Dairy-Free, Dinner, Gluten-Free, Lunch, Product Review, Savory, Snack

Bacon-Wrapped Sonoran Hot Dogs with Guacamole and Jalapeño Lime Aioli

Guys, I’ve been hiding something from you. It isn’t easy to say this. But, I have to come clean. I, Analiese Trimber, am in love with Applegate. As a blogger and food writer in general, I try to stay product agnostic, but I am an Applegate loyalist and I will be until the day I die. My absolute favorite thing has to be the smoked turkey, and I eat it almost every day for lunch. When I found out they were launching their #cleanerwiener campaign, I ran to the store to stock up on their juicy hot dogs, stat.

Because I’m all for combining as many pork products as possible into one dish, I present to you these bacon-wrapped Applegate hot dogs. And because I was feeling a little festive, I decided to add some guac, Garden of Eatin’ blue corn chips, and my special jalapeño-lime aioli on top. Please do yourself a favor and make these, ASAP.

Level: Easy

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
Total Time: 45-50 minutes

Servings: 4 hot dogs

Ingredients:
For the hot dogs:
2 slices bacon
4 Applegate Natural Uncured Beef Hot Dogs
For the guacamole:
2 avocados
1/2 jalapeño, small diced
1 lime, juiced
1 tomato, diced
1/2 lemon, juiced
salt and pepper, to taste
Other hot dog ingredients:
1 handful Garden of Eatin’ Blue Corn Tortilla Chips, crushed
4 gluten-free hot dog buns
For the aioli:
2 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lime juice
zest from 1 lime
1 clove garlic
3/4-1 cup olive oil
1/2 jalapeño

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Slice bacon in half length-wise, so it is half as wide.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Cut a slit in each hot dog, then wrap in bacon and secure both ends with a toothpick.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Place in a cast iron skillet or other type of pan that can go into the oven.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Cook in oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until bacon on the side in contact with the pan has browned.
Flip hot dogs and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, again keeping an eye on the bacon.
While the hot dogs are in the oven, start making your guac.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
In a separate bowl, mash both avocados until your desired consistency.
Add diced jalapeño, tomato, lemon juice, lime juice, and salt and pepper, and stir to combine.
Set guacamole aside until ready to plate.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Add all aioli ingredients except olive oil to your food processor.
Pulse a few times until ingredients are fully combined.
Once ingredients are combined, turn food processor on and slowly add olive oil in a thin stream until all used, or until aioli is at your desired consistency.
Remove finished aioli to a separate bowl and chill in the fridge, if desired.
Once all components for the hot dogs have been made, toast your gluten-free buns (if desired).
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Place bacon-wrapped hot dog in bun, top with guacamole, crushed Garden of Eatin’ blue corn chips, and drizzle with jalapeño lime aioli.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Serve.
Photo by Analiese Trimber

Breakfast, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Savory, Snack

Savory Rosemary Waffles

I’m the type of person that will almost always choose savory over sweet when it comes to breakfast. But no matter how great eggs and bacon are, they can get kind of boring. Since I am totally behind the game on experimenting with waffles, I thought it was about time and what better way to do so than with my bestie/partner in crime/fellow food blogger Breakfast with Bex who is finally back in DC for good?

Like the food-obsessed people we are, we spent Saturday night concocting the perfect recipe for the next day’s brunch and these waffles did not disappoint. The shining star is hands down the rosemary-infused olive oil, so that is kind of a must.

Whenever I get fresh herbs, I always chop them up, throw them in an ice cube tray and then fill with olive oil so I can have infused olive oils on deck whenever I could possibly need them. You can do this, or you can let some rosemary and olive oil sit together for a few hours. Either way, your waffles will turn out delicious.

Recipe created with Breakfast with Bex.

Level: Easy

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 7-8 waffles

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup unsweetened almond or coconut milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon rosemary
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 3/4 cup all-purpose gluten free flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 pinch sea salt
1 pinch pepper
1 pinch dried basil
1 pinch dried sage

Directions:

Make rosemary-infused olive oil by combining the two ingredients and let sit overnight. Or you can do what I did and combine rosemary and olive oil in ice cube trays and freeze until ready.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Combine milk and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl. Stir to combine and let sit for a couple minutes.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Add rosemary-infused olive oil to milk and vinegar mixture, stir to combine.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
In a large bowl, combine oats, flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, dried basil, and dried sage.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Add wet ingredients to dry and combine until fully incorporated.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Heat waffle iron.
When waffle iron is ready, place batter inside and cook until your waffle iron says they’re done.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
When waffles are cooked, place on a cooling rack until ready to eat so they stay crisp.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Top with bacon, egg, cheese and whatever other toppings you desire.
Photo by Analiese Trimber

