Crisp Bacon Brings Sweet Memories

Southern Fare Crisp Bacon Brings Sweet Memories A Tribute to Phil Schmidt

Sometimes old friends cross your mind. Those moments bring a smile and you remember them for the things they loved or did. In 2011 I met a fellow who won my heart the minute he walked through my door. He had a story about losing his wife and planting a memorial garden in her honor. A sucker for a love story my heart was moved by the tears that edged over the rim of his sad eyes. He spoke of her with such love. I could see that the garden was his tribute, his amends for all of his regrets, and what was keeping him going. He talked of planting hundreds of rose bushes, tulips, blooming shrubs. He had decorated the garden with sculptures and heart shaped rocks. A path led through the garden to the pond with a gazebo sitting beside it. I shared his story and we ran an update a couple years later as he continued to plant in her honor. Phil Schmidt was one of the finest fellows I’ve ever met.

He joined a prayer group and made some really good friends. He came to know Jesus through these connections and at 87 years old he came to my office to tell me, again with tears that he had been saved. I loved him even more that day because I know

I’ll see him in paradise one day. One of my favorite memories of Phil was when his friends threw a birthday party for him. The party was on the porch at Cupboard Cafe in Dillard. Billy Johnson was a friend of Phil’s and he went all out preparing his favorite food in a plethora of tasty ways. How many ways can you fix bacon? Well just ask Billy. We had cupcakes with bacon, chocolate dipped bacon and a dozen or more dishes in celebration of Phil.

No one had a better laugh than Phil did. When he laughed his whole face laughed and tears usually surfaced. That day we had such a nice time and loved being with him. This bacon lovers tribute to my friend doesn’t celebrate anything more than a friendship I’ll never forget. So without further adeu… let’s try some new bacon recipes!

Cheesy Bacon and Egg Hash … Not just a breakfast recipe! This delicious dish can be breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner! A skillet full of golden potatoes, fried in a small amount of oil OR baked (your choice), followed closely with more crispy-ness in the form of bacon, with scallions coming in third to add another layer of flavor, and THEN as if that wasn’t enough, melted mozzarella cheese!

24 oz potatoes, (about 4 medium-sized), scrubbed clean and peeled 2 tablespoons olive oil, (or coconut oil) 7 oz diced bacon 2 scallions or spring onions trimmed and finely sliced 4 large eggs 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or cheddar) Cracked pepper to season

Dice potatoes into small 3/4-inch cubes. Heat the oil in a large cast iron skillet or pan over medium heat. Fry the potatoes in the hot oil and cook while stirring occasionally, until golden and crispy (about 20 minutes). To speed up cooking time, cover pan with a lid, checking the potatoes every 4-5 minutes or so to stir them (this takes about 15 minutes). Add the bacon pieces to the pan and fry while stirring occasionally for 10 minutes, until crisp. The potatoes will be golden with crisp edges, while soft on the inside. Add the spring onions; stir them through and season with pepper (optional). Using a wooden spoon or spatula, make four wells in the hash, crack an egg into each well and arrange the mozzarella around each egg. Fry until the whites are set and the eggs are cooked to your liking. Serve immediately.

Kickin’ Chocolate Bacon Bark (Say that ten times!) Line pan with parchment or wax paper with a one-inch overhang on each side. Recipe makes an 8 x 8 pan. 16 oz of semi-sweet chocolate 4 cups of mini marshmallows 1/4 cup whiskey (RM Rose Straight Bourbon is an excellent choice) 1 cup caramel (recipe follows) 1 cup of spiced bacon crumble (recipe follows) Place chocolate in a heat-proof bowl above simmering water. Heat on low until chocolate is melted. Pour half of melted chocolate into parchment-lined pan. Then using a spatula, spread chocolate until smooth. Transfer pan to freezer to chill for about 5 minutes or until melted chocolate becomes solid.

Place marshmallows in a large saucepan and heat until they start to melt and form web-like strands when stirred. Remove from heat and add in 5 tablespoons of whiskey; stir to combine. Spread the marshmallow mixture over solid chocolate layer. (To easily spread the marshmallow to an even layer, spray spatula with non-stick spray.)

Pour caramel on top of marshmallow layer. Then, using an offset spatula, spread caramel until smooth. Transfer pan to freezer to chill for about 5 minutes or until caramel becomes slightly hardened. Pour remaining half of chocolate over caramel layer and, using a spatula, spread chocolate until smooth. Sprinkle and gently press bacon crumble into chocolate, Return fully assembled bark to refrigerator to chill for 20 minutes or until bark becomes solid. Bring bark to almost room temperature before cutting.

Bacon Crumble

16 oz bacon 1/4 cup sugar 4 tablespoon water 1 egg white 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/8 teaspoon cayenne

Cook bacon and set aside to cool completely. Once cooled, coarsely crumble bacon with hand; set aside and heat oven to 300 degrees F.

Place sugar and water in a pot and heat until sugar is dissolved. Toss crumbled bacon in sugar syrup to coat. Pass coated bacon through a strainer to drain excess sugar syrup. Add egg white to a bowl and beat until fluffy and foamy. Add in black pepper and cayenne. Whisk to combine. Add in crumbled bacon and toss to coat. Spread coated, crumbled bacon on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool, then crumble bacon one last time.

Caramel Filling

1 cup sugar 4 tablespoons water 4 tablespoon butter 7 tablespoon heavy cream Add sugar and water into a saucepan over medium low heat. Stir until sugar has dissolved. Use a wet brush to remove any crystals that form on the side. Once sugar has dissolved increase heat to high. Now and then, using the handle, give the pot a swirl to keep the mixture moving. Do not stir the mixture directly. The mixture will start to bubble after a minute. As the mixture darkens to a medium amber color, approximately 5-7 minutes, add the butter and heavy cream to saucepan. The mixture will bubble wildly. Whisk to combine (bubbles will subside upon cooling). Set aside to cool completely.

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Crisp Bacon Brings Sweet Memories

Twisted Bacon!

I have discovered Tic Tok! You can learn to do almost anything and recipes are as abundant as life hacks. Twisted Bacon is the rage. It is a perfect mix of soft and crispy, sweet and savory! With this recipe and method, you get incredibly juicy and flavorful bacon in a super-easy way every single time! The only ingredient you need to make Twisted Bacon is a pound of thick sliced bacon! Chances are you have bacon in the line-up for a big Saturday breakfast so you might as well go the extra mile and make it twisted! It’s super easy to make, clean up and it’s incredible!

To add a sweet but spicy kick to your breakfast, mix together some brown sugar and cayenne pepper. Then just sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over the bacon before baking, it’s SO good! If a bit of spice scares you, try candied bacon for a sweet and savory take on this Twisted Bacon! Simply sprinkle brown sugar over the bacon before baking or even drizzle maple syrup over it! WARNING! This perfectly caramelized bacon is addictive! For another sweet meets salty treat dip the cooked and cooled bacon in melted chocolate. Then top it with flakes of sea salt! It sounds crazy but it’s absolutely worth trying! In the slim chance that you have leftover bacon, you can store it the refrigerator in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or in aluminum foil. Enjoy it within 4 to 5 days.This Twisted Bacon would be delicious added into all of your favorite bacon recipes like casseroles, salads, and even soups!