Bacon Pierogie Bake

 

This may not look pretty on the plate, but I assure you that it's a delicious meal.

Along with frozen ravioli, frozen pierogie is one standby in the Mad Men freezer.  It's a favorite of BAJ's, and easy when things go haywire and dinner just isn't going to happen.  When I saw that Stephanie had made a "souped up" version of a pierogie casserole and raved about it, I knew I would make it too.

I find it nuts that this recipe appeared in Cooking Light, since there's no way this is a light recipe (using Neufchatel cheese a light recipe does not make when one is frying in bacon).  Perhaps what makes it light is that it's supposed to be an appetizer, but who can deny the ease of this quick dinner meal?  I took Stephanie's plan to make it as an entree, though she served with salad and I served with green beans.  Speaking of those green beans, we topped them with the very awesome sauce for the pierogies, make the green beans that much more awesome.

Is it wrong to admit I was almost licking my plate?

This one was great, though if I serve it as a main again, I will double it, in addition to serving with a side dish.  This is so versatile; you could use any kind of pierogie, add in some steamed broccoli, or pretty much anything you like.

Source: Stephanie Cooks, who Slightly adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients:
1 (16 oz) package frozen potato and onion pierogies
2 slices center-cut bacon, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup thin sliced green onions
1 small plum tomato, seeded, and diced  (I used an handful of grape tomatoes, which I diced)
Pepper
Cooking spray

Directions:
1- Preheat the oven to 400.
2- Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange the frozen pierogies in the dish.
3- In a medium saucepan, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan.
4- Add garlic to the drippings, cook for 30 seconds. Add the cream cheese, stirring until it melts. Add the broth, stir continuously until it's all incorporated.
5- Pour the sauce mixture over the pierogies. Top with the cheddar cheese.
6- Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, top with the tomatoes and bacon, and return it to the oven. Bake for 5 additional minutes.
7- Remove from the oven sprinkle with green onions and black pepper. Serve hot.