Meal Type: Sides & appetizers

Maple Leaf Chicken and Waffles

Preparation
Bowl icon

5

Minutes

Total Time
Clock icon

15

minutes

Serves
Portions icon

2 to 4

Portions

Maple Leaf Chicken and Waffles

  • Ingredients

  • Preparation

  • 8Maple Leaf Prime® Dino Nuggets
  • 4Belgian waffles
  • ½cup maple syrup
  • 8toothpicks
  1. Preheat oven to 425 F
  2. Place Dino Nuggets on a baking sheet and bake per package instructions.
  3. While the nuggets are cooking cook the waffles per pack instructions.
  4. Place the maple syrup in the microwave and reheat for 10 to 15 seconds.
  5. Cut each waffle into 4 squares.
  6. Place each Dino Nuggets on a piece of waffle. Add another piece of waffle on top and skewer with a toothpick to hold everything together.
  7. Drizzle warm maple syrup over the waffles just before serving.
Tips icon

For an even more decadent snack try adding of Maple Leaf Ready Crisp Bacon on top of the Dino Nuggets.

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Creamy Bacon and Shrimp Pesto Puffs

Preparation
Bowl icon

5

Minutes

Total Time
Clock icon

25

Minutes

Serves
Portions icon

6

Portions

Creamy Bacon and Shrimp Pesto Puffs

  • Ingredients

  • Preparation

  • 1375gr pkg Maple Leaf Natural Bacon,1 inch dice
  • 1454gr bag shrimp 26-30 count shrimp, thawed and drained
  • 1300gr pkg puff pastry shells, baked per package directions and kept warm
  • 1tbsp pesto, prepared
  • 1tsp garlic
  • 1cup cream
  • ½cup parmesan cheese, finely grated + extra for garnish
  • 2cups baby greens
  • 1tbsp vinaigrette, prepared
  1. Cook bacon in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat until just crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove onto a paper towel lined plate. Remove all but 1 tbsp of rendered bacon.
  2. Add shrimp to skillet and cooked for 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more stirring frequently. Add ¾ of the bacon back into the skillet.
  3. Add pesto and cream, allow to simmer for about a minute. Sprinkle in cheese and stir constantly until cheese has melted into sauce. Simmer for another 2 to 3 minutes until sauce has thickened.
  4. Hollow out prepared puff pastry shells. Divide and spoon bacon and shrimp into shells. Top with remaining bacon and extra parmesan cheese.
  5. In a small bowl toss greens with vinaigrette. Place each puff pastry onto plate along side dressed greens. Serve immediately.
Tips icon

Try using sundried tomato pesto for a festive look and taste!

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Bacon Sprinkled Cheese Dogs with Creamy Coleslaw and Sweet Potato Fries

Preparation
Bowl icon

5

Minutes

Total Time
Clock icon

30

Minutes

Serves
Portions icon

6

Portions

BaconSprinkledCheeseDogs-min

  • Ingredients

  • Preparation

  1. Mix cabbage, carrot, and onion in a large bowl with mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside and refrigerate until ready to use.
  2. Set air fryer to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, toss sweet potatoes with oil and season with salt and pepper. Working in batches fry sweet potatoes for about 15 minutes turning once. Keep warm until ready to serve. 
  3. Divide cheese onto bottom of each bun and place hot dog over top. Sprinkle bacon bits over top. Serve with a side of coleslaw dusted with paprika if using and crispy sweet potato fries.
Tips icon


**Please note all air fryers are calibrated differently, cook times may vary**
Try a flavor boost to your sweet potato fries! Sprinkle with a little parmesan cheese or your favorite Italian seasoning blend.

