Bacon Jam

Bacon Jam
1 1/2 pounds sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1 inch pieces (applewood smoked by Nueske's- thick sliced) was recommended. I used Jungle Jim's
2 medium onions, small dice
3 garlic cloves, smashed/rough chop
1 tsp. chopped chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (freeze the rest of the can -1 pepper/snack bag)
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar (light is ok, but you lose the molasses level)
1/4 pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup)
3/4 cup brewed coffee

Cook the bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon is lightly browned- about 15 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel and drain. Pour off all but a tablespoon of bacon grease. Add onions and garlic. Cook until onion are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add all the other ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring and scrapping up brown bits from the skillet with a wooden spoon. Add bacon and stir to combine.
You can transfer to a saucepan (I left it in the skillet) and cook uncovered over low heat until liquid is thick and syrupy. Place in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Cool and refrigerate in airtight containers, up to 4 weeks.
Makes a small amount - 2 1/4 cups but a little dab will do you!
It's good on crackers, hamburgers, omelet - Leigh suggested it on a baguette w/ goat cheese, bacon jam arugula and pecans as an appetizer. Goat cheese with this would be awesome. How about a chicken, goat cheese and bacon jam sandwich?
This recipe was from Leigh - Jungle Jim's "Gifts from the Kitchen" class 2012.

Chicken Tortilla Soup (Page 11)

8  6 inch corn tortillas 1 salt, for sprinkling tortillas
2 T. canola oil
1 medium onion, diced
4 oz. can of chopped green chilies
2 (14-oz.) cans of chicken broth
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
2 c. cooked chicken, diced
1 T. lime juice
1 (15-oz.) can of whole kernel corn drained
Chopped cilantro
1 (15-oz.) can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-oz.) can of chopped tomatoes with juice
Shredded cheddar cheese
Sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet and both sides of tortilla with nonstick cooking spray. Slice the tortillas in strips, sprinkle lightly with salt. Place on a baking sheet and bake 12-15 minutes, until crisp and lightly brown. Set aside. Meanwhile in a pot, heat canola oil over medium high heat. Add onions and saute until soft. Add chicken, corn, beans, tomatoes, chilies, and taco seasoning; stir to combine. Add chicken broth, stir. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes. Stir in lime juice. Place a few tortilla strips in the bowl and ladle soup over it. Sprinkle with cheese and cilantro. Top with remaining tortillas and garnish with
sour cream.

GINGERBREAD WAFFLES (Page 96)

IMPORTANT- the cookbook doesn't have the molasses (My error! Sorry!)
GINGERBREAD WAFFLES
3 c. flour
4 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg, freshly grated if you can
1/2 tsp. salt
4 large eggs
1 1/4 c. milk
1/2 c. molasses 
1 c. canned pure pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
2/3 c. dark brown sugar packed
1/2 c. butter, melted, plus extra for the griddle/iron

Preheat waffle iron. Sift all the dry ingredients and spices together, set aside. Mix
eggs, sugar,pumpkin,milk, molasses and melted stick of butter. Combine with dry
ingredients. Lightly butter waffle iron. Pour on batter as directed by the waffle iron
instructions. Don't overfill. Serve with syrup, whipped cream or fruit.
Fun holiday or winter breakfast.
I freeze these (flat) and they pop in the toaster nicely. Honestly I like them better frozen, then toasted.

Caramel Corn (Page 95)

6 quarts popped pop corn, remove unpopped pieces (They hurt later!)

2 sticks butter
1/2 c. light corn syrup
1 tsp. salt
2 c. brown sugar, packed

 1/2 tsp. baking soda
 1 tsp. vanilla
(Peanuts are optional)

Pop 6 quarts of popcorn and place in a 200-250 degree oven, to keep warm.
In a heavy saucepan, melt 2 sticks of butter. Stir in sugar, syrup, and salt.
Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
Remove from the heat and add soda and vanilla. Stir, then gently pour
over popcorn. (I do small amounts in a big bowl, until covered.
Place on 2 large pans.(I spray lightly, don't use foil as pictured)
Bake 250 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove and cool completely.
Break into bits and serve.
Note: Easy gift idea and fun for the family to make.

