I just love bacon! Some people put hot sauce on everything, other people like ketchup–and I put bacon bits on practically everything. With ideas like these, I’ll be able to add variety to my salty palette!
From bacon apple pie to bacon guacamole, bacon pickles, bacon marshmallows, and yes, even bacon-wrapped tofu, here are the 100 most glorious ways to enjoy god’s greatest gift to tastebuds.
Just click on the photos for full recipes.
Source
September 9th, 2009
I think I’ve discovered the effect of watching Top Chef week by week.
As particularly obsessive readers of the blog might know, I went through the first five seasons of Top Chef at a pace of about two a week (that’s seasons, not episodes) over a period this summer, and obviously got a little bit addicted to the show. I was curious to see just how I’d react to not being able to turn on the next episode as soon as a chef got sent to pack up their knives.
What I’ve discovered is that it’s made me really impatient, although in a way that really defines how the sixth season is thus far progressing. There is some amazing talent in this year’s cast, and I think that’s the problem: the sheer gulf between those individuals and the rest of the field is so large that I want to be able to watch the next episode not because I’m desperate for more Top Chef but because I want them to cull the herd as quickly as possible so we can see that core group go head to head in what could be one of the most competitive Top Chef finales ever.
For this reason, I was quite pleased to see “Vivre Las Vegas” eliminate two chefs who were pretty well dead weight, as it means we’re that much closer to really getting down to business in Vegas.
I don’t mean to be cruel to Jesse or Hector; in fact, I feel really bad for Jesse, who honestly seemed like she had some decent ideas and even on occasion executed one well (like her very first dish, which competed with Jen for the first High Stakes Quickfire), but who just could not pull it all together. When they asked where she got the idea for her Escargot dish from, she had no clue: she didn’t think it through, and there wasn’t that sense of execution that is required to stay in the competition. It’s unfortunate that she hasn’t been able to execute since that very first challenge, as I don’t think she’s as much of a failure as the show made her out to be, but I think that it was nonetheless time for her to go home.
The same goes for Hector, although he’s been under the radar since his deep-fried steak sent him into the bottom. He was a victim of letting the clock freak him out to the point of bungling what was called out as the “easiest” of the processes – while some were working with proteins that seemed to be challenging or present a particular headache, Hector was cooking what Ash called “basically Filet Mignon,” so he really didn’t have an excuse for his rushed cutting job and bloody cuts. Ash was just sort of collateral damage, someone who’s never been in the bottom before and who knew when the plates were going out that something was wrong.
It was a really enjoyable episode on the whole: James Poniewozik points out that there is something about subtitles that lends it all an element of class, and I think that goes for the entire episode. Part of the charm of Las Vegas is that such class can exist within what can otherwise be a very baudy atmosphere, so for them to bring a touch of France into the show really highlighted the show’s ability to switch between fine dining and sheer chaos at a moment’s notice (which makes Las Vegas a suitable location – it even allows them to go out to the desert, as we see next week). The escargot challenge focused on a protein that some chefs have no familiarity with (Robin admitted it, and logically ended up in the Bottom Three), while the final challenge really was something that couldn’t have been done early in other seasons and really felt special with the presence of Joel Robuchon (who actually got a Chyron tag of “Chef of the Century,” which: awesome).
But really, at this point, this season belongs to the Brothers Voltaggio, Kevin (who won the Quickfire) and Jen. Mike might claim to be at the top, but he’s yet to impress me on his own and both the deconstructed sauce and the way of cooking the fish were both Bryan’s ideas. But the other four have proven themselves time and time again in a wide range of challenges: Jen might be a seafood specialist but she has yet to falter in other areas, Kevin’s simple brand of ingenuity (who can complain about bacon jam?) continues to win over the judges, and the brothers’ sense of sibling competition seems to be powering them to some really refined and professional cooking. It’s the kind of Final Four that would give me pause, if I were Top Chef producers, to let them all go through to the finale and see what each of them pulls out when it’s all on the line.
