Bacon Onion Jam

Heard so much about Bacon and Onion Jam I figured I would give it try. Not so sure why they call it a jam, it really is more like extra caramelized onions with bacon. With that said, they weren't lying about how yummy it is. The addition of vinegars adds to that umami taste of sweet, sour, salty, creamy and a tad crunchy with the addition of the crispy bacon.

Bacon Onion jam would definitely go great on a grilled cheese sandwich, panini, quesadilla or taste great on a toasted baguette or placed on top and baked with a wheel of brie. Not to mention on top of a burger or or a cooked roast of beef, pork, or chicken.

It is a little time consuming because you have to cook the onions low and slow to enhance their flavor and reduce the vinegars. But it is so worth the time.

Burger topped with Bacon & Onion Jam 

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Jalapeno Chicken Wraps with Cream Cheese and Bacon

Jalapeno Chicken Wraps

18 fresh Jalapeno’s

1 brick of cream cheese, softened

½ cup onion, diced fine

½ cup peppers, diced fine

1/3 cup carrot, diced fine

1 large clove garlic, minced

2 tbsp. olive oil

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Chicken breast, cut into thin strips

1 lb. think sliced Smokey bacon

1/3 cup NY Maple Syrup

1 pkg. over sized toothpicks to hold it all together

There are a few steps to recipe so I found it best to one task at time for each ingredient before moving on to the next. 

Cut chicken breast into thin strips.  Place in bowl with store bought Speedie Chicken Sauce to marinate.

In small sauté pan, sauté onion, peppers, carrots, and garlic until soft and tender to the bite.   Remove from heat and let cool.

Well your vegetables are cooling, cut each Jalapeno in half, leaving the stem intact.   Remove seeds and membranes.   Remember to leave both halves together so you don’t have to match them up later.   

In small bowl, combine softened cream cheese and cooled vegetables.   Stir until combined.  

Fill each half of the Jalapeno with the cream cheese mixture and then sandwich back together. Place on a foil lined baking sheet or cutting board.   Fill all remaining peppers and set aside. 

Start wrapping each filled pepper with a strip of chicken.  I was able to find oversized toothpicks to stick through the middle and help hold everything together.   Once you have the chicken in place, you can then wrap it with a strip of bacon.   Place it on a foil lined baking sheet.    When the tray is full, brush each piece with maple syrup.  Place on sheet and place in a 350° oven.  Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Notes:  You won’t be disappointed with these.  While they are baking, they fill the house with a warm, spicy, maple aroma.   It drove our dog bonkers.  It wasn’t long after they were out of the oven that I found myself having to do a taste test.    Taste testing was delectable.  The Speedie marinade added just enough of a vinegar note to flavor the chicken.  The jalapeno on the inside and the bacon on the outside gave both the cream cheese and the chicken, a hidden Smokey flavor.    The sweetness of the maple syrup and the cool, creaminess of cream cheese off sets the heat of the jalapeno.  You won’t be able to stop at just one.  

You can amp up the filling by changing up the ingredients.   Tried these another time by mixing softened cream cheese with a drained black bean and corn salsa.  

You might try skipping the speedy sauce and brushing the chicken with a spicy mustard.   

Next time I am going to try a mixture of cream cheese and crumbly blue and try for more of a chicken wing flavor.    

The possibilities are endless.



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Best Crispy Bacon Ever-Roasted, Candied Bacon

Who hasn't burned them selves from the spattering of oil while frying bacon?   Once I learned this little trick I rarely every fry bacon on the stovetop.      

Roast Bacon
1 lb. your favorite bacon, thicker bacon works best.  
Spicy Brown Mustard
Brown Sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large cookie sheet with aluminum foil.  Lay the bacon out in a single layer onto the covered cookie sheet.  The slices can touch.  Brush on a thin layer of spicy brown mustard.  Sprinkle with brown sugar.   Bake until it reaches your desired depth of crispiness.  Approximately 15-20 minutes.  Remove from oven and place on paper towel to drain extra fats.     

 

 

 

Notes and Swaps

Some people like to use maple syrup, but I find it burns to quickly.  

 

 



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Not Your Usual Side Salad

Using fresh from the garden or market vegetables can get boring if you are always eating the same kind of salad.   Switch it up with a Broccoli Salad.  Dark green vegetables are a good healthy source of fiber and vitamins.   

