BACON WRAPPED BOURBON FIGS and BACON BOURBON APPLE PIE

Bacon and Bourbon is always a winning combination, sweet or savory!

BACON WRAPPED BOURBON FIGS

16 fresh figs
1/4 cup bourbon
1/2 cup water
1 wedge of Gorgonzola cheese, cut into pieces
24 pecan halves, toasted
8 bacon slices, cooked and cut in half

Combine figs, bourbon and water in a medium saucepan. Cook, covered, over low heat about 8 minutes, or until figs are softened. Remove from heat, cool slightly. Drain figs, gently pat dry with paper towels.
Heat oven to 350F.
Cut figs in half lengthwise. Place 1 cheese piece and 1 pecan half on cut side of each fig half. Wrap one bacon piece around each fig and secure with a wooden pick. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until bacon is crisp and browned.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living, December 2012
www.southernliving.com/food/‎

BACON BOURBON APPLE PIE

1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup flour
6 tablespoons butter, divided
5 slices cooked bacon, chopped
1 pie crust
6 cups sliced, peeled apples
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons bourbon
1 teaspoon vanilla

Heat oven to 400F.
Mix brown sugar, cinnamon and 1/2 cup flour in medium bowl. Cut in 4 tablespoons of butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in bacon.
Place crust in a 9-inch pie plate. Place apples in large bowl. Add sugar, remaining flour, bourbon and vanilla, mix lightly. Spoon into crust. Cut remaining butter into small pieces, place evenly over apples. Cover with crumb topping. Place on a baking sheet.
Bake for 30 minutes or until apples are tender.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Food and Family, Fall 2013
www.kraftrecipes.com/foodfamilyarchive/foodandfamilyarchivelanding....‎

BLUE HAWAIIAN COCKTAIL and CRAB SALAD IN ENDIVE LEAVES

During the last gasp of warm weather, a friend hosted her daughters birthday party at the pool in our back yard. When she told me the theme was a Hawaiian Fiesta, I immediately started thinking all things Mexican - pulled out my South of the Border decorations, whipped up some guacamole and planned to set out salsa and chips in my finest Mexican bowls (actually, they weren't really mine, I borrowed them from a friend who had lugged them back from her several trips down south).
It finally dawned on me the night before the party, that it was a Hawaiian theme, perhaps all the talk of pineapples and leis and "Island Paradise in the Pacific" clued me in.
Although I frantically scrabbled for Hawaiian themed recipes, I wasn't able to reverse my careful planning for the Fiesta, even knowing spam is very popular in the Aloha State, I wasn't willing to open a can on my table, the pineapple pieces on the pizzas would have to fill the lack of any other Hawaiian food.
After having the time to investigate Hawaiian cuisine further, I would have made this Blue Hawaiian Cocktail and Crab Salad, to serve to the adults, almost as good as chips and salsa.

BLUE HAWAIIAN COCKTAIL

1 ounce light rum
1 ounce blue Curacao liqueur
2 ounces pineapple juice
1 ounce cream of coconut (I used light coconut milk)
1 cup ice

Combine rum, blue Curacao, pineapple juice, cream of coconut, and ice in a blender. Pulse on high speed until smooth. Pour into glass. Garnish with a slice of pineapple and a marascino cherry if desired (or a cheap paper umbrella!)
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Allrecipes.com
allrecipes.com/recipe/blue-hawaiian-cocktail/‎

CRAB SALAD IN ENDIVE LEAVES

4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
24 ounces crabmeat, drained
2 to 3 heads of Belgian endive, trimmed, separated into spears
chopped fresh chives for garnish

Whisk the vinegar, mustard, oregano, salt and pepper in a large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in the oil. Add the crabmeat and toss gently to coat.
Arrange the endive spears on a platter. Spoon the crabmeat onto the endive spears. Sprinkle with chives and an extra sprinkle of ground pepper and serve.
Enjoy! I would love for you to share recipedoodle with your friends and family!

Recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentiis
www.foodnetwork.com › Recipes › Seafood‎