Bacon-Filled Cinnamon Rolls + Giveaway Winner

First things first: I was giving away a $75 Whole Foods gift card last week, and had lots of friends hoping they'd be chosen. But there could only be one ... oh, if only I were Santa and could generate bunches of 'em! But instead, I went to Random.org to generate a winner, and here are the results (with apologies for it not formatting properly, techno-dolt that I sometimes am, such that I simply had to type in the information):

True Random Number Generator
Min: 1
Max: 55
Result: 4
Powered by RANDOM.ORG

MAZAL TOV to Nikki K.!!! Put the card to good use and be sure to tell me about the fabulous dishes you cook with the goodies you buy!

Okay, now on to the food ... :)

My friend Beth frequently sends me recipe ideas, and they always seem to include bacon. Considering that we work together at a synagogue, this is fairly amusing to us! You hire shiksas, and look what happens ... oy!

So, Beth recently sent me an idea she'd found online in which a commercially-prepared refrigerated cinnamon roll dough is unrolled, a strip of bacon is laid over it, and the entire thing is wrapped up again into a spiral and baked into salty-sweet, pork-filled goodness. We drooled over our keyboards.

But as I thought about it, I thought the strip of bacon might not cook fully since it was buried in the dough; and as it cooked, to whatever degree of done-ness, it would ooze bacon fat and possibly make the cinnamon rolls soggy. So, I took the inspiration and I tweaked it a bit. I pre-cooked the bacon 'til crispy, rolled the crumbles into the dough, then baked away. The fragrance in the kitchen was astounding!

And so, for a Christmas breakfast, a weekend brunch, or "just 'cause," I give you Bacon-Filled Cinnamon Rolls - ridiculously easy to make and worth far more than their weight in gold. How can you not love a 2-ingredient recipe at this busy time, especially when it includes BACON???


Bacon-Filled Cinnamon Rolls

1 12.4-ounce can refrigerated cinnamon rolls
4 strips of bacon

Preheat the oven to 400F. Grease an 8"-round baking pan.

Open the can of dough and reserve the icing. Unroll the dough and lay it onto a countertop or cutting board.

Cook the bacon until crisp, then chop it into crumbles. Sprinkle the crumbles over the cinnamon roll dough, then roll each strip into a spiral and place it into the baking pan.

Bake for 15 minutes, until the cinnamon rolls are golden. Remove from the pan and let cool a bit, then drizzle with the reserved icing.

Makes 8 bacon-filled cinnamon rolls.

Frugal Floozie Friday - NeoPapalis

I had a fabulous Girls' Night Out recently with my BFF Wendy and our new friend (who seemed immediately like an old friend!) Vicki. Both eat a vegan diet, so I wanted to find a restaurant we could all enjoy without having to impose too greatly upon the kitchen or leave my dining companions with only a few meager options.

Fortunately, NeoPapalis - one of Ann Arbor's newest pizza places - offers a little something for everyone ... and at prices which happily meet our Frugal Floozie Friday budget of $5 per person.

There are four basic pizzas to choose from, costing either $6 or $7, which easily feed at least two people.  A few toppings - butter crust, oregano, or a four pepper olive oil - are available for free, while others cost $1 each.

The $6 Red Marinara version comes with tomato sauce, sliced Romano tomatoes, extra-virgin olive oil, roasted garlic, oregano, and sea salt ... and it comes with no cheese. It was perfect!

To the left, you'll see the "as is" version that Wendy chose; to the right, you'll see the one I ordered with caramelized onions and Kalamata olives. At the top of the post is Vicki's pizza, topped with pineapple and green and red peppers. Each of these allowed two slices per person, as we mixed and matched and took home leftovers. You could add more toppings if you're hungry, but the pizza is delicious even with no frills.

You could supplement your pizza with a $5 salad, and still stay within budget by sharing lunch or dinner with loved ones. The base price offers a salad large enough to feed a small family, and the following items are even included at no charge (choose whichever ones you like): sliced mushrooms, cucumbers, red onions, green and red peppers, Kalamata olives, Roma tomatoes, roasted garlic, broccoli, beets, Jalapeno peppers, hot pepper rings, pineapple, and artichokes. Cheeses cost $1 each, meat items cost $1.50 each, and dressing options beyond Ranch, the house vinaigrette, Chipotle Ranch, or Balsamic Vinaigrette cost an extra 75 cents. Pizza and a hearty vegetable-laden salad make an exceptional meal to share with your family or friends at very little cost!

I also ordered the sweet potato fries, for a mere $3, because I adore them.  Most places offer soft, baked versions; NeoPapalis' fries, however, are crisp and served with a Chipotle Ranch dipping sauce that is an ideal, spicy complement. I devoured these, and continue to fight cravings for more. They are a great appetizer to share before pizza or salad, or make an excellent snack all by themselves with a $1.50 soda, lemonade, or iced tea.

I'd had such a lovely meal with Vicki and Wendy that I brought Jeremy and Craig to NeoPapalis soon after for lunch. Craig ordered a $5 pita sandwich which, unfortunately, wasn't particularly photogenic although it was enormous. For the base price, you get a nearly foot-long meal containing one meat, one cheese, one dressing, and any vegetables from a list of sixteen - yes, sixteen potential additions for no extra money. If you want extra cheeses, they cost $1 each; extra meats cost $1.50 each. But trust me, they're superfluous - the basic sandwich is huge.

Jeremy ordered the $7 Bianca pizza: an herb butter base, Asiago and Mozzarella cheeses, extra-virgin olive oil, and honey. He topped it with bacon, because he's my child. This was rich, delicious, and easily splittable by 2-4 to stay well within our mandatory Frugal Floozie Friday budget. Even Jeremy, a 22-year old male - a species notorious for its appetite! - advocates for sharing something this hearty.

