THE NIBBLE BLOG: Products, Recipes & Trends In Specialty Foods


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Johnsonville Sausage Strips Uses: A Replacement For Bacon 


[1] Start the day with scrambled egg quesadillas with Johnsonville Sausage Strips (all photos © Johnsonville).


[2] However you like your morning eggs—or pancakes, for that matter—serve them with Sausage Strips.


[3] Lunchtime: How about grilled cheese and tomato with Sausage Strips? You can also add the Strips to egg salad, ham, turkey and other sandwiches.


[4] Pimp your cheeseburger with Sausage Strips.


[5] Sausage Strips are naturals with salads, from a Caesar salad or spinach salad to this Mexican “Cobb” Salad (recipe at right).


[6] How about an SLT, the Sausage Strip version of a BLT? Add avocado slices or guacamole for a SLAT.


[7] Need a snack? Make about nachos with diced or crumbled Sausage Strips. BYOB.


[8] Johnsonville Sausage Strips are available in four varieties.

 

Here’s a great idea: sausage strips shaped like bacon, that are much more versatile than whole or sliced sausage links. Such are the innovative new Johnsonville Sausage Strips, made from product made from delicious, high-quality sausage that is fully cooked, crisps in a minute or two in the microwave, and add protein, however you serve it.

For breakfast, lunch or dinner, these Sausage Strips can be used whole, crumbled, chopped or minced:

There are four different flavor profiles:

  • Original
  • Chorizo
  • Maple Flavored
  • Spicy
  •  
    We’ve been using the Sausage Strips to replace bacon. It’s a different flavor, of course; but since the Strips are already cooked, they just need to be heated for 1-2 minutes in the microwave—or in a stove top pan if you prefer.

    A bonus: There’s no bacon grease spatter or a greasy pan to clean.

    There’s also less shrinkage than with bacon.

    Find a store locator here.

    And take a look at these yummy ways to use Johnsonville Sausage Strips for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.
     
     
    20 WAYS TO USE JOHNSONVILLE SAUSAGE STRIPS

    > BREAKFAST

  • Biscuit Sandwiches. Eggs any stile with Sausage Strips.
  • Breakfast Quesadilla. Add another layer of flavor.
  • Sausage & Eggs. No need to fry bacon and clean the bacon grease.
  •  
     
    > LUNCH

  • BBQ Pulled Pork & Sausage Sandwich (Or Platter). Add another layer of flavor to this favorite.
  • Burger. Try sausage cheeseburger instead of a bacon cheeseburger.
  • Salad: For a Crispy Chicken & Sausage Salad, use diced chicken and sliced Sausage Strips. Add to a spinach salad. Or create a new version of the Caesar Salad. And try the Tex-Mex “Cobb” Salad (recipe below).
  • Hot Dog. Double the flavor by sliding a Sausage Strip in the roll with a hot dog or brat.
  • Sandwiches. Add to any sandwich. How about a BST instead of a BLT? And a sausage strip grilled cheese?
  •  
     
    > COCKTAILS & SNACKS

  • Bloody Mary. Add a Sausage Strip garnish to the celery stalk.
  • Cheese Plate. Add some Sausage Strips to the cheeses, fruits, nuts and breads.
  • Crostini. Toast slices of baguette or other bread, and top with a spreadable cheese (how about pimento cheese?) and Sausage Strip slices.
  • Jalapeño Poppers. Wrap poppers in Sausage Strips (great with beer).
  • Nachos. Garnish with crumbled Sausage Strips.
  • Popcorn. Cut slices and toss with popcorn. You can add grated parmesan cheese, too.
  •  
     
    > DINNER

  • Mac & Cheese. Top with sliced or crumbled Sausage Strips.
  • Pasta. With red sauce, white sauce or olive oil, add sliced or crumbled Sausage Strips.
  • Sausage Gravy. Stir diced or crumbled Sausage Strips into white gravy.
  • Skewers. Add Sausage Strips to any combination of proteins and vegetables. How about a surf and turf of scallops or shrimp wrapped in Sausage Strips? How about potato tots wrapped in them?
  • Surf & Turf. Add a Strip to grilled fish or shellfish.
  • Turf & Turf. Add a Strip to grilled or roasted meat and poultry.
  •  
     
    > DESSERT?

    We haven’t tried dipping sausage strips in chocolate, as confectioners have done with bacon and called “pig candy.” Nor have we used such confections to top ice cream.

    But there’s no harm in trying!

     
    RECIPE #1: TEX-MEX “COBB” SALAD

    While not a Cobb Salad per se, this salad is arranged with the ingredients grouped together, as in a classic Cobb.

