Bacon Jam is the Jam!

So sorry I have not posted in a while, but I have taken up painting and it is occupying a lot of my time.  It is my new passion.  Anyway,  this weekend, we are hosting an engagement party for our best friend's daughter and future son in love and I have been busy in the kitchen preparing things that I can do in advance.  They all look so good.

The house is all spit shined and polished and fall decorations are all in place.  It is supposed to be a beautiful day (yahoo), so we will put tables and chairs out under the trees for guests to enjoy a beautiful Tennessee September day.  The patio is another option for guests.  I love having options, don't you?

Today, I made this spectacular recipe for Bacon Jam that I found on Pinterest from The Kitchen Wife.  When we hosted our son's engagement party on July 4th weekend, I made fresh fig jam.  Sadly, there are no figs available here now, so I had to go with something different.   Well, finding this bacon jam was the answer and let me tell you, IT IS THE JAM!  WOW!!

The fig jam was served with goat cheese and crackers.  It was beyond delicious.  Hopefully, this will be just as successful - and I'm pretty sure it's going to be!  I mean, bacon?  Seriously?  Cooked with onions and wonderful spices?  It smelled so good while I was cooking it down, I could hardly stand it!  Oh my goodness!

The Kitchen Wife said it is good spread on a hamburger,  on a BLT, or as a pizza topping.  I can only imagine, because I could eat it by the spoonful.  It is amazing.  Here is what you need.

1 pound bacon (actually most bacon comes in 12 ounce packages now instead of a pound, but that             works)

2 medium yellow onions, or l large onion, peeled and sliced
2 TBSP Butter
2 TBSP rendered bacon fat
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 TBSP vinegar (she called for white, I used apple cider and it worked great)
1 1/2 tsps thyme
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 cup water
1 TBSP balsamic vinegar
1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Put the package of bacon in the freezer for about 15 minutes to make it easier to slice.  (I just took a package out of the freezer and sliced it, worked great).  First, remove the bacon from the package and cut across the bacon in 1/2 inch slices to make lardons.  I had nice big strips of sliced bacon because it was frozen together.  Don't be concerned, as it cooks it quickly falls apart into separate pieces.

Put the cold bacon into a cold skillet to help render the fat from the bacon.  Turn the heat on to medium and allow the bacon to cook until all the fat is rendered.  It takes about 30 minutes.  The bacon will foam as it cooks - that is the fat being rendered.  It will look like this.

When I read the directions, I wondered if I knew when it was foaming.  It's like being in labor, you will know when it happens.  :)  You want to cook the bacon until all the fat has been rendered and the bacon and the fat are deep, dark brown - about the same color.  Watch the bacon, because when it gets to this point, it can burn VERY quickly.  As soon as it got very dark, I started removing the bacon to a bowl lined with a paper towel so it would drain.  Work fast, you don't want to ruin this lovely concoction!

While your bacon is cooking, peel and slice the onion very thin.  I cut my onion in half first, and then sliced it.  That way, it doesn't roll all over the place while slicing.

After you have removed the bacon from the pan, pour the excess bacon fat into a separate bowl (there was a LOT).  Do not discard.

Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan and 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat.  Add the sliced onions and cook over medium heat until they are translucent and soft.  They will be very brown.

Add the brown sugar, vinegar, half of the thyme, cayenne, a little salt and pepper.  Stir into the onions.

Chop the bacon very fine and add to the pan.  Stir all together.  Add 1/2 cup of water and let simmer until the water is almost gone.  She said 30 minutes, but mine was done in 20.  I have a gas stove, don't know if that makes the difference.  Just watch and don't let it burn.

Now, add 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, and the rest of the thyme.  Cook another 15 minutes, or until the liquid is almost gone.  Mine was done in 10 minutes.  The jam should be very dark like in the picture.  Yum.

Taste for seasoning and add a little salt and pepper if needed.

When you are finished, you have this beautiful, dark brown pan of bacon and onions that smells absolutely divine from the spices that have been added.  When I tasted it, it was sweet and savory and smoky all at the same time - with BACON!  Did I say bacon?  Oh yeah.

My BFF was here and I had her taste it.  She declared it divine and I looked at her and said "One jar won't be enough, will it?"  I had better make another.  And, so I did.  This should keep in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks  - if it lasts that long.  (Bring the jam to room temperature before serving.  There will be white spots of fat in it otherwise.) I can see more of this in my future.

One recipe makes 1 pint jar of bacon jam.  We are going to have this with goat cheese and crackers on Saturday.  I will let you know the crowd reaction.  I think it's going to be good.  Really, really good.