I ordered the sweet potato fries again, because I like them so much, and split them with Craig and with Jeremy. I'm not ordinarily a creature of habit (at least with food), but this time I couldn't help it.

For great values, good fresh food, and a menu that is inviting to virtually any diet, NeoPapalis is a welcome addition to town!

NeoPapalis
500 E. William St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734-929-2227
Sunday - Thursday: 11 a.m. - 12 a.m.
Friday and Saturday: 11 a.m. - 12:30 a.m.



View Larger Map

Frugal Floozie Friday - Bell's Diner

Bell's Diner, today's Frugal Floozie Friday feature, is a place which - as it states on its menu - invites you to "Call it your home." Very friendly, it's a great place to go for breakfast, lunch, or just to find "good, homemade food in a casual and cheerful atmosphere." It's an Ann Arbor institution.

Many, many options qualify for our mandatory $5 per person budget, and it's really hard to choose among them! But since Craig and I were there in the early afternoon, I was feeling more inclined towards lunch than towards breakfast.

Thus, I ordered the Deluxe Cheeseburger, which offered a choice of American, Cheddar, Swiss, or Jack cheese and was served with either fries or onion rings. Most places charge extra for an option other than the potatoes, but this full plate of food fell perfectly within our limit at $4.99.

Craig ordered breakfast, as he's a traditional kinda guy when it comes to food and this was his first meal of the day. While his generously-filled plate snuck just above our limit to $5.29, you can order this entire meal without the hash browns - thus, "2 eggs with bacon, sausage, or ham and toast" - for a mere $4.59. It was so much food that Craig even shared some of the bacon to supplement my cheeseburger!

Some other choices include homemade sausage gravy with a biscuit for $3.59; two large pancakes with one egg for $4.29; or a three-egg cheese omelette served with toast for $4.59.

Regular sandwiches (served with potato chips, pickles, and cole slaw) that meet our budgetary limit include the grilled cheese, the egg salad, the BLT, the hot dog, and the Coney Island. Deluxe sandwiches (served with lettuce, fries or onion rings, cole slaw, and pickles) that qualify are the grilled cheese, the egg salad, and the hot dog.

All of the regular burgers (same terms as the sandwiches, above) are great frugal options; or you can order a deluxe hamburger or cheeseburger.

One of the many great aspects of Bell's is that it serves both diner food and also Korean classics. So you can even enjoy a six-piece plate of Mandoo - "seasoned vegetables wrapped in pasta and deep fried" - with sweet and sour sauce for only $3.99.

If you just want dessert and a cup of coffee, Bell's offers fresh pie for $2.49, or enjoy it a la mode for $3.49. A hot fudge sundae also costs $3.49.

Stop by Bell's for a warm welcome, a cozy atmosphere, and great food for very inexpensive prices!


Bell's Diner
2167 W. Stadium Blvd.
Ann Arbor, MI 48103
734-995-0226
Monday: 6:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Tuesday - Saturday: 6:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Sunday: 8 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.



View Larger Map

Loaded Baked Potato Latkes

"These are the best latkes ever!"

Jeremy has spoken. You should listen.

These combine all the crispiness of fried potatoes with all the goodness of a loaded baked potato that's been cut open and filled with cheese, green onions, bacon, and sour cream. These are a very good time.

You'll notice that I didn't use real bacon - you may substitute this fine ingredient, if you'd like to. When I prepare Jewish food for posts, I always respect the dietary laws that forbid combining meat and dairy products and also ban anything having to do with pig. But really, truly, even with fake bacon, these were exceptional.

Chanukkah is a minor holiday that began this past Saturday at sundown, but it's a festive and fattening party which celebrates the miracle of one day's worth of consecrated oil having lasted eight days. The Eastern European (Ashkenazic) tradition is to eat latkes, the Israeli one offers sufganiyot [soof-GAHN-yoht] - jelly doughnuts.

Fried foods reign supreme! Especially these latkes ....


If you'd like to try other celebratory foods during Chanukkah, here are some options:

Spiced Beef Egg Rolls

Doughnut Delights

Provolone Fritto con Marinara

Curried Potato Latkes

Reuben Latkes


Loaded Baked Potato Latkes

• 4 cups hash browns, defrosted
• 2 tablespoons matzah meal
• 2 eggs
• 3 tablespoons water
• 4 pieces Morningstar Farms Bacon Strips, chopped
• 2/3 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 4 scallions, chopped fine
• oil, for frying
• sour cream, for serving

In a large mixing bowl, combine hash browns, matzah meal, egg, and water; let rest for 5 minutes.  Stir in bacon strips, cheese, and scallions.

Pour oil into a large skillet to 1/4" depth; heat over medium heat.  Take 1/4 cupfuls of latke batter, and fry for 5 minutes per side until golden; drain on paper towels.  Continue frying until batter is used up, stove and countertops are greasy, and your entire house smells of cooking oil ... ah, the traditions of Chanukkah!

Serve immediately, with sour cream.

Makes 10 latkes.

Max Sussman and Eli Sussman Coming to Williams-Sonoma

(If you missed it on AnnArbor.com yesterday, here's a post you need to see! Fabulous food, great event ... join me there, if you're in town!)


There's more to life than football. Even in Ann Arbor, even when we're talking about the upcoming Ohio State game, there's more to life than football. Really, there is!

There's food. And I don't just mean tailgating food, although that's very important. I'm referring to food prepared by two of the most talked-about chefs in New York City, who are making their home state of Michigan very proud.

