Bacon is everywhere. Seriously everywhere, you can get bacon flavored ice cream, coffee, cupcakes, and even toothpaste. There are bacon-scented candles, bacon lip balm, and bacon deodorant. Are you a fan of bacon? I most definitely love every morsel of that tasty goodness though I don’t think I would use bacon toothpaste. I like it for breakfast, with eggs, I like it on a hamburger, I even like it in beans to add some pizazz. Did you know that there was a National Bacon Day? Well there is, it is today, December 30th!
History of Bacon
Bacon goes back a long time. In fact, the first pigs were domesticated about 10,000 years ago in Asia. As popular as bacon is, not everyone agrees, many people think that pigs are dirty and won’t eat the meat. Good thing that the Romans gave it a try and it was a success. Pig (pork) was cheap, and good! From Rome, the pigs made their way to Germany. The name changed from Bak, to bacoun to what we have today, simply bacon.
Bacon Comes to America
We can thank Hernando de Soto for bringing the tasty “meat candy” to the Americas. The story is that he brought 13 pigs over and within 3 years the herd had grown to over 700. I think it’s safe to say, the rest is history. But I would like to take this time and officially thank Mr. de Soto.
Bacon Facts
- 70% of all bacon is eaten for breakfast
- Romans called bacon petaso
- Bacon was used to make explosives during World War II
- The first bacon factory was opened in 1770
- The average American consumes 18 pounds of bacon each year
The BLT
Here is a little sneak peek about one of my favorite quick sandwiches with bacon (of course). This recipe has a twist! Most sandwich “recipes” are actually just templates because there are so many options available in terms of bread, cheese, meat, vegetables, and condiments you can use.
However, when it comes to the much-loved bacon, lettuce, and tomato (BLT), anyone will tell you that there is one “true” way to make and enjoy their beloved sandwich: Super soft white bread, iceberg lettuce, mayonnaise (and lots of it), plus the trifecta of sandwich-y goodness for which it is named.
Delicious? Yes.
A little boring? Most definitely.
To liven things up a bit, the “recipe” below takes a couple liberties with this tried-and-true classic. Super soft white bread is swapped out for delicious sourdough, and plain mayonnaise is replaced with a rich and creamy avocado spread. Read on for details!
BLT Recipe
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Yield: 2 sandwiches
Avocado Spread Ingredients:
1 large ripe avocado, cut into small chunks
½ c. full-fat Greek yogurt
1 large clove garlic, finely minced
1½ T. fresh lime juice (approximately ½ lime)
1½ t. ground cumin
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste.
Tip: If possible, prepare the avocado spread in advance to give the flavors a chance to develop. Taste and adjust seasonings, as desired, before using.
Basic Sandwich Ingredients:
6 slices bacon 4 slices sourdough bread
2 T. unsalted butter, melted
8 leaves lettuce
2 medium heirloom tomatoes (preferably red and yellow)
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Directions:
- Place the avocado, Greek yogurt, and garlic in a medium bowl and combine thoroughly with a fork, leaving some small chunks of avocado in the mixture. Add the lime juice and cumin, and season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Stir to combine and cover tightly. Set aside.
- Line a microwave-safe plate with paper towels and place the bacon strips on it. Cover the bacon with more paper towels and place in the microwave for 3-4 minutes on high, or until bacon is cooked through, but not too crispy. (Cook time will vary, so check after 2 minutes and adjust remaining time as needed).
- Brush one side of each piece of bread with the melted butter. Heat grill pan over medium heat and place bread, buttered side down, on the pan. Apply light pressure to each slice with a spatula, being careful not to move the bread in the process. Once nice grill marks have formed, remove from heat and set aside.
- Allow bread to cool slightly, then add avocado spread to 2 of the slices on the non-grilled side. Divide the lettuce, tomato, and cooked bacon slices between the two sandwiches and top each with the remaining pieces of grilled bread. Cut in half and serve immediately with your favorite side dish or potato chips. Enjoy!
BLT with Creamy Avocado Spread
Ingredients
- Avocado Spread Ingredients:
- 1 large ripe avocado, cut into small chunks
- ½ c. full-fat Greek yogurt
- 1 large clove garlic, finely minced
- 1½ T. fresh lime juice (approximately ½ lime)
- 1½ t. ground cumin
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste.
- Basic Sandwich Ingredients:
- 6 slices bacon 4 slices sourdough bread
- 2 T. unsalted butter, melted
- 8 leaves Boston Bibb lettuce
- 2 medium heirloom tomatoes (preferably red and yellow)
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Place the avocado, Greek yogurt, and garlic in a medium bowl and combine thoroughly with a fork, leaving some small chunks of avocado in the mixture. Add the lime juice and cumin, and season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Stir combine and cover tightly. Set aside.
Line a microwave-safe plate with paper towels and place the bacon strips on it.
Cover the bacon with more paper towels and place in the microwave for 3-4 minutes on high, or until bacon is cooked through, but not too crispy. (Cook time will vary, so check after 2 minutes and adjust remaining time as needed).
Brush one side of each piece of bread with the melted butter. Heat grill pan over medium heat and place bread, buttered side down, on the pan. Apply light pressure to each slice with a spatula, being careful not to move the bread in the process. Once nice grill marks have formed, remove from heat and set aside.
Allow bread to cool slightly, then add avocado spread to 2 of the slices on the non-grilled side. Divide the lettuce, tomato, and cooked bacon slices between the two sandwiches and top each with the remaining pieces of grilled bread. Cut in half and serve immediately with your favorite side dish or potato chips. Enjoy!