Father’s Day is this weekend, and I thought you all may need a last minute gift idea for the dad in your life. Here you go: Bacon Infused Vodka. You’re welcome. Maybe.

Bacon Infused Vodka

Recipe adapted from Instructables.com.

Supplies Needed:

- 1 bottle of vodka

- 1 package of bacon

- Large glass jar

- Mesh strainer

- Cheesecloth and/or coffee filters

Directions:

1. Cut the bacon into equal sized pieces (I chose 1 – 2 inch sizes).

2. Cook up your bacon in a frying pan, until nice and crispy.

3. Dump ALL of the bacon and grease into the jar. All of it. That’s your bacon flavor.

4. Pour the whole bottle of vodka over the bacon in the jar.

5. That should cool down the bacon, but if it’s still a bit too hot let the jar cool for a few minutes.

6. When the jar feels roomish temperature, pop it into the freezer for at LEAST 4 hours. Yup. If it can sit in there longer (overnight or a couple days), that’s better.

7. Pull the jar out of the freezer. Use a spoon to scoop out all the fat that floated up to the top.

8. Place the mesh strainer over another bowl/jar and slowly strain out the bacon. You can keep this bacon for later. WARNING: It tastes like bacon soaked in vodka. Ha!

9. You’ll notice there are still little fat globules floating around in the liquid, use the cheese cloth to strain that out a few times.

10. After you got most of the larger fat pieces out, pour the liquid through a coffee filter multiple times. You’re looking for a liquid you can see through. It will probably be a bit yellow (cause bacon).

11. Optional: Put the vodka BACK in the freezer overnight, strain in a coffee filter again.

12. Store in your freezer and enjoy! You’ll notice after time that some more fat will still settle at the bottom of your jar. If that bothers you, just run it though another filter and store in a different jar.

This stuff tastes like bacon vodka. Yeah, that’s right. I mean: it really tastes like bacon and vodka. What I’m trying to say: if you try this out, you really need to like bacon and vodka. OOooooor, just use this in your weekend Bloody Mary. Bacon. Vodka.

- Chelsey

Local Love: Screen Door

I’ve mentioned having dinner at Screen Door in the past, and how amazing/awesome their fried chicken is! I have a BIT of a fried chicken addiction, so this year on Mother’s Day… my family treated me to the one thing I wanted for my special day: awesome fried chicken. This is pretty much one of the best spots to get some fried chicken in the PNW, even in the AM.

The thing with Screen Door is there’s ALWAYS a wait. Not some short 20 – 30 minute wait…. this is a maybe 2 hours or more thing. People line up around the block each morning before it opens, hoping to get one of the first tables. They open at 9 and we arrived at 7:45 am (I’m pretty serious about my fried chicken) and we were still third in line. Ha! As the time rolled on to opening, the line had wrapped around the block.

Honestly, the wait wasn’t terrible at all and was fun (maybe we need to get out more). We had our coffee and the kiddo just twirled around in her dress eating the snacks we brought.

I will ALWAYS wait for an hour (or more) to eat that fried chicken. It was worth it. I had the fried chicken and waffles, and husband had the biscuits and gravy with fried chicken. Kiddo pretty much only ate a biscuit. She’s 3 and I guess she doesn’t get the fantasticness of fried chicken. Someday.

Next time you’re in Portland, plan out a trip to Screen Door. It’s worth it. Unless you’re vegan, then not so worth it.

- Chelsey

If an infomercial pops up on tv…. most likely I will watch it. I don’t know what it is, it’s like I have to. There’s some magical hold in those awkward/super long commercials, all in front of a “live audience”. This is where I first spied a food dehydrator. I don’t ever buy from these infomercials, but they had this guy for sale on Amazon. SO I bought it.

Dehydrating has been wonderful! Apple chips? Pineapple bites? Banana chips? Yeah. I got that. I currently have the Ronco Dehydrator. It gets the job done. That’s for sure. Buuuuut, I can’t help but wonder about those fancy dehydrators. Are they faster? Do the dehydrate all the things better? Hmmmm… I’ve been eyeing this spendy Nesco dehydrator. Shhh, don’t tell the hubs.

BUT, really: I don’t see any need to change dehydrators until Mr. Ronco craps out. So far, with non stop use since December (I’m talking…. working almost everyday since Christmas) it’s still going strong. SO: we are happy. Hopefully me typing this doesn’t jinx something and the trays all crack overnight. Ha! I doubt it. I’d really like to get a fruit roll up tray. What I REALLy love about this: these fruity treats have no added sugar. In the grocery store I’ve noticed a lot of dried fruit has added sugar. Our fruit has been so sweet as it is, I don’t see the need for more sweetness.

