• I CRUSHED IT •

Other Additions, totaling 3

Sauteed Edamame with CRUSHED Red Peppers

I believe this is my LAST microwave hurdle.  I loved cooking edamame in the microwave!! Sprinkled with sea salt, I'd sit on the couch and eat the entire batch with the bowl under my chin so I didn't dribble.  Not a pretty picture, but soooooooooo yummy.  

I don't remember how I came upon sharing edamame with my bf and his friend at an awesome restaurant in Uptown, but I wasn't complaining because they were divine.  After that night, I was on a mission to tackle this problem of mine; how to cook edamame (without a microwave) so it wasn't soggy.

With the help of YouTube.com, I combined some contributors recipes with my own twist which developed an outstanding side dish or appetizers.  Directions as follows:

Boil some water, add edamame, return to a boil and cook for 3 minutes, then drain. Meanwhile heat a 1 tbsp canola oil (don't use too much oil!), add edamame to saute.  Add a dash of salt and pepper, a healthy tablespoon of Maggi Seasoning (similar to soy sauce), and as much or as little of crushed red pepper.  Saute everything for 3-5 minutes, and voila.

Tasty, tasty, tasty!!!  I'm a happy camper. 

Cheesy Bacon Bombs

This year, Shayne and I will be hosting our 2nd annual bacon party on August 30 (which happens to be International Bacon Day).  It's a tough job, but taste testing IS an essential part of hosting this event and you will  not find us complaining at all.  

Today we whipped together a strong candidate for the feast.  

Ingredients

1 lb thick cut bacon

5 ct. Pillsbury Grand flaky layers biscuits

8 oz fresh mozzarella

20 toothpicks

Grapeseed oil to fry

Directions

Creating an assembly line with the ingredients...cut the biscuits into quarters and place to the left.  Cut mozzarella into 1x1 inch cubes and place in the middle.  Cut bacon in half vertically and place on the right.

Have your toothpicks ready! 

Start by flattening out a biscuit piece, wrap it around the mozzarella cube (being sure to seal all edges so you don't lose your cheese when frying); then roll bacon around your dough ball and stick the toothpick through the center to hold it all together.

Have a plate lined with a paper towel ready for the cooked bombs.

In med/large pot, heat 2 inches of oil to 350 degrees.  Add in small batches and watch closely!  Biscuit dough will expand; but this doesn't mean they're done.  Bombs are done just before cheese starts to ooze out; roughly 7-10 minutes.  Turn them half way through cooking if oil does not cover them completely. 

Note to self: try a garlic dipping sauce or adding a slice of jalapeno to the inside.

(A version of this recipe is all over the internet.  This is not an original recipe.)