    Ingredients

  • Romaine or lettuce of choice
  • Tomato, diced
  • Avocado, sliced
  • Corn kernels
  • Sausage Strips, sliced
  • Onion/scallion of choice, sliced
  • Optional: sliced bell pepper, jalapeño
  • Garnish: cilantro, tortilla strips
  • Dressing of choice: blue cheese, ranch or the lime vinaigrette recipe below
  •  
    Preparation

    1. MAKE the dressing.

    2. TEAR the lettuce into bite-size pieces.

    3. DICE the tomato and slice the avocado, onion, Sausage Strips and optional ingredients.

    4. WASH the cilantro, remove the stems and pat dry the leaves. Set aside.

     
    WHAT TO DO WITH CILANTRO STEMS

    Cilantro stems have just as much flavor as the leaves, but are too chewy to use as is.

    Instead, you can:

  • Chop them, and then add them to the salad or use as a garnish.
  • Toss them into marinades.
  • Pickle them for a sandwich condiment.
  • Purée the stems for use in hummus, pesto, salsa, etc.
  •  
    Here’s a recipe for a green sauce made with cilantro stems.

     
    RECIPE #2: LIME VINAIGRETTE DRESSING

    The lime juice in this recipe replaces vinegar, and has a distinctly Mexican flavor.

    The recipe also has honey, which our Mom preferred. We, instead, leave it out to cut down on our daily sugar intake.

    If you wish to do the same, you can add a pinch of sugar or a drop of honey.

    And if you like heat in your food, you can add red chile flakes instead of the black pepper.

    Ingredients

  • ¼ cup fresh lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • 1 clove garlic, finely minced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste (or chile flakes)
  •  
    Preparation

    1. COMBINE all ingredients in a blender and emulsify. Alternatively, whisk together the first five ingredients. Then add the olive oil, whisking continuously. Set aside.

    2. WHISK as needed to emulsify before serving.

     

      

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    Glenmorangie Original 10-Year-Old Scotch & Giraffe Gift Tin

    Glenmorangie’s stills are the tallest in Scotland—as tall as an adult giraffe!

    Such tall stills create more space for taste and aroma to imbue the spirit.

    The “giraffe-tall” stills are why they company has chosen to support Africa’s giraffes.

    The iconic species needs help to conserve dwindling numbers for the next generation

    Each purchase of Glenmorangie’s Original Gift Tin will support the Giraffe Conservation Foundation. It’s a gift with a bonus give-back to make the recipient feel even better.

    Not to mention the beautiful “keeper” tin, with cut-outs patterned after giraffes.

    It’s a beautiful gift, for $39.99.

    Buy it here.

    And if you don’t want Scotch but do want to help the giraffes, head here.
     
     
    ABOUT GLENMORANGIE ORIGINAL

    First released more than 175 years ago, Glenmorangie Original 10 Year Old has long been known for its mellow tones and delicacy of flavor.

    The Giraffe Gift Tin, a special packaging, includes a 750ml bottle of Glenmorangie Original 10-Year-Old Scotch.

    The metal is laser cut with a pattern of giraffe patches (spots).

    The Bourbon Cask Matured Highland Single Malt Scotch Whiskey is the original expression of the distillery’s elegant, floral spirit.

    The casks are American white oak and have been (as the name indicates) previously used in Kentucky to age Bourbon. Bourbon cask aging adds notes of citrus (orange), honey, vanilla and a burst of peach sweetness.

    Enjoy it:

  • Straight.
  • On the rocks.
  • With a splash of water.
  • With a splash of ginger ale.
  • With club soda.
  •  
     
    > Here’s more about Glenmorangie, including a broad selection of expressions.

    > The different types of whiskey.

    > The difference between “whiskey” and “whiskey.”

     


    [1] Glenmorangie Original 10 Year Old Scotch in a keepsake giraffe tin (all photos © Glenmorangie).


    [2] The beautiful giraffe, which ranges from 15 to 18+ feet in height.


    [3] Glenmorangie pot stills: at 16 feet and 10 inches, they’re as tall as giraffes.

     

      

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    Ice Cream Donut Recipes For National Donut Day

    Ice Cream Donuts
    [1] A vanilla ice cream donut with a pink “magic shell” and sprinkles (photos #1 and #2 © Hannah Kaminsky | Bittersweet Blog).

    Ice Cream Donuts
    [2] A cinnamon crumb coating made from waffle cones and cinnamon. Great with an iced coffee!


