Bacon Pierogi Bake
I made this almost 2 months ago, and forgot all about it until I was going through some pictures on my camera! We are big pierogi fans in this house, so when I saw this recipe in my December 2010 Cooking Light magazine, it quickly made my must try list. I am so glad we tried this…absolutely delicious! And let’s face it, everything is better with bacon! The cream cheese sauce was the perfect complement to the pierogies, and the bacon was a great contrasting texture. Next time I will add the tomatoes as well…we didn’t have any in the house when I made this. This will make our menu plan frequently, especially since it’s so easy, and relatively healthy!
Bacon Pierogi Bake
1 (16-ounce) package frozen potato and cheddar cheese pierogies (such as Mrs. T’s)
Cooking spray
2 center-cut bacon slices, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup (3 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1/2 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 400°.
Arrange the pierogies in an 11 x 7-inch glass baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cook bacon in a saucepan over medium heat until crisp; remove from pan. Set aside.
Add garlic to drippings in pan, and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add 1/3 cup cream cheese to pan, and cook for 1 minute or until cream cheese begins to melt, stirring frequently. Gradually add chicken broth to pan, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Pour the cream cheese mixture evenly over pierogies. Top evenly with 1/2 cup cheddar cheese. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until bubbly and thoroughly heated. Remove from oven, and sprinkle with bacon and pepper.
Source: Adapted from Cooking Light December 2010