This would be a great housewarming gift, hostess gift, teacher appreciation gift, or Christmas gift.  In a basket with other goodies?  Wow!  Give it a try.  I think you are gonna love it.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

My grandmother ate bacon every day of her life and lived to be 96.  How bad could it be then?

Hoppin John - Oh So Good

Good Monday friends.  Hope you survived the fall back.  Our daughters, who have young children, are suffering the time change with children getting up really early according to the new clock setting.  I must laugh because we have been there and certainly done that.  They just don't remember what it was like because they were the small children.  What goes around....as they say.

Today, I am sharing a recipe for Hoppin John.  My son, John, taught me how to make this years ago and it is absolutely wonderful.  Hoppin John is a combination of rice and black eyed peas and other goodness like bacon and onions and bell pepper.

My research tells me they are not sure where the name comes from, but Hoppin John was mentioned in cookbooks as far back as 1847.  Chances are, this was a dish made by slaves since there are similar dishes eaten in Africa.

Hoppin John is often served on New Year's Day in the south as a symbol of good fortune for the coming year.  The black eyed peas stand for coins.  Sometimes a few coins are placed under the plate of guests.  Corn bread is served for the color of "gold" and some kind of greens - like turnip or collards - which stands for money, are also served. Supposedly, if you eat this you will have good fortune and prosperity throughout the year.

I don't want to wait until New Year's Day to eat this delicious dish.  It is easy to make and very nutritious.  I promised my friend Linda, who lives in Texas, that I would post this recipe today.  She LOVES black eyed peas and wants to make this recipe.  Here is what you need:

6-8 slices of bacon, cut crossways
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans black eyed peas, drained and rinsed*
2 cups rice
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste

In a deep pot, brown the bacon until crisp.  Drain most of the bacon fat off, leaving enough to brown the onions, bell pepper and garlic.  When the onions become translucent, add the garlic, bacon, drained black eyed peas, the rice, and chicken broth.   Cook until the rice is done and most of the liquid has been absorbed.   Stir several times so the rice doesn't stick.  Add salt and pepper if needed.  I didn't add any salt.

*I used Bush's black eyed peas with bacon and jalapeno to add a little kick.  They are not hot, just have a little more flavor.  Try it if you like a little something extra.

This can be a complete meal if you wish, or served as a side.  Delicious!  It also reheats well.

If you are looking for some new winter recipes, this one is a good one to try.  It is easy, nutritious, and delicious.  Remember to serve it on New Year's Day for extra good fortune in the coming new year.  We can all use more good fortune!

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember

“How people could actually get themselves all worked up about saving the grizzly bear of the Rockies, and sit calmly by while such a magnificent dish as South Carolina Hoppin' John faces extinction, was more than I could ever understand.”

Sheila Hibben (1888-1964)

Quinoa Salad With Home Made Cilantro Dressing

Happy Monday one and all.  Hope your weekend was spectacular.  Ours was super busy with fall ball games and keeping grandsons overnight so our daughter and son in love could celebrate their anniversary with a stay at the Opryland Hotel.  With two little guys aged 3 and 18 months, they deserved a little respite and Grandma and Pawpaw were more than happy to help out.

Out other daughter and her family are in the throws of fall ball (no pun intended).  Practices, school, games, jobs - you know how busy life can be.  To show a little mercy, I invited them for dinner last night because Holly spends most of her Sunday on writing assignments to meet deadlines for her editors.  It helps if she doesn't have to worry about feeding her three boys and husband after a day of brain drain.

There is always that dilemma of what to fix that the boys will eat.  The 10 year old is super finicky, the 6 year old is not quite so finicky and the 3 year old is a roll of the dice.  Our son in love has celiac so there is that whole gluten issue to deal with.  Meals can present a challenge.  Last night I fixed enchilada casserole which is made with corn tortillas and contains no gluten.  I made the red sauce with corn starch instead of flour.  For sides, we grilled corn on the cob and I made this beautiful quinoa salad.

Do you know about quinoa (keen-wa) or have you tried it?  It is delicious and gluten free.  My research tells me it is not a true grain in the sense of wheat or oats, but has been cultivated in the Andes mountains for over 3,000 years.  Quinoa is full of protein and calcium, anti oxidants, and is easy to digest.  It is great for vegan diets.  The boys love it and will actually eat it.  It has a lovely mild, nutty flavor and can be served plain or added to other dishes.  There are many ways to "jazz" up quinoa.  The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2013 the year of Quinoa because they believe it could go a long way in eradicating food insecurity worldwide due to its nutritional value.

I had found a recipe for a southwest quinoa salad on Pinterest and it looked good.  It was made with quinoa, black beans, corn, and diced tomatoes.  We were having corn on the cob so I didn't want to use corn in the salad.  For this salad I used, black beans, tomatoes, avocado, green onions, red bell pepper, black olives, and a really tasty cilantro lime salad dressing.  Oh, and I threw in some crumbled bacon that I had left from BLT sandwiches.  Yum.  Crunchy vegetables work well with the soft, mild quinoa.

