50 Things You Can Make With Bacon

1. Bacon Guacamole Mash 2 avocados with 1/2 cup each chopped tomato and cilantro, 1/4 cup each chopped onion and crumbled cooked bacon, 1/2 minced jalapeno, some lime juice and salt.

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

3. 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.

4. Bacon Kraut Cook 8 ounces diced Canadian bacon and 1 chopped onion in olive oil. Add 3/4 cup each beer and water, and 1 pound rinsed drained sauerkraut. Simmer 20 minutes.

5. Bacon Reuben Spread Russian dressing on rye toast. Top with Bacon Kraut (No. 4) and Swiss cheese. Broil until melted.

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

7. 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.

8. 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.

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

10. Croque Monsieur Spread Dijon mustard on sliced challah; sandwich with Canadian bacon and shredded Gruyère. Whisk 1 egg with a bit of milk and nutmeg; dip the sandwiches in the egg mixture and fry in butter.

11. 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 Gruyère 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 degrees F, 25 minutes.

12. Clams Casino Mix melted butter with lemon juice, minced garlic and parsley. Drizzle over littleneck clams on the half shell; top with crumbled cooked bacon and breadcrumbs. Broil 4 minutes.

13. 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 degrees F, 20 minutes.

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

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

16. 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.

17. Pasta Frittata Beat 6 eggs with 1/4 cup milk. Stir in 4 cups leftover Spaghetti Carbonara (No. 16) and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan. Cook in an oiled nonstick skillet over medium-low heat until set, 8 minutes per side.

18. 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.

19. Pasta Amatriciana Cook 4 ounces cubed pancetta in olive oil. Add 1 chopped onion and cook until soft. Add a 28-ounce can whole tomatoes (crushed by hand), a pinch of red pepper flakes and 1 cup water; simmer until thick, 20 minutes. Toss with 1 pound cooked spaghetti.

20. Bacon-Wrapped Trout Stuff whole trout with lemon slices and thyme sprigs; season with salt. Wrap in bacon and cook in a skillet over medium-high heat, 4 minutes per side.

21. Bacon Nuts Beat 1 egg white until frothy; toss with 2 cups mixed nuts, 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning, 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 4 slices crumbled cooked bacon. Bake at 325 degrees F, 10 minutes.

22. Bacon-Beer Mussels Cook 1/4 pound chopped slab bacon in a pot with 1 sliced onion. Add 3/4 cup beer, some thyme sprigs and 3 pounds mussels. Cover and cook until the mussels open, 5 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons each chopped parsley and whole-grain mustard.

23. Bacon Burgers Pulse 1 pound chopped bacon in a food processor. Form into four thin patties; cook in a skillet over medium heat, 10 to 12 minutes per side. Serve on buns.

24. Bacon-Sage Patties Make Bacon Burgers (No. 23), adding 1 tablespoon chopped sage and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to the mix.

25. Bacon Pizza Top a round of pizza dough with tomato sauce, shredded mozzarella, thinly sliced onion, crumbled cooked bacon and salt. Bake at 500 degrees F, 10 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil.

26. Bacon Meatballs Pulse 6 ounces pancetta in a food processor. Add 1 cup breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup each chopped onion, chopped parsley and grated Parmesan, 4 garlic cloves, 2 eggs, and salt and pepper; pulse to combine. Form into small balls. Brown in a skillet with olive oil, then simmer in tomato sauce until cooked through.

27. Bacon-Wrapped Steak Rub 1 1/2 pounds beef tenderloin with minced garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. Wrap with bacon. Sear on all sides in an ovenproof skillet, then roast in a 400 degrees F oven until the meat registers 125 degrees F, 20 minutes.

28. Bacon Fried Rice Cook 1/2 cup chopped bacon in a skillet. Add 1/2 cup chopped scallions and 4 cups cooked rice; stir-fry until hot. Add 3 beaten eggs and 1 teaspoon each sesame oil and grated ginger; stir-fry until the eggs are set.

29. Bacon Buns Mix 1/4 cup each diced ham and crumbled cooked bacon. Place 1 tablespoon in the center of 8 refrigerated biscuit dough rounds; fold over and crimp. Bake at 350 degrees F, 15 minutes.

