Bacon and Dates

According to my sources, bacon wrapped stuffed dates have been a popular appetizer for a while, but I guess I missed that. Perhaps I don't eat at the right restaurants.

For Thanksgiving I was asked to bring stuffing and an apple crisp. I also brought a pecan pie because pie and Thanksgiving just go together. My lovely daughter brought the stuffed dates, although I helped heavily with the making of them.

We started with moist, large, pitted dates. If your dates aren't moist you may want to steam them briefly before starting, because some of the moisture is cooked off while the bacon cooks.

I like blue cheese with walnuts and since the recipe called for walnuts, we included a nubbin of good quality blue cheese, too. Warm melty cheese is always a treat. Each slice of bacon was cut in thirds and used to wrap three stuffed dates, so make sure you have enough bacon. If your bacon strips are short ones, you may even need to only wrap two dates per strip of bacon...extra bacon can be used for other purposed, right?

I pre-heated some cast iron skillets in the oven and added the stuffed dates to them which helped crisp up the bacon. They weren't fully cooked because we re-warmed them at the home where we were dining.

I warn you, these can be addictive! Who can resist warm and crisp bacon, soft and sweet date, crisp and mellow walnut and piquant blue cheese, all in one bite? Not me.

Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Dates

24 large moist medjool dates
8 or so walnuts, broken
1 oz. blue cheese
8-12 strips bacon - cut in two or three pieces depending on the length

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. If you have them, place two cast iron skillets in to preheat.

If dates have pits, remove the pits by slicing carefully from one end to the other with a paring knife and then removing the pit with the tip of the knife. Be sure to only cut the top of the date, NOT all the way through to the bottom. If your dates are not moist, steam them briefly before starting.

Stuff where the pits usually live with pieces of walnut and a nubbin of the blue cheese. You can use goat cheese if you prefer it to blue cheese.

Wrap a strip of bacon around the date, putting the stuffed part face down onto the bacon, overlapping the ends of the bacon on the opposite side. Secure with a toothpick.

If not using a cast iron skillet for baking, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the finished dates on the parchment.

Bake on the baking sheet or in the preheated skillets for about 8-10 minutes, turning over halfway. Bacon will start to turn golden and get slightly crispy on the edges. If you prefer, cook for another minute to cook the bacon a bit more.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 10-15 minutes before serving. Dates should be warm, not hot. They can also be served cold.

If you make them in advance, reheat them for a minute or two in the microwave if you prefer them warm.

Delicious Local Snack

As a theory, I support the idea of locavorism...eating things grown or produced nearby to where you live. Since I am lucky and live where there are lots of good things grown and produced, it is not a hardship. The main thing getting in the way seems to be finding the time to shop that way without breaking the bank. My nearby Whole Foods has the nickname 'whole paycheck' for a reason. Even farmers markets seem to have sent prices sky high for many items. I do belong to a fruit CSA where the annual 'fee' is to purchase something like six bottles of an outstanding Asian pear juice. It is reasonably priced and so are the pears and apples we pick up at the farm.

Of  course I also have the blackberries, ollalberries, mint, apples, pears, persimmons, quince and plums that grow on our property, plus whatever veggies I plant as annuals. I hope we get a lot of rain so that I can expand what I plant next spring.

Today we went to a friend's house for lunch. Before we went we stopped at a deli near the gym for the amazing apricot chutney that they make there. Ulia's chutney is only available near Thanksgiving and between then and Christmas. It has the perfect balance between sweet and savory, with a tang of vinegar. The fruit pieces are large.  It goes really well with turkey.

We also stopped after that at our local cheese factory where they make a semi-hard Portuguese cheese from raw milk called St. Jorge. It is mellow and tangy at the same time. The piece we had was extra aged, so it was also just a bit crumbly and fully flavored. Heaven! The chutney went well with it and we served it up with crackers. Unfortunately I was enjoying eating it and the conversation around the table and forgot to take photos. We left the remaining cheese and chutney with our host and hostess, so the photos I took of the wrapped up local goodies will have to do.

Do you have any local foods that you particularly enjoy? Do you buy any at the source?

Ulia's Deli and Catering              Joe Matos Cheese Factory
130 Stony Point Rd,                    3669 Llano Rd

Santa Rosa, CA 95401                Santa Rosa, CA 95407                          
(707) 525-8542                            (707) 584-5283

Almost Turkey Time

If you don't live in the U.S.of A., the coming of fall probably doesn't mean that it is time to gather up the recipes for cooking a big turkey for a family, or extended family, or family and friends dinner toward the end of November.

If you do celebrate American Thanksgiving, you probably have a raft of family traditions associated with the feast.

