough stems removed,coarsely chopped (6 cups packed)
* 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese


Preparation

1. Put a large pan of water on to boil.
2. Cook pancetta in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, sugar and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, until the tomatoes are almost completely broken down, about 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar and salt. Remove from the heat.
3. Cook gnocchi in the boiling water until they float, 3 to 5 minutes or according to package directions. Place watercress in a colander and drain the gnocchi over the watercress, wilting it slightly. Add the gnocchi and watercress to the sauce in the pan; toss to combine. Serve immediately, with Parmesan.

Hot Potato Salad

I didn't measure anything, so all I can do is give you the general idea. Most folks seem to prefer cold, creamy, mayonnaise-y style potato salads. I like them too. But I occasionally get a hankering for a warm potato salad, particularly when served with skillet fried sausages and chops. The concept is extremely simple… start with several boiled potatoes straight out of the hot water. Heat up a large saucepan and add some olive oil, lots of chopped veggie bacon and let that caramelize, add sliced red onions and or shallots/leeks and when these are wilted enough, add the boiled potatoes, cubing them first into bite size pieces and leaving the skin on. Add more olive oil, lots of salt and cracked black pepper, and some vinegar or balsamic if you like and mix this all up. The hot potatoes will absorb a lot of the flavor so copious amounts of seasoning are required. Serve warm. Any extras can be stored in the fridge and microwaved the next day. Perfect with sausages and steaks. I'm serving it with veggie bbq ribs. Super easy to make, always a crowd favorite. Starchy, salty, faintly vinegary… maybe a 1/4 cup or so of soy cheddar throughout the mix, but it certainly doesn't need it!! Enjoy! :)

Bacon Onion Tart

* Use a pre-made tart crust
* 3 thick-cut bacon slices, chopped
* 1 large onion, thinly sliced
* Pinch of sugar
* 1 cup whipping cream
* 1 large egg
* 1 large egg yolk
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* Generous pinch of salt
* Generous pinch of ground nutmeg
* 1/2 cup (packed) coarsely grated Gruyère cheese


For filling:
Sauté bacon in medium skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 4 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Add onion and pinch of sugar to drippings in skillet and sauté until onion is deep golden brown, about 20 minutes. Whisk cream, egg, egg yolk, pepper, salt, and nutmeg in small bowl to blend. Spread onion over bottom of baked crust; sprinkle bacon over, then cheese. Pour cream mixture over.

Bake until tart is puffed and filling is set, about 25 minutes. Cool tart on rack 10 minutes. Remove pan sides. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Bacon Noodles...... OH!!

Country Noodle Casserole

INGREDIENTS:

* 1/2 pound sliced veggie bacon
* 16-ounce package very fine egg noodles
* 3 cups cottage cheese
* 3 cups dairy sour cream
* 2 cloves garlic, crushed
* 2 onions, mined
* 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
* Dash liquid hot pepper seasoning
* 4 teaspoons salt
* 3 Tablespoons horseradish
* 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* Extra sour cream


TO PREPARE:

Microwave bacon until crisp; place on paper towels and crumble. Cook noodles in boiling salted water until tender, according to package directions; drain well. Mix all remaining ingredients, except Parmesan cheese and extra sour cream, in a large bowl. Add noodles and bacon and toss with two forks until well mixed. Turn into a deep 3-1/2 quart buttered casserole. Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until heated through. Remove cover, sprinkle surface with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, broil until golden. Serve remaining Parmesan to sprinkle over each portion, and extra sour cream if you wish.

NOTE: This dish may be prepared ahead of time and cooked just before serving.

SERVES: 12