Fruit and Nut Bark

Ever since tasting my first mendiants, a chocolate disk shaped confection studded with dried fruits and nuts, on a long ago trip to the Cotswalds, I have had a fondness for confections bearing any resemblance to the taste of them. Was funny how a mendiant gave me a new appreciation for those Chunky candy squares I used to make a face at as a kid. Historically mendiants were made with the four traditional toppings of almonds, raisins, hazelnuts, and dried figs. However, today the number and combination of fruit and nut toppings vary greatly. In other words, they can be made with whatever fruit and nut amalgamations appeal to you. Rather than making perfect, evenly sized chocolate circles, I prefer making a bark version of this fruit and nut confection. For the simple reason being bark is much easier to make without there being any sacrifice in flavor. But there is another benefit of making a fruit and nut confection in bark form. It is much easier to control the thickness of the chocolate. I, for one, prefer to have the thicker candy bar-like confections eating experience. 

It would be safe to say mendiants served as the inspiration for this Fruit and Nut Bark as there are several differences between the two of them. When making bark you aren't bound to a 4 fruit-nut combination. This bark uses only one fruit and one nut (see notes below for some of my other favorite combinations). In addition, nuts are not just randomly placed on top of the melted chocolate, they are mixed in to the (semi-sweet) chocolate as well. Lastly, this Fruit and Nut Bark gets a sprinkling of flaky sea salt finishing touch.

To give this Fruit and Nut Bark a bit of a Valentine's Day look a small amount of pink food coloring gel was added to some of the melted white chocolate. 

Just enough gel to give a subtle, pale pink touch to the finished bark. A little goes a long way. 

Use a good quality melting chocolate when making this bark. Whatever you do, don't use those 'melting' wafers often found in craft stores (it's not chocolate) or chocolate chips.

To melt the chocolate I used both the microwave method (for the semi-sweet chocolate) and the double-boiler method (for the white chocolate). The pink food coloring gel was added to about 1/3 of the melted white chocolate.

One of best tools for swirling the chocolates together is a chop stick. If you don't have one laying around, use a skewer or even the tip of a knife. Even a straw would work. 

Use your imagination when making the swirling design. This one would fall into the random swirly category. 

The bottom layer of the bark should be the darker (or semi-sweet) chocolate mixed with 7 ounces of the roasted whole almonds (the remaining 3 ounces will be sprinkled on top). The White and/or Pink colored white chocolate should be poured on top. Be careful not to let the bottom layer begin to set up or you won't be able to swirl the two chocolates together. Additionally, the top layer should still be 'wet' when sprinkling on the dried cranberries, remaining roasted almonds, and flaky sea salt.

Let the Fruit and Nut Bark set up before cutting with a knife or breaking up into random sized pieces. In cooler temperature months it sets up pretty quickly (no need to put the tray in the refrigerator). Serve the Fruit and Nut Bark on a large platter, put some pieces on a charcuterie board, and/or place a few pieces in cellophane bags tied with ribbon if you are gifting friends or making party favors. I should warn you, this Fruit and Nut Bark has an addictive quality to it. 

Recipe
Fruit and Nut Bark
Makes about 2 1/2 pounds of bark

Ingredients
16 ounces/454 g good quality dark or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
16 ounces/454 g good quality white chocolate, chopped
4 ounces/112 g dried cranberries 
10 ounces/273g whole roasted almonds, divided (See notes)
Flaky Sea Salt for finishing
Optional: Pink Gel Food Coloring, one or two drops

Directions
1. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Simultaneously melt the semi-sweet (or dark) and white chocolate using either the microwave or double boiler method. Note: White chocolate is best melted using the double boiler method.
3. Pour about 1/3 of the white chocolate into a small bowl. Add one or two drops of food coloring gel if using.
4. Mix in 7 ounces of the roasted almonds into the semi-sweet (or dark) chocolate. Spread onto the prepared tray. Do not spread too thinly.
5. Pour the white and pink colored melted white chocolates on top. Use a chopstick (or other swirling tool) to swirl the chocolates together.
6. Sprinkle the remaining 3 ounces of the roasted almonds and the dried cranberries on top. Tap the baking sheet on the counter to ensure the nuts and fruits sink into the chocolate. While the chocolate is still wet, lightly sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
7. Let the Fruit and Nut Bark come to room temperature (approximately 45 minutes). When cooled completely the bark can be cut with a knife or broken up by hand.
8. Serve on a platter or store in a sealed container. The bark will be good for up to two weeks.

