manicotti shells, cooked for 5 minutes – 11 out of the 14 wrapped with bacon
Johnson’s thin-sliced bacon, 11 slices in a pkg – maybe not a pound
The non-bacon ones were too tough to cut without a bacon wrapper, even though we pre-cooked the shell and assembled the night before. Don’t do again.
Hard to fill pre-cooked. Try another method?
Had enough leftover meat to make 4 sausage patties.
Smoked for just under 2 hours. Turned halfway through. Aimed for 250 degrees / 160 temperature of meat at the end. Cheese and grease messy. Foil on the grate would block the smoke?
Put a little of the garlic Parmesan butter base on after cooking, but not sure it added much. To soften then shells that weren’t covered? Also tried some bacon jelly, which added some sweetness. Didn’t try the spaghetti sauce.
We made bacon!
(This is mostly adapted from Hey Grill Hey’s recipe)
1. buy 2 lbs of pork belly
2. rub it with salt, pepper, and pink curing salt (we used InstaCure #1)
I think we also used some maple syrup.
3. put in refrigerator for 2 weeks
4. rinse
5. smoke
1 1/2 Ib carrots. cut into 1″ pieces
2 tsp olive oil
1 Tbsp ground mustard
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
3/4 tsp cumin
1 c 2% Greek-style yogurt
1/2 c reduced-fat sour cream
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
* Cook carrots until tender, about 20 minutes. Blend with hand blender.
* Add remaining ingredients and pulse until smooth.
(original recipe said to toast mustard seeds instead of using ground)
adapted from prevention.com
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) if using a regular oven. If using an air-fryer set it to 380°F (190°C).
Wash carrots and peel thinly lengthwise with a vegetable peeler or mandolin slicer.
In a shallow dish, mix together the remainder of the ingredients.
Marinate the carrot strips in the sauce for at least 5 minutes. Work in batches if needed so that the carrots are fully covered.
Place carrots on a lined baking sheet evenly spread out. Place in the oven for 10-15 minutes (or in an air-fryer for 5 minutes), flipping halfway through. When they are wavy they are ready. Don’t worry if they’re not crunchy yet, they will harden more as they cool. Sprinkle with salt if you want them to dry out faster and become crispier.
1 pound carrots, peeled and julienned (preferably with a mandoline)
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup vinegar
1 tablespoon white sugar
2 ½ teaspoons salt
⅓ cup vegetable oil
½ onion, minced
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Place carrots in a large bowl. Sprinkle garlic over carrots.
Mix vinegar, sugar, and salt together in a small bowl.
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onion in hot oil until soft and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir coriander and cayenne pepper into the onion; add to carrot mixture and toss. Pour vinegar dr
essing over carrot mixture; toss to coat.
Transfer carrot salad to a dish with a tight-fitting lid, cover, and refrigerate 4 to 24 hours, tossing salad several times while it marinates.
the cream cheese dip from the Big Carrot book. We make it often.
Thai Carrot Salad
1 lb carrots julienned 1/3 c. rice vinegar zest and juice from one lime 2 T. maple syrup 1/2 t. Thai pepper flakes 1 3/4 c. chopped roasted peanuts
Blend together vinegar, lime, maple syrup, and pepper flakes. Toss with carrots. Let stand for an hour or two. Before serving add peanuts.
Original recipe: 1/4 cup crystalized ginger, julienned / 1/4 cup chopped cilantro.
Carrot “Soup”
Well, it was supposed to be a soup, but I forgot to add the cream, so it was a very thick soup (almost a stew). Serve in a bowl.
1 stick butter 4 c. carrots, sliced 1 c. potato, chopped 1/4 cup star anise in a cheesecloth bag 1/2 lb. bacon 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 qt. chicken broth
In a heavy pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add carrots and potato. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes.
Stir in garlic. Add bacon and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until carrots and potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
Carrot Macaroni and Cheese with Sausage
1 lb carrots, peeled and grated in food processor zest and juice of one orange / zest removed with a veggie peeler in strips 3 cups ziti pasta 8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese 1 lb. sausage
Preheat the oven to 350°. In a medium saucepan, combine the carrots with the zest and juice and 1/4 cup of water. Season with salt and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over moderate heat until the carrots are very soft, about 30 minutes. Discard the zest. Transfer the carrots and any liquid to a blender / food processor and puree until very smooth.
In a saucepan, brown the sausage.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.
Return the pasta to the pot. Add the reserved water, the carrot puree, and sausage and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until the pasta is coated with a thickened sauce, about 5 minutes. Stir in three-fourths of the cheese and cook, stirring, until very creamy, 2 to 3 minutes longer.
