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Honey Bourbon Caramel Apple Bars

Honey Bourbon Caramel Apple Bars

The Honey Bourbon Caramel Apple Bars is a outstanding Apple Bar recipe that tastes like caramel apple pie. This bar has a buttery shortbread crust, layered with tart and sweet apples. Then the apple bars are topped with oatmeal streusel and drizzled with honey bourbon caramel.

Choosing the right apples:

Finding the right apples is crucial in building a great flavor profile for the Honey Bourbon Caramel Apple Bars. To build the right flavors is using a combination of sweet apple and tart apples.

Pick a good sweet Apple that bakes well and holds its shape. Good choices are Braeburn, Honeycrisp, Gala and Johnagolds, they are sweet crisp and also hold up well when baking. Braeburn and Johagolds are often on sale at good price point, making good choices to use.

Choosing great tart apple that bakes well is the Granny Smith Apples. These apples are readily on available and often on sale at a good price point. Granny Smith Apples are quite tart with hint of sweetness. There green skinned apple with white green crisp flesh offers a good contrast to sweet apples.

Perfect Apple Filling:

Cored, peeled and thin sliced Granny Smith and Gala Apples

How to achieve the filling for Honey Bourbon Caramel Apple Bars by using the sweet apples like Gala Apples and tart Granny Smith Apples. These apples need to be peeled and cored, then sliced thin less then quarter inch thick. Keeping the Apple slices thin and evenly cut insures an even baked bar. Then tossing the apples with, sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt, until we’ll coated. Then then adding an extra secret ingredient boost Butterscotch Chips. All these steps take time and effort, but well worth the work involved.

The crumb topping:

Crumb topping mixed probably.

There is nothing like fresh crumb topping on Honey Bourbon Caramel Apple Bars. This simple mixture of all purpose flour, old fashion rolled oats, brown sugar, butter and cinnamon rubbed together. Working the crumb mixture in a mixing bowl, by rubbing with fingers until crumbly textures. Doing this step by hand allows you to feel texture and not overwork the crumb topping.

An alternate technique is to use a supermarket shortcut, replacing most of the crumb topping with half box of yellow cake mix and butter. Again recommend rubbing the crumb topping mixture by hand with fingers. This method gives a more commercial taste, but still taste excellent.

Making the base for bars:

The Honey Bourbon Caramel Apple Bars needs a good solid base for bars. A simple shortbread crust is perfect choice, that tender can withstand the moisture of Apple filling. The shortbread mixture is simple to make, using melted butter, sugar, flour, vanilla and salt. This mixture is simply combined together in bowl until dough is formed. Then pressing dough evenly on prepared baking pan that is lined with parchment paper. Note for easy removal of the Honey Bourbon Caramel Apple Bars cut parchment paper a inch longer then top of the baking pan.

Property pressed shortbread dough on bottom of 9 by 13 inch pan

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees convection or 350 degrees conventional oven. Then bake the shortbread crust base for 10 to 15 minutes keeping eye on color of crust. The shortbread crust should be a very light golden brown. Remove crust cool for few minutes before building Honey Bourbon Caramel Apple Bars.

How to make Honey Bourbon Caramel:

Homemade caramel is the best, make a good size batch and kept the unused batch in the refrigerator for month or can be frozen for year. Depending on size batch of Bars a batch of Honey Bourbon Caramel will make 4 to 6 recipes of bars. It takes time and good ingredients to make a great caramel, but they are so good.

To make these caramels put can of sweetened condensed milk, brown sugar, butter, corn syrup and salt in heavy duty 8 quart pot. Cooking over medium high heat stirring constantly until the caramel reaches 240 degrees. This takes a good 20 minutes depending on humidity and cooking range. Remove caramel pan from heat and add, vanilla extract and good ounce or more of Honey Bourbon Whiskey. Stirring well until all alcohol is evaporated and mixed into caramel. The smell of honey bourbon caramel is so good that you be tempted to try right away, but don’t this caramel is molten hot burn mouth.

Honey Bourbon Caramel drizzle over Apple Bars

Using the Honey Bourbon Caramel just warm enough to drizzle all over the baked crumb apple bars. This drizzling of caramel over the Apple Crumble Bar outstanding flavor boost and great garnish. These Honey Bourbon Apple Bars are so good you will be tempted to eat more than one bar. Bring back fond memories of Moms homemade apple pie. Enjoy

Honey Bourbon Caramel Apple Bars
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The Honey Bourbon Caramel Apple Bars is a outstanding Apple Bar recipe that tastes like caramel apple pie.
Servings Prep Time
24 Bars 25 Minutes
Cook Time
65 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
24 Bars 25 Minutes
Cook Time
65 Minutes
Honey Bourbon Caramel Apple Bars
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The Honey Bourbon Caramel Apple Bars is a outstanding Apple Bar recipe that tastes like caramel apple pie.
Servings Prep Time
24 Bars 25 Minutes
Cook Time
65 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
24 Bars 25 Minutes
Cook Time
65 Minutes
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust:
Apple Filling:
Streusel Topping:
Garnish:
Servings: Bars
Units:
Instructions
Shortbread Crust:
  1. Spray a 9 by 13 inch pan with food spray. Then line the pan with parchment paper. Leaving enough parchment paper over edges of the pan to help remove the bars from the pan.
  2. Put the flour, sugar, salt, vanilla and melted butter in mixing bowl. To make the shortbread crust.
  3. Mix the the shortbread mixture with spatula until combined into dough.
  4. Distribute the shortbread dough evenly over bottom of the lined pan. Pressing dough down to get even coverage. Be patient it’s just enough dough to barely cover the bottom of the pan. Then bake in 325 degrees oven for 10 to 15 minutes until the shortbread crust is light brown color. Remove and cool on a wire rack.
Apple Filling:
  1. Wash, core and peel the apples. Then cut apples in half lengthwise for easy slices. Slice apples thin less then 1/4 inch thick.
  2. Place the sliced apples, flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and butterscotch chips into large mixing bowl. To make the apple bar filling.
  3. Combine the Apple bar filling mixture until all the apples are coated well. Set aside for assembly.
Streusel Topping:
  1. Place the old fashioned oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and chunks of butter into mixing bowl. To make the Streusel crumb topping.
  2. Working the streusel mixture with your clean sanitized fingers, until resembling clumpy dough. Do not overwork and turn streusel into a sticky paste.
Apple Bar Assembly:
  1. Assemble the apple bars by first placing apple filling evenly over the cooled shortbread crust. Then sprinkling the streusel topping evenly over apple filling. Next bake in 350 degrees oven for 60 to 65 minutes until apple’s filling is tender and the filling is bubbling. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.
  2. Make Honey Bourbon Caramel to 240 degrees temperature. Drizzle about 8 ounces of the caramel over cooled apple bars. If reheating the Honey Bourbon Caramel chunks in skillet over medium heat until smooth pourable caramel. Cool Honey Bourbon Caramel Apple Bars overnight in refrigerator covered tightly.
  3. Cut the Honey Bourbon Caramel Apple Bars 3 by 8. Place onto a plate serving at room temperature or slightly warmed in the microwave. For simple service.
  4. Alternatively serve Honey Bourbon Caramel Apple Bars with scoop of ice cream, honey bourbon caramel sauce drizzling and chocolate fudge sauce drizzling and Granny Smith Apple slices garnish.
Recipe Notes

Super market shortcuts:

1. Purchase caramels and melt in skillet over low heat add heavy cream to thin out stiff caramel then add ounce of honey Bourbon whiskey. Stirring until soft portable consistency. Use for caramel drizzle over apple bars and plate garnish.

