SALTED CARAMEL BACON MONKEY BREAD

SALTED CARAMEL MONKEY BREAD

Olivia found this tasty recipe on www.southernbite.com.  It is a great variation on an old favorite--monkey bread.  The salty caramel blends nicely with the bacon for a sweet and salty treat.  I have not made this bread myself, but Olivia says it is really yummy.

As summer winds down and you are looking for a nice breakfast alternative for the upcoming long weekend, perhaps this recipe fits the bill.  With brown sugar, butter, bacon, and cinnamon, your house is guaranteed to smell good and keep friends and family coming back for more.

-Nanette

Salted Caramel Bacon Monkey Bread

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

50 mins

Total time

1 hour 10 mins

Serves: 8 to 10 servings, depending on size

Ingredients

• 10 slices bacon
• 2 (16.3-ounce) cans refrigerated honey butter flavor biscuits (regular biscuits will work fine, too)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
• ¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Cook the bacon over medium low heat to crisp and drain it on paper towels. Coarsely chop the bacon and set aside.
2. Open the biscuits and cut each biscuit into quarters. In a gallon-size zip-top bag, combine the white sugar and cinnamon and mix well. Add the biscuit pieces and close the bag. Toss the biscuits pieces to coat them in the cinnamon sugar.
3. Spray a Bundt cake pan with nonstick cooking spray, then layer the biscuits pieces and bacon in the pan.
4. Combine the melted butter, brown sugar, and salt and mix well. This may take some effort, but they will eventually mix together. Pour the mixture over the biscuits and bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until deep golden brown and cooked through. Cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes, then place a platter over the pan and invert. Serve warm.

SALTED CARAMEL BACON MONKEY BREAD

SALTED CARAMEL MONKEY BREAD
Olivia found this tasty recipe on www.southernbite.com.  It is a great variation on an old favorite--monkey bread.  The salty caramel blends nicely with the bacon for a sweet and salty treat.  I have not made this bread myself, but Olivia says it is really yummy.

As summer winds down and you are looking for a nice breakfast alternative for the upcoming long weekend, perhaps this recipe fits the bill.  With brown sugar, butter, bacon, and cinnamon, your house is guaranteed to smell good and keep friends and family coming back for more.
-Nanette

Salted Caramel Bacon Monkey Bread

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

50 mins

Total time

1 hour 10 mins

Serves: 8 to 10 servings, depending on size

Ingredients

• 10 slices bacon
• 2 (16.3-ounce) cans refrigerated honey butter flavor biscuits (regular biscuits will work fine, too)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
• ¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Cook the bacon over medium low heat to crisp and drain it on paper towels. Coarsely chop the bacon and set aside.
2. Open the biscuits and cut each biscuit into quarters. In a gallon-size zip-top bag, combine the white sugar and cinnamon and mix well. Add the biscuit pieces and close the bag. Toss the biscuits pieces to coat them in the cinnamon sugar.
3. Spray a Bundt cake pan with nonstick cooking spray, then layer the biscuits pieces and bacon in the pan.
4. Combine the melted butter, brown sugar, and salt and mix well. This may take some effort, but they will eventually mix together. Pour the mixture over the biscuits and bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until deep golden brown and cooked through. Cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes, then place a platter over the pan and invert. Serve warm.

MAPLE BACON POPCORN

MAPLE BACON POPCORN
Olivia found this fun recipe at www.oliviascuisine.com.  With autumn coming sooner than we all might think, you might be looking for a yummy snack to share with loved ones or even as a Halloween treat.  This popcorn is so very good because it has BACON!  Who wouldn't like popcorn made with bacon?  It has a sweet and salty flavor combo that makes just about anyone happy.

The recipe is simple and delicious.  Give it a try.  You won't be disappointed!
-Nanette

MAPLE BACON POPCORN

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup corn kernels
• 8 slices of bacon
• ⅓ cup bacon grease (plus vegetable oil if necessary)
• ½ cup maple syrup
• 2 Tbsp butter
• Sea Salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large skillet (or grill), cook the bacon until golden and crispy. Reserve the bacon in a plate lined with paper towel and transfer the grease to a large pot. (If the grease is less than ⅓ cup, add some vegetable oil to complete.)
2. Add the kernels to the bacon grease/oil and bring it to medium high heat. When the kernels start popping, make sure you shake the pot every now and then so you don't end up with too many unpopped kernels.
3. Once you don't hear any more popping (or if the intervals are too long), your popcorn is done and you can remove it from the heat.
4. Break the bacon into pieces and toss it with the popcorn.
5. In the same skillet you fried the bacon, bring the butter and the maple syrup to the stove and cook until it thickens slightly.
6. Pour the maple syrup butter into the popcorn/bacon mixture and, using two wooden spoons, mix everything together until most of the popcorn is coated with the maple syrup butter.
7. Sprinkle the popcorn with sea salt and serve immediately! If the popcorn sits for too long, it might get soggy.

ROASTED GARLIC

OVEN ROASTED GARLIC
This simple, but simply divine recipe came from www,epicurious.com.  When Olivia makes this, she buys the garlic heads in bulk, roasts them all at once and then smashes them. For convenience, she freezes them in ice cube trays.  Once the garlic is frozen, she stores them in freezer bags in the freezer for ease in using.

These lovely little frozen wonders can be popped into mashed potatoes, soups, in marinades, or you can even smear them on bread to make garlic bread.  If you like garlic, try this.  It is a delightful way to enjoy garlic.
-Nanette

garlic squeezed from the husks into a bowl

garlic smashed with a fork to create a thick paste

ROASTED GARLIC

INGREDIENTS

1. • large heads of garlic
   • 1/4 cup olive oil

PREPARATION

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut top 1/4 inch off heads of garlic to expose cloves. Place garlic in small baking dish. Add oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Turn garlic cut side up. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until garlic skins are golden brown and cloves are tender, about 55 minutes. Cool. Squeeze garlic cloves from skins.

COMPOUND BUTTER

COMPOUND BUTTER
Olivia got this great recipe from Alton Brown.  Compound butters have long been a favorite of ours for a number of reasons.  They are an excellent way to use up random scraps of fresh herbs and they taste great on a baked potato, fresh corn on the cob, homemade bread, and grilled or oven roasted vegetables.

Lemon zest, chives, garlic and pepper is a great combination and Olivia also particularly likes rosemary, bleu cheese, garlic, pepper, oregano, dill, garlic and even feta cheese.  Experiment with flavors you love to come up with your own unique combinations.  Don't be shy about how you use them either.  They will add a lovely depth of flavor to many of your summertime favorites.
- Nanette

COMPOUND BUTTER

Ingredients:
1 pound butter
3 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
1 tablespoon thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon sage, chopped
1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped

Directions:
1)  Chop the butter into uniform chunks.
2)  Place the oil into the food processor and add the chives. Process until the chives are finely chopped. Add the remaining herbs and blend until the herbs have colored the oil. Using the whisk attachment, whip the butter in the mixer's work bowl at medium speed until it softens and lightens in color, about 5 to 7 minutes.
3)  Add the herb oil to the butter and beat for another 2 minutes until oil is fully incorporated. Remove butter from bowl and spoon onto parchment paper or plastic wrap. 
4)  Roll into a log, using the edge of a baking sheet to form a tight log. 
5)  Chill for 2 hours before serving.