Monday, January 17, 2011

Bacon Jam

Have you ever heard of Bacon Jam? Oh My, you haven't! Well it's time you try it. It is so good. It doesn't take much to make just some time for it to cook down. It is so good on a Gruyere cheese or Fontina Cheese Panini.

1 1/2 pounds Bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 medium onions, fine dice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup maple syrup

Cook bacon until browned. Approximately 20 minutes. Drain bacon, rsserving 2 tablespoons bacon grease. Add reserved bacon grease back to large cooking pot. Add onion and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat for about 6 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, and maple syrup. Add bacon back to pan and cook for 1 hour over low heat until the ingredients are thickened and syrup like. Let cool and then add to container and refrigerate for up to 4 months. To make a sandwich; Choose a bread of your choice. Spread butter over both sides of two slices of bread. Add two slices of cheese and spread some bacon jam in the center. Toast until cheese melts. YUMMY!!!!

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Potluck Pan Rolls




In organizing my menu's for the year, I came across one of my most beloved roll recipes. I have so many requests for this recipe that I have decided to share it. I prefer the Alta Artisan Unbleached Flour from Honeyville Grain www.honeyvillegrain.com I like the nice crust that forms on the rolls from this flour. It also provides a lofty rise with irregular air pockets for fluffy layers in the end baked product. I hope you enjoy! The pictures speak a 1000 words...

Potluck Pan Rolls
Makes about 4 dozen

4 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
3 1/2 Tbsp yeast
5 1/2 cups warm water
2/3 cup Instant dry powdered milk powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
12+ cups Alta Artisan Unbleached flour
butter, melted for brushing

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the sugar and eggs. Add the salt. Mix the dry powdered milk powder into the warm water. The temperature of the reconstituted milk should be run between 110 to 120F degrees. If it is hotter than 120F degrees it will kill the yeast and your bread will fail. Slowly add the milk and flour. Alternate one cup flour with one cup milk at a time. Then mix until the wet loose dough forms. The dough will pull away from the pan.

Cover and place in a warm draft free area. Let rest for about 45 minutes. Uncover and turn out onto a lightly oiled surface. Press out lightly with oiled hands. I cut my roll dough into long strips then into pieces that weigh between 2 1/2 to 3-ounce pieces. You can use a large round cookie cutter. I then roll them on a counter with my hand cupped lightly until they are shaped in a ball form. Place near each other on a greased cookie sheet. Let rest for about 30 minutes. This allows the rolls to rise the second time.

Preheat your oven to 350F degrees. Bake the rolls for 18 to 20 minutes. I watch the rolls during the last 5 minutes to make sure the rolls are only light golden brown.
Lastly, I have to warn you as I have been known to eat many of these at one sitting. And I have left a pan to cool and run errands only to return to find them almost wiped out by my family. Enjoy