wow! Why didn't any of my friends tell me!

[joegoda]

You can cook bacon in the oven, and it comes out flat and there's no splatter mess to clean up! I is a happy bacon eatin' fool tonight.

Comments

Ahhhhhhhh.

[billthetailor.livejournal.com]

Ah, my friend, now we must with bowed heads and solemn footfalls step away from what is now known as "healthy eating." Of course, in doing so, we shall pound back in on stomping feet, crowing like Lost Boys, to the hallowed halls of YUMMY.

Let us begin with bacon grease as a cooking medium. If you make cornbread, grease your muffin tins with it.

If you make mashed potatos, make a double batch, but leave half of the morsels un-mashed. Refrigerate them and cook them the next night in bacon fat until crispy.

Place a tablespoon of popcorn kernels into a paper bag. Pour a tablespoon of melted fat over the unpopped corn, staple the top shut - two staples, no more. Microwave until the pops are two seconds apart. Don't worry, there's not enough conductivity in two staples to blow the appliance off the counter. It will, however, blow your mind. You might want to staple it down, too.

A scant teaspoon does wonders for a can of green beans. Fresh cracked black pepper adds a lot, too.

If you pan fry your steak, do it with bacon fat. MMMmmm.

And, finally, my personal favorite:

White Gravy

2T bacon fat
1T All purpose flour
1C milk, whole if possible
salt and pepper to taste.

Make a roux: Melt the fat over medium-high heat - not hot enough to smoke! Add the flour and stir until well-mixed. I like to add the pepper to the flour: the heat releases a lot of flavor from the peppercorns, but can make the gravy a little hot.

Before the roux starts to brown, add the milk. Stir until smooth. Salt and, if you haven't already, pepper to taste.

Substitute chicken stock, beef stock, and pork stock for chicken, beef, and pork gravy, respectively. Little more flour and a little more fat, and you can jazz it a little white or red wine. I like port for beef.

(Because there are others who might like this, I'll post this again in my own journal.)

Re: Ahhhhhhhh.

[joegoda.livejournal.com]

Say Bill... is it all right if I come to your house just to eat? Forget the tour of the town, much as I may love those, but seriously chum. You have my yum center spinning. Have pity on a poor old hermit living like a bachelor?

Excellent Ideas, all of them! I'm gonna have me so good eatin!

How's Missy, by the way?

Re: Ahhhhhhhh.

[rowangolightly.livejournal.com]

This is one of the many things about which Bill and I agree....I also keep bacon grease in a cup in the fridge. That's what I use to make my biscuits. I hadn't tried the popcorn idea, but I certain will soon, although I have done the stapled paper sack thing; it works great.

While we're tempting you, here's my Belgian waffle recipe...um, I think I'll post it to my LJ so I can access it again easily.

Re: Ahhhhhhhh.

[joegoda.livejournal.com]

You guys are killin' me! Course, I'm not complaining... just making an observation. If I gain the extra pounds, I'll just work it off in adventure!

I have decided that I will, soon, be making a trip up to KC, just to hear Bill play. Soon is relative to me, so it may be next month, may be December. But definitely soon.

Re: Ahhhhhhhh.

[rowangolightly.livejournal.com]

Definitely. You will LOVE that coffee shop. I'd not be at all surprised it a story came out of it; such nifty folk there.

Hmmmm...first Saturday in December, if I'm remembering, right?

Re: Ahhhhhhhh.

[joegoda.livejournal.com]

First Saturday in December is sooo doable!

Re: Ahhhhhhhh.

[rowangolightly.livejournal.com]

Might be here too, google calendar says nothing at the moment. I'll check with hubby.