2. Purchase refrigerator sugar cookies dough, use this cookie dough to make bottom crust for Apple Bars.

3. Purchase sliced frozen apples, cut Apple slices into thinner slice while partly frozen, in place of the fresh apple slices.

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Snappy Sweet Pickles

Canning sweet pickles using pint jars, cooling down after 15 minutes hot water bath.
Canning Snappy Sweet Pickles in pint jars.

How to preserve cucumbers into sweet pickles:

Preserve those fresh from garden cucumbers by making them into pickles. My favorite pickle recipe is Snappy Sweet Pickles. The pickling process takes some time to achieve a nice crisp pickles. After years of making batches of pickles, and trying many different pickling methods, the following techniques works the best. Some of my valued taste testers would eat these prized pickles by the bowl. Snappy sweet pickles are great with any type of BBQ meats or sandwiches.

How to achieve crispy pickles:

Iced down salted sliced cucumbers, onions, sweet peppers and cayenne pepper pieces.
Salted and iced down cucumbers, onion, peppers for 3 hours

The key in making crisp pickles takes a few steps of processing. First step is to wash all fresh cucumbers scrubbing them well with cold water. Draining all excess water off all the cucumbers. Next slicing cucumbers evenly to about three eighths inch thick, then putting them in a colander. Continue by julienne the onions and peppers, slice chilies, put these vegetables with the sliced cucumbers. The key to achieve a great crispy pickle is to salt the cucumbers, vegetables then place lots of ice over top. The salt draws out excess moisture from cucumbers to helping them to become more crispy.

Making a good brine.

Sweet Pickle Brine

The magic happens when all the right ingredients are when the brine is boiling. Balance of the vinegar with sugar, garlic and spices is making of great pickles. The golden hue of the brine comes from turmeric, but also has excellent antioxidants. Favorite spices to use in the brine is mustard seeds, celery seeds, whole cloves, turmeric and red chilies flakes. This year cayennes peppers slices made a great addition to the snappy sweet pickles.

Cider vinegar that has 5%, which gives the brine a better flavor profile. Sweet pickles has a higher sugar to vinegar ratio, of 5 to 3 leaving a nicely sweet balanced of taste to the pickles.

To make the sweet pickle brine add all the spices, garlic , chilies, sugar and vinegar together in large stock pot. Bring this brine mixture to boil for a few minutes to dissolve all sugar.

The cucumbers, onions, sweet peppers and chilies are added to brine.

Finishing Pickling the Cucumbers:

The actual pickling process is bringing the sweet pickle brine and prepped cucumbers vegetables to boil in large stockpot. Use a heavy duty stainless steel lined stockpot preferably Triply Allclad. The stainless steel is important that doesn’t react to brine. Allclad is very he heavy duty pot will have more even heat distribution. Use any good 8 to 12 quart heavy duty stockpot works great. Cook the pickles for good 2 to 5 minutes, the color of pickles will change from bright green to darker green as pickles start curing. Green vegetables will always be effected by acidic brine and change colors.

Canning the pickles:

Filling the Snappy Sweet Pickles with canning funnel.

Canning snappy sweet pickles takes time but well worth all the effort. Don’t try and skip steps. It’s extremely important to sterilize jars, lids and rings by boiling them in water for a good 15 minutes. Sanitize work area, work clean and organized. Have a wire rack to put sterilized jars, and clean towel for lids and rings.

Before filling jars place 1/4 tsp pickles crisp into each pint jar.

Important step is to put 1/4 teaspoon of pickle crisp (calcium chloride) into each pint jar, or 1/2 teaspoon of pickle crisp into each jar. This really help make pickles super crisp.

Filling the jars with canning funnel keeps the canning processing mess minimized. Filling the jars with pickles to 1/2 to 3/4 inch from top of the jar. Then tamp with wooden spoon or tamper to push excess air out of the jared pickles.

wiping each jar with vinegar damp paper towels

Wipe each of the jars after filled with paper towels dampened with white vinegar. This removes all brine, cleaning jar rim so makes a perfect seal during canning processing. Next place sterile lid on each jar, then secured with ring band. Note do not over tighten, just secure lid onto jar, this will allow the air to escape in processing. When jars cool they from vacuum.

Boiling filled jars in water bath

Careful placing each jar into boiling water, remember to remove excess water as jars displace water. Have at least 1/2 inch of water over top. Boil pickle filled jars for 15 minutes for pints and 20 minutes for quarts. When finished careful pulling jars out of the boiling water, use a canning jar tongs to remove the jars. Place jars onto wire rack spacing them out for good air flow. Notice as jars cool there will be a clicking sound of lids sealing. Also notice the lid dimples will be clicked downwards.

Make a label for each snappy sweet pickles, be sure to put date prepared On the label. This is fun process be creative on naming pickles and drawing fun pictures. This label has a lazy happy pickle on slice of bread, with butter pat pillow and pepper comforter.

Enjoy preserving cucumbers with this recipe, having a nice crisp crunchy texture, that is sweet and a bit spicy.

Snappy Sweet Pickles
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These sweet pickles have crunchy, sweet heat that keeps you coming back for more. Refrigerate after opening jar Snappy Sweet Pickles and they will have have super crunchy texture. These pickles are perfect for BBQ meats and sandwiches.
Servings Prep Time
5 Quarts 1 Hour
Cook Time Passive Time
30 Minutes 4 Hours
Servings Prep Time
5 Quarts 1 Hour
Cook Time Passive Time
30 Minutes 4 Hours
Snappy Sweet Pickles
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
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Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
These sweet pickles have crunchy, sweet heat that keeps you coming back for more. Refrigerate after opening jar Snappy Sweet Pickles and they will have have super crunchy texture. These pickles are perfect for BBQ meats and sandwiches.
Servings Prep Time
5 Quarts 1 Hour
Cook Time Passive Time
30 Minutes 4 Hours
Servings Prep Time
5 Quarts 1 Hour
Cook Time Passive Time
30 Minutes 4 Hours
Ingredients
Sweet Pickle Vegetables
Brine
Crisping Agent
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Pickle Crisp Or sodium chloride for each pint jar
Servings: Quarts
Units:
Instructions
  1. Wash cucumbers and scrub well to remove any debris off each cucumber. Slice cucumbers 3/8 inches thick, place in colander. Julienne onions and place them into colander with sliced cucumbers. Next wash sweet peppers, remove seeds and core of the peppers then medium dice sweet peppers, add them to the colander with cucumbers and onions. Now add pickling salt to cucumber mixture in the colander mixing well to distribute salt throughout the vegetables. Finally top the cucumber mixture with ice. Cover with plastic wrap and place colander in empty sink to drain off moisture. Let cucumber mixture rest in sink for a good 3 hours. This draws off excess moisture from cucumbers and vegetables.
  2. Meanwhile make the pickling brine by combining cider vinegar, sugar, garlic, yellow and brown mustard seeds, celery seeds, whole cloves, turmeric and chili pepper flakes together in 8 quart stock pot. Bring the brine to a boil and cook for 5 minutes.
  3. After 3 hours of cucumbers mixture resting, remove any excess ice left. And rinse cucumber mixture with cold water well, allowing the water to drain off cucumbers mixture. About 2 minutes should remove excess water.
  4. Meanwhile wash the canning jars, lids and rings In soapy water, rinse with water. Place jars, lids and rings in large stock pot 12 quarts or more. Cover with water the canning jars, lids and rings. Bring water to boil and sterilize canning jars for 15 minutes. Then place jars on wire rack for easy filling.
  5. To make sweet pickles add the drained cucumbers mixture to the brine. Stirring well to combine cucumbers mixture with the brine. Bring the mixture to boil and cook 2 minutes.
  6. Meanwhile add 1/4 tsp pickle crisp (sodium chloride) to each pint jar or 1/2 tsp pickle crisp (sodium chloride) to each quart jar. The pickle crisp helps make the pickles nice and snappy crisp.
  7. Turn the heat off sweet pickles mixture and place near canning jars.
  8. Using a canning funnel placed in canning jar, then scoop sweet pickles mixture into each jar filling just to 3/4 inch from top of the jar. Tamping down pickles with spoon removing excess air.
  9. After filling canning jars wipe with paper towels soaked in white vinegar. This removes any excess spills on jars.
  10. Now place lid onto each filled jar and secure with collar ring. Lightly securing lid, do not over tighten. If too tightly secured the jars will not seal properly.
  11. Place the filled jars back into boiling water bath. Note you will need to remove some of the boiling water, because of displacement of full jars. Boil for 15 minutes for pint jars and 20 minutes for quart jars.
  12. Remove jars from boiling water bath after proper processing time. Place on wire rack to cool. Listening for popping noise as lids seal. Notice that the canning lid dimples are down. After cooled to room temperature tightening ring collars again to maintain a good seal.
  13. Finally make labels for snappy sweet pickles, be sure to have date. Store in dry cool place where not too much light. These pickles should be able to be stored for at least 2 years in proper storage.
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Griddled Black Bean Burger