It doesn’t take much time to make this.  If you have a food processor it will take even less time to chop those fresh veggies.  I even make the bacon in advance by making extra for breakfast and storing the left overs in a Ziploc bag in the fridge for use at a later time.   Plus like any other salad it is very versatile, you can omit or add any ingredients you dislike or like.    

 

Broccoli Salad

¾ pound bacon, cooked and ready to crumble

2 heads broccoli, cut into florets or smaller pieces

½ cup red onion, chopped

½ cup dried cranberries

½ cup toasted walnuts, chopped (or sunflower seeds, or almonds)

1 cup carrot, grated

1 cup frozen peas

 

Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup honey

3 tbsp. cup apple cider vinegar

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Place broccoli, carrot, onion, cranberries, peas, nuts, and bacon in a large bowl.  In a large mason jar combine mayonnaise, honey, and vinegar together.  Shake and pour dressing over broccoli mixture and toss to coat.   Season with salt and black pepper.  Refrigerate for an hour or so.  Store leftovers in refrigerator.

 

Notes/Swaps

        You can replace bacon with pancetta or ham
        Replace cranberries, with other dried fruit such as cherries, blueberries or raisins
        Carrot is optional

        Swap red onion out by using shallot

        Swap out the dressing for whatever you prefer
        Try adding shredded cheese
        Add some fresh diced apple or pear

        Use your favorite kind of nuts or seeds: almonds, pecans, walnuts, sunflower, chia, etc.

 

 

 

 



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Drunken Apple Pie Laced w/Bacon

Every year I am asked to bake a pie for a Baked Items Auction.  It is a fundraiser for the local fire department.  The first year I really didn’t have time to bake from scratch so I cheated. Yep, store bought crust and canned apple pie filling.   I also added a bag of kitchen gadgets to be auctioned off with the pie.  It contained wooden spoons, whisks, apple corer, Pyrex pie dish etc.  The pie was delivered to the auction fresh out of oven.   This pie was a big hit and raised a rather large amount of money at the auction.  Later on, I learned it was won by the village mayor and that his wife wanted a copy of the recipe.  Of course I sent her the quick and dirty details, swearing her to protect the family secret recipe and explaining the long history and nature of said recipe.

The next year, when I was asked to make a pie for the auction again, I repeated the same recipe only adding one minor change to the crust.   I spelled out the word Mayor in pie crust as a pie crust decoration.  Hoping this would entice the bidders to try and win the mayors pie.  It was a success.  

The third year, I again went through all the trouble to make the pie, but missed the auction by one day.   My family enjoyed the pie immensely.   

I have again been asked to make a pie.  So, I have been talking about it for a couple a weeks now.   Thinking I might try adding bacon to my good old secret recipe. People either seem grossed out by the fact of the bacon or gung ho and can’t wait to taste it. 

 

This year, I have decided to kick it up a notch.  My apple pie filling has taken a walk to the local bar for a couple of shots of Evan Williams Apple Orchard Bourbon, while taking a slow fry in a few teaspoons of bacon grease.  I have also swapped out the top pie crust for a crumb topping with fresh crispy bacon bits.

I personally don’t know what those nay sayers are thinking, but it sounds very yummy to me.  Top a slice of this off with a dollop of whip cream and I am good to go.   

 

 

Here is the recipe.  Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Drunken Apple Pie Laced w/Bacon (recipe will make two pies, one for eating and one for sharing)

Ingredients

2 deep dish pie crust, baked off

Filling

3 cans your favorite apple pie filling
2 tsp. cinnamon
4 tbsp. bacon grease
4 shots, your favorite bourbon

Crumb Topping

1 cup fresh crispy bacon bits
1 cup unsalted butter, really cold, cubed
3/4 cup sugar
1 ½ cups flour
1 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 400°.   Bake off your pie crust.   I line my crusts with aluminum foil and fill them with dried beans, baked in the oven for 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and lift out aluminum foil filled with beans.   Let cool.

In small sauce pot on top of the stove,  add bacon grease, cinnamon, bourbon and apple pie filling.  Cook over low to medium heat until thickened.   Pour evenly into two crusts.   Let cool.

Make the topping in a food processor.   Measure in flour, sugar, salt.  Whir a couple of times to mix it up.   Then add cold cubes of butter. Whir until blended and looks like course sand.   Remove to bowl and stir in bacon bits.   Divide evenly and place ontop of pies.   Bake for 20 minutes or until topping is golden brown.

