AwesomeBites

Author: Sandy

  • Bourbon Bacon Jam

    I found this on the web and oh my, it has me intrigued. If you can find thick cut Applewood smoked I would suggest you use that because it has a nice smoke flavor that will not overpower the jam as the bacon mixture reduces. Good quality bourbon is also a suggestion I would make. Don’t go crazy and use best quality, but please do not use anything in a plastic bottle for this. The maple syrup, however, should not be the very best quality. Any B grade will be fine here because you want the deep maple flavor and the sweetness, but since it is not the star don’t spend the money. Serve this jam on toast, in a panini, on a buttermilk biscuit, with sliced apples, or with some sharp cheddar cheese. I will not disappoint.

    Bourbon Bacon Jam Yield 1 1/2 cups

    1 pound thick-cup applewood smoked bacon, cut into 1″ pieces
    1 large sweet onion, cut into 1/4″ thick slices
    3 tablespoons light brown sugar
    3 cloves garlic, minced
    1/4 teaspoon allspice
    1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
    Pinch fresh grated nutmeg
    Pinch ground cloves
    1/2 teaspoon dry chipotle powder
    1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
    1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
    1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
    1/2 cup good quality bourbon
    1/4 cup maple syrup
    1 tablespoon hot sauce

    In a large skillet over medium high heat cook the bacon pieces until the begin to crisp at the edges but are still soft in the center, about 1 – 1 1/2 minutes per side. Set aside to drain. Pour all but one tablespoon of the bacon drippings from the pan.

    Lower the heat to medium-low and add the onion and brown sugar. Cook until the onions are well caramelized, about twenty minutes. Add the garlic and spices and cook an additional five minutes.

    Add the liquid ingredients and the bacon to the pan. Increase the heat to medium heat bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about two hours. Check the mixture every 30 minutes. If the mixture becomes too dry add a few tablespoons of water. You want the final mixture to be moist and very sticky.

    Let the mixture cool slightly them put it into the bowl of a food processor, or blender, and pulse about 20 times, or until it reaches your preferred consistency. (I prefer mine slightly chunky so you really notice the bacon)

  • Green Salad – Beets, Pears and Goat Cheese

    Green Salad – Beets, Pears and Goat Cheese

    Pile it high. It looks beautiful!

    I didn’t discover my love for beets until a year or so ago.  Memories of pickled beets on my salad at the little diner kept me away from beets for years. 

    The earthy sweetness of the beets and the pears are a delicious combination.

    When combined with a sharper goat’s cheese and a dark green such as baby spinach – good and good for you.

    Ingredients

    For Salad
    1/3 pound baby spinach
    2 medium-sized beets
    1 ripe, sweet pear (such as forelle)
    1/4 cup crumbled goat’s cheese
    2 tablespoons roasted and crushed hazlenuts
    snipped chives
    a few pitted kalamata olives (optional)

    Dressing:
    drizzle high-quality olive oil and sherry vinegar over the salad, to taste
    salt and pepper

    Preparation

    Roast Beets:
    Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
    Individually wrap the beets in aluminum foil and roast them for 45 minutes to an hour, until they are tender when pricked with a fork. allow the beets to cool, then peel them. The peel should slip off easily. Cut the beets in half and slice thinly or use a mandolin.

    Cut the pear in half and remove the seeds and core. Slice the pear halves thinly lengthwise or use a mandolin.

    Place spinach on a wide platter, scatter the sliced beets and pears on the top, then the crumbled goat’s cheese and finally the toasted hazlenuts and snipped chives. I usually add a few pitted Kalamata olives, but you don’t have to.

    Sprinkle the salad with sherry vinegar and olive oil, salt and pepper.

  • Chopped Cabbage Salad

    Chopped Cabbage

    Chopped green onions

    Cherry tomatoes cut in halves

    Salt and Pepper

    Vadalia Onion Dressing

  • Ruby Red Grapefruit Pomegranate Marmalade – 1st Place Winner

    Ruby Red Grapefruit Pomegranate Marmalade – 1st Place Winner

    My Mom would be so proud.  Isn’t it incredible that we want our parents to be proud even after we are adults.

    Did someone say competition?

    I remember my Mom canning, the hot stove, the steam, the hot jars, her apron snugged at her waist. All moves were with purpose, she seldom wasted a step. I was excited to find out my grapefruit pomegranate marmalade won 1st Place at the 2010 Ventura County Fair. I wish I could tell my Mom! I assume she knows and is smiling from ear to ear.

    This marmalade has the tartness and sweetness from the ruby red grapefruit, and yet when you add the pomegranate, the color enhancement is magnificent. Pretty it is, isn’t it?

