Bacon Jam

(If the idea of Bacon Jam disgusts you, GO AWAY NOW. And never come back.)
Ok Guys.
I haven’t really posted in a while, probably because nothing to momentous has occurred of late.
UNTIL TODAY.
Today, I made Bacon Jam.
Bacon Jam.
Bacon. Jam.

What is Bacon Jam?
It’s Jam. Made of bacon.
Can you even FATHOM IT?
I couldn’t, when I saw the recipe on Pinterest. It freaked me out. I had to make it. But I hesitated, because what if it was a waste of 1 1/2 pounds of bacon!?
IT WAS NOT.
It started out looking like this.

Then like this:


Then THIS!


And ended up tasting like this:

What the heck. I’ll share the recipe. It came from Martha Stewart, because she is an evil crafting witch.

BACON JAM

• 1 1/2 pounds sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
• 2 medium yellow onions, diced small
• 3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 3/4 cup brewed coffee (We are non-coffee-drinkers so I used Pero)

~ Other things I added:

• 3 Tablespoons chopped pickled jalapenos
• 1 Tablespoon Molasses (I did this because I only had light brown sugar and fake maple syrup) Next time I might even add more…

HOW TO MAKE:

1. STEP 1

   In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon is lightly browned, about 20 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet (reserve for another use); add onions and garlic, and cook until onions are translucent, about 6 minutes. Add vinegar, brown sugar, maple syrup, and coffee and bring to a boil, stirring and scraping up browned bits from skillet with a wooden spoon, about 2 minutes. Add bacon and stir to combine.

2. STEP 2

   Transfer mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker and cook on high, uncovered, until liquid is syrupy, 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Transfer to a food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped (I just used my immersion blender) Let cool, then refrigerate in airtight containers, up to 4 weeks.
   

It was surprisingly easy to make! The jalapenos were great in it and I recommend them, but you don’t have to do it. I am obsessed with those things though. There is always a jar in my fridge. Always.

This post is dedicated to Kathy Lee Gifford.

September is the best month by FAR

Seriously though, I dare you to disagree.
Summer in Seattle is AMAZING but,
Right at the beginning of Fall is TOO GOOD.
We started it off with a bang by getting passes to the Pacific Science Center. Micah had a week off and we partied like animals.
I mean, Dinosaurs.



Pippa loved this car thing, out of everything else in the Museum.

We then went down to Portland and the Oregon Coast. Even though it was raining while we were there, we were nice and warm in our Yurt. What is a Yurt, you ask? Um, go google it.
All I will tell you is that they are AWESOME and I want to sleep in one again!


You know what else is awesome? THE OREGON COAST. Like, as in it deserves the word “awesome” awesome.
The biggest, most amazing beach I have ever been on. And I’ve been on a few beaches.


Look how it goes out FOREVER. It’s like being in heaven.

We got so wet but it didn’t matter.

My sand sculpture.

We stopped by Cannon Beach to check out Haystack Rock. This picture hardly captures the wonder of it.


We then went down to Portland, where the food is plentiful and the weirdness abounds!


Also, a Rose test garden.




On our way back to Seattle we visited Mount St. Helens! If you see pictures of it before 1980, it is amazing to see it with half of it just blown off! Very very neat.