Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms

This appetizer is definitely worth the calories!

Ingredients

• 6 slices Nueske's* Smoked Bacon or other bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces This
  
• 15 fresh button mushrooms (about 12 oz.)
• 1 3-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar or smoked Gouda cheese (1 oz.)

Directions

1. Grease a 15x10x1-inch baking pan; set aside. In a 12-inch skillet, cook bacon until almost crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon from skillet; discard fat. Drain bacon on paper towels. Set aside.

2. Clean mushrooms. Remove stems from mushrooms; discard. Set tops aside.

3. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese and cheddar cheese, stirring until well mixed. Stir in reserved bacon. Spoon cheese mixture into mushroom tops.

4. Place stuffed mushroom tops in the prepared baking pan. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 20 to 25 or until mushrooms are tender. Let stand for 5 minutes. Makes 15 appetizers.

*Nueske bacon is from Wittenberg, Wisconsin and can be purchased in select stores in the Midwest. They also ship their products. This is the best bacon I have ever had!

I first had Nueske bacon while dating my husband and visiting his parents at their summer home in beautiful Eagle River, Wisconsin on Catfish Lake. His mom would start cooking the bacon and as the applewood smell filled the air, everyone would quickly get out of bed before the bacon disappeared.

Adler Planetarium

It was one of those perfect days when the stars aliened and everything fell into place. We found the closest parking spot on the street!!! (metered parking for $4.50 for 3 hours!!!)... we had perfect weather (35 degrees sunny, Chicago-style and no wind!) and we had free admission to the planetarium!

Raw Bar

This is a restaurant I have wanted to try for some time now. But it is located in Wrigleyville, a Chicago neighborhood that we only visit during baseball season and most of the Wrigelyville restaurants that we visit fit the whole rowdy, fun baseball scene.

So 3 days after the 2011 blizzard of Chicago, we ventured to Raw Bar which specializes in seafood and Persian and Mediterranean Cuisine. (And honestly, hats off to the Chicago Street department, because you never would have know there was a blizzard just a few days before! The streets and sidewalks were clean and the only reminder of the blizzard were the plentiful signs that sat on the sidewalks of the downtown saying "beware of falling ice".) Upon entering Raw Bar, I was honestly expecting a sports bar and was surprised by everything that followed including the art deco decor.

We started our dinner with a champagne martini for me and a pomegranate martini for my husband. The bread was served with parmesan cheese and Egyptian oil, which had a very distinct taste and was somewhat bitter but still full of flavor. For tapas, I ordered the little top necks steamers which had a wine au jus with garlic and scallions and my husband order the crayfish soup--which was so delicious I ended up ordering one for myself! He ordered the homemade cheese raviolis also. For dinner my husband had the jumbo charcoal shrimp with pistachios, pomegranate and cranberry and saffron rice. I had the special "sea fiesta" which was angel hair pasta with calamari, clams, mussels, squid and shrimp. They were very generous in their seafood and portions! Each plate that we were served was seasoned perfectly without compromising the dish--which is very difficult to achieve!

This restaurant also serves frogs legs, alligator, and ostrich for the more adventurous diner!

MY TIP: There is a ice skating rink right next to Wrigley Field--how fun! These is one of 10 rinks around Chicago.

Super Bowl

Normally I try out recipes in advance to make sure they are "company ready", but heck it is football and hungry guys (who have been drinking) who really don't care, so I decided to make this...

From a "sober"point of view this was a good one to make!

24 good white rolls
24 pieces good honey ham
24 small slices Swiss cheese
2/3 cup mayo

POPPY SEED SAUCE:

1 1/2 TBSP poppy seed
1 1/2 TBSP yellow mustard
1 stick butter, melted
1 TBSP minced onion
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Spread mayo on both sides of the roll. Place a slice of ham and a slice of Swiss cheese inside each roll. Close rolls and place on a large baking dish. In a medium bowl, whisk together the poppy seed sauce ingredients and pour evenly over all the sandwiches. Let sit for 10 minutes. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 13-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Uncover and cook for 2 additional minutes.