Kentucky Derby Sliders

Oooooo the Kentucky Derby was fun this year.  It was 75 and sunny and we had some great friends over for some eating, drinking, and betting.  My horses didn't win (wah wah) but I ate 4 of these to make up for it.  

I love theme food.  Anything that inspires bread, bacon, butter, and cheese I'm totally down for...and this delivered.  I scoured Pinterest for Derby themed food and landed on a variation of these Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders. 

I started by shredding Gruyere cheese.  This cheese is awesome.  It has some flavor to it and it's a firmer cheese so it doesn't completely fall apart when you hand shred/eat it. 

Whenever a recipe calls for bacon, I have a really hard time controlling myself.  Unless the directions are "make bacon and eat", it's a serious exercise in self control for me.  I crisped up this bacon low and slow so it was nice and even and crispy and brown.  It takes awhile to make bacon like this...about 30-45 minutes at 350, with constant finessing of flipping, grease draining, and crisping.  I took it out of the oven for the last time and then I occupied myself with chips and dip.

When I see bacon like this, my heart sings a little song.  The lyrics go "less bacon, more oxygen" but it's a beautiful song regardless.  I allowed myself one piece. OKAY TWO.

Hawaiian rolls should be the Illinois State Bread.  I'm obsessed with them.  Perfect for sliders and they add just the best hint of sweetness.  Since I was piling all kinds of stuff on here, I decided to cut the bread loaves in half so I could layer in mass quantities.  If I made the sliders individually it would have gone everywhere and would have been more work.  Screw that.

 Now the fun part. I layered slices of turkey and chopped bacon on the bread....

...and then added mass quantities of the shredded Gruyere.  I'm not going to lie.  I probably ate a 1/4 of a cup of the cheese while I was waiting for the bacon to cook and I still had plenty.

 

The next step is the glaze for the top.  This stuff is ridiculous you guys.  You melt butter, saute finely chopped onions, garlic powder, and brown sugar to make this savory and sweet topping that melts into the sliders as they bake.  This is what makes the sliders extra special.   TOO GOOD.

Liberally brush the top of the sliders with the butter mixture.  If little pools of butter form like our friend on the right, just turn the other cheek.  I topped each of the little tops with a sprinkle of special finishing sea salt.  I used unsalted butter so I could add this little touch.  Totally optional and not necessary if you are using regular butter.  I'm just crazy and nuts about salt.  Don't mind meeeee.

After cooking for about 15-17 minutes in a 350 degree oven, the sliders were toasty and melty and super duper delicious.  I cut through them in seconds with an electric knife.  I recommend that if you want perfectly cut sliders.  A regular sharp knife would work too.  I didn't have a chance to take a lot of post oven pics because the people we had over were staring at me waiting to try one.  So this will have to do.

Here's the recipe adapted from My Recipe Magic:

24 Hawaiian Sweet Rolls (2 packages of 12, sliced length wise)
1 Lb of Roasted Turkey, Sliced Thick
1 Package of Thick Cut Bacon, Cooked and Chopped 
8 Ounces Gruyere Cheese, Shredded
1/2 Cup of Unsalted Butter
1/4 Cup of Finely Diced Onions
2 Tbs Brown Sugar
1/4 Tsp Garlic Powder 
Finishing Sea Salt (Optional)

Preheat the oven to 350.  Pre-cut rolls, brown the bacon, and shred the cheese.  Layer turkey, chopped bacon, and shredded cheese on the buns.  Put the tops back on.  Over medium heat, melt the butter. Add chopped onions and saute until onions become soft.  Add brown sugar and garlic powder and whisk until sugar is completely incorporated.  Let butter mixture cool for a minute and then liberally brush the buns (tops, sides) with butter mixture.  Sprinkle very top of buns with finishing sea salt if you used unsalted butter.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until buns are golden brown and cheese is melted through.  If buns become a little too brown on top, cover with foil and continue baking for another 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Serve immediately and try not to inhale the whole tray. 


Stay hungry! 

Jalapeno Popper Bacon Dip

Jalapeno poppers are one of my moms favorites.  And one of my favorites.  And one of Charlie's favorites.  And well, every one's' favorites. I was in charge of dips this 4th of July so I decided to turn this oh so popular appetizer into a dip-able masterpiece.  AND OH WAS IT.  I mean, my taste buds were doing straight up karate chops. 

