Linguine Alfredo with Smoked Bacon

"Friends are the bacon bits in the salad bowl of life" ~ Homer Simpson

Good pork + Good fat = Extremely Good for the heart BACON

Whenever I eat bacon, my heart smiles like a young lady who fell in love for the first time... the satisfaction I get when I eat this good stuff is undoubtedly priceless! So when my hubby requested for a pasta dish, I gladly welcome the thought of having bacon in my dish.

And what goes well with bacon? Yes, butter and cheese, so I decided to make a Linguine Alfredo. By the way, did you know the difference between alfredo and carbonara sauce? Alfredo sauce is made with butter, cheese and cream while carbonara sauce is made with eggs, cheese and black pepper. That's why carbonara has an egg yolky taste.

This dish is very versatile, you can use shrimp, ground meat, chicken, OR you can use NO-meat at all. I used double smoked bacon for added flavor and also added mushrooms and a moderate crumbs of blue cheese for toppings.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 pck of linguine (250g)
125g bacon*
1-2 tbsp butter
8 pcs shitake mushroom, sliced
2 pcs med size onion, chopped
1 clove garlic
1 cup milk
1 cup cream
1/2 to 1 cup hard cheese, grated (I used cheddar)
2-3 tbsp parsley, roughly chopped
any hard cheese for toppings
blue cheese for toppings (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

* It's your choice if you want to chop the bacon or not.

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain.
2. Pan fry the bacon until crisp. Set aside. Reserve the drippings.
3. Saute onions and garlic using the drippings in the pan.
4. Add mushrooms. Cook for about 1 minute.
5. Add the milk and cream, stir occasionally. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until bubbly. 
6. Reduce the heat to low, add the grated cheese, stirring until cheese melts and sauce thickens. 
7. Put the butter and season with salt and pepper. Stir until the butter melts. Remove from heat.
8. Top the pasta with sauce and bacon slices.
9. Sprinkle with parsley. Put grated cheddar and crumbled blue cheese.
10. Serve with toasted baguette.
11. Share and enjoy your meal!

If you have any questions, suggestions, or tips, feel free to leave a comment.

Bon Appetit!

Happy day always,

Rhea