Okay, so maybe some could argue that bacon is not the perfect ‘food’ but in meat terms, I would have to challenge their contention.  The blend of sweet and salty along with the softness from the fat and the crispy crunch of the meat is an inherent balance that only bacon can claim.  And don’t we all feel just a little big naughty when we first bite into something that has bacon in it, slowly savoring the deep smoky flavor as our senses take it in?

Now, imagine the combination of that crispy, sweet, salty bacon along with chopped jalapeño peppers and warm, silky cream cheese.   It truly is a marriage made in food heaven.

The Enlightenment, Chapter 14 “…“Here, let me help!” Ben chimed in, mirroring Sarah’s smile.  He popped one of the bacon wrapped peppers into his mouth and sighed, “Oh, bacon, I’ve missed you!”

Meda laughed at Ben’s reaction and asked, “What is all this?”

“These are Tori’s bacon-wrapped cream cheese stuffed cherry peppers and they’re amazing!” Ben mumbled as he tried to both chew and talk at the same time.  He looked at Tori, admiringly and added, “Oh, and you added chopped jalapeños to the cheese so there’s just the right amount of heat.  Honey, these are wonderful!”

Tori laughed, pleased at Ben’s reaction and replied, “Thank you, Ben.” …”

Bacon-Wrapped Cherry Pepper Poppers

Ingredients:

• 1 jar hot cherry peppers
• ½ cup cream cheese, softened
• 1 jalapeño pepper, diced, and seeded
• 12 slices thin bacon, cut into thirds
• Toothpicks

Directions:

1) With a sharp knife, gently slice into one side of each pepper and scoop out the seeds and membrane.

2) Mix the diced jalapeño into the softened cheese and fill each pepper with the cheese mixture.

3) Wrap the filled peppers with a piece of the bacon until just the ends overlap and secure it with a toothpick.

4) Arrange the stuffed peppers on a baking sheet and place in a 350 degree oven for twelve to fifteen minutes or until bacon is crisp.  Remove from oven and serve the peppers warm.

I love animals, especially horses.   Back in the fall of 2008, I started volunteering at a rescue ranch named ‘Long Meadow Rescue Ranch,’ in Union, MO.  It’s a wonderful place under the direction of the Humane Society of Missouri, focused on the rehabilitation and adoption of horses and other farm animals that have been rescued from abusive or neglectful owners.

In addition to being able to being a part of the care and rehabilitation of those animals, I have had the privilege of getting to know several of the employees who work for the ranch, including a wonderful lady named Linda.

Linda owns several chickens that lay the most beautiful eggs.  I have included a picture of a few of the eggs I recently purchased from her, to show you how naturally beautiful they are.  I could hard-boil them as is and display them for Easter without even having to dye them! 

When I brought those beautiful eggs home, I immediately thought of Meda and her Caramelized Onion, Mushroom and Gruyère Quiche.  I made it for breakfast this morning and it was wonderful!

 

The Enlightenment, Chapter 5 “….“Ah, another beautiful day,” Meda said happily as she emerged from the house, carrying a large tray.  Placing the tray on the table, she added, “Perfect for breakfast on the patio!”

Sarah looked at the abundant assortment of fresh fruit, breads and other foods on the tray and replied, “My goodness, Meda!  There are only two of us actually eating any of this food which looks amazing by the way!  What is that heavenly smell?”

“It’s a quiche that Aubrey thought you might enjoy.  It’s made with caramelized onions, cremini mushrooms and Gruyère cheese.  She and I made breakfast together today,” Meda replied proudly as she cut two pieces from the dish, handing one to Sarah.  “Besides, I rarely get a chance to cook for more than one person so I’m enjoying the opportunity to cook for someone else.”

