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[jdmessner]

Whenever I'm cooking bacon, if practical, I cook it in the pit at 350°.  The pit adds soooo much flavor.  It may do the same when you're making bacon taco shells.

I have been thinking about that. I do plan to experiment a bit with the grill and see how it goes. The only problem I see is if the bacon still needs to be pressed to get it to adhere, then the smoke would not come into play. If the meat goo and taco stands allow the shells to hold up on their own, smoking them would be the way to  go.

[Bentley]

The meat goo is on the way...but I have been thinking it through and I am not sure it will help.  It was one thing when I wanted to bind 3 or 4 pieces of beef together, one on top of the other.  But bacon that is being laid side by side not enough surface area to make it bind.  Will be curious if it offers you any help.  As I have gone through it in my mind I cant seem to see the process through.   I hope you are able to make it work!

[Hank D Thoreau]

I am at a loss for words. I had a heart attack reading this.

[Kristin Meredith]

Western Mac is normal mac-n-cheese and then you cook hamburger, add a package of taco seasoning per direction (as if you were making hamburger tacos) and then combine the two.  Ratio can be whatever you want. One to one might be a little too much meat, I think I did about 2 mac to one taco filing last time I made it . You just need to experiment to find what you like

[jdmessner]

The taco holders arrived today and so has the Moo Gloo. Looking forward to experimenting soon.

Kristen, the Western Mac and Cheese sounds great. I would love it. However, I have been surprised by the taste preferences of some of the youth. Last year when I did the pizza, I was surprised how many just liked the basics, rather than extra stuff added in. I am leaning toward just good old plain Mac and  Cheese.

[BigDave83]

The taco holders arrived today and so has the Moo Gloo. Looking forward to experimenting soon.

Kristen, the Western Mac and Cheese sounds great. I would love it. However, I have been surprised by the taste preferences of some of the youth. Last year when I did the pizza, I was surprised how many just liked the basics, rather than extra stuff added in. I am leaning toward just good old plain Mac and  Cheese.

Yes, people like what they are used to. A lot of times adding things in or changing the taste and they do not like it, not that is it bad, it just isn't the taste, flavor or texture their mind told them they should expect due to having Mac n Cheese or whatever for so many years done the same way.
 I have found this out many times from cooking for people. I guess I am lucky I will try most anything and will change past recipes by adding or taking things out, just to see the difference.

[ZCZ]

Awesome idea JD!  I am pulling for the Lions all the way.  Would to see them in the Super Bowl AND WIN!!

[Bentley]

I have Lions beating Bills in SB 57.

[jdmessner]

I have Lions beating Bills in SB 57.

I noticed that in your picks. I would dearly love to see that match-up and result. However, I have been a Lion's fan long enough to know not to speak of these kinds of things out loud or put them down on paper. I don't want to be the one to jinx it!

[reubenray]

One of my neighbors is from Michigan and a big Detroit fan.  Each week he will ask me if I am a Detroit fan this week.  Being they are playing Tampa next I am a Detroit fan this week.

[jdmessner]

I did a little experimenting with the weave last week, before the additional equipment came in. Originally, I was using three slices of bacon cut in half for six slices total for the weave, three up and three down. After my initial tries, I realized that each cut was a point of weakness in the structure of the weave and had the potential to come apart during the cooking process. 

Then I had a rather brilliant idea, (at least for me). Instead of doing a standard weave, with six half pieces of bacon, I only cut one piece in half, for the center cross piece. I folded the remaining two pieces into an L shape to form the outside frame. I was then able to flip the center pieces over and under the frame to finish the weave. This did make the shell much sturdier. I am looking forward to further experimentation with the taco holders and the Moo Gloo, just not sure when I will get to it.

I also discovered I could make a small shell with just two slices of bacon forming the frame. I am thinking this would work well for Chaco-Tacos (chocolate fudge swirl ice cream in the bacon shell, with hard shell chocolate syrup and nuts on top). Full disclosure, I did make one and it was incredibly good!

[ZCZ]

“ I also discovered I could make a small shell with just two slices of bacon forming the frame. I am thinking this would work well for Chaco-Tacos (chocolate fudge swirl ice cream in the bacon shell, with hard shell chocolate syrup and nuts on top). Full disclosure, I did make one and it was incredibly good!”

It DOES sound good!  I could see that as a desert entry at the Royal.  Bentley and Kristin might concur.

[Bentley]

I think it sounds great to eat, but I would never enter anything that could melt in a contest when you have no idea how long before the judges will get it! ITC1 pulled it off, and to this day I do not know how it did not melt.  Or maybe they get stuff to the tables that fast!

[jdmessner]

Here are the different stages of the weave. I thought I would try making a slury out of the Moo gloo, using four parts water as directed. It just became slimy and globy, almost like cake yeast when you first put it into water. It was very hard to apply with a pastry brush. I thought maybe a slury would give me a little more control over how it was applied. The next batch will be sprinkled with the powder and I will do one with no gloo at all.

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[ZCZ]

I think it sounds great to eat, but I would never enter anything that could melt in a contest when you have no idea how long before the judges will get it! ITC1 pulled it off, and to this day I do not know how it did not melt.  Or maybe they get stuff to the tables that fast!

I was there in 2012 with him when he turned in the same dessert (the year after he got a perfect 180 in 2011).  I remember he had to bring a freezer with him that we had in the Memphis trailer.