Crack on a Cracker

Active: 15 minutes; Total: 30 minutes plus 6 hours refrigeration; Serves: 8

Saltine crackers, crushed	3 cups
Sugar, granulated	2 tablespoons
Butter, unsalted; room temperature, cubed	½ cup
Cream cheese, whipped, room temperature	12 ounces
Peanut butter, creamy	1 cup
Honey, warmed to liquid state but not hot to touch	½ cup
Cream, heavy whipping	1 cup
Sugar, powdered	2 tablespoons

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 
2. In a medium bowl, combine the crackers and sugar. 
3. Add the butter; knead with your hands until the mixture holds together. 
4. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan; chill 15 minutes. 
5. Bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes; let cool completely on a wire rack, about 1 hour. 
6. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese, honey, and peanut butter until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. 
7. In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer with the whisk attachment to whip the cream until thick and light; add 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. 
8. Gently fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture. 
9. Pour into the pie shell, and chill in the refrigerator for 6 hours. 

Note: I’m still deciding if a peanut butter-honey drizzle is needed… Stay tuned!

This is what my brother and I called the gooey mixture of peanut butter and honey that we spread on saltine crackers. Our parents taught us the recipe but we perfected the peanut butter to honey ratio. This pie is my attempt to create the flavor but in a funner form. In a chat with my aunt, it seems the recipe came by way of my mother's side. My grandfather kept bees, and they grew peanuts. Thus the perfect combination was formed.

First attempt: The filling is perfect, but the crust needs more butter, like 1/4 to 1/2 cup.

The Blue Pig

Active: 30 minutes; Total: 4 hours; Serves: 12

Pork tenderloin	2  1-pound tenderloins
Pepper, freshly ground	2 teaspoon
Salt	2 teaspoon + ¼ teaspoon
Garlic powder	4 teaspoons
Blueberries, fresh	1 cup
Garlic; smashed,  minced	4 + 2 teaspoons
Thyme	7 to 8 sprigs
Honey	1 tablespoon
Balsamic vinegar	½ cup
Rice, rinsed	1 cup
Water	1 ½ cup
Butterfly-pea flowers	6 blossoms
Lemongrass purée	1 tablespoon
Pansy, fresh picked	Garnish

The Blue Pig:

1. Pat the tenderloin dry with paper towels.
2. Combine the pepper, 2-teaspoons salt, and garlic powder in a small bowl; rub the mixture all over the tenderloin.
3. Using a sous vide, preheat the water to 145°F; place each tenderloin in a separate foodsaver bag with two smashed garlic cloves and several thyme sprigs, seal, then cook them both for 3 to 4 hours. Let rest 15 minutes, then brown on all sides in a skillet over medium-high heat with oil.
4. Using an oven, preheat to 375°F; line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the tenderloin on the baking sheet, and onto the center rack of the oven; bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until an internal thermometer reads 140°F to 150°F; rest for 15 minutes before cutting. 

Blueberry balsamic sauce: 

1. Combine the blueberries, garlic, honey in a small saucepan over medium heat. 
2. Mash the berries with the back of a wooden spoon to release the juices. 
3. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes, until the berries are softened. 
4. Add the balsamic vinegar, and simmer for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until the mixture is reduced and thickened. 

Blue rice: 

1. Beat the lemongrass stalk with a mallet, then tied it in an overhand knot. 
2. Place the rice, lemongrass, and butterfly-pea flowers in a small pot, add the water; bring to a boil, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. 
3. Let the rice rest for 15 minutes, fluff with a fork, and remove the lemongrass. 

Gussying up the pig:

1. Shape the rice onto a large serving platter with a crater in the center for the tenderloin. 
2. Slice the tenderloin into ¾- to 1-inch slices, and arrange in the center of the rice. 
3. Drizzle some of the blueberry balsamic sauce over the tenderloin, and serve the remaining with the dish. 
4. Garnish with flowers, and serve! 

Note: This is a work-in-progress for an upcoming color-themed dinner party. First attempt had the flavors but lacked the textures; might have been the meat thickness. Also, tried to dye the tenderloin in the sous vide by adding butterfly-pea flowers but was unsuccessful; it was a speckled sow. The sauce is addictive. Lastly, the forget-me-not flowers lacked any plate appeal as garnish. Second attempt: we baked one and used the sous vide on another tenderloin. I thought the baked was overcooked and was bland, and the sous vide was juicy and flavorful; however, James thought the baked was what his tastebuds expects, and suspects the sous vide version was undercooked. Non-jasmine rice worked better, and beware of overcooking the sauce.

Recipe from me having to figure out a “blue” dish for a color-themed dinner party.