    [3] A traditional take on an ice cream sandwich: Apple cider donuts with apple cider ice cream (photo © Tillamook Dairy).

    Donut Ice Cream Sandwich
    [4] This ice cream sandwich uses glazed donuts. Here’s the recipe (photo © Paper & Stitch).


    [5] Take the next step: Top a donut ice cream sandwich with chocolate sauce to make a sundae (photo © Emily B. Hall | The Mockingbird Diner | Nashville).


    [6] Nonstick silicone donut molds are available from Amazon (photo © Bakhuk.)

     

    Spell it donut or doughnut, it’s National Donut Day. The holiday takes place on the first Friday of June; and if that’s not enough, June is National Donut Month.

    How did doughnut become donut? That impetus goes to Dunkin’ Donuts, which spelled its product “donut,” and then proceeded to expand nationally.

    Here’s more donut history.

    Out of respect for the classic and acknowledgement that “donut” has taken over, we’ll use both spellings in this article.

    Back in 2017 we published two recipes for ice cream donuts.

    Today we have two more, from our colleague Hannah Kaminsky of Bittersweet Blog.

    Shape the ice cream in a donut mold.

    “Thanks to the advent of flexible silicone molds,” she says (photo #6), “no food is safe from doughnut-ification.

    “It didn’t take long for visually stunning sushi doughnuts to emerge as a clear winner, captivating hungry followers across all social media platforms—but the hits keep on coming.

    “Ice cream doughnuts are more than just another excuse to use the molds. These frozen treats are as much fun to admire as they are to eat!

    “Pretty in pink (photo #1), the glaze is actually a beet-tinted approach to Magic Shell*, flavored with vanilla and finished with those classic rainbow sprinkles. It just wouldn’t be a doughnut without them…

    “Or would it? Almost as soon as the initial batch was devoured, I realized the opportunity that had been missed.

    “Cinnamon sugar doughnuts, singing of warmth and comfort, are equally worthy candidates of imitation.

    “Absolutely any flavor will work, so go wild and play with colors and textures, dressing up your doughnuts with edible extravagance.”

    In addition to Hannah’s ice cream donuts, photos #3, #4 and #5 show creative options for ice cream donut sandwiches.

    Dig in!
     
     
    RECIPE #1: ICE CREAM DOUGHNUTS WITH “MAGIC SHELL” GLAZE

    An easy hack here is to buy Magic Shell (which is made in caramel, chocolate and white chocolate); or to use royal icing.

    Ingredients For 6 Ice Cream Doughnuts

  • 1 pint ice cream of choice
     
    For Conventional Chocolate “Magic Shell” Doughnuts (photo #1)

  • 12 ounces chocolate chips, which chips, or flavor of choice
  • 6 ounces coconut oil or butter
  • Optional food color as desired
  • Optional garnish: rainbow sprinkles
  •  
     
    RECIPE #2: ICE CREAM DOUGHNUTS WITH CINNAMON CRUMB COATING

    For The Cinnamon Crumb Coated Doughnuts (photo #2)

  • 4 ice cream waffle cones
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup full-fat milk
  •  
     
    Preparation

    1. MAKE the ice cream doughnuts. Soften the pint of ice cream until spreadable but not melted. Smooth the ice cream evenly into the molds, taking care to fill any voids.

    2. LIGHTLY TAP the mold on the counter to remove any air bubbles, and quickly slide it into the freezer. Let chill until frozen solid, at least 4-6 hours but ideally overnight. When ready to add topping…

    3. MAKE the Magic Shell. Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring at each interval until they are melted.

    Heat the coconut oil or butter to liquid state. Stir the ingredients together until the chocolate has a uniform texture. For a white shell, tint as desired with food coloring.

    Store in a container in the refrigerator until needed, then microwave to melt.

    4. TAKE the ice cream doughnuts from the freezer and pop them out of the mold. Either dip each one or drizzle with the Magic Shell glaze before quickly topping with sprinkles. The glaze sets up almost immediately, so you need to be fast! Serve right away or return them to the freezer until ready to enjoy.

    For the cinnamon crumb coating:

    5. PLACE the ice cream cones and cinnamon in a blender or food processor and pulse until very finely ground. Transfer to a shallow dish.

    Place the milk in a separate dish, and dip each frozen ice cream doughnut into the milk to ensure that the topping will adhere.

    Press the crumbs firmly into the doughnut until completely coated. Eat immediately or return the doughnuts to the freezer until ready to serve.
     
     
    > THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FROZEN DESSERTS
     
    ________________

    *The Magic Shell brand is owned by The J.M. Smuckers Company, and is trademarked.

     

     
      

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