Gnocchi and Wilted Spinach Salad.
Ok, ok, OK, ok, okay, OKAY! So this isn't the lightest salad to start off the New Year. I admit it! BUT it IS the salad that will have everyone asking for seconds and thirds. A double helping of greens, people, doesn't that count for something?
Showing posts with label bacon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bacon. Show all posts
January 05, 2011
May 10, 2010
The Makings Of A Rebel
Maple-Bacon Corn Muffins...
I have been a good girl most of my life... always a rule-follower. Growing up as the middle child, I was the watcher. I watched my older brother make mistakes in his teen years, and suffer the consequences. I watched my care-free little sister make even worse mistakes, and I watched my parents stress over the whole ordeal! I remember several specific moments when I wanted to be a little reckless, but thought to myself, "Poor mom and dad, I'll just be good and save them the headache!"
This didn't come without resentment from the edgier members of my family. As I caused little trouble, I felt somehow entitled to special privileges. It's sort of a family joke now. I was known to whine to my parents, "Why can't I ______? I'm the GOOD KID!!!" On occasion, the rest of the bunch still call me the "good kid" with a snarky undertone. I agree, I deserve it!
Nowadays, I live in beautiful Asheville, North Carolina. A town that advertises itself as a "Foodtopian Society". A place where culinary and dietary endeavors are celebrated. Where sustenance has a certain religious quality. Whether a classically-trained chef, an athlete, a nutritionist, animal-rights activist, herbivore, loc-a-vore, farmer, or plain-old-eater...Asheville citizens have a exuberant passion for food! A LOUD passion, I might add! You could say I've heard an opposing opinion or two in the last six years. This is thrilling, for those of us who love a good food-debate, but I admit, a little confusing at times!
Always a selective shopper and cook, I feel like my family eats well. However, an eternal student of...well, LIFE, I'm always eager to learn of healthier cooking methods and ingredients. Here is a list of popular "Food Laws" I've collected since moving here. Let's see if I can get them all straight.
Food Law List:
Avoid high fructose corn syrup. (Check!)
Avoid trans fats. (Check!)
Avoid caffeine. (Check..except for chocolate!)
Don't eat anything processed, only whole foods. (Check, 95% of the time.)
Eat low fat, but get lots of essential fatty acids. (hmmm...)
Never cook with oils and fats...but don't use Teflon either. (HMMMM!)
Never eat animal fat--except for duck fat--that is, unless you're a vegetarian!
Watch out for GMOs! They cause cancer!
Avoid dairy at all costs, but eat LOTS of yogurt (probiotics) and cottage cheese (protein) (???)
Only buy raw-milk cheese. No wait, I mean raw goat's milk cheese...I mean consume NO cheese at all!
Totally avoid all SOY products. (They say soy is actually DANGEROUS!)
Avoid nut milks and goat's milk. (Too fatty.) In other words...NO MILK of any kind.
Eat tons of whole grains for fiber, but never those that come from wheat or corn (You know, the two little grains that are in EVERYTHING!?!)
Humans were not meant to consume grains. We should all be eating a grain-free diet.
Avoid alcohol, but drink red wine for the antioxidants.
Don't drink fruit juices--too high in sugar--even the natural kind.
Drink a gallon of water a day, but NEVER while you are eating. (Disturbs your digestion.)
Oh...and the water you are constantly drinking when you are not eating? It should be either ice cold or room temperature, depending on who you talk too.
Never store, eat, or drink anything in plastic, only glass. (Cancer, again.)
Never use a microwave. (You guessed it--cancer.)
Always bake on parchment paper, but you better recycle it!
Avoid all corn bi-products. (In EVERYTHING from cheese to chicken soup.)
Never eat anything with MSG in it--you might as well eat rat poisoning! (Also in everything and labeled with code names.)
Eat at least five servings of veggies EVERYDAY--but only those that are organic, locally grown, and in season. (Winter???)
Eat mostly dark or brightly colored veggies. (But only those meeting the previous criteria.)
Don't cook your veggies because it kills the nutrients.
Eat dark berries and pomegranate for the antioxidants EVERYDAY--but again, only in season, and pesticide free.
