Vicki's Crockpot Beef Stew

This was a really good beef stew, but it didn't come out the way I wanted it to, which was more like beef borgignon.  Oh well, it was delicious anyway, and very beefy :).  I always love making things in the crockpot, because I have way more energy in the morning, and then when dinner rolls around, I am ready to go without any extra work.  This came to about 250 calories per serving, and we all gave this an 8.  Here's what to do:

3 slices thick cut pepper bacon, diced
2 lb beef stew meat, well seasoned
2 T flour
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 T tomato paste
1 T butter
1/2 c mushrooms, chopped
thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper
1-2 c red wine
3-4 c beef broth
2 T tapioca

In a pan, crisp the bacon, then set it aside.  Toss the beef with the flour, then in the same pan as the bacon, brown the meat on all sides.  Set it aside.  In the same pan, cook the carrots and onions, season them and allow them to soften, mix in the tomato paste, allow the tomato paste to cook a little, then pour the veggies into the crock.  Place the bacon and beef on top of the veggies.  Deglaze the bacon cooking pan with the red wine, allowing the wine to reduce a little, then add in the thyme and rosemary, and pour the wine over the beef.  Add in the beef broth and tapioca, just enough broth to cover the meat completely.  In the same pan, cook the butter and mushrooms, seasoning them and allowing them to soften.  Place them in the crock, turn it to low, then cook for at least 8 hours.  About 1/2 hour before serving, turn the heat to high, and take off the lid to allow the liquid to reduce a little.  Serve.

Yammie's Noshery's Cheddar Bacon Stuffed Pretzel Buns

We found this cool idea at this website, and although I had to adjust the ingredients a little to make the recipe work for us, these were still a delicious, fun treat.  I always love how creative Yammie is, and I love her photography.  Anyway, this pretzel bun recipe was good, but I added way more flour to make the dough come together, like 6 cups at least rather than 4 1/2 c of flour, but other than that, this worked out well.  I would also place these on parchment paper rather than on greased sheets, but those are just my thoughts.

Follow the top link to this fun recipe, each bun is about 450 calories with the extra flour.  We gave these an 8.

Simply Recipe's Shrimp, Bacon and Avocado Pasta Salad

This is a great summer salad, I loved having something easy and fresh to make for our family that was a great light dinner on a hot night.  I found this easy recipe here, but I will post the ingredients I used, which are a little different from the recipe.  Follow the link for instructions.  Each serving was 351 for six servings, Aaron and Noah gave it an 8, Jonah really liked it, I gave it a 9, and Owen gave it a 6 because he didn't like the peppery flavor.  Here are the ingredients I used:

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
6 oz tri-color rotini
1/2 t chipotle chili powder
1/4 t ground coriander (to also sprinkle on the shrimp)
salt
3 slices thick cut pepper bacon
1/2 onion, diced
1/3 c diced red bell pepper
1/3 c diced green bell pepper
1 green onion, diced
1 avocado, chopped

Dressing:
1 1/2 t whole grain garlic mustard
2 T fresh lime juice
1 T white wine vinegar
salt
2 T olive oil

Owen's Apple Turkey Burgers

Here's the burger we had with our apples, and if you talk to Owen and Aaron, you should have those caramelized apples on top, although Noah and I just had our apples on the side.  These were easy to make, and surprisingly tasty.  I was a little uncertain about how well these would work, but Noah gave them a perfect 10, Owen and I gave them a 9, and Aaron gave them an 8.  Make sure to use the bread crumbs, because the apples and the turkey are quite wet without some help.  Owen loves apples, so he was super happy to create these with me :).  Each burger, and we made six, were 425 calories, and that included our buns.  Here's what to do:

6 slices thick cut bacon
2 oz cheese (we used colby Jack, but I would've rather had a different flavor), sliced
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 Granny Smith apple, peeled and grated
2 T bread crumbs
salt
1/2 t thyme
1 t garlic salt
1 t onion powder

burger buns
arugula
whole grain mustard
mayonnaise
caramelized apples

Cook the bacon in a large pan, and then set aside, reserving the bacon fat.
Mix the turkey, apple, bread crumbs, thyme, garlic salt, onion powder, and salt to taste.  Form into six patties, and cook in the reserved bacon grease on both sides until cooked through.  Top with the cheese and bacon, let the cheese melt, then serve with the toppings, and the apples.

