B-L-Tarian

I decided to go without eating meat for a week or so, to force me to eat more vegetables and cleanse my system a little bit.  It's going well, except that I keep eating bacon.  So I guess I'm not totally successful in my temporary vegetarianism.  Unless we can all just agree to call bacon a vegetable.  In fact, let's just do that.

The reason I keep eating bacon is BLTs.  Tomato season is drawing to a close (*sniff*), so I'm trying to make every last one in my CSA box special by crowning them with bacon and lettuce and enrobing them in crispy, golden bread.  But these BLTs are special.  They include the usual suspects, but with a special component - a cream cheese spread that will knock your socks off.  And the option of a scrambled egg.

Also, I fry the bread in the bacon grease.  Don't judge me till you try it.



BLT on a Barbra Streisandwich plate.  Not kosher.



BLTs - serves fourA couple of really great tomatos

Lettuce - romaine or butter
Bacon - 1 lb. of uncured bacon from responsibly-raised pigs, if you can (it makes the use of the grease justifiable)
Bread - 8 slices of a good, hearty sliced bread, like sourdough or my favorite rye from Pure Grain Bakery
Cream cheese - 1 block
Paprika - 1 tsp
Dill (dried) - 1 tsp
Salt and pepper to taste*

Bring cream cheese to room temperature and combine with the paprika, dill, salt, and pepper in a food processor or with a fork.

Slice the tomato thinly and tear the lettuce into small pieces.

In a big skillet, cook bacon over medium heat.  Remove when it's really dark and crispy and place on a paper towel to drain.  Leave the oil in the pan and add the bread.  Cook only one side until it's golden and remove to a paper towel to drain.

On the un-fried side of both slices of bread, smear the cream cheese spread.  Pile the bacon, lettuce and tomato on the bread and put the other slice on and voila!  Best BLT you ever ate!

If you're feeling really crazy, add an egg to the sandwich.  I scramble one and fry it in a thin layer in the bacon grease (come on, it's already there in the skillet!) and toss it on there for a really substantial lunch/breakfast/dinner/second breakfast/elevensies.

*I actually use a tablespoon of homemade vegetable bouillon.  Find the recipe here.  Try it!