Category Archives: Sidekicks

Maple & Beer Glazed Bacon

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I know we grabbed your attention just about right away because, well BACON and BEER. And I promise, you won’t be disappointed. It’s hard to imagine making bacon any better, but this recipe legit does just that. The bacon is coated in a sweet and slightly savory glaze that makes it melt in your mouth. Mix that with the saltiness of the bacon. #canteven

  • 1 package of thick cut bacon
  • 1 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 cup honey
  • 2 tbsp Grey Poupon mustard
  • 1 bottle Sam Adams lager

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place the bacon on a baking sheet/jelly roll pan and cook for 20 – 25 minutes until slightly crispy but not fully cooked. While that’s making your house smell amazing, in a small saucepan bring the maple syrup, honey, and mustard to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and add the beer. Simmer the mixture for 5 minutes. When the bacon is done, pour the maple mixture on top creating an even layer on each strip. Cook the bacon for 5-10 more minutes depending on how crispy you prefer it.

Maple beer glazed bacon_damndelish

Happy Eating, XO.

Takeout Timeout

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Guys, who doesn’t love some Sunday night lo mein or kung pao chicken. However, after eating like crap all weekend or spending too much money going out it may be best to just cook your Chinese take out staple at home. It is a lot healthier and tends to be more wallet friendly as well. I hooked up some stir fry and fried rice for the boyfriend and I last weekend, it was tre yum. Check out the fried rice recipe below and see if you enjoy it as much as we did.

  • 1/2 cup mirepoix mix (pre diced celery, onions, & carrots. You can obviously do this yourself but its just more time away from laying on the couch and watching football).
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • salt & pepper to taste (I would add at the end only because soy sauce, even the low sodium stuff is pretty salty tasting so you don’t want to over season).
  • 1 tbsp. minced garlic paste
  • 1 tsp. minced ginger paste (if you don’t have garlic or ginger paste, the powder would work too)
  • 2 tbsp. soy sauce
  • 1 tsp. sambal oelek (it’s an Asian chili oil but a few squirts of siriacha would do if you didn’t have any)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup boiled rice
  • 1 tbsp. butter (I add it just at the end, before serving. It melts into the rice and adds a nice soft texture to the dish, but feel free to leave out).

Heat the oil on high in pan or wok, while cooking the veggies, paste & spices. Don’t add the rice or soy sauce just yet. Cook till translucent/tender. Then crack the two eggs into the hot oil, veggie, spice mixture. Start scrambling, this is when you add the rice to incorporate everything together. Lower heat and stir in the chili oil & soy sauce.

IMG_8479

It came out so legit, I didn’t even miss having a post meal fortune cookie. I may permanently be on a time out from my take out spot.

Happy Eating, XO.

Sweatpants Casserole

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Now that its legit creeping into Winter from Fall we need some oven friendly meals to not only warm up our kitchens, but also our bellies. This is the perfect Sunday night dinner because it makes a large quantity for whomever you have over for football or its great as leftovers for work the next day. Its cozy, creamy, cheesy and just so flavorful. Its perfect to eat with a warm pair of sweats. Let’s face it, sweat pants hide everything and after eating this decadent casserole, a forgiving pair of pants will be a need more than a want. Goes well with the food coma you will have after this heavy meal. I was gluttonous enough to pair it with meatloaf. Such a perfect dinner!

  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp. butter
  • 1 28 oz. bag of shredded has browns, thawed
  • 2 cups sour cream
  • 1 20 oz. can of cream of chicken soup
  • 1 packet of dried ranch mix
  • 2 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • s&p to taste
*I did a few dashes of hot sauce as well
**Optional for topping the casserole is French’s fried onions, adds a nice crunch & flavor, but breadcrumbs or crushed cornflakes would work fine
Sautee the onions, garlic, salt & pepper with a little bit of butter until translucent. Mix the sour cream, ranch mix, soup, cheddar, potatoes, and onion mixture. Smooth out an even layer in a nonstick pan and spread with hot sauce and fried onions to taste.
Bake at 350 degree’s for 50-60 minutes based on depth of your pan & layer of cheesy potatoes.
Happy Eating, XO.

Homemade Hummus

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Listen, I’m a huge fan of store bought, however my mom made me a convert the last time she was visiting me in Philly. She blended up a batch of her home made hummus for me to dip with carrots and then a few other flavors for me to use with the kebabs she brought. My oh my, trust me when I say, its WAY better. Silver lining is, its almost as easy/quick as opening the store bought container.

  • Tahini (see it wasn’t JUST for that shaved brussels sprout recipe, you silly non-believers)
  • Garbanzo beans/chick peas (canned stuff kids)
  • 1 Lemon
  • Garlic (as much as you want really, 1-3 cloves)

Optional Flavor I: Roasted red peppers
Optional Flavor II: Cilantro & Jalapeño
Optional Flavor III: Black Olives
Optional Flavor IV: Avocado
Optional Flavor V: Jess’ Basil

So yea you get the point, there are multiple flavors, but even the original or base flavor is so yum! It’s also a nice way to use up anything you may have going bad. I always have cilantro leftover from my chimichurri sauce recipe or who doesn’t always seem to have an avocado that went from firm to ripe too fast? So throw it in the hummus and get to snacking! As you know hummus is also a good/healthy sub for mayo in wraps and sandwiches. Plus, recently, I ate a hummus stuffed omelet at this French/Lebanese brunch spot (shout out to Cafe La Maude) that rocked my world. So yeah, make some, you won’t be disappointed.

Happy Eating, XO.

Pop It Like It’s Hot – Popovers

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Remember how we told you in our challah recipe that making bread isn’t actually that daunting? Well, it still isn’t! And these pop-overs are proof of that. I whipped them together as a side and they were the perfect puffy compliment to our dinner. Also, because the steam “pops” the middle of them, it leaves room for you to get creative. Fill them with custard, berries, steak tips and sauce. (What?! Yes, go with me on this one. Think: Ghetto beef wellington.). These little guys are so versatile you can use them as a side dish, at brunch, or as a dessert. Also, bonus, you don’t actually need a pop-over pan. I’m all about having an excuse to buy another kitchen gadget or pan, but a muffin tin works just as well.

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3/4 whole milk
  • 4 eggs, room temperature
  • 2 tbsp melted butter

Preheat the oven to 425 and swipe your muffin tin with butter. Place it in the oven while it preheats. It’s best to use a hot tin to create steam when the batter hits it. In a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients and whisk until smooth. The batter will be pretty liquid-y, you don’t want it to be thick.

Take the hot tin out and pour in the batter. Bake for roughly 20 minutes and whatever you do, please don’t open the oven to check on them! They won’t get to their full puffed up glory if cool air hits them before they have a chance to crisp on the outside. Enjoy them hot or store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Popovers

Happy Eating, XO.