To make the salad, here is what you need:

Quinoa prepared according to package directions.

(You use 1 cup dry quinoa to 2 cups liquid.  I made 2 cups and that's a lot of quinoa.  If you are feeding 2-4 people, use 1 cup quinoa although I am loving the left over salad.)

1 medium red bell pepper diced
3 green onions, whites and greens cut on a diagonal
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 avocado, diced
sliced black olives, optional  (add as many as you like)
5 slices cooked crisp bacon, crumbled (optional)

Cook the quinoa according to package directions and let cool.  Put the cooled quinoa in a serving bowl and cover with the ingredients you choose to use.  The possibilities are endless really.  I like leaving all the "yummies" on the top so that when you serve the salad, they don't all fall to the bottom.  You can mix it up if you so desire.

Cilantro Lime Salad Dressing

I didn't measure what I threw in the blender, but this is pretty close.

about 1/2 cup plain fat free greek yogurt
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
juice of one lime or lemon
1/2 to 3/4 of a bunch of cilantro
small pinch of salt

Place ingredients in a blender and whir until blended and cilantro is all chopped.  This dressing is fantastic on any salad.

Serve dressing on the side.  You may like to eat the salad without the dressing like Dan does, but the bright, flavorful dressing adds a nice zip to the salad in my opinion.  If you don't like cilantro, use basil or avocado in it's place.

I had a nice big helping of this salad this evening and it is deeeeeeeeelicious.  Think of all the possibilities for things to add to quinoa to make a healthy salad or it could be eaten as an entree.  It would be especially good for a meatless meal (minus the bacon).

If you haven't tried quinoa, this salad a good way to introduce it into your diet, or you could serve it plain as a side dish in the place of rice or potatoes.  We will definitely be eating it more often since it has been called a super food.  We are always looking for things that taste good and are good for you.  Give it a try.  I think you will like it.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Quinoa is great for lazy day cooking because it's packed with complete proteins, but it cooks in only 20 minutes. And, you can flavor it any way you wish! I make mine with onions, lots of ground ginger, turmeric and coriander, and then whatever dried fruit and nuts I have around.

Aarti Sequeira, Food Network

Everyday Donna's Grilled Cabbage

 What fun thing did you do today?  We met a friend for lunch and then checked out plants at the Farmer's Market and another garden center.  I came home with a few really awesome succulents, among other things.  Needless to say, I LOVE the weather we are having and am getting extremely excited to start filling all my planters.

In yesterday's post about the beer brined pork chops, I told you that I would post the recipe for this delicious grilled cabbage.  Do you like cabbage?  Did you eat it as a child growing up?  We did!  Every week.   And, you guessed it, it was usually boiled and it made the house smell terrible, but I always loved cooked cabbage.  Then, there is sauerkraut.  Yum.  Love it.  Dan hates it.  Also, there is the Indiana state vegetable, cole slaw, which is made from cabbage.  My friend that we met for lunch today called cole slaw the Indiana state vegetable years ago and it made me laugh so hard I have never forgotten it.  Our whole family refers to cole slaw as the Indiana state vegetable to this day.  Why did he call it that?  Because it is served at every picnic, pot luck, and restaurant in the state.  How much cole slaw have we eaten in our lives?  Waaaaay too much.

Ever tried kimchee?  It is also made from cabbage.  My research said that cabbage and bean curd are the two most used ingredients for cooking in China.  Wonder if they ever make cole slaw?

Cabbage is a very old vegetable, with cultivation beginning around 1000 BCE according to information I found.  Cabbage is a main ingredient in European cooking and Chinese cooking.  The most common use is by pickling, such as sauerkraut and kimchee.  Cabbage is really good for us.   It is full of anti-carginogens, beta carotene, and vitamin C.  Cabbage is related to broccoli, brussels sprouts, and cauliflower.  The reason many people don't like to cook cabbage in the house is because of the really strong smell that permeates the air.  Well, here is the perfect solution -- GRILL IT!  Cooking it out of doors keeps the smell out of the house.  Tadah!

Grilled cabbage is amazingly good, let me tell you.  It is easy to make also.  Here is how I made mine.

1 medium sized head cabbage, cut into wedges
4-5 slices bacon, uncooked
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Cut the head of cabbage in half and then into wedges.  I got 6 wedges.  However many wedges you have, tear that many pieces of aluminum foil about 12 inches long.

