Friday, August 10, 2012

Copy Cat Recipe: Tomato's Bacon Spezie

   

      When I am in the small town of Twin Falls, Idaho I have to go to Tomato's Bar and Grill and get their Bacon Spezie. It is a spicy, cajun inspired alfredo with bacon, chicken and mushrooms. I serious will ruin my entire diet for this dish, it's sooo amazing.
      I was craving this dish at home in Alabama and decided to google it, it is original, like no one, not even the internet has this recipe except for a small restaurant in small Twin Falls, Idaho. At least they got that going for them. But I NEEDed it! So I tried a recipe and failed and tried again and vola! It is perfect.
      Here is my gift to you internet world! And everyone who has been wanting this recipe for the home.



       Ingredients:

  • 2 chicken breasts 
  • 5 slices of bacon 
  • 1 cup heavy cream 
  • 1 1/2 cups italian blend shredded cheese 
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth or more for thinning 
  • 2 TBSP butter
  • 8 white mushrooms, washed and sliced 
  • 3 to 4 green onions 
  • a healthy heaping spoonful of sun dried tomatoes
  • 1 TBSP minced garlic
  • cajun spice mix ( 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 dried thyme) This is approximately how much I used. 
    Directions:

      Start by slicing chicken in thin slices and cutting bacon into 1 inch pieces. Fry together, on medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Season with cajun seasoning. Add garlic, mushrooms and butter. Once the mushrooms, chicken and bacon are golden, (in bacon case crisp) turn down the heat to a simmer and add cream, chicken broth and green onion. When simmering add cheese and let melt. Adjust any seasoning to taste and enjoy. Serve over penne.

     Tomato's does melt a smoked gouda over the top under the heat of an oven. Although really tasty, I chose to leave this step out because I don't have any gouda and I don't need the calories ;-)  I hope you enjoy this dish, it's is seriously delicious.

31 comments:

  1. That's what I'm talking about! Can I steal this for my blog too?

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  2. I noticed that your blog is mostly cajun recipes, I guess you can have it too but try it first.

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  3. Ill post it as a guest post (if that's alright) and yes I will have to try it

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  4. Sure, fine with me. I am happy you have taken an interest in it. I guess its my own recipe since I had to make it up from memory...

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  5. oh oh oh, i cannot wait to try little sis...but the picture does it justice.

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  6. Can you tell me approximately how many this recipe feeds?

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  7. are you from Idaho? I just moved here and an having culture shock. bigtime lol

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    1. Geez, I am sorry I didn't see this sooner. I am from Idaho, I lived there for 20 years. I had a major culture shock when I moved away to Alabama. The first thing I missed where the mountains and then the Mexican food and then Winco, which is an amazing cheap grocery store that carries bulk items. I actually have noticed that a lot of grocery stores in Idaho do bulk items but none more than Winco. I hope you are acclimating well.

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  8. I have had the hardest time trying to find this recipe!! Tried it last night, it was great!! Thank you so much!!!

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    1. You are very welcome. That's why I made it, I NEEDed to have this recipe and it didn't exist.

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  9. Do you drain the bacon once it's cooked?

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    1. No you do not, if you drain the grease you will just end up needing more butter.

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  10. I used to live near Twin Falls. I love this dish! Thanks for the recipe.

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  11. I live in Twin Falls and have searched high and low for this. One of my favorite dishes there!! Thanks so much.

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  12. When do you add the sun dried tomatoes?

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  13. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, from Twin Falls, Idaho!

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  14. Bacon Spezie at Tomato's is my favorite dish ever. So you can imagine how pleased I was to actually find a copycat recipe. I just made it and ... you totally nailed this recipe! Absolutely delicious.

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  15. I moved from twin falls to tx, iam sitting in a Italian restaurant dreaming of a bacon spezie. Thank God I decided to Google it.

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  16. I moved from twin falls to tx, iam sitting in a Italian restaurant dreaming of a bacon spezie. Thank God I decided to Google it.

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  17. Do you have any other Tomato's copy cat receipts? I love everything they have, but now I live in UT.

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  18. I moved to Portland from Twin Falls and have been searching for this recipe for years! I can't wait to try it. I'm going to have to tell my mom (who also recently moved). She's going to have a dance party!

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  19. Yay! I am SO happy you decided to post this!

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  20. Thank you for creating tjis, I'm going to try making it tonight. Tomatoes used to be one of my favorite resteraunt but has been on a hirrible downhill slide lately including the Bacon Spezie which is all i ever ordered. I'm praying this turns out well so I can get my Spezie fix as it's just not possible at Tomatoes anymore.

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  21. I live in Twin Falls, Idaho. It's the best!

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  22. Awesome to find this! I loved in Twin Falls for 20 years and often think about tomatoes since moving to Florida. My son worked the kitchen there, but mostly prep, so he's a little foggy on recipes. I about to try copycat baked gorgonzola! I visit Idaho occasionally and stopped in and can confirm it has gone downhill. Chicken in all recipes tasted like a dirty fridge smells. It's a shame...

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  23. I live in Twin Falls, and the bacon spezie is bomb! I was wanting to make it at home tonight, and now I can! Thank you <3 - try their alfredo penne genzo or baked gorg next time too!

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  24. FYI, MY NAME IS Migallo Hime' Giuseppi Barsotti and I have been cooking Italiano and Italianu food since I could stand on a box in Mia Nona's kitchen she started me out at about age 4. Well the point im making is this. I live in Kimberly, Idaho 4 mile east of Twin Falls Idaho. Ive been eating at Tomatoe's for about 5 years. Although the food is very good, I regret to be the one to inform you little of it is authentic Italian or Sicilian cuisine.
    Spezie is Italian for spice and in over 50 years cooking Italian recipes from both the little island as well as all over the main land spezie means the same thing and there is no such a spice as spezie tepuccio or spezie tepuggi or in plain englese bacon spice. That being said ive eaten bacon spezi many times and have prepared and eaten your copy cat recipe with the same conclusion very goo as far as copy cat resipe's go but as far as true Italiano, not a chance it would pass. At least not to the Italian chefs I know. Most of the resipe's that i use at home have been handed down through the generations some for over 200 years. And just incase your wanting to ask, no i dont give out my recipe's

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    1. Okay .. I’m pretty sure you’re looking into it way to much. She’s literally just copy catting a recipe that’s called this…. Nothing less. Nothing more… and nobody was asking for your recipes 🥱🥱

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  25. My cousins own that restaurant and He made up the recipe!

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  26. I have to try this!! I live in twin falls and I am so sad to say that Tomatoes just recently closed!

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