Remember that time a few weeks ago when I promised bacon? You thought I lied didn’t you? Well, I didn’t because today is the day. Let’s just go ahead and call it bacon day because not only do I have two great recipes (a goat cheese and bacon pasta and red onion and bacon jam) but there’s a video that my brother created about bacon and me.

The video was created alongside a great local company, Hempler’s and sort of shows a bit of a day in my life. I’m a leeeettle embarrassed but more than that I am excited to finally be able show it to you all and also point you towards this great company. (Check out the site – my other brother developed it – it’s a family affair).

Fettuccine with Goat Cheese, Leeks and Bacon

This dish is typical of our weeknight food. It comes together quickly, is based off our pantry staples and the kids don’t complain too much about a creamy pasta with bacon. This recipe is very basic so feel free to adapt to suite your needs. Once the kids have been served I like to sprinkle my serving with chili flakes.

8 slices of bacon roughly chopped

2 medium leeks

½ cup (4 ounces) goat cheese (chevre)

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

1 pound fettuccine

grated Parmesan and fresh parsley for finishing

Cook the pasta then drain reserving some of the pasta water. Add the pasta to a large bowl.

In a large saute pan cook the bacon until crisp. Slice the white part of the leeks and add to the bacon. Cook until leeks are tender, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from the heat then stir in the thyme and goat cheese.

Combine the bacon and goat cheese mixture with the pasta. Add pasta water as needed to make a creamy sauce. Finish with grated Parmesan and chopped parsley. Serve hot.

Red Onion and Bacon Jam

I realize bacon jam was SO 2011 but let’s face it, it’s friggin’ good which also makes it SO 2013 or any year for that matter. Of course it makes a perfect burger accessory but this onion-heavy and deeply tangy version loves a breakfast sandwich or simple baked potatoes.

1 pound bacon, roughly chopped

3 medium red onions, sliced

½ cup brewed coffee

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

¼ cup maple syrup

¼ cup brown sugar

½ cup apple cider vinegar

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

salt

In a large skillet cook the bacon until crisp. Add the onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid is syrupy and reduced, this should take about an hour depending on the size pan you use. Stir occasionally while the jam is simmering. Once syrupy and thick taste and season as desired.

Once cooled place jam in an airtight container. Refrigerated the jam will keep for 1 week.

This jam is amazing on burgers, toast topped with a fried egg, baked potatoes, stirred into sour cream and/or cream cheese for a dip.

*The content for this project was created for Hempler’s by my brothers and myself. Our parents are proud.

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Happiness is a Sunday with no plans. An early morning where the first few steps are taken towards the oven in order to pre-heat. And even though Ivy manages to put an entire tub of expensive face product in her hair and the boys spend all afternoon doing everything but cleaning their room, Sunday still delights.

I linger in the kitchen, make plans to read a new book, and mix together a few ingredients to make a simple apple “bread” from a recipe card tucked inside my great-grandmother’s recipe box.

Soon we’ll gather around the table for an early dinner which, unlike weekday dinners, took longer than 20 minutes to prepare. We’ll then head to church then come home to do more of the same. All these things help to ease us into the weekdays. Today we linger. Today we’ll move a bit more slowly and grasp the fading moments of the weekend. Monday brings routine, early mornings and work but we won’t think about that yet. For now Sunday is here, dinner is almost ready and there are a few more slices of grandma’s apple bread. I do so hope your Sunday was as restful as ours.

Chopped Apple Cake
My great grandmother referred to this as apple bread. I love that about her. I also love that nearly ninety percent of her recipes in her box are for baked goods. This cake is wonderfully simple and takes no more time to make than it does your oven to pre-heat. In the future I plan to experiment with some other flours and sugar but this morning I wanted this cake just as grandma enjoyed it.

1 ½ cups flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup oil (I used canola and walnut)
2 eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla
2 cups peeled and chopped apples (about 2 medium)

Pre-heat your oven to 350*F. Butter a loaf pan and set aside.

Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar in a medium bowl. Add the oil, eggs and vanilla and stir until combined. Fold in the apples. Scrape batter into the prepared loaf pan and baked until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean, about 60 – 70 minutes.

Let cool 10 minutes before unmolding on to a wire rack. Let cool until just warm then slice.

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It may have been excessive. Perhaps a bit over the top, but that was sort of what I was going for.

Billowy balloons marked the entrance. Our guests, young and not so young, were greeted by our Lemonade stand offering a variety of cold beverages that refreshed on one of those perfect, late summer afternoons. Through the gate streamers flapped wildly in the warm wind overhead. In the center of it all was a table slathered with red and white striped tablecloth that held a myriad of kid’s dreams.

Still warm cotton candy was served on one side and popcorn on the other. In between it all were jars of jelly beans, ring pops, licorice rope and more. A gumball machine sat proudly upfront with a jar a pennies nestled up close so one would never have to dig through their own pockets.

During the rare moment that a child left that table they found their way towards the face painting area or the designated water gun zone. My sister-in-law provided balloon animals and we all proudly donned pointed party hats and red clown noses.
When the time came to eat something other than candy we headed upstairs. The white and orange striped cake sat in the middle of the long table. Chocolate cupcakes with an abundance of vanilla scented and lightly salted frosting sat next to the cake.

The food could not have been more simple. I supplied buns tucked inside vintage aluminum wrappers, and warm dogs. The guests were given a wide variety of toppings to create the hot dog of their dreams. Conversation buzzed around the table. Each asking for the advice of the other trying to take this opportunity to create the most perfect recipe. There was cream cheese, sharp cheddar spread, pickled peppers, salsa verde, fresh onions, peanut butter (apparently it was quite good), pepper jack cheese, fresh arugula, and of course – ketchup, mustard, relish and mayonnaise. I went with my favorite combination of cream cheese, mustard, pickled peppers, fresh onions and arugula.

On the side there was platter of heirloom tomatoes with blue cheese dressing and nectarines topped with fresh basil, lemon zest, lemon juice and a drizzle of fruity olive oil.

We ate and enjoyed the excitement of the kids buzzing around us. My little birthday girl flitted around in her tutu dress and little painted whiskers on her cheek. Her joy was infectious.

It was a special day filled with more sugar than we see in a year, people we love most in the world, brightly colored signs, and towering cakes. In it all I wanted Ivy and all who were there to feel excessively loved and spoiled.

We’ve since returned back to our normal (with a few pieces of leftover party candy thrown in). A few wilted balloons still hang outside and evidence of the red and white cloth can be found in various corners of the house. I’m not quite ready for it to be over. In the midst of wanting to love on my daughter and my dear family and friends, I was the one who walked away feeling spoiled.

I’ve been reminded lately, quite painfully, that I am an imperfect person who can not be everything to my children. I have and will let them down. I’m sure I have and will inadvertently hurt them. I can not fulfill their every needs. But being their everything is not my job description.

Which is why I cling to those moments where I can bring them great joy and reflect a Love that is so much greater than my own. Sometimes it’s as simple as reading a book, making an odd shaped lego airplane with them or inviting them into the kitchen to help bake a pie. Or sometimes it’s throwing them a party that in my own way tells them they are loved, excessively.

Chocolate Cake
from Gourmet 2010

This is an incredibly simple and delicious chocolate cake. I put a layer of warmed raspberry jam in between the layers as well as the Vanilla Bean Buttercream.
I always find that cakes taste better on the second day, particularly chocolate cake. The time allows for the flavors to mingle and the texture to soften a bit.

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs at room temperature 30 minutes
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup whole milk

Pre-heat your overn to 350*
Butter and line a 9×2” pan (or 2 6” rounds) with parchment on the bottom. Butter the parchment as well.

