What exactly does it mean to “Crack” a recipe? In the culinary world it means a recipe that contains the trifecta of these three delectable flavors; smokey bacon, creamy Ranch dressing, and cheddar cheese. Adding this combination of three flavors to a recipe “cracks” it out. It literally turns anything you add it to from, just ho-hum, to completely addictive, can’t-stop-eating-it delicious!
If you are like me, you probably spend most of your energy and attention on the the main dish of the meal. But sides play a very important supporting role to the main attraction. They can literally make or break a good meal. But because we spend so much energy on the main dish, we often neglect the side dish and sadly that means sides can often be rather, well…underwhelming. I’m always looking for easy to make sides that I can serve with a meal that are truly just as delicious as the main attraction. Something so tasty that my veggie hesitant kid will need little to no encouragement to eat his veggies. That’s a pretty tall order for a side dish, especially for something that typically only plays a minor supporting role in a meal.
Preheat oven to 350℉.
Cook bacon until crisp, drain on paper towels and roughly chop or crumble. Set aside. We like things real bacony around here, don’t judge!
So you have any idea what this is? Your grandma saved it and used it in her cooking all the time. If you aren’t saving your bacon grease you are missing out on a huge punch of flavor in your recipes!
You may be shocked to learn that our grandparents were a lot smarter than we give them credit for. I’ve read numerous studies showing that the highly processed vegetable and canola oils that have been touted as a healthy fat, my actually be more harmful to us than using animal based fats such as butter and bacon fat. Yes I’m going to go out on a limb with this, but I am a firm believer that using the least processed foods in our diets are better for us, and yes that includes lard!
Back to the recipe. In a small bowl, combine Ranch seasoning with mayo. Set aside.
Trim off the tough woody ends from the asparagus spears and discard them. Place the trimmed asparagus spears on an oven safe baking dish in an even layer.
Top asparagus spears with the Ranch seasoned mayo, spreading it out over the stalks.
Top with a layer of cheddar cheese.
Top with bacon bits.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until heated through and the cheese is melted, and bubbly hot.
A huge shoutout to Plainchicken.com for providing the inspiration for this outstanding recipe! We are going to be eating an awful lot of asparagus this spring while it’s in season! There was not even a single stalk left over when we finished dinner, not a single stalk! This side is phenomenal! I highly encourage you to give it a try! It’s keto friendly and definitely delicious! A vegetable smothered in mayo, bacon and cheese a diet food? LOL! Who woulda thunk? Honestly, did kids ever eat vegetables before the invention of Ranch dressing? It’s asparagus season, so go out and get you some so you can enjoy this delicious side too!
Cracked Asparagus
Equipment
- oven safe baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh asparagus spears
- 1 tbsp Ranch seasoning
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- ½ cup bacon, cooked and crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Cook bacon until crisp, drain on paper towels and roughly chop or crumble. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine Ranch seasoning with mayo. Set aside.
- Trim off the tough woody ends from asparagus spears and discard.
- Place trimmed asparagus spears on an oven safe baking dish in an even layer.
- Top asparagus with the Ranch seasoned mayo, spreading it out over the stalks.
- Top with a layer of cheddar cheese.
- Top with bacon bits and any remaining cheddar cheese.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until heated through and cheese is melted, and bubbly hot.
Did You Make This?
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Deuteronomy 6:4-5
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