Photo by Analiese Trimber

Dairy-Free, Dinner, Gluten-Free, Lunch, Product Review, Savory

Jamaican Jerk Paella

One of the most memorable dishes I’ve ever eaten is the Kale and Wild Mushroom Paella at Bobby Flay’s Gato in New York City. I literally have dreams about this stuff. The rice is perfectly crispy and the dish has this luscious, buttery flavor to it despite not having any butter in it at all. After about the tenth dream I had about this incredible paella, I decided it was time to make my own.

Obviously there’s no way I can top Bobby Flay, so I wanted to change the flavor profile of this dish a bit. The star proteins include shrimp, chicken, and Applegate’s Peach Jerk Chicken Sausages. These sausages are incredible. They come fully cooked, so they don’t take very long to heat up. Plus, they’re packed with flavor. I’m probably going to have to keep replenishing my stock on a weekly basis. I decided to take somewhat of a Jamaican spin on the traditional paella to match these awesome sausages.

I’m not going to lie, making paella is a total labor of love and a bit bigger of a time commitment than most of my other recipes, but I promise you it’s worth it.

Level: Medium

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 75 minutes
Total Time: 85 minutes

Servings: 5

Ingredients:
For the jerk seasoning:
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon coconut sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 dash cinnamon
For the paella:
2-3 tablespoons jerk seasoning
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 yellow bell pepper
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
1 small yellow onion
1 chicken breast
2-3 Applegate Natural Peach Jerk Chicken Sausages
8-10 shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 cups water
3 teaspoons chicken bouillon
2 cups Lundberg’s Organic Basmati Brown Rice, or other comparable brown rice
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Photo by Analiese Trimber

Add all spices for jerk seasoning to a small bowl.
Stir until fully combined. Set aside.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Dice onion, thinly slice bell pepper, and slice cherry tomatoes in half.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Slice Applegate sausages into half-inch thick slices.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Dice chicken and place in a small bowl. Add jerk seasoning.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Use your hands and mix to incorporate seasoning.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Heat olive oil in a large frying pan. Cast iron is preferred, but not necessary.
Add diced chicken and diced onion.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Cook about two minutes or until chicken is browned and onion is soft.
Add rice and stir until fully combined. When accomplished, all rice will be glossy from the olive oil.
Add about 3 cups to 3 1/2 cups of water, and all chicken bouillon. Stir until combined.
Place shrimp on top of mixture.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Cook over medium-low heat for about one hour. About halfway through, add your chicken sausage, bell pepper, and sliced tomatoes.
Check your paella at the 30-minute mark and the 45-minute mark. Add the extra half cup or 3/4 cup water if your rice is still a little crunchy.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
When you have the proper amount of water, don’t be afraid to let the rice on the bottom of your cast iron caramelize a bit.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Serve when rice is soft and all water has been absorbed.
Photo by Analiese Trimber

Dairy-Free, Dessert, Gluten-Free, Paleo, Sweet

Coffee Bacon Ice Cream

There’s no denying coffee and and bacon are meant to be consumed together. Sometimes I feel like their partnership is a bit more important than the one between bacon and eggs, because out of the group, coffee and bacon are the ones I can’t live without. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love my fried eggs, but I simply can’t function without my morning coffee.

If you’re a devout follower of my blog, you know I use espresso powder in pretty much any sweet thing I make, especially baked goods, so this ice cream is not the first time bacon and coffee have met in my life. However, it is the first recipe for ice cream I have ever posted, so let’s celebrate by all doubling this recipe and having one big party in the ice cream’s honor. Down?