In my obsessive little world, chefs are the rock stars. And two of the hottest acts right now are Max Sussman and his brother Eli, who live and work in Brooklyn but who will be offering a cooking demonstration at Briarwood's Williams-Sonoma store at 3 p.m. on Saturday. They'll also be signing copies of This is a Cookbook: Recipes for Real Life, which has just been published. How can you not love a book written, as they phrase it themselves, "by 2 guys who like to eat"?

Eli cooks at the Mile-End Deli, and is also the marketing director for Taste of the Nation NYC, an event that benefits the exceptional charity Share Our Strength, which fights hunger and particularly promotes feeding children. Max is a chef at Roberta's, the very trendy pizzeria that has received 2 stars from The New York Times; and he was a semifinalist for this year's James Beard Foundation Awards, on the radar for Rising Star Chef of the Year. Both brothers made Zagat's 2012 "30 Under 30: NYC's Hottest Up-and-Comers" list of food professionals to watch.

The Sussman brothers are passionate about excellent, but not pretentious, food. Their cookbook offers recipes for everything from dishes to impress your girlfriend when you first cook dinner for her to midnight snacks after a long night with friends (or, in their cases, at work). And there is a recipe for a Chocolate-Peanut Butter Pie that only requires baking a graham cracker crust, while the filling is merely mixed, poured, and refrigerated. "If you're capable of reading this cookbook, you are capable of making this dessert look as insanely good as the picture."

Max and Eli's philosophy is simple, as they noted in an interview with The New York Times:

“For us, it’s not about a concept, it’s about making stuff that people are going to enjoy eating,” Max said. “We wanted the recipes to be immediately useful.”

Eli said: “It sounds a bit obvious, but we really wanted it to be a cookbook — like a cooking book. It’s not a coffee-table book. If this book just sits on people’s coffee tables, it’s basically a failure.”

The Bacon 'n' Blue Cheese Pizza featured below - found in a section that berates people for relying upon the sacrilege that is frozen pizza - would be an exceptional offering for today's tailgating feast. Go Blue, after all! Jeremy and I adore both blue cheese and bacon, so this was absolutely our first choice when selecting a recipe to try from the Sussmans' cookbook. My boyfriend Craig is not a fan of blue cheese, however he did promise to at least try it; almost anything is improved with bacon, after all, and pizza is probably his favorite food.

Well, I used a different crust recipe than the one in the book because I'd committed a cardinal sin of cooking: I'd failed to read Max and Eli's recipe ahead of time, and didn't have the necessary 1-2 hours available to let their dough rise. But I quickly buzzed their sauce around in the blender, and followed their recommendations for the toppings.

"Ooh"s and "Ahh"s, and much anticipation, preceded the first bites. And I'm here to tell you that this was one fabulously amazing creation! In fact, of the 12 slices of pizza I offered for dinner on the night I served this, I was granted only two; the rest was devoured by my two dining companions ... even by the one who didn't previously like blue cheese.

So, you should come with me to see Max and Eli at Williams-Sonoma this Saturday. They know how to cook, and they want to show you how easy it is and how much fun it can be.

You can watch endless replays of the game later on. But how many opportunities will you have for these two handsome, charming guys to feed you?

Max Sussman and Eli Sussman Book Signing and Cooking Demonstration
Saturday, November 24 at 3:00 p.m.
Williams-Sonoma
808 Briarwood Circle, Ann Arbor

Bacon 'n' Blue Cheese Pizza

Crust:

• 1 packet quick-rise yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 3 cups flour

In a large bowl, combine yeast, sugar and water; let proof for 5 minutes. Stir in salt and flour. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and then a dish towel; place in a warm place to let rise for 30 minutes.

Sauce:

• 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Place all ingredients into a blender; puree until smooth.

Pizza:

• cornmeal
• 1 pound bacon, cut into 1" pieces
• 8 ounces Mozzarella, shredded
• 2/3 cup shredded Parmesan
• 6 ounces crumbled blue cheese

Preheat oven to 425F. Sprinkle a bit of cornmeal onto the bottom of a 15"x10" baking sheet.

Cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp; drain on paper towels.

Punch down the pizza dough. Place onto the prepared baking sheet and carefully stretch the dough to the edges of the baking sheet. Spread some of the sauce over the dough, reserving the rest for another purpose. Sprinkle Mozzarella and Parmesan over the top.

Sprinkle bacon and blue cheese over the top of the pizza. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until cheese is bubbling and crust is crisp. Let rest for 5 minutes before cutting into slices.

Makes 12 generous slices.

Grilled Bacon, Parmesan, and Fig Sandwich

I've been thinking about a fig 'n' Parmesan combination for some time now, though I just haven't managed to act upon it before this.

But it's stuck with me. And it's stuck with me because it is bashert [bah-SHAYRT], which is Hebrew for "destiny."

I'd originally considered a savory bread pudding with shavings of Parmesan and some fig jam stirred into the custard; that may still find its way into my repertoire this winter, when the warmth of bread pudding is the perfect thing to counter the cold. But after a long day at work, I needed dinner ... and I needed a meal that didn't require too much effort. If it were going to be time-consuming or complicated, I'd have ended up just eating chocolate chips. (You think I'm kidding, but I'm really not. It had been that kind of day.)

So, fortunately for my pancreas, there was a better idea: a grilled cheese sandwich combining the Parmesan and the figs. And as I gathered ingredients together, I had an epiphany ... bacon.

There was a bit of leftover bacon flirting with me as I routed around in the refrigerator. I could hear it blowing kisses, whispering sweet nothings.

Well, how could I resist such seductive charms? I succumbed. I'm "that" kinda girl.

And I have no regrets.

This sandwich exceeded my expectations beyond my usually verbose ability to describe it. The crisp crunch of the buttery, toasted bread ... the first bite bringing sweetness, then the tingle of the mustard ... the nuttiness of the creamy Parmesan came through in the next moment, contrasting with the chewiness of the bacon. It was a perfect union of tastes and textures.