Don't eat fruit--too high in carbs.
Eat red meat for iron. Whoops! I mean, don't EVER eat red meat. Ok, if you MUST eat red meat, only eat local, grass-fed red meat.
Eat LOADS of fish, but only those that are sustainable, caught wild, and low in mercury.
Only eat free range chickens. (Food Inc.)
Never eat pork or shellfish. (Dirty.)
Fully cook your meat because of bacteria. OR some say, under-cook your meat so you don't kill all the nutrients. I also heard--don't cook your meat at all, eat it raw to absorb the most nutrients!
You know what...just don't eat meat! (Easier to remember.)
Eat small portions of protein 5-6 times a day, but of course, not dairy or meat protein. Not soy or whey supplements (for OBVIOUS REASONS), or nuts either, too fatty! (What does that leave, beans?)
Only use natural sea salts, and very little of that!
Avoid sugar, and all sugar substitutes...and food coloring for that matter (Sorry bakers!)
ENJOY YOUR FOOD, SAVORING EVERY BITE!
HUFF...I suddenly feel bewildered, exhausted and slightly light-headed! This list, my friends, would make anyone, even a "good kid" feel a smidge rebellious! Dan and I have decided we land soundly in the All-Things-In-Moderation camp. We accept only the "food laws" that support our personal beliefs and life-style. And still, every now and again, I just throw all caution to the wind and make sugary, fattening, corn-starchy, pork-laden Maple-Bacon Corn Muffins! Is that so wrong??? I dare you to make them!
Sommer
Maple-Bacon Corn Muffins
4 oz. bacon
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup flour
1 Tb. baking powder
½ cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
2 eggs
¼ cup melted butter
¼ cup maple syrup
Preheat oven to 400*. Heat a skillet to medium-high. Chop the bacon and cook until slightly crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set the skillet aside.
In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients. Whisk in the milk and eggs, followed by the melted butter, maple syrup and ¼ cup bacon grease.
Stir the bacon pieces back into the mixture.
Place muffin liners in a 12-cup muffin tin. Evenly divide the mixture into the liners. Bake for 15 minutes—until golden.
Remove from the muffin tin and serve warm! Makes 12.

I have been a good girl most of my life... always a rule-follower. Growing up as the middle child, I was the watcher. I watched my older brother make mistakes in his teen years, and suffer the consequences. I watched my care-free little sister make even worse mistakes, and I watched my parents stress over the whole ordeal! I remember several specific moments when I wanted to be a little reckless, but thought to myself, "Poor mom and dad, I'll just be good and save them the headache!"
This didn't come without resentment from the edgier members of my family. As I caused little trouble, I felt somehow entitled to special privileges. It's sort of a family joke now. I was known to whine to my parents, "Why can't I ______? I'm the GOOD KID!!!" On occasion, the rest of the bunch still call me the "good kid" with a snarky undertone. I agree, I deserve it!
Nowadays, I live in beautiful Asheville, North Carolina. A town that advertises itself as a "Foodtopian Society". A place where culinary and dietary endeavors are celebrated. Where sustenance has a certain religious quality. Whether a classically-trained chef, an athlete, a nutritionist, animal-rights activist, herbivore, loc-a-vore, farmer, or plain-old-eater...Asheville citizens have a exuberant passion for food! A LOUD passion, I might add! You could say I've heard an opposing opinion or two in the last six years. This is thrilling, for those of us who love a good food-debate, but I admit, a little confusing at times!
Always a selective shopper and cook, I feel like my family eats well. However, an eternal student of...well, LIFE, I'm always eager to learn of healthier cooking methods and ingredients. Here is a list of popular "Food Laws" I've collected since moving here. Let's see if I can get them all straight.
Food Law List:
Avoid high fructose corn syrup. (Check!)
Avoid trans fats. (Check!)
Avoid caffeine. (Check..except for chocolate!)
Don't eat anything processed, only whole foods. (Check, 95% of the time.)
Eat low fat, but get lots of essential fatty acids. (hmmm...)
Never cook with oils and fats...but don't use Teflon either. (HMMMM!)
Never eat animal fat--except for duck fat--that is, unless you're a vegetarian!