Notes: (1) The number of Fruit and Nut Bark combinations are almost endless. Here are some of my other favorites: Cashews, Dried Cherries, Pistachios, and Apricots; Cashews, Almonds, Dried Cranberries; Pistachios, Dried Cherries, Almonds; Cashews, diced Dried Oranges or Orange Peels, Cranberries, and Almonds. (2) I used both semi-sweet and white chocolate to make this Fruit and Nut Bark, but you could also use milk-chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate only. (3) You can find packages of whole Roasted Almonds in most grocery stores and/or at Trader Joe's.

Brown Butter Honey Roasted Peanut Rice Krispie Treats

Since it was published in 1868 there have been eight film adaptations of the novel "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott. Up until this past weekend I think I may have only seen only two of them. Some might wonder why there needs to be so many movie iterations of a book when there are so many books and/or stories yet to be put to the big screen. But once you see Greta Gerwig's vision for and version of "Little Women" you might be happy there was yet another version. As this just might be the best, most compelling one. At least I thought it was. So when I saw a recipe for a Browned Butter Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treat I couldn't help but wonder if this version could possibly be better than the ones first popularized in the 1940s or my personal favorite the Over the Top Rice Krispie Treats. Needless to say I had to find out.

Browned butter, chocolate, honey roasted peanuts, and peanut butter are attention getting ingredients. And like the movie "Little Women", I learned you definitely need another version of rice krispie treats in your life. More specifically you want these Brown Butter Honey Roasted Peanut Rice Krispie Treats. I can't tell you if they are the absolute best rice krispie treat ever because almost no other rice krispie treat compares to them. They are either in a league of their own or completely redefine the concept of a rice krispie treat. Am really glad I gave all but two of them away as they are addictively dangerous.

Your friends and family will not be able to stop talking about them.

Even without the optional addition of a cup of miniature marshmallows, there is a great marshmallow to rice krispie cereal ratio to these treats. Meaning they have the kind of marshmallow texture many of us love in a rice krispie treat. The browned butter and coarsely chopped honey roasted peanuts add a depth of complex, irresistible flavor to these treats making them incredibly scrumptious. The rich nuttiness of the browned butter compliments the honey roasted peanuts perfectly. It is definitely one of the game changing ingredients in these treats.

The best way to press the rice krispie treat mixture into the pan is to lightly coat your hands with softened butter and simply press down. Because a chocolate peanut butter ganache layer will be spread over the top of the treats, you want the surface to be as even as possible.

Melted semi-sweet chocolate, creamy peanut butter, and a little bit of kosher salt makes for a luscious ganache.

And a light sprinkling of flaky sea salt kicks the flavor of these Brown Butter Honey Roasted Peanut Rice Krispie Treats up a notch.

Using a 9" x 9" pan makes sixteen eye-popping large treats. Each one big enough to share or slice. Granted this size rice krispie treat isn't for everyone. You can always opt to make them in .a 7.5" x 13" or 9" x 13" pan. Larger pans will slightly reduce the amount of that dreamy chocolate peanut butter ganache on each piece.

The next time you need to bring a dessert to a gathering, bring these Brown Butter Honey Roasted Peanut Rice Krispie Treats. They will be talking about them for weeks. But remember to keep one behind for you to enjoy.

Without the ganache, the treats themselves may be the only way you want to eat them ever again. The combination of flavors of the browned butter and honey roasted peanuts makes them one of the best versions of the classic rice krispie treat to ever be created. A convincing case could be made to put these treats in both the dessert and breakfast categories. Just saying.

