bacon

Mess of Greens Dip

December 31, 2017 by biz.w.harris@gmail.com 1 Comment

2017 was a bittersweet year for me. I lost my mama, but gained a new little boy. I’m looking forward to New Year’s Day as a way to move forward and look for the good in the world.

New Year’s Day (when there’s no hangover involved) has always one of my favorite days of the year. Everything seems new, full of possibilities, everyone sticks close to home, hanging by a fire, watching football, and eating greens, cornbread, and black eyed peas….it’s basically the perfect day for cold icy weather (which the south is getting in spades tonight).

The thing is, I know that not everybody is crazy about the New year’s Day tradition of eating greens for money and black eyed peas for luck.Maybe you’re the kind of person who loves a warm bowl of chili instead while you watch the game. Well, lucky for you, I AM crazy about it, and always try to find new ways to eat my greens & peas. My aunt passed along a version of this recipe to me last year and after seeing how fast it disappeared at my little get together last year, it’s going to be a STAPLE every time. It’s basically spinach-artichoke dip all southerned-up. Once you’ve tasted it, it’ll be on your table every year, too….

New Year, New Take on an Old Favorite: Greens, Bacon, White Bean Pot Pie

January 8, 2017 by biz.w.harris@gmail.com 1 Comment

I love cold, wintery weather… the more freezing, the more dreary, the better. I’ve loved these days since college in Virginia, when exams always seemed to fall on the snowiest, coldest days of the year and I would find myself sequestered with my favorite people in our house with soup, DVD marathons of The OC or Sex and the City (yep, college was in the early 2000s). Now when the weather is cold & dreary I can’t help but want to cook ALL the comfort food, watch all the crappy TV, and snuggle under a blanket with my loves. Unfortunately, it never, NEVER gets below 40 degrees in South Mississippi. Like, ever. This week, though, we went from having a rainy 75 degree New Year’s Day, to an icy 23 degree Friday. (and next week we’re looking at 7o degree temps again, too). Anyway, this means that I had to seize the moment and make ALL the food. So far, I’ve roasted a chicken, baked cookies, made curried cauliflower & cabbage soup, and baked this PERFECTION of a pot pie. We ate it on the coldest night while the sleet was peppering our wall of windows, and then we snuggled down to watch something Netflix recommended. I hope you’ll do the same since it’s a delcious way to take advantage of the seasonal greens all over grocery stores, and make a homey, yummy supper.

Save Print

Prep time

35 mins

Cook time

35 mins

Total time

1 hour 10 mins

Author: Biz Harris

Serves: 4-5

What You Need

PIE CRUST:
1 Pie Crust
1 Egg
1 Tablespoon Milk
FILLING
2 Tablespoons olive oil
4 slices cooked bacon, diced
4 slices, thick cut ham, diced
1 large onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
2 garlic cloves
Kale, Collard greens, or chard leaves chiffonaded/sliced into strips
2 cans White (Cannellini) beans, drained
SAUCE
3½ Cups chicken or vegetable broth
3½ Tablespoons unsalted butter
3½ Tablespoons all-purpose flour

What to Do

MAKE THE FILLING
Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven, and cook the onions until translucent.
Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Add in the celery, carrots, and garlic and sautee' for about 2-3 minutes
In handfuls, put the greens into the pot and stir until wilted.
Once the greens have been wilted, add in the beans in and the ham and bacon.
Cook and stir for 5 minutes and then scoop into 4-5 small ramekins or 1 large deep round corningware dish
MAKE THE SAUCE
In the same dutch oven, and without worrying about wiping it out, melt the butter.
Once it's entirely melted and bubbly, add in the flour a tablespoon at a time and whisk it in vigorously so that it totally incorporates. Continue until you've used all the flour.
Keep stirring and cooking until it's turned golden in color.
At this point, pour in the stock ½ Cup at time and keep stirring.
Cook on medium heat, stirring continuously until thickened and reduced slightly (about 10 minutes)
ASSEMBLE THE PIES
Pour the sauce evenly over the filling.
Put the pie pastry over the top of each pie and cut slits in the top to let out any additional steam
In a bowl, whisk the egg & milk until entirely combined.
Using a pastry brush, paint the tops of each pie for a gorgeous, golden brown crust (not necessary, but HIGHLY recommended)
Bake at 350 until bubbling and golden brown.
Serve hot.

