Bacon Strawberry Hazelnut Spread Crepes

Ingredients

· 1 cup all-purpose flour

· Eggs

· 1/2 cup whole milk

· 1/2 cup water

· 1/4 teaspoon of salt

· 1 tablespoon bacon grease, melted

· 1 13-oz jar hazelnut spread

· 1 cup ripe strawberries, sliced

· 16 strips bacon, cooked powdered sugar

 

Steps

1) Preheat oven to 200°F.

2) Whisk the flour and eggs together in a mixing bowl. Gradually stir in the milk and water. Mix in the salt and bacon grease, whisking until smooth.

3) Heat a greased crepe pan or large skillet over medium-high heat. Pour 1/2 cup of batter on the griddle, tilting the pan so that the batter evenly coats its surface.

4) Cook for about 2 minutes until the crepe is lightly browned on the bottom. Loosen with a spatula, then carefully flip the crepe. Allow the other side t cook for about 2 minutes. Carefully remove the crepe and repeat with remaining batter. Keep cooked crepes on a baking sheet in the warmed oven.

5) To assemble, add a generous amount of hazelnut spread to each crepe and spread evenly with a knife. Add strawberries and 4 strips of cooked bacon to each crepe. Roll the crepe or fold it in quarters, then dust with powdered sugar. Serve warm.

 

From: Bacon Freak: 50 Savory Recipes for the Ultimate Enthusiast

By: Rocco Loosbrock, Sara Lewis& Dawn Hubbard

 

Back to the Future Eats

Each month, BPL will be highlighting one of our many, quirky but cool, cookbooks. We’re starting off this monthly trend with a classic - Back to the Future: The Official Hill Valley Cookbook: Over 65 Classic Hill Valley Recipes From the Past, Present, and Future! by Allison Robicelli. Although the first Back to the Future movie was released in 1985, this cookbook came out in 2020 and has favorites from a wide variety of decades, separated amongst five chapters. With recipes from the wild west, to the famous, futuristic dehydrated pizza, you’ll really be traveling through time with this read. Helpful cooking tips from your favorite Back to the Future characters like Doc have quickly made this a favorite for readers everywhere, even receiving a five star rating on popular websites like Amazon. If you’re not so much into cooking, but are a diehard fan of this throwback movie, BPL also has several Back to the Future based books and movies available, both digital and in-house. Check our card catalog, or ask a librarian how to get your hands on these fantastic books.

Seared Tuna Salad with Olive Vinaigrette

 

Ingredients
· 1/2 cup pimiento-stuffed green olives, chopped
· 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
· 1 garlic clove, minced
· 3 tablespoons lemon juice
· 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
· Salt and pepper
· 2 tuna steaks, 1 to 1 1/4 inches thick
· 1 (5-ounce) bag baby arugula
· 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
· 1 (16-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
 
Steps
1) Combine olives, parsley, garlic, and lemon juice in large bowl. Slowly whisk in 5 tablespoons oil. Season with salt and pepper.
2) Pat tuna dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat remaining oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook tuna until well browned but still red at center, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to cutting board. Cut tuna into 1/2-inch slices and drizzle with 1 tablespoon dressing.
3) Add arugula, tomatoes, and beans to bowl with remaining dressing and toss to combine. Top salad with tuna. Serve.
 
From: The Best Simple Recipes: More than 200 Flavorful, Foolproof Recipes that Cook in 30 Minutes or Less
By: America’s Test Kitchen

 

Sizzling Salsa

 

Ingredients

· 2 small or one large tomato

· 9 green serrano or serranito peppers

· 1 small or 1/2 large red bell pepper

· 1/2 medium onion

· 6 stalks cilantro

· 2 cloves garlic

· 1/2 cup water

· 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

· 2 tablespoons canola or corn oil

· 1/2 teaspoon salt

 

Steps

1) Cut the tomatoes in fourths. Wearing rubber gloves, remove and discard the stems of the serrano peppers, then cut in halves. Cut the red bell and onion in fourths. Remove the leaves from the cilantro stalks and discard the stalks. Place the tomatoes, serranos, bell pepper, onion, cilantro leaves and garlic in the blender. Add water and vinegar and chop at medium speed just until the mixture in reduced to small chunks. Add oil to a stainless steel skillet and pour the salsa mixture in. Add salt. Bring to a low boil for four or five minutes, stirring frequently. Cool and store in a covered jar in the refrigerator.

2) For a milder salsa, reduce the number of peppers. For a thicker salsa, reduce the amount of water.

 

From: Hellish Relish: Sizzling Salsas and Devilish Dips from the Kitchens of New Mexico

By: Sharon Niederman

 

National Pizza Day

Pizza is one of the most-loved foods across America. There’s dozens of ways to enjoy it, so there’s no wonder why it’s so popular! Thin crust, stuffed, or hand tossed, we love them all – and don’t even get us started on toppings. Whether you prefer classic cheese or everything but the kitchen sink on your pie, there’s no wrong way to do it – even though some would argue that pineapple is just plain wrong. Pizza is also perfect for any event: weddings, class parties, a wine night with your friends, or just a chill night on the couch. If your taste buds are craving pizza, like I know mine always are, BPL has the perfect book recommendations for you! Some of our favorite titles include The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pizza Cookbook By Peggy Paul Casella, and Cooking Light Crave!: Stacked, Stuffed, Cheesy, Crunchy & Chocolaty Comfort Foods: Pizzas, Burgers, Sandwiches, Sides & Sweets. These books also include some dairy free, gluten free, and vegetarian options so that everyone can enjoy the cheesy, saucy, deliciousness we all love. With National Pizza Day on February 9th, there’s never been a more perfect time to expand your pizza horizons. For hundreds more yummy pizza recipes for when you’re in the mood to cook at home, check out the 641 section of the nonfiction at BPL. We’d love to hear about your favorite recipes!

Portobello Barley Soup with Horseradish Cream

 

Ingredients

· 1 tbsp. coconut oil

· 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

· 1 carrot, thinly sliced

· 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced

· 1/2 lb. Portobello mushrooms, chopped into 1/2-inch dice

· 2 cloves, garlic, minced

· 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

· 1/2 cup barley

· 1/4 cup chia seeds

· 6 cups Mushroom Broth (page 62, or store  bought)

· 2 tbsp. tamari

· 1/4 cup Horseradish Cream (page 202)

· 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

 

Steps

1) Warm the coconut oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery, and cook until slightly softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the mushrooms, garlic, and thyme, and cook for 3-4 minutes longer, stirring often. Add the barley, chia seeds, broth, and tamari. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, and then reduce the heat to a low simmer and cover. Cook for 25-30 minutes, or until the barley is tender. Adjust the seasonings as desired, and serve the soup warm, generously drizzled with Horseradish Cream and topped with fresh parsley.

 

 

From: Superfood Soups: 100 Delicious, Energizing & Plant-Based Recipes

By: Julie Morris