Watch out for GMOs! They cause cancer!
Avoid dairy at all costs, but eat LOTS of yogurt (probiotics) and cottage cheese (protein) (???)
Only buy raw-milk cheese. No wait, I mean raw goat's milk cheese...I mean consume NO cheese at all!
Totally avoid all SOY products. (They say soy is actually DANGEROUS!)
Avoid nut milks and goat's milk. (Too fatty.) In other words...NO MILK of any kind.
Eat tons of whole grains for fiber, but never those that come from wheat or corn (You know, the two little grains that are in EVERYTHING!?!)
Humans were not meant to consume grains. We should all be eating a grain-free diet.
Avoid alcohol, but drink red wine for the antioxidants.
Don't drink fruit juices--too high in sugar--even the natural kind.
Drink a gallon of water a day, but NEVER while you are eating. (Disturbs your digestion.)
Oh...and the water you are constantly drinking when you are not eating? It should be either ice cold or room temperature, depending on who you talk too.
Never store, eat, or drink anything in plastic, only glass. (Cancer, again.)
Never use a microwave. (You guessed it--cancer.)
Always bake on parchment paper, but you better recycle it!
Avoid all corn bi-products. (In EVERYTHING from cheese to chicken soup.)
Never eat anything with MSG in it--you might as well eat rat poisoning! (Also in everything and labeled with code names.)
Eat at least five servings of veggies EVERYDAY--but only those that are organic, locally grown, and in season. (Winter???)
Eat mostly dark or brightly colored veggies. (But only those meeting the previous criteria.)
Don't cook your veggies because it kills the nutrients.
Eat dark berries and pomegranate for the antioxidants EVERYDAY--but again, only in season, and pesticide free.
Don't eat fruit--too high in carbs.
Eat red meat for iron. Whoops! I mean, don't EVER eat red meat. Ok, if you MUST eat red meat, only eat local, grass-fed red meat.
Eat LOADS of fish, but only those that are sustainable, caught wild, and low in mercury.
Only eat free range chickens. (Food Inc.)
Never eat pork or shellfish. (Dirty.)
Fully cook your meat because of bacteria. OR some say, under-cook your meat so you don't kill all the nutrients. I also heard--don't cook your meat at all, eat it raw to absorb the most nutrients!
You know what...just don't eat meat! (Easier to remember.)
Eat small portions of protein 5-6 times a day, but of course, not dairy or meat protein. Not soy or whey supplements (for OBVIOUS REASONS), or nuts either, too fatty! (What does that leave, beans?)
Only use natural sea salts, and very little of that!
Avoid sugar, and all sugar substitutes...and food coloring for that matter (Sorry bakers!)
ENJOY YOUR FOOD, SAVORING EVERY BITE!
HUFF...I suddenly feel bewildered, exhausted and slightly light-headed! This list, my friends, would make anyone, even a "good kid" feel a smidge rebellious! Dan and I have decided we land soundly in the All-Things-In-Moderation camp. We accept only the "food laws" that support our personal beliefs and life-style. And still, every now and again, I just throw all caution to the wind and make sugary, fattening, corn-starchy, pork-laden Maple-Bacon Corn Muffins! Is that so wrong??? I dare you to make them!
Sommer
Maple-Bacon Corn Muffins
4 oz. bacon
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup flour
1 Tb. baking powder
½ cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
2 eggs
¼ cup melted butter
¼ cup maple syrup
Preheat oven to 400*. Heat a skillet to medium-high. Chop the bacon and cook until slightly crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set the skillet aside.
In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients. Whisk in the milk and eggs, followed by the melted butter, maple syrup and ¼ cup bacon grease.
Stir the bacon pieces back into the mixture.
Place muffin liners in a 12-cup muffin tin. Evenly divide the mixture into the liners. Bake for 15 minutes—until golden.
Remove from the muffin tin and serve warm! Makes 12.
May 04, 2010
Ready For A Throwdown?
Moules Fromage Bleu...Blue Cheese Mussels with Bacon.