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Irish Bacon Colcannon

Preparation
Bowl icon

5

Minutes

Total Time
Clock icon

20

Minutes

Serves
Portions icon

4-6

servings

  • Ingredients

  • Preparation

  • 1pkg Maple Leaf® Original Natural Bacon, diced
  • 6medium yellow potatoes, peeled, cooked and mashed and kept warm
  • 2cups cabbage, sliced
  • 1small onion, sliced
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • ¼cup cream
  • ¼tsp fresh cracked black pepper
  • salt
  1. Cook bacon in a large non-stick pan until crispy. Using a slotted spoon remove onto a paper towel lined plate. Pour out all but 1 tbsp of bacon drippings from pan.
  2. Heat drippings over medium-high heat and add cabbage and onions. Stir occasionally for about 5 minutes until vegetables have softened and have started to brown.
  3. Pour cream and add butter to a large pot and gently heat until warmed through. Add mashed potatoes, vegetable mixture and all but 3 tbsp of cooked bacon. Mix well with a rubber spatula.
  4. Season to taste. Spoon potatoes onto a serving platter and top with reserved bacon.
Tips icon

This is an excellent recipe to “batch up” just simply double all the ingredients. Fantastic as a side dish for any meal and super tasty to add to your St Patrick’s day dinner!

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Buffalo Chicken, Bacon Bubble-Up

Preparation
Bowl icon

5

Minutes

Total Time
Clock icon

40

Minutes

Serves
Portions icon

6

servings

  • Ingredients

  • Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish lightly with oil.
  2. In a large nonstick skillet cook bacon over medium high heat until just starting to crisp. Remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel lined plate. Set aside.
  3. Gently separate flaky roll dough and slice each round into quarters. Place dough evenly onto the base of baking dish.
  4. In a large bowl combine chicken, cream cheese, hot sauce and ranch dressing and mix thoroughly. Spoon mixture evenly over dough being sure to cover the whole surface.
  5. Bake on middle rack of oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle cheese over top followed by bacon. Bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes until cheese has melted and the top is golden.
  6. Garnish with green onions and serve immediately.

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Bacon Braised Collard Greens

Preparation
Bowl icon

15

Minutes

Total Time
Clock icon

1h 45

Minutes

Serves
Portions icon

6

(side dish)

Bacon Braised Collard Greens

  • Ingredients

  • Preparation

  • 1375g pkg Maple Leaf® Original bacon, diced
  • 2bunches collard greens, woody ends and thick veins removed – cleaned and roughly chopped
  • 1large onion, thinly sliced
  • 1tbsp garlic, minced
  • 2cup chicken broth
  • 1 ½tsp apple cider vinegar
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • Hot pepper sauce – to taste, optional
  1. Place bacon in a large deep nonstick skillet with tight fitting lid or a Dutch oven.
  2. Cook bacon over medium high heat stirring for about 3 to 4 minutes until just starting to turn golden brown. Add onions and cook for 2 minutes more. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add collard greens and combine with bacon mixture and allow to wilt for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour chicken broth and apple cider vinegar into mixture and stir well. Cover and reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for about 1 to 1 ½ hours.
  3. Season with fresh ground pepper and add hot sauce to taste if using.
Tips icon

This makes for a wonderful savory and luxurious side dish to your holiday table. Easily clean your collard greens by plunging leaves into a large bowl filled with cold water. Swirl around to loosen any debris. Allow to stand for about 10 minutes to let debris fall to the bottom. Carefully lift leaves out onto paper towel – don’t disturb the water as it will redistribute onto the leaves. Fold leaves in half and cut along the vein to remove from leaf. Roughly chop and you are done!

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Bacon Two Bite Stuffed Mushrooms