It might be Aunt Mabel's green bean casserole with onion rings or Uncle George's special meatball appetizer or Grandma's super sweet, marshmallow covered sweet potato casserole. With the way that tastes change over time, this might be the year that you decide to try something new and different...well, at least for one dish.

If you are the brave soul that is willing to stand up against family pressure and make a casserole that has fresh green beans and no fried onions in sight, or something with sweet potatoes that is actually savory, perhaps with some sage butter, or even a different stuffing for the turkey, you might need some suggestions for new recipes to try. I'm selfish enough that I want you to make one of the recipes I've blogged about if thats teh case...besides they are good!

There will be round ups and lists to be found around the Internet. My group of Thanksgiving ready recipes will be limited to ones I've posted here in the Land of St. Honore' at Feeding My Enthusiasms. That might make it a short list, but that makes it easier for you to scan it, check out any that look interesting to you, then pop on over to the next blog (which might be one on my likely blogs list...if you are smart).

Here goes....drumroll please.....

Appetizers:

White Bean Dip, http://feedingmyenthusiasms.blogspot.com/2009/10/this-dip-made-with-canned-cannelli.html hits a lot of high notes - robust taste, not too filling, good-for-your-heart legume based, great with either crackers or crudites, easy to make and ...Yay!...can be made ahead and tastes even better if you do.

Caprese on a Skewer, http://feedingmyenthusiasms.blogspot.com/2009/11/catching-up-caprese-on-skewer.html is colorful, fun to make and fun to eat. Finding flavorful tomatoes might be a challenge, but you can use cherry tomatoes which are usually sold in pint baskets. They generally taste good. You can substitute flat leaf parsley (Italian parsley) leaves for the basil leaves. The flavor combo will be different, but the skewers are still pretty that way. You can Serve the skewers by sticking the end in a small pumpkin or you can corral a bunch of filled skewers in a tall glass, fanning them out.

Salads:

A tossed green salad is always welcome, but if you want a make-ahead salad, try this Composed Orange Salad, http://feedingmyenthusiasms.blogspot.com/2008/01/orange-you-glad-you-heard-about-this.html . You can arrange the lettuce and orange slices on salad plates, stack them up in the 'fridge, then dab on the mayo, add the cherry and sprinkle on the raisins and coconut shortly before guests sit down and put them a plate at each place. The orange is refreshing and light which is a good way to start a meal that is heavy on the starches.

Soup:

If the day is chilly as November often is, starting with a nice bowl of soup is warming and welcoming. Try a seasonal favorite like Two Squash Soup, http://feedingmyenthusiasms.blogspot.com/2009/11/soups-on-and-its-two-squash-soup.html rich with roasted butternut and pumpkin squashes, plus onions, sweet potato and apples. With a sour cream and diced red pepper garnish it's quite festive and flavorful.

Turkey:

The main event is usually a roast Turkey, golden and juicy. Turns out that I haven't blogged a turkey recipe, so I'm sending you to the experts. The Butterball turkey folks have a great helpline and website if you need a recipe or help. I usually cook mine in a brown-in-bag because it makes it difficult to over cook the bird, plus clean up is so easy.This one wasn't cooked in a brown-in bag and it is overcooked.

Sides:

What is a turkey without stuffing? No nearly as good! My Mom makes the best stuffing (you knew I'd say that, right?...well, it's true) and the Stuffing, http://feedingmyenthusiasms.blogspot.com/2008/11/stuffed.html recipe I posted last year is based on her bread and corn bread stuffing. You'll need a slightly drier stuffing if it is going inside the bird than if it goes in the casserole, so add a little extra broth to the casserole baked stuffing. You can make it your own by adding favorite dried fruit, different nuts, and so on. Make plenty because people usually want seconds of this stuffing!

Good turkey benefits by the accompaniment of cranberries. There's something about the sweet-tart fruitiness that brings out the best in the bird. Cranberries also ripen in the fall, making them a fall favorite since Colonial times. If you want to break away from cranberry relish, try Elle's Wild and Brown Rice with Cranberries, http://feedingmyenthusiasms.blogspot.com/2008/10/for-holiday-meals.html for a side dish instead. It has the nutty flavors of wild and brown rice, plus apple juice soaked cranberries and a dash of orange flavor for zest.

(You can still open a can of cranberry jelly for purists).

Swiss chard is a seasonal green that is all too often forgotten makes a wonderful side dish. It is refreshing and savory and light...just right with such a rich meal. Try it fixed as Swiss Chard and Spinach with Onions, Currants and Lemon Zest,
http://feedingmyenthusiasms.blogspot.com/2007/12/sneaking-in-chard.html an interesting mix of greens, onions with the contrast of currants and the zip of lemon zest.

