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You Asked For It

Hot bacon dressing has variety of uses

By ELLEN FOLKMAN
Published August 3, 2005

Judy White was looking for a recipe for hot bacon dressing. Pat Durkin offers a recipe of Pennsylvania Dutch origin that her family has enjoyed for more than 30 years. It is a recipe that can easily be doubled and served over lettuce, shredded cabbage or as a dressing for potato salad. Cynthia Shea adds grated onion to her version.

Recipes for biscotti are what Marie Cisarik wanted. Eadie Nieman shares a recipe that includes chocolate chips. Cynthia Shea's version has two types of nuts, almonds and hazelnuts.

For: Judy White of Clearwater.

From: Pat Durkin of Pinellas Park.

Recipe: Hot Bacon Dressing.

3 or 4 slices of bacon

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons flour

1 teaspoon mustard, dry or prepared

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 cup milk

1/4 cup vinegar

Snip bacon into 1/2-inch pieces and cook in saucepan. Meanwhile, combine sugar, flour and mustard in bowl. When bacon is done, remove from heat. Add egg, milk and vinegar to dry mixture and mix well. Add to bacon and drippings in pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until bubbly and thickened.

Can be used hot or cold. Store covered in refrigerator. Reheat in microwave.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

For: Judy White of Clearwater.

From: Cynthia Shea of Spring Hill.

Recipe: Bacon Dressing.

3 tablespoons bacon fat

2 tablespoons flour

2 teaspoons grated onion

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/4 teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoons prepared mustard

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 cup water

Salt

Melt the bacon fat in a skillet, slowly stir in the flour and onion and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Add the pepper, sugar, mustard and vinegar. Blend and stir and slowly add water. Continue to stir and cook over medium heat until thickened. Add salt to taste. Can be served hot or cold.

Makes 1 1/4 cups.

For: Marie Cisarik of Spring Hill.

From: Eadie Nieman of Gulfport.

Recipe: Biscotti.

1/3 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

2 large eggs

2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, optional

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl; beat at medium speed with electric mixer until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, one at a time, until blended. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients and add to butter mixture, stir until blended. Fold in nuts and chocolate chips.

Divide dough in half and shape each portion into a 10- by 2-inch log. Place logs, side by side, on a slightly greased baking sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes or until firm. Cool on baking sheet 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cut each log diagonally into 1/2-inch slices with a serrated knife using gentle sawing motion and place slices on ungreased baking sheet. Bake slices at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes, turn cookies over and bake an additional 10 minutes. Remove from pan to cool on wire rack.

For: Marie Cisarik of Spring Hill.

From: Cynthia Shea of Spring Hill.

Recipe: Almond Hazelnut Biscotti.

1 scant tablespoon aniseed

2 tablespoon Pernod or other anise-flavored liqueur

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

2 large egg whites

1/2 cup unblanced almonds, lightly toasted

1/2 cup hazelnuts, lightly toasted and rubbed between two towels to remove some of the skins

1 egg white, lightly beaten (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment.

Steep the aniseed in the Pernod.

Place flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer equipped with paddle and stir to blend. Add the eggs, egg whites and aniseed with the liqueur. Mix on low speed until the dough just comes together. Remove bowl from the electric mixer and fold in the almonds and hazelnuts.

Remove the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead briefly, no more than a minute. Cover with a clean towel and let rest for 5 minutes. Divide dough into thirds and roll each piece into a log about 12 inches long and 2 inches wide. Place 2 of the logs 4 inches apart on one baking sheet. Place the third log on the second baking sheet. Flatten the tops gently with your palm and brush with egg white.

Bake the logs for 25 to 30 minutes, until tops are firm to the touch and a nice golden color. Remove from baking sheets to wire racks and let cool for about 10 minutes, until cool enough to handle. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

Slide baked logs, one at a time, onto a cutting board. Using a long serrated knife, cut each log diagonally into 1/2-inch slices. Arrange biscotti, cut sides down, on the baking sheet. Bake the biscotti for 10 minutes on each side.

Transfer the biscotti to wire racks and let cool completely. Store the biscotti at room temperature in airtight containers. They will keep for about 1 month.

Yield: about 48 cookies.

Joy Engle is looking for a carrot and raisin salad recipe similar to what was served at Luby's Cafeteria. Norma Wing has tried many batters for coconut shrimp but can't get the coconut to stick to the shrimp. It is one of her husband's favorite recipes. Allen Foertch would like to make spaghetti sauce from scratch using fresh tomatoes and spices. If you have a favorite, please share it.

You Asked for It is a reader mail column. Send recipe requests to You Asked for It, the Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731 or e-mail them to youaskedforit@knology.net Please put "Recipe request" in the subject line. Recipes will be received by mail only. Be sure to include your full name, city and phone number. Letters without this information will be discarded. Requests cannot be answered by phone or mail.

[Last modified August 2, 2005, 10:07:24]