Very rarely do I make something that I can't stop eating.  I usually enjoy what I make - but I think that's just a cooks curse - you're always critiquing your own recipes and wondering how you can make it better next time.  NOT THIS...OMG not this. It was so freaking delicious.  I think I ate half the pan.  I just hung around it like a little hover craft, not so discretely licking my fingers and anything else that accidentally (ahem) ran into the dip. 

Perfect combo of spicy, bacony, cheesy, creamy, crunchy, and soul satisfy...y.  I'm sorry you're reading this.

I sort of wung the recipe.  I was talking to my mom and tasting as I went along, but I pretty much remember the recipe.  I started with crisping up 12 pieces of microwave ready bacon (genius for dips when you don't want to fuss with bacon grease), placed the warm bacon on the cream cheese to soften it up, and then added chopped green onions and jalapeno peppers. 

I then added some mayonnaise (don't you dare use miracle whip or I'll hunt you down) and some sour cream.

I then added some garlic powder and then some colby jack cheese.  Because you obviously need cheese.

Then, I added it to a pie dish/dip dish...

...and then I did something brilliant.  I melted some butter and then added some panko bread crumbs.  After incorporating the crumbs into the butter, I sprinkled them all over the top.  I actually made this two days ahead of time...

...and after baking in a 400 degree oven for about 20=30 minutes, I got THIS.  Creamy crunchy GOODNESSSSS.

 HEY GIRL HEYYYYY.

MMM.  MMM MMM MMM.  Say what now?  MMMMMMMMM.

Here's the recipe! 

1 Block of Good Cream Cheese (Philly please) 

4 Packages of Microwave Ready Bacon, Crumbled (12 slices total) 

4 Green Onions, Chopped 

3 Jalapenos, Diced (remove seeds if you don't want it too spicy) 

1/2 Cup of Mayonnaise 

1/2 Cup of Sour Cream 

1 Cup of Colby Jack Cheese

1/2 Tsp of Garlic Powder 

1/2 Cup of Panko Breadcrumbs 

3 Tbs of Butter 

Leave cream cheese out until it reaches room temp to soften up.  Crisp up microwave ready bacon and crumble.  While still warm, add to top of cream cheese.  Add jalapenos, green onions, garlic powder, mayo, sour cream and colby jack cheese.  Taste and adjust as needed.Mix and spread into baking dish. Melt the butter and add the panko breadcrumbs and then sprinkle on top.  Let dip chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours, but can chill for up to 2 days.  Bake at 400 degree oven for 20-30 minutes or until breadcrumbs are a rich golden brown.  If needed, you can turn your broiler on at the end if they need an extra toasting. Serve with crackers, thinly sliced toasted baguette, carrots, frisbees, or shovels. 

Stay hungry! 

Heirloom Tomato Salad BLT and a Trip to the Farmers Market



I love it when Charlie get's something stuck in his head.  It makes me feel a little less crazy, for like... a second.  He woke up dreaming of an heirloom tomato BLT on Saturday morning so off to the farmers market we went. 

Normally we wonder around the farmers market aimlessly with no real purpose.  We just pop around, sample some goodies, and usually leave with 3 pieces of cheese worth like forty dollars...worth every penny of course.  Not this time though.  WE WERE READY. 

Ok so want to hear something funny?  I actually uploaded this picture thinking these were heirloom tomatoes.  It's been a long week OKAY?!

We were "tired and hungry" from walking around so we decided we needed a snack.  It just so happened to be a grilled pork belly sandwich with coleslaw and spicy red pepper sauce.  OMG yum.



Back to the BLT.  So the best BLTs are the ones with the best ingredients.  It's so simple, that everything must be perfect.  These heirloom tomatoes were just to die for. After slicing into them they burst with the most amazing fragrance. Fresh and gardeny.  You don't get that with a grocery store tomato.  You just don't and it makes me sad.

We picked up some other ingredients as well...one that's missing from the picture is the bacon, obvi.   We got free range, nitrate free, blah blah blah bacon.  All I know is that it was really good.

Can we talk about how perfect this bread is?  I mean oh my.

If you use anything besides Hellman's mayo for your BLT than feel free to walk your face into your fist.  Look how creamy and crunchy and salty and bready and amazing this is.

Stay hungry! 

