The Perfect Sandwich Bacon...Genius !

YIKES...

NATIONAL BACON DAY ? !

i almost missed it...although i say,

"EAT BACON EVERY DAY !"

BACON IN EVERY BITE

found at DO IT AND HOW

no need to preheat the oven.  you will render more fat if you start cold.  i use a convection oven at 390F degrees.

cover a large cookie sheet with extra strength aluminum foil for easy clean up.

lay out your bacon in 3 or 4 strips close together.  now basket weave in the other 3 or four strips.   just like you would for a pie.

i set my timer for 15 minutes.  remove from oven.  then i make a spout at one end of the tinfoil and pour off as much of the fat (into a small heatproof bowl) with out tipping all the bacon off the sheet pan.

flip the bacon weave over...CAREFULLY, it's HOT.

FOR SPICY CANDY BACON IN EVERY BITE...

OPTIONAL...sprinkle with brown sugar, chili powder, cumin and chipotle powder.

put back in the oven for ABOUT 10 minutes?...it depends on the thickness of your bacon.  the bacon shown was center-cut and was not very thick.  you might want to check it every 5 minutes....or you might want to flip it again.

if your bacon is not getting crisp enough...remove from greasy sheet pan and put on a rack and back in the oven until done to your liking.

if not using right away, they crisp up very well in the toaster oven.  i used mine the next two mornings for some fabulous breakfast egg and cheese burgers.

NOTE...the four sliced (actually 8 slices) was a little large, but so much fun to eat.

i thought about using it for a plate

please check out this DO IT AND HOW.com.  it's a fabulous "How-To" about so many things,

BUT  there are so many great ways to manipulate and use the ever so versatile BACON...i WILL try them all.  taco shells, mini muffin cups, bowls etc...and don't miss the TURTLE BURGERS!

GENIUS I SAY !...BRAVO

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Spiced Pickled Canned Peaches

PEACHES...

OH HOW I LOVE MY 

SPICY PICKLED PEACHES

i know i'll get some flack from real peach lovers and "true canners" out there, but i mostly do these with canned peaches.  i'm addicted and have to have them in the pantry all year 'round.

here in Newport Beach fresh peaches aren't really fresh...in my opinion.  they arrive unripened, hard as a rock in a big truck and are expected to ripen in the store. fresh peaches tend to be "iffy" or way too pricey at the farmers markets.  it's hard to trust that each one will be juicy and delicious. i have wasted many a seemingly beautiful peach...too hard, too soft, bruised, pithy or just no peach  flavor at all.  i bought 10 and could only use 6.

YES...i have used real peaches for this recipe and, YES they were better, but canned are dependable, quite a bit cheaper...AND SO MUCH EASIER.  i hate peeling peaches...yes, i have tried the dipping in boiling water trick.  i opted for the good ol' potato peeler.

real fresh peaches are fabulous, BUT...

if you want to try this out and don't want to spend the time and money with fresh peaches...i swear you will love these even if they are...

CANNED "CANNED" PEACHES

oh...i almost forgot...

how do you use these spicy pickled peaches?...

one of my favorites is with fried chicken

OR sliced with a juicy cheeseburger

with charcuterie

diced in vanilla greek yogurt

sliced with fresh ricotta and scone.

along side a beautiful cheese platter.

or serve with CRISPY SKIN PORK BELLY !!!

SPICED PICKLED CANNED PEACHES
(i think this makes about 6 pint jars)

7-8  peeled peaches, sliced 3/4 inch thick
OR...THE CHEATER METHOD...
5 jars "DOLE sliced yellow cling peaches in 100% juice", drained and rinsed in filtered water.

PICKLING LIQUID...
2 qts white grape juice
1 cup sugar
1 cup white wine vinegar
7 sprigs fresh rosemary
1/2 big tsp cardamom
1/2 big tsp cumin
1/2 tsp ground chipotle
5-6 dried chili arbol
4 cinnamon sticks
6-7 whole cloves
5-6 cardamom pods

IMPORTANT...if canning..sterilize jars and lids.  put a large stock pot of water on for your water bath.

1...dissolve three(3) crushed vitamin C tablets in 2 qts of cool water.  this is to keep the peaches from turning color
2.... get your pickling liquid together and bring that to a boil.  take off heat and let steep while working on peaches.  TASTE TEST...a pinch here, another sprig there?  more sugar?
3...peel peaches.  i use a potato peeler.  i find it faster and easier than boiling water and dunking each peach in to loosen the skin....
4.....cut peaches into 3/4 inch  slices and put them in the bowl of cool vitamin C water.