Chicken Salad

I wanted a nice light salad while the weather is hot and my kitchen is super-duperty hot, and so I came up with this salad.  We all really liked it. and you could double the dressing to have a saucier salad if you desired, I just don't like a lot of dressing.  The guys all topped theirs with lime chicken, but I just ate mine with cheese and bacon and beans for protein :).  We all really liked this, we gave it a 9.  Here's what to do, and the calories depend on the dressing and what you put in:

1 bag (about 1 head) romaine lettuce, chopped
2 tomatoes
2 14.5 oz cans beans, I used black and kidney
2 oz Monterey Jack cheese, diced
4 slices thick cut bacon, cooked and chopped
1 avocado
1 can corn, rinsed, or even better 1 ear fresh corn, corn chopped off
2 T cilantro, chopped
2 green onions, chopped

1/2 lime, juiced
2 T white wine vinegar
1/2 t honey
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 dash cumin
salt
1/4 c olive oil

Whisk together the lime juice, vinegar, honey, jalapeno, cumin and salt.  Whisk in the olive oil until emulsified.
Mix together all the salad fixings and toss with the dressing.  Serve.

Bobby Flay's Kentucky Hot Brown

I love me some hot sandwiches, and especially open faced ones, because I have never been a huge fan of traditional sandwiches.  Cold cuts just don't do it for me :).  Anyway, this hot sandwich from Bobby Flay was so delicious, and I loved the cheese sauce with the chicken and bacon.  I changed the recipe to fit our needs a little bit, so it isn't a traditional Kentucky Hot Brown, but try it anyway, it's great.  Each sandwich was 519 for 8 servings, and Owen and Aaron gave this a 7, I gave it a 9, and Noah gave it a perfect 10.  Here's what I did:

around 2 lbs chicken breast tenders well seasoned and cooked
2 c whole milk
2 T butter
2 T flour
1/2 lb sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 c Parmesan cheese, grated

4 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 c whole milk
salt and pepper
8 slices bread
2 tomatoes, sliced
1/2 c cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 c Parmesan cheese, grated
8 slices bacon, cooked
Parsley to garnish

Cook the chicken as desired, I used my crockpot :).  Melt the butter in a large pot, and add the flour.  Whisk the milk into the roux, and cook until thickened.  Add in the cheeses and stir until melted and combined well, then season to taste.  Set aside.
Heat a griddle over medium heat.  Beat together the milk, eggs, and salt and pepper.  Dip the bread slices into the mixture, and coat on both sides.  Cook until well browned on both sides.
Preheat the broiler, then spray a pan with cooking spray, place your tomato slices on the tray, and salt and pepper the tomatoes.  Broil them, and flip half way through your broil time, about 2 minutes through.  Serve the sandwich with one slice of bread, some chicken, some cheese sauce, more cheese, a slice of bacon, tomatoes, and parsley.  Eat and enjoy :).

Bobby Flay's Oven Baked Pizza

This was a fun, delicious idea for a pizza, and although the kids didn't love this, Aaron and I thought it was great.  This seems to be a theme with Bobby Flay's recipe, they are catered to a more adult palate.  Noah didn't like the onions, but he really loved the gruyere cheese, and Owen wished there were more cheese, funny guys.  I used an easy crust recipe, rather than the one in the Bar Americain cookbook, but the toppings for this are listed here with the method I used.  This averaged an 8 in our house, and each slice was 365 calories.  Here's what to do:

Make pizza crust according to recipe, then cook for 10 minutes or so on hot pan.  Top with 8 oz Gruyere cheese, 6 slices crispy bacon, chopped up, 3 c caramelized onions, sour cream, parsley, fried garlic pieces (garlic cooked in oil for about 1 minute, checking constantly), and some oil if desired.  After the pizza has been in the oven for 10 minutes, top with the cheese, bacon and onions, cook for about 10 more minutes, then serve with the sour cream, parsley, garlic pieces and oil.  Super delicious.