Sometimes, at the end of a long day, all I want to do is veg-out! Most days between 5 pm and 8 pm, I've cooked dinner (sometimes incorporating a photo shoot), cleaned, bathed children, assisted with homework, read stories and started laundry. Now it's time to sit and STARE for a bit, before I hopefully get my second wind!
One of these worn-out nights, my husband and I were flipping through the channels--trying to find something to watch we could both agree on. Bobby Flay's Throwdown was on Food Network. Now, my husband would probably tell you I have a crush on Bobby Flay. That's just silly. I simply appreciate his culinary-style...and maybe his freckles! That night Bobby challenged Teddy Folkman to a Mussel Throwdown. We had to watch!
Mussels are one of hubby's favorite things to eat. He could sit and eat pounds of them at a time, oohing and ahhhing like "What About Bob". There is a little french bistro here in Asheville we like to frequent, called Bouchon. Bouchon feels like a casual eatery in France. The interior a little too dark, a little too crowded, and a little too warm on a sultry summer evening...utterly charming! Aromas of warm pungent cheese, garlic-wine sauce and yeasty bread waft through the open windows at both ends of the restaurant, and into the back alley (also used for seating). They offer several delectable varieties of mussels accompanied by their devilish matchstick frites dipped in aioli. Choices range from the Parisian-Born Redneck, steamed in PBR beer with Dijon mustard and butter, to the Mediterranean, in a tomato-wine sauce with garlic and saffron. Bouchon is a true Asheville staple. Questions we ask tourists include...Have you visited the Biltmore? Did you drive up the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway? Have you gone to Bouchon for Mussels and Frites??? Maybe I'm exaggerating a little, but not much!
I have to admit, before Bouchon I wasn't crazy about mussels. It was a textural thing. Yet, thanks to this wonderful little restaurant, I am a mussel-convert! Hooked enough to occasionally make them at home!
Back to My Bobby...uh...I mean, Bobby Flay. Truthfully, I can't remember how he prepared his mussels that episode. All I remember is that the challenger beat him with Moules Fromage Bleu, or blue cheese mussels...with bacon. Doesn't that sound incredible? Here is the recipe--I haven't changed a thing. I figured if it could beat Bobby, I better leave them alone!
P.S. As soon as I'm able to acquire one of Bouchon's mussel recipes, I'll share!
Sommer
Teddy Folkman's Moules Fromage Bleu
Serves one as a meal; two to four as an appetizer (I usually double this for my family of four!)
1 1/4 pound rope-grown P.E.I. mussels
4 tablespoons blended oil (40 percent extra-virgin olive oil, 60 percent canola oil)
1/3 cup diced applewood-smoked bacon
1/3 cup thinly sliced shallots
1/4 cup Hook's Blue Cheese, or a similar mild, creamy blue
1/3 cup white wine, preferably a dry Chardonnay
Juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup baby spinach, cleaned and de-stemmed
Sea salt, as needed
Black pepper, as needed
*First rise and check all the mussels. If they are cracked--throw them out! If they are slightly opened, squeeze them. If they don't close back up within a few seconds--throw them out! One bad mussel can spoil the whole pot!
Heat the oil in a pan over high heat. Cook the bacon until the fat is rendered and it is slightly browned. (I take the bacon out, then add it back in at the end so it stays a little crisp!)
Add the shallots, saute a minutes or two, then add the mussels and toss together. Add the white wine and lemon juice and toss together.
When the mussels start to open, add half of blue cheese, melting it into the broth. As soon as all mussels are open, toss in the spinach.
Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper. Top with the rest of the blue cheese and the bacon! Serve with crusty bread to sop up the blue cheese broth!
Want to share another way to prepare mussels? Click "comments" below and tell us how you do it!
Sometimes, at the end of a long day, all I want to do is veg-out! Most days between 5 pm and 8 pm, I've cooked dinner (sometimes incorporating a photo shoot), cleaned, bathed children, assisted with homework, read stories and started laundry. Now it's time to sit and STARE for a bit, before I hopefully get my second wind!
One of these worn-out nights, my husband and I were flipping through the channels--trying to find something to watch we could both agree on. Bobby Flay's Throwdown was on Food Network. Now, my husband would probably tell you I have a crush on Bobby Flay. That's just silly. I simply appreciate his culinary-style...and maybe his freckles! That night Bobby challenged Teddy Folkman to a Mussel Throwdown. We had to watch!
