Bacon Wrapped Whiskey Steak with Beer Glazed Onions

The bacon adds salty smoky goodness, the balsamic vinegar creates as sweet tart glaze on the steak.  The Whiskey adds incredible flavor and tenderizes the steaks at the same time.  The beer glazed onions puts this recipe over the top.

Amazingly tender and delicious.  









Bacon Wrapped Whiskey Steak with Beer Glazed Onions

1/2 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 Cup Whiskey or Bourbon
1/2 Pound Bacon
Fresh Ground Pepper
1 Recipe IPA Glazed Onions

Place steaks in a sealable container.  Grind fresh pepper over the tops of both steaks.  Pour Vinegar and whiskey over top.

Marinate steaks at least an hour but the longer the better.  Make sure to turn them so both sides get equally sauced.

Cut the steaks in half or smaller depending on the size steak your using.  Wrap them in a slice or two of bacon and secure the ends with a toothpick.  Partially cook the bacon, if desired.  Top with more fresh ground pepper.

Grill the the edges of the steak to cook the bacon.  Then grill to desired temperature.

The balsamic vinegar / whiskey marinade will create a lovely crust on the outside of the steak.

Top with beer glazed onions.

Enjoy!

Rustic Beer Tortillas

Homemade tortillas are better than any you can buy in the store.  These rustic beer tortillas made with an imperial pale ale and rendered bacon fat were really good. I'm no expert tortilla maker, not by any stretch of the imagination.  I call these tortillas rustic because they are not evenly flat and misshapen   However, that doesn't effect the remarkable flavor and texture.

I can only imagine what this recipe would be like in the hands of someone who hand makes tortillas on a regular basis.  They'd be amazing, I'm sure!

Also, make sure to use a good, flavorful beer.  The difference between Coors Light and Pyramid Outburst is like store bought vs. homemade.

Rustic Beer Tortillas 

2 1/2 Cups Flour
1 Tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Rendered And Cooled Bacon Fat (Or Lard)
3/4 Cup Warm Beer ( Plus 3 Additional Tbs)

In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. 

Add the fat and rub it into the flour with your hands until it forms course crumbs and all the fat has been distributed. (I used my Kitchenaid with the mixing attachment)

Heat the beer until just warm to the touch. Slowly pour 3/4 of a cup into the flour mixture, mixing with a fork until all of the flour has been moistened.  Use a little more beer, a tablespoon at a time, as needed). (Again using the Kitchenaid with the mixing attachment)




Knead for about 3-5 minutes or until the dough becomes shiny and slightly stiff but not firm. Return to the bowl and cover with a towel, allow to rest for 30 minutes to an hour.

Pull off pieces of the dough just smaller than a golf ball. Roll into balls and place on a plate, continue for the remaining dough. Cover the plate with a towel and allow to rest for an additional 30 minutes.

Heat a griddle or cast iron skillet over medium high heat.

Using a rolling pin roll the tortillas out until they are thin enough to see through. A tortilla press  doesn't work well with flour tortillas. On a lightly floured surface, flatten a ball of dough with the rolling pin, then roll forward and back across it; rotate a sixth of a turn and roll forward and back again; continue rotating and rolling until you reach a very thin consistency.

Throw onto the griddle and allow to cook until lightly brown, about 1 minute per side. Don’t over cook or your tortillas will be crispy.  You don't need to add any oil to the pan as there is already enough fat in the dough.  

Note:  I save all bacon fat.  I usually freeze it for making soap once I have enough collected.  But I keep some in the fridge for cooking, too.

Beerific Barbecue Bacon Meatloaf

A beerific variation to meatloaf that takes your mom's basic baked ground meat and takes it to a whole new level.

The meat is mixed with an onion beer reduction, spices and panko then topped with a glaze of spicy barbecue sauce and bacon.  

Moist, flavorful - perhaps the best meatloaf EVER.  




The flavor will change depending on the type of beer used.  I recommend a dark or amber beer. I used a bottle of my husband's home brewed nut brown ale.  Yum!

Beerific Barbecue Bacon Meatloaf


2 Teaspoons Canola Oil
1 Medium Vidalia Onion, Chopped
1 12-Ounce Bottle Beer
1 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
1 Teaspoon Dry Mustard
3/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/8 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
2 1/2 Pounds 85%-Lean Ground Beef
1 Fresh Panko Crumbs
1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Parsley
1 Large Egg, Lightly Beaten
1 Egg White, Lightly Beaten
1 Cup Spicy Beer Barbecue Sauce
8 Strips Bacon


Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a small baking dish with aluminum foil and coat with a thin layer of oil.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until translucent and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Pour in beer and increase heat to high. Bring to a vigorous boil; cook until the liquid is syrupy, 8 to 10 minutes. 

Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in thyme, dry mustard, salt and pepper. Let cool for 10 minutes.

While the onion mixture is cooling, cook bacon until just starting to crisp.

Add beef, panko, parsley, egg and egg white to the onion mixture. 

With clean hands, mix thoroughly.  Form into a loaf and place in the prepared pan.

Pour 1/2 of the barbecue sauce on the meatloaf and spread to cover.  Lay slices of bacon evenly over top and press gently into the sauce so they lay flat against the loaf.

Bake the meatloaf for an 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove from oven and spread the rest of the barbecue sauce over the top of the meatloaf.  Bake for an additional 5 minutes.  Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes; drain grease from the pan and slice.

Gorgonzola-Stuffed London Broil

There I was wandering around the kitchen trying to figure out what I was going to make for dinner.  I wasn't worried because I'm a whiz at coming up with meals on the fly and making awesome food with whatever I happen to have on hand.  

In the fridge I scrounged up Gorgonzola cheese, a London broil steak, and an ever present package of bacon.  Well, that looks like that could be something amazing.  And it was!


Gorgonzola-Stuffed Flank Steak


1 1 1/2- To 2 1/2-Pound London Broil
1/2 Pound Crumbled Gorgonzola or Blue Cheese
1/4 Cup Seasoned Bread Crumbs
Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 Pound Bacon


Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Select a thick steak.  With a sharp knife, slice the steak lengthwise into four strips.  Pound the meat with a mallet (I use an empty wine bottle) to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Set aside.

Sprinkle cheese and bread crumbs evenly over the steak, leaving a 1-inch border along the edge farthest from you.  

Beginning with the side nearest you., roll up the steak, gently pressing on the filling.  

Then lay the roll on three slices of bacon, or as many as it takes to cover the meat, and roll up.

Place the rolls in a baking dish, seam side down.  

Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Place in the oven and roast for 25 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

Serve with potatoes or rice.  

Mmmm, delish!

Mac'n'Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf

You want comfort food?  I've got your comfort food right here!  All wrapped up in one delicious package.  Meatloaf stuffed with macaroni and cheese wrapped in bacon.  That right!  I said it!  Mmm, mmm, mmmm.

Mac'n'Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf

Mac'n'Cheese

1 Cup Elbow Shaped Noodles
1/4 lb Velveeta-Cubed
1/4 Cup Milk
2 Tbsp Butter


Cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain. Stir in the Velveeta, milk and butter. Keep on low and stir occasionally until cheese is completely melted. If it seems to thick add a bit more milk. Remove from heat and set aside.  Or you can cheat like I did and use a package of Velveeta macaroni and cheese.  

Meatloaf

1 lb Ground Beef
1 Tsp Chili Powder
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 Egg
1 Cup Bread Crumbs
1/4 Cup Milk


Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Set aside.

Topping

6 Strips Of Bacon
1 Cup Ketchup
1/4 Cup Mustard
1 Tbsp Worcestershire
1 Tbsp Brown Sugar



Preheat oven to 325 Degrees Fahrenheit. 

Line a loaf pan with foil. Place half of the meat mixture in the pan and press down and up the sides creating a well in the middle. 

Add your mac'n'cheese to well. You probably won't need all of it.

Place the rest of the meat mixture on top, sealing the sides.

Line a sheet pan with foil. Place the sheet pan on top of the loaf pan, flip over, transferring the meatloaf to the sheet pan. Discard foil from loaf pan. Perfect the form of your loaf and make sure the sides are sealed well.

Precook the bacon until just barely done.  Basket weave the bacon on top and tuck the ends under the loaf. 

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

Mix together the ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire and brown sugar. 

Remove the meatloaf from the oven. Pour sauce over top. Turn oven to 375 Degrees Fahrenheit and bake for 15-20 more minutes, or until sauce is bubbly and meatloaf is cooked through. Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Firewater Friday - Bacon Infused Bourbon (method 2)

I've tried two different methods of infusing bourbon with bacon . . . with distinctly different results.  Both tasted like bacon of course but this method is a much more baconny flavor.  The recipe below imparts a more subtle bacon but smokier taste.  I like them both a lot, they each have wonderful qualities so it's hard to decide which I prefer.


Bacon Infused Bourbon


1/2 cup of rendered bacon fat
4 cups of bourbon


Cook a pound of bacon.   Eat the bacon and reserve the rendered fat

Add a 1/2 cup of hot fat to a jar and allow to cool but not solidify.  

Once the bacon fat has cooled off a bit add the bourbon. 