NOTE...if using "cheater method"...skip steps 1 , 3 and  4

5...strain the pickling liquid through  double or triple cheesecloth, BUT SAVE SOME OF THE GOODIES.  the cloves, cinnamon stick, chili, rosemary, cardamom pods
6...introduce the peaches into the pickling liquid in a large pot and warm everything together.  i don't think there is any need to bring it to a boil, just get it warm enough so that jars are warm going into the canning bath.   remove from heat.
7...fill jars with peaches and liquid.  arrange some rosemary, cardamom, chili and cloves around to add flavor and look nice.
let come to room temp.  they can even sit on the counter over night.  then refrigerate for at least a week to absorb flavors.
NOTE...i like to have extra rosemary, chilis, cloves, cardamom, etc... that have been cleaned and boiled in the liquid.  i like to make sure each jar has these elements because they will continue to flavor the peaches.
 or i suggest canning them.
i have only "canned" these so i don't know how well the flavors will absorb with the refrigerator method.  canning is a bit of a pain, but it is so fabulous to grab a jar out of the pantry when needed.
besides...i don't have that kind of space in my packed-to-the-brim fridge.

PS... my friend Stephanie used the liquid for a BELLINI-MARTINI and cursed me the next morning.  the martinis were so good she had three... 

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Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting with Four Layer WHITE Cake

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Delicious Peanut Buttercream Frosting with Easy Chocolate Cake

all i can say is...

if you love PEANUT BUTTER

you'll love this cake.

 this "cake"post is all about the frosting.

the cake is good and super easy to throw together, but it definitely takes a back seat to this sweet savory smooth peanut butter buttercream frosting.

my friends were absolutely head over heals about this cake.  the aroma of peanut butter wafted though the air.  they were rolling there eyes before the first bite...  i even got called into the manager's office because of this cake.  my friend Jennifer said, "ah jules...i need to see you in the office for a moment..."   i thought i might have done something wrong or misplaced something important...

nope, she called me in because of this darn cake!

peanut butter frosting is a winner

i think i will try this frosting on the "Black Magic Cake" i made a few weeks ago...now that's a chocolate cake.  that would be a heavenly match.

ONE BOWL CHOCOLATE CAKE

found at 5 Second Rule by Cheryl Sternman

FOR THE CAKE...

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp espresso powder

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp slat

3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted about half way

3 Tbsp sour cream

1/2 cup milk

1 egg, room temp.

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

preheat the oven to 325F.  grease a 9 inch round cake pan.  line with parchment.

sift flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda and salt into a large bowl.  add the butter, sour cream, milk, egg, vanilla and mini chips.  mix well with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.  it's okay if the batter is a bit lumpy, but make sure there are no clumps of undissolved dry goods.  scrap into prepared pan.

bake for 30-35 minutes.  check after 25 minutes.  cake should be firm to the touch, skewer comes out clean and cake is just pulling away from the sides.  MINE WAS DONE IN 25 MINUTES with oven at 320F

cool on rack for a few minutes then unmold and cool completely.

i like to stick it in the fridge for a bit before cutting it in half for layering.

PEANUT BUTTER-CREAM FROSTING

aka Kathleen's Peanut Butter Icing

from Food Network...Ina Garten

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup peanut butter

5 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup heavy cream

place powdered sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.  mix on medium-low speed until good and creamy, scraping down the sides as you work.  add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

NOTES...i have not worked with frosting a lot, but i found this one very forgiving.  as in...it was easy to work with and did not get stiff as i was playing around.  i could go back and fix the top, practice my swirls and work on the sides.  i'm learning as i go.

also...i baked the cake on a Tuesday, frosted the cake on Wednesday and took the full cake shot.  Thursday i shot the slice and served it Thursday afternoon.  my point IS...this can be made the day before and sit covered on the kitchen counter.

You have read this article cake / chocolate / dessert / easy / frosting / peanut butter with the title August 2013. You can bookmark this page URL https://caucasiancurry.blogspot.com/2013/08/delicious-peanut-buttercream-frosting.html. Thanks!

Homemade Mother Scoby for Kombucha

well...i said i wouldn't go there, but curiosity got the best of me.

i have fallen into the fermented-probiotic-kombucha craze...

it's fascinating 

i love all the kombucha drinks that are now available everywhere, but they cost 3-4 bucks apiece.  i only drink one a day, but...do the math...that's about 102$ a month and 1,200$ a year...WHAT?!

 am i crazy ?!!  i guess it's the same for anybody with their triple shot skinny no whip morning latte addiction, but that's insane.

