Tapas Week Part 5: Bacon and Caramelized Onion Dip

Tags

appetizer, bacon, caramelized, dip, onion, snack, tapas

I rarely have every ingredient listed in a recipe. Maybe because I don’t cook “typical” recipes. Or because I am not a good shopper. I don’t know. Just this once, though, I had every single ingredient for this tasty dip. It has a delicious tang from the yogurt, a mellowness from the caramelized onions, and a punch of flavor from the bacon. Use pita chips, Ruffles (my favorite dip chip), or vegetables to scoop up the deliciousness.

Bacon and Caramelized Onion Dip

• Servings: 4-6
• Time: 15 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

• 6 slices bacon
• 1 large yellow onion
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• ¼ tsp mustard powder

In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove and drain on a paper towel. Finely chop. Drain all but 3 tablespoons of bacon grease from the pan. Slice the onion in half at the roots, then slice thinly (so you have half moon slices). Saute the onion over medium heat in the bacon grease. Stir frequently and cook until onions begin to soften. Turn the heat down to medium low and add the sugar to the onions. Continue sauteing until the onions are caramelized. Remove from heat and cool.

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary Store in the fridge for up to a week. A variation of a recipe from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen.

Other recipes in this series:

Tapas Week Part 1: Wild Mushroom Pierogies

Tapas Week Part 2: Crispy Spicy Black Eyed Peas

Tapas Week Part 3: Apple Bites With Bacon and Jalapeno Cream Cheese

Tapas Week Part 4: Five Layer Greek Dip

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Dandelion Jelly

Tags

dandelion, foraging, gluten free, jelly, Kentucky Proud, traditional, weed

Dandelions are perhaps one of the easiest wild edibles to obtain. Even if you live in a concrete jungle, I bet you can find dandelions. With the Latin name Taraxacum officinale, the common dandelion is completely edible. The leaves can be eaten raw or cooked down as greens. The blossoms can be used to make wine and this jelly. The ground root can be used as a coffee substitute. Medicinal uses include use as a laxative and as mosquito repellent. And since they are so recognizable to so many people, there is very little chance you will pick the wrong thing…

To make the tea, go out to your back yard and pick 10 cups of blossoms. They add up fast so don’t despair. I bet if you don’t have enough in your yard, I bet your neighbors will share.

When you have them all collected, you have to remove the green parts from the yellow petals. There are two ways to do this. Pull them apart with your fingers. Use scissors to cut the yellow off the green. I prefer the scissors method.

When you have collected 4 cups of yellow petals, pour 4 cups of boiling water over the petals. Allow to sit until room temperature or overnight (the later is better). When you are ready to make your jelly, strain the tea through a coffee filter to remove the petals and any other solids(hopefully no bugs). This is your tea. You can refrigerate it a bit longer if you are not ready to make the jelly quite yet.

Dandelion Jelly

• 3 cups dandelion tea (see above)
• 4 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 box powdered pectin

Add dandelion tea, lemon juice, 1 box of pectin and sugar into large saucepan. Bring to a boil and continue boiling 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and fill jars, leaving 1/4 inch of head space. Top with your sterilized lids and rings. Tighten and allow to cool. If they do not seal, place them in the fridge. They can keep up to 2 months. The final product tastes a bit like honey…

A Tale of Two Dips

Tags

appetizer, Cinco de Mayo, dip, jalapeno, Mexican, queso, ranch

Cinco de Mayo is nearly here. It’s one of my favorite times of year because the blogosphere is full of delicious Mexican dishes of every variety. If I were forced to choose only one cuisine I had to eat for the rest of my life, it would be Mexican. Real Mexican. Not the Tex-Mex, cheese dip covered stuff you can get anywhere.

With that said- here are two great dips that maybe tend more toward north of the border… But they taste amazing… Who really cares where something is from as long as it tastes DIVINE?!

On a trip to Texas a couple of years ago, I ate at Chuy’s and loved their creamy jalapeno dip. I have been trying to recreate it ever since. When I found the recipe below, I was absolutely tickled to death. I love it’s fresh flavor and that it can be served with chips or veggies for those low carbing. Try it! I know you’ll love it!

