Bacon and Gruyere Popovers

Bacon and Gruyere Popovers 

My husband LOVES popovers.  After seeing some featured in an Austin restaurant on a food television show, we made reservations and tried theirs.  They were delicious, and he ordered a popover pan for me.  It only makes 6 at a time, so it isn't an easy quick breakfast or side dish for the masses.  My mom gave me a popover recipe around the same time, and I have modified it over the years.  This is the result....

Ingredients:

• 4 large eggs, room temperature or warmed in a bowl of warm water
• 2 T. melted butter
• 1 1/4 C milk, warmed
• 1 C flour OR 1 C gluten free flour & 1/4 t. xanthan gum
• 1/2 t. salt
• Gruyere, cut into small chunks. (Shredded cheese doesn't create the cheesy pockets in the popovers.)  I use about a teaspoon of cubes in each popover, but use as much or as little as you like.
• Thick-cut Bacon, cooked and crumbled into chunks
• Ground pepper as desired

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400.
2. Grease popover pan
3. Whisk butter, milk, eggs, salt, pepper, and *xanthan gum (if using)
4. Gradually sift and whisk flour into the batter until smooth.
5. Place chunks of Gruyere in the bottom of each popover tin.
6. Pour batter into each popover tin until 2/3-3/4 full.
7. Add bacon to the top of each tin.
8. Bake for 25 minutes at 400.
9. Reduce heat to 350, and continue to bake for 15 minutes until deep brown.
10. Remove from oven.
11. If you don't want your beautiful popovers to collapse, simply use a sharp paring knife and pierce the bottom of the hot popovers to allow steam to escape and place them on a cooling rack. Do not let them cool in the pan, they'll lose their shape.
12. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Sage Browned Butter Sauce

 Printable Recipe

Ingredients: 

For the Gnocchi: 

• ~2 lbs. sweet potatoes 
• 1 1/2 t ground cinnamon 
• 2/3 C whole milk ricotta cheese, well drained 
• 1 t salt 
• 1/2 t black pepper 
• 1 1/2 C all-purpose flour, plus 1/3 C for the work surface 

For the Maple Cinnamon Sage Brown Butter: 

• 1/2 C unsalted butter (1 stick) 
• 20 fresh sage leaves 
• 1 t ground cinnamon 
• 2 T maple syrup 
• 1 t salt 
• 1/2 t ground black pepper 

Directions: 

For the Gnocchi: 

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. 
2. Pierce the sweet potato to allow steam to escape. (You'll notice the repeated notes about moisture for making gnocchi.) 
3. Bake the sweet potatoes until tender & fully cooked, between 40 to 55 minutes depending on size. 
   
4. Cool slightly. Cut in half & scoop the flesh into a large bowl. 
5. Mash (or puree) the sweet potatoes & transfer to a large measuring cup to make sure the sweet potatoes measure about 2 cups.  If they are "wet", drain off any liquids.  Extra moisture can make the gnocchi require too much flour. 
   
6. Transfer the mashed sweet potatoes back to the large bowl. 
7. Add the ricotta cheese (drain any liquid, don't stir it back in) , salt, cinnamon, & pepper & blend until well mixed. 
   
   
   
8. Taste mixture to determine seasonings. 
9. Add the flour, 1/2 cup at a time until a soft dough forms. Additional flour may be required if the dough is still really sticky.
   
10. Lightly flour a work surface & place the dough in a ball on the work surface. 
11. Divide dough into 6 equal balls. 
12. (***Test a couple of gnocchi before you roll ALL of the dough out. Shape & cook a few dumplings in a small pan of simmering salted water to make sure they're right before rolling & cutting the whole batch. If the gnocchi fall apart, work the dough a bit longer & add a little more flour.)
13. Roll out each ball into a 1-inch wide rope. 
    
14. Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces. 
    
15. Roll the gnocchi over the tines of a fork. 
    
16. Transfer the formed gnocchi to a large parchment-lined baking sheet. 
    

    

     Brittyn has been making them with me for years.  (2018 pictured.)
17. Continue with the remaining gnocchi. 
18. Can be frozen in single layers at this point and then transferred to a Ziploc for storing until ready. (Do not defrost before cooking.)
19. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Once the water is at a rolling boil, add the gnocchi in 3 batches & cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, when they float to top, remove them. If you overcook them, they get really gummy. 
20. Drain the gnocchi using a slotted spoon onto another lined baking sheet. Tent with foil to keep warm & continue with the remaining gnocchi. 

For the Brown Butter sauce: 

1. While the gnocchi are cooking, melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. 
2. When butter has melted, add sage leaves. Continue to cook, swirling butter occasionally, until the foam subsides & the milk solids begin to brown. 
3. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in cinnamon, maple syrup, salt, & pepper. Careful, mixture will bubble up. 
4. Gently stir. When bubbles subside, toss cooked gnocchi in brown butter. 
5. Transfer gnocchi to a serving dish & serve immediately.