And everyone else just can’t measure up. Ashley’s been in the bottom for what seems like forever and found herself on the chopping block twice this week, so she’s just biding time. Robin and Laurine are capable but have yet to bring a standout dish to the table, and Eli has shown promise but like Mike seems to be struggling to really break through. Ash and Mattin ended up in the bottom this week (Ash for saucing issues, and Mattin for managing to botch the classical French challenge by adding too much bacon to his sauce), so it’s not as if they’re really proving themselves to be contenders either. And Ron, saved here by his French training, just hasn’t managed to put anything interesting on a plate as far as I’m concerned.
And so, while I’m finding waiting a week for episodes fine in terms of spreading out the Top Chef goodness, right now I just want to fast forward to when we only have the final four standing, and when the show can really get down to business.
Cultural ObservationsI overheard Ender telling Ezra: ” . . . and soon the leaves will be changing and falling off and your job will be to collect all the leaves. They’re REALLY fun!”
So I guess I’d better plan ahead for some leafing adventures since Ender is already longing for the days ahead.
I’ve spent the last few weeks in this weird fog of busy-ness. Mostly the good kind as we’re getting into the new school year in the studio, but little things are creeping in on me. I mean, I spent the afternoon last Saturday pulling out the winter clothes we had to see what they need and it’s just barely September! But the nights are already pretty cool and in just a few weeks it will be time to wear jeans and layers every day. How did that happen?
I haven’t been able to cook much and I’m surprised at how much I miss it after a summer full of kitchen time. Three nights a week I cook only for myself which means I usually end up eating things like a bowl of cold cereal for dinner since I’m the only one eating at that hour. I’m definitely feeling the imbalance. I’m craving a lot of sugar again and the only thing keeping me from eating it is the fact that there is nothing like that in the house. I mean NOTHING. I’m purposely not buying it because I will devour a week’s worth of treats in one sitting.
I truly didn’t realize how much I’d miss the cooking on this new schedule. Suddenly I’m only making dinner 4 nights a week. I used to feel like meals were such an enormous chore, but now that I better know what I’m doing in the kitchen I don’t really want to leave it. I’m still learning a ton, but this new found joy in cooking even simple things makes such a difference to me. I miss it.
Maybe it’s just because I love to wear an apron.
I’m still trying to find a solution to the dinner situation on those 3 late nights. My Saturday afternoons may soon find itself filled with cooking to prep for the coming week. Or maybe I’ll try to get some freezer things together . . . right now I’m pining for my kitchen and looking forward to this evening when I can get back in there.
Oh- and sewing? I can’t even put into words how much I miss all the sewing time I had over the summer! I did sneak in some pajama pants for the boys the other night since they only take an hour from cut to finish but those hardly count. If I can get them to stand still long enough to model them I’ll get some pictures to share.
And that extra time with the boys? Oh, I’m missing that too. They don’t seem to be. They are staying with their grandmother in the afternoons and on my three late nights either their grandfather or their daddy takes over right after dinner. This year there hasn’t been a single complaint about going to their grandparents in the afternoon. In fact, the boys are practically running out the door before their grandmother comes to pick them up.
Practically indescribable, that feeling. I’m happy they’re excited to go; I’m sad that they don’t seem to miss being home. I suppose everything is more exciting at Grandma’s house though, and that’s okay.
Hi guys!
Thanks for all of your great sandwich suggestions today. I really needed a few more lunchtime ideas and now I have a bunch! You will see me try them all over the next few weeks!
Today I actually ended up eating a nectarine at lunch with my sandwich instead of the carrots, and for snack I had a Fage 2% yogurt with a TJ’s fruit pack (sorry, no picture- I was at a staff meeting when I ate it and I didn’t think it was the time or place for food pictures! Think yesterday’s snack but with yogurt instead of cottage cheese today.) I also snacked on some red grapes during the meeting. I’m not a huge yogurt lover, but, man does that stuff keep you full! It’s impressive actually- I didn’t feel the slightest hunger for 5 hours. At 130 calories a container, I’ll take it!
I was at work until very late, so I brought an easy dinner: an Amy’s “Especial” Burrito with beans, rice, cheese and spices inside. I topped it with a little bit of yogurt that I had saved (yay for thinking ahead!) and some hot sauce. Then I ate my carrots.
