Maple Candied Bacon

Do you guys ever make your bacon in the oven? If you don’t, you should give it a shot. For one thing, it frees up space on your stove for the other parts of your breakfast or brunch – and for another, it eliminates the (messy) pain of being assaulted by grease splattering! I honestly can’t remember the last time I cooked bacon on the stovetop – the oven method is just so much better!

Candied bacon – accompanied by buttermilk pancakes, and strawberry butter!

While I’m sharing with you the very simple method of oven-cooked bacon, I figured I’d also show you how to dress your bacon up – as if bacon needs any help, right? But, if you’re ever feeling extra fancy (you’re having guests for brunch, or you just want some exceptionally tasty bacon), you can take an extra 30 seconds to CANDY your bacon with a little maple syrup and brown sugar. It’s still quick and easy, it adds a nice sweet edge to the salty, smokiness of the bacon, and it’s impressive!

Maple Candied Bacon
makes 8 slices (serving sizes vary, obviously)

8 slices bacon
1 T good maple syrup
1 T brown sugar

1.) Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil (I know I am forever telling you to line your baking sheets with foil – but DO NOT skip it for bacon-making!). Once the foil is secure, place a cooling/baking rack on to the sheet.

2.) Lay your bacon out on the baking rack, evenly spaced and in a single layer. Place the baking sheet into a COLD oven, and turn the oven on to 375°. Starting it in a cold oven prevents the bacon from being shocked, moving from room temperature to a HOT oven – that shock is what causes it to curl up and shrink a bunch, which no one wants.

3.) Once the oven hits 375°, give the bacon about 10 minutes of cooking – then pull it out, flip the slices, and brush lightly with the maple syrup. Add a very small sprinkle of brown sugar to each slice as well, and return the sheet to the oven.

4.) Continue baking for another 10 minutes or so, until the bacon is nice and evenly crisp!

5.) Make sure to remove the bacon from the baking rack within a minute or so of taking it out of the oven (use a fork, or some tongs – it’ll be hot!). If you wait too long to take it off the rack, the sugar and syrup will harden, and your bacon will have to be yanked off in pieces – still delicious, but not very pretty!

I can only handle a sweet breakfast every once in a great while – but some Sundays just call for a stack of fluffy pancakes, some delicious fruit butter, and candied bacon. A big, luxurious brunch is a nice way to ease yourself back into the reality that in a few short hours… it’ll be Monday again. SIGH.

(Obviously, you don’t HAVE to candy the bacon – you can just flip the slices at the 10 minute mark, and let them continue cooking, sans sugary deliciousness.)

Bacon is its own food group, right?
Tina

Smoky Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

Perhaps you noticed those tiny little potatoes in the bottom photo on my Chicken Piccata post. Whether or not you noticed them, I am here to tell you that they are the easiest, most delicious roasted potatoes I’ve made in recent memory (though, let’s be honest, I’m not sure anything can dethrone Ina’s mustard roasted potatoes).

Trader Joe’s sells what they call “Teeny Tiny Potatoes”, and basically, they are… teeny, tiny potatoes. The littlest potatoes you’ve ever seen in your life! In general, they are smaller than a quarter in diameter, which means they don’t need to be fussed with at all in order to roast them – no cutting whatsoever. Just toss them with your desired flavorings, and throw them in the oven!

(Of course, if you can’t find potatoes that small, you can always just cut up some small red or yellow skinned potatoes… but they won’t be as cute, unfortunately.)

Smoky Parmesan Roasted Potatoes
serves 4

1lb tiny potatoes (or non-tiny potatoes, cut into 1″ chunks)
1 T olive oil
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/3 cup grated parmesan (this is a good time for the non-fresh, powdered stuff)

1.) Preheat your oven to 400°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil (non-stick is easier, if you have it).

2.) Throw your potatoes onto the baking sheet, pour the olive oil on top of them, and then dump the salt, smoked paprika, and parmesan onto them. Using your hands, toss everything together until the potatoes are well-coated. The parmesan might clump up and just sit on the baking sheet, but if you just keep tossing it all together with your hands, the cheese will eventually break itself up and coat the potatoes.

3.) Roast for about 30-40 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through, and the parmesan coating is crispy.

Couldn’t be any easier, right? And really, what could be better than the combination of a creamy, delicious potato with the nutty, smoky, salty crunch of the roasted parmesan cheese? Nothing, I tell you. Absolutely nothing. (In other news, I’ve used this same spice/cheese mixture on cauliflower, and it. is. awesome. So give that a try as well!)

Now I want to coat everything I roast in parmesan cheese,
Tina

Cauliflower Fritters with Smoked Greek Yogurt and Pomegranate Seeds

Fellow cauliflower lovers, I have a fun recipe for you! It requires a few bowls and a little bit of work, but it’s totally worth it in the end, I promise.