It was love at first bite.

Grilled Bacon, Parmesan and Fig Sandwich

• 4 slices good quality multigrain bread
• butter, at room temperature
• very light schmear of Dijon mustard
• 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan
• 4 strips bacon, cooked, cut in half
• 2 fresh Black Mission figs, ends trimmed, chopped, mashed lightly

Lay the bread slices out on the countertop, and schmear some butter onto one side of each slice. Place 2 slices butter-side down in a medium skillet; lightly schmear them with Dijon mustard.

Divide half of the cheese among the bread slices. Top with the mashed figs, the bacon, and the remaining cheese. Place the remaining 2 slices of bread on top, butter-side up.

Cook over medium heat until cheese is melting and the sandwich is golden on both sides.

Makes 2 sandwiches. I won't blame you if you eat them both yourself, in one sitting.

Chicago, Chicago

I took a mini vacation recently to Chicago, and had the most wonderful time!  Food, fun, friends ... it was fabulous!

Initially, my plan was to attend the exceptional and extraordinary exhibit of Roy Lichtenstein's work at The Art Institute of Chicago.  However, that morphed into a plan to finally meet my blogging buddy (so woefully inadequate a term!) Leanne, of From Chaos Comes Happiness, so that we could tour the retrospective together.  Leanne is both an artist and a beautiful, kind soul; she was the perfect person to attend this event with.

Sometimes you just know that you've found a cherished friend, even if you've never met her.  Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett fell in love via letters, after all.  Words have meaning, and Leanne's sincerity, empathy, and heart pour through in hers.  Her sister-in-law noted that our cyber-"relationship" and long-sought meeting reminded her of finding a new boyfriend on a dating site!  But we knew that we were already friends, rather than merely hopeful that we'd like each other.  Sometimes you just know ....

Leanne came running down the stairs of the Art Institute as I ran up them  - we had agreed, in a fashion similar to meeting at the Empire State Building in "An Affair to Remember," to meet at the south lion out front - and we squealed and hugged and smiled and laughed ... oh, it was so wonderful to finally really see her smile, the shine in her eyes, her joy!  We wandered in to the museum and were off on our adventure.

I have to truly say that the Lichtenstein retrospective is amazing!  Oh, the breadth and depth of it, from the earliest work to ones completed shortly before his death; from sculptures to the well-known comic strip paintings; and from homages to predecessors like Monet and Picasso to Asian-inspired landscapes.  Leanne and I kept leaning in to the pictures, studying and analyzing the color schemes, the famous screened dots ... until we were chastised a couple of times by the security guards for getting too close and for - gasp! - pointing.  We weren't just admiring, but really wanted to understand the process and the technique, as well.  We must have been cute, though, 'cause the guards let us off with just lighthearted warnings.

There were readily accessible pictures, like one of a hot dog and another of those ubiquitous black-and-white composition books we all had in school.  Part of the philosophy of Pop Art, of course, is to represent and transform everyday objects, as well as to elevate the graphic arts that we simply take for granted because they surround us in commercial venues and on marketable products.

But then there were more serious pieces, like my new favorite picture, "Ohhh ... Alright ...".  Which of us hasn't uttered those two words with deflation ... with resignation ... with frustration ... with sadness ... with exasperation ... with disappointment?  I took this fellow redhead into my heart, and Leanne and I called her "our girl" - someone we both could so easily relate to, a friend we wanted to console - for the rest of the afternoon.  It is a hallmark of the power of the artist that his image - distilled and deconstructed - could elicit such a response despite its seeming simplicity and deceptively cartoonish style.

We then toured the gift shop seeking presents and souvenirs, mementos of our afternoon immersed in art and in heartfelt conversation about dreams, loves both current and lost, dancing, hopes, fears, and family.  A magnet for my refrigerator - which I now look at each day, prompting memories and a smile - a postcard to frame.  And then there was not only a room devoted to books, but two of those books were calling my name loudly: Midwest Sweet Baking History: Delectable Classics Around Lake Michigan and Food Lovers' Guide to Chicago: Best Local Specialties, Markets, Recipes, Restaurants & Events ... sigh.  Temptation as I read, longing to cook and bake and eat!

Leanne's husband, Phil, had very sweetly made a dinner reservation for us all at the Park Grill, right near the Art Institute; he was going to bring their daughters, Katie and Ella, into the city for the afternoon and then we'd all meet up for our evening meal.  I'd hoped to be able to meet those dearest to Leanne, but I was only going to be in town until Sunday at noon; so this was a perfect plan!

Phil is a sweetheart, happily wound 'round the pinky fingers of all three of his "girls;" some men are just born to be the daddys of daughters, and Phil is absolutely one of those true gems.  Katie and Ella are gorgeous and sweet, polite and kind.  But still, even though you have faith that they'll behave beautifully in such a grown-up setting, be sweet to each other rather than bickering as siblings can often do (particularly after a long day in the heat), and be gracious hostesses to an out-of-town visitor, it was still so charming and wonderful to see them actually be those fabulous girls.

Dinner ... oh, my word, dinner was extraordinary!  And not just because of the very fine company, but also because it was sublime and succulent.

I am the least decisive person on Earth when it comes to food, as Leanne can now attest to herself having seen me in (in)action!  For starters - a salad? calamari? soup?  As an entree - Alaskan salmon? A Kobe beef burger?  And sides - sides!  Oh, too many choices!  It would be so easy if I were a picky eater and might only like one very simple, benign item.  But everything sounded wonderful!  Too much temptation!