Bacon Wrapped Artichoke Hearts with Lemon Dijon Aioli

Bacon wrapped anything is my favorite.  Really.  Bacon wrapped shrimp, bacon wrapped water chestnuts, bacon wrapped sausage with water chestnuts...the list goes on.  So how about we have ourselves some bacon wrapped artichoke hearts?  Yes?  Yes.  

Pretty simple here...just wrap your artichoke hearts in some bacon, 1 artichoke heart per half slice of bacon. 

Cook at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until bacon is nice and golden and crispy crispaayyy.

The best part of this is surprisingly the dipping sauce.  Actually it's the bacon.  Who am I kidding. Seriously though, the dipping sauce is AMAZING.  We were dipping everything into this stuff. 

Bacon Wrapped Artichoke Hearts with Lemon Dijon Aioli 

2 14-oz. jars artichoke hearts
8 slices bacon, halved crosswise
1/2 Cup of Hellman's Mayonnaise 
2 Tbs of Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Tsp of Freshly Grated Lemon Zest 
1 Tbs of Dijon Mustard 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drain artichoke hearts.  Wrap artichoke heart in bacon and place on non stick cookie sheet seam side down. Cook until bacon becomes golden brown and crispy, about 25 minutes to 30 minutes or so.  Meanwhile, mix mayonnaise, lemon juice, lemon zest and Dijon mustard.  Serve alongside bacon artichoke hearts and enjoy. 

What do you like to wrap in bacon?  Stay hungry! 

Chicken Salad and Bacon Lettuce Wraps

There was this place by our condo called Steve's.  They recently closed down.  Most likely because they were WAY over priced and it took an hour to get a sandwich, but their chicken salad OH their chicken salad...amazing.  

Charlie and I would often pick up their chicken salad and eat it like a dip with chips.  I've been craving their chicken salad for a few weeks now and finally broke down and made it myself.

But this time...I went one step further.  I added bacon.  And a little lettuce boat to eat it with.  It didn't work so well eating it with my bare hands.

Anyway, pull apart your chicken. I like using rotisserie chicken because it's very flavorful and moist and most of the work is done for you.  Add the Hellman's mayo, Miracle Whip, celery, and onion.  Work all of the ingredients together with your hands, finely pulling apart the chicken so it's nice and creamy.  Add more Hellman's to taste.  Now, for the record, I would rather die than use Miracle Whip.  HOWEVER, I know they used both Miracle Whip and Hellman's in the chicken salad at Steve's.  So in order to be true to the recipe that we love so much, I caved.

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM hellooooo there.

You know how I got the recipe?  I was at the deli waiting for my sandwich and I heard them talking about the ingredients.  Yup.  I eavesdropped a recipe.  I admit it.

This was so good, I ended up making the recipe three times THREE TIMES in one weekend. Yup, that good.

Chicken Salad and Bacon Lettuce Wraps 

1 Rotisserie Chicken, skin removed, meat pulled 
3 Piece of Celery, pureed in a food processor 
1/2 White Onion, pureed in a food processor  
1/2 Cup of Hellman's Mayo 
1/4 Cup of Miracle Whip 
Fresh Cracked Black Pepper 

Pull apart your chicken.  Add the Hellman's mayo, Miracle Whip, celery, and onion.  Work all of the ingredients together with your hands, finely pulling apart the chicken so it's nice and creamy.  Add more Hellman's to taste. Finish with freshly cracked black pepper.  Spoon into butter lettuce and top with thick cut pieces of bacon.

Stay hungry!

Grilled Wedge Salad

I've really out done myself this time.  I know, I know, I shouldn't toot my own horn, but TOOT TOOT. 

This is one of those salads that you make for company.  Or for yourself, because you love yourself.  And bacon. 

Speaking of the bacs, you want to buy thick cut bacon and slice it into chunks, or as I like to call them, bacon croutons. They will shrink as they cook, but really good wedges have really good pieces of bacon so don't screw this part up.  Please...and thank you.

Holy cow.  I was swatting Charlie away with our broom.

Now, I'm fully aware that wedge salads are usually served with a wedge of iceberg lettuce.  The only problem with that, is that this is a grilled wedge.  Iceberg is the flimsiest of lettuces and would never hold up on a grill.  Not only is romaine better suited for the grill, but it's also prettier.  I mean, it's ombre for goodness sake. Oh, and it's healthier.  Win, win, and...win.

Anyway, remove the rough looking leaves from the outside and trim the top, so all you're left with is super firm pieces of lettuce.  Next, slice down the middle lengthwise.