Cauliflower Fritters with Smoked Greek Yogurt and Pomegranate Seeds
adapted from here
serves 6-8 as a side dish
(makes approximately 15-18 two-inch fritters)

For the fritters:
1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into 1″ chunks
1 large egg
2 cloves garlic, grated
zest of half a lemon
1/2 cup crumbled feta
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
olive oil

For the yogurt:
1/2 cup 2% plain greek yogurt
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
pinch of smoked salt
pomegranate seeds

1.) Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When it reaches a boil, add the cauliflower and cook for 5-6 minutes, until it is tender but still has a bit of a bite. Remove the cauliflower to an ice bath, and allow to cool for a few minutes. Once the cauliflower is cooled, drain it and spread it out on a kitchen towel-lined baking sheet, so it can dry out.

2.) In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, grated garlic, and lemon zest. Add the cauliflower to the bowl, and use a potato masher to lightly mash it, until it is broken up into mostly pea-sized pieces. Mix the mashed cauliflower and egg mixture until everything is thoroughly coated.

3.) Add the crumbled feta to the bowl, and use a spatula to fold the cauliflower mixture and feta together.

4.) In another small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and red pepper flakes. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the cauliflower feta mixture, and mix with a spatula until all the flour is moistened, and all the cauliflower is evenly coated.

5.) Heat a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat, and add a couple tablespoons of olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Once the oil is hot, drop the cauliflower mixture by rounded tablespoons into the pan, and flatten the mounds slightly once they’re in the pan. Allow them to cook on the first side for 2-3 minutes, until the bottom is golden brown; then flip the fritters, and allow them to cook for an additional 1-2 minutes on the second side.

6.) Remove the fritters to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil. If you’d like, you can place a foil-lined baking sheet in a 200° oven, and transfer your finished fritters to the oven to keep them warm as you keep frying.

7.) While your fritters fry, mix your greek yogurt, smoked paprika, and smoked salt together.

8.) When all the fritters are finished, top each one with a dollop of the smoked greek yogurt, and a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds, and serve!

My husband and I LOVED these. In fact, we ate them for lunch one Saturday… as our meal. We may or may not have polished off the entire batch. There’s a nice salty bite from the feta, a bit of spice from the red pepper flake, some smoky richness from the yogurt – and to finish it all off, the fresh, tart flavor of the pomegranate seeds! My husband didn’t love the pomegranate seeds so much, but I thought they were the perfect finishing touch. Your mileage may vary.

These would be great as a side dish for a simple roast chicken, or some great burgers. They would also make a nice appetizer, provided it’s in a sit-down, plate-and-fork setting – I’m not sure how well these would work as finger food!

I know they sound kind of weird, but I PROMISE they’re delicious,
Tina

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Remember when I posted that recipe for garlic, rosemary, and citrus roast chicken, and I promised that I’d share my recipe for a good, basic mashed potato? Here we go!

I like my mashed potatoes to be creamy (but not overly smooth – a few lumps is fine), and to taste rich without being a bomb of butter and cream. I mean, I really ENJOY mashed potatoes that are 50% potato, and 50% butter, cream, and sour cream – but unless it’s a holiday, I try to keep my mashed potatoes on the lighter side. Luckily, they still taste incredibly rich and indulgent!

Creamy Mashed Potatoes
serves 6 as a side dish

2.5 lb russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1.5 inch chunks
salt
pepper
3/4 cup whole milk
1/2 cup 2% plain greek yogurt
2 T salted butter (optional)

1.) Measure your whole milk and greek yogurt – allow to sit at room temp while you cook your potatoes. Place your peeled and chopped potatoes in a large pot, cover them with water, and add a generous handful of salt. Place the pot over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil.

2.) Once the potatoes come to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and allow the potatoes to cook until a paring knife easily pierces a piece of potato (probably about 8-10 minutes, but keep a close eye on them, so you don’t overcook them).

3.) When the potatoes are cooked through, drain them in a colander. Shake the excess water off, and return the potatoes to the hot pot. Allow them to sit for a minute or so in the pot, untouched – the heat from the pot will help the excess water evaporate, so you don’t end up with watery potatoes.

4.) Add your whole milk and greek yogurt to the potatoes, and mash to your desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste (I found I needed a generous pinch of salt, and just a few grinds of black pepper – but keep tasting until you find a balance you like).

5.) Add the butter (if using – I did not), and stir it into the potatoes. Pile the potatoes into a bowl or serving dish, and serve!

This recipe makes some pretty delicious mashed potatoes, if I do say so myself. If you want to lighten them up further, you could use 2% or skim milk – but I think the whole milk gives a nice touch of creaminess, without the intensity of using cream or half and half. Additionally, the greek yogurt adds some protein and healthy fat to the mix!

You could flavor these any way you’d like – add a half cup of grated parmesan, or some roasted garlic cloves, or some chives, or blue cheese crumbles. Let your imagination run wild!

Potatoes are my favorite food,
Tina