Salty Sweet Fatty Yumminess AKA Housewife's New Bacon Recipes

Sorry vegetarians…..but bacon is the most amazing ingredient ever known to man!  I’m a foodie and love talking to people all of the time about different recipes. Based on my food conversations, there’s nothing more eye widening and mouthwatering than a conversation about a recipe using bacon.  Given my love for bacon, I decided to concoct some new recipes that take this salty fatty goodness and sweeten it, bringing it to a whole new yummy level.  

 *Also look for my previous posts for bacon carmel corn and a chocolate truffle recipe made with bacon

Bacon Date Biscuits

Makes 15-20

2 C Flour

2 t Baking Powder

½ t Baking Soda

6 T Unsalted Butter, Softened

6 T Cheddar or Swiss Cheese

8 Oz Bacon

1 ½ C Heavy Whipping Cream

12 Dates, Chopped

1 Pinch Cracked Black Pepper

Approx. 2 T Maple Syrup for Drizzling

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix the flour, powder, and soda in a bowl. Mix the remaining ingredients (except the maple syrup) in a bowl with your hands and lightly knead it together until well mixed.  Scoop out onto a cookie sheet in approximately 2 T sized scoops.  Lightly drizzle with maple syrup. Bake for 15-20 minutes and serve.

Bacon Banoffee Bread

Makes 2 large loaves

4 Eggs

1 ½ Sticks Butter, Softened

2/3 C Milk

2 t Lemon Juice

2 C Sugar
2 t Baking Soda
4 C Flour
5 Bananas
1 C Cooked Bacon
1 C Heath Toffee Crumbles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix eggs, butter, milk, and lemon juice with a mixer in a large bowl.  Add the sugar, baking soda and flour.  Then mix in the remaining ingredients.

Pour into grease loaf pans and bake for 50 minutes- 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.   

Maple Bacon Pecan Cookies

Makes about 3 dozen

2 ½ C Flour

1 C Total of Butter and Leftover Bacon Grease
¼ C Sugar
2/3 C Maple Syrup
8 Oz Raw Bacon
1 C Chopped Pecans
Pinch of Black Pepper
Pinch of Cinnamon

Cook the bacon. Set it aside and refrigerate the leftover grease in a measuring cup.  Rough chop it finely.

Preheat the oven at 325 degrees.

In a large bowl mix the flour, butter and bacon grease, sugar, 1/3 cup of maple syrup. Add bacon, ¾ cup pecans, pepper and cinnamon.

Unwrap the dough and slice into ¼ inch slices.  Bake on a cookie sheet for 12-15 minutes. Sprinkle a few pieces of pecans on top of each cookie and lightly press down.  Brush or drizzle with remaining maple syrup while cooling.

Candied Bacon

1 Pound of Raw Thick Cut Bacon

4-6 Oz Maple Syrup
1 ¼ C Brown Sugar
1 T Vanilla Paste or Extract
Cracked Pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 

Line a sheet pan with foil.  Place a cooling/cookie rack onto the sheet pan. Lay out the bacon into single layers and drizzle it evenly with maple syrup.  Crumble brown sugar on top.  Drizzle with vanilla and lightly sprinkle with black pepper.

Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until crispy.  Let it get brown and candied but not burnt.

How to Plant & Care for Succulents

Succulents are plants that retain water, similar to a cactus. Their roots do not go down as deep as most plants because they hold their water in the body of the plant.  They like sunny areas and do not require much maintenance.  Try planting them in pots for your windowsill. 

A few years ago, this housewife decided to try growing succulents.  These plants are super easy to maintain. They come in many different varieties and are virtually impossible to kill (which is a plus).

                                      
What you will need:

Pots
Potting Soil and a scoop
Stones (get creative with these)
Variety of different types of succulents
Any other decorative clay or resin pieces (gnomes, fairies, mushrooms, etc.)

To Plant:

Fill the pots with soil up to about 3 inches from the top and water the soil. Plant the succulents and scoop the soil around the plants.  Water them and then let it sit for a day or at least 1 hour. This is done to settle the soil so that the plants are flush with the soil.  Water again and then add the stones and other decorations.  Put them in a window and lightly water every 4-6 days. Succulents are similar to cacti and need very little attention to survive.  If you ultimately kill them then perhaps you should not own plants….I’m just sayin’

Tea Cookies with Herbs

If you've been following my blog you know that this inquisitive housewife loves to combine ingredients that are not typically together.  In the past I've loved it when I've had herbs that have been mixed into jams and other sweets so I decided to come up with my own flavor combinations. Don't be shy! Try these recipes and you'll be a believer too.   

Lemon Cranberry Basil Cookies

1 C Unsalted Butter

¾ C Powdered Sugar

1 T Vanilla

2 C Flour

½ t Salt

½ C Dried Cranberries

Zest of 1 Lemon

1 Sprig of Fresh Basil, Chopped

Beat butter, sugar, and vanilla. All flour and salt until combined.  Add cranberries, zest, and basil.

Shape into 2 logs, wrap tightly in plastic, chill for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Unwrap the dough and slice into ¼ inch slices.  Bake on a cookie sheet for 15-17 minutes. Cool and serve.

Lavender Orange Shortbread

2 C Flour

1 ¼ t Salt

1 C Unsalted Butter

½ t Vanilla Extract

1 C Lavender Sugar

3 T Candied Orange Peel (or orange zest)

Mix together flour and salt.  In a separate bowl, beat the butter for about 2 minutes and then add the sugar. Mix in the flour.  Mold into a ball, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Lightly roll out the dough to about ¾ inch thickness, trying to keep a rectangular form.  Cut it into squares and lightly prick the tops with a fork. Bake on a cookie sheet for about 25 minutes or until lightly brown. Cool and serve.

*Lavender sugar can be made by mixing 1 of cup of sugar and ¼ cup of dried lavender buds in a tightly sealed container. Ideally this should be made at least 1 month in advance.

Apricot Rosemary Jam Cookies

8 Oz Cream Cheese, Softened

½ C Unsalted Butter

2 C Flour

½ t Salt

1/3 C Sugar

2 t Vanilla

1 C Apricot Jam (or any other jam) 

2 Sprigs Rosemary, Chopped

2 Egg Yolks + 1 T Cold Water

*Mix jam and rosemary preferably 1 day ahead of time

Beat cream cheese, butter and sugar for about 2 minutes. Add the flour, vanilla and salt. Mold into 2 separate balls, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Roll out the dough onto a floured surface. Either cut into 2 ½ X 2 ½ inch squares or with a large star cookie cutter.  Put onto a cookie sheet and spoon about 1 t of jam into the center. Fold over the pointed ends and brush with the egg wash. Bake immediately or put it back in the refrigerator until ready to bake.  Bake about 17-20 minutes.  Cool and serve.

Lavender Honey Almond Cookies

2 ½ C Flour

½ t Salt

¾ C Sliced Almonds

1 C Butter

¼ C Sugar

2/3 C Honey (use 1/3 C in the dough, remaining s for drizzling)

1 T Dried Lavender Buds

In a food processor, finely chop the almonds. 

Beat the butter and sugar for about 3 minutes.  Add the almonds, honey, lavender and flour.  Shape into 2 logs, wrap tightly in plastic, chill for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Unwrap the dough and slice into ¼ inch slices.  Bake on a cookie sheet for 12-15 minutes. Brush or drizzle with remaining honey while cooling.