If crust is getting too brown, you can use a pie crust ring or circle of aluminum foil to prevent further browning. 

 

Remove from oven, let cool.  Serve with dollop of whip cream or a side of vanilla ice cream.   

Notes and Swaps

·         Use your favorite pie crust recipe or one purchased at the store
·         Make your own filling or use one from the can
·         Top with a crust or with a crumb topping
·         Use oatmeal in your crumb topping for a different flavor and texture
·         Use your favorite kind of bourbon or other alcohol or none at all





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Sweet & Spicy

So if Peter Piper actually Picked a Peck of Peppers, do you think he made Pickled Peppers?  Sorry, couldn't resist.  As a child I loved to say tongue twisters.  Guess you just never out grow some things.  

We are all trying to eat healthier these days.   Trying to figure out what and how to keep the meals healthy, appetizing and full of flavor can sometimes be a challenge.  But these next few recipes are sure to please any low carb dieter.  

Sausage Stuffed Hot Cherry Peppers

2 Jars Pickled Cherry Peppers (about 18 peppers) (drained well)

1 lb.  Sweet Sausage (I use Dino’s)

1 egg

1 tbs. dried parsley

1/3 cup bread crumbs

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

1 pkg. Mixed shredded Italian Cheese  (for topping)

 

Using small paring knife remove stems and seeds leaving the pepper as whole as possible.    Mix all remaining ingredients (except shredded cheese)  to make sausage meatballs.   Stuff into hollowed out peppers.   Place on foil lined baking sheet.  Bake for 20-25 minutes in 350° oven.  

Note:  If you don’t like hot and spicy, feel free to stuff those red, yellow, and orange mini peppers, or pickled sweet cherry peppers.    

 

Jalapeno Chicken Wraps

18 fresh Jalapeno’s

1 brick of cream cheese, softened

½ cup onion, diced fine

½ cup peppers, diced fine

1/3 cup carrot, diced fine

1 large clove garlic, minced

2 tbsp. olive oil

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Chicken breast, cut into thin strips

1 lb. think sliced Smokey bacon

1/3 cup NY Maple Syrup

1 pkg. over sized toothpicks to hold it all together

There are a few steps to recipe so I found it best to one task at time for each ingredient before moving on to the next. 

Cut chicken breast into thin strips.  Place in bowl with store bought Speedie Chicken Sauce to marinate.

In small sauté pan, sauté onion, peppers, carrots, and garlic until soft and tender to the bite.   Remove from heat and let cool.

Well your vegetables are cooling, cut each Jalapeno in half, leaving the stem intact.   Remove seeds and membranes.   Remember to leave both halves together so you don’t have to match them up later.   

In small bowl, combine softened cream cheese and cooled vegetables.   Stir until combined.  

Fill each half of the Jalapeno with the cream cheese mixture and then sandwich back together. Place on a foil lined baking sheet or cutting board.   Fill all remaining peppers and set aside. 

Start wrapping each filled pepper with a strip of chicken.  I was able to find oversized toothpicks to stick through the middle and help hold everything together.   Once you have the chicken in place, you can then wrap it with a strip of bacon.   Place it on a foil lined baking sheet.    When the tray is full, brush each piece with maple syrup.  Place on sheet and place in a 350° oven.  Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Notes:  You won’t be disappointed with these.  While they are baking, they fill the house with a warm, spicy, maple aroma.   It drove our dog bonkers.  It wasn’t long after they were out of the oven that I found myself having to do a taste test.    Taste testing was delectable.  The Speedie marinade added just enough of a vinegar note to flavor the chicken.  The jalapeno on the inside and the bacon on the outside gave both the cream cheese and the chicken, a hidden Smokey flavor.    The sweetness of the maple syrup and the cool, creaminess of cream cheese off sets the heat of the jalapeno.  You won’t be able to stop at just one.  

You can amp up the filling by changing up the ingredients.   Tried these another time by mixing softened cream cheese with a drained black bean and corn salsa.  

You might try skipping the speedy sauce and brushing the chicken with a spicy mustard.   

Next time I am going to try a mixture of cream cheese and crumbly blue and try for more of a chicken wing flavor.    

The possibilities are endless.



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From the bottom of my heart..............