I think Amy’s burritos are perfection. They taste great and are really well portioned (300-320 calories), so I don’t feel like I can over-eat (like I always do if I go out for Mexican!)
I really could eat this everyday.
When I got home, I made a cup of Mighty Leaf Chamomile Tea. This is my favorite. It’s kinda pricey, but it is sooo worth it. There are all sorts of wonderful flowers, herbs, and lemony spices to fill your hot mug!
So, now I am off to pack for our trip to Portland tomorrow. We’re flying out at night, so I am working all day, grabbing my stuff, and heading to the airport. We will be staying at Loren’s friend’s house and taking part in lots of wedding festivities all weekend. At times like these, I don’t know what to expect in terms of food or exercise, but I try to plan and prepare for a healthy trip. Here are some of my quick tips for healthy travel:
- Bring your sneakers and workout clothes and be flexible with your workouts. Even if you can’t find a gym nearby, go to a park, take walks through different neighborhoods, do jumping jacks and strengthening moves in your room that don’t require anything but you (i.e. push-ups, planks, ab exercises, etc).
- Bring the snacks you love to prevent over-eating. I always bring granola bars, string cheese, fruit, and whole grain crackers to have with me on flights and during my trips- especially if I am staying with people I don’t know that well. I don’t want to get really hungry and either A) have no way of getting to a snack or B) only have unhealthy options around.
- Stay healthy on the plane. Planes are, I hate to say it, full of germs. I have two great tips to prevent getting sick:
1) Drink Emergen-C or something like it. I am convinced that this stuff, with all of its vitamins and Vitamin C, boosts my immune system and keeps me healthy. I try to drink them every few hours, especially on a long flight.
2) My mom, who is a doctor, taught me this one: put some Neosporin under and around your nostrils. Neosporin is an anti-bacterial and, when placed around your nose, it kills germs before you can even breathe them in!
- Drink lots of water. Flying all day is really dehydrating, as is drinking a lot if you are going to any kind of festivities like we are. Keeping your water consumption up throughout the trip keeps your energy levels up and prevents headaches and fatigue.
- Lastly, and most importantly, have fun! I am bringing plenty of work with me, and hoping to do some, but I am also going to bring some trashy magazines on the plane to balance it out. I’m excited to see lots of Loren’s family and catch up, and just have a great time! Portland is such an awesome city, and I’ve only been there once, so I am really looking forward to exploring!
Can’t wait to take you all with me! First, gotta get packing . Goodnight!
I love this time of year simply because there is so much free food around! I do get quite obsessed with making and preserving when fruits are so abundant. Mainly because the results taste great, make fantastic Christmas presents and I feel much better that food is not going to waste.
So much so that I even went out with a step ladder the other night to reach the masses of plums from a tree overhanging a public path where I regularly walk the dog. I’ve had my eye on the deep purple fruits for a few weeks as as the ground became more and more sticky and covered with windfall fruit – I couldn’t watch the waste any longer! There is still plenty of fruit to be had but I’ll need a bigger ladder….
Also around where I live there is also an abundance of brambles with masses of blackberries. Last weekend I was far from alone with my tupperware, steadily working my way along the branches collecting the deliciously dark berries and avoiding the thorns! Easily within 30mins I had about a kilo of fruit which is plenty for us, so I continued my cooking/preserving obsession by making Blackberry Jam last night. I got 4 jars full and I’m really pleased with it as it is still sharp but sweet and hasn’t set too hard.
It’s the first time I’ve made Jam on my own (usually me and my mum have a jam making marathon weekend but we haven’t found time yet) and my cast iron pan isn’t quite deep enough for good Jam Safety Standards! With barely an inch to spare from the top, the moulten bubbling syrup was quite intimidating and needed a watchful eye throughout the whole process, but I’m pleased that both Plum and Blackberry Jam set quite well and didn’t cause any sticky kitchen disasters!