Place a wedge of cabbage in the center of each piece of foil.  Lay the bacon strips on top of each other and cut into 1/2 inch strips crossways.  These are called "lardons" of bacon.  Lay some of the lardons on each cabbage wedge.  Now, chop the onion and put some on each wedge.

Cut the 1/2 stick of butter into very thin pieces and lay some on each wedge.  Sprinkle fresh parmesan over each wedge, sprinkle with a small amount of salt and lots of black pepper.

Bring the long ends of the foil together and roll tightly down to the enclosed cabbage.  Roll the ends up tightly, so that there are no holes where the steam can escape while cooking.

Light your grill on one side, leaving the other side unheated.  Place the foil packets on the unheated side.  They should cook about 45 minutes total.  Turn the packets over about 1/2 way through.  Remove from the grill, open and serve.  Yum.  Yum.  One of the best side dishes ever for summer grilling season!

If your bacon doesn't look really crisp when you open your packets, put the pieces in a microwave proof bowl and heat for about 15-30 seconds to crisp it up and redistribute over the cabbage.  Some of mine were crispy, a couple not as much as I would like.  So, when you turn the packets over, you might also want to rearrange them on the grill so the outside packets are closer to the heat for a while.  Just a little FYI.

We really enjoyed this super delicious cabbage with our beer brined pork chops and sour cream mashed potatoes.  Oh so good!

When you are planning a meal and want to know how much cabbage per person, one wedge is plenty for most people.  The flavor of the onions and bacon with the buttery cabbage topped with the parmesan is a perfect combination.  It sure beats the Indiana state vegetable for every meal any day of the week.

Give this recipe a try.  It's delicious.  You are really going to like it.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education.  Mark Twain

Maple, Sausage, Bacon, and Waffle Casserole (with a gluten free option)

Well, another Easter has come and gone.  Mr. E. Bunny was good to all this year.  Now, it is April 1 and spring may finally be starting to truly rear it's head.  Yesterday was misty/rainy and cool all day.  That meant the annual Grandma and Pawpaw egg hunt was indoors, but the grandsons still had a lot of fun.  Today, the sky is cerulean blue and the sun is shining, birds are singing, and trees are blooming.  It is going to be in the 70's by the weekend.  Yeeha!  Yes, I really said the 70's. Awesome.  That is why we can now be assured that spring is finally making it's way to mid-Tennessee.  All I can say is thank you, thank you, thank you!  Oh, and little league games start Saturday.  Whew, just in time.

Because our grandsons are 9 and younger, we had the egg hunt in the morning followed by a family brunch.  If the wait is too long and the excitement builds to a fever pitch, there will be meltdowns in our future if you know what I mean.  So hunt eggs early, then eat.

The 3 youngest boys nap in the afternoon and moms and dads were looking forward to a respite after all the morning excitement.  (Grandma and Pawpaw were too)  The 2.5 and 3 year old were shoveling candy in their mouths at a record breaking rate which can possibly lead to a lot of hyperactivity in the near future.  Wow. How you forget.   None of them eat much candy normally and yesterday was an all out candy-thon on every front.    Therefore, brunch was an excellent idea because it offered them some good food with lots of protein in place of sweets.

For brunch, I made this maple, sausage, bacon and waffle casserole adapted from a recipe I found at Plainchicken.com.  You know that I use her recipes often and this one is another keeper.  It can be made the day before, refrigerated and then baked the morning of your event.  It would also be fabulous as a "breakfast for dinner" casserole.  The kids really loved it.  Why wouldn't they?  It has all their favorite things in one dish.

I made ours with Van's gluten free waffles so our son in love could enjoy it too.  Otherwise, the recipe calls for Eggo frozen homestyle waffles.  Here is the original recipe and then I will post my adaptation.

Original recipe for 8x8 casserole:

8 frozen Eggo homestyle waffles, cubed
2 pounds maple flavored breakfast sausage
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
6 large eggs
1 1/4 cups milk (whole or low fat)
1/4 cup real maple syrup
salt and pepper

This is to be baked in an 8 x 8 baking dish, but layered together just the same as the larger casserole  I made.  Here is how I made mine.

Casserole for 9 x 13 baking dish.

12 Van's gluten free frozen waffles (or Eggo waffles if not making gluten free), cubed
1 pound breakfast sausage  (I used plain sausage, but you can use maple flavored if you wish)
1 pound bacon, fried crisp and crumbled
12 large eggs
1 8 ounce block cheddar cheese, grated
2.5 cups milk (whole or low fat)
1/2 cup real maple syrup
salt and pepper

Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.  I sprayed mine with Pam.

Cube all the waffles.

Cook sausage over medium heat, breaking apart until well browned.  Drain fat if needed.

Cook the pound of bacon until crisp, drain.  Break into good sized pieces.

