Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

To some, this may seem weird... to bacon lovers, you know you are excited.  I have been dying to make these since sometime during my third trimester but being that I loathe cooking bacon and all the messiness it entails, I held off till I came upon some cooked bacon.  Some will love these instantly.  Others will be unsure, eating several to decide how they feel.  In the end, the bacon chocolate chip cookie will leave no prisoners... deliciousness.

1/2 lbs cooked bacon, drained and crumbled

2 1/2 all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 c light brown sugar, packed

1/2 c sugar

1 c butter, softened

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 c semi sweet chocolate morsels

Preheat oven to 300 F.  Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.  Begin to cream butter, adding in both brown and white sugar gradually till you have a grainy mix.  Mix eggs in one at a time and vanilla.  Incorporate flour mixture into butter sugar mixture, being sure not to over mix.  Mix in morsels and bacon.  Chill dough to avoid flat cookies.

Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto greased cookie sheets about two inches a part.  Bake 19-20 minutes or until edges just start to brown and center of cookie looks uncooked.  Let rest on sheet 10 minutes before removing (this allows center to finish baking)!!!

Makes about 4 dozen.

Bayou Beef Stew

We all enjoyed this... I just had to add some cayene pepper, of course ;)

1lb beef, cut into one inch chunks
1/4 c flour
2tbsp EVOO
4 carrots, diced
2 celery stalk, diced
2 large or 4 small russett potatoes, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large orange sweet pepper
1/2 c sherry cooking wine
2 1/2c vegetable stock
2 6oz cans tomato juices
1tsp Worcheshire sauce
1tbsp Cajun seasoning
1/2tsp black pepper
1/2tsp salt
2 bay leaves
1 1/2c frozen okra
1 1/2c frozen kale
brown rice, cooked

In 3 1/2 to 4 quart crockpot, pour stock and juice.  Add carrots, celery, and potatoes.  Turn to high and cover.  In a large skillet heat EVOO over medium high heat.  In a large zip lock bag, combine flour and Cajun seasoning.  Toss meat in mixture and add to skillet  Brown on all sides 1-2 minutes and add to slow cooker.  Cook onion, garlic and pepper for 2-3 minutes.  Add sherry to deglaze pan and cook 1-2 minutes longer; add to slow cooker.  Cook on high 8-10 hrs.  In last hour, stir in frozen okra and kale.  Remove bay leaves.  Serve over brown rice.

Key Lime Pie

Our love affair with Key Lime pie began last summer when we roadtripped to Key West to be the MOH in one of my long time friend's wedding.  The husband and I decided that our mission was to sample as many pieces of Key Lime pie as we could in 3 days and it ended up being only three.  We've only had one pie since then (a frozen one... booo) so now that we have some authentic key lime juice... I attempted our own.  We both enjoyed it!  Next time I'm going to attempt one of the recipes with eggs.

1 recipe Graham Cracker Crust
1 recipe Whipped Topping
2 cans sweetened condensed milk
3/4 c Key Lime juice (approx 20 Key Limes worth of juice)
1/2 c sour cream.
1 tbsp lime or key lime zest

Preheat oven to 350 F.  In a large bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, juice, sour cream and zest.  Mix well.  Pour into prepared graham cracker crust.  Bake 8-10 minutes or until tiny bubbles start to form on top of pie.  Do not brown!  Cool completely and pipe whipped topping on top as desired.  Refrigerate until filling is set.  Garnish with zest or lime slices if desired.

Whipped Topping

1 c heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Beat cream on high until just before peaks start to form.  Beat in sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form, being sure not to beat too long or mixture will turn butter like.  Pipe onto dessert or pie of choice.  Refrigerate any unused topping and use within 24-48 hrs.

Graham Cracker Crust

2 c graham cracker crumbs
1 stick butter, melted
1/3 c sugar

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Combine all ingredients well and press into a greased 9 inch pie pan on bottom and sides.  Bake crust 10 minutes.  Cool before filling with pie filling of choice.