30. Tomato-Bacon Gravy Cook 6 slices chopped bacon in a skillet; drain. In the drippings, simmer a 28-ounce can whole tomatoes (crushed), 1/4 cup water, 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, and salt and pepper, 20 minutes. Add the bacon.

31. Hot Bacon-Crab Dip Mix 8 ounces each cream cheese and crabmeat, 1 cup crumbled cooked bacon, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 3 chopped scallions and the juice of 1 lemon. Spread in a baking dish; top with breadcrumbs. Bake at 350 degrees F until bubbly, 30 minutes.

32. Bacon Muffins Make corn muffin mix as the label directs; add 1/4 cup crumbled cooked bacon and 2 tablespoons chopped chives.

33. Bacon-Corn Sauté Cook 1/2 cup chopped bacon in a skillet; pour off half of the fat. Cook 1/2 each chopped red onion and jalapeno in the skillet until tender. Add 3 cups corn; cook 4 minutes. Add chopped cilantro, lime juice and salt to taste.

34. Bacon Brussels Sprouts Cook 6 ounces diced slab bacon in a skillet; drain. Separate 1 pound Brussels sprouts into leaves; stir-fry in the drippings. Add 1 minced garlic clove, 2 tablespoons each teriyaki sauce and water, a pinch each of sugar and red pepper flakes, and the bacon.

35. Warm Bacon Vinaigrette Cook 4 slices chopped bacon in a skillet; drain and crumble. Whisk 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar and 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard into the drippings; add salt, pepper and the bacon.

36. Spinach-Bacon Salad Make Warm Bacon Vinaigrette (No. 35). Toss with baby spinach, sliced mushrooms and sliced red onion.

37. Bistro Salad Make Warm Bacon Vinaigrette (No. 35) but cook 2 minced shallots in the skillet before whisking. Toss with frisée and top with a poached egg.

38. Tuna–White Bean Salad Cook 1/4 pound diced pancetta and 1/2 chopped red onion in a skillet until the pancetta is crisp. Stir in 1 can each drained white beans and Italian tuna. Add chopped parsley and red wine vinegar to taste.

39. Pancetta Caprese Arrange fresh mozzarella and sliced tomatoes on a plate. Drizzle with olive oil and white wine vinegar. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, crumbled cooked pancetta and torn basil.

40. Pancetta Chips Sandwich sliced pancetta between 2 baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F, 25 minutes.

41. Sweet Bacon Press both sides of bacon slices in brown sugar; place on a rack set on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees F, flipping once, 18 to 20 minutes.

42. Spicy-Sweet Bacon Make Sweet Bacon (No. 41) but sprinkle with ancho chile powder before pressing in sugar.

43. Bacon Grits Simmer 2 cups each milk and water with 1 teaspoon salt in a saucepan. Stir in 1 cup grits; simmer until tender, about 35 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons butter and 1 cup each grated cheddar and crumbled cooked bacon. Top with chopped chives.

44. Bacon Quesadillas Cook 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms and 1/4 cup chopped onion in butter until soft. Add 2 slices chopped Spicy-Sweet Bacon (No. 42). Spread on tortillas with grated cheddar, then fold in half and cook in a skillet.

45. Bacon-Apple Pancakes Mix 1 cup flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 cup buttermilk, 1 egg, 1 grated apple and 1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon. Cook in a hot buttered skillet.

46. Bacon Banana Bread Stir 1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon into your favorite banana bread batter before baking.

47. Bacon-Potato Pancake Cook 2 slices bacon; drain and crumble. Shred 2 peeled russet potatoes; squeeze dry. Mix with 1/4 grated onion, the bacon, and salt and pepper. Cook in the drippings until crisp, 8 minutes per side.

48. Bacon-Egg Sandwich Fry 2 slices bacon, then fry 2 tomato slices and an egg in the drippings. Sandwich with buttered crumpets, adding a slice of cheddar.

49. Bacon Oatmeal Stir 2 tablespoons each maple syrup and crumbled cooked bacon into 2 cups cooked oatmeal.

50. Bacon Brittle Boil 2 cups sugar and 1 cup water in a saucepan, without stirring, until 340 degrees F, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in 1 cup peanuts, 5 slices crumbled cooked bacon, 1 tablespoon butter and a pinch each of cayenne and cinnamon. Spread on a greased baking sheet to harden.