Bread:

Even though the usual Thanksgiving meal has plenty of carbs without it, everyone loves freshly baked rolls. Pile the bread basket with these Refrigerator Rolls, http://breadbakersdog.blogspot.com/2009/03/refrigerator-rolls-ready-when-you-are.html which can be partially made ahead. They are from my other blog, Bread Baker's Dog, devoted to bread baking. Pop them in the oven when the turkey comes out. They'll bake while it's resting and being carved and you will be a star when you pass the bread basket and people get a whiff of freshly baked bread.

If you are feeling artistic and want to really impress, make the Harvest Sheaf bread, also found on Bread Baker's Dog. It is easier to make than it looks. To serve, I just sliced across the sheaf.

Dessert:

The last morsel of turkey has been polished off and the coffee is brewing. Now comes my favorite part, dessert. Here are three desserts that use seasonal fruits. They make a nice addition to the dessert table, which can also include a traditional pie.

The first Double Apple Bundt Cake with or without Rum Glaze, http://feedingmyenthusiasms.blogspot.com/2008/05/its-not-tuesday-but-its-still-dorie.html features crisp, tart apples complemented with spice in an easy to serve bundt cake with a decorative rum glaze.

The next two are a bit unusual but delicious. Try Stuffed Figs and Plum Clafouti, http://feedingmyenthusiasms.blogspot.com/2007/09/fun-with-fall-figs.html with the added kick of bittersweet chocolate hiding in the figs.

Pomegranate Lemon Tart with or without Spiced Poached Pears, http://feedingmyenthusiasms.blogspot.com/2009/03/some-kinda-wonderful.html makes use of the season's pears and is very pretty with the sweet-tart pomegranate lemon pastel tart filling and the fan of bi-colored pear slices on top.

Still need some recipe ideas? Check out the index by clicking on the set table photo at the top right corner of this blog.

Happy Thanksgiving! East well and enjoy time with family and friends. XOXOXO Elle

This dip, made with canned cannelli beans, makes a quick and delicious appetizer for your self and family or for a gathering.

All of the ingredients except for the salt and pepper get whirled around in the food processor. I did mine a few hours before we ate so that the flavors could meld together. I served it with an assortment of veggies, some from the garden like yellow pear mini tomatoes, green and yellow zucchini, and green beans. I also included red pepper strips, jicama strips, snow peas, and mini carrots. The dip is savory and has the lilt of lemon and the bite of garlic, tempered by the mellowness of beans and olive oil. It is also one of those Mediterranean healthy foods.

White Bean Dip

from Food Network's site and Giada deLaurentiis

Ingredients
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans , drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil, plus 4 tablespoons
1/4 cup (loosely packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Place the beans, garlic, lemon juice, 1/3 cup olive oil, and parsley in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the bean puree to a small bowl.

If you want the pita chips that go with this dip here is the link:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/white-bean-dip-with-pita-chips-recipe/index.html

Spring When It Sizzles

Unseasonable heat wave hit today and is supposed to continue for the next few days. The 'normal' temperature for mid-May around here is a high of 75 - 80. Today it was well over 90 degrees during the hottest part of the day, so that qualifys as hot. Tomorrow is slated to be at least a few degrees over 100.

That meant getting out early to water the garden and do a bit of weeding, then lots of time indoors where it was cooler, thanks to our concrete floor which retains the cool from the night before. There is an art show coming up for the watercolor class I attend, so I was matting and framing my piece (we have to choose just one). I was honored to have my piece chosen as one of four from our class on the postcard advertising the show. Careful viewers of this blog have already seen it almost finished in this post. I had to give it a title, so I chose 'Juicy' 'cuz the oranges look pretty juicy to me.

One of the dilemmas when the weather is hot is what to make for dinner. I tossed together a salad of cold leftover grilled chicken chunks, cucumber, avocado, carrots, fresh mandarin orange segments, golden raisins, sliced almonds and blue cheese bits mixed with mesclun salad mix. Sweetie enjoyed his favorite lime dressing and I opted for walnut raspberry since my favorite Organic Raspberry dressing is gone and I don't remember where I bought it. Sucks having an older brain sometimes.

If you have a toaster oven you don't have to heat up the kitchen to prepare a great appetizer for hot weather:

Smoked Salmon and Brie Toasts

serves 2-4

1/2 baguette, sliced in 1/2 inch to 1 inch slices, then lightly toasted in the toaster oven

2-4 oz ripe brie cheese

2 oz. smoked salmon (or more if you really love smoked salmon)

mizuna or herb leaf for garnish

Take the toasted baguette slices and spread about a tablespoon of brie on each slice. Place on a small cookie sheet that will fit in the toaster oven and broil in the toaster oven until brie melts.

Remove from toaster oven and immediately layer on some of the smoked salmon. Garnish with a leaf and serve at once while the cheese is melty.

Remember to share...although these are so good it's easy to eat them all yourself.