Dinner Time - Kentucky French Toast with Bourbon Candied Bacon

I wanted something warm and tasty for dinner tonight, and started thinking about new ways to cook bacon.  Once I decided on candying it with bourbon and brown sugar I started thinking about what to cook with it.  Eggs and pancakes seemed to easy.  I decided on a bourbon and cream french toast that I am calling Kentucky French Toast.  Freaking amazing!  Give this little taste of fatboy heaven a try!

Bourbon and Brown Sugar Bacon

Sometimes bacon needs a little dressing up, like when it is served for dinner. This is a simple way to change it up and still get the salty fatty goodness that only bacon can provide.

INGREDIENTS

    • 1 lb Bacon
    • 2 oz Bourbon
    • 1/2 cup Brown Sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

    1. Preheat oven to 350
    2. Mix bourbon and brown sugar to thick paste
    3. lay our full slices of bacon on baking sheet lined with parchment paper
    4. spread brown sugar mixture over bacon
    5. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes until bacon is crisp but not burnt

 

Kentucky French Toast

I saw a recipe for Irish Toast on AllRecipes.com and decided to change it up with my favorite cooking bourbon instead of irish whiskey.

YIELD
 6 servings
ACTIVE TIME
 5 mins
TOTAL TIME
 50 mins

INGREDIENTS

    • 1 (16 ounce) loaf French bread
    • 4 large eggs
    • 2 fluid ounce Bourbon whiskey
    • 3 fluid ounces half and half
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 tbs pumpkin pie spice
    • 1/4 cup butter
    •  confectioners' sugar for dusting

INSTRUCTIONS

    1. Cut the bread into 12 slices. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, bourbon, half and half, and vanilla extract until well blended.
    2. Heat some of the butter in a skillet over medium heat until the butter is hot and the foam has disappeared. Press each bread slice into the egg mixture, then fry in the hot skillet until nicely browned on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Add more butter to skillet as needed. Brush each slice with butter, and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

Restaurant Review: Grateful Bread

 

In Pacific City there are few places to get a decent espresso. For years I have run into the drive-thru at Grateful Bread to get coffee for Carrie and I when we were out here camping, but we have never taken the time to go in and eat a full meal. We corrected that oversight today, and I couldn't be any happier with the results.
The menu features many options for breakfast and lunch, all tending toward the lighter side calorie wise, but the flavor profiles are exceptional. First and foremost this is a bakery though, and the giant pastries and wonderful whole grain breads take center stage when you walk through the door.
I went with their signature breakfast, the "grateful huevos". Eggs scrambled with jalapeño peppers and cheese, wrapped in corn tortillas, and served with scratch made black beans.
The flavors were exceptional, and the eggs were cooked just right (light and fluffy without being runny). The beans were a great compliment, adding a nice zip.
If you find yourself in the area before 3pm, stop in and give this piece of Fat Boy Heaven a try.

Dinner Time - Gluten Free Biscuits and Gravy

I know Wednesday has been cooking with Beer night, but I was craving biscuits and gravy tonight.  It's hard with needing to keep things Gluten free, but it came out really well!

Biscuits:

2/3 Cup Milk

2 cups Gluten-Free Bisquick

3 eggs

2/3 cup shortening

Directions:

1. Cut shortening into bisquick until pea-sized chunks form

2. Add milk and eggs, stiring until mixture forms into dough

3. Use tablespoon to drop dough onto ungreased cookie sheet

4. Bake at 400 degrees for 13-16 minutes

 

Gravy:

1lb Ground Beef or Sausage

3/4 cup White Rice Flour

2 cups milk or milk substitute

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Brown meat in large skillet on medium

2. Sprinkle flour over meat until all grease is absorbed and no loose flour remains in pan

3. Add milk, stirring consistantly until gravy thickens to desired consistancy.  If gravy gets too thick, milk can be added to thin it out.  Continue to stir until ready to serve.

Bacon Night! - Bacon Pancakes!

We love breakfast around here, and we love bacon even more.  So combining the two into a delicious pancake is a no brainer.  I love crispy edges on my pancakes, and the best way to get that texture and flavor is to fry the pancakes in plenty of hot bacon grease.  This recipe just makes the process easier, and I think tastier.  It worked great tonight, and we will definately do it again.  Recipe is here!

The mixture of bacon and maple inside the pancake meant that even I didn't need to add butter or syrup to make these taste perfect.  Nice fluffy texture an perfect flavor.  I was a bit worried that the wheat-free flour mix would make these a bit denser than normal wheat flour, but they really were perfect.