Black Bean Burger with Garden Fresh Greens, guacamole on ciabatta bun. Side of Bread & Butter Pickles

Griddled Black Bean Burger is great substitute for healthy plant based meat sandwich. Quick easy and inexpensive alternative meat, that can taste surprisingly great. The key to having a successful alternative plant meat is to use beans that have good protein and higher fiber. The black beans are perfect choice, given good texture and color. But to get superior burger flavor profile cook your own black beans.

Getting Beans Right:

Beans play a very important part in helping get the meaty profile of a burger. Texture of the Grilled black bean burger is crucial to obtain the proper bite associated with burger. The first try in making Grilled Black Bean Burger was somewhat successful, favors where right, moist but too soft in texture. Using Instant Pot to cook my dry black beans worked but there was too much liquid left after cooking for 30 minutes. The flavor was perfect and color of beans where nice and black. Left with having to reduce excess moisture off beans. Still after cooking black beans for another 20 minutes still left a lot of moisture in the beans. A solution was to wash off the extra liquid. But this would greatly reduce flavor and black color of the beans.

Black Beans cooked in Instant Pot for 30 minutes.

Persevere Black Beans Integrity:

The challenge was drying the cooked black beans moist out without loosing its integrity. Looking at other recipes I found a solution in baking cooked beans. By spreading cooked black beans on a sheet tray and baking them in 325 degrees oven for 20 minutes accomplish the right texture. The length of time baking depends on type of oven, convection ovens are quicker. Also achieve better results because of the circulation of air. Air Fryer works too but in limited space with small batch of cooked black beans. Solution baking cooked black beams, even if your using canned drained black beans.

Baking cooked black beans on tray for 20 minutes.

Grilled Black Bean Burger Mixture:

Mixture of mashed black beans, eggs, Mexican Seasoning, corn and sweet peppers, bread crumbs.

Black beans is heart of the burger mixture, but creativity starts by adding supporting ingredients. Let your imagination go, keeping the integrity of the burger intact. So begin with meaty veggies like mushrooms, carrots and flavor builders like corn, chilies, onions and garlic. Then binder ingredients to hold burgers together, like eggs, bread crumbs. Now choose the type of spice and herb blend to boost flavors. When in doubt always go for Mexican Seasons, or Cajun seasons for spicy taste. If your taste is more mild try Greek Seasoning, Herb to Provence or Italian Seasons.

Making good Black Bean Burger Patty:

Mashing the cooked black beans after they dried some excess moisture until good consistency. The texture needs to be meaty, mashing beans too far makes a more pasty burger, leaving bad mouth feel.

Mashing black beans into nice meaty texture.

Next mix all the black bean burger ingredients together in large bowl. The black bean burger mixture needs to be mixed long enough to become slightly sticky. The long mixture is mixed the more sticky burger mixture becomes. The key is to mix until burger mixture holds together enough to hold it’s shape when cooked.

Mixing black beans ingredients just right amount to hold together.

Shaping Black Bean Burgers:

Portion Black Bean Burger Mixture using scoop or using 1/2 cup Measure, onto plastic wrap. Using plastic wrap helps mold burgers and keeps them from sticking together when stacked.

1/2 cup measure black bean burger mixture

Air Fryer Black Bean Burger
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Griddled Black Bean Burger is great substitute for healthy plant based meat sandwich.
Servings Prep Time
6 Servings 20 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
8 Minutes 2 Hours
Servings Prep Time
6 Servings 20 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
8 Minutes 2 Hours
Air Fryer Black Bean Burger
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Griddled Black Bean Burger is great substitute for healthy plant based meat sandwich.
Servings Prep Time
6 Servings 20 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
8 Minutes 2 Hours
Servings Prep Time
6 Servings 20 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
8 Minutes 2 Hours
Ingredients
Cooking black beans:
Black beans mixture:
Service Ingredients:
Servings: Servings
Units:
Instructions
  1. Sort through black beans picking any bad beans or debris out of the beans on tray.
  2. Wash beans in colander or strainer. Be sure to drain off water.
  3. Place in the black beans into instant pot, add Mexican Seasoning, and stock. Place lid on instant pot, make sure the steam valves is closed on older version instant pot. Note new instant pots don’t have atomically closed. Set on beans button, or pressure high for 30 minutes.
  4. After 30 minutes cooking open steam valve to remove excess steam. Open lid when steam releases stops. Be careful of steam it burns handle in instant. Give beans good stir.
  5. Place beans onto sheet tray and bake in oven for 15 minutes or until moisture removed.
  6. Notice that bean are dried out a little and have nice black color. Don’t dry to be hard just so beans can mash nicely.
  7. Place black beans into mixing bowl and mash with potatoes masher or meat mallet works well too. Mash to a meaty consistency. It’s important to have some texture to beans.
  8. Combine mashed black beans, bread crumbs, egg, Mexican Seasoning, peppers, garlic, chives, corn and optional mushrooms together.
  9. Mixing the burger ingredients until mixture becomes slightly sticky. The black bean burger mixture needs to hold together. Adjust with bread crumbs if mixture becomes too sticky. If burger mixture too dry add bean cooking liquid or water, just enough for the burger mixture to hold together.
  10. Scoop with half cup measure or number 8 scoop, of black bean burger mixture onto plastic wrap.
  11. Fold plastic wrap over burger mixture and press into patty. Repeat this process until all black bean burgers are formed.
  12. Let black bean burgers chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to over night.
  13. Place black bean burgers onto heated grill pan sprayed with oil over medium heat. Cooking on one side for 3 to 4 minute.
  14. Flip the black bean burger with spatula and cook on other side until crisp light brown color. Note adjust temperature if the griddle becomes too hot and doesn’t allow burgers to cook totally through. Remove burgers let rest on platter, covered with foil.
Plating Black Bean Burgers
  1. Cut bun in half horizontally, lightly toast bun on griddle. Place bun onto plate open, on bottom slice put special sauce or mustard. Then place black bean burger on top of the bottom bun. Next arrange leaf lettuce over black bean burger, then place good dollop of guacamole. Finally place top bun to complete sandwich.
  2. Garnish plate with radishes slices and sweet pickles. Enjoy
  3. Alternative is to top black bean burgers with cheese and sriracha sauce, guacamole. With side of Mexican corn, nice way to have bread less dish.
Recipe Notes

Nutrition Facts
Air Fryer Black Bean Burger
Amount Per Serving
Calories 488 Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10g 15%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
Monounsaturated Fat 4g
Cholesterol 32mg 11%
Sodium 1363mg 57%
Potassium 787mg 22%
Total Carbohydrates 83g 28%
Dietary Fiber 9g 36%
Sugars 16g
Protein 17g 34%
Vitamin A 4%
Vitamin C 36%
Calcium 5%
Iron 12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

Smoked Root Beer Ham leftover

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham is a perfect way to use that leftover ham. Bringing back fond memories of Mom’s homemade scalloped potatoes with lots of leftover ham. Growing up in Wisconsin on a farm we had lots of cheddar cheese, butter, milk and cream. We had a large garden, as a 4H member gardening was my thing. I usually planted more then 100+ hills of potatoes. These are some of the main ingredients in making a wonderful scalloped potatoes and ham dish. Just thinking about those days makes my mouth watering for Mom’s great Scalloped potatoes and ham dish.