Mussels are one of hubby's favorite things to eat. He could sit and eat pounds of them at a time, oohing and ahhhing like "What About Bob". There is a little french bistro here in Asheville we like to frequent, called Bouchon. Bouchon feels like a casual eatery in France. The interior a little too dark, a little too crowded, and a little too warm on a sultry summer evening...utterly charming! Aromas of warm pungent cheese, garlic-wine sauce and yeasty bread waft through the open windows at both ends of the restaurant, and into the back alley (also used for seating). They offer several delectable varieties of mussels accompanied by their devilish matchstick frites dipped in aioli. Choices range from the Parisian-Born Redneck, steamed in PBR beer with Dijon mustard and butter, to the Mediterranean, in a tomato-wine sauce with garlic and saffron. Bouchon is a true Asheville staple. Questions we ask tourists include...Have you visited the Biltmore? Did you drive up the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway? Have you gone to Bouchon for Mussels and Frites??? Maybe I'm exaggerating a little, but not much!
I have to admit, before Bouchon I wasn't crazy about mussels. It was a textural thing. Yet, thanks to this wonderful little restaurant, I am a mussel-convert! Hooked enough to occasionally make them at home!
Back to My Bobby...uh...I mean, Bobby Flay. Truthfully, I can't remember how he prepared his mussels that episode. All I remember is that the challenger beat him with Moules Fromage Bleu, or blue cheese mussels...with bacon. Doesn't that sound incredible? Here is the recipe--I haven't changed a thing. I figured if it could beat Bobby, I better leave them alone!
P.S. As soon as I'm able to acquire one of Bouchon's mussel recipes, I'll share!
Sommer
Teddy Folkman's Moules Fromage Bleu
Serves one as a meal; two to four as an appetizer (I usually double this for my family of four!)
1 1/4 pound rope-grown P.E.I. mussels
4 tablespoons blended oil (40 percent extra-virgin olive oil, 60 percent canola oil)
1/3 cup diced applewood-smoked bacon
1/3 cup thinly sliced shallots
1/4 cup Hook's Blue Cheese, or a similar mild, creamy blue
1/3 cup white wine, preferably a dry Chardonnay
Juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup baby spinach, cleaned and de-stemmed
Sea salt, as needed
Black pepper, as needed
*First rise and check all the mussels. If they are cracked--throw them out! If they are slightly opened, squeeze them. If they don't close back up within a few seconds--throw them out! One bad mussel can spoil the whole pot!
Heat the oil in a pan over high heat. Cook the bacon until the fat is rendered and it is slightly browned. (I take the bacon out, then add it back in at the end so it stays a little crisp!)
Add the shallots, saute a minutes or two, then add the mussels and toss together. Add the white wine and lemon juice and toss together.
When the mussels start to open, add half of blue cheese, melting it into the broth. As soon as all mussels are open, toss in the spinach.
Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper. Top with the rest of the blue cheese and the bacon! Serve with crusty bread to sop up the blue cheese broth!
Want to share another way to prepare mussels? Click "comments" below and tell us how you do it!
March 19, 2010
Serving Up A Side Dish Of Spring
Haricot Vert and Micro Taters.... A dish reminiscent of Easter eggs hiding in tall blades of grass. Perfect for your spring table!
For me, spring is symbolic of a fresh start--even more so than January 1st. Tender blades of grass peaking up through wasted brush. Delicate, yet determined sprouts of tulips and daffodils unearthing themselves. Tiny lime green buds on the tree outside my window; a promise of ethereal blushed dogwood blossoms. Everywhere I look I am reminded of new beginnings and rebirth.
Spring is a time to renew your outlook and reinvent yourself. A time to turn the soil in our lives, and plant seeds of new things to come. A time for change. Life is all about change, those that refuse to adapt, will surely miss out on opportunity...and fun!
When spring arrives we often change our schedule to spend more time outside with our family, change our exercise plan to get in shape for summer, change our eating habits from cozy winter foods to lighter, picnic-style meals. In the spring, I like to eat things that are symbolic of "new" and "fresh". Maybe that's silly--but I don't care--it's not the only silly thing I do!
