Bacon Wrapped Date Flight

How many of you go out to dinner and can't ever make up your mind what to order off the menu? I tend to sit down and drive myself crazy with a decision on what to order every time I go out to dinner. I consider myself a "little of this and a bite of that" type of gal. I want to try a few bites of EVERYTHING. I mean, what if I order the wrong thing? As I've told my husband before, "my taste buds get bored... I want it all." It's not uncommon for me to go to a restaurant (sometimes even alone) and order several apps and a dinner entree, particularly when I'm traveling. After all, what if I never get to eat at that restaurant again, and I miss something unforgettable? There's no denying different foods, flavors, and variety is important to me when it comes to my meals. That's why I respect the ever-living heck out of the Spanish. A little thing called tapas exists because of these fine folks, and we are finally picking up on it in the US. That's why I love the concept of a "small plates" or a "bites" menu when I walk into a restaurant. I don't need 100 bites of the same thing... I need 100 bites of several things. I'd like to tell every restaurant out there: GIVE ME ALL YOU HAVE BUT NOT A LOT OF IT! Besides, a "tasting" menu is just so fun.

There's something festive about sitting with a group of friends trying little bites with wine sips in between and debating on which bite or plate was the best. Because bacon wrapped dates have become so popular, I decided it'd be fun to have a "flight" of them - Maple Espresso, Cinnamon Sugar, Lemon Rosemary, Chipotle, and Balsamic Honey. This is so much fun for small get togethers or parties, and you could even have everyone vote at the end. Y'all do this at your next party and let me know which date wins!

Grocery List (serves 4 people 5 dates):

For all the dates:

5 small bowls

5 spoons

5 pieces of foil - cut approximately 12 inches and folded around the edges to make a wall around each edge

10 slices of bacon - cut in half

10 dates - pitted and cut in half

For the Maple Espresso dates:

1 tbsp espresso

2 tbsp brown sugar

1/4 cup maple syrup

For the Cinnamon Sugar dates:

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

For the Lemon Rosemary dates:

2 lemons - zested

1 tsp rosemary

For the Chipotle dates:

1 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

2 tbsp adobo sauce

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1 pinch cayenne

For the Balsamic Honey dates:

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp honey

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Step 1:

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Make the mix for each date flavor. In the first bowl, mix together the espresso, brown sugar, and maple. In the second bowl, mix together the cinnamon and sugar. In the third bowl, mix together the lemon and rosemary. In the forth bowl mix together the chipotle, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne. In the fifth bowl mix together the balsamic, honey, and vanilla.

Step 2:

Wrap the dates. You should have 20 date halves and 20 bacon halves. Wrap each date, and if necessary, you can secure with a toothpick. Step 3: Working with one mix at a time, dip 5 bacon wrapped dates into each mix. Completely cover each date, using as much of the mix as possible. Wash hands in between dipping dates into each flavor so they don't mix with the others. Place each flavored date on a piece of foil keeping like flavors together.

Step 4:

Place foil sheets on two baking sheets - two on one baking sheet, three on the other. It's important that the foil pieces have a wall around each edge so flavors don't mix (it also makes for easy cleanup). Bake until bacon is crisp, about 15 minutes. I like the plate these individually so everyone has a "flight." Or you can just use five small plates or one large plate with the dates piled. Labels would be fun or you could play a guessing game and have guests guess the flavors in each!

CHEERS TO HAPPY EATING!!!!

French Inspired Sangria

Everything about the French life and culture inspires my cooking daily. Because of the French, we now understand and love food in America the way the French have for years. Thanks to the likes of food-obsessed Americans such as Julia Child, M.F.K. Fischer, and James Beard who lived in France and brought French food culture to the US, we now have a country full of "foodies." Every self-proclaimed foodie must spend time in France. It's completely necessary to even get the slightest glimpse of what food is really all about.

This recipe comes inspired by mine and Tres' trip to The champagne region of France last year. There's nothing quite like "champagne country" because guess what?! There's only ONE!!! If you've ever wondered why champagne is so rare and so expensive, it's because champagne is only made in one place: France. You see, champagne can only be made here because the terrain, soil, and climate are absolutely perfect to get the distinct flavor and consistency that is champagne. It's pretty spectacular when you think about it.

As special and fancy as champagne may be, throwing $70+ dollars into a Saturday afternoon cocktail is not always my style. Actually, it's never my style. I would prefer that amount of money to be drank solo... No need to mix it up and wash it down with simple syrup. So, in this case, I cheated a little bit. You don't need champagne for this drink. A sparkling wine, Cava, or Prosecco rose will do just the trick! Rose Lillet, a French aperitif, is added for a zip and sweetness, and something about the fresh honey and berries give this drink a very "French countryside" feel. I want to be in Provence looking at Lavender fields when I drink this. 

Grocery List:

• 1/2 cup honey

• 1 cup water

• 1 lemon

• 3/4 cup of strawberries - sliced

• 3/4 cup of Rainier cherries - pitted and halved

• 3/4 cup red raspberries

• 1 cup rose Lillet - chilled

• 1 bottle sparkling rose - chilled

Directions: 

Step 1: 

Make the berry-honey syrup. In a saucepan, bring the honey, water, and 1/4 cup each of the strawberries, cherries, and raspberries to a boil. Slightly mash the berries in the syrup and set aside to cool. 