Recipe
Brown Butter Honey Roasted Peanut Rice Krispie Treats
Makes 16 generous sized treats

Ingredients
Honey Roasted Peanut Rice Krispie Treats
1 cup (16 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 1 pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (or 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 (10 ounce bags/560 g) regular-size marshmallows
6 cups (204 g) crisp rice cereal
2 cups (300 g) honey roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Optional: 1 cup miniature marshmallows

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache
10 ounces (280 g) semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup (260 g) creamy peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Flaky Sea Salt for finishing

Directions
Honey Roasted Peanut Rice Krispie Treats
1. Line a 9" x 9" baking pan with parchment paper. Alternately use a 7" x 13" or a 9" x 13" baking pan. Set aside. (See notes)
2. In a large Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot, melt the butter over medium heat. It will start to bubble and crackle. Whisking occasionally carefully watch the butter as soon as the bubbling subsides. After about 4-5 minutes the butter will be fully browned (it will have a beautiful golden brown color and there will be little brown bits on the bottom of the pan).
3. Immediately add the marshmallows and salt. Stir using a wooden spoon until the marshmallows have melted. Remove from heat.
4. Add in the crispy rice cereal and the coarsely chopped honey roasted peanuts. Mix well. At this point you can also add in a large handful of miniature marshmallows if using.
5. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. With your hands lightly covered in butter, press the treats down into the pan, creating a smooth, even top. Let cool to room temperature (approximately 45-60 minutes).

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache
1. Melt the chocolate in the microwave or in a bowl set over (but not touching) boiling water.
2. Add the salt and stir the melted chocolate until smooth.
3. Whisk in creamy peanut butter in 4-5 large dollops at a time until the ganache is smooth.
4. Pour the ganache over the top of the treats. Spread evenly with an offset spatula. Let cool until firmed up.
5. Cut into 16 pieces.
6. The Brown Butter Honey Roasted Peanut Rice Krispie Treats can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. But they probably won't last that long.

Notes: (1) The recipe was inspired from Joanne Chang's new cookbook "Pastry Love: A Baker's Journal of Favorite Recipe", (2) The inspiration recipe called for the use of 9" x 13" pan, however, I am not a big fan of 'thinner' rice krispy treats. My favorite pan to use is a 9" x 9" one. But if I wanted more than 16 generous sized treats I would use either a 7.5" x 13" or a 9" x 13" pan. (3) Using a small food processor to chop up the nuts is much easier than chopping them with a knife.

Buttermilk Biscuits

Every Christmas since they were born, my niece and nephew have always been given a gift of Christmas ornaments. Now that they are each in their early 20s they probably have enough of an eclectic ornament collection to decorate a small tree. Unlike one of my friends who had the brilliant idea of finding Christmas ornaments to match her grandchildren's Halloween costumes each year, I sometimes, but not always, had a specific theme in mind when I was on the ornament hunt. But this year I was specifically looking for one symbolizing the place my nephew currently works and lives. So someday when or if he is living in another state, the ornament will remind him of the place he once called home. He currently lives in Alabama. It seemed only fitting one of his Christmas ornaments this year needed to be a biscuit. And it was. The other one was a hot dog truck to serve as a reminder of Chicago, the place he grew up near.

But this biscuit ornament represented more than his current home state, at least it did for me. While visiting him earlier in the fall we had breakfast one morning at my favorite place for biscuits, The Alabama Biscuit Company in Birmingham. It is my hope that when he hangs the biscuit ornament on all of his future Christmas trees it reminds him of not one, but two memories.