SO...i researched and researched how to make homemade kombucha.

you need a scoby.

most sites suggest you buy one from the internet.  i even heard you could get one from Craig's list.

i don't want some weird fungus mushroom alien thing that someone else grew in some unknown environment.  i want to be in control of my own bacteria yeast growing blob.

i thought i would let you know from a novice point of view how easy and fascinating this little project is... AND i wanted to document what i did and how i grew such a beautiful specimen.

*here's where i throw in the disclaimer...*

i am not an expert on the situation.  i am a beginner...just like you?

there are plenty of fabulous blogs out there with a wealth of IMPORTANT information.  a few i have referred to are...Food Renegade.com, Balanced Bites.com, Mother Jones.com and Cultures for Health.com to name a few.

HOMEMADE MOTHER SCOBY FOR KOMBUCHA

2 cups filtered water

2 black tea bags

1 big Tbsp sugar...i used pure organic...do NOT use honey or any substitute!

1 store bought GT's RAW ORIGINAL KOMBUCHA

leave the bottle of GT's out to come to room temperature.

boil the 2 cups water.  steep the tea for about 10-15 minutes.  remove tea bags, add sugar and stir to dissolve and let come to room temp.

sterilize a large enough glass jar to hold 4 cups of liquid.  if you use antibacterial soap.  make sure it is well rinsed.  then rinse it with vinegar and water.  then rinse it again.  for extra protection i sterilized in the oven at 220F degrees for 20 minutes.

pour tea/sugar into sterilized jar.  pour the whole bottle of store bought GT's kombucha into the tea jar.  make sure you got all the gross kombucha goodies into the tea.  cover with double paper towel or cloth and secure with a rubber band.  let sit in a warm darkish place.  do not disturb.  some say "dark" place, but i have it where it will not be disturbed and i can still take photos.

NOTE...when i moved it into a little more light it seemed to grow better...so i'm not sure.  just do not move it around while it is growing.

DAY #1

DAY #3

DAY #8

DAY #15

 DAY #20a

DAY #20b
now this is a good lookin' SCOBY !
i think it should be almost ready...

DAY #24
behold..."THE MOTHER SCOBY"...

DAY #24
just about 1/2 inch...looks healthy

i think we're ready for lift off...
yes...PUN INTENDED

now...if you are still interested,
i will be documenting my first batch of  HOMEMADE KOMBUCHA
this will take about 7-10 days for the first fermentation, then another few days to flavor it and get some fizz action...
OR...so i have read.

WISH ME LUCK...

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Freaky Frito No Bake with Bacon and Red Pepper Flakes

SO WRONG...yet

SO PERFECTLY RIGHT !!!

everything about this says NO NO NO NO

DON'T DO IT

but you just can't help yourself...

this is a true definition of

GUILTY PLEASURE

FRITOS

chocolate

BACON,

peanut butter caramel

and a sprinkle of HOT chili flakes

YOU MUST TRY THIS !!!

i found this incredibly sinful delight on pinterest brought to my attention by  Skip to my Lou...Cindy i love you i hate you!  these are so GOOD...so BADDDDD and so wrong, yet so right on every level.   perfect sweet savory gooey crunchy in every bite.    friends and family thought i was crazy when i tried to explain what was in it, but first bite had them grabbing for more.  i would, and probably will, bring these to any party be it black tie or pot luck.  

FREAKY FRITO NO BAKE with BACON

and RED PEPPER FLAKES

original recipe and photo instructions found at Skip to my Lou

1 bag of regular Fritos, 10.5 oz

1 cup regular sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup regular store bought peanut butter...natural won't work the same.

i used half creamy and half crunchy, so both will work.

8-10 strips CRISPY bacon, chopped or crumbled.

chocolate to drizzle

crushed red pepper flakes to sprinkle

spread Fritos on a greased 15 x 10 inch jelly roll pan/cookie sheet.  sprinkle the bacon on the Fritos.  save a bit of bacon to sprinkle on after you pour the caramel mixture for a good visual.

in a small sauce pan add the sugar and corn syrup. bring the sugar and corn syrup to a boil...stirring to help dissolve all the sugar.  let boil for one minute.  remove from heat and stir in peanut butter until smooth.  pour mixture equally over the Frito/bacon.  sprinkle (sparingly) with red chili flakes...as much as you can handle.  maybe just do chili flakes on half so the non heat seeker/pansy will enjoy.   as they are cooling heat some chocolate...(about 1/2 cup or so) slowly in the microwave.  do this at 15 second intervals, stirring in between so you won't seize the chocolate.   it should not be too hot so you can put this in a zip-loc baggie, cut off the tip and drizzle over the whole sheet.  the chocolate will set in a few hours, but since it isn't "tempered" it will still be a little soft to the touch.

i handed these out the next day and they still had a very good crunch...even 2 days later they were good after the photos.  do not cover these tightly.  i have a cover for my sheet pan that i just lay over top.