Add 1/2 the cubed waffles to the bottom of the baking dish.  Top with half of the sausage and bacon and 1/2 of the cheese.  Layer the remaining waffles, sausage, bacon and cheese.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, maple syrup, salt, and pepper (about 1/2 tsp. each).  Pour the egg mixture evenly over the layers in the baking dish.

Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap for at least 1 hour before baking or up to one day if using the next day.  Store in the refrigerator.

Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 to 50 minutes.

As soon as eggs look set, remove from the oven and let sit for about 5 minutes before serving.

Mmmmmm, waffles, sausage, bacon, eggs, cheese, AND maple syrup in one dish.  This is soooooooo good and really easy to make.  (The gluten free waffles do give it a slightly different consistency than regular waffles, but it's still really good.)  If you prefer sausage over bacon, use 2 to 3 pounds of sausage for a big casserole.  If you only want bacon only, use 2 pounds of bacon.  We liked the mixture of the two, but it's up to you.

This is a wonderful make ahead dish anytime you need something for breakfast, especially if you are entertaining guests.  Don't forget about it for a "breakfast for dinner" meal also.  The grandsons LOVE bacon and sausage, and anything with syrup.  (Imagine)  You could even pour a little warmed maple syrup over the top for a little extra flavor. Yummmmo.

Mother's Day will be coming up in May and this would be a wonderful recipe to serve for a Mother's Day brunch - or any brunch or breakfast for that matter.  Graduation will be right around the corner too.  Lots of opportunities coming up where you can use another great breakfast casserole recipe.  Seems you can never have too many recipes.

Now, it's time to put away the bunnies and eggs, do a few spring crafts and enjoy the beautiful weather.  It's also time for some spring cleaning and yard work.  Looks like we are going to be busy.  Talk to you all soon.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn. Hal Borland  (Thankfully!)

 

Pork Loin With Bacon and Brown Sugar Glaze - YUM!

You are looking at a picture of the very last piece of one of the best pork loins I have ever made.  I was in such a tizzy trying to get everything ready for dinner with starving grandsons running everywhere - some were crying they were so hungry - that I forgot to take a picture of that beautiful roast when it came out of the oven.  I was VERY sad.  Everyone had been served when I realized I didn't have one single picture of the finished product.  Fortunately, when I looked in the pan there was one glorious piece left, so that is what you are looking at.  See that glaze?  Amazingly delicious!

The grocery had a special on pork roasts and I got a 5 pound roast for the outstanding price of $9.00.  Wowza, I was excited.  I like to fix dinner for the "in town" family and sometimes it is a challenge to come up with something that will feed everyone without breaking the budget.  Do you ever have that problem?  We have 6 adults and 6 children eating, so it takes quite a bit to fill everyone up, especially the men.

Consider pork loin.  It is delicious, easy to prepare, feeds a lot of people and can be found at a good price if you watch the ads.  There are lots and lots of ways to fix it.  I happened upon this recipe online and didn't write down where I found it.  I think it was at AllGoodRecipes.com and let me tell you, it's a keeper.  First, you make a rub for the pork loin and then cover it with bacon.  I mean, that should be enough right?   But, you also make a wonderful brown sugar glaze to go over it and that just puts it over the top!  The meat was so tender and juicy, just heavenly.  And then the glaze, well you'll just have to make it to find out.  Yummmmmo!

Here is what you need:

1 5 pound pork loin (or somewhere close)
about 5/6 slices of bacon, cut in half
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp paprika
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon

Let your pork loin set out for about 1/2 hour to come to room temperature.  Mix all the spices and rub over the entire pork loin.  Place in a 9x13 baking pan or dish, fat side up,  and cover the pork with the bacon slices.  Try not to overlap the bacon too much so it will cook.  Place in a 350 degree oven and cook for about 1.5 hours.

I did remember to take a picture of the roast just as I put it in the oven.  It was a crazy day.

While the pork is cooking, make the glaze.  Here is what you need:

1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 TBSP flour (I used 1.5 tsp. corn starch so it is gluten free)
2 TBSP cider vinegar
1/2 tsp dijon mustard

Combine the ingredients in a saucepan and stir until the sugar has melted and everything is combined.  Simmer for one (1) minute.  Remove the loin from the oven after 1.5 hours.  Pour the glaze over the entire roast and return the pan to the oven.  Continue to cook for another 15 - 30 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F.

Remove the pan from the oven and let it sit for a few minutes before slicing and serving. (if you can wait that long)  One look at that crispy bacon on top and you will want to dig right in.

This dish is so fantastic that it could be served at the most elegant dinner party or for a simple family meal.  Oh my, it is so good.  It made me hungry just looking at the picture.  Everyone in the family loved it.  We will be having this again.