 

Homemade Tomato Basil Soup & Tomato Basil Bisque

Printable Recipe

Our local warehouse store had 2 lb. clamshells of Campari tomatoes, and while I usually use San Marzano tomatoes for soup or bisque, these worked beautifully!

Cut 4 lbs of tomatoes in half.

Clean and slice a red bell pepper.

Add tomatoes, bell pepper, and 8 garlic cloves to a rimmed baking sheet (the tomatoes will render a lot of liquid) or cake pan.

Drizzle with olive oil & generously season with salt and pepper.  Roast the tomatoes, pepper, and garlic at 400 degrees for 45 minutes.

Slice 1 yellow onion and place in a pan on the stove top with 2 T butter.  Caramelize over low heat while tomatoes are roasting. 

Transfer tomatoes, pepper, garlic, and onion to blender or large pot to blend with an immersion blender. 

Add 1-2 Cups of broth to reach the consistency you want if you are keeping it as a soup and not a bisque.  If you are making a bisque, add 1 C of broth.

Add 1/2 Cup of packed fresh basil, and blend.

Add 1 Tablespoon of Oregano, and Salt & Pepper to taste.  I also added 1 clove of Black Garlic.  It's a sweet and savory addition to the soup.

This is what it looks like when you remove the husk. Blend it into the soup.

If you have a a Parmesan rind, toss it in as the soup simmers for some added flavor.  

Allow the soup to simmer over low heat for at least 10 minutes.

You can remove the Parmesan rind and serve the Tomato Basil Soup with a basil garnish, fresh cracked black pepper, and grated Parmesan.  (If you're like me, you're probably also going to serve it with a grilled cheese sandwich.)

If you wish to make it a bisque, stir in 1 Cup of heavy whipping cream before serving.

Homemade Tomato Basil Soup or Bisque

Ingredients:

• 4 lbs. tomatoes

• 1 red bell pepper

• 8 cloves of garlic

• 2 T butter

• 1 whole onion

• 1-2 Cups of broth (vegetable or chicken)

• 1/2 C packed fresh basil

• 1 t dried oregano

• Salt & Pepper

• 1 clove Black Garlic (optional)

• Parmesan Rind (optional)

Directions:

1. Cut 4 lbs of tomatoes in half.

2. Clean and slice a red bell pepper.

3. Add tomatoes, bell pepper, and 8 garlic cloves to a rimmed baking sheet (the tomatoes will render a lot of liquid) or cake pan.

4. Drizzle with olive oil & generously season with salt and pepper.  Roast the tomatoes, pepper, and garlic at 400 degrees for 45 minutes.

5. Slice 1 yellow onion and place in a pan on the stove top with 2 T butter.  Caramelize over low heat while tomatoes are roasting. 

6. Transfer tomatoes, pepper, garlic, and onion to blender or large pot to blend with an immersion blender. 

7. Add 1-2 Cups of broth to reach the consistency you want if you are keeping it as a soup and not a bisque.  If you are making a bisque, add 1 C of broth.

8. Add 1/2 Cup of packed fresh basil, and blend.

9. Add 1 Tablespoon of Oregano, and Salt & Pepper to taste. 

10.  Add 1 clove of Black Garlic and blend.

11. If you have a a Parmesan rind, toss it in as the soup simmers for some added flavor.  

12. Allow the soup to simmer over low heat for at least 10 minutes.

13. You can remove the Parmesan rind and serve the Tomato Basil Soup with a basil garnish, fresh cracked black pepper, and grated Parmesan.  (If you're like me, you're probably also going to serve it with a grilled cheese sandwich.)

14. If you wish to make it a bisque, stir in 1 Cup of heavy whipping cream before serving.

Easy Pickled Peppers that are good on (almost) EVERYTHING!

You can use this recipe for ANY pepper!

Y'all!  A few months ago, I needed some pickled peppers for a recipe, and I realized we were out of jarred/canned pickled peppers.  <*Gasp* The horror!>  I sliced up and pickled a few fresh jalapeños we had on hand, and I LOVED THEM. Like, I never intend to buy pickled peppers again. 

We normally grow jalapeño, Serrano, and scotch bonnet peppers in our garden, but they have cross-pollenated the last few years making every pepper a "surprise Scoville mystery pepper."  This year, my husband picked up a Cowhorn Pepper plant that we have kept away from our gardens in its own container.  I had never had a Cowhorn.  

They are long skinny curved peppers that are green until they reach full maturity, but I love how pretty they are when I mix the red and green! 

Everything I've read puts them on par with an "average" jalapeño with regards to Scoville heat, but personally, we feel like they are hotter than most jalapeños - more like somewhere between a jalapeño and Serrano. 

They have great flavor, and when you pickled them with Rice Vinegar, Sugar, and Salt, they are so good on most ANYTHING! 

