Mmmmm.... bacon.

I'm confessing to a new addiction.

Bacon.

Yes, there might be healthier choices out there, but well.... bacon has a hold on me.

The upside is that a little bacon flavor goes a long way, so you can use it sparingly and still get loads of flavor. I've been in this shady relationship with bacon for a month or so and I've found so many simple meals in which to feature my prized pork pieces.

To save yourself time, money and mess you can try these two menthods:

1) Costco sells big bags of cooked bacon for about $10... a good amount and I think it tastes great.

2) Take a package or two of bacon, freeze it to the half way point so that it's easier to cut, and chop it into about 1/4 inch pieces. Scramble fry till it's well cooked, drain and pat the oil off with a paper towel, then put the cooled pieces in a ziplock bag in the freezer. You've made one mess and have the potential for many meals.

Meal Ideas with Baconygoodness (yes, that's one word.)

• Spinach Salads (my other binge)... sprinkle a little bacon on some pre-washed spinach with a bit of goat cheese or feta, a finger pinch of seeds or nuts, some chopped apples or pears and a drizzle of vinagrette -- DELISH!


• In scrambled eggs or omlettes


• Baked in quiches


• On a toasted tomato sandwich


• Pasta carbonara


• In a big Caesar Salad with some fresh garlic bread


• Sprinkled on perogies


• In a quick corn chowder or minestrone soup

The possiblities are endless.

May the pork be with you.

8 meals, 1 mess.

When Cheryl and I talk about how we survived the "early years" with young kids, we fondly remember our meal swaps. The two of us and two other trusted girlfriends would do a frozen meal swap about once a month. We would each choose a different recipe and make a super large batch of it so that is could be divided into eight 9x9 cake pans. We'd share them around so that each mom took home 2 of each of the 4 different dishes. One big mess, 8 delicious meals.

If you're looking for a way to save time, money & mess in the kitchen, and have a few like-minded cooks in your circle of friends, we dare you to give it a try.

Sunday Planning Ritual

It's one of the little moments I look forward to on a weekend. (Maybe be I should get out more.)

A comfy spot on the couch,

A leisurely stroll through the grocery store flyers,

A fresh page in my note book

A big cuppa English Breakfast Tea, sweet and creamy.

I go through each store's flyer, jot down any super deals on stuff we need/use, and try to plan my meals accordingly. (I recently went on a mission to "eat through" our freezer so that I could defrost it and start over in the shopping/meals department. It's kinda nice to have a clean slate!)

I'm finding it's a good way to save money (who's with me on the small victories??), add a little variety to our menu, and plan ahead so I can cut down on the trips to the grocery store.

For example, this week, this is what I found on sale...

I only write down what I know we need or go through a lot of. (Personally, I only REALLY stockpile if it's an AMAZING deal.) And then see how I can work those deals into the menu...so I know this week we'll have:

-Pork Roast w/ cauliflower side (cheese sauce, of course--the cauliflower is just a means to an end.)

-Pasta Carbonara (Love it when bacon is on sale... I cook a whole package on a pampered chef bar pan and freeze it to use when we need it. One mess, lots of baconny possibilities

-Soup and BLTs (Does anyone else have childhood flashbacks to Habitant Pea Soup?)

Might be worth a try if you're trying to cut down on the grocery bill and get a bit of a nerdy high from list making :-)