Add this recipe to your repertoire.  You will have requests to make it again.  I know if there had been any left, it would have made fantastic leftovers.  Maybe next time.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

There is nothing like sitting around the dinner table with family enjoying good food, laughing, talking and making memories.   

donna                                                                          

Green Bean Bundles With Bacon

Love her or not, Paula Deen has done a lot for the world of food.   I am a huge fan of the Food Network and have learned so much about cooking and being more adventurous through the years by watching people like Bobby Flay, Tyler Florence, Paula Deen and Rachel Ray just to name a few.

We know now that everything does not have to be boiled to death to be edible, that fresh chopped garlic is a good, good  thing, and there are a myriad of ways to prepare just about anything.  I have learned about all kinds of spices and cooking techniques which has definitely changed the way I cook through the years.  Most of us learn how to cook from our mothers and that doesn't always mean there isn't a better or easier way to do things.  It also means that things can taste better than the way mom fixed them and I love trying new recipes!  My mom never owned a cookbook.  I have a shelf full and now we have the internet at our fingertips.  Hallelujah for progress and the genius who came up with the Food Network.  I mean seriously, did we ever think we would watch shows about cooking?  Thank you Julia Child for being a pioneer in the world of food and television.

I tend to wake up early (a lot) and on weekends I turn on the Food Network to see "what's cooking" or who's cooking.  I have my favorites - Giada, Bobby, and Paula.  I can hear you saying, but she uses butter - lots of butter.  Uh huh.  And?  Just kidding, but butter is better for us than margarine and olive oil is even better.  My mother never had a bottle of olive oil in her life.  Did yours?  In our house, it was bacon grease and lard until she finally switched to vegetable oil.  My grandmother never used anything but lard or bacon grease in her life and lived to 96.  Makes you wonder doesn't it?

Anyway, one Saturday morning Paula made these green bean bundles and they looked so good, I just had to try them.  I have been making them ever since.  They are super delicious.  Yes, they take a little time to make, but if you get an assembly line going, you are done in no time.  I made a huge pan of these for Dan's birthday dinner on Saturday and they really didn't take very long at all.  It all depends on how many bundles you are making, just adjust accordingly.  Here is what you need:

Fresh green beans (I used about 2 lbs)
Bacon (cut strips in half)
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper

First, blanch your green beans for about 3 minutes.  You do that by dropping them in a pot of boiling water.  When time is up, drain them in a colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.  This helps them be a beautiful bright green color and tender.

Put the green beans in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Using your hands, mix the beans around until they are all lightly coated with olive oil.  Now, the fun begins.

I put 5 green beans in each bundle.  First, line the ends up and trim the stems off.  Reverse and trim the other ends.  Using a half piece of bacon, wrap it around the bundle and put a toothpick through the bacon to hold the bundle together while it cooks.  Keep going until you have bundled all of your green beans.  You should figure at least 2 bundles per person.  This is my pan of bundles.  I think they are so pretty and its a different and yummy way to fix green beans.

Place your bundles on a baking sheet and place in the oven at 350 degrees F for 10 to 15 minutes until bacon is brown and crispy.   Remember to remove the toothpicks before serving!!  Anyone remember the toothpick joke from childhood?  We don't want that to happen.

We like to cut the bundle through the middle of the bacon so that you get a yummy bite of bacon with every bite of green beans.  Oh, these are good and they can be served with many different entrees.  Deeee-lish!  They also reheat nicely in the microwave, so make extras.

If you are having guests for dinner, these look so pretty on a plate and they look like you took hours and hours of your time to prepare them.  What a wonderful way to make guests feel special.  Make the same effort for your family!  They are more than worth it.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Back in the day, hours of boiling green beans to make them "tender" was the only way to cook them.  Now, there are lots of options!

Okay, here is the rule we had with our children when they were at home.  No one can say yuck, gross or make noises about the food on the table.  I can hear you if you are doing that right now!  Have you ever tried Brussels sprouts?  You say you don't like them?  Perhaps you would if you prepared them this way.

Last week we made a trip across town to Trader Joe's.  If you don't have a Trader Joe's in your town, I am truly sorry.  It is a great store with reasonable prices and a wonderful food selection.  As I passed the produce aisle, I noticed a huge display of fresh Brussels sprouts.  If you have never seen how they grow, they look like this.

  Normally, you will see them in a container like strawberries come in, or you can buy them frozen. As soon as I saw these beautiful stalks of tiny little cabbage-like sprouts, I knew I would be talking one home with me!  All I had to do was pick them off the stalk and discard the stalk.  One stalk can produce up to 2/3 pounds of sprouts.