Because I have that combined Catholic-Jewish guilt complex - a powerful entity if ever there were one - I finally forced myself to pick the melon salad and avoid making the waiter come back yet again.  This selection was light and bright and crunchy and sweet and salty ... every taste and texture working in perfect unison in each bite.  There were three types of melon, lightly toasted pine nuts, crumbled feta cheese, and a creamy cilantro dressing that added a lovely zest in contrast to the delicate fruit.

Leanne and Phil both ordered the roasted beet salad with goat cheese and pistachios, which Leanne generously let me taste in all its tender, sweet, gorgeous glory.  Leanne also let me try a bit of her creamy risotto, which featured springtime vegetables and was perfectly cooked; it had just the tiniest hint of an "al dente" firmness in the center of each grain of rice, a testament to great skill and patience in the kitchen.

Then I chose the bone-in pork chop, which the waiter had recommended with great praise.  It was tender and juicy and utter perfection, enhanced by fingerling potatoes and by a kale-bacon-mustard saute that offered both color and an ideal complement to the chop - a variation on the theme of "pork" that seconded the motion rather than competing with it.  (And I want to thank Leanne and Phil again for their very sweet gesture of taking me out to dinner, including me in their family and not letting me contribute anything to this cause.)

We didn't order dessert at the restaurant, as we were on a mission afterwards: Intelligentsia, an immersion in all that is perfect in a cup of coffee.

They take their coffee very seriously at Intelligentsia, offering classes and instruction, French presses, pour overs, finely-honed equipment, extraordinarily well-selected beans ... everything you could need for a perfect cup of coffee whether it's enjoyed at the shop, taken to go, or brewed at home.

Ella ordered an apple juice, though she tasted others' drinks; Katie was in her glory sampling decaf and a vanilla latte.  I chose a simple decaf, as I am a chronic insomniac and hardly needed anything more stimulating - or, rather, more stimulating than the excitement of visiting happily with friends! - to further impede my already limited ability to sleep.

But alas, young girls need to find their way home after an adventure in the city.  And old ones, like me, needed to get back to real life.  My new family - truly, they all made me feel so loved and welcomed and included! - walked me to my hotel, where there were hugs and kisses, smiles and teary eyes, lots of love and many promises to visit Ann Arbor and to come back again to Chicago.  It's my kind of town, after all!  With people who welcome you to their city, and also into their hearts ....

Hungarian Pepper Stew

In anticipation of the class I'll be attending at Zingerman's Bakehouse on Saturday - "A Taste of Hungary with Amy and Frank" - in which I'll be learning all about the country's little-known cuisine (and tasting lots of treats!), I prepared a dish that Zingerman's co-founder Ari Weinzweig described enticingly in the May-June issue of Zing-Dish, the company newsletter.

Lecsó [LEH-tchoh] is a pepper and onion stew that showcases vegetables, which are integral to Hungarian cooking.  As Ari writes, famed restaurateur, cookbook author, and expert on Hungarian cuisine, George Lang, stated that "In Hungary, vegetables are not just 'cooked,' they are 'prepared' ....  (And lecsó is) one of the most ingeniously used vegetable dishes in the Hungarian kitchen."

Ari discusses different versions of this classic that he tasted while travelling in Hungary, stating that there are variations in the degree of spice and heat used, and that some people stir an egg into the stew once it's finished.  He continues by telling that the dish doesn't necessarily require bacon, "but of course ... then it won't have any bacon in it."  And as a girl who giddily swooned over swine at Baconfest Michigan, I would clearly vote in favor of bacon!

A description of the procedure for making lecsó is given, but no specific recipe; so I concocted my own version while following the general directions.  The dish turned out to be fragrant, colorful, easy to make, and fabulously flavorful; prepare it with gorgeous summer vegetables, and make it your own.  With or without the bacon, with or without egg or sour cream, with or without spicy heat, you should definitely give it a try.

Hungarian Pepper Stew)

4 strips bacon, cut into 1" pieces
1 medium onion, halved, cut into medium slices, slices separated
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
2 red peppers, seeded, halved vertically, cut into 1/2" strips
1 yellow pepper, seeded, halved vertically, cut into 1/2" strips
1 long yellow Hungarian pepper, seeded, quartered, cut into 1/2" strips
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
sour cream, for serving

In a large saucepan, cook the bacon over medium-low heat for 5 minutes until browning but not crisp.  Add onion and half of the salt; cook on low for 5 minutes, until the onion is softened.

Add the peppers and the rest of the salt; cover and cook for 15 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and both varieties of paprika; cover and cook for 15 more minutes.

Add a splash of water if the vegetables have no liquid; this dish should "have the texture of a vegetable stew," according to Ari.

Serves 2 generously as a stew.  Serves 4 as an entree over rice, noodles, or polenta.  Serves 6-8 as a side dish.

Serve with sour cream, which can be stirred into the lecsó if desired.

Krispy Kreme Peanut Butter Dream Sandwich

Alright, let's get the obvious statement out of the way right from the beginning: this sandwich has no - and I do mean NO - redeeming nutritional value.  There's no arguing that peanut butter provides protein.  There's no rationalizing that apricots provide vitamins A and C.  There's fat, there's sugar, there's salt ... and lots of each.  Oy!

This sandwich is nothing but giddy, gleeful, obscene decadence!

I created this seductive little tidbit for Project PB&J - a contest for food bloggers which is being hosted by my friend Cindy (a former Ann Arborite, I must point out) of Once Upon a Loaf and her friend Christina of She Runs, She Eats.  The competition is in honor of National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day, as well as Cindy's birthday, on April 2.  What great excuses for a party, celebrating with everybody's favorite flavor combination!

The rules required preparing a sandwich and/or a baked good with a nut butter and a jelly/jam or fruit ... the critical ingredients in a PB&J, but with some room for variations on the theme.  I tried to think globally, since peanuts are an integral part of African cooking.  I tried to think of ways to modify classic desserts, such as the Austrian Sachertorte made with dense chocolate cake and apricot jam.

