Blueberry-bacon cake

I swiped this idea from another clever little blog and did some heavy editing.  Needless to say, with this cake (and also with this guacamole, I suppose), I am on the bacon bandwagon with both feet.  What the hell?  You can't live forever.

Blueberry-bacon Cake

Serve for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  

10 slices thick-cut bacon

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons bacon fat, cooled

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1/2 cup loosely packed brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

8 ounces fresh or frozen blueberries 

Bake the bacon in the oven until crisp and drain on paper towels.  Crumble when cool enough and set aside (reserve 2 tablespoons of the fat, as well).  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, combine flours, baking powder, salt and cinnamon and mix thoroughly. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk butter and bacon fat with sugar until combined. Whisk in eggs until completely smooth, then whisk in vanilla extract. Slowly add dry ingredients, mixing with a large spoon. Add in milk and stir until combined. Toss blueberries with 1-2 tablespoons of flour. Fold in bacon and blueberries, then pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake for 30-33 minutes, or until golden on the sides and top. Remove cake and poke holes on top with a toothpick. Pour glaze over top and let cool 10 minutes before serving. 

Cream Cheese Glaze

1 cup cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2-3 tablespoons milk

Add softened cream cheese to a bowl and whisk until smooth. Add in milk and vanilla, mixing until combined, then begin to stir in powdered sugar. If mixture is too thick, add additional milk 1 teaspoon at a time. If it is too thin, add in powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.

Cocktail time with gin and basil

This is a great way to use up fresh basil that's past its prime (but still tasty), and a great excuse to mix up a gin cocktail on a hot summer day.

Basil-Gin Mojito

Serves 1

10 basil leaves
½ oz. simple syrup
2 oz. gin
1 oz. water

Place basil leaves in a cocktail shaker and muddle until fragrant.  Add all other ingredients plus generous helping of ice and shake vigorously.  Strain into a short glass neat or on the rocks.

A Midsummer Feast

Happy Summer Solstice, everyone!  Although I am already complaining about the heat (really?  100 degrees this weekend for the Fort Collins Brew Fest?!?!), I really do love the excuse to sit on the patio and eat and drink right from the garden.  The Scandinavians have it right: their Midsummer Festival is almost as important as Christmas, and it involves plenty of consumption.  Here's my dream menu for this holiday, which I think we should all celebrate tonight:

~Midsummer Menu~

Watermelon Mojitos

Moroccan Spiced Grapes

Scandinavian Melon Salad

Savory Greens Pie

Garbanzo and Raisin Salad

Salmon Cakes

Scandinavian Rhubarb Crumble

Peruvian fish in sour onion sauce

I have not been to Peru, but I have been entreated to some lovely meals by a native Peruvian friend, who  helped me with this recipe.  I love this in the summertime--it's light, quick to make, and goes perfectly with a mojito on the back patio (or you could try your hand at the Peruvian cocktail, Pisco Sour).

Peruvian Fish in Sour Onion Sauce

Serves 6

2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 medium jalapeno, seeded and finely minced
2 garlic cloves, smashed and minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup white wine vinegar
6 medium fish fillets (tilapia, halibut, cod…)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons flour
4 Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 medium avocados, thinly sliced

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  When it shimmers, reduce heat to low and sauté the onions, jalapeno, and garlic until onion is soft.  Add vinegar, cover, and remove from heat.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat another tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat.  Place flour on a plate and season liberally with black pepper.  Lightly salt both sides of each fillet, dredge through flour (shaking off excess) and fry in batches once the oil is smoking slightly.  Place friend fish on a serving platter, pour onion sauce on top, and garnish with avocado slices.