Brussels sprouts were one of those vegetables that moms boiled to death back in the day and put them on your plate and expected you to eat them.  Fortunately, I always liked them, boiled to death or not.  Most kids did not feel that way.  Here is what Wikipedia says about Brussels sprouts.

Brussels sprouts are a cultivar of the same species that includes cabbage, collard greens, broccoli, kale, and kohlrabi; they are cruciferous. They contain good amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid and dietary fibre. Moreover, they are believed to protect against colon cancer, because they contain sinigrin.


Now, you know that Brussels sprouts are not only good, but good for you!  If you like cabbage and/or broccoli, you should like Brussels sprouts - especially if you use this recipe.


Here is what you need:


2 containers, 1 large stalk or 2 bags frozen Brussels sprouts (cut larger sprouts in half)
4/5 slices bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 box chicken stock
salt  (if needed) and fresh cracked black pepper


Fry bacon in large saute pan until crisp.  Remove bacon from pan and drain most of the bacon fat leaving a couple tablespoons in the pan.  Place pan back on stove and add onion and garlic to the remaining bacon fat and cook until onion is translucent.  Add Brussels sprouts and enough chicken stock to almost cover sprouts.  Cook until most of the chicken stock has reduced and largest sprouts are fork tender.  If they are not quite tender at this point, add some more stock and continue to cook until done.  (about 30/40 minutes).  Taste and add salt if needed.  Also add fresh cracked black pepper.   Place sprouts in a serving dish and crumble crisp bacon over them.  Serve.  Delicious!


This recipe is a combination of several that I found some time ago on the Food Network web page.  There is a little Bobby Flay, Rachel Ray and Paula Deen here so you know it's good!  This is not my mother's way of cooking Brussels sprouts and probably not the way your mom fixed them either!


We had this dish last week with meat loaf and mashed potatoes.  They were soooo good.  This is my suggestion, step outside your comfort zone and give this recipe a try.  You might really like it - we certainly do.  With the upcoming holidays, this would be a terrific side to serve with all the other dishes that will grace your table.  It's also a really pretty and healthy dish to sit on the table.  Give it a try, you might just like it and remember - no saying yuck, gross or  "those" sounds allowed.


Everyday Donna


Things to Remember:


“We kids feared many things in those days - werewolves, dentists, North Koreans, Sunday School - but they all paled in comparison with Brussels sprouts.”
Dave Barry

Florentine White Bean Soup - YUM

Today was errand day - in the heat.  The really, really hot heat.  The super humid unbearable heat.  The summertime makes you sweat heat.   The "I don't want to go outside" heat.  Yes, 99% humidity this morning before 7 am heat.  The "it's been above 90" every day and it's not even August yet heat.  This kind of heat saps your energy and makes you lazy.  At least, that's my excuse  (not sure what your excuse is).  Anyway, after lots of trips to and from, up and down, in and out of the car today, (in the heat) I did not want to cook dinner, but I certainly did not want to go back out in the heat.

I try to keep some "basics" in my pantry at all times.  I always have chicken stock in a box, there are always some cans of beans, tomato sauce, you know - the basics.  Well, it was time to think about dinner and I did not want to grill because that meant going outside  - yes, in the heat.  I know it's hot, but I am always up for a good bowl of soup especially if it's as quick and easy as this recipe.  Yum, Yum, Yum.

This recipe is from a Williams- Sonoma book called Food Made Fast - Soup.  Those are my three most favorite words, food made fast.  Soup is probably my most favorite food.  It is the one thing I really like to eat "left over."  Otherwise, I am not always a big fan of left overs.  Fortunately, I had everything on hand to make this delicious Florentine White Bean Soup.

What does "Florentine" mean?  It means there is spinach in the recipe and we love spinach so this is what we had for dinner with mozzarella/basil quesadillas.  Yes, my own little "side" invention for this evening's dinner.  Here is the recipe for this quick and easy soup.  It gives you protein, fiber, vegetables and deliciousness at a really reasonable price!  It only takes about 30 minutes to make and is waaaaaaay better than a can of Campbell's or Progresso.  Here is what you do:

Ingredients:

Olive oil, 2 TBSPs
5 slices bacon  (the recipe calls for Pancetta but it's too hard to find and it is just Italian bacon)
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 TBSP tomato paste
4 cups (1 box) chicken broth
2 cans (14.5 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed  (white kidney beans are the same thing)
2 cups fresh baby spinach

salt and freshly ground pepper
a pinch of red pepper flakes (that is my addition, you don't have to use it)

1.  Sautee the vegetables

Lay the bacon slices on top of each other and cut the bacon across the grain in 1/2 inch  slices.    Heat up your large saucepan over medium heat.  Saute the bacon until it is brown and remove it from the pan, draining on paper towels.  Drain all the remaining bacon fat from the pan.  Put the pan back on the stove and add 2 TBSPs of olive oil.  Add the onions and carrots and saute until they are soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and oregano and cook, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes.