Level: Easy

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Rest Time: 2 hours-overnight
Process Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours, 20 minutes up-overnight + 20 minutes

Servings: about 1 1/2 pints

Ingredients:
5 slices bacon, diced
1 1/4 cups raw cashews
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 14-ounce can full fat coconut milk
2 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup espresso powder, or more, depending on how much coffee flavor you like

Directions:

Make sure the churning for your ice cream maker has been in the freezer for 24-48 hours.
Add cashews to a small bowl and fill with water. Let soak overnight or for at least six hours.
Once cashews have soaked, strain out water.
Add cashews and all remaining ingredients to your food processor. Blend until fully incorporated, making sure to scrape down the sides if necessary.
Remove ice cream base to a loaf pan or other non-stick pan.
Place in the refrigerator overnight, or for at least two hours.
In a small frying pan over medium heat, add bacon and sauté for about 5 minutes or until fully cooked.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Remove cooked bacon to plate lined with paper towels to absorb the grease.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Chop bacon to desired size and set aside.
Assemble your ice cream maker and add ice cream base to your churning bowl.
Turn ice cream maker on and churn for approximately 20 minutes or until ice cream resembles a soft-serve texture.
Add bacon and any other desired toppings at the end and let churn until fully incorporated.
Remove ice cream to a freezer safe container and let set for a few minutes to a few hours, depending on the texture you like your ice cream, then serve.
Photo by Analiese Trimber

Photo by Analiese Trimber

Dairy-Free, Dinner, Gluten-Free, Lunch, Paleo, Savory, Snack

Bacon Seasoned Sweet Potato Fries with Lime Aioli

After eating sweet potato fries in restaurants numerous times, I decided it was time to try my hand at making them. However, I was determined not to bake them. That’s cheating. I wanted real, restaurant-quality fried sweet potato fries. So I bought a tub of palm shortening (because #Paleo), burned myself several times, and ultimately ended up with these delicious, bacon-y, salty sweet potato fries.

The secret is to fry them twice for optimum crispiness. Full disclosure: this was the first time I ever deep fried anything in my life and it’s a little harder than you’d imagine. Just get yourself a cooking thermometer and don’t be too hurt if you add another burn scar to your cooking wound collection. Think of it as a symbol of a job well-done.

Level: Easy

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Rest Time: 30-60 minutes
Cook Time: 6-8 minutes
Total Time: approximately 45-75 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:
For the fries
2-3 large sweet potatoes
5 slices bacon (I like Applegate Organic Sunday Bacon)
1 container palm shortening
salt, to taste
For the aioli
2 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lime juice
zest from 1 lime
1 clove garlic
3/4-1 cup olive oil

Directions:

Peel sweet potato.
Chop ends off of sweet potato, and then chop sweet potato in half horizontally. This will make the sweet potato easier to manipulate while chopping.
Slice your sweet potato halves vertically this time, doing your best to make each slice about 1⁄2 inch wide.
Next cut vertically again, about 1⁄2 inch wide so slices look like fries.
Continue chopping in this way until you’ve sliced all of your sweet potatoes.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Place cut fries in a large bowl.
Fill bowl with ice cold water and ice cubes.
Set bowl in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour. This process removes starch from the fries so they can get crispy.
While fries are in the refrigerator, add all aioli ingredients except olive oil to your food processor.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Pulse a few times until ingredients are fully combined.
Once ingredients are combined, turn food processor on and slowly add olive oil in a thin stream until all used.
Remove finished aioli to a separate bowl and chill in the fridge, if desired.
After fries have chilled for 30 minutes to 1 hour, remove to a baking sheet lined with paper towels to absorb water.
Pat fries with a towel to get them as dry as possible.
Add container of palm shortening to a medium sauce or sauté pan on high heat.
Using a thermometer, bring the temperature of the shortening up to 350 degrees. If you overshoot this temperature, it is okay because it will go back down once the fries are added.
Once shortening is at your desired temperature, add a small batch of fries.
Let fries cook in oil for 3-4 minutes.
In the meantime, prepare another baking sheet with paper towels to absorb the grease.
Once fries have been in oil for 3-4 minutes, remove to the baking sheet.
Repeat this process until all fries have made it into the oil and onto the baking sheet.
While fries are cooling, add bacon to oil.
Fry bacon for approximately 2 minutes, or until cooked fully. Keep an eye on the bacon, as it can cook faster depending on the thickness.
Remove cooked bacon to another plate lined with paper towels to absorb the grease.
Raise temperature of shortening to 375-400 degrees.
Add fries again in small batches, frying for an additional 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown.
Repeat again until all fries have been fried twice and removed to the baking sheet.
Chop crispy fried bacon as small as possible, ideally to the same size as your salt.
In a large bowl, add cooked fries, chopped bacon, and salt.
Toss until seasoning is distributed over fries.
Remove to a plate and serve with aioli.
Photo by Analiese Trimber

Dairy-Free, Dessert, Gluten-Free, Paleo, Snack, Sweet

Spiced Sweet Potato Truffles

Truffles are an ideal dessert. They’re easy to make, you can make them from just about anything, and they look gorgeous despite minimal effort. I hadn’t made anything similar to a truffle since my cake ball debacle of 2014 (it was a disaster), so I figured it was time to give bite-sized balls another shot.