Bobby Flay's Chicken Cutlet

This is a different take on chicken cordon bleu, and I prefer it to the original, mainly because it doesn't have hollandaise sauce on it :).  Eggs and I aren't always the best of friends, so I prefer to avoid hollandaise whenever possible.  This was a quick meal, and the brie made it super delicious, and the boys are always excited to try different cheeses, so we all enjoyed this.  For six servings, each serving was 435, and Noah gave this a perfect 10, Owen and I gave it a 9, and Aaron gave it an 8, but he didn't have it fresh, so who knows :).  I found this recipe in Bobby Flay's Bar Americain cookbook, and here's what I did:

1/2 c flour
1 egg, beaten
1 c Panko bread crumbs
salt and pepper
3 T butter
2 T olive oil
4 oz Brie cheese, thinly sliced
8 slices bacon, cooked

2 T red wine vinegar
1 t whole grain mustard
salt and pepper
2 T olive oil
1 bag arugula

Place flour in one bowl, egg in another, then Panko in a third bowl.  Season the chicken tenders well.  Season the flour, then dip the chicken in the flour, then then eggs, then lastly the Panko.  Melt the butter and olive oil in a large skillet, then brown the chicken tenders on both sides.  Cook until chicken is done, then top with the Brie immediately and 2 bacon strips.
Mix the vinegar, mustard and salt and pepper together, then whisk in the olive oil to emulsify.  Toss with the arugula and serve over the chicken.

Bobby Flay's Lobster Club

Summer vacation is here, and I am totally losing track of what day it is, so another late posting, sigh :).  Anyway, this was a fabulous sandwich, and it was on some chipotle brioche which was a fun change.  The chipotle brioche can be found in Bobby Flay's Bar Americain cookbook, but I am just going to give the lobster club recipe.  Each serving without the bread is 614, for 5 servings, and Owen, Aaron and I gave this a 9, while Noah gave it a 7, because he didn't really like the lobster/crab meat.  And this was the fake stuff again, since no way can I afford real lobster for my kids :).  Here's what to do:

10 slices bacon, cooked
3/4 c mayonnaise
salt and pepper
2 T lemon juice
1 heaping T Dijon mustard
1 heaping T whole grain mustard
1 stalk celery, diced
2 green onions, diced
1/4 c red onion, diced
1/4 c minced parsley
1 1/2 lb lobster (fake) and Krab meat
Green Onion Dressing (recipe follows)
1 oz arugula
10 slices bread of choice, toasted

Whisk together the mayo, salt and pepper, lemon juice, Dijon, whole grain mustard, celery, onions, and parsley.  Fold in the lobster meat.  Spread each slice of bread with the green onion dressing, then top the sandwich with some arugula, the bacon, and the salad.  Serve.

Green Onion Dressing

1/4 c mayonnaise
3 T white wine vinegar
2 t honey
1/4 c canola oil
salt and pepper
5 green onions, roughly chopped

Mix all the ingredients in a food processor, and process until the dressing is mixed, but not totally smooth.  Smear on bread and serve.

Bobby Flay's Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Aaron and I loved these, the boys, not so much :).  Noah didn't like the goat cheese, and Owen didn't like the tomato.  Aaron and I gave these a perfect 10 and Owen and Noah gave these a 7.  Bobby Flay called these grown up grilled cheese, and obviously he was right.  Aaron and I will eat these anytime, anywhere :).  They are easy to make, and filling with all the cheese and bacon.  Each sandwich was 557 calories, but that will differ based on the bread you use.  Here's what I did:

2 slices of bacon per sandwich, cooked
2 T margarine or butter per sandwich
2 slices bread per sandwich
2 slices sharp cheddar cheese per sandwich
1-2 oz goat cheese per sandwich, according to taste
2 slices green tomato per sandwich (if you want a juicier tomato, just go with a riper one :))

Spread the butter on one side of each slice of bread.  Toast it with the cheeses, tomato and bacon between.  Cook on both sides, then serve when the bread is toasty and the cheese is melted.

