Archive | August, 2013

Recipe: Easy Lemon Cheesecake Pie

27 Aug

Unlike yours truly, Mr. Bacon is not a huge dessert person. So when he goes back for a second piece of something sweet, I know it’s a winner.

This lemon pie was crazy easy to throw together and had a good balance of tart, sweet and creamy. It would be a great addition to any long weekend gathering!

Hat tip to Bakerette for the recipe.

Easy Lemon Cheesecake Pie

Easy Lemon Cheesecake Pie | baconavecbacon.com

1 block cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 can lemon pie filling
1 8 oz. tub Cool Whip, thawed**
1 pre-prepared graham pie crust

Beat the cream cheese and the sugar with a mixer until fluffy and well blended. Add half of the lemon pie filling and mix until well incorporated. With a spatula, fold in the Cool Whip, mixing well with the cream cheese mixture and spread it in the bottom of the pie crust. Gently spread the remaining lemon pie filling on top and allow to set in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.

**NOTE – This is the small tub of Cool Whip, not the larger 1L tubs sold in most stores in Canada. I bought mine in the US so if you’re using the large size tub, reserve about half to dollop on top of the pie before serving.

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Recipe: New Orleans BBQ Shrimp

20 Aug

When I first made this recipe (based on this from Return to Sunday Supper) I knew it’d be a keeper. Since then I’ve made it at least three times and have been asked for the recipe twice.

So for those who asked, and for those who haven’t yet experienced the spicy, savoury goodness of these BBQ shrimp, here it is. Make sure to have a loaf of good quality bread to sop up the sauce with.

I serve mine with an oil & vinegar coleslaw and sometimes boiled new potatoes to make a complete meal. It makes for a super easy week night dinner (since it’s assembled ahead of time) or a great company dish.

New Orleans BBQ Shrimp

New Orleans BBQ Shrimp | baconavecbacon.com

1 pound frozen uncooked shrimp (I use PC Raw Zipperback Pacific White Shrimp)
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 tablespoons Heinz Chili Sauce
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
1 tablespoon parsley (fresh chopped or dry)
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon Frank’s Red Hot sauce
5-6 cloves garlic, minced (I use two heaping tablespoons of bottled minced garlic)
1 lemon, sliced

Thaw the shrimp as per package instructions and remove the shells.

In the microwave, melt the butter in a large cereal bowl and then add the remaining ingredients except the lemon and the shrimp. Return to the microwave and cook for another 2 minutes. Let the mixture cool while you place the shrimp in a single layer in either a 9×13 pan or two 8×8 pans.

When I’m doing this on the BBQ, I like to use disposable foil pans for ease of cleanup and so my ‘good’ oven pans don’t get damaged. If you’re opting to use the oven, any glass or metal pan will do.

Pour the slightly cooled mixture on top of the shrimp, stir to coat all sides and top with the lemon slices.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

When ready, bake on the BBQ or in the oven at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes. When done, the shrimp will be pink and have curled up. Be careful not to overcook!

When the shrimp are ready, I bring the whole pan directly to the table and set it on a wooden cutting board so guests can serve themselves and dip pieces of bread directly into the sauce.

NOTE – As is, the recipe has a little heat to it, but those of you who like fire may want to add a squeeze of sriracha.

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Recipe: Frozen Vanilla Custard with Salted Whisky Caramel Sauce

2 Aug

After two previous successes with ice cream (here and here) I wanted to try a slightly different dessert in my ice cream maker so I went on the hunt for a frozen custard recipe. They all seemed like a LOT of work so I took a chance and whipped up this ‘shortcut’ version.

Now for those of you unfamiliar with the concept of frozen custard, it’s much like a rich, thick ice cream with a bit more of a complex flavour. It’s quite popular in the US (and with followers of Ottawa’s Merry Dairy!).

While I paired mine with a salted whiskey caramel sauce, the custard would be great plain or with other kinds of sundae sauce or fresh fruit. (Think angel food cake and fresh strawberries for a spin on strawberry shortcake!)

Frozen Vanilla Custard

Frozen Vanilla Custard | baconavecbacon.com

2 cups 35% whipping cream
1 cup 1% milk
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons Harry Horne’s or Bird’s custard powder
1 teaspoon clear vanilla

Heat the milk and cream in a saucepan, stirring and adding the sugar slowly as it comes to a boil. Dissolve the custard powder in a little bit of extra milk and add to the boiling mixture while stirring. Boil for 1 minute (you should see it thicken) and remove from heat.

Place the mixture in a container and chill in the fridge. Once well chilled, add it to the ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions to freeze it. When finished, place it in the freezer to firm up.

 

For the caramel sauce, I used this recipe adding 1 oz of 40 Creek Whisky. I then topped my sundae with a sprinkle of good flaked sea salt.

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