Brown Sugar Peppered Bacon

As a kid, if I ever found myself in a breakfast buffet type situation, I would typically eat close to 10 pieces of bacon.  Multiple trips, zero willpower, lacking parental supervision??  It is my weakness.  As long as it's crispy, of course.  I recently tried a sweet and peppery bacon that might be the best thing I've ever put in my mouth.  If you ever find me rocking bath and forth in a dark corner, all 500 pounds of me, it's because this bacon took over my life.  I knew I could easily recreate this deliciousness at home, and so I did.  You can, too:

 Preheat oven to 350.

Line a baking sheet with tinfoil.  Place a rack on top.

Put bacon on rack, as much as you can fit.

Sprinkle with brown sugar and freshly cracked black pepper.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, until it's CRISPY.   

*Tara, you have won the Annie Chun's Giveaway!  Please email me your mailing address.

Crispy Smoked Salmon Toast

I finished my last post by telling you people that I am a genius.  I lied to your faces.  The truth is, I am one of the biggest idiots I know.  Last weekend, I went to the same baby shower twice.  Saturday morning, got all dressed up, got my daughter all dressed up, braved the 405 for 45 minutes, showed up at the restaurant only to find out the baby shower was Sunday, not Saturday.  The maitre'd even offered me a glass of champagne on the house because he felt so embarrassed for me.  The valet guys were SO thrilled to park my car only to fetch it 30 seconds later.  My daughter ABSOLUTELY LOVED the drive back home.  See?  Monster idiot.  

However, I redeemed myself a little by recreating one of the appetizers they passed around at the real baby shower on Sunday: smoked salmon atop creme fraiche and crispy toast.  I ate an entire plate (but justified it in my head by pretending it was one plate over TWO baby showers).  This morning I whipped it together in 5 minutes: easy, impressive, delicious...

Cut sourdough toast into squares or rounds.  Heat a small amount of olive oil over medium-high heat.  Saute bread until it browns on both sides, being careful not to burn.    

Top with a dollop of creme fraiche (or sour cream, even cream cheese would be good), smoked salmon (lox) and chopped chives.  

Fresh Tortillas

Whoa, where have I been?  I'll tell you where I've been.  Up to my eyeballs in kitchen remodel stuff.  But it's been nice staring at those corn cupcakes while you wonder where the hell I am, right?  Alas, it's time we move on.  Have you ever seen these uncooked tortillas before?  You can buy them at Whole Foods.  A friend turned me onto them, and I'm obsessed.  Fresh, raw tortillas - already shaped for you - that you throw in a hot pan for a minute and voila... freshly cooked tortillas!  You can taste the difference.  I love them.  This morning I made scrambled eggs with pancetta, topped it with avocado and chipotle hot sauce, and rolled it all up in a fresh tortilla.  Perfect breakfast.       

Cinnamon Roll Cake

A thing called Cinnamon Roll Cake exists in this world, in case you were wondering.  I made it.  And I would love to tell you how crazy delicious it was, but I didn't try it.  I baked it for a Teacher Appreciation Lunch, and I thought it would be rude to present it with a teeny, tiny slice missing.  Hey Teachers, I appreciate you!  But not enough to give you an entire cake?  Yeah, that wasn't going to work.  So I had to fold in the cinnamon sugar swirl and sneak in the gooey, brown sugar filling and drizzle the creamy frosting on top and then give it all away.  Woe is me : (

I used this recipe, and was very curious about the addition of vanilla pudding mix.  You should make it, and tell me what you think.  It's research, for me, so you should probably do it.  (I'm trying to help you out here.)  By the way, if you're a teacher, I appreciate you like crazy!  I wish I could send you all cakes without teeny, tiny slices missing.    

*Update: I snuck into the preschool kitchen and snagged a bite of the leftovers.  Yup, crazy delicious.  I was even told that one teacher had a dream about it last night.  What I like to hear.

Wakey Wakey!

For your busy Monday mornings...  

How to poach eggs in the microwave and how to scramble eggs using an espresso machine?!  

I know I suggested there would be a major blog remodel over here today.  I got ahead of myself, but it's still going to happen.  I will keep you posted!  

More egg dishes here.  

Spinach Pesto and Sausage Strata

My friend Beth made this Rachael Ray egg dish yesterday and it was absurd (recipe here).  Incredibly filling and delicious in many ways.  She also made Monkey Bread and I practically had to roll myself out of her house.  I don't have willpower, especially when it comes to bread and cheese.  If you ever have to torture me into revealing information, just put me in a room full of bagels and cheese curds.  You'll win.  You'll also witness a frightening amount of bagels and cheese curds enter my body.  Anyways, the above dish would make a lovely Mother's Day brunch.

And remember this?   

Egg Salad and Pancetta on English Muffins

Egg McMuffin Schmegg SchmcSchmuffin.  (Did you say that out loud?  Did you sort of think you sounded like Sean Connery?  Do you feel embarrassed now?  There, there.)  Who needs fast food breakfast when you can whip this delicious concoction together!?  It's so easy, even Sean Connery can do it (I know that Bond has many talents but do you EVER see him cook?).  English muffins, a leeeeeedle bit of butter, egg salad and crispy baked pancetta (or bacon, whatevs).  I HIGHLY recommend you go to M Street Kitchen if you're ever in the LA area and pick up their Homemade English Muffins.  They're the stuff love songs are written about.            