Creamy Jalapeno Dressing

• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup mayo
• Juice and zest of 1/2 lime
• 1 green onion, chopped
• Small handful cilantro
• 1-2 jalapenos, seeds and stem removed (use gloves!)
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1 clove garlic

Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend for 10 seconds. Check consistency. If too thick, add a bit of buttermilk. Store in an air-tight jar in the fridge.

Who doesn’t love a good queso? With delicious, creamy cheese. Just enough spice. The American cheese melts amazingly well and is about $6/lb at the deli counter. You will be so in love with this dip that you won’t want to eat anything else. 

Queso Blanco

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/4 cup white onion, diced
• 1 large jalapeno, seeds and membranes removed, using gloves
• 12 oz white American cheese, shredded
• 4 oz Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
• 1/4-2/3 cup cream, depending on the consistency
• 1 roma tomato, seeds removed and diced
• 1 small bunch cilantro, roughly chopped

Heat the oil in a saute pan. Cook the onion and pepper until softened and reduce heat to medium-low. Add the shredded cheese and 1/4 cup of the cream. Stir until mostly melted. Add the tomatoes, cilantro, and additional cream a little at a time until you reach desired consistency. Serve with chips.

Both recipe are from Confections of a Foodie Bride.

Bourbon Hot Chocolate for One

Tags

adult, beverage, bourbon, chocolate, cocktail, hot, winter

When it gets just a little too cold outside, a good cup of hot chocolate will warm you, body and soul.

Adult Hot Chocolate for One (from Emeril)

• 1 cups whole milk
• 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
• 1/2 star anise
• Pinch of lime zest
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of grated nutmeg
• 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 tbsp bourbon

Directions

In a small saucepan, combine all the ingredients except the chocolate, bourbon and cream. Heat over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Add the chocolate to the pan and continue to cook over low heat, whisking until all of the chocolate has melted. Add bourbon and stir to combine.

Photo from here.

Thai Mango and Chicken Wrap

Tags

Asian, chicken, food, lunch, salad, Thai

This is a quick, tasty, and unique way to jazz up chicken. I really enjoyed it’s peppy flavors and the ease with which I could throw it together. A great lunch or light summer supper.

Thai Mango and Chicken Wrap (from Indie Fixx)

• 1 mango, peeled, pitted, and chopped
• 1 1/2 cups of shredded chicken
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 1 medium jalapeno, minced, (seeds and membrane removed)
• 2 scallions, minced
• ¼ cup unsalted, dry roasted peanuts or roasted cashews, coarsely chopped
• 1/8 cup cilantro, finely chopped
• 6-8 large lettuce leaves
• 2 whole wheat tortillas

Combine the first 9 ingredients. Place lettuce down the center of the tortilla and top with half of the chicken salad. Enjoy!!!

Crunchy Pea Salad

Tags

food, pea, picnic, salad, side dish, summer

This recipe is one of our family favorites. You will find it at most every family reunion, picnic, or birthday party.

Like our cookout we had today-

Even people who do not like peas like this salad. The peas add only sweetness not an overwhelming pea flavor. I bet you will like it if you try it!

Crunchy Pea Salad

• 10 oz frozen peas, thawed
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup diced cauliflower
• 1/4 cup diced onions
• 1 cup chopped cashews
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 to 1 cup bottled ranch dressing
• 4 slices of bacon, fried and diced

Mix all ingredients except the bacon. Top with bacon bits. Refrigerate until cool then serve.

Reasons to Celebrate- The Chinese New Year and Our 100th Post!!

Tags

celebration, chinese new year, dumplings, pork, potstickers

Today is an auspicious day- it is the beginning of the Chinese New Year (the Year of the Dragon) and this is our 100th post!! It is hard for me to believe how much this blog has changed my thinking about food. Before this blog, I never would have thought to make Chocolate Covered Caramels, tried Chicken Biryani, or given any thought to specialty diets such as gluten-free or vegetarian. I have been pushed to  improve my skills for two reasons- 1) I am surrounded by other stunningly fantastic bloggers and 2) I want excitement in the blog. None of this ho-hum Manwich every night stuff.

With this blog, I wanted to tell the world just how easy it is to cook. It just takes practice. Obviously no one starts out in the beginning making crepes and the like. You have to start somewhere easy. I hope I have provided a combination of recipes that meat every taste preference and skill level. Most of all, I hope I have inspired others to share in the joy of cooking.

In honor of the Chinese New Year… and with special thanks to Sweet Ipomoea, whose recipe inspired me and taught me how to fold them properly.