And then I came back to the sandwich's inherent identity; it just made sense to not riff into territory that was too terribly unfamiliar.  A PB&J is classic after all; at what point, I debated philosophically, does it cease being a PB&J if one tinkers too much ...?

And so, I kept to the basics.  I used peanut butter.  I used jelly.  I tossed a bit of Nutella into the mix because, frankly, one can rarely go wrong with Nutella; its chocolate and hazelnut flavors are both nice complements to the other two ingredients.

And then, the hedonism really kicked in.  What kind of bread to use?  Well, why use bread at all?  Jeremy loves Luther Burgers, named in honor of the late Luther Vandross, which use Krispy Kreme doughnuts as buns.  So, why not use a doughnut as bread?  And then - simply because it's been all the rage, and its saltiness and crispness would add flavor and texture to my concoction - I tossed in a little bit of bacon.  I'm smirking as I contemplate this notion, even though I know I should hang my head in shame.

This sandwich is ridiculously easy to make, which only enhances its beauty.  Cook up some bacon.  Schmear doughnut halves with yummy things.  Put it all together.  Grab some napkins.  Enjoy!

And enjoy this little ditty, too, whether you've seen it 149 times or have never been introduced to its odd charms:




Krispy Kreme Peanut Butter Dream Sandwich

4 Krispy Kreme doughnuts, halved
1/2 cup peanut butter, smooth or crunchy
1/4 cup Nutella
4 tablespoons apricot all-fruit spread
8 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked until crisp, halved

Place the tops and bottoms of the doughnuts onto a countertop.  Schmear each top with some of the peanut butter, dividing it evenly among the doughnuts.  Schmear the bottoms with Nutella, then schmear the apricot spread over the peanut butter.  Place the bacon onto the Nutella-covered portions, dividing it evenly among the doughnuts.  Put the tops and bottoms together to form 4 sandwiches.

Makes 4 sandwiches, serving 4-8 depending upon how much tolerance you have for such excess.

"Chopped Challenge" - Spiced Potato and Bacon Pasties

My very good blogging buddy Angela - who features lovely simple but sophisticated recipes on Seasonal and Savory - offered the following for my "Chopped" challenge, in which I had asked readers to suggest ingredients that I would then have to use in creating dishes:

"Hmmmm...how about harissa, oranges, and bacon"? 

Since no course was mandated, I thought about making an appetizer of roasted chickpeas with crumbled bacon in a coating of orange and harissa ([hah-RIH-suh] = a very spicy, vibrantly colored North African pepper sauce).  I gave serious consideration to making a sweet, spicy and salty dessert.  But then I had a new idea ....

Angela spent some time in Michigan's Upper Peninsula ("da U.P., eh?" as they say up there with their quaint Finn-Canadian-ish accents).  Thus, she is well acquainted with the requisite Northern dietary mainstay: the pasty [PASS-tee], a hand-held pie that miners could bring with them for lunch.

Now, no self-respecting Yooper would serve a pasty flavored with harissa - it would be a sacrilege.  Chopped beef, potatoes, onions, rutabaga, salt, and pepper - that's it for the filling.  But I'm a troll: someone who lives under the bridge - south of the Mackinac Bridge, that is - in the state's Lower Peninsula.  No one expects me to know how to make a proper pasty anyway, so why not have some fun with it?

Pasties are dry ... very dry.  You'll note that the above listing of essential ingredients doesn't include any kind of liquid to bind them together.  And those starchy vegetables are served in a crust.  This serves a practical purpose, of course, to make them more transportable.  But "dry" is an understatement when talking about pasties, as is "bland."  The harissa was very welcome for livening things up a bit.

Ketchup is the usual accompaniment to pasties, though sometimes gravy is served.  Rather than incorporating the required oranges into the main course itself, as I was doing with the harissa and the bacon, I thought they would lend a brightness to a sauce which, as far as I'm concerned, is a mandatory condiment for this dish.

So for my 500th post (wow!), I offer you a hearty winter meal with a nod to Michigan's history but featuring a unique flair!  Everything turned out perfectly, with great flavor.  I like to call these "Troll Pasties," with love and affection for both the Upper and Lower Peninsulas!

 

Troll Pasties

Filling:
1 large baking potato, cut into 3/4" dice
1 large rutabaga, cut into 3/4" dice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon harissa powder (or use 1 tablespoon prepared harissa and eliminate the water)
2 tablespoons water
6 strips bacon
1 small onion, chopped


Preheat the oven to 400F.  Stir the potato, rutabaga, oil, and salt together in an 8"x8" baking dish.  Stir together the harissa powder and water; pour over the vegetables and stir to coat.  Bake for 1 hour or more until the vegetables are golden and very tender.


Cook the bacon in a large skillet; dry bacon on paper towels and crumble.  Drain most of the fat from the skillet and saute the onion just until translucent.  Stir the bacon and the onion into the potato mixture; cool to room temperature.

Crust:
4 cups flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 cup shortening, at room temperature
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon cold water
1 egg


Combine the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl.  Mix in the shortening until the mixture resembles meal.  Add the 1/2 cup of water bit by bit; mix with your hands until the dough holds together well and forms a ball, using more or less water as needed.  Wrap the dough in plastic and let it rest for 30 minutes.


Preheat the oven to 350F.


Divide the dough into 6 portions.  One by one, roll a portion into a 10" circle.  Place 2/3 cup of the filling onto half of the dough.

Lightly dampen the dough around the filling, then fold dough over to form a semi-circle.  Trim the rough edges, then crimp the edge of the dough; press the edge with a fork to seal the pasty.