Preparation
Bowl icon

10

Minutes

Total Time
Clock icon

45-48

Minutes

Serves
Portions icon

18

mushrooms

Bacon Two Bite Stuffed Mushrooms

  • Ingredients

  • Preparation

  • 6slices Maple Leaf® Original Bacon, small dice
  • ⅓cup parsley, minced
  • 18mushrooms, cleaned and stems removed and reserved
  • ½cup seasoned breadcrumbs
  • ½cup Italian cheese blend, fine shred
  • ½cup Parmesan cheese, find shred
  • 2tbsp red pepper, minced
  • 1tbsp garlic, grated
  • ½cup herb and garlic cream cheese, softened
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • Olive oil
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. Prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Line mushrooms onto baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.
  3. Finely chop mushrooms stems and set aside.
  4. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook bacon for 3 to 4 minutes. When bacon is just crisping and turning golden brown add chopped mushroom stems and red peppers. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes until vegetables are just softening. Add garlic and parsley and cook for about 1 minute longer stirring frequently. Remove from heat and set aside.
  5. In a large bowl add cheeses, breadcrumbs, cream cheese and reserved bacon mixture.
  6. Mix and combine well with a wooden spoon. Divide mixture and with clean hands mold mixture into small balls and stuff mushroom cavities.
  7. Place stuffed mushrooms onto prepared baking sheet.
  8. Tent mushrooms loosely with tin foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove tin foil and cook for about 6 to 7 minutes longer. Broil on low for last 2 minutes of cooking until mushrooms are golden
Tips icon

Make ahead! Prepare mixture up to 1 day in advance and stuff mushrooms when ready to use!

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French Onion Chicken Crostini

Preparation
Bowl icon

5

Minutes

Total Time
Clock icon

55 – 60

Minutes

Serves
Portions icon

14 to 16

pieces

French Onion Chicken Crostini

  • Ingredients

  • Preparation

  • 1250 gr pkg Maple Leaf Natural Shredded Chicken
  • 2medium to large Spanish or Yellow Cooking Onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 ½tbsp butter
  • 1small dry bay leaf
  • 1sprig fresh thyme
  • 1 ½tbsp cooking sherry
  • 1cup swiss cheese, grated
  • 14 to 16slices French baguette or ciabatta, sliced ¾ inch think on the bias
  • Garlic butter, prepared
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Fresh parsley
  1. Preheat oven to 400°F and prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  2. Heat butter over low heat in a large non-stick skillet. Add onions, bay leaf and thyme. Cook on low to medium heat for 30 to 40 minutes stirring often until deep golden brown and caramelized. Add cooking sherry and season with salt and pepper and cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer. Discard bay leaf and thyme and place onions into a bowl and set aside.
  3. Set same pan to medium-high heat and add chicken, break up the larger pieces with the back of a wooden spoon or spatula. Cook on high for 1 to 2 minutes stirring frequently until chicken is just starting to brown and crisp. Add a little butter or oil if pan is too dry.
  4. Spread garlic butter on top of each slice of bread and place on to prepared baking sheet.
  5. Divide and spoon onion mixture onto each slice of bread followed by chicken over top. In a small bowl mix together cheeses and sprinkle evenly over top.
  6. Place tray onto center rack of oven for about 5 minutes or until cheese has melted and crostini has warmed through.
  7. Set oven to low broil and cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer until golden and bubbling. Remove from oven and garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.
Tips icon

You can make the onions 1 to 2 days in advance and keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. Try using Maple Leaf Natural Shredded Turkey for a festive change during the holidays!

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Cheesy Pepperoni Bombs

Preparation
Bowl icon

10

Minutes

Total Time
Clock icon

30 to 32

Minutes

Serves
Portions icon

14

Portions

Cheesy Pepperoni Bombs

  • Ingredients

  • Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
  2. Lightly spray a baking sheet with oil.
  3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and lightly fry pepperoni for about 2 to 3 minutes until just starting to brown and crisp. Remove from heat and set aside.
  4. Unroll dough onto prepared baking sheet. Using a pizza wheel or sharp paring knife cut dough horizontally and then lengthwise into 7 equal rectangle strips.
  5. Divide cheese and place over each strip of dough followed by pepperoni.
  6. Roll each strip into a ball and cinch the sides tightly while using your fingers to push in any ingredients that may be falling out.
  7. Pull cinch downwards to create a ball and place seam side down on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
  8. Brush each ball with garlic butter.
  9. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes on middle rack of oven. Set oven to broil for an additional 1 to 2 minutes for a golden top.
  10. Once out of the oven immediately brush with remaining melted garlic butter. Serve immediately with marinara sauce if using.
Tips icon

Try using your favorite Maple Leaf product such as Maple Leaf® Ready Crisp® bacon or Natural Diced Ham!

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