Michael Symon's Flank Steak with Bacon Corn Salad

Sorry about the late posting the last few times, I keep losing track of days :).  This was a delicious meal, and I loved the salad.  We actually had salad left over, and had it for leftovers the next day.  Each serving was 340 calories, for six servings, and Noah and I gave this a perfect 10, and Owen and Aaron gave it a 9.  Here's the easy recipe from Michael Symon:

Flank Steak (about 1 lb)
salt and pepper
4 T olive oil
1/2 lb bacon, diced
4 ear sweet corn, kernels cut from the cob
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
2 T balsamic vinegar
2 c loosely packed arugula
1/2 onion, sliced thinly

Season the steak with salt and pepper.  In a pan, heat 3T oil, then cook the flank steak on both sides until cooked to desired doneness.  Cook the remaining bacon with 1 T olive oil until crispy.  Add the corn and cook until the corn starts to brown.  Add the red pepper flakes and 1/2 c water to deglaze the pan.  Stir in the vinegar.  Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding salt and pepper.  Cut the steak thinly against the grain.  Top with the bacon, corn, arugula, and onion.

Michael Symon's Spaghetti Carbonara

I enjoy Spaghetti Carbonara, and our boys did too, but Aaron isn't a big fan of this.  He likes his pasta with hamburger or sausage much more than bacon.  Anyway, I love how tasty and simple this pasta is, and this rendition comes from Michael Symon's 5 in 5.  For each serving of this, the calories are 389 for 8 servings.  Noah gave this a perfect 10, Owen and I gave this a 9, and Aaron gave it a 6.  Anyway, here's what to do:

1 lb dried spaghetti
3 T olive oil
1/2 lb bacon, cut into small pieces
4 large eggs, separated
1 t pepper
salt
1/4 c parsley, chopped
1 c grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the pasta in well salted water until al dente, reserving 1/4 c of the pasta water.
In a skillet, cook the bacon until crisp.  Deglaze the pan with the reserved pasta water, then remove the pan from the heat.
Whisk the egg whites until they start to get foamy.  Add in the pepper, salt, parsley, olive oil, and Parmesan.  Mix this slowly with the bacon, whisking the entire time.
Add in the cooked pasta, pour the egg yolks over, then salt to taste.  Serve :).

MIchael Symon's Broccoli, Bacon and Cheddar Pasta

So although Aaron didn't like this, the rest of us really did.  I found this in 5 in 5 cookbook, and Michael Symon describes this as a take on broccoli with cheese sauce, and I agree that's what it tastes like.  Noah gave it a perfect 10, Owen and I gave it a 9, Jonah seemed to really like it, but Aaron gave it a 4, oh well.  Anyway, each serving, for 8 servings, was 497 calories.  Here's what to do:

13 oz penne (my box was that size and whole grain, use a full package of whatever kind you would like)
salt
6 T bacon fat (reserved from cooking bacon)
8 slices bacon
1 bag steamed broccoli, about 3 cups
3/4 c pine nuts
8 oz shredded aged cheddar cheese
dash of red pepper flakes

Cook penne according to directions for al dente pasta.  Reserve 1 c pasta water, and set aside.

Cook the bacon until crisp, then add in the pine nuts and broccoli, cooking about 2 minutes.  Add in the reserved pasta water and deglaze the pan, then add in the cheddar and red pepper flakes.  Stir in the pasta, then serve.

Michael Symon's Bacon and Tomato Pasta

So the boys and I loved this, and the second day Aaron had it he also really enjoyed it.  Noah and I gave it a perfect 10, and Owen gave it a 9, and if the way Jonah gobbled it up was any indication, I would say he gave it a perfect 10 as well.  Aaron gave this a 7 the first night, but he said he really enjoyed it for lunch the next day.  I found this in Michael Symon's 5 in 5 cookbook, and it was so great.  I will be trying it again with Heirloom tomatoes in the summer time.  This comes together super quickly if you have everything prepared ahead of time, so a great weeknight meal!  Each serving was about 400 calories (it was hard to know exactly how much bacon fat there was) for eight servings, and here's what to do:

1 lb angel hair pasta
1 c diced bacon
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 c medium-diced tomatoes (I used around 6 roma tomatoes I think)
1/2 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 c torn fresh basil leaves
1 T extra-virgin olive oil for finisher

Cook the pasta in well salted water until al dente, reserving 1 c pasta water.  Cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp, reserving all the drippings.  Add the garlic, then the tomatoes, and stir and cook for about 1 minute.  Add in the pasta and the reserved pasta water, then stir in the basil, Parmesan and olive oil.  Season and serve.

