BLT Cups

We are getting our bacon fix today at Wendy See Wendy Do!!  Some days you just need some salty, briny, crispy bacon!  This recipe calls for one of my favorite types of bacon:  PANCETTA!

Pancetta, also know as Italian bacon, is unsmoked pork belly cured in salt and spices (like nutmeg, fennel and pepper) and then aged for months.  It usually comes rolled up which makes it perfect for bacon cups.  

These BLT Cups are the perfect party bite in a pinch.  Seriously... they take 15 minutes to make! 

BLT CUPS

Adapted from Not Martha
Makes 10

Ingredients

• 10 slices pancetta
• 1 cup of baby spinach, julienned
• 1 tablespoon mayo
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 5 cherry tomatoes, quartered 
• salt & pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450ºF.
2. Place a mini muffin pan upside down on a rimmed baking sheet.  Spray ten of the upside down muffin molds with non-stick spray, alternating between molds.  (This will ensure the cups don't stick to each other.)  Gently fold each pancetta slice around the sprayed muffin mold.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the pancetta is crisp.  Allow to cool for five minutes until removing to a plate lined with a paper towel.  Set aside.
3. To make the dressing, combine mayo and lemon juice in a small bowl.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  In another bowl, toss the julienned spinach with the mayo dressing.  
4. To assemble, divide the spinach salad into the pancetta cups.  Top each cup with two of the cherry tomato quarters.  Enjoy!

I Heart Bacon!

With Valentine's Day right round the corner nothing says "I love you" like bacon... am I right?  Well at least in my house that is true.  Bacon is one of Joe's favorite foods and mine too for that matter.  It is the ultimate indulgence! We don't eat it often (for obvious reasons) which makes it a treat when we do! 

When I spotted heart shaped bacon on Pinterest I knew I would be getting my bacon on!!  The concept seemed simple enough.  Take a slice of your favorite bacon and cut it in two and shape it like a heart.  

I kicked the whole concept up a notch with a tasty maple-dijon glaze that sends these heart shaped bacon cuties over the top!  The sweet maple and spicy dijon pair perfectly with the salty bacon.  ((My mouth is watering right now writing this!!))

Be warned -- the bacon shrinks quite a bit while baking and doesn't stick together all that well.  You could try to pin it together during the baking process with a tooth pick (something I didn't try) but all in all I think whoever you make these for will get the heart shaped picture! 

BACON HEARTS

WITH MAPLE & DIJON GLAZE

Adapted from Ina Garten & The Paper Mama

Makes: 6 bacon hearts 

Ingredients

• 6 slices of bacon
• 1 tablespoon of maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon of dijon mustard

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
2. Cut bacon slices in half.  Arrange slices into heart shapes onto a baking rack on a cookie sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until bacon begins to turn brown.
3. In a small bowl, combine maple syrup and dijon and set aside.
4. Remove pan from oven carefully (the pan will have some hot bacon grease in it) and brush bacon hearts with glaze.  Return to the oven and bake for an additional 5 to 7 minutes until bacon is crisp.
5. Transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate to slightly cool.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  Enjoy!!

German Sunchoke Salad

I want to start off this blog with a disclaimer: EAT AT YOUR OWN RISK!

German Sunchoke Salad (my twist on German Potato Salad) - Recipe below!

Harsh... I know.... but read more and you will find that the sunchoke (also known as the jerusalem artichoke) is a ridiculously delicious tuber with some... ridiculously stinky side affects.

Sunchokes (or Jerusalem Artichokes)

The sunchoke is a tuber that resembles ginger root, has the texture of a potato and tastes very similar to an artichoke.  Eat the Seasons says the sunchoke plant is native to North America (specifically the Cape Cod area) and is closely related to the sunflower plant. ((Your random Jeopardy fact for the day!!))

I like to eat sunchokes with the skin on

Sunchokes are relatively inexpensive and are very healthy however they aren't widely used... because... to be frank... they make you fart.  A lot!  You see, sunchokes are very rich in inulin (a starching substance also found wheat, onions, bananas and asparagus.)  Inulin is great!  It helps with high cholesterol and triglycerides as well as weight-loss.  It can do this because it is never really absorbed in your stomach... it goes straight to your bowels where very important digestive bacteria LOVE it!  BUT... and this is a big but... in doing so the bacteria creates a lot of gas and well... you get the picture!

Roasted sunchokes are so good!

However, don't be scared of this tooting causing tuber!  It is so tasty and easy to prepare!!!  Just don't eat them on your wedding day, before you board an airplane or have a job interview!  While I usually puree sunchokes into a lucious soup or simply roast them with some olive oil, salt and pepper... I wanted to try something a little different.  

sliced sunchokes

My favorite whole grain mustard!

Mmmmm.... crispy bacon!

My fiance Joe loves German Potato Salad and so do I.  There is something about the tangy dressing, bacon (oh.... bacon) and onions that make my mouth water!  So I thought... why not do it with sunchokes instead!

Perfect with grilled steaks!

GERMAN SUNCHOKE SALAD

adapted from All Recipes

Ingredients

• 1 pound sunchokes, scrubbed and cleaned
• 4 slices bacon
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
• 3 green onions, green and white parts thinly sliced
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Leaving the skin on, slice sunchokes in 1/4 to 1/8 inch slices.  Toss with olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper then back for 30 mins or until sunchokes are fork tender.
• Meanwhile, slice bacon into thin strips.  Add bacon to a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat until crispy.  Remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.  Discard all but 1 teaspoon of bacon grease in the pan.
• Add onion to the pan and cook until browned.  In a small bowl, combine vinegar, sugar and mustard.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Once onions are ready add in the vinegar mixture, roasted sunchokes and half of the bacon.  Toss to combine.
• Pour german sunchoke salad into a serving platter and top with remaining bacon and green onions.  Serve hot or warm.  Enjoy!