Bacon is My Favourite Food Group

BACON IS MY FAVOURITE FOOD GROUP

Try out these absolutely ingenious ideas so you can eat bacon just about every single day!

Cheesy Bacon Popcorn Drizzle 4 cups of hot popcorn with 1 tablespoon bacon drippings. Toss with 3 tablespoons crumbled cooked bacon and 1/4 cup each grated Parmesan and cheddar.

Warm Bacon Slaw Cook 6 slices thick-cut bacon in 1 tablespoon olive oil; drain and crumble. Add 1/2 sliced red onion, 1/4 cup each cider vinegar and water, 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds to the drippings. Toss with 6 cups shredded cabbage and the bacon.

Bacon-Apple Sandwiches Spread a split baguette with honey mustard. Fill with cooked bacon, sliced Brie and apple, and lettuce; add salt and pepper. 

Cobb Club Spread 3 slices toast with soft blue cheese and mayonnaise. Layer with grilled chicken, cooked bacon, avocado, tomato, romaine and hard-boiled egg to make a double-decker sandwich.

Bacon Butter Cook 2 slices bacon in a skillet; drain and chop. Blend 1 stick softened butter with the drippings and 2 tablespoons maple syrup. Stir in the chopped bacon.

PB&B Sandwich peanut butter, banana and cooked bacon with white bread. Cook in a buttered skillet.

Croquet Monsieur Spread Dijon mustard on sliced bread, add Canadian bacon and shredded Gruyere. Whisk 1 egg with a bit of milk and nutmeg; dip the sandwiches in the egg mixture and fry in butter.

Bacon Quiche Cook 6 ounces diced slab bacon in a skillet; drain. Cook 2 sliced leeks in 3 tablespoons drippings. Spread the leeks, 2/3 cup shredded Gruyere and the bacon in a prebaked 9-inch tart crust or pie crust. Whisk 2 whole eggs, 2 yolks, 1 cup cream and salt and pepper; pour over the cheese. Bake at 375°F, 25 minutes.

Stuffed Mushrooms Mix 1/2 cup each grated Parmesan and breadcrumbs, 4 slices crumbled cooked bacon and 2 tablespoons each parsley and olive oil. Stuff into mushroom caps, drizzle with olive oil and bake at 350°F, 20 minutes.

Bacon-Wrapped Scallops Wrap bacon around scallops; secure with toothpicks. Broil, turning, until crisp, 8 minutes.

Bacon-Wrapped Dates Stuff pitted dates with blue cheese and wrap in bacon. Secure with toothpicks. Broil, turning until crisp, 5 to 6 minutes.

Spaghetti Carbonara Boil 1 pound spaghetti; drain and reserve 1 cup pasta water. Meanwhile, cook 1/2 pound diced pancetta and 3 sliced garlic cloves in olive oil. Whisk 2 eggs, 1 cup grated Parmesan, 1/4 cup chopped parsley, 1/2 to 1 cup pasta water and some pepper; toss with the hot spaghetti and pancetta.

BLT Pasta Cook 8 slices bacon; drain and chop. Cook 1 chopped red onion, 3 sliced garlic cloves, some red pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon salt in 3 tablespoons drippings. Add 5 cups grape tomatoes; cook 12 minutes. Add 1/3 cup cream; cook 2 minutes. Toss with 12 ounces cooked penne, 4 cups arugula, the bacon, some basil and a splash of pasta water. Top with Parmesan.