Grilled Cheese with Bacon & Egg

Every want something a little more than a grilled cheese?  Love bacon?  Then this is for you.

Ingredients for 2 sandwiches: 6 slices of bacon, 4 slices of sourdough bread, 2 tablespoons of butter, 2 slices of Edam Cheese, 1 slice of  Cheddar Cheese, sprinkling of Parmesan Cheese, 2 large eggs, olive oil, fresh cracked black pepper

Cook the bacon to your liking and drain on paper towels.  I cook mine in a 425 degree oven for about 10 minutes.

Heat 2 pans with some butter and a little olive oil.  In one pan cook the eggs sunny side up.  Layer the sandwiches as follows: bread, 1 slice of Edam, 3 slices of bacon, sprinkling of Parmesan Cheese, 1/2 slice of Cheddar and finally the other slice of bread.  Toast on both sides until the cheese is nicely melted and the bread is browned.  Top with a fried egg.  I served my sandwiches with some tomato soup.

Recipe Test: Sally Lunn Bread from Smitten Kitchen

I recently tried the Sally Lunn Bread recipe from Smitten Kitchen.  So far my bread baking has been limited to quick no yeast breads and stuff thrown together in my bread machine.  This recipe seemed like a good and easy way to try out a yeast bread recipe that required no kneading.

The recipe itself is pretty simple and the results were alright.  I thought the bread had a nice flavor, but the crumb could have been better.  My loaf also didn't rise very much. 

I didn't make the Salted and Honeyed Brown Butter Spread that came with the recipe.  I instead whipped up some caramelized honey and salted butter.

This bread was lovely toasted the next day with a thick spread of the whipped butter and a cup of tea.

Paula's Pancakes in Solvang California

After waiting for 30 minutes to get seated I finally got to order my breakfast:  The pancake combination plate.  I went with scrambled eggs, pancakes and danish sausage.   The pancakes were wonderful.  Thin and fluffy all at the same time.  The butter was whipped and spread out nice and evenly.  The powdered sugar was plentiful.  It would have been better if it was served with real maple syrup.  These came with stereotypical "pancake" syrup.  I also didn't like the sausage.  It was not browned enough on the outside and the the texture was a little too much like baloney.  The sausage also had some odd lingering flavor.  My dining partner said it reminded him of egg rolls.  I still can't figure out what that egg roll flavor is, but it's not good.

Just order the pancakes and you'll be happy.  I'd give it a 7 out of 10.

Corned Beef & Veggies

Corned Beef is super easy in the crock pot.

Ingredients:
2 lbs of corned beef brisket  - I got mine from the Handy Mart in Burbank
1 lbs of small potatoes cut into wedges
2 large onions cut into wedges
4-6 carrots cut into fork size chunks
1 small head of cabbage cut into wedges
1 can beer of your choice

Spray your crock with non stick spray or rub down with a little veggie oil.  Place about 1/2 the potatoes and onions on the bottom.  Trim any excess fat off the brisket and then place it on top of the veggies.  Pack in the rest of the potatoes, onions and carrots around the sides of the brisket.  Pour the beer over the brisket.  Place the cabbage on top of the brisket.   Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

I do not season the veggies because the corned beef already has a lot salt in it.  The broth made from the fat of the brisket & beer will season the veggies fairly well.  I did add some fresh cracked pepper to the potatoes when serving.

Any left over brisket makes great hash the next day.

Banana Buttermilk Mini Bundt's with Chocolate Chips

Aren't these the cutest little bundt cakes ever?

Ingredients:
2 ripe bananas
2 cups brown sugar
1 stick of butter
1/2 cup veggie oil
4 eggs
1 teaspoon each: baking soda & baking powder
dash of ground allspice & nutmeg
1 tablespoon of maple syrup
pinch of salt
1 cup of buttermilk
1/2 bag of chocolate chips

Cut up the banana into chunks and place in a large microwavable bowl.  Top with some plastic wrap and zap em for about 3 minutes.  (seriously, do this!).   After the bananas are cooked add in the stick of butter to the bowl.  Mash up the butter and bananas.  The butter will start to melt.  Keep mashing.  Add in the brown sugar and maple syrup.  Using an electric hand mix cream everything in the bowl together.  Add in the eggs one at a time.

In another bowl sift all the dry ingredients together.  Measure the buttermilk and oil in the same container for ease of pouring.

Slowly start adding about 1/3 of the flour to creamy goodness.  Mix.  Add in a 1/3 of th wet ingredients.  Then some more dry and then some more wet until everything is mix together except the chocolate chips.  Add those last.

Now you  want to bake this delicious mixture in a 350 degree oven.  I chose to use mini bundt pans.   You could use 1 regular bundt pan or 2 loaves or make some muffins.  Your make time will be about 20 minutes for mini bundts or muffins and closer to an hour for a loaf or full cake.

I plan on whipping up some cream to fill  the centers of my mini masterpieces.

Mushroom Barley Soup

Ingredients
For the Beef Stock:
7 cups of water
2 lbs of beef shank cut into pieces
3 3 ribs of celery cut into large chunks
1 whole bunch of parsley
6 cloves of garlic lightly crushed
1 large onion cut into quarters
4 large carrots cut into chunks
1 can of tomato paste
salt & pepper to taste

Sear the beef shank pieces in olive oil in the stock pan.  Then add in the water and the rest of the ingredients.  Simmer over low heat for about 4 hours.  Add more water as it reduces.

Strain the stock and discard the vegetables.

For the Soup:
2/3 Cup of pearl barley
1 lb of sliced mushrooms
1 cup of finely diced carrots
1 cup of finely diced onion
1 cup of finely diced celery
3 cloves of finely minced garlic (feel free to omit this)
salt & pepper to taste
olive oil
Spice Blend: 1 teaspoon each of garlic granules, onion granules and aleppo pepper

In a large soup pot heat a tablespoon of olive oil and add in the diced vegetables & mushrooms.  Cook until the onions are soft and translucent.  Sprinkle in your spice blend.   Ladle in the stock.  Add the pearl barley and the tomato paste.  Simmer on low until the barley is tender.  I let mine cook about an hour so all the flavors would come together.

I made my soup very brothy, but you can put in less stock if you like a thicker soup.

Middleswarth BBQ Potato Chips

Today I recieved a package from my lovely co-workers in PA that contained The Weekender Kitchen Fresh BBQ Potato Chips from Middleswarth.

They are delicious and tasty and highly recommended.