Scalloped Potatoes is different form Gratin Potatoes

The potatoes in scalloped potatoes and Gratin potatoes are the same. Russet potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes are better choices. The trending choice is using the Yukon Gold potatoes. Especially the B size Yukon Gold potatoes, with their thin tender skin and golden slightly cream texture. Both the Yukon Gold and the Russet potatoes are starchy potatoes. Starchy potatoes make perfect choice for either Scallop potatoes or Gratin potatoes. With Russets potatoes need to be peeled, that’s time consuming and really not that fun of a task to do. Where the Yukon Golds skin is tender and nutritious, just remember to get B size, about the size of a golf ball.

These potatoes need to be sliced evenly, so using mandolin or food processor is best choice. Even slices will provide even cooking process throughout the whole dish. Hand sliced could result in some potatoes to be mushy or partially raw potato dish. The slices should be about 1/8th inch thick or 2 to 4 mm setting.

Slicing Yukon Gold Potatoes with food processor.

What’s Scalloped Potatoes:

Scalloped Potatoes is what Mom made me, with potato slices tossed in some flour, Salt and pepper, scallions, whole milk, melted butter, and lots of shredded Wisconsin Cheddar Cheese. Often she would add leftover ham from special holiday dinner. Oh this bring back the memories again, thinking of big plate of those potatoes.

Why Gratin Potatoes:

Culinary School introduction Gratin Potatoes, with sliced potatoes, heavy cream, shallots, white pepper, kosher salt and Gruyère cheese shredded. Wow this really brings back memories, introduced me to whole different approaches to cooking, with a little more flair. The rich melting properties of Gruyère cheese, sweetness and mild shallots, gave different meaning to Gratin Potatoes.

The Choice is Yours:

The choice is totally up to the individual, if you like more country home style potato dish go for scalloped potatoes. But if you’re into a little more sarcastic potato dish with some culinary flair Gratin Potatoes is perfect choice. Either way they are both winner potato dish to enjoy and don’t forget to use some of that leftover ham.

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
Smoked Root Beer Ham
Great way to use this smoked root beer Ham with scalloped potatoes.
Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
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Scalloped Potatoes and Ham is childhood favorite, made with potatoes, cheese, milk and leftover holiday ham.
Servings Prep Time
6 Serving 20 Minutes
Cook Time
90 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
6 Serving 20 Minutes
Cook Time
90 Minutes
Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
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Print Recipe
Scalloped Potatoes and Ham is childhood favorite, made with potatoes, cheese, milk and leftover holiday ham.
Servings Prep Time
6 Serving 20 Minutes
Cook Time
90 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
6 Serving 20 Minutes
Cook Time
90 Minutes
Ingredients
Scalloped Potato and Ham
Toppings
Servings: Serving
Units:
Instructions
  1. Wash potatoes and slice them with food processor or mandolin. Set the slicing between 2 to 4 mm, using slicing blade.
  2. Slice ham and then dice into medium size pieces.
  3. Using a large bowl combine the sliced potatoes with flour, salt and pepper. Mixing potatoes so they are coated with flour and seasoning.
  4. Adding the diced ham to floured potatoes.
  5. Mixing the ham into the potatoes until evenly distributed.
  6. Grease a casserole dish with food spray, then place about half of the potatoes mixture into casserole dish.
  7. Next sprinkle about half of cheese mixture over sliced potatoes mixture. The place the other half of the sliced potatoes mixture over cheese layer.
  8. Continue with pouring melted butter over all potato mixture layers. Then sprinkle more cheeses over buttered potatoes layers.
  9. Place in small bow, soften butter, cheddar cheese, and panko breading. Now mix together the crumb topping in small mixing bowl.
  10. Sprinkle the crumb topping over all the layered potatoes evenly.
  11. Cover the top of the scalloped potatoes and ham with foil. Bake in 350 degree oven for 60 to 90 minutes. This depends on how deep of casserole dish filled with scalloped potatoes and ham.
  12. Remove the foil for last 15 to 20 minutes to get nice golden brown crumb topping on scalloped potatoes and ham. Remove from oven when potatoes reach 200 degrees or knife goes through potatoes disdain easy. Cool on trivet for 15 minutes.
  13. Plate good size portions try to get good height and some of the crunchy crumb topping on top of the potatoes.
Recipe Notes

For spicy Scalloped Potatoes and Ham, add some chilies, and replace some cheddar cheese with pepper jack cheese. 

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No kneading Bread

No kneading bread is simple and only takes 4 ingredients. This bread makes wonderful leaves of bread that can be baked daily. Just cut size portion of the dough needed, shape, let rise until doubled, and bake. This process only takes 2 to 3 hours. The wait is well worth the time the bread takes to make, a crusty, moist bread.

No kneading bread loaf 14 ounces baked to golden brown

Four simple ingredients to No Kneading Bread:

There is just four ingredients to make No Knead Bread. The key ingredients are flour, yeast, salt and water. Choosing the right flour determines the type bread. If you like rustic bread, the best flour to use is Bread Flour it has 12 to 13% gluten. Then if you want pan bread use unbleached all-purpose flour, this has 10 to 12% gluten. Gluten is what forms structure of the bread, more gluten higher, better shaped loaf. Where the all-purpose flour will be flatter and less height loaf bread.

No Knead Bread sliced using bread flour, see the height and structure.

Right Yeast for no kneading bread:

Yeast is also extremely important this is leaving agents for the bread. The most popular type yeast used is instant fast rinse yeast. This is super yeast giving you a better rise quick and easy. Red Star Premium Instant Yeast is best. But any good in code yeast will work. Note if your yeast date has expired do test to see if it is still active. The test is cup 100 degree water 1/2 teaspoon yeast and 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Let test yeast activate this should take about 10 to 15 minutes maximum. If there is no activity, bubbles and foam form at top, throw it away it’s dead yeast.

Importance of Salt:

Salt is also a very important part of making bread. Choosing a salt that isn’t iodize, just plain salt works well. The purpose of salt is flavor, control grown of yeast and helps developing gluten. Without salt the texture would be off, and bread would be very bland. Be sure that the salt doesn’t come in direct contact with yeast. Putting salt on the other side of flour away from yeast, this keeps yeast from slowing down.

Why water is important:

Final key ingredient is water, having the temperature at just right level. The water should be just warm to the touch, somewhere between 100 to 110 degrees. Using a digital thermometer is wonderful way to make sure the temperature isn’t too high. Too high of temperature will kill yeast, about 115 degrees the threshold in killing yeast.

Making the No kneading bread dough:

Measuring all the four ingredients accurately is very important. Using a digital scale is best way to measure the ingredients. Digital scales are far more accurate then using volume measurements, in cups, pints, quarts and gallons. Setting the scale to grams is easy way to measure the bakery goods, it’s very accurate. Still USA hasn’t really adopted the metric measures in baking, still this is a great way to measure ingredients. The recipe for no kneed bread will be in both metic and USA measures.

First measure all ingredients accurately, starting with bread flour first, then instant yeast, followed by salt, finally the warm water (105 degrees). These ingredients can be put into a large 6 quart mixing bowl. Be sure to put the yeast on one side of the flour and salt on the other side of the flour. Stir the dry ingredients together. Next add the warm water (105) degrees in middle of the dry ingredients.

Mix add the four ingredients for the bread with spoon or heavy duty rubber spatula. Stirring the bread dough ingredients until well combined and dough becomes elastic. This takes about 1 to 2 minutes of stirring, the dough will become hard to stir as bread dough becomes elastic. Next cover dough with plastic or lid that fits the bowl. Let the bread dough go through the first rise, about 2 hours. The dough should double in size, punch the dough down. Cover the dough again and refrigerate, for up to 5 days.

Rested No Kneading Bread in 6 quart bowl for two days.

Shaping, Proofing and Baking:

Cutting bread dough into portions with bowl scraper into desired size. The portion size can range from 8 ounces to 16 ounces. Shaping bread dough into rounds by using your hands, by working into tight ball. Pushing the dough with hands under until the dough gets into tightly shaped round ball.

Shaping bread dough into very tighter ball

No kneading Bread
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No kneading bread is simple only uses four ingredients. A big batch of dough that keeps in refrigerator for 5 days. Cut portion of dough, then shape, proof and bake. Results into tasty country style bread loaf.
Servings Prep Time
4 Loafs 10 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
20 Minutes 24 Hours
Servings Prep Time
4 Loafs 10 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
20 Minutes 24 Hours
No kneading Bread
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No kneading bread is simple only uses four ingredients. A big batch of dough that keeps in refrigerator for 5 days. Cut portion of dough, then shape, proof and bake. Results into tasty country style bread loaf.
Servings Prep Time
4 Loafs 10 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
20 Minutes 24 Hours
Servings Prep Time
4 Loafs 10 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
20 Minutes 24 Hours
Ingredients
Servings: Loafs
Units:
Instructions
Mixing No Kneading Dough
  1. Measure all the ingredients accurately, starting with the water first. Be sure water is about 105 degrees, put in a 6 quart bowl. Next measure flour and put into the bowl over water. Continue measuring salt put on one side four. Finally measure the yeast and put on the other side of flour, making sure that yeast doesn’t touch the salt
  2. Sir the bread ingredients with heavy duty spoon until all ingredients are combined and gluten is developing. This takes about 2 minutes to mix and develop gluten.
  3. Next cover bread dough in mixing bowl with plastic wrap or lid. Leave the bread dough out at room temperature for first rise. This takes about 1 to 2 hours, depending on room temperature.
  4. After the first rise punch the dough down. I like using bowl scraper, but using hands lightly greased will also work too. Note the dough is very sticky because of its high moisture content. This deflates the bread dough and develops more gluten.
  5. Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 24 hours to develop flavor. This dough can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Shape and Bake
  1. Remove bread dough from refrigerator, and cut a portion of the dough off. This could weigh about 12 to 14 ounces for nice loaf of bread.
  2. Shape the cut portion with greased hands, by folding dough under the both hands. Keep fold the dough under until it forms tight ball. The is called rounding bread dough up.
  3. Place rounded bread dough onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
  4. Sprinkle flour over each bread loaf, coating tops well with flou
  5. Next cover bread loafs with plastic and let the bread do it’s final rise, until doubled. Then slash with sharp knife at least three times, to allow bread to expand as it’s baking.
  6. Bake in 425 degrees convection oven or 450 conventional oven. Set a rack in the middle of oven, place the sheet pan with bread on that rack. With water in a pan, to provide steam as it is baking, put it on the bottom rack or floor of the oven.
  7. Bake the bread loafs for about 20 minutes or until center of the loafs reaches a internal temperature of 190 to 200 degrees. Remove bread from oven onto cooling rack.
  8. Allow bread to cool before cutting, about 15 to 20 minutes. Cut with bread knife into desired portions.
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Caramel Custard Variations

Caramel Custard is classic using simple ingredients with lots of variations of flavor profiles. Let’s explore all the possibilities using the base recipe as a guide. Then by adding just a few extra ingredients to enhance profile to new and tasty custard. By adding almond extract and amaretto liquor making recipe into Amaretto Caramel Custard.

Amaretto caramel custard

Base Caramel Custard Recipe:

Caramel Custard has two components, a sweet egg custard and caramelized sugar that’s place on bottom of ramekin. Start first by making a caramelized sugar that’s poured onto bottom of each greased ramekin. To make caramelized sugar has two techniques that can be done.

Basic Sweet Custard Ingredients

Standard way is to have sugar and water mixture cooked in skillet, until sugar becomes golden amber color. Note that the Side edges of skillet needs to be brushed with water to prevent sugar crystals forming. This important because if sugar crystal from they cause chain reaction making the whole sugar mixture crystallized. If this happens the crystalized mixture has to be discarded and start the process all over again.

Heating sugar in dry skillet with no water

The second method is quicker method that let’s you melt sugar in clean skillet with not water just sugar. This is a little more tricky, but once you master the technique it’s faster and has great results in smaller batches. Typically using 10 inch triply stainless steel skillet, with 1/3rd cup sugar over medium high heat. Shaking skillet constantly to move sugar around so doesn’t burn. Them pouring into 6 greased ramekins evenly. Note that using higher temperature silicone spatula to help get sugar evenly out of skillet.

Caramelized sugar in dry skillet

Sweet Custard Base Recipe:

Basic eggs, sugar and vanilla in bowl

Sweet custard needs to have 2 1/2 cups milk, 3 eggs, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla to made great baked custard. Milk is the major liquid in making a custard, the classic custard uses whole milk. But skim milk will work if your diet conscious, having less body into the custard profile. Use a whisk to beat large eggs with sugar and vanilla until blended. The final ingredient is ground nutmeg that’s sprinkled on top of the custard before it is bake.

The techniques used to making a sweet custard is simple process of doing certain steps in order. The first step is to heat your milk. This could be done on range top in sauce pan on low heat, to prevent scorching. Using the microwave is safe and faster way to heat the milk in Pyrex measure. Next step is to mix together the sugar, eggs and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Whisking until egg mixture is blended well. Continue on to next step is to incorporate the hot milk into egg mixture slowly. Whisking mixture until combined, then strained back into Pyrex measure. This technique removes excess air from whisking and makes custard easier to pour into greased ramekins. Then dust the tops of the filled custards with nutmeg.

Bake the custards in a water bath in 325 degrees oven about 30 minutes. Checking custards with pairing knife, when inserted near center of custard the knife should come out clean. Remove custards onto cooling rack until cooled to room temperature.

Baking Caramel custard in water bath

Classic Caramel Custard:

Classic caramel custard is a basic sweet custard that has caramelized sugar on bottom of the filled ramekins when baked. This produces a wonderful caramel sauce when the Caramel custard Is unfolded.

Amaretto caramel custard
Caramel Custard Variations
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Caramel Custard is classic using simple ingredients with lots of variations of flavor profiles.
Servings Prep Time
6 Servings 15 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
30 Minutes 2 + Hours
Servings Prep Time
6 Servings 15 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
30 Minutes 2 + Hours
Caramel Custard Variations
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Caramel Custard is classic using simple ingredients with lots of variations of flavor profiles.
Servings Prep Time
6 Servings 15 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
30 Minutes 2 + Hours
Servings Prep Time
6 Servings 15 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
30 Minutes 2 + Hours
Ingredients
Caramelized Sugar
Basic Sweet Custard Mixture
Variation 1 of Amaretto Caramel Custard
Variation 2 Grand Marnier Liquor
Servings: Servings
Units:
Instructions
Caramelized Sugar
  1. Place sugar into a dry medium size skillet, cook over medium high heat. Shaking with circular motion to keep sugar evenly distributed over skillet. Try not to sir with high temperature silicone spatula, this tend to clump sugar.
  2. Adjusting heat to just right temperature so sugar caramelize evenly. When caramelized sugar reaches a nice amber color remove from heat immediately.
  3. Pour the caramelized sugar into greased ramekins. Try to evenly divid the caramelized sugar between each ramekin.
Custard Mixture
  1. Combine the base eggs, sugar and vanilla extract together.
  2. Then add your variations in this example orange zest, orange extract and Grand Marnier Liquor. Best well to combine custard mixture.
  3. Next heat the milk to scalding about 150+ degrees. I like using the microwave.
  4. Pour the scalded milk into custard mixture slowly. Beating as you pour. This tempers milk so eggs don’t curtal.
  5. Continue beating custard mixture until eggs mixture is completely incorporated.
  6. Strain through mesh strainer the custard mixture, this removes bubbles and makes a smooth custard.
  7. Pour strained custard mixture into caramel ramekins, evenly distributed custard mixture.
  8. Sprinkling nutmeg over top of each custard.
  9. Place on a tray that has rim good rim.
Baking Caramel Custards
  1. Pour warm water on rimmed tray to make a water bath for custards. It needs only inch of water. Then bake at 325 degrees oven for 35 + minutes.
  2. Check the custards with pairing knife, inserted about half way to middle of the custards. If it comes out clean remove from oven. But if comes out wet bake a few more minutes,
  3. Remove custards from water bath onto cooling rack. This will continue to cook as the cool. When room temperature, cover each custard with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Platting Caramel Custards
  1. Amaretto caramel custard unmold from ramekins by running a pairing knife around ramekins. Turning the ramekins upside down onto dessert plate, tapping the ramekins to release the custard. Then garnish with nuts and whipped cream.
  2. Grand Mariner caramel custard unmold from ramekins by running a pairing knife around ramekins. Turning the ramekins upside down onto dessert plate, tapping the ramekins to release the custard. Then garnish with orange zest, orange sections, and whipped cream.
Recipe Notes

Caramel Custard ideas

amaretto caramel custard use almond extract, amaretto liquor, and garnish with almonds.

Grand Mariner caramel custard use orange extract, orange extract and Grand Mariner liquor. Garnish with orange sections, orange zest and whipped cream. 

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Ham & Bean Soup
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Instant Pot Ham & Bean Soup

Ham & Bean Soup is a perfect way to enjoy that leftover ham bone from the holiday meal. The Instant Pot is a perfect way to cook beans and ham together in a quick easy manner, without a lot of fuss. This wonderful hearty yet is still healthy soup for those cold winters day. In just about 90 minutes or less you can be enjoying this classic homemade soup.

Cooked Ham Bone
Ham Bone Steamed 45 minutes in instant pot.

This recipe used my wonderful ham bone from Smoked Root Beer Ham. The smoky flavors that infused into beans from this ham bone is outstanding.

Smoked Root Beer Ham

Selecting right beans:

Great Northern Beans

Choosing the right beans can be very confusing, making the right choice is simple task knowing about dry beans. The Northern Bean is wonderful larger white bean packed with fiber and has lots of good carbohydrates and some protein. When these beans are cooked properly they are larger then navy pea bean and have nice meaty texture. So these beans are perfect for hearty soups, baked beans and alternative protein sources. Using dry beans rather than canned cooked beans gives more natural and flavorful bean. Canned beans often have more processed taste, the only benefit is time saving. Using the instant pot makes all the right reason to use dry Northern Beans because high pressure steam cuts time by almost two third.

Ham & Bean Soup
Plated Ham & Bean Soup with Cornbread
Ham & Bean Soup
Instant Pot Ham & Bean Soup
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Ham & Bean Soup is a wonderful way to use that ham bone left from the holiday dinner. It’s the perfect hearty meal for those winter days. Served with wedge of yummy cornbread, that leaves you satisfied.
Servings Prep Time
8 Portions 15 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
45 Minutes 10 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
8 Portions 15 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
45 Minutes 10 Minutes
Ham & Bean Soup
Instant Pot Ham & Bean Soup
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Ham & Bean Soup is a wonderful way to use that ham bone left from the holiday dinner. It’s the perfect hearty meal for those winter days. Served with wedge of yummy cornbread, that leaves you satisfied.
Servings Prep Time
8 Portions 15 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
45 Minutes 10 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
8 Portions 15 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
45 Minutes 10 Minutes
Ingredients
Servings: Portions
Units:
Instructions
  1. Sorting Northern Beans by spreading the beans out on sheet pan. Picking through bad looking beans and any rocks or foreign items, then discarding them.
  2. Wash the northern beans well with water in strainer. Allow the water to drain off.
  3. Mise en place all the ingredients, trimming, chopping and measuring ingredients before starting the soup.
  4. Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode and cook the carrots, celery and onions for 3 to 5 minutes.
  5. Add the drained northern beans to sautéed vegetables. Stirring well and cook for 1 minute.
  6. And to beans and vegetables the chicken stock or water. Stir well.
  7. Place the ham bone into instant pot arrange so fits into pot.
  8. Close the lid and set the steam leaver to closed position.
  9. Set to mode button to soup and adjust time to 45 minutes. Using the + & - buttons.
  10. Let the pressure come down naturally, this takes an additional 15 minutes but produces a more tender ham and maximum flavor extraction. If you’re in hurry set top pressure valve to open mode. Be careful of the very hot steam. This can burn hands or arm instantly.
  11. Remove ham bone and stir soup, you may have to adjust amount of stock or water to soup. If needs more liquid add 1 to 2 more cups of stock or water.
  12. Remove skin, bone and fat from ham.
  13. Chop the ham into bite size pieces. Add the ham back to the soup, stirring well. Adjust seasonings with pepper, salt if needed.
  14. Place a good size portion of soup in a bowl. I like to use wide rim bowl, heaping beans and ham in middle for height. Cornbread is perfect accompaniment with green garnish like celery leaves. Enjoy 😊
    Ham & Bean Soup
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Plated Air Fryer Peach Pork Chops
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Air Fryer Peach Pork Chops

Plated Air Fryer Peach Pork Chops
Plated Air Fryer Peach Pork Chops on a bed of braised beets with side of potato wedges.

Air Fryers makes summer foods fast and tasty, the Air fryer peach pork chops is perfect choice. This recipe only takes 5 to 6 ingredients and less then 30 minutes to make. First season Pork Chops with my BBQ spice rub or your favorite store bought varieties, give the rubbed chops some time to rest.

Air Fryer setup

Each air fryer is a little different. Pork chops cook best at 350 degrees temperature settings. Some air fryers have pre settings, use the appropriate setting. Warm up air fryer for about 2 to 3 minutes with basket. Then after preheated place season Chops in air fryer basket, and set timer for 18 minutes for thick chops. If you have thin chops use 12 minutes. Spritz the seasoned pork chops with EVO Oil Sprayer. Caution don’t use PAM spray or vegetable spray they mess up non stick basket. Close basket in air fry and let air fry for have the time. This takes about 6 to 9 minutes depending on the thickness of the chops. The goal is to get the chops nicely browned.

