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Welcome to Simple Fare, Fairly Simple. This is a place for me to post recipes of all kinds...along with other miscellaneous fodder from my so-called life here in the south. Who knows what you will find here. Could be anything from my husband...known as IT Guy...to my kids and beautiful grandbabies that are growing up way too fast right before my eyes. But...mostly this will be a place for food. I hope you'll see something you like and if you decide to try something from the list...leave me a comment and let me know!



Friday, August 19, 2011

I’ve commented a few times on here how I like to cook bacon in the oven. I also like to sprinkle it with brown sugar. The first time I saw this done was probably ten years or so ago. We were at a friend’s house for BLT’s. The hostess was serving lots of people that evening. When I walked in the house, I could smell bacon cooking but didn’t see it anywhere. Then when she pulled it out of the oven, I almost cried with joy! Genius! Why had no one told me before you could do this??!! I commented to her how smart that was...then she asked me if I’d ever sprinkled brown sugar on my bacon? I wanted to hug her right there on the spot! No! No one had ever imparted such knowledge to me!! I wanted to share with you my method for cooking bacon this way. Beware…you may never go back to pan-frying plain ole bacon again!

Oven Baked Bacon 
with Brown Sugar



1 pound bacon
Brown sugar

1 - 2 teaspoons of cayenne pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Lay some parchment paper down on the bottom of two cookie sheets.

Lay a cookie cooking rack on top of the cookie sheet.

Lay the bacon out in strips on the cooling racks. (You can spray the cooling racks with cooking spray before you lay the bacon out, if you want to.)

Take some brown sugar (mix in the cayenne if using)

 and sprinkle it heavily on the bacon.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until desired crispness is reached. You’ll be able to tell (smell) when it’s close to being done.

Allow to cool then remove bacon from cooling racks.

Then try not to eat the whole thing.



This couldn't be easier. Here's what you'll need.


Put the bacon on a cooking rack over a parchment paper lined pan. (Grease the cooling rack if ya wanna.) Spread brown sugar over each piece of bacon.


Bake it for a while until the bacon is done 
and it's ooey-gooey sticky. So yum!

Shredded Potato Casserole

It's another recipe from my mom's binder!!! Just because this casserole has hash browns in it, doesn't mean it's only for breakfast. How yummy would this be with chicken or pork as a side dish for dinner? I love this stuff.  I love the combination of cornflakes and Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. I could eat all of this and not be ashamed. Okay...maybe a little ashamed. You've gotta try it...for breakfast OR dinner!



Shredded Potato Casserole



1 10-ounce can cream of mushroom soup - undiluted
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I used cheddar/jack)
1/2 cup melted butter - divided use
1 26-ounce package shredded hash brown potatoes
1 cup crushed cornflakes OR Panko Crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch casserole dish.

In a large bowl, combine the soup, sour cream, milk, cheese and 1/4 cup melted butter.

Stir in the hash browns.

Spread mixture into the prepared pan.

Combine cornflake crumbs, cheese and remaining 1/4 cup melted butter. Sprinkle over potato mixture.

Bake, uncovered for 45 minutes or until heated through.

Here's all the yummy stuff you need to make this dish. 
Here's all the yummy stuff you need to make this dish.

Combine 1/4 cup melted butter, the soup, sour cream, milk and cheese in a large bowl. Stir it up! 
Combine 1/4 cup melted butter, 
the soup, sour cream, milk and 
cheese in a large bowl. Stir it up!

Dump in the hash browns and give it a good mix. 
Dump in the hash browns 
and give it a good mix.

Next mix the remaining butter, the crushed cornflakes and the parm. 
Next mix the remaining butter, the 
Panko crumbs and the parm.

Spread the hashbrown mixture in a prepared pan then top with the cornflake mixture. 
Spread the hashbrown mixture in a 
prepared pan then top with the Panko mixture.

Bake it up.... 

Bake it up....

...and get THIS!!! 
...and get THIS!!!