Sarah placed the plate on the table in front of her, smiled appreciatively at Meda and Aubrey and said, “That was very thoughtful of you both, thank you!”  She took a bite of the quiche and again, closed her eyes in contentment.  “Oh, this is wonderful!  The combination of the smoky, caramelized onions and the creamy Gruyère is perfect!  You’ll have to give me this recipe!”…”

Meda’s Caramelized Onion, Mushrooms and Gruyère Quiche:

Ingredients:      

• 1 medium onion, sliced into half-moons
• 1 pound sliced Cremini, Shitake and Portobello mushrooms
• 4 Tablespoon Olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• ¼ Teaspoon dry mustard
• 3 Large Eggs, yolk and whites separated
• 1 Cup Milk
• 1 Cup Grated Gruyère cheese
• Kosher salt
• Fresh ground pepper

Directions:

1)    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2)   Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large nonstick pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and caramelized, about eight to ten minutes.  Transfer the onions to a bowl.

3)    Add the remaining two tablespoons of oil to the pan and heat over a medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they have released their water and begin to brown, about six to eight minutes. Add the onions back to the pan, stir in the salt, pepper, mustard and thyme.

4)  Whisk together the eggs, egg whites and milk in a small bowl.

5)    Spray a nine-inch pie dish with cooking spray and spread the mushroom-onion mixture into an even layer.  Pour in the egg mixture and then top it with the Gruyère cheese.

6)    Place the dish in the oven and bake it for thirty-five minutes or until knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

7)    Remove the pan from the oven and let it rest for five minutes before cutting.

‘No more rhymes now!  I mean it!’

‘Anybody want a peanut?’

One of the funniest scenes from the movie, ‘The Princess Bride,’ is the exchange between Inigo, Vizzini and Fezzik, while in the boat on their way to the Cliffs of Insanity.

That’s what immediately popped into my head when I read my blog post title out loud.   So, you’re welcome.

My family laughs when they hear me talk about my plans to smoke a fish, because of the visual the phrase puts in their heads.  I get it.

Fortunately, their laughter quickly transforms to appreciative joy, when they take their first bite of the tender, smoky goodness of a freshly smoked trout filet.

First Sight, Chapter 20 “…she picked up a plate and placed some of the capers, fresh dill and the smoked trout on a slice of the bread. Ben watched for her reaction as she took her first bite and was pleased to see hers was exactly as his had been. “Wow! This is really good. Okay, we’re definitely stopping there before we leave,” Tori said, taking another bite. “We’re going to have to buy a cooler so we can bring more of this back on the plane.”

Ben laughed at her reaction and said, “I think that’s probably a good idea.”

Irishman’s Smoked Trout

Ingredients:

• Trout fillet, cleaned and de-boned, skin on
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• Fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup Apple wood chips
• Water

Directions:

1)    Place the apple wood chips in a container and immerse them in water overnight.  Set a glass or heavy jar on top of the chips to keep them from floating.

2)   Rinse the fish fillet and place on a transfer tray.  Season the fillet with the Olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon juice.

3)    Prepare your smoker to manufacturer’s directions.  I use an ‘Old Smokey’ electric smoker.

4)    Drain the apple wood chips and place them on the smoking tray.  Place the drip pan above the smoking tray and then place the prepared trout fillet on the cooking rack.

5)    Close the smoker and set the temperature to high.  Fillets generally cook within 20 minutes per pound so adjust your cooking time accordingly.

Admit it.  You’ve got the song in your head now don’t you?   Sorry!  I had to share because when I cook with beer, I somehow always end up with that song ringing in my head as I watch the beautiful amber-colored liquid gently swirl into my recipe.

Speaking of a beautiful amber-colored liquid, let’s talk Guinness, specifically, Irishman’s Guinness-Rye Bread.

Tori and I share many of the same traits.  We love to cook, but baking and measuring ingredients just isn’t our preference.  This next recipe will take a chunk out of your day, however it is absolute perfection when paired with smoked fish or a deep hearty stew.

First Sight, Chapter 20 “…Tori looked at the food on the table and remarked in surprise, “Seriously this is amazing!  You even bought capers and fresh dill!  What kind of bread is that?”

“It’s a special bread the deli makes called a Guinness Rye.  It pairs really well with the trout,” Ben replied, in a very poorly attempted Irish accent.

Tori laughed and asked, “And you know that because?”