Cous Cous with Peaches, Sweet Corn and Bacon

September 2, 2016 by biz.w.harris@gmail.com Leave a Comment

This week at the store I had a little freak out. I looked around and noticed that watermelons, peaches, and corn were on sale. BIG time sale. For Labor Day.

Know what that means? Summer is ending, officially. No more seersucker. No more white dresses. No more white shoes (do people even wear white shoes?) I know everyone is getting excited about the advent of pumpkin-spice deodorant and pumpkin-flavored cheeseburgers and what not, (Before you get offended, know that I’m VERY excited about this, too) but still, I can’t help but feel like my toddler when I just told him that no, he can’t eat the entire bag of cheetos by himself (he’s started hanging his head, poking his lip out, and mumbling sadly). I HATE summertime hot weather, but I LOVE summertime produce.

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Honey Roasted Figs, Whisky, & Bacon Ice Cream

July 28, 2016 by biz.w.harris@gmail.com 3 Comments

I told my Instagram friends that this week is Fig Week here at MoG… and today I bring you almost a too-good-to-be-true Fig, whiskey, and bacon ice cream.

Why? Well..

1) Because it’s fig season in Mississippi, duh. How can you NOT take advantage of figs that you can pluck from neighbors’ trees or buy at produce stands and farmer’s markets all over the place? The season feels so short, and so special.

2) When my mama was going through chemo last summer and no food would stay down, I found some figs (her favorite) at one of aforementioned produce stands. They were one of two things I remember her wanting to eat during that hard time. Fig season will always, always always remind me of how strong my cancer-surviving mama really is. I decided that figs will now forever represent mama’s tenacity and strength.

3) At a 2 year old birthday party last weekend (we’ve been going to one of these fun, adorable events every weekend this summer… apparently all of Dub’s buds got born in June & July. :)) a pretty mama asked me if I had a fig ice cream recipe. I didn’t…but at that moment I knew I wanted one real bad. so bad in fact, that I posted a facebook plea to help me find more figs.

4) Thanks to said Facebook plea, I now know where all the figs in Jones county are. All of them.

5) Lastly, um, Because figs, whiskey and bacon. Really. Did I really need to explain all those other things to get to this one?

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If the Gods ate Pizza, this was it. Fig, Honey, Basil, Bacon Balsamic Heaven

July 26, 2016 by biz.w.harris@gmail.com 2 Comments

So I don’t know about where ya’ll are from, but down here in South Mississippi Figs are in their prime. Honestly, because their season is so short and because everyone I know has to contend with the birds for the pleasure of eating them, I treasure them.

I’ve been buying them at every farm stand I can, and since my aunts, cousins, and neighbors know my mama and I love them so much, they’ve been bringing them by if they have extra to share. Isn’t that some of the most fun of growing/finding/making your own food? Sharing it??

I’ve been disappointed my tomatoes haven’t produced as much as I’d expected since once of my greatest joys over the past few summers has been doling them out to friends and leaving extras on neighbors doorsteps… next year, we’ll be back in business.

This pizza was so good I made it TWICE in a day. Once as a sweeter breakfast pizza and then later as a more savory appetizer for some of my mama’s old friends who were coming over. I mean, what says “you’re special to us and we are so glad to see you” more than figs, honey, balsamic vinegar, fresh basil, and bacon?

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The easiest Pizza Dough alive, plus a rad chantrelle/bacon topping

July 19, 2016 by biz.w.harris@gmail.com Leave a Comment

Ok lovelies, its time for me to share a secret with you.

I have the easiest, fastest, most delicious pizza dough recipe and I’ve been keeping it from you. I know. It’s terrible and mean and horrible that I haven’t already shared this because it’s so darn amazing. And to top it off, I made pizza this weekend with fresh chantrelle mushrooms, bacon, ricotta cheese and arugula. Do you hate me?

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Bacon & Corn Pie

July 14, 2016 by biz.w.harris@gmail.com Leave a Comment

I was flipping through a cookbook the other day and found a recipe for a sweet corn pie (as a dessert.) I wasn’t really feelin that, BUT it struck me that a savory (sweet) corn pie wouldn’t be a bad way to leverage all this gorgeous summer’s bounty that I picked up at a farmer’s market the other day.