In a bowl whisk together the dry ingredients.
Cream the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffly in a stand mixer or by hand. Add the eggs one at a time combining well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract.
Alternate the addition of milk and dry ingredients in three additions. Finish mixing by hand to ensure everything is well combined.
Bake at 350*F for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before cooling on a wire wrack.

Vanilla Bean Buttercream

adapted from MarthaStewart.com

2 1/2 cups sugar
10 large egg whites
4 cups (8 sticks or 2 pounds) unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean
¼ – ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Combine the sugar and egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer. Place bowl over a simmering pot of water or, if you are brave you can carefully place the bowl directly on a medium-low gas flame. If you go that route just be sure to constantly whisk the eggs and move the bowl so as not to cook the whites.
Using a whisk beat the whites and sugar until the mixture is hot and feels perfectly smooth as the sugar will have dissolved.
Immediately move the bowl to the mixer and begin mixing on medium high. Add the vanilla bean and whip for 10 minutes until the meringue is cool and fluffy.
At this point add the butter about a tablespoon at a time, until all the butter has been incorporated.
There’s a magical point where the buttercream just pulls together. Before that point you may panic and think you have a curdled mess. Don’t give up hope. Just keep mixing and it will come together. Add the salt and taste and adjust as you please. The salt cuts the sweetness nicely but you don’t want so much that it tastes salty. The salt will continue to dissolve as the frosting sits so taste just before frosting the cake or cupcakes and add more at that point if you think it needs it.
Store at room temperature for no longer than a day. Can be refrigerated for up to a week and frozen for a month. Set out a room temperature for several hours. Re-whip if the buttercream has separated.

Tomatoes with Blue Cheese Dressing

Nectarines with Basil and Lemon

Really nothing needs to be done to a perfectly ripe nectarine or peach but if you’re in the mood to add a bit more interest I highly recommend these few ingredients. And it really is more a list of ingredients rather than a recipe as I sort of created in on a whim and failed to measure what I was doing.

4 – 5 ripe nectarines or peaches

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

squeeze of fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped, fresh basil (I threw a bit of Tarragon in there as well as I had an abundance of both in my garden).

Arrange the peaches or nectarines on a platter and top with the remaining ingredients.

Hot Dog Bar

Supply plenty of hot dogs and buns then let your creativity fly. In little dishes near the dogs I arranged:

- mustard

- ketchup

- bbq sauce

- pepper jack cheese

- salsa verde

- sharp cheddar spread

- cream cheese

- Mama Lil’s Pickled peppers

- fresh, diced onion

- arugula

- relish

- peanut butter

Other items I should have included:

- crisped bacon

- caramelized onions

- saurkraut

- kimchi

- whipped cream (just kidding, that’s gross – or is it?)

Sources:

Red/White Striped Tablecloth Roll

Cupcake liners, popcorn bags, straws and hot dog wrappers – Party Delights (Etsy)

Face Paint Sticks

Balloons, Animal Masks, Clown Noses – Display & Costume

Hats – We made them by roughly following this tutorial.

Cake inspiration 

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Plans for the stand began weeks before school let out. He saw the potential for profit enabling him to buy yet another lightsaber while we saw the opportunity to teach hard work, beginning business skills and a way for us to drink cup after cup of tart lemonade this summer.

The moment Baron (6) came up with the brilliant idea of building the stand on his wagon, making it mobile, everything else quickly fell into place. Gabe set out to work getting a few moments of help from the boys in between sword fights, while I perfected the recipe and kept little fingers away from sharp saws. Covered in plastic ponchos Baron, Roman (4) and I painted the stand a pristine white with lemon (of course) yellow stripes stretching the width.

I stood back to observe the scene and set its details deep in my memory. A blonde head of hair covered in white paint as he took his job of painting the inside of the stand (a section virtually unseen by anyone) very seriously. He refused to stop until every inch was coated in a thick layer of paint – including himself. Baron directed us and gave tips on painting techniques, pridefully beaming as we inched our way closer to opening day. The grass, now covered in a layer of paint became cool and damp as the gentle sun made way for evening. Carrying our tired and chilled bodies inside we warmed up with hot chocolate while yet dreaming of our lemonade business.

