Pig Candy aka Brown Sugar Bacon

Do you want something yummy to serve with those Perfect Pancakes? How about Pig Candy! Anytime I mention pig candy the first response I get from everyone is ewwww or what is that? I guess the name alone isn't very appealing but, pig candy is so darn good. All that sweet, salty, sticky goodness, it's like pork heaven! Actually it's just sugared bacon and who wouldn't like that. Pig Candy is made up of a few simple ingredients. Nothing complicated about this recipe at all, but highly addictive to say the least. Not only is it perfect for a breakfast side dish but it also makes a wonderful and delicious appetizer. At first glance it will look just like regular cooked bacon, but just wait for your guests to grab a piece. Then just stand back and wait for their reaction, I guarantee they will be reaching for more. Thick sliced bacon is the best bacon to use for this recipe. Also if you are using peppered bacon then omit the pepper in the ingredient listing. Since my kiddos were eating I chose to leave out the cayenne pepper and just use brown sugar. My daughter calls it sticky bacon. If you have never had pig candy you really need to give it a try. I know once you try it you will make it again and again its that good.


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Mix brown sugar, cayenne (optional), and black pepper together in a medium bowl. I use a zip lock bag it is so much easier.

add bacon and coat.



Line a baking sheet with a wire rack and lay bacon on the rack. I would recommend laying a piece of foil between the rack and the pan for easier clean up. Pat any remanding spice mixture on the bacon. Put the baking sheet on the top rack of the oven and bake until crisp, about 15 minutes. If you do not have a rack that will fit inside a baking sheet, you can also use your ovens broiler pan.

Remove from the oven to a serving dish and let cool slightly before serving.






Pig Candy aka Brown Sugar Bacon

1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
1/2 pound thick-cut bacon, 8 slices

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Mix brown sugar, cayenne, and black pepper together in a medium bowl. Add bacon and toss. Line a baking sheet with a wire rack and lay bacon on the rack. Pat any remanding spice mixture on the bacon. Put the baking sheet on the top rack of the oven and bake until crisp, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven to a serving dish and let cool slightly before serving.

*Note: If using thick cut peppered bacon, omit the pepper in this recipe.

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" My Quest for The Perfect Pancake "

I have been obsessed with trying to find the Perfect Pancake Recipe. It has mostly been trial and error. My favorite pancakes are the ones made from scratch. I love to go to IHop and have pancakes they are super yummy and perfect every time. Along time ago I used to eat pancakes at a restaurant called Barbec's, in Pleasant Grove they made the best beer pancakes in the world. That was along time ago, 16 years to be exact.

Barbecs has since closed down, but I can still picture those beer pancakes and their famous beer biscuits in my mind, light fluffy and delicious. I have a love for pancakes like no other, in our house we especially love to have breakfast for dinner. My son Carson shares the same love of pancakes just like his mama, so finding a great great recipe has been quite a difficult task.

I have tried a lot of buttermilk pancake recipes only to find they were to flat and really tangy tasting. So back to the Bisquick and pioneer baking mix I went. I know homemade is best but the boxed mixes yield the fluffiest pancakes so I know I can depend on them. I was visiting my blogging friend Joan's site 3 girls, me and a recipe and noticed she had posted a recipe titled the perfect pancakes!

I read down a bit farther in the post and noticed Joan had mentioned she got the recipe from thepioneerwomancooks. I knew this pancake recipe had to be good, Ree wouldn't steer us wrong. I was so excited to get to the store to purchase cake flour, I couldn't wait to make these pancakes!!! And make them I did, I have made this pancake recipe 4 times and we love them. Light, Fluffy and Delicious just like I was looking for. My search is over yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Perfect pancake batter. I am a batter lover so, I tasted it and can vouch for its yumminess.

Pancakes are ready to flip when little bubbles start to appear.

I could already tell once I was ready to flip the pancakes at just how light and fluffy they were going to be.

Perfect! Thanks Ree Ü

Perfect Pancakes

3 - cups plus 2 tablespoons cake flour
1/2 - teaspoon salt
3 - tablespoons baking powder
2 - tablespoons sugar
2 - cups milk or buttermilk
2 - large eggs
3 - teaspoons vanilla
4 - tablespoons butter (melted)
Lots of butter and syrup

Mix together dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl mix together milk, eggs, and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, stirring very gently until just combined. Melt butter in the microwave and add it to the batter, stirring gently to combine. Cook on a greased skillet over medium-low heat until golden brown. Serve with butter and syrup.

