Please enjoy this week's article. New Weekly Article - Nibble and Nosh

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New Weekly Article - Nibble and Nosh

nibble and nosh

A Beautiful Brunch Menu

RECIPES AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY KARISTA BENNETT

Spring is associated with light and bright fetes. Savor the beginning of the growing season and invite your friends and family to a festive brunch. The following indulgent dishes offer a plethora of flavors and textures that will leave your palate feeling renewed.

Print Recipes

Brown-Sugar Bacon

Recipes

• Brown-Sugar Bacon
• Sweet Potato Hash with Spring Greens and Fried Eggs
• Raspberry Jam Muffins

BROWN-SUGAR BACON

I have to admit, this brown-sugar bacon can be addicting. It’s sweet, smoky, and a little spicy. Your guests will ask for seconds, so be sure to prepare an extra batch. The flavor is so good that the bacon strips don’t demand presentation, but I like to place them in mason jars tied with ribbon for a festive addition to the table. This recipe holds well in the fridge for a day or two, but it’s so delicious I doubt you’ll have leftovers.

Makes 12 to 16 slices (recipe easily doubles)

• ½ cup dark brown sugar
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 12 to 16 slices bacon (center cut works best)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. You will want to line it thoroughly as the baked dark brown sugar can be tough to remove from a baking sheet. Place an ovenproof baking rack or ovenproof cooling rack over the aluminum foil.
Mix together the dark brown sugar and red pepper. Place the mixture on a plate and then dredge each bacon strip through the mixture, gently shaking off the excess. Place each bacon strip on the rack and then place it in the oven and bake for about 20 to 30 minutes or until crisp.
Let the bacon cool before serving.

Sweet Potato Hash with Spring Greens and Fried Eggs

SWEET POTATO HASH WITH SPRING GREENS AND FRIED EGGS

Hash isn’t just for leftovers anymore. This sweet potato hash combines all things sweet and savory with roasted diced sweet potatoes and tender spring greens topped with fried eggs for just a little indulgence.

Serves 8

• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Pinch salt
• Dash pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 red onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
• Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cups coarsely chopped spring greens (Swiss chard, spinach, etc.)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 8 eggs, fried
• Crème fraîche or sour cream, optional

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Toss the diced sweet potatoes with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and then sprinkle with a pinch salt and a dash pepper. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are almost done.
While the sweet potatoes are baking, add a tablespoon of olive oil to a skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until soft and then stir in the garlic, thyme, parsley, and crushed red pepper flakes, and sauté a minute longer. When the sweet potatoes are done, transfer them to the skillet and then add the chopped greens. Sauté just until the greens are nicely wilted and the sweet potatoes are done. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To serve, transfer the sweet potato hash to a serving plate or platter and top with fried eggs and serve with a side of crème fraîche or sour cream.

Raspberry Jam Muffins

RASPBERRY JAM MUFFINS

These slightly sweet muffins are filled with raspberry jam and dipped in melted butter and sugar for a sweet spin on jam and toast. I adore raspberry jam in this recipe, but the muffins are just as delicious with blueberry, blackberry, or strawberry jam. These are the perfect sweet treat to serve at your spring brunch.

Makes 12

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 4 tablespoons melted butter
• ⅓ cup dark brown sugar
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• ¾ cup buttermilk
• ½ cup raspberry jam
• 4 tablespoons melted butter
• ⅓ cup sugar

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, and ground ginger. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter with both sugars until combined. Then whisk in the eggs and continue to whisk for two minutes. Next, whisk in the buttermilk until thoroughly combined.
Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined, but don’t over mix.
Line a 12-cup muffin tin and add a tablespoon or two of batter to each muffin cup. Then dollop ½ to 1 teaspoon of jam into the center of each muffin cup on top of the batter, and then top each muffin cup with batter. Each muffin cup should be about ⅔ full. Place the muffins into the oven and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the muffins are golden brown and done.
Let the muffins cool and then remove them from the muffin tin. Dip the top of each muffin into the 4 tablespoons of melted butter and then dip it into the sugar. Repeat until all the muffins have been dipped. The muffins will stay fresh in a covered container at room temperature for about 3 days.