Gourmet Foods You Can Easily Make at Home

To make Bacon Jam you'll need
1 lb of bacon
1 extra large or 2 smaller sweet yellow onions
Sweetener - use either brown sugar, maple syrup, honey or some of each, ⅓ rd a cup plus 3 tablespoons 
Acidic liquid - ⅓ rd cup suggestions, apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, sherry vinegar
Flavorful liquid - ½ cup  - suggestions bourbon, coffee, apple juice
optional add ins - chipotle chili powder or chopped habanero, garlic

Chop the bacon and onions to your preferred texture (or blend in a food processor at the end for an extra smooth result)
Cook the bacon over medium-high heat until its rendered out and slightly browned. 
Drain off the fat, saving 1 tablespoon
Add the onions to the pan, cook until they just softened, then add your sweetener and turn down to medium to medium low to cook the onions slowly until they begin to nicely brown about 15 to 30 min. Add some of your liquid occasionally if the pan see...
Can be stored refrigerated,  in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks.

Preserved Lemons are expensive… but so very easy to make
You'll need 
A mason jar and lid
3-5 lemons per jar you intend to make. I prefer to use Meyer lemons
lemon juice
Coarse salt
spices if you like  - I use a stick of cinnamon, 2-3 whole bay leaves, 5-6 whole cloves and 5-6 whole pepper corns. You can also add chili peppers, cumin, coriander, fennel or allspice if you like
Sterilize your jar with boiling water
Wash your lemons, in hot water if they've been waxed
Starting about ½ " from the end, cut your lemons twice lengthwise - so that you can open them up, but the slices are still attached to one another
Stuff each lemon with a generous amount of salt and reshape.
Cover the bottom of your mason jar with salt
Stuff your lemons into the jar adding more salt and some of your spices between each lemon. Don't worry if any of your lemons break apart. 
Press the lemons down to release some of the juice. Add lemon juice to fill the jar.
Cap and shake. Allow to ripen at room temperature for 3-4 weeks, shaking daily. Store in the refrigerator.

You'll see itty bitty boxes of these in the store selling for big $$. If you start with blanched almonds they are super easy to make! Just put enough olive oil in a pan to coat the bottom. Add a spring of fresh rosemary and enough almonds to make a s...