Step 2:

Add the remainder of the berries to a pitcher. Slice a lemon in half. Juice one half into the pitcher and slice the other half into small pieces and add with the berries.

Step 3:

 Strain the berry-honey syrup into the pitcher and discard the mashed berries. Add the Lillet and the bottle of sparkling rose into the pitcher. Stir and serve!

CHEERS TO HAPPY DRINKING!!

Fig Toast

One of my favorite things to do on a Saturday or Sunday morning is tip-toe out of bed without waking Tres and have breakfast made for him before he gets up. I make my coffee, pull out whatever ingredients I picked up from the market during the week, and create something with whatever I have on hand. I never turn on the TV or listen to the radio. I just simply enjoy the silence I have in the kitchen. It's so relaxing. I did this very thing yesterday and loved the recipe I made so I wanted to share it with you. We've all heard of Avocado Toast but for a much "sweeter" version, try Fig Toast!

Grocery List (for 2):

2 pieces thick cut bread

2 tbsp butter

4 ripe figs - chopped

1 tbsp honey

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp salt

1 inch honeycomb (or more honey)

Balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Step 1:

Toast and butter the bread.

Step 2:

With a fork, smash the figs together in a bowl with the honey, cinnamon, and salt. Spread the mixture thickly and evenly over the bread.

Step 3:

Slice and crumble the honeycomb over top of the mixture. If you don't have honeycomb, no problem! Just drizzle a little more honey over the top.

Step 4:

Drizzle the toast with balsamic.

CHEERS TO HAPPY EATING!!!

Fried Green Tomatoes with Herb Goat Cheese

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A few several Saturdays ago, me and a couple of my "steel magnolias" made a batch of "fried green tomatoes." It was a long Saturday of being in the kitchen, drinking cocktails, laughing, telling stories, and just enjoying each other's company - a rare thing for us these days. I'll never forget going into college thinking I'd never find friends as strong and fantastic as the ones from high school. My mom assured me that in every stage of my life I would make new friends and they would be "just as fabulous" as the ones before. I have to say though, my college group of gals is and will always be "my most fabulous friends." They are my best friends, as time goes on, I realize more than ever that it's going to take more than being in different cities, busy work and family lives, and finding less and less time to get together to break the close bond we created in college and have sustained as adults. It's crazy to think I've known these girls for over 10 years now, and near or far, we do the best we can to get together at least a few times a year (the constant 24/7 group text we've had going for several years now doesn't hurt either). These southern gals are my magnolias, and this fried green tomato recipe is dedicated to y'all... I hope we make them together for another 50 years!

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Grocery list:

Peanut oil - for frying

5 oz goat cheese - room temperature

1/2 lemon - juiced

2 tbsp basil - chopped

1 tbsp parsley - chopped

1 tbsp chives - chopped

Kosher Salt

Pepper

1 cup flour

1 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

1 tbsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp cayenne

4-5 green tomatoes

Step 1

Heat peanut oil to 350 degrees in a fryer or on your stovetop.

Make the herb goat cheese. Mix together goat cheese, lemon juice, herbs, and a dash of salt and pepper. Set aside.

Step 2

Whisk 1 cup flour and 1 cup buttermilk together in a bowl. In another more shallow bowl, mix together the cornmeal, garlic powder, cayenne, and paprika.

Step 3

Slice tomatoes 1/4 inches thick. Dry the tomatoes with paper towels. Salt and pepper them on both sides.

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Dip tomatoes in buttermilk mixture and then coat them in the cornmeal mixture.

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Step 4 Fry coated tomatoes until golden brown. Plate the fried tomatoes and dollop with goat cheese. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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CHEERS TO HAPPY EATING!!! AND BEST GIRLFRIENDS!!!

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Mimosa with Fresh OJ and Citrus Sugar Rim

Mimosa... the simple drink that can create a million stories in a lifetime. It's the happy place every Saturday and Sunday for every brunching human out there. It's bliss. And it's two ingredients: sparkling wine (or champagne if you get really fancy) and OJ. Big brunch restaurants have spiced this drink up thousands of different ways, and I've maybe tried 100 different versions. I have to say though, the original is my sunshine in a glass. You just simply don't have to do too much to this drink to make it "the best mimosa ever." However, I've found fresh orange juice never hurts. And a little sweetness can make any little lady (or dude with a sweet tooth) happy. Here's a fun version that will present beautifully at any brunch party or morning gathering!

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Grocery List:

• 8-10 large oranges

• 1 bottle of sparkling wine, cava, prosecco, or champagne

• 1/4 cup of sugar

• zest from one orange

Directions:

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Step 1

Juice your oranges. You can do this by hand or with whatever juicing tool you have on hand. I simply juice mine right into a measuring cup by hand

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Step 2

Pour sugar on a small plate. Zest orange into the sugar. Stir together.

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Step 3:

Take an orange slice and "rim your glass" with the juice from the orange. Dip your class in the sugar-orange mixture

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Step 4

Fill glass 3/4 way with the sparkling and after the bubbles settle add fresh OJ.

Easy-peasy!!!

CHEERS TO HAPPY DRINKING!!!