Flour Too's Mushroom and Leek Lasagna

So unlike Aaron, I love different pastas and lasagna.  If it were up to Aaron, we would always have my lasagna, and we would have it more often :).  Anyway, I found this Mushroom and Leek lasagna recipe in Flour, Too, and I decided to try it.  I made very few changes, but I did add bacon to have some meat, because my family has to have meat :).  Each serving, for 16 servings, was 367 calories. Aaron gave this a 7, Owen gave this an 8, and Noah and I gave it a 9.   Here's what to do:

10 dry lasagna noodles
1 c fresh goat cheese, at room temperature
1 c whole milk ricotta cheese
1/2 c chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper
6 pieces bacon plus bacon fat reserved
1 lb mushrooms, chopped (I used a mixture)
5 garlic cloves, smashed
4 leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced and rinsed well
2 14.5 oz cans fire roasted tomatoes

6 T unsalted butter
1/3 c flour
4 c whole milk (I used a mixture of 1% milk, half and half and heavy cream, since I was running out of whole milk :))
salt and pepper
dash of nutmeg

3 c shredded mozzarella

Cook the lasagna noodles in well salted water and set aside.
Combine the goat cheese, ricotta, basil, half of the mozzarella and salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
Crisp the bacon, remove to a plate, then in the remaining fat (about 1/4 c), cook the mushrooms and leeks with salt and garlic.  Add the tomatoes and bacon and season well, then let cook and reduce a little.  Set aside.
In the same skillet, melt the butter, make a roux with the flour, and then slowly stir in the milk and whisk constantly.  After the bechamel thickens, season to taste.
Preheat the oven to 350.
In a large pan, spread half of the bechamel on the bottom, then lay 5 of the noodles.  Scatter half of the tomato mixture over the noodles, then top with half of the goat cheese mixture, then top with another layer of noodles, the rest of the mushrooms, the rest of the goat cheese, then the rest of the bechamel, then top with the remaining mozzarella.  Bake for about 1 hour, and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Molly Harper's Green Beans

I found this recipe in a Christmas book I read, and these are our favorite green beans ever.  We gave them a perfect 10, and I like them because they are a great way to use up canned green beans, which I always buy a bunch of when they go on sale, and then scramble to use up before they expire :).  Anyway, this recipe is actually called Aunt Linda's "Un-Vegetable" Green Beans, and there is a reason for that.  Since this is holiday food, you don't get calories, but make them anyway, they are awesome!

6 strips thick cut bacon, diced
1 gallon (about 8 cans) canned cut green beans
1 T garlic salt
1 stick unsalted butter
1 c light brown sugar

Brown the bacon, then add in the green beans, garlic, butter and brown sugar.  Bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer and cook for 2-3 hours.  Serve and enjoy the green beans :)

Rachel Ray's Bacon Burger Mac N Cheese

So I love macaroni and cheese, and we were watching some Rachel Ray episodes on Netflix, and Aaron said he was interested in trying this.  Aaron interested in homemade macaroni and cheese?  Heck yes :).  So I made this the next night, and it was a hit at our house.  We all gave this a 9, and while it doesn't really taste like mac n cheese, it does taste like a bacon burger, so win there, and Aaron really liked it, so win win :).  I found the recipe here, and I followed it pretty closely.  Here's what I did, and each serving was 572 calories for 12 servings.

1 lb elbow macaroni
salt
12 slices bacon, chopped
4 T reserved bacon fat
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 c beef broth
3 T Worcestershire sauce
6 T butter
5 T flour
3 c milk
4 1/2 c sharp cheddar cheese
1/3 c ketchup
about 1/4 c mustard (more or less to taste)
2 T sweet pickle relish
1 T hot sauce (I used a little less Tabasco)

Top with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, some reserved bacon, and/or pickles

Cook the pasta in well salted water, then drain and set aside.
Cook the bacon until crisp, then when finished cooking remove to a papertowel lined plate.  If you have more than 1/4 c bacon grease, remove some of it.  Add the ground beef, then add in the onions and season with salt and pepper.  Cook until the beef is cooked and the onion is softened, then add in the broth and Worcestershire and reduce the heat to low.
In a large pot, make a roux with the butter and flour, then add in the milk, whisking the entire time.  Season well, then add in the cheese, and stir until melted.  Add in the ketchup, mustard, relish and hot sauce.  Combine this with the pasta, then combine that with the meat and most of the bacon (or all the bacon if you don't want any to sprinkle on top).  Serve with desired garnishes.

