Cheese-Bacon-Dill Biscuits

Savory muffins great for breakfast or with a bowl of chili!

I've been playing around these muffins for a couple of years now. Sometimes I add less flour. Sometimes more. Less cheese. More cheese. And then around my fourth or fifth muffin I stop myself and say, "Damn, these are pretty good."

I suppose one could add ground ham instead of bacon and they'd be just fine. Even chopped onion. They're quite versatile. I often add whatever cheese I have in the fridge or a combination. For this batch I used an extra sharp cheddar. For my next batch I'll use part pepper jack. 

These are really best the next day. When they are cool, I put them in a large Ziplock back.  To serve, I nuke them until warm. A toaster oven would be great, too. Don't attempt to make 12 or they will come out more like biscuits than muffins. For the mere sake of visual appeal, I made 12 here.

Never walk away from the stove when making bacon.
And be sure to make an extra piece for yourself.

• 3/4 -1, 8oz. brick extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and then crumbled (1/2 cup)
• 1 cup unsifted flour, or a bit less
• 2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
• 1 teaspoon dried dill, crushed a bit
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons bacon grease (add oil if needed)

Cut up bacon and fry until brown and fat has been rendered. Remove from pan to drain, saving bacon grease. Grease 12 muffin cups. Do not attempt to use paper liners. They will not peel away from the muffin.

I finally threw out my old muffin tins and invested
in something a bit sturdier. Paper muffin liners
will not work with this recipe.

Coarsely grate the cheese. 

In a medium bowl, blend the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, onion powder and dried dill. Add the grated cheese and toss with two forks until cheese is coated.  Add the crumbled bacon.

In a small bowl, mix the egg and milk. Add the bacon grease. Add to dried ingredients and mix until flour is incorporated. 

Divide batter into ten muffin tins. Bake in a 400-degree oven for about 15-20 minutes or until the tops just begin to brown and you can see the cheese melting. Remove from tin to a cooling rack and sprinkle with a bit more dill if desired. 

Fill ten cups, not twelve. I filled an even dozen
for "aesthetic" purposes only. If you insist on 12,
bake for less time.

These are especially good a day later. I store them in a large Ziplock bag in the refrigerator and microwave them for about 15 seconds. These are great for "a quick breakfast." I usually fill only 10 cups so they raise higher. If your cheese is unusually sharp, use abut 3/4 of the brick.

Meatloaf--with Frosting!

Sometimes I think the only reason I make meatloaf
is for the sandwich . . . 

Making a meatloaf is an endeavor into which one should not enter lightly. It is much like making a cake and requires much measuring and chopping and adding and mixing. In other words, it has a lot of steps. And it will take time. Plan ahead!

Meatloaf is to Americans what sausages are to Europeans! America is all about BIG! A meatloaf, baked in a standard 9"x 5" pan is an over-the-hill huge, gigantic sausage! But, Europeans know how to season ground beef and pork.

For Europeans, the "art" of sausages is all about the spices and herbs. One seeks a perfect blend and balance so that no single flavor is overpowering. Nor do you want a meatloaf/sausage that is dry and dense. Like my Mother, I used to bake my meatloaf it in a glass loaf dish so it basted in its own fat and juices. But, no longer. I now cook it free-form and, unlike my Mother, I baste it with "frosting" during the entire baking process.

Now. About that frosting . . . When I lived in Michigan I had a friend who loved my meatloaf. She was having guests who had children and a "meatloaf contest" ensued with the children as the ultimate judges. Long story short, this recipe won because, as she said, "It had that frosting!" By frosting, she meant sauce. Since then, I, too, refer to it as "frosting." And, why not? As I've said, making a meatloaf is kind of like making a cake, so why not frost it? You may, of course, omit the frosting; but I've never had anyone who didn't like it.

I don't like a "crunchy" meatloaf nor do I appreciate one littered with orange confetti from carrots. Green bell peppers can be overpowering. I do no use them.

A food processor makes quick work of finely dicing the veggies. Just make sure it is a "fine dice" and not "mush."

To the "frosting," I add a bit of heat ...  to taste ... and then brush it all over the meatloaf ... If serving to children, you may want to omit the heat.

  Several times during the baking time ... I brush on more to create a kind of "crust." Fantastic!

• 1 lb. ground chuck or sirloin
• 1 lb ground pork
• 1/2 cup FRESH bread crumbs, not dried*
• 1/4 cup oatmeal
• 1 small onion, roughly chopped (about 4 oz.)
• 1-2 celery stalks, roughly chopped (about 3 oz.)
• 3/4 - 1 cup loosely packed, curly parsley leaves
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds, slightly crushed in a mortar and pestle (don't omit)
• 1 1/2  teaspoons dried mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon allspice or just a few shakes (don't omit)
• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper or to taste
• 1 tablespoon horseradish, blotted of liquid on a paper towel (don't omit)
• A handful of grated Parmesan cheese, canned is fine (optional with reservations)
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1-2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 eggs yolks, slightly beaten

• FROSTING
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup packed, dark brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
• cider vinegar
• Hot sauce of your choice (I used to use A.1. Sweet Chili Garlic Sauce, but it is no longer available. A good sub is Thai Sweet Chili Sauce). Use your favorite ... or maybe just a bit of Tabasco Sauce to taste.

