Caramelized BLT

WARNING:  This may be the most fabulously delicious thing you'll ever eat in your life.  If you are prone to addictions, I recommend that you DO NOT try this.

Caramelized BLT 

(AKA: Lunchtime Crack)

Caramelized Bacon:

Make a foil liner-pan to cover your cookie sheet (a single piece of foil with the sides and ends folded up so that the grease and caramel don't drip into your oven).

Place a single layer of bacon on lined cookie sheet.  Cover bacon with brown sugar, about 1/4" deep. (2 slices per sandwich)

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-25 minutes.  I know that is a wide range, but the timing can vary significantly for each batch of bacon.  Check it early and often, because it can go from slightly underdone to burned in a very short time!

Sandwich

For each sandwich, heat a Sister Schubert's roll according to package directions.

Slice open.  Spread mayo on one half and your favorite Italian dressing on the other.  (My personal favorite is Good Seasons Italian packet made with Balsamic vinegar.)

Layer with lettuce, a fresh slice of tomato, and 2 slices of carmelized bacon, folded or broken in half to "fit." 

Eat...and try not to die from the rush of ecstasy. 

Carnival Time in STL

The Lupulin Carnival Returns to St. Louis
http://www.feastmagazine.com/the-feed/article_2b5039d8-b5e0-11e4-b290-031c7e21fb9f.html

Courtesy of 4 Hands Brewing Co.

The fourth annual Lupulin Carnival will feature a carnival atmosphere, plus offerings from more than 50 breweries.

Craft beer lovers rejoice — The Lupulin Carnival is coming back to town. On March 28 from 2 to 6pm, more than 50 breweries will converge at 4 Hands Brewery to celebrate the art of craft beer. This year’s festival will be the biggest yet, featuring carnival games, food trucks and plenty of drinks. Oh, and did we mention the 40ft ferris wheel?

For $40, guests receive a sampling glass to taste micro-brews from a long list of breweries, including STL's own Urban Chestnut, Perennial and Civil Life. Regional breweries like Boulevard, 2nd Shift and New Belgium will also be making appearances. Most attending breweries are Midwest-based, though one brewery will travel a bit farther to be present: Quebec-based Brasserie Dunham.

“We’re pretty happy to have Brasserie Dunham,” said Lauren Schurk, Special Events Coordinator for 4 Hands. “The brewers have a relationship with these guys and they’re coming out to do a collaboration with us.”

When 4 Hands first held Lupulin Carnival four years ago, only a handful of breweries participated, with about 500 guests crammed in the back of the brewery. Now, 4 Hands is expecting a turnout of 2,500 for March’s event that will span just about every inch of the building and surrounding streets.

The brewery credits that growth to its continued involvement in the craft beer world, which includes a recent expansion into Chicago.

“It’s a lot of people we’ve met on the road, a lot of people we’ve been to breweries and events for,” Schurk said. “It’s a way to return the favor and get people to check out the St. Louis beer scene.”

Lupulin Carnival also marks a few special offerings, most notably the seasonal release of 4 Hands’ War Hammer Imperial IPA. Also making an appearance is the return of the brewery’s “Super Flare,” a Brett IPA made in collaboration with Wicked Weed Brewery. 4 Hands will have around 10 beers available in its tasting room during the carnival, including some brand new brews, but they want to keep those details under wraps for now.

In addition, Strange Donuts will release a special done for the carnival, and like Seoul Taco and Completely Sauced, will also have food available on-site. Sandwiches, peach habanero hot wings and more will also be available from Fifth Wheel Catering, the Dave Bailey-owned company that serves food out of the 4 Hands tasting room.

Games will also be set up around the brewery’s perimeter for $1 a game. All earnings from carnival games will be donated to Hope for Young Adults with Cancer. In addition to that giant ferris wheel, live music will be performed on three stages.

Most breweries will have 2-3 beers on tap to taste, so 4 Hands isn’t pouring their normal draft options (you can only try samples). 

4 Hands Brewery Co., 1220 S. 8th St., La Salle Park, St. Louis, Missouri. 314.436.1559, 4handsbrewery.com

Fig N Sausage Flatbread

Fig N Sausage Flatbread

serves 2 for dinner, 6 as appetizer

Top your favorite flatbread or pizza crust with the following ingredients:

Fig Jam 

Leeks, thinly sliced and roasted until tender

Asparagus, diced and sauteed in oil with minced garlic until bright green

Spicy breakfast sausage, crumbled and pan fried until browned through

Dubliner cheese, grated

Spread jam over warm crust, then evenly distribute remaining toppings in the order listed. 

Thin Crust

makes 1 15" x 6" crust

1 c. flour

1 t. baking powder

1 t. salt

1/4 c. water

1 T. oil

Blend dry ingredients in a small bowl.  Add water and oil, stirring until dough holds together.  Cover dough and let it rest for 5-10 minutes.  Place ball of dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll as thin as possible - to at least 1/8".  Transfer crust onto baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 5-6 minutes.  Remove and top with ingredients of your choice before returning to oven for an additional 6-8 minutes.  

NOTE: This recipe makes a very thin, very sturdy crust that is more cracker than bread-like.

Sweet Bacon Wrapped Shrimp

Sweet Bacon Wrapped Shrimp

12 raw, jumbo shrimp

6 strips bacon, normal thickness

1 bunch green onions, cut into (12) 1.5" slivers (optional)
Fig Jam

Cut 6 bacon strips in half.  Slather each generously with Fig Jam.

Wrap each shrimp, and a sliver of green onion in a fig-coated bacon strip.  Secure sideways with toothpick (so it can be turned halfway through cooking).

Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes.  Turn with tongs and bake for an additional 9-11 minutes, until shrimp is cooked through and bacon is crispy.

Serve draped over a shot glass with an extra dollop of fig jam and a dollop of Bama BBQ Sauce in the bottom of the glass.

Bama BBQ Sauce

1/3 c. real mayonaisse

2 T. white wine vinegar

1 T. horseradish

2 T. Splenda

NOTE: Friar Tuck's carries these disposable shot glasses - $4.99 for 50.  They're handy for all sorts of fun appetizers!