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Tina, The Mom in Mommy's Kitchen

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Homemade Iced Coffee "My New Addiction"

It's no secret that I adore Starbucks. Adoring is one thing and affording it is a whole different story. If I ran to Starbucks every time I had the urge I would definitely be broke. So to satisfy my cravings I have learned to recreate some of my favorite coffee drinks right here at home. White chocolate mocha is my all time favorite so that was so fun to make a Copy Cat Version. I really got on a buying frenzy for all the different flavored coffee syrups I could get my hands on.

It's so fun experimenting with different recipes and flavors. Recently I learned to make Iced Coffee. If you are not a lover of Iced Coffee this recipe just might change your mind. Iced coffee can be a refreshing afternoon treat, especially if it is really hot outside. Maybe you want to cool down and still get your caffeine fix. If that's true, then iced coffee is the way to go.

I saw this recipe over at Southern Plate. It's been a couple months, but I hadn't forgotten about it. For some reason a couple weeks back I was craving some iced coffee and remembered this recipe. It was so easy to make, the coffee will need to brew on the counter for about 10-12 hours so plan ahead. Once you have the first taste you will be hooked just like me. I have been brewing this coffee off and on for two weeks, I am defiantly addicted to this stuff.

If you're a Iced Coffee lover than you need to try your hand at making it yourself. Your pocket book will thank you. I was so surprised that I had all the ingredients needed to make this right at home. The flavored syrups can be purchased at your local Walmart in the coffee isle.


Let's get started and I will show you how easy this is to make. You will need 1 cup of ground coffee. Place the grounds in a 32 oz jar. I use a big quart size mason jar.

Fill jar with water leave about 1-inch head space.


Place lid on jar and give it a shake to make sure all grounds are wet. Now just sit the jar on your counter for at least twelve hours. I usually brew mine at night and strain it in the morning


The next morning you will need your strainer, 2 large coffee filters and a bowl or large measuring cup to hold the coffee as it strains. Line strainer with a coffee filter.


Pour coffee in the filter and let it strain through a little at a time. I usually do half with one filter and the other half with the second filter. This process can take a bit of time to strain through.


Using this method, a quart sized jar yields about a pint and a half of concentrate. Store you concentrate in the refrigerator until ready to use. Personally I am always ready to have a cup right then and there.


To prepare pour four ounces of coffee concentrate into a large glass add four ounces of milk. (Skim, Whole, 2% whichever you prefer). Fill with ice and Sugar or Splenda mix with a spoon and drink. I like to add a splash of coffee flavoring to mine vanilla and caramel are my favorite I use 1/2 to 1 capful per glass.


Yummy & Refreshing.

Homemade Iced Coffee

1 - cup ground coffee
32 ounce container (1 quart)
Water
Strainer
Large basket type coffee filters (about 2)
Gourmet Flavored Syrup (optional but so good)

Place ground coffee in container, fill with cold water. Cover and let sit for twelve to fifteen hours. Place strainer over large bowl and put coffee filter inside. Slowly pour over about half of the coffee and let sit until strained. Replace filter and repeat. To make regular coffee: place equal parts coffee concentrate and water in cup and heat.


To make iced coffee: Place equal parts concentrate and milk in glass. Add ice, sweetened as desired. You may find my preference for iced coffee a bit strong for you so leave room to add some water to weaken it if need be. Add sugar or sugar substitute and any flavored syrup of your choice.

This concentrate is not just for iced coffees. You can also use it to make hot coffee in the morning without all of the brewing. This is perfect for those who have problems with traditional coffee being too harsh on their stomachs. Simply mix equal parts concentrate and water, heat and go!

This concentrate will easily keep a month or more in your fridge with no change in flavor.

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Tina, The Mom in Mommy's Kitchen

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Creamy Kool Aid Pie {Guest Blogger Carson}

Today I am posting a recipe that is not only an old recipe, but a cheap one as well. I remember making Kool- Aid Pie long before I ever had children. I cant remember exactly where I got this recipe, I just know it is so good! Not only is it the perfect summer treat, it is also pretty easy on the pocket book. The whole pie cost just around $4 to make.

