Feeling a little bit snacky...
...with two kinds of hummus and the best bacon jam
Hey there, friends! Who’s got two thumbs and is super excited for the super snack weekend?? This girl, for sure! Maybe you, too?
I’m always up for an excuse to share a snack or two, but isn’t the timing of the “big game” just about right? We finished last year with holiday party after holiday party, and really, I needed a break. Then came January, the longest month imaginable, with early sunsets and a fair amount of dreary days where I just wanted to pretend I was a hibernating bear. But now, the days are getting slightly longer, we’ve had some sunshine, and I’m just about ready to see people again.
So, I’m here for the game, the commericals, the half-time show, and the snacks. Bring it all on!
For the snacking portion of your evening, here are a few ideas for snacks and apps that would be great for your big party, or your small gathering, or just you and the dogs on the couch watching the puppy bowl instead.
Carnitas Tacos (or make a nacho bar!)
Pimento Cheese Biscuits (great for little sandwiches like a baby BLT)
Also, three(!) new recipes below for Edamame Hummus, Roasted Garlic Hummus, and Bacon and Red Onion Jam.
The edamame hummus and roasted garlic hummus (which I like to refer to as a hummus duo because it sounds fancy, but you can totally just make one or the other, they’re both fantastic) are a couple of dips I’ve been making for years, and there are certain occasions in which I would be uninvited if I didn’t bring them.
The edamame hummus was created as a copy of a dip we had at a restaurant and loved, and then of course, they took it off the menu. It’s flavor feels lighter than a traditional hummus. The roasted garlic hummus toasts the garlic on the stove top producing a garlic oil that is also blended in. It makes for a mellow garlic flavor in a super smooth hummus. Vehicles for hummus consumption - pita chips, crackers, pretzels, any veggie stick you can think of, a spoon…
Then we have the bacon and red onion jam. Something special for sure! Caramelized onions and bacon are slow cooked together with a little vinegar, brown sugar, and maple syrup until thick and jammy. You can leave it chunky or blend it a bit, but whatever you do, put it on everything! Serving ideas include - with pimento cheese and crackers, as part of a charcuterie board, stirred into a warm potato salad, or on grilled cheese sandwiches and burgers (or those sliders above!). If you have any left after your party, may I recommend throwing some into your omelet in the morning…so good.
So, until next time, go have a great rest of your week and weekend! Whether you’re into the game or the commercials or neither, surely we can all agree and say “yay snacks!”
MONDAY - Lasagna Soup, Cheese Bread, Fruit
We all loved this hearty soup when I made it a couple of months ago, so I figured why not go ahead and add it in again. All the flavors you love about a homemade lasagna, but made a little easier in soup form.
TUESDAY - Hainanese Chicken Rice
I first had this dish at a Thai restaurant last year, and immediately fell in love with the homey simplicity of poached chicken and brothy white rice topped with crunchy cucumbers and a punchy chile-ginger sauce. I’ve been trying to make a version at home, and what do you know, New York Times Cooking sent me an email with a one-pot version just last week!
WEDNESDAY - Pressed Sandwiches, Chips, Salad
Focaccia bread sliced and filled with a couple of different meats and cheeses, a sliced tomato, and a smear of pesto then weighted down while taking a quick spin in the oven to toast up.
THURSDAY - Leftovers
We’ll have plenty of choices because of all the extra recipe testing last week and this week. Time to build in a leftovers night so nothing goes to waste.
FRIDAY - Friday Night Pick-Up
SATURDAY - Dinner at Yaya’s (the in-laws!)
Maybe it’s the sunshine talking, but I could go for a grilled cheeseburger. Hoping I can talk the rest of them into it also!
SUNDAY - Super Bowl Sunday
Last year, we went with a “Souper Bowl Party” and all brought soup and extras. This year, we upgraded the theme to a “Soup or Ball Party” - to include soups and snacks shaped like a ball (you know - cheese balls, sausage balls, stuffed pizza balls, cake pops…), and of course, meatballs! I havent decided on a soup yet, but I’ll definitely do little meatball sliders.
