Bacon, Asiago Scones - Appetizer or Breakfast Food?

So to find a new appetizer and not my favorite cream cheese + yummy type dip proved to be more challenging than expected.

Until I found it - basically a trifecta of the three best foods ever: bacon, cheese, scones (aka bread product). So, my  "Easy Entertaining" cookbook won my heart and my baking time this week with "Bacon and Asiago Scone Bites."

First of all, it is important to note that this recipe was modified since I am not eating wheat flour currently. So, per the usual, I subbed in some of my favorite thing on the planet Pamela's Mix.

And the best part was this was super easy to make too.
1. Started by cooking up some bacon - easy enough.

2. Mix the "flour" and etc. together.  And of course it's going to be delicious when you're adding a stick of butter and some heavy cream - good grief!
Don't forget to ripped up the bacon and add it in.

At this stage I have to admit, I found the dough to be a little wet, so I went ahead and added more Pamela's.  I'm assuming that regular wheat flour wouldn't be this wet and/or since the chef was expecting that you were going to have the patience to knead and roll out the dough with some extra flour you were already going to dry it out.

3. But rather than roll it out, i simply grabbed little balls and shaped them.  I went ahead and made a few 'big kid' sized scones before remembering that this dish was going to be an appetizer.  At that point it was super eating to start with about a 1" ball of dough and shape it into a little brick.

They baked beautifully.  The final product was a little crumbly, this is really a scone not a biscuit, but OMG yum.  The OTT has been making himself quite content all week with the extras.  I'll go by and see a bite missing (oh wait, maybe that was me!)

I would absolutely make this recipe again - and even better, I would serve the scones with prosecco for a fabulous start to any event.  The salty and sweet are bellisimo darlings!

Happy eating,
L

Butter Baby wins with Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars

Let me start by saying, I've been DYING to make peanut butter and jelly bars. 

Peanut butter may in fact be my kryptonite - I would consider giving up bacon for it (don't tell my 'Official Taste Tester').  

So this challenge finally gave me an excuse to indulge in this blissful treat.  I started with "Cookies & Cups" recipe (February 5, 2013) and barely made any alterations. 

I may have added a BIT more peanut butter (consider it a calculation error) and I chose to use Raspberry jelly... well OTT chose raspberry, but since he went to the store, who am I to disagree.  Other than that, presto - even her baking times were spot on.

This is a four layer bar

The first being a relatively simple shortbread.  But by baking it twice, it really gives a nice snap when you bite in.  

There are no words to describe the second layer of this cookie.  Raw or baked - it is as if angels are having a tea party in your mouth.  Seriously though, if I offered up spoonfuls of the raw peanut butter, butter, sugar mixture there would be a line from Walnut Creek to Kalamazoo - yum.  Did I mention it's thick and creamy?

Then the seemingly boring layers of jam and crumble.  Pretty normal stuff here.  

A little butter here, a bit of oats there. 

Here's the kicker though - after you pull it out of the oven, you get to test your will power by letting the whole pan cool.  Seriously, don't touch it! Just let it be; if I can do it... you can.  

And here's why.  Snappy, gooey, creamy, tangy and just a hint of salty goodness.  Now go make yourself a cup of tea.