Seal and allow to stand until it reaches room temperature. 

Place the jar in the freezer for 24 hours. 

The fat will solidify but the bourbon will remain in a liquid state. 

Open the jar and pour off the bourbon, straining through a coffee filter or cheesecloth to remove any loose fat particles. (I used a nylon stocking as a strainer).

Transfer to another jar or bottle for storage.

Firewater Friday - Bacon Infused Bourbon (method 1)

If you like bacon . . . and let's face it, who doesn't . . . and you like bourbon then you will love this infusion.  I recently tried a bacon infused bourbon at a restaurant and was pleasantly surprised . . . I really, really liked it.  So, I made my own.  And mine is even better!

Bacon Infused Bourbon

3 or 4 Slices Smoked Bacon
16 Ounces Good Bourbon or Whiskey

Cook bacon in pan until crisp but not totally crispy.  

Place bacon strips into a jar and fill with bourbon. 














Place jar in the refrigerator for one week.  

Put in the freezer for an hour to make sure all the fat solidifies.  

Strain the solids out of the liquid by pouring through a sieve or a stocking lined funnel.  

Pour into a bottle or jar.

For the most bacon flavor, serve at room temperature.  Use as a mixer or a sipper.  

Cheers!

New Brew Thursday - Rogue Voodoo Doughnut

If I've said it once I've said it a hundred times . . . Rogue is one of my favorite breweries.  They have an amazing variety of fantastic beers with creative themes and labeling.  Rogue beer simply rocks!

So, when I spotted Voodoo Doughnut in it's bright pink bottle with the creepy dark eyed fellow on the label surrounded by little piggies it required further investigation.  What did this closer inspection reveal?  Maple and . . . OH MY LORD . . . BACON! 

Bacon Maple Ale . . . I sh!t you not!  I think I just died and went to heaven.

Needless to say a snagged a bottle (or three) . . . at $15 a bottle.

The timing of the discovery of Rogue Voodoo was fortuitous.  

Hubby and I go camping every year in the fall.  A tradition for us is that after we set up camp and are all settled in we share a beer . . . preferably a really good beer.  

Voodoo was it!  Ah, but would it meet our expectations . . . bacon maple beer?  How could it not?  What's not to love.

Voodoo Doughnut pours amber with an average head.  I could clearly smell the maple and bacon and couldn't wait to take a sip.  A smoky bacon flavor is prevalent but doesn't dominate or overwhelm the ale.  The maple is more subtle which was surprsing considering how strong it is in the aroma.  Voodoo is smooth and full bodied . . . I just wanted to eat it up.

I'm not a huge fan of smoked beers but this one rules!  It's not too smoky, not too bitter, not too sweet . . . all of the flavor are really nicely balanced and the overall taste is quite remarkable.  

I would rate Rogue Voodoo as excellent.  I can't wait to pop open another bottle!

On a side note, I wish we'd had better cups  . . . i.e. a proper glass . . . to drink Voodoo from, but it was still really really delicious.  As the label says, it pairs well with doughnuts and pork . . . from my perspective it goes perfect with camping and my homemade bacon infused bourbon.  Delish!

By the way . . . I don't know what a Voodoo Doughnut is but I have friends in the Seattle area that will drive an hour for these puppies so they must be good.

(5.6% ABV)




Visit Rogue's website or check them out on Facebook.

Reflect on this . . .

Hubby and I went out for hot wings and cold beer the other night.  When we got to our favorite bar we noticed something unusual . . . bags of what looked like water hanging from the eaves.


I assumed they were some sort of ward to keep gnomes from invading and wreaking havoc in the establishment.  Lord knows I've had my own issues with the little fellas (still do from time to time).  But just to confirm, when the waitress came to our table to take our order I inquired about them.


No, it wasn't about gnomes . . . or any other mystical creature, for that matter.  It was, however, a ward of a different kind.  Those bags full of water were there to detract bugs.  Really??


Okay . . . so I had to look into this repellent technique because I've never heard of such a thing.



Apparantly this is a method employed in the south and . . . even further south than that . . .  in South America.


Basically, you fill a strong clear plastic bag with clean water and hang it in direct sunlight wherever there is a flying bug problem.  The theory is that the water will refract and reflect the light.  It works kind of like a warning beacon to bugs who perceive the reflected light as movement and avoid it to evade a possible collision.


Some say to make the water bag even more effective put a very shiny penny in the bag . . . the shinier the betterer . . . put little pieces of shiny foil in the water.  This will increase the light infraction and thusly . . . supposedly . . . be more effective.


There are companies that actually attempt to market and sell these things . . . like finding ziplock bags and filling them with water is so complicated.