So far we’ve only opened one day as the rains have kept us inside and leave very few pining for the refreshing chill of lemonade but it was a successful first day. As the first customer approached the stand Baron quickly tucked in his shirt to appear a bit more professional and promptly set out to muddle a few cherries into their cup. Timidly avoiding eye contact he thanked them and proudly took their money while handing them their cup. With the first customers just steps away he was already eager for the next.

Roman helped too, although we are still working on his understanding that not every cup of lemonade is for him. A lesson we realized necessary as he took a drink of a customer’s before handing it to her. We made her a fresh cup while laughing at his sweet misunderstanding. Unlike his brother, he’s not as motivated by the money but would just rather sit and drink lemonade all day. I couldn’t love them more.

There have been only a few days that demand the cooling effects of lemonade but we have had a taste of what the sunny days of summer look like for us now as lemonade stand owners. And it’s as pleasant as the lemonade itself – not too sweet, tart but not painfully so and softly piney and herbal – a far cry from the Country Time powdered concoction I sold at my childhood stand.

It feels a momentous thing, this lemonade stand. One that evokes memories of my childhood while sealing in new memories for both us and the kids. It’s a small project with great reward – growth as a family, connectedness with our community, learning to serve, pushing oneself out of our comforts and a near endless supply of lemonade.

Rosemary Lemonade

Honey and lemons are a natural pairing which is why my version uses honey in the simple syrup. As a result less sugar is needed and it gives the lemonade a herbal sweetness that sets it apart and leaves customers returning again and again.

makes about 2 ½ quarts
½ cup honey (use a light flavored honey such as clover)
½ cup sugar
2 cups water
3 sprigs rosemary
2 cups fresh lemon juice
about 5 cups water (more or less depending on desired sweetness and tang)

Rainier cherries (or whatever variety you have on hand)

In a small saucepan combine the honey, sugar and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil then turn off the heat. Give this mixture a quick stir to ensure all the sugar has dissolved then add the rosemary. Let steep until cool.

Meanwhile juice enough lemons to produce 2 cups of lemon juice. I like a bit of pulp in my lemonade so I strain the juice then add back a bit of pulp.

When the syrup is cool combine it with the lemon juice in a pitcher. Add in 5 cups water (you can start with 4 then add more if needed. I like my lemonade quite tart so you may even want to add up to 6 cups). Taste and adjust to your liking.

If serving at a lemonade stand muddle two pitted rainier cherries in each cup before pouring over ice. If not you can muddle a cup or so of cherries into a pitcher then add the lemonade. The cherries don’t give off much flavor to the lemonade but the lemonade gives great flavor to the cherries making them a wonderful reward for finishing an incredibly refreshing cup of lemonade.

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I’m home. I may not be for long but it feels good to be here.

So much to process from this trip, as is the case with any trip, but this one in particular felt different from any other.

My dad summed it up pretty accurately as he reflected on his last trip to the Netherlands, “Stepping into that country felt like I was coming home.”

As with many of my revelations it took food for me to feel just as my dad described. Each bite was familiar and deeply comforting. With the anticipation of experiencing an entirely new culture I was greeted to one I had already known. At first I felt disappointed by this as it’s typically it’s the differences, when traveling, that evoke change and awe in me. As the trip rolled on I realized that what to me had seemed like a typical childhood was one that was deeply Dutch. The country, people, food, and traditions were already a part of me. Through this understanding I learned much more about myself, my family, and a deeper knowledge of the culture in which my family originated.

I leave the Netherlands with a great sense of pride, a hunger to learn more, and a strong fervent to instill in my children much of the traditions that marked my childhood. I also leave with boxes and boxes of Hagelslag (chocolate sprinkles typically served on white bread with butter), inspirations for many meals to come, stronger family relationships and new friendships with family I had never known.

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