Place onto a greased baking sheet.  Repeat to make the remaining 5 pasties.  Combine the egg and 1 tablespoon water; brush over the pasties.


Bake the pasties for 50-55 minutes until lightly golden brown.


Gravy:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1-1/2 cups chicken stock

juice and zest of 1 orange
juice and zest of 1 lemon

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Whisk in the flour and salt; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Slowly add the stock, incorporating each addition before pouring more.  Add the juices and zest; bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes until thickened.

To serve: Place 1 pasty onto a dinner plate and serve with gravy.

Makes 6 generous servings.

"Chopped" Challenge - Triple Treyf Mac 'n' Cheese Soup

Today is the first day of reporting back about my "Chopped" challenge, in which I had asked readers to suggest ingredients I'd have to use in preparing appetizers, entrees, or desserts.

I had originally intended to just pick four options to write about; but I received several extra suggestions that were just too much fun to resist.  How could I leave anyone out?  So I'll be offering my concoctions this week and part of next, as well - everyone's ideas were used for inspiration!  Thank you for making me go beyond my culinary comfort zone; it's easy to get into a rut sometimes.  This really was a lot of fun.

Because this is Day 1, I'm featuring Jeremy's suggestion: to make an appetizer using shrimp, bacon, and Co-Jack cheese.  It doesn't get much more treyf [TRAYf] - non-kosher - than this!  Bacon is taboo.  Shellfish is verboten.  Mixing meat and dairy products is a violation of the Jewish dietary laws.

And yet, they are all required ingredients.  Good thing I don't keep kosher, huh?

Jeremy loves comfort foods, particularly macaroni and cheese.  So I thought I'd make him a soup based upon that dish, incorporating the shrimp and the bacon and the Co-Jack into a luscious, creamy starter to a meal.  Of course, this is so rich that you might not even need the rest of your dinner by the time you finish a serving!

The smokiness of the bacon and the sweetness of the shrimp combine beautifully with the mild Co-Jack cheese; Pepper Jack and cayenne pepper sauce contribute just a hint of a kick.  And the macaroni adds substance, because Jeremy doesn't like soups that are primarily broth.  Whether serving a cup of this as an appetizer or making it the mainstay of your meal with a larger portion, this is a perfect solace on a cold winter evening.

This soup readily passed Jeremy's exacting standards - he loved it, and even thanked me for making it!


Triple Treyf Mac 'n' Cheese Soup

5 strips bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
3/4 cup chopped cooked shrimp
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups skim milk, divided
generous splash cayenne pepper sauce
8 ounces Co-Jack cheese, shredded
3 ounces Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
1-1/2 cups macaroni

In a large saucepan, cook the bacon over medium heat until just lightly brown but not crisp.  Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add the shrimp and cook for 1 minute.

Add the flour and stir to coat the ingredients; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Add the salt and pepper.

Slowly add 2 cups of the milk, stirring well after each addition to incorporate it.  Add the cayenne pepper sauce and heat just until small bubbles start to appear.

Add half of the cheese and stir until melted.  Add the rest of the cheese and stir until melted.  Add the remaining 1 cup of milk.  Cook over low heat for 20 minutes.

While the soup heats, prepare the macaroni according to package directions; stir into soup.

Serves 8-10.

Note: If this isn't served right away or if there are leftovers, you can eat it as macaroni and cheese or you'll need to thin it a bit for soup; the macaroni absorbs a lot of the liquid.

Wordless Wednesday: Is There Really Any Doubt Who Wins???

For today's recipe - Zesty Lemon Spaghetti - go to the Food and Grocery page of AnnArbor.com ....

Frugal Floozie Friday -- The Bomber

It's Frugal Floozie Friday, and today's feature offers the most gargantuan quantity of food yet for our measly budget of $5 per person! What you see in the photo is the infamous Bomber Breakfast, found only at the Bomber restaurant.

Jeremy recently had an early morning appointment, and his dad, Stuart, and I went along with him. Afterwards, we decided we could use some breakfast; and so we ended up at this Ypsilanti institution:

"The Bomber opened in 1936 as Baldwin's Diner. In the 1940s the name was changed to the Bomber, only to be discarded in favor of Bob's Barbecue in the mid-1970s. Finally in 1986, the name Bomber returned and the current owners John Sebestyen and Johanna McCoy purchased it in 1995".

The restaurant is noted for the historical artifacts linings its walls - everything from uniforms to posters to autographed photos to rifles - not to mention the 24 model airplanes which hang from the ceiling. It is also noted for friendly service, generous portions, and the kind of atmosphere that encourages eating, reading the paper, having just a little bit more coffee, chatting with other customers, and making oneself at home.

The signature dish - the Bomber Breakfast - is so enormous that it was once featured on the Food Network's "Top Five Overindulgences" show. There is enough food, truly, to feed a family of four: a pound of hash browns with cheese and onions, 2 full slices of toast, 4 eggs any style, and a choice of 6 sausage patties or 7 sausage links or 10 slices of bacon or 2 slices of ham. (Our waitress told us, upon seeing our eyes glaze over, that we could mix-'n'-match if we wanted to.)

So, how much does this platter full of food cost?

$9.95.

And since Stuart and I split it - though we couldn't finish it, despite valiant efforts! - it came in at under our mandatory $5 per person limit.

As though this wasn't enough indulgence, Jeremy ordered an obscenely rich and decadent breakfast for himself: Chocolate Hazelnut French Toast. A half order - 2 portions of thick bread filled with luscious Nutella, dipped in batter and drenched in syrup - costs only $4.95.

The Bomber also features weekday breakfast specials for $4.50, featuring everything from traditional pancakes and eggs and oatmeal to breakfast sandwiches. There are many items on the menu which could qualify for our Frugal Floozie Friday mission.

