National Maple Syrup Day

Some things are just worth the wait. One of the sweetest food holidays of the year is back –National Maple Syrup Day, celebrated today, December 17. 

Don’t pour maple on your pancakes just yet. Maple from Canada – the largest maple-producing region in the world – scouted this year’s cookbooks, food blogs, social media channels and even bars to find 2015’s best maple recipes.

  
Meunster Apple and Maple Bacon Bourbon Grilled Cheese.

Ingredients

For the Bacon:

· 1 pound uncured bacon

· 2 tablespoons bourbon

· 2 tablespoons Pure Canadian Maple Syrup

For the Grilled Cheese:

· 2 pieces of multi-grain bread

· 2 pieces of muenster cheese, thinly sliced

· 4 pieces of apple, thinly sliced

· 1 piece of Maple Bourbon Bacon, cut in half

· ½ tablespoon butter

Instructions

For the Bacon:

· First, place bacon in medium-sized bowl. Then, pour in Pure Canadian Maple Syrup in bourbon. Toss to make sure everything is evenly coated. Let sit in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

· Next, heat a non-stick frying pan to medium/high heat. Then, place bacon strips on pan. Cook for a few minutes or until you can see the edges turning golden brown. Use a fork to flip and cook for 1-2 more minutes, or until it reaches your desired texture.

· Place cooked bacon on a plate lined with paper towels. Pat with another paper towel on top to remove excess grease.

· To finish cooking the rest of the bacon, pour existing bacon grease from pan into a small container and wipe clean with paper towels.

For the Grilled Cheese:

· Prepare your grilled cheese by lining a piece of multi-grain bread with thinly sliced muenster cheese. Then, add on the apple slices and bacon. Place 2nd piece of bread on top.

· Heat a nonstick pan to medium heat and rub with butter or coconut oil. Place sandwich on pan and cover. Let cook for about 3 minutes or until the bread begins to brown.

· Flip and cover again. Let cook for additional 2-3 minutes or until the bread begins to brown.

Curious about how pure maple syrup is made? It’s all tree to table. Peep our animated, French-Canadian video here: https://youtu.be/rW-WdXLvP2s

Here is the link for the recipes mentioned below: https://psbpr.box.com/s/8eqkeik8ykh7h2xmyin20x7kxptfkbc4

· Best Cocktail: Tanta’s Maple Syrup Cocktail (Eric Trousdale, bartender at Tanta Restaurant, Chicago), featuring whiskey, Amaro liqueur, Pisco brandy with pure maple syrup & lemon juice
· Best Breakfast: Maple Sweet Potato Coffee Cake (Katie Webster, author of the new single-ingredient cookbook “Maple”)

· Best Lunch: Muenster Apple and Maple Bourbon Bacon Grilled Cheese (Lee Hersh, Fit Foodie Finds)

· Best Snack: Maple-Bacon Popcorn (a social media favorite of Pure Canada Maple)

· Best Dinner: Smoky Sweet Turkey Chili (Katie Webster, author of the new single-ingredient cookbook “Maple”)

· Best Dessert: Maple Gingerbread Pots de Crème (Anne Mauney, FANNEtastic Foods) 

 Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post. I was given samples of product to review. Opinions are mine 100% as always.