Key Lime Pie Martini

Ever since we went to Key West last summer and sampled three different Key Lime pies, we have become obsessed with Key Lime anything.. I ordered a bottle of Key Lime juice from the internet and when it arrived, I got to business... with a beverage, of course.

1oz vodka
2oz vanilla schnapps
1oz Key Lime juice
1oz light cream
1tsp graham cracker crumbs
1tsp brown sugar
green sugar

In a shaker filled with ice, combine liquid ingredients.  On a plate combine crumbs and brown sugar.  Wet rim of martini glass and dip in crumb mixture.  Pour liquid in and dust with green sugar.

Grilled Pound Cake with Berry and Chocolate Sauces

I have never attempted some grilled desserts but I enjoy them when I have them.  Here is attempt #1... Hearn manned the grill as the only time he attempted to teach me how to use it, a fire ball almost engulfed his face.  I haven't tried since. Anyway, grilling the pound cake gives it a nice smokey flavor as well as nice crunch for some texture... delish ;)

1 recipe for Pound Cake

Melted butter
whipped topping
Berry Sauce:
1 c strawberries, sliced
1 c blueberries
1/2 c packed brown sugar
3 tbsp butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Chocolate Sauce:
3/4 c heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp light corn syrup
1 1/3 c semi sweet chocolate morsels

In a medium saucepan, combine ingredients for berry sauce.  Simmer over medium high heat till bubbly.  Then reduce to low and let simmer 5-8 minutes.  Set aside and let cool.  In another medium saucepan, heat whipping cream and corn syrup over medium high heat until boils.  Remove from heat and stir in morsels.  Cover and let stand 4 minutes; stir well till all morsels melt.

Cut pound cake in 1 inch slice and brush each side with melted butter.  Heat grill to highest setting.  Place pound cake directly above flame and cook 3-4 minutes until grill marks form and repeat on reverse side.

To assemble, place piece of pound cake in bowl.  Top with two spoonfuls of each sauce and top with  whipped topping.

Pound Cake

In an attempt to make some grilled desserts, I found a recipe for grilled pound cake with some toppings.  The original recipe called for store bought pound cake, which you should know is a no no in this house... not in regards towards pound cake but in regards to any baked goods.  So this is the pound cake I will be grilling.

2 sticks butter, softened
1/2 c vegetable shortening
3 c sugar
5 eggs
3 c flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 c milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 F.  In a large bowl, beat butter and shortening till fluffy.  Slowly beat in sugar.  Beat eggs in one at a time.  Combine flour and baking powder.  Combine milk and vanilla.  Alternating and adding in thirds, mix in flour mixture and milk mixture.  Grease and flour a bundt cake pan and pour batter in evenly.  Bake at 350 F for 1h to 1h30m.  Use a fork to be sure middle is done.

Buffalo Chicken Cheese Puff Pastry

These aren' too different from the Buffalo Chicken Cheese Calzones or the Buffalo chicken Phyllo Rolls but I happen to love Puff Pastry a whole lot more than calzones or phyllo dough.

1 sheet of puff pastry, defrosted and cut into 6 equal rectangles
1 1/2 c chicken, cooked and shredded
1/3 to 1/2 c buffalo sauce
1/3 to 1/2 c Blue Cheese or Ranch dressing
1/2 c shedded cheddar cheese
1/3 c blue cheese crumbles
1 egg, beaten
flour for rolling

Preheat oven to 350 F.  On a floured surface using a floured rolling pin, roll out each section of puff pastry as much as you can without tearing or breaking.  In a large bowl. combine chicken, sauce, dressing, and cheeses.  Mix well.  Spoon onto one half of each puff pastry square, being sure to leave room on the edges.  Egg wash the edges of the square and fold over chicken mixture.  Use a fork to pinch shut the edges.  Place on a greased cookie sheet and egg wash entire filled puff pastry.  Bake at 350 F for 15-16 minutes.  I did have some left over chicken mixture, which I spooned into a greased ramekin and baked for the same length as the puff pastries.