For any flavorful dish, you need to season every component...including the lettuce.  So, after slicing down the middle, brush with olive oil (or with bacon drippings, like me) and sprinkle a little sea or kosher salt and some fresh cracked pepper.

I handed this part off to Charlie.  On a super hot, clean grill, he laid the lettuce cut side down.  DO NOT CLOSE THE GRILL.  Otherwise you'll have limp loose losery lettuce.  All we want are the grill marks, the grill flavor, but still super crispy lettuce.

Boom.

....

To serve, cut each half of lettuce sideways.  I found these beautiful mini heirloom tomatoes, so I served the salads with those.  Top with a spoonful (or two or five) of homemade blue cheese dressing.

YUMMMMMMYYYYYY.

Stay hungry!

Bacon Ranch Cheddar Pull Apart Bread

Oh Super Bowl, how do I love thee?  This year we decided to lay low, but I still had to BRING IT in the food category.  This Bacon Ranch Cheddar Pull Apart Bread just hurts people... it's so good.

Ummmm yeah.  I gained ten pounds just looking at this.

And the best part?  The crispy bottom that catches all the butter...

 Here's how you make it.

1 Large Loaf of Crusty Bread 

1 1/2 Stick of Unsalted Butter 

2 Cups of Freshly Shredded Cheddar 

8 Slices of Bacon, Cooked and Chopped 

1 1/2 Tbs of Ranch Seasoning 

Cut bread horizontally and vertically to create "cubes" that you can pull off.  Make sure to not cut all the way through to the bottom, however.  You just want the bread to be like a blooming onion.  If you have an electric knife, use that.  It is SO MUCH easier.  Melt the butter and add the ranch seasoning.  I used Hidden Valley.  With a pastry brush, brush the inside of the bread generously with the ranch butter, being careful to get each side.  Next, stuff the cheddar in between each of the slices of bread. Add the bacon as well.  Put the bread in a pan and tent foil on top.  Cook in a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes and then for 5-7 minutes longer uncovered.

Stay hungry!

Chicago Baconfest Baby!

Ohhhhhh Baconfest Chicago.  This guy says it all.  

Heaven.  Died.  Me.  Went. 

  

As we waited in line and drooled over the menu Charlie and I spent some quality time reflecting on the joy that was about to enter our lives.  I said it was a "pivotal" point in our relationship, but Charlie thought it would be best if we settled for "meaningful."   He wanted me to understand that Bacon didn't play a critical role in our relationship.  Whatever.

Baconfest was held in the UIC Forum.  They are going to need a bigger place next year because we could barely move.  They sold out every inch of the place with crazy, crazy carnivores.

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSs.

 Ok, I'm done with the "before" photos.  On with zee food.   I know people are going to want me to rate the dishes, but I just can't.  It's like choosing your favorite child.  I loved them all.  Equally, but differently.

We entered and ran over to the first open table we could find.  

Jordan's Food of Distinction:  Applewood smoked bacon scented South African lobster cappuccino with crispy lardons and spring chive cream.  Chef Jordan Spritz. 

Nacional 27: Plantain and applewood smoked bacon croquetas with a spicy tomato bacon aioli.  Chef Chico Vilchez.

Here is Stephanie Izard.  Top Chef Season Four WINNER.  I love her.  I love everything about her and Top Chef.  She is from Chicago and REPRESENTS.  This was an awful picture but I was getting pushed and shoved and knocked into so I shot the picture and went on my merry way.  We'll revisit her Bacon Soup later.

The next dish was one of my favs.  Asian and delicious.

Sunda:  Braised applewood smoked pork belly with crispy bacon, apple kimchi, rice and spicy miso paste. Chef Jess de Guzman.

Zapatista:  Pork carnitas, jalapeno en escabeche relish, with a cabon banana chip on a corn tortilla. Chef Cesar Reyes.

Witts:  Bacon with white cheddar mac and cheese, spinach and artichokes.  Chef Mike Versluis. 

Leopold:  Braised cherry smoked belly with beluga lentils and white asparagus.  Chef Jeffrey Hedin.

Park Grill:  Chicken thigh and applewood bacon crostini, English peas, sorrel.  Chef Alex Shalev.

Francesca's Forno: Applewood smoked bacon & rapini stromboli with cipollini onion jam. Chef Kevin Ives.