2.  Finish the Soup

Stir in the tomato paste, mixing well.  Add the broth and the beans.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium.  Add the spinach and cook until it is wilted and the flavors have blended, about 10 minutes.  Add the bacon.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Add a pinch or two of red pepper flakes.  Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.

This is a 30 minute meal.  It is filling and delicious.  I know, I spent the first paragraph talking about the heat and then I recommend soup for dinner.  I don't consider soup just a cold weather meal and we have left overs for lunch tomorrow.  Yay!

For my sandwich accompaniment, I made mozzarella quesadillas.  Yes, it's a mix of food cultures but it really works!  Here is what I did:

Flour tortillas
mozzarella cheese - you can use fresh, shredded or slice some from a block
fresh basil leaves
olive oil

Heat a large skillet with about a tablespoon of olive oil.  Place mozzarella slices or shredded mozzarella on 1/2 of the tortilla and chifonade the basil leaves and sprinkle them over the mozzarella.  Fold the other half of the tortilla over the cheese.  Put the quesadilla in the hot oil and cook until the cheese begins to melt and the tortilla starts to brown.  Lift it up with a spatula to see how it is browning.  When it has reached the color you want, flip it over and brown on the other side.  Remove from pan and cut into pieces.  I made us each one for supper and it is a great "sandwich" for the soup.  So good!

 Don't be frustrated by the heat.  Stay inside where it's cool and fix a super quick, super easy, super tasty meal for you and your family.  There's always time for a home cooked meal.  Enjoy!

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

“A home is a place where a pot of fresh soup simmers gently on the
hob, filling the kitchen with soft aromas… and filling your heart,
and later your tummy, with joy.”~ Keith Floyd

 

Comfort Food

It's Sunday evening, you've had a long week and you are hungry, but you don't want to cook a huge meal.  You want comfort food, something that makes you feel good and doesn't take all evening to prepare.  What do I turn to?  Potato soup - my ultimate comfort food.  The soup mom always fixed for us when we were not feeling well.  She made hers quite a bit differently, but I always loved it.   I fix it when I'm tired and want an easy meal that's quick and tastes wonderful.  It's got potatoes, cheese and bacon.  What can I say?

Now I have to confess, I have never met a potato I didn't like.  Guess you could call me an addict.  I could eat potatoes every meal.  This soup is easy to prepare and tastes so good.  I actually took this soup up a notch by turning it into a corn and potato chowder.  Even better.  Here is what you do.

Ingredients:

8 cups diced potatoes, peeled

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 Tbsp. butter

1 box chicken stock (4 cups)

3 ears corn, scrape kernels from cob

1/2 cup sour cream

salt and pepper to taste

Garnish:

2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill

1/2 pound bacon, fried extra crisp

grated cheddar cheese

To make soup, peel and dice potatoes until you have 8 cups.  Chop 1 large onion.

Take 5 qt dutch oven or large pan that you can cover, add 4 TBSP butter, melt over low heat.

Add chopped onions and minced garlic, sweat onions until softened, stirring so garlic does not burn.  Add potatoes and chicken stock.  If stock does not cover potatoes, add enough water to cover.  Place lid on pan and cook until potatoes are soft.  About 20 minutes.  While potatoes are cooking, cut corn from the cob.

Potatoes will take about 20 minutes or so to soften.  Just as they are fork tender, add corn.   Corn cooks quickly in the hot soup.  Add salt and pepper at this point.  Potatoes absorb a lot of salt.  It is better to add salt toward the end of cook time so as not to over salt.  Add fresh cracked pepper.  Let cook about 8-10 minutes and add 1/2 cup sour cream.  Stir to blend, turn off heat, add the chopped dill and replace lid.   Let sit a few minutes to allow the flavors to blend.    The starch from the corn will thicken the soup.  

While the soup is cooking, fry bacon extra crisp.  Drain on paper towels, crumble in a bowl.  Place grated cheddar cheese in bowl.   Serve the potato corn soup in individual bowls, allowing everyone to add as much bacon and cheese as they like.

You may want to serve a sandwich or salad with the soup.  We like to eat just the soup!  This is so good and it is not like wall paper paste which is something I do not like about the potato soup served in most restaurants.  There are actually potatoes in the soup which is another plus.  And, you can control the amount of cheese.  It melts quickly into the hot soup.  Many restaurant potato soups are too cheesy for my liking.  

For me, this is a quick and easy meal that is so comforting, filling, and super delicious.  Give it a try.  You are going to like it I know!  It is the ultimate comfort food.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

The quieter you become, the more you can hear. – Baba Ram Dass