LUNCHES for this week -
We’ve got sunshine and nice temperatures this week (yay!), so I think I’ll prep the ingredients for my Kale Caesar with Chili Crisp Dressing. I might even get fancy and do a fried egg over the top.
EXTRAS for this week
Not too many extras this week. I’m going to make some biscuits for the freezer (thought we might do a breakfast for dinner one night soon) and another batch of spinach and feta egg bites for actual breakfast.
Edamame Hummus
Makes about 3 cups
· 1-pound bag frozen Edamame (shelled)
· ½ cup cooking liquid (see below)
· ¼ cup Tahini
· 5 tablespoons Lemon Juice
· 3 cloves Garlic
· 1 ½ teaspoons kosher Salt (Morton or other store brand)
· ½ teaspoon ground Black Pepper
· 1 teaspoon ground Cumin
· ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
In a medium sized pot, bring 2 quarts of water and the frozen edamame to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse the edamame, but save ½ cup cooking water.
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, pulse edamame and garlic until finely chopped. Add the tahini, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and cumin. Process until it almost comes together.
With machine running, drizzle in reserved cooking liquid and then the olive oil. Run the processor for another 30 seconds to 1 minute until smooth.
Store tightly covered in refrigerator up to one week.
Roasted Garlic Hummus
Makes about 3 cups
· 9-10 cloves Garlic, peeled
· ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
· 2 (14oz) cans Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas), drain but reserve the liquid from one can
· ¼ cup Lemon Juice
· 3tablespoons Tahini
· 1 ½ teaspoons kosher Salt (Morton or other store brand)
· ½ teaspoon ground Black Pepper
In small pot over medium heat, bring garlic cloves and olive oil to just barely a bubble. Cook 15-20 minutes until the cloves are golden brown in color, reducing heat as necessary to prevent burning. If the garlic cloves are large enough to not be submerged fully in the oil, make sure to turn them over to toast the other side. Remove from heat and set aside.
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, pulse chickpeas several times until well chopped. Use a slotted spoon to add the garlic cloves (reserve the oil). Then add the lemon juice, tahini, salt, and pepper. Process until it mostly comes together. Scrape down sides.
With the machine running, stream in the garlic olive oil. Then, still with the machine running, drizzle in ¼ cup of the reserved chickpea liquid and process until smooth. If it is thicker than what you would like, add a little more liquid, one tablespoon at a time.
Store covered in the fridge for up to one week.
Bacon and Red Onion Jam
Makes about 2 cups
· 1 ½ pounds Bacon, diced
· 1 large Red Onion, diced
· 3 cloves Garlic, minced
· ½ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
· ½ cup packed Brown Sugar
· ¼ cup Maple Syrup
· ½ tablespoon Instant Coffee granules
In a heavy bottomed pot, such as a Dutch oven, over medium heat cook bacon until browned, stirring frequently. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Drain all but about a tablespoon of bacon grease from the pot.
Add the diced onion to the pot and cook over medium heat until cooked through and soft, about 10-12 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute more.
Stir in the vinegar, brown sugar, maple syrup, and coffee. Bring to a simmer, then add the bacon back in. Keep the pot at a simmer and cook uncovered for about 20 minutes until the liquid is slightly thickened and syrupy.
Using either a food processor or hand-held blender, finely chop to desired consistency. Be very careful as the mixture is hot.
If using a food processor, carefully move the mixture to the bowl fitted with the blade attachment. Place on the lid, remove the feed tube, and lightly cover the opening with a dish towel. Pulse several times until desired consistency is reached.
If using a hand-held blender, make sure the blender attachment is completely submerged before blending to prevent splattering.
Serve bacon jam into jars or storage containers. The jam will keep, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for 2 weeks or in the freezer for 3 months.
Bring to room temperature when serving.
That’s all for now, thanks for reading! See you back here next week!
(Don’t forget you can see all of the past newsletters and recipes at the archive link below!)
All recipes categorized by type can be found in the index!
I am personally not a Hummus fan but I have friends that absolutely adore this Edamame Hummus! And the bacon jam is the bomb! Very tasty on any kind of sandwich -- especially a hamburger. Now add some of Sarah's homemade pimento cheese on the burger with the jam -- heavenly!!!