Creamy cauliflower and potato soup with bacon

Delicious pieces of salty bacon add a meaty touch to this hearty cauliflower and potato soup. 

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 250g 97% fat-free bacon, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 leeks, halved, washed, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cauliflower, trimmed, cut into small florets
• 500g Sebago or Desiree potatoes, peeled, diced
• 6 cups reduced-salt chicken stock
• 1/4 cup light thickened cream
• Toasted wholegrain bread, to serve

 

Method

1. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add bacon. Cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes or until crisp. Remove to a plate lined with paper towel.
2. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil, garlic and leek to pan. Cook, stirring often, over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add cauliflower, potato and stock. Partially cover. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in half the bacon.
3. Blend soup, in batches, until smooth. Return to saucepan over low heat. Stir in cream. Heat, without boiling, until hot. Ladle into bowls. Top with remaining bacon. Sprinkle with pepper. Serve with toast.

Bacon, leek and potato frittata

Potato, leeks and bacon rashers team up in our budget-busting frittata 

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 5 rashers rindless shortcut bacon, chopped
• 1 medium leek, trimmed, halved, washed, thinly sliced
• 1 medium lady christl potato, peeled, thinly sliced
• 1 quantity Basic frittata mix 

Method

1. Heat oil in a 26cm (top) frying pan over medium heat. Add bacon and leek. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until bacon is golden. Add potato. Cook, stirring for 3 minutes or until potato starts to brown.
2. Meanwhile, preheat grill on medium. Make Basic frittata mix. Add to pan. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until almost set. Transfer to grill. Grill for 2 minutes or until golden and set. Serve.

Notes

Use a frying pan with a heatproof handle Stand frittatas in pans for 2 to 5 minutes before serving.

Hot Bacon and Pasta Salad

INGREDIENTS

 

1     box (7.75 oz) Betty Crocker® Suddenly Salad® classic salad mix

4     slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/4  cup sliced onion

3     tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1     tablespoon packed brown sugar

1     tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil

1/4  teaspoon Dijon mustard

4     cups baby spinach

1     pear, cut into bite-size pieces

4     oz blue cheese, crumbled (1 cup)

 

DIRECTIONS

 

1 Fill 3-quart saucepan 2/3 full of water; heat to boiling. Add Pasta. Gently boil, uncovered, 12 minutes, stirring occasionally; drain. Rinse with cold water to cool; drain well. 2 Meanwhile, in 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook bacon and onion, stirring occasionally, until bacon is crisp. Transfer bacon and onion to large bowl with slotted spoon, reserving bacon drippings. Stir Seasoning mix from packet, vinegar, brown sugar, oil and mustard into drippings. 3 In large bowl, toss bacon and onion mixture, spinach, pear and dressing until mixed; stir in cooked pasta. Sprinkle cheese over top of salad. Serve warm.