*A reeeeeally old post on how to hard boil eggs.

Baking Bacon

How do you cook your bacon?  I usually let it sit over the stove on a low heat until it crisps, but over the weekend I baked it.  Baking sheet, aluminum foil, rack, cooking spray, bacon, 375, 20-30 minutes or until it crisps, I mean, REALLY crisps.  There is nothing worse than chewy bacon if you ask me.  I've also heard of cooking it in the microwave but I don't know how to do that, do you?  Learn me.  

Easy Egg Bake

Hello.  It's 6am Siri.  6am Siri has bacon on the stove and a pot of coffee in her lap.  6am Siri is dealing with some familiar, dreaded words associated with a baby... "teething" and "growth spurt."  6am Siri was up last night at 10 (I go to bed at 8), 12, 2, 4 and I just fed my baby again, hence, why I am up at 6am and calling myself '6am Siri' like a really annoying person.  

Oh boy.  Listen, I don't want to complain.  I know these phases come and go, and in a few days she might be back to sleeping from 8-6 like she was 2 weeks ago (RIGHT, UNIVERSE?!?).  It's just that four nights of "sleeping" like this has turned me into a silly, delirious zombie, and I just looked out my window and thought a bird was a giant puff of smoke.

Oh boy.  (Do I keep saying that?)  I sure wish I was enjoying this egg bake I made a few days ago.  (p.s. I love calling something a "bake" or a "casserole" or a "hot dish" because, Minnesota that's why.)  It's my friend's recipe and it's the easiest thing in the world to throw together.  Best part?  You assemble it the night before so all you have to do in the morning is roll your zombie self out of bed and pop it in the oven.  And it's one of those dishes that will work with any sort of cheese, meat or veggie you have in your fridge.  It's entirely interchangeable.  Here's how to do it, and now if you'll excuse me I have some coffee and bacon to make love to...

9 eggs, 3 cups of milk, 1 1/2 cups grated cheese of choice, 1 lb. cooked sausage (or bacon or pancetta), 3 pieces of bread in inch cubes, whatever veggies you fancy, 1 tsp dry mustard, salt and pepper.  I like to whisk my eggs, milk, and spices first.  Then I add cheese, meat bread and veggies.  Then I throw it all in a greased baking dish, cover, refrigerate overnight.  Then in the morning I uncover and bake for, oh, 20-30 minutes in a 375 degree oven.  Just keep an eye on it and when it's all golden it's done.

  

Prosciutto and Manchego Pop Tarts

The best thing about being out of town and using a kitchen space you're unfamiliar with is being resourceful.  I love being resourceful.  I call myself the MacGyver of the Kitchen.  No, that was a joke, if I really called myself that there would need to be an intervention.  But I might think it a little bit in my head.  Because there is nothing like poking around a kitchen, seeing what you have to work with, and making something out of it.  And friends, if that 'something' you have to work with is Puff Pastry, then you can do no wrong.  If you do something with Puff Pastry, you're better than MacGyver!  He made things out of rope and bug poop.  Puff Pastry transforms everything into something magical.  

For instance, take some puff pastry and thaw it slightly.  Cut it into 8 rectangles.  Brush it with some egg wash (one lightly beaten egg and a touch of water).  On four of the squares, place some Prosciutto and grated Manchego (or really any kind of ham and cheese you have on hand).     

Cover with other rectangle, and gently press the edges together with your fingers.  I took a fork and made the edges fancy.  Take a knife and carve a few venting slits in the center.  Brush the tops with more egg wash.  Place on a lightly greased baking sheet, and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes - until 'Pop Tarts' are nice and golden.  

Salty, buttery perfection, people.  I just ate one for breakfast and I think I'll have some more for lunch because, after all, that's what MacGyver would do.  

Soft Boiled Egg

Let's talk about the movie Silver Linings Playbook for a second.  Have you seen it?  It's great, with really incredible characters.  One of my favorites is the mom, this sweet lady surrounded by neurotic men.  Every Sunday she makes something called "Crabby Snacks and Homemades."  Crabby Snacks I can sort of envision but what the heck is a "Homemade"??  I don't think I even want to know, I love it. I want to be that mom.  I want my kids to RUN home for Homemades, at any age.  I want to be famous for them.  I want their spouses one day to feel inferior because they can't make them quite like me.  

Ok that might be a little evil.  I swear I'll make a nice mother-in-law.  But it would bring me pure (evil) joy to be able to pass down certain tricks, like Homemades, or like this perfectly soft-boiled egg.  I can't take credit for figuring it out, this blog can.  I'm telling you, it's easy.  And once you've finished, if you don't immediately break it apart over avocado toast, you're a mental person.  Just like in the movie.

(Also, remember Avocado and Egg Pizza?)     

Vegan Pumpkin Muffins

Today, my son's class took a field trip to a pumpkin patch...

Oooo, spoooooooky.