    1 Cup Grapefruit rinds (about three grapefruits)
    4 Cups Ruby Red Grapefruit juice
    1 Cup Pomegranate juice (POMs is good)
    1 package low sugar pectin – the pink box
    4 Cups sugar

    Boil Grapefruit rinds until tender in grapefruit juice about 20 minutes. Drain.
    Mix grapefruit and pomegranate juice. See that color! Wow factor. Add 1 cup of grapefruit rinds and bring to boil. Add low sugar pectin and bring to rolling boil. (One that cannot be stirred down). Stir constantly for 1 minute. Add sugar all at once and bring back to rolling boil.
    Keep at boil until this mixture gets to 222 degrees – Gel Set. Stir constantly. Watch this, it could boil over.

    Fill jars that have been washed and sterilized by heating in oven for 20 minutes. After filling, wipe top edge with vinegar to ensure sealing. Boil in water bath for 5 minutes.

    The Competition!

  • Black Bean and Corn Salad

    Drain and rinse 1 can black beans

    Drain and rinse 1 can corns

    Add diced white sweet onion

    Add diced bell peppers

    Add 1 diced hot pepper – jalapeno or serano (optional)

    Toss with Champagne Vinegarette

    Chill  and serve

  • Butter Lettuce and Watermelon Salad

    Butter Lettuce

    Tiny watermelons cut in half.  Use melon as serviing bowl.  Scoop out watermelon. Slice some.

    Add Butter Lettuse, top with finely diced red onioin, add diced watermelon. 

    Serve with Balsalmic Vinegarette.

    Salt and Pepper to taste.

  • Cinnamon Plum Jam – Best ever!

    Cinnamon Plum Jam – Best ever!

    Cinnamon Plum Jam 2011 Ventura County Fair – 2nd Place
    Cinnamon Plum Jam 2011 Ventura County Fair – 2nd Place

    Cinnamon Plum Jelly – Best Ever!

    by Sandra Nickerson on Wednesday, July 21, 2010 at 3:59pm
    4 Cups of Plums – pitted, sliced with skins
    2 Cups White Wine or Water
    Juice from one orange and 1 lemon
    8 Cinnamon Sticks
    1 tsp salt
    1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
    4 Cups Sugar
    1 Cup of Splenda
    1 pkg of low sugar pectin (the only stuff I use)

    Boil plums in white wine with 4 of the cinnamon sticks until the fruit is fork tender.
    Puree in a blender, remove the cinnamon sticks if you can before.
    Strain the mixture thru a small wire sceive. The color should be beautiful.
    Pour blended plums back into you heavy pot, add pectin and bring to rolling boil for 1 minute.
    Add sugar, bring back to rolling boil for 1 full minute. Pretty isn’t it!

    Add a fresh whole cinnamon stick to the jar and pour in the jelly to ½ inch from the top. Process in a water bath for 5 minutes.
    Makes 3 pint jars, or 6 cups of jelly.

    This is a keeper.
    I have made 4 batches in the last month. It flies off the shelf.

    About 35 calories per Tablespoon.
    If you replace one more cup of splenda for sugar, about 25 calories per Tablespoon

  • Black Pepper Sweet Bacon

    Thick sliced bacon.
    Smokehouse Black Pepper
    1/4 cup Brown Sugar

    Spread the bacon onto a baking sheet. I like to use a cooling rack so the fat can drip off the bacon.
    Do NOT overlap.
    Spring liberally with black pepper and brown sugar.
    Bake in 350 degree oven until crisp.
    Remove from oven and serve with waffles or on your favorite salad!

  • Basil Dressing

    This is Ina Garten’s recipe.  Excellent.

    1 cup good mayonnaise

  • 1 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts (6 to 7 scallions)
  • 1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
  • 2 teaspoons chopped garlic (2 cloves)
  • 2 teaspoons anchovy paste
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup sour cream

    • Serve with tomatoes and bibb lettuce.

  • Cinnamon Rolls – When you have lots of time! 3 hours

    Cinnamon Rolls – When you have lots of time! 3 hours

    Mom's cinnamin rolls

    Using your bread maker dough setting add the ingredients in the listed order.
    3/4 C water
    1 egg slightly beaten
    3 C all purpose flour
    1/4 C sugar
    1/4 C butter
    1 tsp Salt
    2 T dry milk (I used dry buttermilk)
    1 T yeast

    Spread the dough with melted butter, brown sugar & spices, raisins and nuts.

    Preheat oven 375

    Make the dough in your bread mixer on the dough setting.
    If you want chocolate chips in your dough, and I recommend them, knead them into the dough after removing from your machine. Roll out on a lightly floured surface in one or two rectangles.

    Roll longways, you should get about 20 cinnamon rolls from this batch.
    Cut about 1 inch thick. Let rise for 30-40 minutes.

    Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Wait 10 minutes and spread with icing while still warm.

    ——-Icing——–

    3 T butter
    1 tsp Vanilla
    3 T hot water
    2 C Confectioners Sugar

    One for me…
    One for you.
    Cover with icing.

    ——Filling——
    1/4 C butter
    1/2 C brown suger
    2 tsp Cinnamon
    1/2 tsp Cardamon
    1/2 tsp Allspice
    1/2 C finely chopped pecans or walnuts
    1/4 C raisins (optional) or currents
    1/4/C chocolate chips (these are the best ones!)