Bacon Dressing on Spinach Salad

Hi everyone!

I never knew that salad could taste so …. So heavenly!

After watching this video (Hot Bacon Dressing) and trying it today I now understand the aesthetics of salad.

This salad is so good that I had it for lunch, snack AND dinner. I'm a meat lover mind you!

This salad is unbelievably easy to prepare, doesn't take up much time and it will keep your taste buds satisfied.

And so here is what you need for the salad:

Fresh spinach leaves// chopped to your preference they should be large

Button mushrooms// sliced

beautiful black eyed peas // washed and drained out of the can

For the bacon gravy:

Fresh milk or cream

1 Tbs. Flour

Salt and pepper to taste

Pinches of red chilli powder and smoked pepper powder

And *drum roll please*

B A C O N!

And that's it!

The only work you will be doing is making the bacon dressing, in my case I made it into a gravy. So whatever floats your boat really. 

So, toss the first three ingredients and set aside *my photo is missing the black eyed peas*

The only work you will be doing is making the bacon dressing, in my case I made it into a sort of gravy. So whatever floats your boat really.

Here is what I did for the bacon gravy:

1.       Heat up a sauce pan to medium high and splash some olive oil and swirl it around the pan in a sexy manner.

2.       Chop up the bacon into small bits *mine were larger for the fact that I was too excited* cook till crispy. You can toss it around occasionally; you want all that glorious bacon fat to melt with that olive oil.

3.       When the bacon is crisp, set it aside but leave the bacon-olive oil in the sauce pan.

4.       Lower the heat to medium low and add the Tbs. of flour and cook for about 2 minutes. Till it starts to thicken and get's rid of that pasty flavor.

5.       Now for this you need to be quick… you should start pouring in a cup of cold milk or cream gradually and mix and the same time, in the same area you are pouring or else you will get horrible flour crumbs that look…..horrible!

6.       When the sauce has thickened and absorbed all the bacon bits, add the smoked pepper powder, chili powder, salt and pepper.

7.       When mixed beautifully and smoothly.. add the bacon bits. Mmm I know!

8.       When you are done! you can finally, drizzle the bacon gravy on the salad.

9.     take a deep breathe... the smell is too much <3 dig in and Enjoy!

I promise this is the best salad you will have in a long time I know I am satisfied.

Sadly I only captured one good photo of the salad… my sisters basically scoffed it off! And I only ended up with this.

I hope you try this wonderful salad. It's worth it SO worth it!

This is the best combination of flavors that I have tried in a long time.. it's just amazing. I have lost my words.




List of ingredients: (serves two, or one in my case)
Salad:
- 1 cup of medium sized button mushrooms (sliced)
- 1/2 can of black eyed peas (drained)
- 1 batch of spinach
Dressing:
- 1 cup of bacon (chopped)
- 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbs flour
- 1 cup of COLD milk, or COLD cream.
- spices: 1/4 ts smoked pepper powder. pinch of hot chilli powder. and ofcourse salt and pepper.


this takes about 15-20 minutes to make and 2 minutes to eat :P it'll be gone in no time.



tell me what you think and tweet me @ShayneLeGrand

Veal and Couscous

So this recipe is inspired by my favorite lady blogger The Pioneer woman <3 She is the man! I mean woman you know what I mean! she is THE boss.

While I was drooling over the the amazing Ree's food blog, this post caught my eye and my taste buds as well! The Perfect Pot Roast. 

I may have changed some ingredients. (ahem or maybe replaced some ingredients because I didn't have the original ingredients ready at the mo).

first things first!

Here is what you'll need, actually more or less of what is actually in the photo. I make these things up as I go depending on what I crave really.

This is my beautiful line up of ingredients which you can find at the end of this blog and that's couscous if you are wondering, My step mother was kind enough to prepare it for me. btw some things were added here just for the photos sake. 

Before we begin I apologize that some of the photos turned out to be a bit shaky that's because I only have two hands people! A girl a can only do so much. 

You need to smother the glorious veal with (paprika,za'tar poder, red chilli powder, cumin and of course salt & pepper) and set aside. 

Feel free to use whatever part of veal you want I just chose these cuts because of the bone marrow. and because that is the only thing available in my freezer.

next take a deep pot, set to medium heat and splash some olive oil in.

 Take the voluptuous red onion halves and the lovely garlic cloves and arrange them in this manner, or whatever suits you really. leave them in for about for about five minutes or so.

Oops! slippery tongs... messed up my onions.... anyways flip these babies (carefully) and leave it in for a further 3 minutes. when you see that beautiful shade of golden brown put them aside.

did I mention that I make these things up as I go?

I love carrots

carrot soup

carrot drink

carrot cupcake

carrot anything really! you name it!

so why not add a carrot or two into my stew? see what I just did there? I rhymed. And of course what is carrot without potato?

cut them into large chunks and throw'em in the same pot!

swirl them around a little and watch these babies gloss they look just like candy. 

I couldn't help myself I ate a couple of carrots

don't judge me. you weren't there!

now, after everything has slightly cooked put it all on the side.

now here is what I want you to see, lovely traces and flavors of the vegetables we have cooked above.

isn't it lovely? this is just perfect for.....

..... your beautiful veal! yes, again arrange this way! you MUST. now grill'em and listen to them sizzle in their own fat and when you have checked that one side is cooked...

 flip in over and sizzle the other side, remember you just want to seal the juices in for later. it doesn't matter if it isn't cooked on the inside unless you are a vampire and like your meat bloody and all.

 when the veal is done set it aside, and again because I love you I'll share another beautiful photo of the flavors stuck on the pan. dissolve one bouillon cube in 1 cup of water or beef stock.

 just leave it on its own and bring it to a boil. everything that was stuck on the pot will be infused with the broth.

 take one piece of veal and place it strategically in the pot

 add paprika and za'atar. I let my step mom hold the plate for me...it kind of took a while with the steam wanting to be in the picture and all... steam is such an attention seeker don't you think? it always manages to follow you around everywhere!

 Now you need to place your ingredients this way! Veal in the middle and your veges surrounding it oh and I added a spring of mint on a hot spot or an empty space.

 steam... why you in my photo

 anyways here is why you need an empty space in your pot; so you could easily add the spices! it makes sense I swear! here is some cumin.

 some coriander powder

 secret ingredient; brown sugar!

 tomato paste!

don't forget the salt and pepper!

cover and leave it to simmer for a whole hour or more! the longer the better even! and if you feel that the broth has turned into to much steam just add more broth and adjust the spices to your liking.

mmmm can you smell that? it was hard keeping myself away you could use this for incense.

after patiently waiting, which is torture for me, I opened the lid and saw the most beautiful sight

 hey baby what is your name!

 now that is what I call cooked to perfection.

now grab a plate of couscous and again arrange this way!

you seriously need to try this dish it makes you feel homey and it's light as well! sweet and savory that's what I like! and I hope you like it as well!

feeha al3afyah!

Bon Appétit

enjoy!

P.S, let me know what you think and what would you suggest I add or remove. thank you.

For this recipe you will need:

1 kilo of veal meat

2 TBS. Olive oil

1 onion cut into halves

2 whole garlic cloves

1 sprig of mint leaves

1 bullion cube or 1 cup of beef stalk

3 large carrots

2 large potatoes

Paprika, za'atar powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, brown sugar, red chilli powder, salt and pepper - 1TBS each and add more to adjust

1 TBS Tomato paste

2 cups Couscous (medium grain)

Fresh Start

What is better than the smell of bread in the morning?

well we don't have a nearby bakery but I made this wonderful fatayer dough the other day! handed down to me by my lovely aunts who look exactly like um saloom from freej.

I decided it was too pretty to ignore and whipped my camera out

just cover this pretty baby and leave it for 2 hours and prepare the stuffing/filling of your choice!

for me it was spicy minced meat/ mint and cheese/ pizza and of course spinach! what is a batch of fatayer without spinach right?

after that you are free to go call a friend, surf the web make some hot coco entertain your cat whatever you do, do not disturb the dough.

meanwhile, I was craving something sweet and chocolaty; coconut and brownies to be precise!

After I was done with the brownie creation (I'll post a link to the recipe later) I took out the huge oven tray covered it with flour and set the oven to 250 and in no time at all the dough had already doubled in size and was ready to kneed.

*insert choir singing*

presenting

Cheese and Mint infusion so fresh and so tangy! these sesame seeds took forever to scorch, I decided black sesame seeds looked better with this design.

lovely minced meat yes regular and black sesame seeds 

Spinach; oh I tried baking these babies with a new rose shape... didn't turn out so great! but it was yummy none the less

last but not least! PIZZA! I like adding mint leaves to these mini pizzas oh and I used filipino banana ketchup for the sauce

aren't they pretty? 

now! bake on the very top shelf of your oven and keep your eye on them they cook pretty fast I'd say around 10-12 mins!

serve it fresh out of the oven~

and feeha al3afyah

bon apetite

enjoy!