Ever since I entered into adulthood I have found myself paying more and more attention to the world around me, celebrities, world news and so forth. No matter what is going on in the world, one of the main things I see discussed is who is on what diet, closely followed by their “cheat day” secrets. Some people will use this day in their dieting week to order pizza or indulge in a donut…or two. For me, it has to be a tie between these two (very unhealthy) cheat day dishes!
Gotta have the Loaded Fries or Nachos (thanks to www.elletalk.com)
If you love fries, cheese, bacon, and garlic together in one dish (like I do) then this recipe is for you!
Bacon & Cheese Loaded Fries with a Garlic Aioli
Ingredients
3 cups Waffle Fries (Frozen, Roughly 22-24 Ounces)
1-1/2 cups Cheddar Cheese (Shredded)
1/2 cup Bacon (Chopped)
1/8 cup Cilantro or Parsley (Chopped)
Garlic Aioli
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
3 cloves Garlic
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Pepper
Instructions
Garlic Aioli
Into a small blender or a food processor add in all of your ingredients. Blend until smooth and well combined. About 1 minute. Add to a dish and set aside.
Bacon & Cheddar Loaded Fries
Following the ‘Oven’ instructions on the back of your package cook your waffle fries. Mine took 20 minutes in the oven at 450 degrees.
When they are 5 minutes from being done pull out of the oven and top with shredded cheddar. Add back into the oven and let cook for the remaining 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Once out of the oven top with bacon and cilantro. If you’re not a fan of cilantro you can use parsley as a substitute.
Finish the loaded french fries off by drizzling a tablespoon of the Garlic Aioli over the top of the fries. Serving the rest of the Aioli on the side for dipping. Enjoy!
Can’t forget about a really juicy Stuffed Burger (thanks to www.thechunkychef.com)
I haven’t made this recipe since the weather changed because I love to grill my burgers, but it is definitely a good one to try!
Cheese Stuffed Burger (Juicy Lucy)
Ingredients
8 slices thick-cut bacon
1 medium sweet yellow onion, sliced or diced
1 1/2 lbs ground beef (75 or 80% lean)
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (Tillamook is my favorite brand)
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
drizzle of olive oil
1/2 Tbsp butter
your favorite all-natural barbecue sauce
4 hamburger buns, toasted (potato, sesame seed, brioche, etc)
Instructions
Cook bacon to your desired crispness, then transfer bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate to cool. Drain all but about a tablespoon of the bacon grease, reserving that last Tbsp in the pan.
Increase heat under the same skillet to MEDIUM heat. Add sliced onion and cook 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove onions to a plate, and turn off heat.
Divide the beef into 8 equal portions and shape into balls. On a flat surface, lay down a sheet of wax paper and top with a ball of ground beef. Top with another sheet of wax paper and use a flat bottomed pan to press the meat into 1/4-1/2 inch patties. Repeat with remaining patties.
To one of the thin patties, top with 1/8 cup cheddar cheese, a tablespoon or two of the onions, and another 1/8 cup of cheese. Leave a border around the patty. Top with another thin patty, pressing the edges of the top and bottom patty together to seal well. Shape into a thick burger patty.
In the same skillet, add a drizzle of olive oil and the butter and heat over MEDIUM heat. Add burgers to pan, and cook for approximately 8 minutes, until burgers are brown up the sides. Use a wide spatula and carefully flip burger to the other side and cook another 5 minutes or so, until golden brown.
To Assemble
Add bbq sauce and bacon to the bottom bun, top with burger, top with additional caramelized onions and a drizzle of more bbq sauce. Top with the top bun and enjoy!