I searched my pantry for the ingredients I would use for my retribution balls and came across way too many sweet potatoes and a bag of Cinnamon Sweets TERRA Chips. To make truffles you really just need an element of crunch that serves as a binding agent and an element of creamy that mixed together can be rolled into balls and dipped in chocolate, so I said YOLO – let’s make truffles out of nearly 100% vegetables and make them so delicious no one would ever know they’re healthy.

This time I succeeded.

Level: Easy

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Cool Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 65 minutes

Servings: approximately 28 truffles

Ingredients:
2 cups mashed sweet potato (yielded from approximately 4 small or 2 large sweet potatoes)
3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 bag Cinnamon Sweets TERRA Chips
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon almond milk
1 bag dark chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Place a paper towel over a cutting board for easy disposal and peel sweet potatoes.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Cut ends off sweet potatoes and then dice.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Place diced sweet potatoes on baking sheet.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Drizzle with melted coconut oil, add cinnamon, and mix to combine.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Place in oven for about 20 minutes, or until sweet potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork.
Remove sweet potatoes from oven and transfer to a cutting board.
Mash sweet potatoes with a fork.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Once all sweet potatoes pieces are mashed, remove to a large bowl.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Add bag of Cinnamon Sweets TERRA Chips to food processor. If you don’t have a food processor, add chips to a gallon size Ziploc bag and crush with a rolling pin or bottom of a cup.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Pulse until finely ground.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Add all crumbs except a couple tablespoons to the mashed sweet potatoes. You will be using the remaining crumbs as garnish.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Add almond milk and maple syrup and mix until fully combined.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Place a new piece of parchment paper on your baking sheet.
Form mixture into small balls and place on baking sheet.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Place in the freezer for about 15 minutes, or until firm.
In a medium-sized microwave safe bowl, add chocolate chips.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Microwave chocolate chips until fully melted, making sure to stir the mixture every 30 seconds.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Once fully melted, remove sweet potato balls from the freezer.
Dip a sweet potato ball into the chocolate mixture, using a fork or spoon to make sure it’s completely covered in chocolate.
Place truffle back on the baking sheet, and garnish with your extra Cinnamon Sweets crumbs.
Repeat until all truffles have been dipped in chocolate.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Place back in the freezer for about 15 minutes, and then move to the refrigerator until ready to eat.
Photo by Analiese Trimber

Photo by Analiese Trimber

Photo by Analiese Trimber

Dairy-Free, Dessert, Gluten-Free, Snack, Sweet

Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

As someone who doesn’t eat gluten, dessert can be tricky. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve stared down a bowl of cookie dough or cake batter before placing it in the oven and imparting a look that says “you better work” only to be met with crumbly cookies or a sunken cake after the timer goes off.

As someone who is constantly developing new recipes, failures do happen but each failure is a learning experience. These cookie bars are a recipe I’ve been tweaking over the past few weeks and I have to say – there are few ways to articulate through words the simple joy one feels when their recipe actually works and tastes amazing. Huge props to Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Baking Flour for being awesome. And pro tip: always add ice cream.

Recipe created for NOBREAD.

Level: Easy

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
Total Time: 30-35 minutes

Servings: 9-12 cookie bars

Ingredients:
4 slices bacon, diced
2 1/4 cups GF flour (or regular if you do gluten)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups coconut sugar (or regular sugar)
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 stick Earth Balance, melted (or 1/2 cup butter or coconut oil)
Walnuts, chopped (optional)
Chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line an 8×11 baking pan with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
In a small frying pan over medium heat, add bacon and sauté for about 5 minutes or until fully cooked.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Remove cooked bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the grease.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, espresso powder, salt, and coconut sugar.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Stir to combine.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
In a separate, small bowl, combine eggs and vanilla.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Add melted Earth Balance to eggs and vanilla and whisk together quickly.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, and stir to combine.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Add chopped walnuts, chocolate chips, and cooked bacon, and mix together.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Pour dough into lined 8×11 baking pan.
Using a rubber spatula, spread dough evenly across pan.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Place in oven for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted.
Remove pan from oven and let cool for two minutes.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Transfer cookie bars to a cooling rack and let cool completely.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
Serve.
Photo by Analiese Trimber

Photo by Analiese Trimber

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this: