Kitchen Tip: Freeze Cooked Bacon

I had no idea this would be of interest to anyone, but everyone who’s found out about it has told me they do it now and LOVE IT!  So, I thought I would post it for others to see.

We used to have a house full of 5 teenagers at once, so there was no need for this because the bacon all got eaten at one meal.  But since July 2010, my husband and I are empty nester's and I’ve found it difficult to keep bacon in the fridge once opened without it going bad before it’s eaten.  My solution was to cook it all at once!

I still buy the better quality thick center-cut bacon from BJ’s warehouse club.  It comes in a pack of 2 – 1 & 1/2 pound packages.  I freeze both packages until I can cook one.  (Already started to cook it before I realized I should take pics!)

So, today is Saturday and DH wanted brunch of eggs, bacon, and sweet-potato pancakes. {Sounds good to me!}  I had pulled the bacon out of the freezer yesterday, thinking I would cook it this weekend.  I pulled it out of the fridge and brought out my BIG griddle.

I cook the bacon in two batches for the 1 & 1/2 pound package. 

Drain on paper towels.

Once it’s done… eat your brunch.  Then come back to the bacon and remove the old paper towels and wrap the cooked bacon pieces in fresh paper towels.  Put the wrapped bacon in a large zip-lock bag and toss in the freezer. 

When bacon is needed for a meal, BLT sandwich, chopped for a recipe or salad, just take some pieces out of the freezer bag and microwave for about 30 seconds.  It comes out of the microwave cooked and CRISPY, like it was cooked for the first time straight out of the package!  And I also save the bacon grease for recipes, greasing a cast-iron skillet for cornbread, use in salad dressings etc. by putting it in an empty vegetable can (rinsed) and putting it in the freezer too. 

Saves you time and trouble when your in a pinch.

DD, Allison, came over today and smelled the bacon had been cooked.  She said “oh, I tried your trick and now I do this with our bacon.  It comes out crispy and Philipe [her fiancé’] loves bacon!”

Copyright © 2010 Joanne Schleier

Burlap Rose Wreath

I made this today in about an hour. I had gotten the supplies last week at Hobby Lobby. Totally inspired by this project at Redberry Barn.

I printed her post and put it in a binder with other inspirations I hope to make some lazy day. I am totally into burlap and I've had this wreath holder in my closet for over a year. I made a fall wreath with the idea to hang it on this and the weight of that wreath was too heavy. This wreath is perfect.

This is part of an ongoing project - redoing our screened in porch. Don't mind the mess, the builders just added on the extension (where you see the roof below) last week.

Also the reason for these dusty flowers, but I wanted to get the idea of what it might look like when it's all done someday...

Until then, I'll continue to dream!

Wooden Scissors Transformation

Well, I don't have a before picture of this, but it was a gift from one of my friends. She found these and bought one for each of us, knowing that we would transform them because they were just a stained brown wood.



I painted them black a long time ago and knew I wanted to write some text on them but didn't know what. I'm glad I decided while I had the paint still out from the last project! Done and hung! Check, Check!