This next dish is from one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago.  They did not disappoint.


Davanti Enoteca:  Pork belly porchetta with artichoke mostarda. Chef John Beatty.

Sixteen:  Tanariva milk chocolate and smoked brown sugar tarts, bacon "crunch", toasted meringue & smoked salt bacon caramels.  Sarah Kosikowski.

HOT DAM.

Rosebud:  Mini bacon cannoli.  Chef Michael Ponzio.

Rosebud:  Gorgonzola dolce ravioli in bacon brodo. Chef Michael Ponzio. 

Mercadito:  Taco de pollo - adobo marinated grilled chicken, bacon mojo, queso fresco, corn avocado salsa, crispy bacon.  Patricio Sandoval.

Mercat A La Planxa:  Cider braised pork belly pinxos with truffled parsnip and napa cabbage slaw.  Chef Cory Morris.

 Sweet Baby Rays:  Pit smoked barbecue BLT.  Nueske's cherry smoked slab bacon with spicy greens, heirloom tomatoes, and a larded duck egg aioli.  Chef Dylan R. Lipe and Duce Raymond.

694 Wine & Spirits:  The Kick Ass BLT.  Chef Chris Dunstatter.

Sweet Baby Rays:  Porchetta cubano.  Citrus infused pork loin wrapped with a slow smoked Latin cured pork belly; shaved thin and served on a petitie pressed roll with citrus ginger mustard, topped with a house made pickle, onion, and salt pork slaw.  Chef Dylan R. Lipe and Duce Raymond.

And then there were just crispy pieces of bacon.

Thumbs up.

Branch 27:  Cool spring pea soup with applewood bacon straw.  Chef Katherine August.

 Oh you know, just crispy delicious bacon on a stick.

 Cantina Loredo:  Tequila bacon tacos with jicama mango slaw. Chef Angel Blasco.

Gemini Bistro:  Bacon x's 3 - Hand rolled porchetta ravioli, crispy panchetta chip, warm bacon vinaigrette.  Chef Jason Paskewitz.

Glenview House:  Pan seared sea scallops on house made bacon polenta with black truffle aioli and micro fennel shoots.  Chef Grant Slauterbeck.

More bacon.  What is up.

The Bedford:  Bacon beignets, bacon sugar, bacon/walnut/bourbon infused maple caramel.  Chef Mark Steuer.

Wow Bao:  Freshly steamed BBQ pork bao.  Chef Team Wow Bao.

 Butcher & The Burger: Benton's Tennessee Mountain smoked bacon frozen custard, organic dates stuffed with LaPryor Farms Duroc/Hamshire house made bacon sausage, wrapped in Benton's Bacon. Chef Allen Sternweiler.

So this made my night. This is Sarah Grueneberg from Cafe Spiaggia.  This seasons TOP CHEF RUNNER UP!!!!  She was so nice and wonderful and even gave me her personal card.  I was so star struck I didn't even know what to do with myself.  She caught me staring at her with my mouth open and welcomed me up to the front of the line to meet her.  I threw the camera at Charlie and quickly posed.  I loved it.  Don't mind the bacon infused sweat forming on my upper lip.  It was hot, ok?  If you want to know what I said to her it was: "food.  blog.  big fan."  I'm just smooth like that.  

Cafe Spiaggia:  Nueske's wild cherry smoked bacon, Hooks 7 year cheddar gnudi with spring ramps. Chef Sarah Grueneberg and Aaron Diener. 

This was a little cream puff that I was gripping in my left hand when I hugged Sarah for the photo.   

The chefs didn't like to be photographed.

Girl & The Goat:  Bacon Soup.  Chef Stephanie Izard.

Vie:  Braised pork belly with whitefish brandade, spring peas, pickled green garlic, cracklings.  Chef Nathan Sears.

Yum.

Sable Kitchen & Bar:  Nueske's applewood smoked bacon pretzels with cheddar bacon jam dip.  Chef Heather Terhune.

Quince:  Crispy bacon spring roll - onion, chilis, swiss cheese, potato, poached egg, and bacon aioli.  Chef Andy Motto and Joe Dugolenski.

This is all, my friends.  This was only about a third of the dishes represented.  Charlie and I almost fainted 15 minutes in.  Next year I'm pacing myself and not eating three weeks before.  I'll be back in 2013, Baconfest Chicago.  Until then...stay hungry!