You can use this recipe to pickle any peppers that fit your personal heat preference. 

EASY PICKLED PEPPERS 

Ingredients:

Peppers, washed and sliced

6 T Rice Vinegar 

2 T White Sugar

1/2 t kosher salt 

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a sealable container, seal, and refrigerate.

Copycat Starbucks Egg Bites

My husband came home raving about the Sous Vide Starbucks Gruyere Egg Bites, and he asked if I could recreate them based on his description.  Let me just say that I have made A LOT of egg bites in the past 3 weeks to find the best way to make fluffy Gruyere & Bacon Egg Bites for easy grab-and-go breakfast.  Yes, I even made a "Green Eggs and Ham" version. 

While we have a Sous Vide, trying to recreate the egg bites using other recipes I found didn't produce the results we were looking for.  I also tried pressure cooking them, but they came out much more dense than we wanted.  

So noting all that didn't work, I've finally come up with a recipe that we love.  I have used Gruyere and sharp white cheddar, arugula, spinach, and kale.  We LOVE adding my pickled cowhorn peppers and blending them into the mixture for some extra kick, too.

Enjoy!

Copycat Starbucks Gruyere &  Bacon Egg Bites

Printable Recipe

By Dawn at LearningAsISew.blogspot.com

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs - yolks & whites separated

• 1/4 C Heavy whipping cream

• 1+ C  grated  Gruyere cheese (or hard cheese of your preference)

• 1/2 C cottage cheese

• 2 C fresh greens of choice, chop for about 1 C (spinach, kale, arugula, etc.)

• 4-6 slices of thin cut bacon, cooked, and chopped

• Tabasco - to taste (optional)

• Peppers (optional)

• Salt & Pepper as desired

Directions:

1. If using the Instant Pot and Silicone Egg Bite Mold, add 1 C of water to the pot, cover with glass lid, and set to saute.  If using the Egg Poaching pan, add water to the bottom reservoir, cover with the lid only, and place over low heat on the stove.

2. Spray the molds (silicone or for the egg poaching pan) with cooking spray.

3. Place egg whites and heavy whipping cream in a blender or whip with an immersion blender until very frothy. (2-3 minutes)

   
   
   

4. Add cheeses (reserve a bit of the grated Gruyere to top the egg bites after they cook) and Tabasco or other hot sauce as desired and blend until smooth and uniform.  (I wouldn't recommend salsa, because it will make it runny.)

   
   

5. Add yolks, and blend.

   
6. If you choose to add pickled or fresh peppers, you can add them now and blend again, or you can just stir them in according to your preference.

7. If you want "Green Eggs & Ham," add the spinach and blend thoroughly.   If you want "regular" egg bites, you can add greens and pulse very briefly to mix them in.

   

8. Add most of the chopped bacon and stir.

9. Place remaining bits of bacon in the bottom of molds.  (If you need to reserve some for a second batch based on the size of your molds, then set some aside.)

   

10. Pour EQUAL amounts into each mold.  I would recommend filling them about 3/4 of the way, because they will "inflate" like a soufflé before shrinking, and if they get too big, they can break and fall into the water below.

    

11. If using the Instant Pot, use the metal trivet with handles to lower the mold into the I.P. and recover with the glass lid.  Do not seal and set for pressure.  If using the Egg Poaching pan, add the tray layer with the egg poaching molds, recover with the lid, and turn heat to medium.

12. Set a timer for 8 minutes.  Do not uncover while they cook.  If you have a glass lid, you will see them puff up and "dome" as they cook.  If they aren't fully domed, continue to cook for another minute or two.

13. Carefully remove molds and use a small knife to loosen the egg bites from the sides of the molds and turn onto a clean surface.

14. Top with remaining shredded cheese and a slice of pepper if you desire. (You can broil them at this point to brown the cheese, but I just let the residual heat melt the cheese.)

    

15. Refrigerate or freeze, and reheat when ready to eat!  

    

Instant Pot Beef Tips

Instant Pot Beef Tips

Ingredients:

• 1/4 C olive oil
• 3 lbs. Beef tips or beef stew meat, cubed
• 1/4 C flour (or GF flour)
• 1 T garlic powder
• 1 Medium onion, diced
• Salt and pepper
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 C beef broth
• 1/2 C red wine
• 1 T soy sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• Cornstarch & cold water
• Parsley to garnish
• Serve over mashed potatoes or rice

Directions:

1. Set Instant Pot to saute and add olive oil.  Once hot, add cubed beef (tossed in flour), onions, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
2. Stir to brown.
3. Add beef broth, red wine, soy sauce, and bay leaves.
4. Set IP to manual high pressure for 30 minutes, and use natural release to maintain moisture and tenderness.
5. Add the cornstarch and cold water mixture and add to pot to thicken sauce.

It smelled so good, that it disappeared before I even took a picture of it plated!