The kiddo eats banana chips non stop. It’s like her healthy crack……… What? She loves them. We were out of them for 3 days and she acted like the world was ending. The dried pineapple pieces are pretty sweet and is perfect to replace dessert.

One of her FAVORITE ways to eat the banana chips: with a bit of peanut butter in the middle. I call them Peanut Butter Banana Bites. A special little snack for my kiddo.

Do you have a dehydrator?

- Chelsey

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

If you have a Wednesday post, please feel free to link it up below. And, feel free to link up to these blogs too… Parenting by Dummies, Project Alicia, Jenni from the Blog, In The Moment With, and Live and Love Outloud.

I realized, AFTER I shared my Apple Pie Butter recipe, that I never shared how to actually do the Water Bath Canning Method. I am, by no means, an expert… but I’ve researched a ton and referenced a couple of reliable websites (at the end) for this post (plus my random tips). Water bath canning is the most simple method for preserving high acid – foods (I haven’t even attempted pressure canning… it’s a bit intimidating). BUT, I’ve had a ton of fun working with the water method. I’m sharing how you can do it! Check it out:

Tools you may need:

If you’re completely new to canning, I recommend buying this kit. Saves money buying it all together. BUT, if you already have some of the tools… here’s a list:

- A boiling water canner (or a large pot with a lid) with a canning rack

- Canning funnel

- Jar lifter

- Magnetic lid lifter

- Canning bands and lids

- Canning jars (if you use old jars, make sure they were meant for canning and have zero chips or nicks)

- Wooden spoons

- Ladel

How-to:

- Gather your recipe ingredients and all info (including how many jars you will need).

- Wash jars in the dish washer, or warm soapy water. Check your jars for any nicks and chips, and don’t use those jars if you find them (the jar may not properly seal).

- Fill your boiling water canner with water and place your jars in. The water should be about 2 inches above the jars. Heat the jars to a simmer at medium heat, until ready to use.

- Place your lids in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring the lids to a simmer over medium heat. Do not boil the lids, this may damage the seal. Keep your jars hot until ready to use (this will prevent breakage when filling).

- Prepare your recipe using fresh veggies or fruit.

- Remove a hot jar from the pot, using the jar lifter, and dumping the water back into the canner.

- Filling one can at a time, use the jar funnel to fill the jar. Make sure to leave the recipe’s recommended head space (if not specified 1/4 inch for soft spread, or 1/4 inch for fruits, pickles, salsa, and tomatoes).

- Remove air bubbles by gently tapping the base of the jar on a hard surface, and/or run a rubber spatula or the handle of a wooden spoon along the edge of the jar 2 to 3 times.

- Use a clean damp cloth to remove any food debris from the rim and threads on the jar.

- Remove one lid from the heated water using the magnetic wand.

- Center the lid on the jar (allowing the sealing compound to come in contact with the jar rim). Apply the band and twist till fingertip tight (don’t make it too tight).

- Place your filled jars into the canner. Make sure the water covers the jars by 1 to 2 inches (if you’ve lost water during the process, add some warm water from the heated lids pan).

- Place the lid on the canner. Bring the jars back to a rolling boil: that’s when you start your processing time.

- Process the jars for what your recipe, adjusting for altitude (here’s an altitude chart).

- When your processing time is up, turn off the heat and let the jars sit in the water for 5 minutes.

- Remove the jars from the canner and place on a towel. Let the jars cool, undisturbed, for 24 hours. Don’t tighten the bands, because that will mess with the sealing process!

- After 24 hours, check the lids for proper seal. Push the center of the lid. The lid should NOT pop up and down. Remove the band and try to gently lift the jar with your fingertips on the lid, the lid should not come off. If the lid comes off, place it in the refrigerator and eat it within a week or so.

- Clean, store, and label your jars in a cool dark space (label with the month and year). Your preserved goods can be saved for a year (give or take).

- Enjoy!

I hope this helps you! I need to thank the Ball website for help with this post. Visit their water bath canning page to see visuals for this process. The Dummies website also has quick straight-forward instructions for this method. Sooooo, I’m in a preservation club. We gather once a month to swap the goodies we’ve made (I mean… I really don’t need 8 jars of pickled carrots). There IS actually a food swap website to share some info for you to start your own food swap club! Check it out.

I hope this helps! Let me know if you’ve tired canning… or if you will be trying it for your very first time. Happy Tuesday!

- Chelsey