Transfer the pasta to a 9X13 glass dish (coat with vegetable oil) and top with the remaining cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted and lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Adopted from Food & Wine. We didn’t do: End the end of step 4, stir in the tarragon and season with salt and white pepper.
Carrot-Cake Thumbprint Cookies
Active Time: 35 min.; Total Time: 1 hr. 45 min.; Makes: 1 dozen
1 stick unsalted butter, melted; plus 1/2 stick, room temperature, for frosting 1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1 large egg yolk, room temperature 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt 3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats 3/4 cup packed finely grated carrots (about 3) 3/4 cup pecans. finely chopped 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature 1 1/2 teaspoons apricot jam
Preheat oven to 350 deg. In a large bowl. whisk together melted butter, brown and granulated sugars, and yolk. In another bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, and salt. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture to combine. Mix in oats, carrots. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.
Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls; roll balls in pecans to coat. Space 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven; press an indentation into center of each cookie with the end of a wooden spoon. Bake until golden brown on bottoms, 10 to 12 minutes more. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool.
In a bowl, beat remaining 1/2 stick butter and confectioners’ sugar on medium until smooth. Beat in cream cheese until just combined. Swirl in jam. Fill center of each cookie with cream-cheese mixture; serve.
Adapted from Mable & Gar Hoffman / Ice Cream page 122
1/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar 2 cups milk 2 cups half-and-half 1 cup butterscotch pieces 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter (the original used chunky) 1 tsp vanilla extra 2 tsp tapioca powder dissolved in 2 TBS of milk
Bring the milks and brown sugar to a bowl. Stir in peanut butter and chips to melt. Cool slightly, then put in a cold water bath before ripening in fridge overnight. Beat / blend well before putting in 2-quart ice cream maker. 20 minutes in machine. about 1.5 quarts at end. You could see little specs of butterscotch.
8 ounces carrots, peeled and cut into 4-inch sticks 1/2 cup water 6 tablespoons white vinegar l 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon coriander seeds 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns 1 clove garlic, halved 1/2 green jalapeno pepper, sliced
Arrange carrot sticks upright like soldiers in a wide-mouth pint canning jar.
In a small saucepan, combine the water, vinegar, salt, sugar, coriander seeds and peppercorns; bring to a boil. Pour over carrots. When close to cool, tuck in garlic and jalapeno. Let cool completely, screw on lid and store in the refrigerator overnight or up to 1 month. MAKES 1 PINT (1S SERVINGS).
PER SERVING 6 cal, 0 g fat, 0 mg chol, 25 mg sodium, 1 g carbo, 0 9 fiber, 1 g sugars, 0 g pro.
SPICED CARROT DIP
spicy dip
Prep time: 5 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes Servings: 16
1 1/2 lb carrots. cut into 1″ pieces 2 tsp olive oil 1 Tbsp mustard seeds 1 1/2 tsp curry powder 3/4 tsp cumin 1 c 2% Greek-style yogurt 1/2 c reduced-fat sour cream 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
STEAM carrots until tender. about 20 minutes. Put in food processor.
HEAT oil in small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add mustard seeds, curry powder. and cumin. Toast. stirring. until fragrant. about 2 minutes.
ADD to food processor with remaining ingredients and pulse until smooth. Season. (Makes 4 cups.)
NUTRITION (per 1/4 cup serving) 44 cal. 2 g pro. 5 g carb 1 g fiber. 2 g fat. 1 g sat fat. 34 mg sodium
Pear Salad
pear salad
The same pear & cottage cheese salad as before, but I forgot to add the nutmeg.
Indian Carrot Salad
Indian carrot salad
Ingredients
1 1/4 pounds good-quality coarsely ground lamb 2 teaspoons garam masala Sea salt 1 pound carrots (mixed colors if possible), peeled 1 tablespoon sesame seeds A small bunch fresh cilantro, leaves picked A small bunch fresh mint, leaves picked
1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs 1 cup sugar, divided 1/4 cup butter, melted 1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, divided 3 pkg. (8 oz. each) Cream Cheese, softened 1 tsp. vanilla 3/4 cup Sour Cream 3 eggs 3/4 cup finely shredded carrots (about 2) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
HEAT oven to 325°F.
MIX graham crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar, butter and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon; press onto bottom of 13×9-inch pan. Bake 10 min. (OR buy a pie shell)
BEAT cream cheese, vanilla, remaining sugar and cinnamon in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low speed after each just until blended. Stir in carrots; spread over crust.
BAKE 45 to 50 min. or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 4 hours. Serve topped with COOL WHIP.
Beat together cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar. Mix in peanut butter and milk. Beat until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. Spoon into two 9 inch graham cracker pie shells; cover, and freeze until firm.