I also read the US military uses water bags for the purposes of keeping the bugs away.  My biggest concern about this is . . . are they making them or are they contracting out for somebody else to make them.  You’ve heard all the stories about how the military was buying toilet seats for $600, and $17 bolts?  Enough said.  


Anyhoo . . . I supposed it’s worth a try.  I mean . . . you know the kind of stuff flies like to hang out in and on.  Do you really want their nasty little feet touching you or your food?  Ugh . . . no way!


Then again, I doubt they would be useful against mosquitoes. Those flying parasites are out for blood . . . your blood . . . and I don’t think they’d easily be deterred by a bag of water.  Even if it does have shiny bits floating around in it.


And that’s all she wrote . . . 

Bacon Potato Salad

Everything is better with bacon . . . everything.

6 To 8 Medium Potatoes 

1/2 Pound Bacon, Cooked And Crumbled 

2 Celery Ribs, Finely Chopped

3 Hard Boiled Eggs, Chopped

3/4 Teaspoon Salt

1/4 Teaspoon Pepper

1/2 Cup Mayonnaise 

1/2 Cup Sour Cream 

Cook potatoes in boiling water for 30 minutes or until tender. Drain and let cool slightly. Peel and cut into 1-inch cubes.


Place potatoes in a large bowl. Add bacon, celery, eggs, salt and pepper. Stir together mayonnaise and sour cream until blended. Pour over potato mixture, tossing gently to coat. Cover and chill at least 1 hour.

I slept like a baby . . yeah, right!

There is one expression I simply do not understand . . . 'I slept like a baby'.  I know what it means, I get it .. . . I've lived it . . . it makes no sense.    


I remember when we brought him home from the hospital I would be up with him all night while he cried and cried and I cried.  That was me sleeping like a baby.


Leave him in his bed and let him cry himself to sleep they said.  Okay . . . well then he'd cry and cry in his crib and I'd lie in my bed and cry.  That was me sleeping like a baby.


And then when he did sleep, he'd wake up every couple hours to be fed.  That was me sleeping like a baby.


As he grew older I told him he couldn't leave his bed unless he had to use the potty.  That if he needed something he had to call me.  Then it was mom, mommy, mom, mother? MOM!! . . . every couple hours.  That was me sleeping like a baby.


I don't think I got a decent night sleep until after he was five years old.

I'm not complaining . . . really I'm not . . . I'm just saying that whoever came up with saying couldn't possibly have been a parent because 'sleeping like a baby' is anything but.


If I had my choice between sleeping like a baby and sleeping like I log I'd much prefer making like wood and cuttin' some zzzzzzzzzz's.  Just sayin'.

Bacon and Egg Savory Cupcakes

16 Slices Bacon

1 Can (16.3 Oz) Pillsbury® Grands!® Homestyle Biscuits

1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

8 Eggs

Salt And Pepper, If Desired

Heat oven to 350°F. In 10-inch skillet, cook bacon over medium heat about 4 minutes or until cooked but not crisp, turning once. (It will continue to cook in the oven.) Set aside.

Spray 8 jumbo muffin cups or 8 (6-oz) glass custard cups with cooking spray. Separate dough into 8 biscuits. Place 1 biscuit in each muffin cup, pressing dough three-fourths of the way up sides of cups.

Place 2 bacon slices in each biscuit cup, add a pinch of cheese and crack an egg over each. Season with salt and pepper.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until egg clears are set. Run a small knife around cups to loosen. Serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings


Print Recipe

One man's trash is another man's treasure

Hubby and I were cruising along on our motorcycles . . . checking out the scenery, enjoying the ride . . . when suddenly the car we were following slams on his/her brakes and whips off to the side of the road without a nary a turn signal to be flicked.  Luckily, we were paying attention to more than the view and we avoided what could have been a nasty little accident.  

What was this person's major malfunction?  Someone else had a bunch of crap that they were trying to hawk spread out in their driveway to offload to the first undiscriminating buyer with a buck or two burning a hole in their pocket.   The person we were behind apparently felt an overwhelming need to see what crap they could buy and add to their own collection of crap.


Anyhoo . . . a sign out in front said it was a "yard sale".  But, they obviously weren't selling their yard . . . just a bunch of crap that they no longer wanted that was cluttering their home.  Actually, the stuff I managed to catch of glimpse of didn't all look like crap.  


We all know what a yard sale is . . . or perhaps you might know it better as a tag sale or a garage sale or an attic sale or a basement sale or a rummage sale.  