Air Fryer Timer Setting 18 minutes
Air Fryer Timer Setting 18 minutes

Peach Glazed Pork Chops

Peach Riesling Jam

The peach glaze is the magic to this recipe, a simple mixture of my Peach Riesling Jam thinned out with more Riesling Wine. About Half way through air frying remove basket and turn the pork chops over. Then brush with the thinned out Peach Riesling Jam mixture over each chop. Now continue air frying to end of cooking time. Check internal temperature of the Pork Chops close to end of cooking, the temperature should be 145 degrees. The finished chop should be around 150 degrees with a nice caramelized glaze. If all possible let the Chops rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Plated Air Fryer Peach Pork Chops
Air Fryer Peach Pork Chops
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Peach Pork Chops cooked in air fryer is perfect way to make summer meals quick and easy. This recipe only takes 5 to 6 ingredients.
Servings Prep Time
2 Chops 5 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
16 Minutes 5 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
2 Chops 5 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
16 Minutes 5 Minutes
Plated Air Fryer Peach Pork Chops
Air Fryer Peach Pork Chops
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Peach Pork Chops cooked in air fryer is perfect way to make summer meals quick and easy. This recipe only takes 5 to 6 ingredients.
Servings Prep Time
2 Chops 5 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
16 Minutes 5 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
2 Chops 5 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
16 Minutes 5 Minutes
Ingredients
Servings: Chops
Units:
Instructions
  1. Season each pork chop with 1 teaspoon of BBQ Spice Rub. Work the spice rub in with your fingers. Allow pork chops to rest for 5 minutes minimum.
    BBQ Season Pork Chops
  2. Make peach glaze by mixing peach Riesling Jam with some Riesling Wine to achieve right consistency. Set aside for future step.
    Peach Riesling Jam with Riesling Wine added.
  3. Set up air fryer temperature to 350 degrees, let the air fryer heat up 2 to 3 minutes.
    Air Fryer temperature set to 350 degrees
  4. Place seasoned pork chops in basket and spritz with EVO sprayer using olive oil.
    Pork chops cooked halfway
  5. Place basket back into air fryer and set timer to 16 - 18 minutes for large chops. Set timer to 12 - 15 minutes thin chops. Air fry chops half way through time.
    Air Fryer Timer Setting 18 minutes
  6. Remove basket from air fryer half way into cooking time about 6 to 8 minutes. Turn chops over and brush liberal amount of peach glaze on each chop.
    Pork chops cooked halfway
  7. Place peach halves along side pork chops in basket and season with BBQ spice rub, and brush with some peach glaze. Put basket back into air fry and continue to air fry for remainder of time.
    Glaze pork chops with peach Riesling Glaze
  8. Remove basket from air fryer and check the internal temperature of chop. It should read 145 to 150 degrees. If less then 145 degree put back in air fryer and continue to cook a few more minutes.
  9. Remove basket from air fryer and let the pork chops rest 5 minutes before serving if all possible.
  10. Plate peach glaze pork chop on bed beets or greens. Serve with potato wedges and garnish with peach halves.
    Plated Air Fryer Peach Pork Chops
Recipe Notes

Nutrition Facts
Air Fryer Peach Pork Chops
Amount Per Serving
Calories 433 Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g 20%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Trans Fat 0.1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 6g
Cholesterol 96mg 32%
Sodium 1240mg 52%
Potassium 1032mg 29%
Total Carbohydrates 38g 13%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Sugars 29g
Protein 38g 76%
Vitamin A 9%
Vitamin C 18%
Calcium 1%
Iron 8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

An alternate cooking method is to grill peach glaze chops with indirect heat, this will take a little longer to prepare. About 12 to 15 minutes a side brushing glaze on every time turn chops. This give chops a more smoked flavor profile. Grilling peaches will have more depth and smoked flavor profile.

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Black Berry BBQ Sauce

Black Berry BBQ Sauce is great way to use all the abundance of fresh berries. Fresh berries are very perishable this wonderful Black Berry BBQ Sauce can be used for so many different food applications. BBQ meats to glaze on desserts, fruits to salad dressings. Because of it’s high acidicness this sauce can be preserved in Ball Jars and keep for year or more.

Berries infused in white vinegar

Infusion of berries and vinegar:

Infusing flavors into vinegars is simple task, using 5% white vinegar is one of the very best mediums for infusing flavors. This vinegar has a neutral flavor and will absorb any aromatics. By using the cold infusion method produces the best results. It preserves natural flavors, especially if they are delicate. The process takes a little time, at least 24 hours and up to 2 months to develop a good flavor profile. This cold berry vinegar infusion is the Fundamentals for the Black Berry BBQ Sauce.

Cooking Black Berry BBQ Sauce:

Making Black Berry BBQ Sauce is all about slow boiling berry vinegar infusion with sugar and apple juice. This is where the magic takes place and transforms flavors. The process takes some time so be patient let the magic of slow cooking do it’s work. To help thicken sauce xantham gum works wonders, because it’s a thickener and emulsifier. As the Black Berry BBQ Sauce cooks the sauce becomes slowly thicker and deeper dark color. Flavors intensify building a wonderful flavor profile.

Black Berry BBQ Sauce
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Wonderful Black Berry BBQ Sauce that can be used for many different applications. Try using on grilled meats, drizzled over desserts, or as refreshing salad dressing.
Servings Prep Time
32 Ounces 10 Min
Cook Time Passive Time
3.5 Hours 12 Hours
Servings Prep Time
32 Ounces 10 Min
Cook Time Passive Time
3.5 Hours 12 Hours
Black Berry BBQ Sauce
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Wonderful Black Berry BBQ Sauce that can be used for many different applications. Try using on grilled meats, drizzled over desserts, or as refreshing salad dressing.
Servings Prep Time
32 Ounces 10 Min
Cook Time Passive Time
3.5 Hours 12 Hours
Servings Prep Time
32 Ounces 10 Min
Cook Time Passive Time
3.5 Hours 12 Hours
Ingredients
Servings: Ounces
Units:
Instructions
  1. Infuse the black berries and frozen raspberries into white vinegar. Put both types of berries into Ball Jar and adding the white vinegar. Fit lid and ring onto jar and let macerate for 12 hours. This develops the flavor profile.
    Infusion of blackberries and red raspberries into white vinegar in ball jar.
  2. Next is to make the Black Berry BBQ Sauce by pouring the macerated berries and vinegar into heavy duty sauce pan or stock pot. Then add Apple Juice and bring the berry mixture to boil.
    Combine infused berry vinegar and apple juice together in sauce pan.
  3. Mean while mix together in a bowl the sugar, xantham gum, and optional crushed chili pepper. Making sure that the sugar mixture is evenly combined.
    Combine sugar and xantham gum together in bowl
  4. Now add the combined sugar mixture to hot boiling berry liquid. Whisking hard to the dissolve the sugar into berry liquid. Continue slow boil until BBQ Sauce thickens to Nappe consistency.
    Bring berry vinegar and apple juice in sauce pan.
  5. Adjusting seasoning with salt, sugar and pepper to achieve balanced flavor profile.
  6. Pour boiling hot BBQ Sauce into sterilized ball jars, place sterilized lid and rings onto jar and seal. To insure proper seal heat in hot water bath for 10 to 15 minutes. Cool on wire racks.
    Black Berry BBQ Sauce that is sealed in Ball Jar
  7. Drizzle over grilled chicken or pork adding a perfect sweet and tangy BBQ flavor to your entree.
  8. Drizzle over air fried boneless chops to add perfect sweet and tangy BBQ flavor to your entree. Over a bed of braised broccoli rabe.
Recipe Notes

Nutrition Facts
Black Berry BBQ Sauce
Amount Per Serving
Calories 144 Calories from Fat 1
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0.1g 0%
Saturated Fat 0.01g 0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.02g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.003g
Sodium 64mg 3%
Potassium 95mg 3%
Total Carbohydrates 37g 12%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugars 35g
Protein 0.2g 0%
Vitamin A 0.3%
Vitamin C 16%
Calcium 1%
Iron 2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Garnished Spicy Air Fryer Salmon with sautéed green beans mix and Spicy Ranch Dressing
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Spicy Air fryer Salmon Filet

Garnished Spicy Air Fryer Salmon with sautéed green beans mix and Spicy Ranch Dressing
Finish garnishing Spicy Air Fryer Salmon.

