Blueberry Lavender and Basil Bacon Pizza

Blueberry Lavender and Basil Bacon Pizza 

Jam and pizza - what more could you ask for?  Jam on pizza…now that is the stuff dreams are made of!  This combination of savory, salty, smoky and sweet makes an incredible pie that is sure to bring smiles to the table.   

Recipe…

1 lb raw pizza dough (homemade or available at your local grocery store or favorite pizza place)

1/2 Jar Blueberry Lavender Slow Jams

1/2 Pound Bacon, cooked and diced 

1/2 Cup Ricotta Cheese 

1/4 Cup Fresh Basil, chopped 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  You may use a pizza stone or baking pan, but be sure to grease the baking pan if that is what you are using.  

In a medium mixing bowl, stir together ricotta and fresh basil.  Salt and pepper to taste. 

Spread pizza dough onto baking pan as uniformly as possible.  Note: Pizza dough can be rather unruly, so you may not get a perfect circular shape.  We like all shapes and sizes and think it’s more fun that way - just try to create a uniformly thick pizza canvas so everything cooks evenly. 

Spread 1/4 cup of Blueberry Lavender Slow Jams on the pizza dough, leaving 1/4-1/2 inches of dough around the edge. Spread the ricotta mixture evenly on top of the jam.  Sprinkle bacon evenly on top of the ricotta. Take remaining 1/4 cup of Blueberry Lavender Slow Jams and dollop liberally over the pizza.  

Bake pizza for 15-20 minutes until the crust is nice and golden brown. Let finished pizza sit for 5 minutes before slicing.  

Slow Jams Scandinavian Ribs

We have some great friends in Norway and sometimes they join us in our kitchen!  When we introduced them to our blueberry jam, naturally, they wanted to add their own flavors from home and this rib recipe became a top hit!

Recipe…

2 Slabs Baby Back Ribs          

2 Apples (your choice, just make sure they are Michigan!)

2 Pears (read above - Michigan!)

2 Garlic Cloves

10 Sprigs fresh Thyme

Salt and Pepper 

Slow Jam's Blueberry Jam

1 cup Water

3 tbs Juniper Berries

1 tbs. Ground Cardamom

Cheesecloth and Butcher String

Salt and pepper ribs generously, making sure to get both sides of ribs.  Crush garlic and rub ribs with garlic and thyme (no need to take off stems).  Cover and place ribs in refrigerator for up 24 hours. 

When you are ready to cook ribs, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Take ribs out of refrigerator while oven preheats and roughly chop apples and pears in long slices, about an inch thick.  Wrap ribs and apples and pears in foil and place on baking sheet and then put in oven. 

While ribs are baking, take juniper berries and cardamom and crush roughly with the back of a heavy knife or in a mortal/pestle.  You don’t want to pulverize the spices, you just want to release their aroma and open them up so they will infuse with the jam.  Wrap crushed spices in a round of cheesecloth and secure with butcher string.   Bring the water to a low boil in a sauce pot.  Add spice mixture and let boil for 10 minutes (secure the spice bundle to the pan handle).  Add 1 jar of Blueberry Jam and bring mixture to a low simmer keeping spice mixture inside the pot.  Keep heat on low and allow flavors to infuse for up to 1 hour (check occasionally to see how flavor develops).  Stir occasionally to make sure jam does not burn.   

After ribs have been baking for an hour, open the foil to expose the tops of the ribs.  Bake for another hour so the meat gets nice and brown. 

When ready to serve, remove ribs from foil and place on cutting board.  Let the ribs sit at least 10 minutes after they have been removed from the oven.  Cut ribs into 2-3 bone sections and place on platter.  Serve blueberry jam on the side.