Cook with the crew

Spicy Bacon Crackers

This is a highly addictive appetizer that we first saw on the Ninjacue Facebook page. If you're like us, you're targeted with LOTS of this kind of stuff (delicious looking food made by people who make it look easy lol), but maybe you save their reels and have every intention of making the dish, but don't quite ever get around to it. DON'T MAKE THAT MISTAKE WITH THESE! Just make them - you'll be happy you did! 
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Appetizer

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Cookie sheet
  • Cooling rack

Ingredients
  

  • Club crackers we used Flips - cracker on one side, pretzel on the other
  • Thick cut bacon cut into cracker-sized pieces
  • Brown sugar
  • Cracked black pepper
  • Fresh jalapeño(s) thinly sliced

Instructions
 

Step 1

    Lay out crackers onto a cooking rack with a baking sheet underneath (parchment t paper or foil lining the sheet underneath will make clean up even easier)

      Step 2

        Place 1 piece of bacon onto each cracker

          Step 3

            Sprinkle brown sugar onto each piece of bacon

              Step 4

                Add freshly cracked black pepper to each piece of bacon

                  Step 5

                    Add one thinly sliced jalapeño to the center of each piece of bacon

                      Step 6

                        Add a little more brown sugar to the top

                          Step 7

                            Bake at 350°F (~180°C) for 30 minutes or until bacon is cooked through. This can also be done in your smoker.

                              See the original blog post by Jordan Hangar here: https://theninjacue.com/candied-bacon-crackers/#tasty-recipes-896-jump-target

                                Fresh Lime Cocktail

                                After we end a lovely day of sailing and are on the hook, on a mooring ball, or are docked in a marina, we thirst for a well earned cocktail here on American Honey. Most of us love a sweet and sour quencher and we realize that sometimes the alcohol we used varies by we have on hand. The good news? You can make a snappy cocktail with very few ingredients in no time at all. Remember this ratio: 2 oz alcohol, 0.5 oz simple syrup (or other sweetener), and 0.5 oz lime juice or other citrus (fresh squeezed is best IMHO, but use what you have!). Shake with ice and strain into whatever cocktail glass you have on hand. Be careful - these go down WAY too easy! 
                                Print Recipe
                                Course Drinks

                                Equipment

                                Ingredients
                                  

                                • 0.5 ounce Simple sugar 
                                • 0.5 ounce Lime juice
                                • 2 ounce Clear alcohol of choice  We love Hope Town Lime vodka, Aviation gin, or Bacardi Silver

                                Instructions
                                 

                                Step 1

                                  Fill your cocktail shaker about halfway with ice

                                    Step 2

                                      Add alcohol of choice, juice, and simple sugar to the shaker

                                        Step 3

                                          Shake for about 30 seconds or until you achieve the chill of your choice

                                            Step 4

                                              Strain into cocktail glass and garnish (or don't!) with a thin lime wedge

                                                Step 5

                                                  Enjoy your tarte, refreshing, delicious vodka gimlet, traditional gimlet, or lime daiquari - cheers!

                                                    Crab Bisque

                                                    While waiting for Tropical Storm Ophelia, we used some crab we had left over from Mike's Crab House in Annapolis to make a delicious Crab Bisque! 
                                                    Print Recipe
                                                    Course Main Course

                                                    Ingredients
                                                      

                                                    • 3 tbsp Butter
                                                    • 3 tbsp. butter
                                                    • 1 medium onion finely chopped
                                                    • 2 stalks celery finely chopped
                                                    • Kosher salt
                                                    • Freshly ground black pepper
                                                    • 1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
                                                    • 2 cloves garlic minced
                                                    • 2 tbsp. tomato paste
                                                    • 3 tbsp. flour
                                                    • 4 c. fish stock or low-sodium vegetable broth - we used vegetable broth infused with some of the small crab legs we had to make it crabbier
                                                    • 1 c. dry white wine we used a nice Pinot Grigio and toasted with the remainder of the bottle
                                                    • 1 bay leaf
                                                    • 1/2 c. heavy cream
                                                    • 1 lb. lump crab meat

                                                    Instructions
                                                     

                                                    Step 1

                                                      In a large, heavy pot over medium heat, heat butter. Add onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and Old Bay, then stir in garlic and tomato paste. Cook until garlic is fragrant and tomato paste coats vegetables, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle over flour and cook until absorbed, 1 minute more.

                                                        Step 2

                                                          Pour in seafood stock and wine (don’t forget the wine - we almost did!), then stir in bay leaf. Reduce heat and let simmer until liquid is reduced and flavors meld, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.

                                                            Step 3

                                                              Remove bay leaf and puree soup with an immersion blender on high until very smooth. Return to medium low heat and stir in heavy cream and half of the crab meat. Cook until just warmed through, about 5 minutes.

                                                                Step 4

                                                                  Divide among bowls and garnish with remaining crab meat and parsley before serving.

                                                                    Blackberry Balsamic Peach and Blackberry Hand Pies

                                                                    Print Recipe
                                                                    Course Dessert

                                                                    Ingredients
                                                                      

                                                                    3 peaches, diced

                                                                    1 pint of blackberries, in half

                                                                    Pre-made or store bought pie dough

                                                                    2–3 tablespoons Spiceology Blackberry Balsamic blend

                                                                    1/4 cup white sugar

                                                                    Egg for egg wash

                                                                    Instructions
                                                                     

                                                                    Step 1

                                                                      Add peaches and blackberries into a bowl and mix in Blackberry Balsamic blend and white sugar, let stand for 15-20 mins.

                                                                        Step 2

                                                                          Roll out dough until desired thickness, and cut circles into dough, whatever size you want your hand pies to be.

                                                                            Step 3

                                                                              Preheat oven to 400°F

                                                                                Step 4

                                                                                  Fill hand pies with fruit, fold over one side – starting from the middle – and working down one side and then the other. Crimp edges with your fingers as you go, seal with a fork and pierce the tops to let steam out during baking. Refrigerate for 20 mins before baking.

                                                                                    Step 5

                                                                                      Brush tops with egg wash and more of the Blackberry Balsamic blend, bake for 20-25 mins, until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and cool.

                                                                                        Step 6

                                                                                        • Enjoy while still warm and with ice cream!