Place a few pieces of torn bread into the food processor and pulse until you have light, airy bread crumbs.( Freeze what you don't use.)

Chop the following in the food processor until a fine dice is achieved: onion, celery, parsley and garlic.

Place the ground chuck and pork into a large bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, oatmeal, thyme, crushed caraway, ketchup, allspice, salt and pepper, dried mustard, horseradish and, if using, the cheese, and chopped vegetables. Using the flat end of a table knife, begin to incorporate ingredients being careful not to "squeeze" the mixture together. Remove a good teaspoon of the mixture and place on a plate. Microwave for about 15 seconds. Taste for seasonings and re-season as necessary.

Mix the egg yolks with the Worcestershire and add to meat mixture. Continue to mix until thoroughly incorporated. Place mixture in a large glass or tin loaf pan and carefully pat into shape. Unmold onto an aluminum-lined cookie sheet.

In a small bowl, mix together the 1/2 cup ketchup, brown sugar, dried mustard and a bit of cider vinegar.  Taste. If too sweet (it will depend on your ketchup) add a bit of cider vinegar. Now add the hot sauce. You just want a bit of a "kick." Brush most over meatloaf reserving the rest to baste the loaf during cooking.

Bake in a 350 F degree oven for about one hour or just a bit more until it reaches a temperature of 160 degrees. During that time, baste several times. Remove. DO NOT CUT. Allow to rest at least 20 minutes.

Cold meatloaf slices thin and beautifully.

* Place several pieces of cheap white bread in a mini-processor/blender. Or a left-over roll or biscuit. Pulse lightly just until crumbly. If you do not have a mini processor, tear or cut or crumble into tiny pieces no larger than a kernel of corn.

Canned Salmon and Rice Casserole

This recipe is adapted from the 1961 edition of "The New Antoinette Pope School Cookbook." I found the combination of bacon and salmon intriguing. The recipe calls for bacon that is "cubed." I used regular bacon and "diced" it with kitchen shears. Next time, I might try pancetta instead of bacon. Most of these ingredients one easily has on hand in the pantry or refrigerator, so it's quite economical.

Served with a fresh salad and vegetable, it is a light meal in itself. But it could just as easily be served as a side to white fish. The recipe is easily doubled.

Use a trusted, name-brand of canned salmon. Others can be overly salty and taste more like tuna than salmon.

• 1 1/2 cups cooked white rice (I use Uncle Ben's and make it the day before)
• 1/4 lb. (about four slices) diced bacon
• 3/4 cup chopped onions
• 1, 7 1/2 oz. can pink salmon, drained and flaked
• 1/4 cup minced, curly parsley
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 cup milk
• Tabasco Sauce, about 4 drops
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Pepper
• Fresh, pulled bread crumbs
• Parmesan cheese, grated
• Dried dill and lemon wedges for serving

Fry the cubed bacon and chopped onion together in a skillet over medium heat, about five minutes. You do not want to "crisp" the bacon. Add the garlic and stir through just until fragrant--maybe a minute or so. I de-glazed the pan with a bit of dry, white wine.

In a medium bowl, mix the salmon with the rice and parsley. Add the bacon-onion mixture, mixing well with "two forks"--I used my hands. Add salt and pepper to taste, being careful with the salt since both the bacon and the salmon have plenty.

Measure the milk into a small glass and add the egg yolk. Drip in Tabasco and lightly beat with a fork. Pour into salmon mixture and mix thoroughly.

Butter a one-quart casserole and fill with salmon mixture, pressing down slightly. Pour melted butter over pulled breadcrumbs and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Mix. Cover top of casserole with breadcrumbs. 

Cover with a lightly-greased piece of tin foil and bake at 375 F degrees for about 40 minutes, removing foil last ten minutes. Serves 2 generously as a main meal, 3-4 as a side.

To serve, sprinkle portions with a bit of dried dill and a lemon wedge on the side. Goes great with fresh asparagus.

NOTES: The original recipe did not call for the addition of an egg yolk or milk, but I found the mixture dry and in need of something to bind it. I wanted to use 1/2 can of cream of celery soup, but with soup prices so high ($1.47 here) I was too cheap to open it. 

Kitchen Tip: How to Soften Rock-Hard Brown Sugar & Make Your Own

There's nothing more frustrating than going to use brown sugar only to find it's morphed into one massive rock on un-usability. But don't despair, or throw it out. Break it up the best you can and place it in a sealed bag, container or jar. 

Take a broken, clay pottery chard and clean it then soak it in water for about 10-30 minutes. Wipe dry and throw into the container with the sugar. Just lay it on top. In a few days, the sugar will have miraculously returned to its soft, natural state from slowly absorbing the moisture. It may be necessary to re-wet the shard. 

Once the sugar is reconstituted (yes, pat yourself on the back for a kitchen disaster avoided), simply keep a wet pottery shard in the sugar at all times. Works like a charm.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN BROWN SUGAR

Add one tablespoon of molasses to one cup of sugar. Mix in well. If you want it a bit darker, add a bit more molasses. Use as you would brown sugar packing it down as you measure.