I volunteered to make 80 mini pumpkin muffins.  I know, spooky.  Carson always tells me I overbook myself but in MY defense, my mom was in town and helped watch the kiddos while I worked.  And have you ever known me to turn down a reason to bake??

Also, this recipe was extremely easy and extremely delicious.  Because of various allergies at the school, they are vegan (consisting of soy milk, soy yogurt and no eggs).  PACKED with spices and a hint of molasses flavor, ridiculously moist and perfectly pumpkin-y.  Recipe HERE.

The kids (and parents) ate them up.  My Jack had 3 (I say "my Jack" because there were four others).

*I doubled the recipe and it made 80 mini muffins.

Egg in a Hole

As a very new mother to two children, I've found that in order to get through the day without overwhelming myself it helps to make very mini goals.  Like, today I'm going to tidy up.  Today I'm going to organize that drawer.  Today I'm going to the drug store.  Today I'm going to blog.  Today I'm going to shower.  (That's right friends, showering doesn't happen every day or even every other, deal.)

But one thing I HAVE to do everyday is cook dinner, pack a school lunch, and make sure my son eats a big breakfast.  It's very easy to fall into the "same old same old routine", but today I decided to get wild and crazy with breakfast.  Egg in a Hole!  Egg in a Minnesota Hole (thanks for the cookie cutter, Katy).  Put some butter in a pan, cut out a shape in your bread, place bread in pan, crack egg into hole, sprinkle with salt, cook to your desired yolk consistency.  Fast, easy and delicious!     

Weelicious Guest Post + GIVEAWAY ~ Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

by Catherine at Weelicious...

With back-to-school season in full swing I find myself running more errands and having less time for those important tasks, like you know, feeding myself and my children!  I know... on those busy mornings when you don't have time for breakfast, there's nothing easier than tossing a granola bar into your child's lunch box and another one into your purse, but a majority of the brands on the market are not as healthy as their manufacturers would lead you to believe.  Plus, they are made with ingredients I can't even begin to pronounce. 

These Chocolate Chip Granola Bars are unbelievably delicious and, if you wrap them individually, just as easy to grab when you're on-the-go as the ones you buy at the market (plus, you'll have no problem pronouncing all the ingredients in these).  But the best part?  Most pre-packaged bars will run you a dollar or more, compared to the less than $4 it costs to make this recipe (and don't forget the time you'll also save not having to go to the grocery store).

These bars are versatile, too!  You can easily replace the chocolate chips with naturally sweet dried fruit like cranberries, cherries or raisins.  Chewy and crunchy with toasted oats and a sweet surprise in every bite, these Chocolate Chip Granola Bars are a must for your back to school rotation!

Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Printable Recipe

4 cups old fashioned oats

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 cup chocolate chips*

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup honey

1. Preheat oven to 325 F.

2. Combine the first 6 ingredients in a bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients.

4. Pour the wet ingredients over the oat mixture and stir to combine.

5. Place granola mixture on a parchment lined baking sheet and shape into a rectangle, about 13x9x1 inch thick.

6. Bake for 40 minutes or until edges begin to turn golden brown and it is set.

7. Allow to cool completely then cut into 3-inch x 1-inch bars.**

*You can substitute raisins or other dried fruit for the chocolate chips.

**Individually wrapped, the bars will remain fresh for several weeks.

~GIVEAWAY~

Catherine is graciously giving away TWO of her new cookbooks to you people!

Please comment below and I will randomly select TWO winners on Friday at 8am PST.

Good luck and thank you Catherine!  

Cinnamon Baked French Toast

I don't have many words for you today.

(One week left, one week left, one week left...)

But I do have a FANTASTIC recipe I tried out that you MUST make.

Perfect for a lazy, Labor Day weekend brunch.

Especially because you prep it the night before and throw it in the oven when you wake up.

It's somewhere between french toast, bread pudding and heaven.

The recipe is HERE.

Bye!  

**WAIT!  The winner of the Madhava Gift Basket is RossAnne - 

please email me at siri (dot) siriouslydelicious (dot) com**

Monkey Bread

How have I had a blog for this long without posting about Monkey Bread???  Seriously, it's wrong, you shouldn't forgive me.  You should be all, "It's a little too late, Siri, you Monkey Bread recipe hoarderer."  And my response will be, "Hoarderer isn't a word, my spell check said so."  And then you go, "Are you making fun of me??  I'm one of your blog followers, you idiot."  Then I'll apologize and send you some Monkey Bread in the mail, except that will never happen because I ate it all.

Now, you can make Monkey Bread from scratch, but I like to use a good old Pillsbury recipe because it's easy, and because it's incredible.  Buttermilk biscuits are quartered and then coated with cinnamon sugar.  They're placed in a tube pan (or I use a bundt pan), coated with butter and brown sugar, and baked.  The result: a pastry that you pull apart (like a monkey?) to reveal a soft, gooey, buttery center with a cinnamon sugar-crusted exterior.  You will die.  Literally, you will, because you'll eat it all, and then you'll die.    

*All grass shots taken by Katy at Chasing You Photo*

If you eat fruit with it it's healthy.