The flavor possibilities for this pie are endless. Our favorites are lemonade, lime, tropical punch, orange, strawberry and pink lemonade. For today's post I chose to make a Strawberry Kool -Aid Pie, I have also added a picture of the Lemonade Pie that we made as well.

Sorry a little correction on that. Today I am Introducing........................ Guest Blogger Carson to Mommy's Kitchen!!!!! I hope everyone is ready Carson is going to show everyone just how easy it is to make this wonderful pie. Why does Carson want to be guest blogger???? I asked Carson and he gave me two pretty good reasons.

One I really really want to be on that computer all by myself. And two I know I can make this pie and mom I want to lick the spoon after? How could I say no to those answers. Without further delay here is Guest Blogger Carson showing you how to make Creamy Kool - Aid Pie.

These are the ingredients you will need:
cool whip or generic whipped topping, 1 packet kool-aid of your choice, sweetened condensed milk, 1 - graham cracker crust and One Very Sweet Handsome Helper!

In my opinion the pie just wouldn't be the same without him. Watch out Carson is armed with his trusty whisk and spatula.

Lets start by adding the cool whip to a large bowl.


Have mom help open the can of sweetened condensed milk, then add on top of the cool whip. Some people say to add the cool whip last, but remember I am not making the pie so I cant put my 2 cents in this time.


add the kool aid


and mix with a wire whisk, whew this was the hardest part I got so tired. Carson said wow look how pretty.

add all the filling to the graham cracker crust. Mom might need to help you out a bit, it was a lot harder than I thought. It kept sticking to the spatula, can I lick the spatula yet? Not quite Carson.

Mommy helped add the filling and put a strawberry on top.

Um finally I can have the spatula. YÜMMY!

I get the first piece because I made it. Ü

Yummy! I think the strawberry one turns out so pretty and pink.

Strawberry Kool -Aid Pie

1 - 8 ounce tub of Cool Whip Whipped Topping
1 - 14 ounce can of Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 - pack of unsweetened Strawberry or Lemonade Kool -Aid
1 - 9 inch Graham Cracker or Nilla Wafer Pie Crust

Add all the ingredients together and pour into a prepared graham cracker crust. Chill about 2 hours then serve. The flavor possibilities are endless my favorites are
Lemon, Strawberry, Tropical Fruit, Orange & Pink Lemonade.

You can also use a bit of food coloring for pies like lemonade. Fruit can be added if you want. Maybe some strawberries for strawberry pie or sliced bananas on the bottom of the crust and then pour strawberry flavor on top. You can experiment all you want.

For the lemonade pie pictured above I added about 6 drops of yellow food coloring and about 1/4 cup regular sugar to tone down a bit of the tartness.

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Green Tomato Relish

Our tomato plants are just about coming to an end in our garden. The heat is so bad that the plants are starting to dry out and burn up, don't you just love the Texas Heat UGH!! So far we have gotten a great crop of tomatoes this year and they are still producing like crazy. We have used most to make homemade salsa and have been eating are way through the rest but, there is no way we can ripen and eat all of them.

I will keep some of the ripened ones and get those canned or frozen to use at a later time. Can you believe I am already thinking about homemade Christmas Gifts. My favorite gifts to give are the ones from my kitchen, plus I wanted to get a jump on some canning. I love Green Tomato Relish, which also goes by the name of Chow Chow. Green Tomato relish is one of my favorite things to get along side a fried catfish dinner. I could just sit and eat that relish all by itself, it's that good.

This relish also pairs well with with sausages, pork, ham, or serve it with hot dogs or burgers. I thought it would be neat to try and make it myself. I saw a recipe in one of my new favorite cookbooks. "The Gift of Southern Cooking" By Edna Lewis. This cookbook has the best old fashioned southern favorites inside, which in my opinion are the best of the best when it comes to recipes.

Edna's recipe is easy and straight to the point. The hardest part of the whole thing was chopping up all those vegetables. I really need to get with the times and invest in a good food processor. I always think it is something I wont use, well that is until I start on a recipe like this particular one. Once all the tomatoes, peppers and onions were chopped up it was downhill easy.