Tired of same old salmon filets the Spicy Air fryer Salmon satisfies those cravings. The key to flavorful salmon filets is putting some hot spices into rub with hint of sweetness. Most of all it takes just a few minutes to cook the salmon in the Air-fryer. Yet keeping salmon filet moist and flavorful. With just a few extra ingredients, say by by to boring salmon.

It’s all about using a spicy rub:

The spicy rub for salmon filets needs these key ingredients salt, sugar, spices and herbs. Next is to make a great rub needs Salt. Why is salt the most important factor, salt gives flavor to the salmon. Salmon needs the salt which helps hold it’s moisture and still supporting it’s texture. Choosing the right salt is just as important, use kosher salt rather than plain table salt which often contains iodine. The salt releases moisture in Salmon absorbing ingredients back into salmon. Third this takes time, allowing 15 to 20 minutes to do it’s magic.

Next is using sugar to adding a little sweetness and promoting good caramelization as salmon filet Air-fries. There is two good types of sugar to use in rub, brown sugar or Sugar in The Raw. Brown sugar has more molasses profile giving a more stronger deeper flavor profile. Sugar in The Raw has natural slight molasses flavor profile. Caution don’t add too much sugar to rub, just enough to balance flavor.

Bring some Pizzazz into the spice rub:

Now adding some wow to the rub, useing aromatics is key to having a successful rub. Choosing the right spices can really break that lackluster salmon, and bring back some wow. Typical spices used is paprika, black pepper, coriander, cumin and cayenne. Trends change, chipotle pepper was big hit for years, this has a smoky light amount of heat profile. Now a new trend is sriracha hot sauce, which is red chilies and garlic profile. Sriracha is everywhere, stores stock bottles of all different types including sriracha powder. This is a good possibility to use for spicy air fryer salmon filet rub.

Going one step further with the spicy rub by following the new next trends, by using Carolina Reaper powered. Very flavorful but extremely hot chili pepper, caution in adding the right amount of Carolina Reaper powder into rub. The goal is to have just right amount of heat and flavor with some sweetness and garlic profile. Having something simular to sriracha profile but with some punch. Be sure to adjust amount of Carolina Reaper powder to your taste level. This might be only using 1/8 to 1/2 teaspoon of Carolina Reaper powder to one batch of rub.

Making Spicy Rub for salmon is a fairly simple task, combining kosher salt, sugar, and aromatic spices all together in bowl or mortar and pestel. I usually make fairly large batch of spicy rub, and keep extra in sealed jar for future uses. This cuts mise en place time down in future preparations.

Applying Spicy Rub to Salmon Filet:

First task is to prep the salmon filet, often I purchasing a side of salmon or couple of pounds of salmon filet. Some might have skin still attached to the filet. Using boning knife slip knife just under the salmon skin, with skin side of salmon facing down. Starting at tail end of filet and holding the salmon skin with left hand. Carefully slide the knife carefully towards right removing skin from salmon. Often salmon skin is slippery, try using paper towel to hold salmon skin for a better grip. Then cut salmon in size portions you like, 4 ounce, 6 ounce or 8 ounce portions are most common. This takes a little practice, but will save you lot of money, buying proportion salmon is almost double in cost.

Next place the silvery finished colored side of the salmon down on the cutting board. Now sprinkle 1 to 2 teaspoons of spicy rub onto top of each filet. Then rub spice mixture into each of salmon filets. Flip salmon over and sprinkle 2 teaspoons or more of spicy rub on the cut side of each salmon filet. Again rub spicy rub into salmon filets. Place in container and cover with plastic wrap, then refrigerate for 20 minutes.

How to Air Fry Spicy Salmon Filets:

Most air fryers have a fish setting, this is a preset function on your air fryer. My PowerXL Air Fryer has a preset function for 10 minutes at 350°F. This is a good starting point, it’s not too high temperature for the spicy rub. This is just long enough to cook the salmon to a safe temperature, about 135 to 140° internal temperature. Note the longer time in the air fryer, the fish looses more moisture, which can become dry and chewy. The goal is to have a moist and very flavor salmon filet.

Looking for another Air Fry Salmon Recipe

Garnished Spicy Air Fryer Salmon with sautéed green beans mix and Spicy Ranch Dressing
Spicy Airfryer Salmon Filet
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Enjoy spicy Salmon Filet using Airfryer with just a few key ingredients, salt, sugar, spices and aromatics. The magic is in the spice rub and benefits of using Airfryer.
Servings Prep Time
2 Portions 5 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
10 Minutes 15 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
2 Portions 5 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
10 Minutes 15 Minutes
Garnished Spicy Air Fryer Salmon with sautéed green beans mix and Spicy Ranch Dressing
Spicy Airfryer Salmon Filet
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Enjoy spicy Salmon Filet using Airfryer with just a few key ingredients, salt, sugar, spices and aromatics. The magic is in the spice rub and benefits of using Airfryer.
Servings Prep Time
2 Portions 5 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
10 Minutes 15 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
2 Portions 5 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
10 Minutes 15 Minutes
Ingredients
Salmon Filet
Hot Spicy Rub
Spicy Ranch Dressing
Servings: Portions
Units:
Instructions
Hot Spice Rub
  1. Combine together in mortar and pestle the kosher salt, Turbinado Sugar, smoked paprika, black pepper, Carolina Riper chilies powder and season salt. Mixing well with pestle until nice evenly ground mixture comes together. Taste the mixture, and adjust Carolina Riper Chilies powder to your liking.
    Grinding Spicy Salmon Rub
  2. Place well mixed hot spice rub in storage jar. Note this might make more then you need for just 2 salmon filets.
Spicy Salmon Filets
  1. Remove skin from salmon filet with boneing knife. Cut the salmon filet into 5 to 6 ounce portions.
  2. Next season both sides of salmon filets with Hot Spice Rub putting one teaspoon of rub on each side of filets.
    Sprinkling Spicy Seasoning Rub onto salmon filets.
  3. Spray each salmon filet with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I like to use EVO Sprayer each spritz is 1/4 teaspoon of oil. This controls the coverage of olive oil nicely.
    Spray Salmon Filets with olive oil using the EVO Sprayer
Airfry Spicy Salmon Filets
  1. Preset Airfryer to fish setting or 350°F, allow airfryer to warm up this only takes about 2 minutes max.
  2. Place the seasoned salmon filets with cut side down into Airfryer basket. My PowerXL holds two filets nicely. Push basket into Airfryer and adjust time to 10 minutes. Note about half way into cooking process flip salmon over carefully. Then continue cooking until timer goes off.
  3. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice over top of each cooked salmon filet.
Serving Hot Spicy Salmon Filets
  1. Place carefully remove the salmon filet from the basket with fish spatula. Place salmon filet onto plate carefully
  2. Drizzle some spicy ranch dressing in decorative manner onto plate. Add green vegetable of your choice of cooked Asparagus, Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli, Green Beans are all great choice. Also serve nice starch like Risotto, Smashed Potatoes.
    Garnished Spicy Air Fryer Salmon with sautéed green beans mix and Spicy Ranch Dressing
Spicy Ranch Dressing
  1. Combine together in small bowl, the Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing, Sriracha Sauce and Carolina Reaper Chilies powder together.
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