These are all the same things but called by another name . . . what it's called often has something to do with where it's being held.  I mean regionally, not specifically a yard or an attic.  Some might say that a garage sale has higher quality items than a tag sale . . . meh, I don't think so.  

Where I come from in the sticks of Pennsylvania they were called yard sales.  When I moved to Connecticut I notice that they were called tag sales.   Your more likely to find a rummage sale in Wisconsin (or other location in the Great Lakes Region). 



As far as I can tell, it's all pretty much the same.  Different crap, of course, but the same concept.  

Personally, I'm not a fan of these mini flea markets.  I have enough crap of my own and I don't need to add someone else's crap to my collection of crap.

I know, I know . . . sometimes you can come across something rare or valuable that the seller is completely clueless about and walk off with a serious bargain . . . but most often its a case of one man's trash is another man's treasure.  


Meh . . . crap is crap is crap.  

Sweet and Spicy Bacon Wrapped Chicken

12 Chicken Breasts Tenders

12 Strips Bacon

Tony Chachere Creole Seasoning

Brown Sugar

Sprinkle all the chicken with the seasoning.

Then wrap a bacon slice around each piece, roll in brown sugar and place onto a baking sheet drizzled with a couple tablespoons of olive oil or prepped with cooking spray.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and bacon is nice and brown and crispy.

The ultimate reason is "because."

I know I'm kinda of weird, but I think those stick family stickers that people are putting on the backs of their cars are really kind of cute.  Of course, I don't have any on my car . . . cuz, I don't want people to think I'm weird.  It's quite a paradox.



They're kind of fun . . . they come in all kinds of varieties that represent the families personalities . . . I especially like the zombie ones . . . too funny!


Braaaainnzzzzzz!




Of course, another good one is the divorced family . . . 






And the crazy cat lady one is a hoot, as well.










Then there's the one for people who don't give a sh!t about your family . . . stick figure or otherwise.


Yeah, I know, I got nothin' . . . not even a stick figure family to stick on my car . . . but hey, my blog can't be awesome every day!  

Bacon and Cheese Omelet

3 Slices Bacon, Cooked

3 Large Eggs, Lightly Beaten

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

1/4 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

1 Tablespoon Butter

1/2 Slices American Cheese

In a small bowl, combine eggs, salt, and pepper; beat with fork. In a 10 inch nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium heat, rotating pan to coat bottom. Add egg mixture. Cover for a minute or two. 

As eggs start to set, gently lift edges with a spatula, and tilt pan so uncooked portion flows underneath. Top with cheese and bacon evenly onto omelet.  Cover for about a minute to allow cheese to melt.

Fold over and slide onto plate.  Serve immediately.

I like breaking the rules

A cardinal rule . . . what kind of rule?  An angry bird rule?  God forbid you disobey an angry bird!!

Seriously, though, I always thought the term ‘cardinal rule’ referred to some sort of religious tenet that morphed into an everyday saying about an all important directive that must be obeyed.

Well . . . suffice to say, I was wrong.  Shocking, I know.  But, it happens now and again.

The word ‘cardinal’ comes from the root word 
‘cardo’, which in Latin translates to ‘hinge’ or ‘that on which something turns or depends’.  Therefore, something cardinal is important because all else hinges upon it.  It is a fundamental rule . . . something that is essential that cannot be deterred from.

A cardinal rule could be: Isn't it the first cardinal rule of perm maintenance that you are forbidden to wet your hair for at least 24 hours after getting a perm at the risk of deactivating the ammonium thioglycolate? 

Back to the church . . . before it was all powerful and had such a grand hierarchy and far reaching authority on everything and everyone . . . a cardinal was simply a clergyman being that he was attached to the church . . . much like a door is attached by a hinge to  a building.  

And back to that angry bird . . . why is it red?  Well, because somehow the name cardinal went from being a simple man to a prince (of the church) and was clad all in red . . . the bird was thusly name because it was all red much likes the robes of churchly princes.

No, he was not red because he was angry; you people and your imaginations.  Sheesh!

Grilled Cheese Cheese Stuffed Cheeseburger

Two Slices of Bread

Two Slices American Cheese

One Slice Swiss Cheese

One Half Pound of Lean Hamburger

Butter

Sliced Tomatoes

3 Slices Crisp Bacon

Divide the hamburger into two patties.  Fold the Swiss cheese into a square and press into the center of one of the patties.  Top with the second patty and press to seal edges. 

Grill or fry hamburger, until done.

In the meantime butter two slices of bread, and lay on frying pan, add cheese to the slices of bread and grill till cheese melts and crispy brown on the other side.

Lay cooked hamburger on one of the bread and cheese slices.  

Top with tomato slices and bacon. 

Serve your amazing creation.