I haven't met a soup I didn't like - when the weather turns colder we tend to eat more hot, hearty soups. Summer seems a distant memory when the smells of a hearty soup is simmering in the house. Pull up a chair, grab a spoon and dig in! Enjoy! Diane
Creamy Potato Chowder *with Bacon or Ham Makes approx. 3 quarts Ingredients: 4 Cups Chicken Broth 4 Cups diced/cubes red potatoes, skin optional 6 slices cooked Bacon, thick cut or 2 Cups Chopped cooked Ham 1 cup diced onion 1 cup diced celery 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt ground black pepper, to taste ROUX: 3/4 cup butter 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 2 cups 2% milk, I use whole milk 2 cups heavy cream Directions:
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Green Beans & Baby Potatoes with Bacon *guest post Ingredients: 1 pound baby potatoes 1 pound green beans (a great use for your canned green beans) 4 - 6 slices bacon, cooked and chopped into 1/2" pieces 2 cloves fresh garlic or 1 Tbs granulated garlic 2 Tbs Olive Oil 1 tsp Sea Salt and 1 tsp Pepper or to taste Directions: Preheat oven to 350 F. Wash potatoes and beans, trim stem end from beans and cut in half. Cut potatoes in half. Mix garlic, 1 tsp pepper and 1 tsp sea salt in large bowl with olive oil. Toss potatoes and beans in oil mixture. Place in dutch oven or roasting pan and cover. Cook 45 minutes, remove lid, add precooked bacon, toss well, replace lid and return to oven for 15 minutes. Makes a great side dish with any entree. Recipe & Photo by: JD Provence for Canning and Cooking at Home Maple Bacon Jam This recipe packs a powerful flavor 'punch.' This is a savory jam that works great on so many levels. You can smear it on grilled chicken, spoon over seared scallops, roll into grilled asparagus, ladle onto smoked brisket sandwiches, cover some baked brie (you get the idea!) Think of this more as a sweet/savory condiment then a 'traditional' jam. Worth the making! ~Enjoy! Diane
Ingredients: 1 pound sliced bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces 2 medium yellow onions, diced small 3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed 1/2 cup cider vinegar 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1/4 cup pure maple syrup 3/4 cup brewed coffee Directions: In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon is lightly browned, about 20 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet (reserve for another use); add onions and garlic, and cook until onions are translucent, about 6 minutes. Add vinegar, brown sugar, maple syrup, and coffee and bring to a boil, stirring and scraping up browned bits from skillet with a wooden spoon, about 2 minutes. Add bacon and stir to combine. Two Ways to Finish: StoveTop: cook over medium heat for half an hour, or until deep golden and thickened to the consistency of jam. Transfer to a food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped. Let cool, then refrigerate in airtight containers, up to 4 weeks. Slow-Cooker: Transfer mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker and cook on high, uncovered, until liquid is syrupy, 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Transfer to a food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped. Let cool, then refrigerate in airtight containers, up to 4 weeks. Note: **If you are having issues cooking off liquids - at the end of the cooking time, you can add a cornstarch slurry (2 Tbs cornstarch to just enough cold water to make a smooth paste) and add to jam mixture to thicken. Since this recipe CANNOT be canned. (Bacon is unsafe to can due to its extreme fat content) using cornstarch is permissible here. Makes Approx: One Pint REMINDER: THIS RECIPE IS FOR REFRIGERATION ONLY AND NOT TO BE CANNED. Recipe Adapted from: Martha Stewart Photos by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home We love this brunch dish because it serves 8 and is relatively easy to make. You can dress this brunch 'ring' up or down, change flavors and spices, its up to you. Try an Italian version with prosciutto, Italian cheeses and an herb crust or a Mexican flair with cilantro, pepper-jack cheese and Salsa...the combinations are endless but, I wanted to give you an idea of how to make the basic, and simple recipe offered by Pillsbury (using their crescent dough makes it a snap too!)
My husband loves making a jalapeno, cheddar & pepper-jack, salsa & egg one <---whew! too hot for me LOL Whatever your choice, give it a try! ~Enjoy! Diane Bacon & Egg Brunch Ring Ingredients: 4 slices bacon, cut in half crosswise 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk 5 eggs, slightly beaten Salt and pepper, if desired 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese Directions: Heat oven to 375°F. Line large cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper. In a large 10-inch skillet, cook bacon over medium heat about 6 minutes or until cooked but not crisp, turning once. (It will finish cooking in the oven.) Set bacon aside; drain all but, 2 teaspoons bacon drippings from skillet. In medium bowl, beat 1/3 cup of the milk, the eggs, salt and pepper with fork or whisk until well mixed. Pour egg mixture into skillet with bacon drippings. Cook eggs, as mixture heats, gently push eggs around (you are lightly scrambling eggs but, leave eggs in larger chunks). Avoid stirring constantly. Cook 5 to 6 minutes or until eggs are thickened throughout but still moist. Unroll dough; separate into 8 triangles. On parchment-lined cookie sheet, arrange triangles with shortest sides toward center, overlapping in star shape and leaving 4-inch round circle open in center (see diagram). Crescent dough points may hang over edge of cookie sheet. Press overlapping dough to flatten. Place bacon on each of the triangles. Sprinkle 1/3 cup of the cheese onto widest part of dough. Spoon eggs over cheese. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup of the cheese. Pull points of triangles over eggs and cheese, and tuck under dough to form ring (filling will be visible). Carefully brush dough with remaining 1 tablespoon milk; sprinkle with remaining 1/3 cup cheese. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool 2 minutes. With large spatula, carefully loosen ring from cookie sheet; slide onto serving platter. Asparagus, Spinach, Bacon: Crustless Quiche Ingredients: 4 thick slices bacon, diced 1/4 diced asparagus (and spears cooked for topping) 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 package fresh spinach, about 5 to 6 ounces 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Cheddar or a Cheddar Jack blend 1 1/4 cups milk 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 5 large eggs 1/4 teaspoon pepper 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon onion powder pinch oregano, optional sprinkle of sweet paprika, optional Preparation: Heat oven to 350°. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish or spray with baking spray. In a large skillet or saute pan cook the diced bacon until fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp. Remove to paper towels. Pour off all but about 1 teaspoon of the bacon grease. Add the onion and asparagus to the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring, until just tender. Add the spinach leaves and cook, stirring constantly, until spinach is wilted and any excess water clinging to the leaves has evaporated. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish. Top evenly with the bacon, then with the cheese. In a bowl, whisk together the milk and flour until smooth. Whisk in the eggs and egg white, then whisk in the pepper, salt, onion powder, and oregano. Pour over evenly over the spinach and cheese mixture. Lay cooked asparagus over top, sprinkle very lightly with the paprika, if desired. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until firm. Recipe by: Diane Baker Photo By: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home |