Anyway, this year I really have gone a bit mad and stored away to mellow in a dark cupboard (so far) are:
14 jars of Spiced Apple and Marrow Chutney,
6 jars of Red Onion and Tomato Chutney (made by H2B),
8 jars of Plum Chutney,
5 jars of Plum Jam and,
3 jars of Blackberry Jam (the forth is already half eaten!) And amazingly all this fruit and veg has been free!
I still have a few kilos of Cooking Apples from a friends trees (and many more apples still to be picked) and there are still plenty of blackberries and plums out there! Plus I can’t forget all the tomatos I’ve grown that are still green – I think I might try Green Tomato Ketchup…
This Labor Day Weekend was fantastic. I had great birding experiences and good cooking results.
Saturday night we visited the Air Force Memorial in the DC area and managed to see a “life” bird: the common nighthawk.
We arrived as the sun was setting, the memorial was bathed in sunset light; just a few minutes later it was dark and the moon was rising over Reagan Airport.
The nighthawks appeared at about 8:15PM, they were amazing, flying, gliding above the spires of the memorial, eating tons of bugs(over 500 bugs a night). A great place to observe a beautiful bird.
I also baked cookies from Sweet Melissa’s Cookbook. We took my perfect batch of double dark chocolate cherry cookies to my husband’s family reunion in Chesapeake VA and the cookies were enjoyed by all. I followed the recipe exactly and was very happy with the results.
And I made candied orange peel, hoping that I will make the biscotti from Melissa’s cookbook.
Each time I post I will be learning more about links, photos, etc. Please understand it is a new skill for me, it will take time until I am able to co-ordinate photos, links, and everything else.
So, cheers, and please post comments. I need all the help I can get!!
This week, I’m concentrating on canning local food … quite literally from my own backyard.
It Harvest, such as it is here at the RV homestead. Our neighbor has apples and things that he wouldn’t bother with anyway, so much is coming from next door. However, I don’t feel totally useless in the Usable Produce department – I have one apple tree. Combined with the neighbor’s apple trees, I’ll figure have a decent enough haul to can some applesauce, jam, and make a few pies.
So, yesterday was rose hip and apple day. Rose hips are those bulby things that look like tomatoes or apples that grow on your roses late in the season. They can be picked after the first frost when they are bright orange or red. Rugosa Roses seem to have particularly large hips, and that’s what I was harvesting yesterday. I wouldn’t say it’s a completely pleasant job, but I didn’t really get too stuck – just a few nuisance thorns. Other than on the big tree, the apples came down pretty easily too.
I had been very curious about what rose hips might taste like. It’s loaded with viatmin C, but the recipes generally call for a lot of sugar. Hmm. And will it taste faintly of roses? I’ll be sure to let you know how it comes out. Raw, the rose hips have a scent that’s like tomatoes and apple combined.
Interested? Got a prolific rose bush? Want to adventure a little further than Rose Hip Tea? Got a swell apple tree? C’mon, give it a try!
I’ve collected these recipes this week – low pressure, very simple easy canning recipes. If you’re new to canning or jellies and jams in general, these are really great. For me, since I’m trying something new, I thought it would be nice to stick to super easy recipes. Have fun, and please let me know if you give it a shot!
Rose Hip Jelly
2 quarts water
4 quarts rose hips
1 package pectin crystals (or sub 1/2 apples for rose hips)
5 cups sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
Simmer rose hips in water until soft. Crush to mash, and strain through a jelly bag. Should make about 4 cups of rose hip juice. Add to juice, lemon juice and pectin crystals and stir until mixture comes to a hard boil. Stir sugar in at once. Bring to a full rolling boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove jelly from heat and skim off foam with metal spoon. Remove from the heat and skim off any foam. Ladle hot jam into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Adjust caps. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling-water bath. . Yields about 3 pints.
Apple Caramel Jam
6 cups diced peeled apples (1/8 inch cubes)
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon butter
1 (1.75 ounce) package powdered fruit pectin
3 cups sugar
2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
In a large kettle, combine the apples, water and butter. Cook and stir over low heat until apples are soft. Stir in pectin and bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly. Add the sugars, cinnamon and nutmeg and return to a rolling boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Remove from the heat and skim off any foam. Ladle hot jam into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Adjust caps. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling-water bath.