Yammie's Noshery Chipotle Chicken Bacon Tacos

So although the boys didn't love these, they only gave them an 8 because of the spice, Aaron and I loved these.  We gave them a 9, and they are so great.  As you can see from the picture, we didn't use flat bread the way the recipe suggested, we just used tortillas, and I made my guacamole the way I like to rather than following the recipe.  Otherwise I followed this recipe exactly.  Each taco was kind of high in calories, about 490 a taco, but they were worth it.  Try this, it's so good!

Michael Symon's Pork and Beans

So no picture of this, it got lost when my phone was being repaired, but this was a really great dinner. Michael Symon came through for us again.  We gave this a 9, and it was hearty, full of flavor, and delicious.  Since it uses dried beans, rather than canned ones, this does take two days to make, but most of that is overnight soaking time.  The flavor in this really was so satisfying, I will be making this again.  This made 16 servings, and each serving was only 204 calories, so not too much.  The serving size was about 1 cup.

1 lb dried navy beans
1 lb bacon, cut into dice
3 carrots, diced
1 onion, diced
2 T minced garlic
4-6 oz Italian sausage
28 oz can chopped tomatoes
1 t chipotle pepper sauce
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 quart chicken broth
salt and pepper
1 c plain bread crumbs
1/2 c chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
4 t chives (freeze dried, or 1/4 c fresh)

Soak the beans overnight in enough water to cover them by at least two inches.  Drain the beans and transfer them to a large saucepan.  Add enough water to cover by 2 inches and bring to a simmer.  Cook for about 1 hour, or until slightly tender (I cooked mine for longer, more like 1 1/2 hours).  Set the beans aside to cool in their liquid.
Preheat the oven to 375.
In a large Dutch oven, cook the bacon until crisp.  Remove from the pot, and cook the carrots, onion, and garlic, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.  Set the veggies aside with the bacon.  Cook the sausage, then return the bacon and vegetables to the pan.  Add in the chipotle sauce, tomatoes, rosemary, bay leaves and chicken broth.  Simmer for five minutes.
Drain  the beans and add them to the pot.  Adjust the salt and pepper to taste, then bring to a simmer.  Transfer the pot to the oven, and cook, uncovered, for one hour.
Discard the bay leaves.  Combine the bread crumbs, parsley, and chives.  Sprinkle the mixture on top of the beans.  Bake for 20 minutes, or until the bread crumbs are golden brown.

Michael Symon's Pork Pie

This recipe was from Michael Symon's Carnivore cookbook, and it was a fun, different meal, but I would make some changes next time I make it.  I loved the flavor of the filling, but didn't love that it wasn't super juicy, and we all would've liked it better had it been in a pocket/empanada form.  This received an 8 from all of us, and I'll share the filling with you, but I would recommend using this idea for the hand pockets, and adding a little broth and flour to the filling to give it more juice.  Each serving was 321 calories, for 1/8 of the pie.

4 oz bacon, chopped
1 lb ground pork
salt and pepper
1/2 c chopped celery
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 small potatoes, chopped
1/4 c chopped celery leaves
1/4 c chopped fresh parsley, chopped
1 t savory
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of ground cloves
Pie dough for 1 double crust pie
1 egg beaten with 1 T milk

Preheat the oven to 400.  Cook the bacon until crisp in a large dutch oven.  Remove the bacon from the pot and set aside.  Add the pork, salt and pepper and brown the pork.  Remove the pork from the pot and place with the bacon.  Add the celery, onions, and garlic and cook for five minutes.  Deglaze the pot with 1/2 c water, then add in the pork, bacon, potatoes, and herbs and seasonings.  Simmer for 20 minutes.
Roll out the pie dough and cover a pie plate, pricking the bottom with a fork all over.  Place the meat mixture in the pan, then top with the other pie dough.  Brush the top with the egg mixture, sprinkle with salt, and then poke holes in the top to vent.  Bake for at least 45 minutes until crusts are golden brown.  Cool and then serve.