Whether you love it, hate it, think it’s bad for you or don’t really care because it tastes so great, bacon isn’t leaving America’s kitchen anytime soon. We’d like to pay homage to this deliciously salty, addictive breakfast staple with a full day’s menu of bacon dishes because we all know bacon makes everything better.
Breakfast: Peanut Butter Bacon Banana Bites
These breakfast bites are so playful and easy to make, they’ll end your habit of skipping the most important meal of the day.
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1
Ingredients:
1 banana
¼ cup peanut butter
1 strip bacon
Directions:
1. Microwave bacon on paper towel-lined plate until bacon is fully cooked, about 1 minute.
2. Chop bacon into small pieces and slice banana.
3. Spread peanut butter on banana slices and sprinkle with bacon bits.
Lunch: Ultimate BLT
Photo by Annie Trimber
Enhance one of the most classic, celebrated sandwiches with creamy avocado and a fried egg. What is a sandwich without avocado and a fried egg? Not a very good sandwich.
Total Time: 8 minutes
Servings: 1
Ingredients:
2 strips bacon
1 leaf romaine lettuce
1 small tomato, sliced
2 slices avocado, mashed
1 egg
2 slices bread, toasted
Directions:
1. Fry bacon in skillet over medium heat until crispy. Reserve rendered bacon fat.
2. Spread avocado, tomato slices and bacon onto bread.
3. Crack egg into same skillet with remaining bacon fat and cook each side for 1 minute.
4. Place cooked egg onto sandwich and assemble.
Dinner: Caprese Chicken with Bacon
Photo by Annie Trimber
Creamy mozzarella, juicy, roasted tomato and fresh basil come together with smoky bacon to give this chicken dish an easy Italian flair.
Total Time: 30-40 minutes
Servings: 2
Ingredients:
4 strips bacon
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small tomato, sliced
3 fresh basil leaves
¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400˚F.
2. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper and top with tomato slices and basil.
3. Wrap chicken, tomato and basil with bacon. Fasten with toothpick.
4. Bake until chicken and bacon are fully cooked, about 25 minutes.
5. Top with mozzarella and bake until cheese is melted.
Side Dish: Corn, Bacon and Jalapeño Salad
Photo by Annie Trimber
Charred corn, jalapeño and crunchy bacon bits make for a foolproof side dish.
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 2
Ingredients:
1 cup frozen corn
2 tablespoons water
1 jalapeño, diced
3 strips bacon, cooked and diced
Juice from 1 lemon
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Microwave corn and water in small bowl until corn has warmed through, about 4-5 minutes.
2. Dry-sauté (no oil necessary) corn in pan over medium heat until kernels are slightly charred.
3. Combine all ingredients in small bowl and serve.
Dessert: Browned Butter, Bacon and Butterscotch Chip Cookies
Photo by Annie Trimber
These cookies will make you a browned butter convert. The nuttiness of browned butter with rich bacon and caramel-y butterscotch defines comfort.
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
1 stick butter
½ cup white sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of baking soda
½ cup butterscotch chips
3 strips bacon, cooked and dried
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350˚F and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Microwave butter in medium bowl in 1-minute increments until it develops a golden brown color.
3. Combine browned butter, white and brown sugar in large bowl.
4. Add egg and vanilla to butter-sugar mixture.
5. Combine dry ingredients in separate bowl.
6. Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients.
7. Mix in butterscotch chips and bacon.
8. Place 1-inch wide balls of dough on baking sheet about an inch apart.
9. Bake until edges are slightly brown, about 7-10 minutes.