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Chocolate Chipotle Almond Cake

YOU CAN'T GO WRONG WITH CHOCOLATE CAKE

flourless chocolate cake

and, of course, in my usual fashion...

espresso to deepen the flavors with

a smoky chipotle kick...even better

everyone loves chocolate cake and i seem to be obsessed at the moment so there will be quite a few coming your way.

RICH, DENSE, MOIST,

DEEP DARK CHOCOLATE

A TOUCH OF SMOKY SPICE

full fat, full sugar...INDULGE!

 GLUTEN FREE for the whole crowd to enjoy.

this cake is an easy one to make and there's no need for icing or frosting...the cake speaks for itself.   a great choice for a party.  i bet you could get at least 10-12 maybe even 14 good slices because it's a lot easier to slice and serve than the classic flourless cake.

i've made quite a few flourless cakes (a great recipe coming soon).  i love them, but i have always been disappointed with the presentation on the plate.  serving them is a mess.  chocolate all over the the knife, me, the table.  this one slices like a dream.  it's the almond meal that makes this cake very stable.  i was worried that it might make the texture a bit grainy or less "truffle-like", but it turned out smooth as silk.  i will definitely make this cake again.   

to the true chocolate aficionado, this would not be considered the "classic flourless chocolate cake" like "the Chocolate Valentino"...example shown HERE.  the aforementioned aficionado would not compare the two... 

BUT i guarantee....

THIS IS A GOOD CAKE !

CHOCOLATE CHIPOTLE ALMOND CAKE

recipe found at No Special Effects...original from River Cafe

i adapted in a few flavors and changed the temp and time.

180g (6.3z) 70% chocolate

180g (13 Tbsp) unsalted butter

200g (2 cups almond meal)

2 whole eggs, room temp.

6 egg yolks

4 egg whites

1 vanilla pod, split and scraped

200g (1 cup) caster sugar

15g (1 Tbsp) caster sugar

60g (11 Tbsp) dutch processed cocoa powder

1 tsp espresso powder

1/4 rounded tsp of ground chipotle powder...i could have used a little more

pinch of salt

preheat oven to 300F?...says all posts using River Cafe recipe...SEE MY NOTES AT BOTTOM

spray a 9" cake pan and line the bottom with parchment.  spray the parchment again.

break the chocolate into small pieces and cut the butter into cubes.  heat both in a double boiler just until melted and combined.  remove from heat and set aside to cool.

in a large bowl, beat the 2 whole eggs, 6 yolks and the 200g caster sugar until combined.  add the almond meal and the cocoa powder until combined.  scrape the vanilla seeds from the pod and add to the mixture....now add the melted chocolate mixture and stir until well combined.

in a stand mixer, beat the egg whites until frothy.  add pinch of salt and beat until soft peaks...add 15g caster sugar and beat until stiff peaks are formed.

fold egg whites into chocolate/almond mixture doing this 1/3 whites at a time.  the chocolate mixture is stiff so just do this carefully and gently while keeping volume in the mixture as well as possible.

pour the combined batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes...???

WAIT...here are my notes...

IMPORTANT NOTE  about temperatures and time...the originals (this recipe is on a few sites) did not state convection so i used regular oven setting.....i knew in my mind there is no way a chocolate cake with 6 eggs is going to cook at 300 degrees in 25 minutes.

i found this out the hard way.

i started at 300F...at 25 minutes the cake was still batter.  i turned the oven up to 330F and baked it for an additional 22 minutes.

THAT'S 47 MINUTES TOTAL!

my cake came out perfect, so if you would like to follow what i did i would suggest doing the same and watching the cake.

OR...might i suggest using your own "baker knowledge" and again keep an eye on the cake.

