BACON JAM!!!

We have discovered Bacon Jam and we are addicted!

I remember watching the Cooking Channel and it mentioning Bacon Jam in two of their shows (Food Crafters and Eat Street).  I didn't know what Bacon Jam was and I thought it look interesting but that was it.  Well when we went to the Spence for GNO we had Bacon Jam and I finally understood what the hype was about.  It's a sweet bacon spread that taste amazing.  It was so amazing that I was still thinking about it weeks later.

So of course I had to make my own Bacon Jam.  I found a great recipe from Martha Stewart that you can find here.  This recipe is cooked in a slow cooker for 4 hours which turns the bacon, brown sugar, and coffee until a wonderful sweet syrupy jam.   I was excited to make this recipe because I have the wonderful All Clad Slow cooker which has a cast aluminum insert that you can use on the stovetop so I never have to worry about a skillet.  I am always happy to finds recipes to use this baby.

I tried to take some stop by step pictures of the process since The Chosen One mentioned how much she likes it.  The problems it gets annoying and it's really time consuming.  I did what I could and here it is.

Cut 1 1/2 pounds of bacon

Brown the bacon in a skillet or in your aluminum clad insert

Chop 2 onions and smash and peel 3 garlic cloves

Still browning

Bacon done. That looks so good. I LOVE BACON!!!

I forgot to take picture of saving a tablespoon of bacon grease and then browning the onions and garlic.  

Get 1/2 cup of Cider Vinegar and 1/4 cup of Maple Syrup

3/4 cup of brewed coffee (love my Keurig)

Everything combined

My beautiful slow cooker

Done.  Doesn't that look yummy?

Pulse it in a food processor

And enjoy with some French Bread and Brie

Really enjoy!!!

I hope you all enjoyed the step by step.  I think I am awful at it and my camera gets so yucky.  Next time I will convince Addison to help me take pictures.  Now go and make some Bacon Jam!!!

Here's the recipe:

Slow Cooker Bacon Jam   from  MarthaStewart.com

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
2 medium yellow onions, diced small
3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
3/4 cup brewed coffee

Directions

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon is lightly browned, about 20 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet (reserve for another use); add onions and garlic, and cook until onions are translucent, about 6 minutes. Add vinegar, brown sugar, maple syrup, and coffee and bring to a boil, stirring and scraping up browned bits from skillet with a wooden spoon, about 2 minutes. Add bacon and stir to combine.
Transfer mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker and cook on high, uncovered, until liquid is syrupy, 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Transfer to a food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped. Let cool, then refrigerate in airtight containers, up to 4 weeks.

GNO, The 4th, and and a 10K

Where has the time gone?  It's been a over a week since I posted and it feels like it's only been a day.  We have had very eventful week.  Addison had his last summer swim meet last Thursday, hallelujah because it is very very hot this week.  The high last Friday and Saturday was 106 degrees.  I know crazy!!! Sunday and Monday were about 100 and 99. Now it is back in the low 90s, which is hot but bearable.  So I am just happy we got through the heat wave. It was rough.

Even though it was too hot to do anything, we had a monthly Girls Night Out last Saturday. We went to the Spence, Richard Blais's new restaurant and then went to the movie Magic Mike (of course).  We had an incredible time at the Spence.  The food was amazing, the service was great, the atmosphere was awesome, and the prices were good.  We all ended up having 2 appetizers, each had an entrée, 2 desserts, and 4 botttles of wine (a sparkling white wine, a sparkling red wine, an incredible red wine, and a dessert wine).  We had such a wonderful time, we are thinking all of our GNO need to be there.  We were sad that some of the girls in the group had plans and could not join us for this incredible night.      It was a wonderful Saturday night and we must do it again.  

Bacon Jam!!!

The Monk

Spagetthini

The gang with Richard Blais

This week Addison started Civil Engineering Camp at Southern Polytechnic University.  They are teaching him about bridges using a CAD program and then he builds his own bridge. I was sad to find out on the last day they put weight on their bridge to see how sturdy it is.  So he came home with a destroyed bridge.

Wednesday, was the 4th of July.  What did everyone do to celebrate the 4th?  Addison and Daniel ran the Peachtree Road Race bright and early.  It was hot and humid but they did great.  This was Addison first 10k and he did it in 1 hr and 16 minutes.   I am so happy that Daniel and Addison have this hobby they can do together.  I wonder what their next race will be.

After the Peachtree Road Race, we went to The Godfather's for a 4th of July party.   The Godfather grilled out and everyone brought sides and dessert.  I made my famous macaroni and cheese and of course a red, white, and blue cake. I also made cherry, vanilla, and strawberry ice cream.

Here are some pictures from the party.

Oh also made simple syrups for everyone's cocktails.  The simple syrups turned out really good.  They were blueberry and lavender, ginger and vanilla, and strawberry and basil.

Here's my recipe for these fun simple syrups:

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
1 cup water

1 cup of any fruit (strawberries, cherries, blueberries)
              or
1/4 cup grated ginger

1 teaspoon extract (vanilla, lavender, lemon, almond)
              or
1/2 cup minced fresh herbs (rosemary, basil, thyme, lavendar)

Directions

Put sugar, water and your choice of fruit, herbs, and extracts.  Bring to a boil and the simmer for about 10 minutes.  Smash the fruit to get all their juice.  Strain the fruit, ginger, or herbs.  Then cool.


Once you have your simple syrup, you can make your own yummy cocktails.  My favorite was the ginger and vanilla. I just added about 2 tablespoons of syrup, a splash of carbonated water and some vodka.

They don't just have to be for cocktails. Addison and I have been using them with just carbonated water.  It great making your own syrup to flavor your sparkling water.  We all know how much our household loves our SodaStream  (thank you Godfather).  I am already thinking about what other syrup I can create.


Well, have a great weekend.  Talk to you soon.


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