Pork Potstickers

• 1 package of potsticker wrappers
• 1 lb ground pork
• 1 bundle spinach (I used 1/2 a box of frozen chopped spinach)
• 1 small-sized carrot, julienned
• 2 springs green onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely minced
• 1 tbsp corn starch
• 1 egg
• salt & white pepper

Filling:

Combine your carrots, onion, garlic, and ginger with the pork in a bowl. Squeeze as much water as possible out of the spinach and add it to the pork. Add  cornstarch, salt, pepper, and egg to the bowl. Mix everything together.

Wrapping Potstickers:

Fill a small bowl with some water. This will act as “glue” to seal your wrapper. Spoon 1 tablespoon of filling onto the center of the wrapper. Use your finger to brush water all around the edges of the wrapper. Bring opposite sides together at one point and pinch in the middle. Pleating only the upper half of the dumpling, make about three pleats on one side going in the direction toward the center. Then repeat with the opposite side, so that the pleats on each sides are pointing towards the middle. You’ll get a nice crescent shape and a flat bottom.  If this is too complicated, you can just sealed the edges tightly. Place your dumplings on a floured surface.

Cooking potstickers:

On a non-stick pan, arrange potstickers flat-side down and fill with water just covering the bottom of potstickers. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, turn on high heat and cover with lid. When the water starts to simmer, turn to low heat to steam potstickers. Let the water evaporate and fried til golden brown. Serve with soy sauce.

Before:

After:

Eggs in Purgatory

Tags

breakfast, Dinner, eggs, eggs in purgatory, Supper

I think I am a good cook and normally pick pretty good recipes. Today was questionable. You might like it. Us- not so much. The ingredients had potential but it just didn’t work out. This recipe seemed to be lacking in taste. It just didn’t have much pizzazz. I don’t even know if it is worth trying to jazz up. Maybe you have some suggestions? I hate to throw it all out and waste those ingredients but it just wasn’t that great. Maybe that’s why it is called eggs in purgatory.

Eggs in Purgatory (Courtesy of Bon Appetit March 2010)

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• Coarse kosher salt
• 1 8- to 10-ounce package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed, drained
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice (preferably fire-roasted)
• 8 ounces red-skinned or white-skinned potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons drained capers
• 5 large eggs
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion, chopped thyme, and crushed red pepper; sprinkle lightly with coarse kosher salt and sauté until onion is tender and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add artichokes and minced garlic; stir 1 minute. Stir in diced tomatoes with juice and bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover skillet and simmer 15 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Meanwhile, cook potatoes in small saucepan of boiling salted water just until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain. Add potatoes and capers to tomato-artichoke sauce; cover and simmer 5 minutes. Season to taste with coarse salt and pepper.  Preheat oven to 375°F. Pour tomato-artichoke sauce into 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Using back of spoon, make 8 evenly spaced indentations in sauce for holding eggs. Crack 1 egg into each indentation in sauce (some of eggs may run together slightly in spots). Bake until egg whites and yolks are softly set, 12 to 16 minutes. Carefully remove baking dish from oven; sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over and serve.

Three Bean Chili

Tags

beans, chili, Dinner, Mexican, Supper, vegetarian

This recipe is a variation of one originally created by Rachel Ray. You don’t even miss the meat. The chili is hearty and the fiber from the beans helps you feel full longer. I enjoy my chili topped with cheddar cheese, sour cream, and black olives. Perfect on a day when the high is in the 20s.

Three Bean Chili

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large red pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 pablano peppers, roasted, skins removed, and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
• 1 cup pale beer
• 1 (32- ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (14-ounce) can black beans, rinsed
• 1 (14-ounce) can dark red kidney beans, rinsed
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 cup spicy vegetarian refried beans

Over moderate heat, add oil to a deep pot and combine onion, peppers, and garlic. Saute for 3 to 5 minutes to soften vegetables. Deglaze pan with beer or broth, add tomatoes, black beans, red kidney beans, and stirring to combine.

Season chili with cumin, chili powder, hot sauce, and salt. Thicken chili by stirring in refried beans. Simmer over low heat about 5 to 10 minutes longer, then serve up bowls of chili and top with shredded cheese, scallions, and tomatoes. Place bowls on charger plates piled with assorted tortilla chips.