The kids kept telling me that the house smelled really bad! LOL it was all that cider vinegar. I really didn't think it smelled that bad at all. I can Pickles and Squash Relish so I guess you get used to it. This recipe yielded 3 pint size jars and 5 half pint jars. Just enough to keep a few and to give away as gifts. You really need to give this relish a try especially if you are a lover of green tomatoes.

I also made a big batch of Fried Green Tomatoes a couple weeks back and they were awesome. I will be posting that recipe as well. If you want to try your hand at canning this is a really easy recipe to try. I really enjoyed making it, especially knowing I used almost all the vegetables called for from our very own garden.

Here is a picture of that wonderful cookbook. I think the cover is so pretty, a true southern photo, sitting out on the porch enjoying the day with food and friends. Food taste so much better when shared with someone.


These are the ingredients you will need:
green tomatoes, green bell peppers, 1 yellow or red bell pepper. (the red pepper were more than $2 at the store. I just couldn't pay that much so I used all the green bell peppers we had from our garden) its your choice. Mustard seed, celery seed, sugar, apple cider vinegar, kosher salt and 4 medium yellow onions or one very large.

you need to start by chopping or grating all the tomatoes. The recipe calls for chopping the tomatoes really fine, but i like a chunky relish so i diced up the green tomatoes. Seed and dice the peppers and chop up the onions. Add all the vegetables to a large pot.


add the mustard seed, celery seed, kosher salt,


vinegar and


sugar.


Stir well and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook stirring often and skimming as needed. ( I did not have to skim off anything) Simmer until the relish/chow chow cooks down and thickens into a relish, about 2 hours.


this is what it looks like when it is all done. Fill and process your jars.

Sterilize the jars by placing them in a pot of boiling water. Place a large dish cloth in the bottom of large pot. Place canning jars on top of dish cloth. This will prevent the jars from having direct contact with the bottom of the pot.

Fill with cold tap water to cover the jars. Bring to a boil, this will sterilize your jars so you can fill them with your cooked mixture. After water comes to a boil turn off heat and remove jars with tongs and a hot pad. Be careful they are very hot.

Place on a dish towel on the counter. You can also sterilize them by running them through a cycle in the dishwasher. Place the lids and rings in a separate bowl add boiling water just to cover them. I place mine one up one down so they don't stick together. Your jars are now ready to fill. Fill the sterilized jars with the hot tomato relish mixture, wipe the rim and sides of the jars with a clean wet cloth. This removes all the sticky stuff so your jar will seal.


Using tongs remove a lid and ring and dry with a dry clean cloth or paper towel. Place a lid and a ring on the jar and twist don't use all your strength just tighten it snug. I place all of mine on a towel on the counter until I fill all of the jars and add the lids and rings.

Place a towel on the bottom of the pot a dish cloth or dish towel is perfect. This again keeps the jars and the pot from coming into contact with each other once they are added to the pot. So using a hot pad since the filled jars are hot place enough jars in the pot that will fit, but do not touch each other. Place on top of dish cloth. Fill the pot with enough water to cover about 1 inch above the jars. Bring the pot of water to a rolling boil.

Once it boils your processing time begins. Put the lid on the pot and process half pint jars for 5 minutes and pint size jars for 10 minutes. When the time is up remove lid and remove jars carefully. Use tongs and a hot pad. Place jars back on the dish towel to cool on the counter. Let your jars sit on the counter overnight. In the morning press down on the lids to make sure they are sealed properly, the lid should not pop up when you press it.

Green Tomato Relish
AKA (Chow Chow)

12 large green Tomatoes (cored)
(I used about 20 small to med size)
4 - green bell peppers, seeded

4 - medium yellow onions (I used one very large one)
1 - red bell pepper, seeded
1 - tablespoon + 2 teaspoons yellow mustard seed
1 - tablespoon celery seed
2 - cups cider vinegar
2 - cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons kosher salt

Chop the tomatoes and peppers very finely. Either by hand or in small batches in a food processor. I diced up all my veggies only because I like a chunkier relish. Put the chopped vegetables in a large pot (heavy bottom non reactive pot) add the mustard seed, celery seed, vinegar, kosher salt and sugar. Stir well and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook stirring often and skimming as needed. ( I did not have to skim off anything) Simmer until the relish/chow chow cooks down and thickens into a relish, about 2 hours. Turn into hot sterilized jars and process in a hot water bath.

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