THEN, like it was fate or something, my cousins went flea market shopping with me and found me a copy of their favorite-of-all-time quiche and souffle cookbook… it recommended bacon and corn as one of those flavor combos that once you’ve had you just can’t stop thinking about, so, I went with it. And y’all, it is just simply GOOD. This is the PERFECT side for a big pile of fresh summer tomatoes, or skirt steak, or even a tomato sandwich. Considering how hot kitchens get in the summer, and how little I want to cook on the evenings when we’ve all been out swimming at the neighbors or drinking beers on the deck, this easy, pretty speedy, can-be-made-in-advance recipe is basically my Godsend. Plus it’s just the right about of sweet, savory, and creamy to make you want to eat the whole thing by yourself with a fork (this almost happened, but i stopped with 2 slices left in the pie plate. eek).

Cook it in a rectangular or square dish and cut into squares and serve as an appetizer if you’re feeling fancy.

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Comfort Hash

July 12, 2016 by biz.w.harris@gmail.com Leave a Comment

After our vacation I should probably be sticking close to home, focusing on getting our house built, and only eating salads and juicing since none of my clothes fit anymore, but instead, I want to eat comforting foods and I want to share kindness and care with everyone I see because sometimes, we all need comfort food.

Sometimes the world goes sideways and upside down. I know it has this week. People I love and care about are afraid and anxious and worried about the future, and it is made worse because they’ve been terrified and nervous for almost as long as lots of them can remember.

My faith tells me that those who mourn will be comforted and those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness will receive heaven but damn, y’all. Damn.

Thankfully, I’m reminded by people all around me that we still have hope. We still have hope…and we can still reach out to those in need of comfort and care from wherever we are.

If there are people in your life who could use some good comfort food, add this Portland brunch hash that I recreated and amended to your list of things to eat and share with people you love, along with your hugs and words of comfort. And pray. Pray a lot.

Bacon sauteed Cauliflower and Potato Harissa Hash

Save Print

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

40 mins

Author: Biz Harris

Cuisine: Brunch

Serves: 2-4

What You Need

1 Tablespoon Bacon grease (or vegetable oil/olive oil to make it vegetarian)
¾ Head of Cauliflower, cut into small pieces
6-8 small red potatoes, cut into fourths
1½ cloves of garlic, minced
1½ Tablespoons Harissa powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
salt and white pepper to taste
¼ Cup feta cheese
2-4 eggs or tofu (cooked however you like! I recommend sunny-side-up or scrambled)
6 slices of crispy cooked bacon
6-8 stems roughly chopped parsley

What to Do

Boil the potatoes until you can put a fork in them easily.
Toss the cauliflower and the potatoes in the harissa turmeric, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
In a skillet, heat the bacon grease and sautee' the garlic. Once it's softened, add in the potatoes and cauliflower and sautee' until the cauliflower and potatoes are starting to turn brown. Turn the oven on broil at 400 degrees and finish browning the vegetables for about 5-10 minutes.
While the vegetables are in the oven, fry or scramble your eggs.
Once the cauliflower and potatoes are finished, add in the parsley, bacon, and feta cheese, add the egg on top, and serve.

Bacon-Dijon Brussel Sprout Slaw with Cornbread Croutons

February 25, 2016 by biz.w.harris@gmail.com 1 Comment

I refuse to be ashamed. I made this absolutely delicious slaw-salad ONLY for myself for lunch this week. I didn’t share it, I didn’t even offer to make it for my honey or my folks. I just whipped it up and ate it. In my defense (but, I’m not ashamed…) no one else was even home for lunch this day, and even if they HAD been, there were only a couple of brussels sprouts left over from supper the night before. But it was so good…maybe I should have made it for the anyway. ugh. I guess I am a little shamed. At least I can share this crazy fast, easy-peasy recipe with y’all and YOU can make it for whoever happens to be home for lunch.

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Mess of Greens Soup

December 21, 2014 by biz.w.harris@gmail.com Leave a Comment

So, here you have it… literally a recipe for a “mess of greens.” It’s about time, right?

You may have tried some of my other New Year’s Day recipes (see pickled peas, black eyed pea hummus or lucky soup) but unlike all of those recipes that focus on black eyed peas, greens play a starring role in this year’s dish to bring us all luck and money in 2015. I was lucky enough to have a friend bring me a gallon bag of mustard and turnip greens from her winter garden yesterday, PLUS a gallon bag of shelled pecans (y’all. aren’t I so lucky?!?) and I’d had some pretty delish turnip green soup at Turnrow books a couple of weeks back, so it seemed like a no-brainer. My dish is pretty standard compared to the other ones you find on the interweb, except I gave my broth a spicy kick with some red pepper flakes, and use bacon AND ham (why choose just one?). Hope you enjoy!

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