Lemon Tea Bread (Page 62)

LEMON TEA BREAD from  Kathy Brinkman
3/4 c. milk
2 tsp. each lemon thyme, lemon verbena and lemon balm (or just of verbena)
1 c. sugar
1 T. lemon zest
2 eggs, beaten
2 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
6 T. unsalted butter, room temperature
Confection sugar-add enough to thicken but still be runny
2 lemons (the juice from 2 lemons)

Spray or butter a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan. Chop lemon herbs. Heat milk (don't boil) and
add chopped herbs. Allow it to steep until it cools. Heat oven to 325 degrees. In a
separate bowl add flour, baking powder and salt, whisk to blend. In another bowl,
cream the butter and gradually add in the sugar. Beat until lighter and fluffy. Beat in
eggs, 1 at a time. Add lemon zest. Add flour mixture, alternating with herbed milk.
Mix until just blended and pour into the pan. Bake for 50 minutes, until a toothpick in
the center comes out clean. While cake is baking, mix the juice of 2 lemons and
enough powdered sugar to make the glaze thick, but pourable. Remove pan from oven
and place on a wire rack set over a sheet of wax paper. While the bread is still hot,
pour the glaze over the bread. Top with a few sprigs of lemon thyme.

Note: This is my favorite recipe from my friend, Kathy, who is in our herb club. It's a great use for those lemony herbs. This freezes well and is delicious to taste in the fall! You can always put the glaze on as it thaws, too. 1 year I used all lemon balm and it was fine, but verbena is best. Using all lemon thyme wouldn't be my choice.

Rocky Road Fudge (Page 91)

Rocky Road Fudge  By Mel Volkman

12 oz. butterscotch chips (they are now down to 11oz, but work fine)
12 oz. chocolate chips (same - 11 oz. situation)
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 bag mini marshmallows
1 cup salted peanuts
1/2 bag of bits of brickle toffee chips (oh heck do the whole thing!)

Line a 9 x 13 pan with quick release/no stick foil. In a lg. heat resistant, microwaveable bowl melt butterscotch and chocolate chips. Microwave 1 min and stir. Maybe do another 30 seconds. You can over cook this so keep stirring and the residual heat will con't to melt the chips. It will ruin/seize if you try to melt all the chips in the microwave. Then stir in the creamy peanut butter. Add all the other ingredients. Spread in the 9 x 13 and chill. Cut in small pieces- it is rich. I would imagine it would freeze well. I may never know....

Low Fat Taco Salad (Page 20)

This is a quick and easy recipe which is low fat, but a little high in sodium. I make the beef and the cottage cheese mixture the day before then assemble the day of the party. We think it's best served with Tostido's scoops. It makes a 9x13 dish.

This is a photo of my Dad and Jim swinging outside the ship in Cozumel Mexico- OLE!

Taco Salad
1 lb. lean ground beef (we use a little more)
1 packet dry taco seasoning, like Ortega/El Paso
1 cup of water
1 lg. container of SMALL curd cottage cheese
1 packet of dry Hidden Valley ranch seasoning
1/2 head of lettuce, chopped
1-2 tomatoes (I like plum and get rid of all the seeds/messy stuff) , dice
1-2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
Tortilla chips (We like scoops)

Brown the hamburger, add taco seasoning and water. Cook until water is reduced. Spread in a 9x 13 dish and set aside to cool. (Or in a container for a day before prep- reheat beef the next day)
Place the cottage cheese in a bowl and mix until creamy. Add the dressing mix and whip some more.
(You can stop here for a day before and place back in the cottage cheese container)
Or layer the cottage cheese mixture over the slt. cooled beef.
 Sprinkle with lettuce cheese and then tomatoes. Serve with tortilla chips.