The Bomber is a great place to go for a hearty breakfast or lunch, and is easily a place where you could become a regular.

Bomber
306 East Michigan Ave.
Ypsilanti, Michigan
734-482-0550


View Larger Map

Bacon-Parmesan Popcorn

Popcorn is the official state snack food of Illinois. I'm not much of a popcorn fan - I can eat it, but don't really care if I ever do. However, I know I'm in a distinct minority with regard to my lack of affection for this treat.

Michigan will be playing Illinois this Saturday, so it only seemed appropriate to feature popcorn in today's post. But I had to glam it up a bit. I debated whether to make a sweet or savory version, or whether to make cute little football-shaped popcorn balls.

And then I had an epiphany.

I'm offering something completely fabulous which features an utter lack of redeeming nutritional value (which is, of course, why it's so fabulous!). Even though I can usually live without popcorn, I think I could actually start craving this.

Today's recipe is for Bacon-Parmesan Popcorn.

Yup - salty, crunchy, cheesy, and with bacon. Supreme snack food!

This is ideal for tailgating or for watching the game at home. It's a great treat for any occasion, from watching the Oscars to watching a movie. Truly, how can you go wrong with anything that has bacon???

Pass the popcorn, please ....

Bacon-Parmesan Popcorn

1 3-ounce packet low-sodium microwaveable popcorn
4 strips low-sodium bacon
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning (i.e.: Mrs. Dash)
1/3 cup very finely grated Parmesan cheese

Prepare popcorn according to package directions, then place into a large mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, place bacon into a large skillet and cook, turning occasionally, until very crisp. Remove bacon from skillet and crumble; reserve the bacon fat.

Add oil and crumbled bacon to the bacon fat; pour over the popcorn and toss to combine. Sprinkle seasoning and Parmesan over the popcorn, and toss to combine well.

Makes approximately 8 cups of popcorn.

Bacon-Cheese Mix-In Burgers for National Hamburger Day

One night a few years ago, Jeremy had one of the great visions of brilliance in the culinary universe. He questioned the wisdom of cooking a burger patty and then slapping a slice of cheese onto it, only to have the cheese melt and ooze everywhere; and he also wondered why bacon slices were placed on top of cheeseburgers, only to slide off along with the melting cheese ...?

He thought it would be better if the bacon and the cheese were perhaps mixed into the patty before it was cooked ... sheer genius!

So we cooked and crumbled bacon, chopped some Swiss cheese, and mixed everything up with the ground beef before cooking up the burgers.

And it turned out to be a thing of absolute beauty, with the bits of bacon on the surface becoming slightly caramelized as they cooked and the tidbits of cheese starting to melt. The flavors of the mix-ins infuse the entire burger.

So, in honor of today's festivities - National Hamburger Day - I am offering Jeremy's Bacon-Cheese Mix-In Burgers. They're everything you want in a burger, and immensely good for your soul!



Bacon-Cheese Mix-In Burgers

1-1/2 pounds ground chuck
6 strips applewood-smoked bacon, chopped fine
1-1/2 ounces Swiss cheese, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 small red onion, halved, sliced
4 onion rolls, lightly toasted
Dijon mustard, or other condiments to taste
tomato slices, lettuce, etc. to taste

Combine ground chuck, bacon, Swiss, salt, garlic powder and pepper; form into 4 burger patties 5" across. Cook the burgers over medium-high heat in a large skillet until well-browned on both sides but still squishy when pressed in the middle.

Add the onion to the skillet and cook until the onion is softened and starting to caramelize; the burgers should still be not quite firm in the center. (If you have a grill, which I sadly don't, by all means use it for the burgers; then just saute the onions in a skillet.)

Place 1 onion roll onto each of 4 serving plates; spread rolls with Dijon mustard and top with onions, tomato, and burger patties.

Serves 4.

Summer Vegetable and Bacon Sandwich

Tom and I ate dinner together the other night, and made ourselves a hot, open-faced sandwich very typical of what he eats on a regular basis. Tom often stir-fries vegetables, and he adores sandwiches; so we combined them into one happy dish.

His sister Anne (whom we consider to be our guardian angel) had recently visited from Kentucky and very much wanted to shop at Zingerman's, since she regularly gets their catalogues. So Tom had taken her to the Bakehouse to buy coffee cakes and other treats, both for gifts and for herself ('cause she's worth it!). And, well, of course he couldn't leave there without buying himself a present too - a loaf of Sicilian Sesame Semolina Bread.

So, for our dinner we started with one slice each of the bread, lightly toasted so that it wouldn't be too crispy when we tried to cut into it. We then peered into the refrigerator and found a lovely assortment of fresh vegetables, as well as some fabulous maple-flavored bacon. Toss in a little bit of the white cheddar that I'd contributed to the cause, and voila - dinner!

This was immensely flavorful, easy to make, and was a perfect light meal for a summer evening.

Summer Vegetable and Bacon Sandwich

5 slices maple-flavored bacon, cut into 1" pieces
1/2 small red onion, halved, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise, sliced
6 asparagus, cut into 1" pieces
2 cups baby spinach leaves
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 slices Zingerman's Sesame Semolina Bread
2 slices white cheddar cheese

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium until starting to turn golden. Add onion, garlic, zucchini and asparagus; cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes until vegetables are tender and caramelized. Add spinach, salt and pepper; turn off heat, and let spinach wilt.

Lightly toast the slices of bread.

Place 1 slice of toast onto each of 2 serving plates. Divide vegetable-bacon mixture, pouring it over the toast. Top with cheese and microwave for 30 seconds or so, just until melted.

Serve immediately, with pickles or chips or fruit on the side.

Serves 2.