For a long time I have wanted to make a really, really, really good biscuit. The kind with tender flaky pull apart layers, a golden crisp exterior and a buttery interior that melts-in-your-mouth in the first bite. One anyone, but especially a Southerner, would not only swoon over, but might wonder where I grew up. Having looked at biscuit recipes for quite some time now, I knew mine would have to be made with White Lily Flour, aka the secret ingredient of Southern bakers. On my recent trip to Birmingham (AL), I stopped in one of the grocery stores to bring home a bag (I should have bought two of them) as its' more readily available in the south than it is up here in the midwest. If you are going to make a quintessentially Southern food, especially biscuits, one needs to use locally sourced ingredients. This would be one of those rather strong opinions or strong beliefs developed over the years. Having lived on the east coast for several years permanently spoiled me for fresh lobsters and freshly made lobster rolls. Returning back to the midwest, I can no longer bring myself to buy or order a lobster or order a lobster roll. They aren't the same. And a biscuit made with all-purpose flour isn't the same as a biscuit made with White Lily Flour. That is, unless you don't want one having a rich yet tender crumb, perfect layered flakiness, and that airy cakiness. All qualities of a perfect biscuit.

The ingredients in most biscuits generally include flour, unsalted butter, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and buttermilk. Some biscuit recipes call for the use of an egg for structure, height, and richness while others don't. In a recent biscuit bake-off article, the authors noted that "...biscuits baked without egg were more purely buttery and slightly less chewy-the ideal if you want the most tender, buttery biscuit." And I wanted to make the most buttery, tenderest biscuit possible. Mine would be eggless.

Biscuit makers swear by the use of butter, shortening, or a combination of the two in their biscuit recipes. Next to the egg or no egg preference, the butter vs shortening debate is real. The decision as to which one(s) to use may ultimately come down to either personal perceived preference or remaining faithful to the beloved family recipe handed down through the generations. If you have had amazing biscuits made with shortening, you are more than likely to use shortening. The same would be true if your favorite biscuits were made with butter. Each of those ingredients contributes differently to the finished biscuit. But if a biscuit recipe calls for the use of buttermilk, well butter and buttermilk are a match made in heaven. So this recipe uses butter, cold butter, an unsalted European-style butter, a cold unsalted European-style butter because it has the highest amount of butterfat and the lowest amount of water. A butter with more butterfat and less water results in an incredibly flavorful biscuit.

After reading about and comparing more than a couple of dozen biscuit recipes I finally made a decision as to which recipe had the most potential to create a biscuit that wowed! With a few minor tweaks to the ingredients and biscuit assembly, my recipe closely mirrors the one from  Bon Appetit in April 2016.  In addition to using White Lily Flour versus an unspecified all-purpose flour and using an European-style unsalted butter versus an unspecified unsalted butter, I increased the amount of sugar from two teaspoons to one tablespoon. Unlike many of the biscuit recipes I reviewed, this one used a food processor to combine the dry ingredients and the butter. Some say the food processor method doesn't work as well as other methods (e.g. grating frozen butter, using a pastry cutter, etc.) but my results said otherwise.

Cutting the biscuit dough with a knife into twelve squares eliminates any waste or the need for any re-rolling. Which meant, my large collection of biscuit cutters would have to be put to other uses. Once rolled and cut, the biscuits go into the freezer for 10 minutes prior to baking. After brushing the tops of biscuits with melted butter they go into a preheated 425 degree (F) oven quickly reduced to 400 degrees (F) as soon as the baking pan goes into the oven. In just 20-25 minutes the most heavenly, beautiful, flaky, buttery, golden brown biscuits are ready to be inhaled.

Eating a warm biscuit right out of the oven might just put you in a food coma.

For me drizzled honey over a warm biscuit is the bees knees. For you the humble biscuit might be elevated to an ambrosial level when smeared with butter, a great jam, gravy, or pimento cheese. Maybe the biscuit becomes a sandwich filled with a thick slices of ham. Maybe you like to break up pieces of your biscuit and put them in your favorite soup. Or maybe your sweet tooth craves one topped with an apple compote and some vanilla ice cream. In other words, the number of ways to enjoy a buttermilk biscuit are practically endless. 