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One Bowl Chocolate Cake with Chipotle Chocolate Ganache

YES...another chocolate cake.

i can't help myself.

the cake is a good cake.  it's super easy,

but the ganache is what really sends this to

the "make again" pile.

this one bowl chocolate cake comes to you from The 5 Second Rule.com.  it truly IS an easy cake to whip up.  the first time i made it for this post i might have over baked it for about 3-5 minutes.  i followed the recipe for 30-35 minutes.  the second time i baked it for 25 minutes...much better...delicious and moist.  so i suggest you be an "oven-watcher".  make sure you do not over bake...this cake can not handle it.

THE GANACHE !!!

i have found through trial and error the correct ratio of chocolate to cream.  i've checked so many different sites and blogs with so many different opinions, but i found that matching ML's to GRAMS works best.  example...175 grams chocolate to 175 milliliters heavy cream.  i like to use Guittard coverture dark chocolate discs with a couple tsp of corn syrup to create a nice smooth soft chocolate coating.

DON'T WAIST THE RUN-OFF....
TRUFFLES ARE IN ORDER.

make sure you pour glaze on cake over a clean cookie sheet or parchment to catch the run-off.  scrape this up then put in a bowl in the fridge.  you can whip up some delicious truffles to add along as a bonus treat or enjoy them after the cake is long gone.  they last in the fridge at least a week or maybe two.
just wait until it is solid.  using rubber gloves form the ganache into balls then roll in cocoa powder.  these truffles will be VERY soft at room temperature so store them in the fridge.

this is not like my normal truffle recipes, but
NO CHOCOLATE GOES TO WASTE IN THIS HOUSE
and any truffle is a good truffle.

if truffles are too fussy for you...
rewarm the ganache over double boiler before cake service and pour as sauce over individual servings.

ONE BOWL CHOCOLATE CAKE

with DARK CHOCOLATE CHIPOTLE GANACHE

cake found at 5 SECOND RULE.com.  Thanks to Cheryl Sternman

FOR THE CAKE...

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp espresso powder

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp slat

3 TBsp unsalted butter, melted about half way

3 TBsp sour cream

1/2 cup milk

1 egg, room temp.

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

preheat the oven to 325F.  grease a 9 inch round cake pan.  line with parchment.

sift flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda and salt into a large bowl.  add the butter, sour cream, milk, egg, vanilla and mini chips.  mix well with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.  it's okay if the batter is a bit lumpy, but make sure there are no clumps of undissolved dry goods.  scrap into prepared pan.

bake for 30-35 minutes.  check after 25 minutes.  cake should be firm to the touch, skewer comes out clean and cake is just pulling away from the sides.  MINE WAS DONE IN 25 MINUTES with oven at 320F

cool on rack for a few minutes then unmold and cool completely.

above photo you can see a little condensation from being in the fridge.  this will disappear when bringing the cake to room temp to serve.

FOR THE GANACHE GLAZE...

200 grams good dark chocolate.  i use Guittard 61% coverture discs

200 ml heavy cream

2 tsp light corn syrup corn syrup

OPTIONAL...1 large chipotle in adobo sauce, slightly chopped

#1...have your cake ready for the glazing.  cake should be on a 9 inch cake board for easy lifting.  place cake over wire rack and have something under that to catch the over-flow of ganache.

chop chocolate into small pieces.  put in a glass or heat proof bowl.  set aside.

heat cream, chipotle(if using) and syrup in a small sauce pan to just boiling.

NOTE...if using chipotle you must strain the cream mixture before adding it into the chocolate pieces.

pour hot cream over chocolate and let sit for a minute.  start to gently stir from the middle.  take your time.  you will see the ganache come together.  when it is fully incorporated, smooth and glossy, you are ready to pour.

start pouring onto the middle.  you might want to "over pour"...as in pour a lot on.  you might find it necessary to carefully pick up the cake and gently wiggle the ganache to get it to flow evenly over the cake.  DO NOT go back with a knife or spreader to fix any imperfections.  this might take a little practice, but it is quite easy and makes a stunning presentation.  you can always cover any tiny flaws with some shaved chocolate...or chalk it up to the cake with "character".

NOTE...you can refrigerate the finished cake to set the ganache, but must take out ahead of time so the glaze does not have condensation(as shown in photo).

the second time i made the cake the day before and glazed the cake hours before serving.  i put the cake in the fridge for about 20-25 minutes to just help set the ganache then left the cake out for service in a few hours.

if you do not have a cake cover small enough for the fridge...i like to use an over-sized spring form pan to protect the cake from prying hands and fingers while refrigerating or for traveling.  make sure you secure the bottom if traveling so it won't slide.

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