Make Ahead Crispy Bacon Food

MAKE AHEAD CRISPY BACON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Line cookie sheets with heavy duty aluminum foil. Be sure to wrap it tightly around all 4 sides of the cookie sheet.
• Place strips of bacon on the cookie sheets.
• Bake the bacon in oven for 20-25 minutes, or until you reach your desired level of crispness.
• Be sure to rotate pans in the oven at about 10-15 minute mark. This makes sure all of the bacon reaches even cooking levels.
• Once bacon has finished baking in the oven. Allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes.
• Remove bacon from cookie sheets, and place on paper towel lined plate to drain.
• Once bacon has finished draining you can place in freezer bags to go into the refrigerator.
• If you want to freeze the cooked bacon. Place some freezer paper or parchment paper on a cookie sheet, and then add a layer of bacon on top. Add another piece of freezer or parchment paper on top of the bacon, and then add another layer of bacon on top of that.
• Repeat this process for 3-4 layers.
• Allow bacon to freeze for 2- 3 hours.
• Remove bacon from freezer, and place into freezer bags. I like to separate the bacon out into portions that I will be using during the week.
• To reheat frozen bacon: Allow to thaw overnight in the fridge, and then heat on a paper towel lined plate in the microwave in 20 second intervals. Heat until you reach your desired level of heat and crispiness. If you forget to thaw, place the frozen bacon on a paper towel lined plate and heat in the microwave in 30 second intervals.

MAKE-AHEAD BACON AND CHEESE BREAKFAST SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray or grease with butter.
• Add the bacon to a cold medium skillet heat over medium heat. Cook, flipping occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
• Whisk the eggs, milk, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper together in a large bowl. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake until puffed and set, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
• Place the English muffins cut-side up on a baking sheet and brush with some butter if using. Bake until slightly toasty, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Once the eggs are cool enough to handle, use a large round biscuit cutter (about 3 3/4 inches in diameter) or the rim of a drinking glass to cut out 6 rounds. (For ways to use the leftover egg scraps, see Cook's Note.) Using an offset spatula or a butter knife, remove each egg round from the pan and place on bottom half of an English muffin. Top each with a slice of bacon, one slice of Cheddar and the other muffin half. Wrap each sandwich individually with aluminum foil, put in a resealable plastic bag and freeze up to 1 month or refrigerate for up to 1 week.
• To reheat, unwrap a sandwich and place on a paper towel on a microwave-safe dish. Microwave 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, until the cheese is melted and eggs are warmed through. Alternatively, thaw a foil-wrapped frozen sandwich overnight in the refrigerator, then bake in a 425-degree F oven until warmed through and the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.

CRISPY BACON

Steps:

• Put the bacon in a non-stick frying pan in a single layer. Top with another heavy pan or frying pan that fits snugly into the pan on top of the bacon. If it's not very heavy, top with another pan, or anything heatproof and weighty.
• Fry on a medium-low heat for 10-15 mins until golden and super-crispy. Check the bacon halfway through cooking - increase the heat slightly if there's lots of liquid in the pan, and flip the bacon over. Keep cooking until the bacon is uniformly golden and crisp.
• Drain on kitchen paper before adding to sandwiches or crumbling over salads or soups.

MAKE-AHEAD CHEESY BACON MINI MEATLOAVES

Steps:

• Whisk eggs and milk in large bowl until blended. Add all remaining ingredients except bacon; mix lightly. Shape into 6 (1-inch-thick) patties; wrap bacon slice around edge of each patty.
• Wrap individually in plastic wrap; place in freezer-weight resealable plastic bag. Seal bag. Freeze up to 3 months.
• Heat oven to 375ºF. Unwrap frozen patties; place on rimmed baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 40 to 45 min. or until done (160ºF).

CRISPY OVEN-BAKED BACON

Steps:

• Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place bacon on sheet and place in a cold oven.
• Set the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and cook bacon until crispy, 25 to 30 minutes.

BACON FOR THE FAMILY OR A CROWD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Arrange bacon on baking sheet in a single layer with the edges touching or slightly overlapping.
• Bake in preheated oven to desired degree of doneness, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove bacon from the baking sheet with tongs or a fork, and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.