This mix of infant new potatoes and haricot vert is ideal for your Easter table or a backyard meal. Haricot Vert, pronounced ah-ree-koh verh, is french for green beans. Haricot Vert are thin tender green beans with soft skins. The potatoes I used are tiny, ranging from the size of small grapes to dates. They have a slightly green tint and papery skins. The combination of the two, gives this dish a feeling of youth...anything to get that feeling back!
If you can't find them at your grocery store, these are great items to look for at your local farmer's market!
Haricot Vert, Shallots, and Micro Taters
1 ½ lbs. haricot vert
1 lb. teeny-weeny new potatoes
2 shallots, chopped
3-4 thick slices of bacon, chopped
1 Tb. good quality balsamic vinegar
Salt and Pepper
Set a large pot of salted water over high heat, and bring to a boil. Trim the ends of the green beans. Once the water is boiling, blanch the beans for 1-2 minutes, until the color is bright and the skins are softer. Remove the beans with a skimmer.
Next, add the micro taters to the boiling water. Par-boil (partially cook) for 4-5 minutes. Remove the potatoes and pour out the water.
Using the same pot, sizzle the bacon over medium heat, until it is almost cooked. Then add the shallots. Sauté another 2-3 minutes.
Add the potatoes and salt and pepper well. Sauté 2-3 more minutes before adding the beans.
Once the beans are in the pot, stir and sauté another 3-4 minutes. Add a little oil if the veggies are sticking. When the beans are warmed through and the potatoes are fully cooked, taste for salt and pepper, then drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Serve warm. Serve 4-6.
For me, spring is symbolic of a fresh start--even more so than January 1st. Tender blades of grass peaking up through wasted brush. Delicate, yet determined sprouts of tulips and daffodils unearthing themselves. Tiny lime green buds on the tree outside my window; a promise of ethereal blushed dogwood blossoms. Everywhere I look I am reminded of new beginnings and rebirth.
Spring is a time to renew your outlook and reinvent yourself. A time to turn the soil in our lives, and plant seeds of new things to come. A time for change. Life is all about change, those that refuse to adapt, will surely miss out on opportunity...and fun!
When spring arrives we often change our schedule to spend more time outside with our family, change our exercise plan to get in shape for summer, change our eating habits from cozy winter foods to lighter, picnic-style meals. In the spring, I like to eat things that are symbolic of "new" and "fresh". Maybe that's silly--but I don't care--it's not the only silly thing I do!
This mix of infant new potatoes and haricot vert is ideal for your Easter table or a backyard meal. Haricot Vert, pronounced ah-ree-koh verh, is french for green beans. Haricot Vert are thin tender green beans with soft skins. The potatoes I used are tiny, ranging from the size of small grapes to dates. They have a slightly green tint and papery skins. The combination of the two, gives this dish a feeling of youth...anything to get that feeling back!
If you can't find them at your grocery store, these are great items to look for at your local farmer's market!
Haricot Vert, Shallots, and Micro Taters
1 ½ lbs. haricot vert
1 lb. teeny-weeny new potatoes
2 shallots, chopped
3-4 thick slices of bacon, chopped
1 Tb. good quality balsamic vinegar
Salt and Pepper
Set a large pot of salted water over high heat, and bring to a boil. Trim the ends of the green beans. Once the water is boiling, blanch the beans for 1-2 minutes, until the color is bright and the skins are softer. Remove the beans with a skimmer.
Next, add the micro taters to the boiling water. Par-boil (partially cook) for 4-5 minutes. Remove the potatoes and pour out the water.
Using the same pot, sizzle the bacon over medium heat, until it is almost cooked. Then add the shallots. Sauté another 2-3 minutes.
Add the potatoes and salt and pepper well. Sauté 2-3 more minutes before adding the beans.
Once the beans are in the pot, stir and sauté another 3-4 minutes. Add a little oil if the veggies are sticking. When the beans are warmed through and the potatoes are fully cooked, taste for salt and pepper, then drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Serve warm. Serve 4-6.
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