I really do think it takes eating a really great biscuit to want to make a really great biscuit. Once you do, you come to believe biscuits aren't something nice to have, they are something you need to have. No longer do you need to secretly wish for friend who learned how to make buttery, flaky, tender biscuits by watching her memaw, the person who could make biscuits with her eyes closed. Nor do you have to drive or fly to Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, or any other southern state claiming to make the world's best biscuits. Now you can make them at home with this recipe. No sorcery or alchemy is necessary to transform ordinary ingredients into something extraordinary. Like these ethereal buttermilk biscuits.

Recipe
Buttermilk Biscuits 
Makes one dozen biscuits

Updated July 2022

Ingredients
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
3 1/2 cups (438 g) White Lily Flour OR Gold Medal Unbleached Flour
1 cup (16 Tablespoons) cold unsalted European-style butter cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup cold buttermilk (shake the container well before pouring into a measuring cup)
2 Tablespoons melted unsalted butter OR 1 egg yolk and 1 Tablespoon heavy cream

Serve with honey, preserves/jam, pimento cheese, etc. They also are a great accompaniment to soup and/or make for a great ham sandwich.

Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees (F). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Pulse the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a large food processor to combine.
3. Add the butter and process until the largest pieces of the butter are the size of a pea.
4. Transfer the flour/butter mixture to a large bowl.
5. Gradually pour in the cold buttermilk, stirring with a fork as you go to incorporate.
6. Knead the mixture briefly in the bowl until a shaggy dough forms. Not to worry if it looks a bit dry.
7. Turn out onto a clean surface, knead for another minute before forming into a 1" high square. Cut the square in half, place one half on top of the other, and roll out to a 1" high square. Cut the square in half a second time, place one half on top of the other and then roll out to 1" high rectangle. Trim the edges of the dough and cut into 12 biscuits using a sharp knife. Do not re-roll out any of the scraps.
8. Transfer the cut biscuits to the baking sheet, leaving at least one inch between each of the biscuits. Place the tray of biscuits in the freezer for 10 minutes.
9. Remove from the freezer, and brush melted butter on the top of each biscuit. Alternately brush the tops of the biscuits with an egg wash made with one egg yolk and one Tablespoon of heavy cream.
10. Place the baking pan in the oven and IMMEDIATELY reduce the oven temperature down to 400 degrees (F).
11. Bake until the tops of the biscuits are deeply golden brown on the bottom, approximately 20-25 minutes.
12. Serve warm. Get ready to be transported to biscuit heaven.

Notes: (1) Make certain your baking powder is fresh. Check the freshness or expiration date before using. (2) I used a scale when I measured out the flour using a 125 g to 1 cup ratio. (3) The biscuits are best enjoyed on the day they are made. You can store them in a plastic bag and reheat them the next day. They will still be good but the texture may not be the same as the day they were made. (4) I have made these biscuits using both White Lily and Gold Medal Unbleached All-Purpose flour. Both flours worked, but the texture of the biscuits made with White Lily Flour was slightly flakier and lighter.

Hearty Ham and Bean Soup

Growing up the traditional New Year's Day afternoon meal was always a baked ham and potato salad. For a short while in my early adult life I kept this tradition going. But during neither of those periods did the ham bone turn into either a ham and bean soup or a split pea soup. Apparently the first half of my life didn't include homemade soups. Which may in part explain why I am now such a homemade soup lover. I suppose I am trying to make up for lost opportunities. 

Even though I no longer make a baked ham for either a holiday meal or Sunday dinner, I don't have to live a Hearty Ham and Bean Soup free life. And neither do you. Nowadays all of those ham specialty stores, like Honey Baked Ham, actually sell meat on the bone hams year round. While you might not be craving a bowl of hot soup on a really hot summer day, nothing prevents you from making this ham and bean soup whenever you get a craving for it. Note: Some butcher stores might also sell them.