“I got to sample some of everything before I bought it!” Ben replied.  “You’ll have to go there with me before we leave.  The place is amazing and everything is made right there in the shop.  It’s owned by an old Irish couple and they’ve been there for almost thirty years!”

“Hmm, okay.  You’ve piqued my curiosity,” Tori replied …”

Irishman’s Guinness-Rye Bread

Ingredients: 

• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1 cup rye flour
• 3 cups unbleached flour (1/4 cup for kneading)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon warm water
• 12-ounces Guinness stout beer, un-chilled

Directions:

1)     Combine the beer and water in a large bowl, then add the yeast and stir the mixture until the yeast is completely dissolved.

2)     Add the rye flour and 1-½ cups of white flour and mix until you have a thick batter.   Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let the mixture rest for about 2 – 4 hours until it begins to bubble.

3)     Stir in the remainder of the 1-1/4 cups of the white flour and salt.

4)    Sprinkle some of the reserved ¼ cup white flour onto a work surface, turn the dough out onto that surface and knead the dough, for about five minutes.

5)     Return the dough back to the bowl, cover it with the towel and let it rest for another 30-45 minutes.

6)    Turn the dough back out onto the floured work surface and divide it into 2 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and let the balls rest for 5 minutes.

7)  Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

8)  Liberally spray two bread loaf pans with cooking spray.

9)  Shape each ball into the shape of a bread loaf and place a loaf into each pan and score to top of each loaf with a sharp knife.

10) Place the loaf pans into the oven and bake the bread for five minutes at 400 degrees.  After the five minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes.

11) Remove pans from oven, invert the pans to remove the loaves and let them cool completely on a rack.

As the summer begins to wind down and the days become shorter, farmers and orchardists are anxiously awaiting the beginning of apple picking season.

Whether it’s in the form of a pan pie, hand pie or turnover, there’s nothing like that first bite of a warm flaky crust, buttery apples, melted sugar and spicy cinnamon.

First Sight, Chapter 18 “….What are you making?” Tori asked, looking into a large mixing bowl beside Ben where he was adding the sliced apples.

“I thought I would try my hand at making apple turnovers today,” he replied, carefully measuring sugar into the bowl.  “Coffee is fresh if you want a cup.”

Tori smiled as she watched him add the remaining ingredients and begin mixing them together.  “You’re going to make someone a good little wife one day,” she joked….”

 Ben’s Apple Turnovers:

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 4 cups water
• 4 Granny Smith apples – peeled, cored & sliced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 package pastry sheets, thawed
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 fresh vanilla bean
• 1 egg yolk, beaten

Directions:

1)  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2)  Combine the lemon juice with the 4 cups of water in a large bowl and add the sliced apples.  (This will keep the apples from browning.)

3)  Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat.   Remove the apples from the water and add them to the melted butter, cooking them for about 2 minutes.   Stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg, and cook the mixture another 2 minutes.

4)  In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water together, then add the mixture to the seasoned apples.  Stir and cook the mixture for another minute, until sauce has thickened. Remove the pan from the heat to cool slightly.

5)   Unfold the pastry sheets, and roll them out slightly into large squares.  Repair any cracks by pressing them back together.  Cut each larger square into 4 smaller squares.

6)   Spoon approximately 2 tablespoons of the apple mixture onto the center of each square and fold the square over from corner to corner, creating a triangle shape.  Press the edges of the triangle together to seal in the filling.

7)  Place the turnovers on a baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch between them and brush them with the egg yolk (this will give the turnovers a ‘shiny’ crusted look when baked).

8)  Place the prepared baking sheet in the oven and bake the turnovers for 25-30 minutes, until the turnovers are puffed and lightly browned.

9)   Transfer the turnovers to a rack and cool completely.

10) Cut the vanilla bean in half and scrape out the center of each half with the flat side of a knife.  Mix the fresh vanilla with the confectioners’ sugar and milk in a small bowl.  Adjust the thickness by adding more sugar or milk if necessary.  Drizzle the glaze over the cooled turnovers.