Soup may be one of the ultimate comfort foods. And this Hearty Ham and Bean Soup may be one of the most soul soothing soups I have ever eaten. Give me a bowl of hot soup, a homemade buttermilk biscuit or loaf of hearty bread, and a maybe salad on a sweater or winter weather day if you want to see what a person in delirious food coma might look like. Soup is a bit like a magic elixir as it not only cures almost anything that ails you (physically or emotionally), it is one of the healthiest ways to satisfy your appetite. In other words, soup really should be considered a super food. 

Most ham and bean soups call for the exclusive use of Northern, Cannellini, or Navy beans or a combination of two or three beans. But not this one. This one calls for fifteen different beans! Fortunately you can buy a bag containing 15 different soup beans! (See notes below). So before I go on any further about this incredibly savory and satisfying Hearty Ham and Bean Soup, I need to tell you it can't be made in one day. Rather it is made over the course of two days, but if you have the patience to wait three days, well your palate will be rewarded for your patience. In spite of a soup taking at least two days to make, it isn't one needed your constant attention. In fact on day one, all you have to do is rinse the beans, put them in a large pot filled with eight cups of water, cover, and let sit overnight. Pretty easy start, right?

Most bean soups include the use of mirepoix. A holy trinity of diced onions, celery, and carrots. But this one doesn't stop at relying on onions, carrots, and celery for flavor. Minced jalapeños (seeded) and garlic (8-9 cloves) help to deepen the flavor of the soup as well as bring a very slight amount of heat to it. 

Now let's talk spices for a quick second. This one uses ginger, yes ground ginger. Trust me when I say don't think of omitting it or replacing it with anything else. So sparingly with a rounded half-teaspoon of ginger or go full in with a teaspoon. Either way, the ginger brings another layer of flavor to this incredibly savory mouthwatering soup.

Other than dicing vegetables and giving them a quick sauté, assembling the rest of the soup's ingredients into a large stock pot is really easy. Everything goes into the pot, gets a quick stir, is brought to a boil, and then is left to simmer (uncovered) for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. That's it! Well almost.

The ham bone used for this soup should be a pretty meaty one (about 4 1/2 pounds in total weight). When the soup has finished cooking, remove the ham bone, cut the meat off into bite sized pieces, then return the ham pieces to the soup. If not serving the soup right away, return the ham bone back into the soup, let it cool completely, cover and refrigerate overnight. The combination of keeping the ham bone in the soup and chilling it results in a thicker, even heartier soup. Note: You can always thin the soup with a little more water if that's how you like it.

If you have the patience to wait until the third day, I promise you will be rewarded. Although the soup is really, really good on it's first (technically second day). Because it makes enough to serve 8-10 people, you actually might end up with some leftovers. Which means you can compare the taste and flavor of the soup on day two and day three. This soup freezes well, so don't let the soup sit in the refrigerator for more than 4 days. Instead on day two (technically the day it's actually cooked), put some of the cooled soup in containers and freeze it. You will be glad you did. Especially on those days when the weather turns wicked, when you don't have anything good to eat in the house, when you have unexpected guests, need a little comfort food, or whenever you get a craving for this soup. 

January happens to be National Soup Month and for good reason. Most of us crave some comfort food and want things to slow down after the hectic holiday season. Chilling or rather warming up with a good bowl of soup, like this Hearty Ham and Bean Soup, is one of the best post-holiday gifts we can give to ourselves, to our families, to our friends.

Recipe
Hearty Ham and Bean Soup
Serves 8-10

Ingredients
1 (20 ounce) package 15 bean soup mix (see notes)
8 cups of cold water

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 large or 4 medium celery stalks, diced
8-9 medium garlic cloves, minced (approximately 3 Tablespoons)
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
3 large or 4 medium carrots (unpeeled), diced
10 cups of water
1 very meaty (approximately 4 1/2 pounds) ham bone (see notes)
1 (10 ounce) can of Original Rotel Tomatoes (or use a can of Fire-Roasted Tomatoes)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground ginger (I used a slightly rounded half teaspoon of ginger)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Optional: Serve with homemade Buttermilk Biscuits, cornbread, or a loaf of hearty bread.

Directions
1. Rinse beans in a colander. Place rinsed beans in a large pot. Pour the 8 cups of cold water over. Cover and let sit (at room temperature) overnight.
2. In a large Dutch oven or large heavy bottomed saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
3. Add in the onion, garlic, jalapeños, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 6-7 minutes or just until the vegetables become slightly soft.
4. Transfer the sautéed vegetables to a large stock pot, 10 cups of water, tomatoes, ginger, salt, pepper, and meaty ham bone.
5. Drain the soaked beans. Add the drained soaked beans to the stock pot.
6. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
7. Immediately decrease heat to simmer and cook uncovered for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the beans are tender.
8. Remove the ham bone and cut off all of the meat from the bone into bite-sized pieces. Return the ham pieces to the soup.
9. Taste for seasoning. Add kosher salt and/or pepper if needed.
10. Serve the soup hot. 
11. Alternately return the ham bone back to the stock pot. Cover and refrigerate overnight to let the flavors further develop.
12. Remove ham bone and reheat soup for serving. If the soup is too thick, add a little more water.
13. This recipe makes a lot of soup. Recommend freezing some of it for up to 2 months. On a chilly day, you will be glad you have some soup in the freezer.

Notes: (1) You don't need to bake a ham to make this soup. You can buy a meaty ham bone from either your local butcher or ham specialty stores like Honey Baked Ham. (2) You can find 15 Bean Soup beans in most grocery stores. I used the 15 Bean Soup mixture from Hurst's HamBeens. Do not use the flavor package included in the bean mixture in the soup. (3) Some use either vegetable broth or chicken broth instead of water when making soup. Personally I like using water, but if you use either of those broths I would recommend using half water and half broth. Even with broths having with less sodium these days, I like having the ability to adjusting my seasonings after the soup has cooked.

Bacon Wrapped Dates w/ Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

With all of the sports playoff games, film award shows, and the return of the long awaited final season of "Homeland" in the months ahead, there is no shortage of opportunities or reasons to invite friends and/or family over. Call me a bit of a home body but in all honesty, I much prefer the coziness of the house over the craziness found in most local bars particularly when watching sports on television. Or maybe I just love having people over as much as I do these Bacon Wrapped Dates w/ Roasted Red Pepper Sauce. Who doesn't love a sweet and savory bite, especially one wrapped in bacon and served with an addictive dipping sauce? Paired with some wine or better yet, a pitcher of Bourbon Apple Pie Cocktails, everyone is certain to go absolutely CRAZY for them. Seriously, even those who claim not to like dates will be completely smitten with these scrumptious two bite appetizer wonders.

Bacon wrapped dates fall into two general categories: stuffed and unstuffed. More than likely you have had them filled with nuts, a variety of cheeses, dried fruits, chorizo, or even sun-dried tomatoes. And all of these are good options. But they also happen to be a little more work to assemble. Sometimes given the choice between something a little more complicated and simple is an easy one to make. I happen to be on team unstuffed as I don't want anything else but the Roasted Red Pepper Sauce to compete with or detract from the flavor of the crispy oven roasted bacon and sweet melt in your mouth, almost candied Medjool dates. I also love having easy appetizer options!

Especially ones you can put together early in the day and then just pop into the oven when everyone arrives!

For the absolute best Bacon Wrapped Dates look for the larger, sometimes called fancy Medjool Dates and buy the more thinly sliced bacon. It's not critical to find pitted dates as it's super easy to cut into them lengthwise and remove the pit. As much as I love really thick bacon and who doesn't, it won't crisp up as nicely as thinner bacon slices will. And for these Bacon Wrapped Dates you definitely want the bacon to be very crispy!  

A half slice of bacon almost wrap around each date twice. Place the bacon seam side down when putting the wrapped dates on an aluminum foil lined pan. Inserting a toothpick into them ensures the little bite stays intact as well as makes serving easy. 

Lightly brushed with a mixture of maple syrup and apple cider vinegar and sprinkled with some red pepper flakes, the wrapped dates bake in a preheated 425 degree (F) oven for 25-30 minutes (or until the bacon is crispy). Once out of the oven, give the dates a light sprinkling of sea salt.

The Roasted Red Pepper Sauce brings the ying and yang of a little bit of heat and some coolness in each bite. The garlic and cayenne combined with the mayonnaise, roasted red peppers, and red wine vinegar makes for the most flavorful dipping sauce. It's one of those dipping sauces that seems to encourage double dipping! You can make your own roasted red peppers or you can buy them in a jar (I used jarred red peppers this time). Mincing the garlic and red peppers with a knife or putting them into the bowl of a small food processor are two options that both work. If you like a slightly chunkier sauce, mince them with a knife (I used a mini-food processor). Making the Roasted Red Pepper Sauce earlier in the day will not only enable the flavors to deepen but the sauce will thicken up slightly. Note: If using jarred red peppers make certain to drain them or your sauce will be runny.

Serve the Bacon Wrapped Dates either warm right out of the oven or at room temperature. I prefer them warm, but wouldn't refuse a room temperature one. Note: If you by chance have any leftovers, which is highly unlikely, you can reheat them in the microwave on high for 20-25 seconds.

For those of you following a Whole 30 diet or living a gluten-free life, you will be thrilled to learn you can eat all the Bacon Wrapped Dates your heart desires! For those of you wanting to be certain there are appetizer options for your Whole 30 and Gluten-Free friends, you definitely want to serve them these Bacon Wrapped Dates! They will love you more than they already do!

An event on television doesn't need to the reason you invite your family and/or friends over for a gathering or to make these Bacon Wrapped Dates w/ Roasted Red Pepper Sauce. You don't even need to plan a game night, host a book club meeting, or celebrate a milestone event. Sometimes it's just nice to invite some of your favorite people over for the sake of getting together and enjoying each other's company. In other words, great memories can and should be made around food, beverages, and conversations. I don't know about you, but there never seems to be enough quality time spent with those that matter most to me.

Recipe
Bacon Wrapped Dates w/ Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Makes 24 

Ingredients
1 pound package Fancy Medjool Dates, remove pits (See notes)
1 twelve ounce package of thinly sliced bacon, slices cut in half
1 1/2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup
Red Pepper Flakes
Flaky Sea Salt

1/2 cup roasted red peppers, well-drained
2 large garlic cloves
1/2 cup good quality mayonnaise 
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F). Line a large rimmed baking pan with aluminum foil and set aside.
2. Wrap a half piece of bacon around each pitted date. Insert a toothpick through the center of the date. Place wrapped date, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet.
3. Whisk together the apple cider and maple syrup. Brush each wrapped date with the apple cider/maple syrup mixture. Lightly sprinkle with red pepper flakes.
4. Bake the wrapped dates for 25-30 minutes or until bacon is crisp.
5. Transfer the baked dates to a paper towel before quickly transferring over to a serving platter. Lightly sprinkle the bacon wrapped dates with flaky sea salt.
6. Either early in the day or while the dates are baking, make the sauce. To make the sauce either finely mince the garlic and roasted red peppers or mince them in a small food processor. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the minced garlic, minced red peppers, mayonnaise, cayenne pepper, and red wine vinegar until well blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Serve the Bacon Wrapped Dates warm or at room temperature with a small bowl of the Roasted Red Pepper Sauce. 

Notes: (1) I bought both the Fancy Medjool Dates and bacon from Trader Joe's. (2) When removing the pits from dates, use a sharp knife and slice lengthwise into the date. You only need to make a small slit to be able to remove the pit. (3) I love dipping the Bacon Wrapped Dates in the Roasted Red Pepper Sauce, but honestly, they are so, so good all on their own. (4) Both the wrapped dates (unbaked) and roasted red pepper sauce can be made early in the day.