Bet with a title like "Trim the Fat" you weren't expecting it to start with a nice pan of bubbling bacon, eh?
It actually came to me while I was cooking the bacon and I really felt like it applied to the moment and my life right now.
There has been a nice amount of trimming lately... a little on my waist, a little of baggage I didn't need, a little of the food in my fridge (hence the bacon, but we'll get to that in a second...) Some may call it, spring cleaning. I like mine better.
The last month has been a bit trying at times for me and I wasn't particularly happy with anything. I know there are a few wonderful people out there reading this who let me vent way too much to them. It seems I was trying to carry a bit more baggage than I needed to deal with. Thankfully this last week has been more than redemptive of the previous three. When you close one door....you open the windows and feel the beautiful breeze.
I have had some extra time of late so I have upped the workouts and definitely trimmed some weight [not that I am focusing on a number, I'm not and neither should you] and some inches here and there. Really I am just having a lot of fun throwing weights around and getting stronger. I have a new schedule at work and it will allow me even more fun in the gym.. hopefully!
Like I said, I was a bit whiny the last month but this week, I swear, every morning I woke up just stupid happy. I think I almost annoyed myself with my abnormal positivity. So I decided to spread the wealth and buy someone a coffee. Actually, I tried this twice but the first time, no one was in the drive through behind me!! Seriously, who has ever heard of an empty Starbucks drive through??
I was waiting to get the receipt for their drinks and have it be like 10-15$ but it was only $5, for two iced teas. Karma was on my side I guess. I hope it made them smile.
So back to that bacon. I have been trying to use things in my fridge and pantry so that they do not go to waste and to save money. Well, I happened to have 2.5 lbs of bacon in my fridge that I had purchased for breakfast for others and well, we all know that I don't make a practice of eating meat or bacon, and as I no longer needed the bacon for its initial purpose I decided to make something with it.....COOKIES!!
Banana Bacon Cookies
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 bananas, mashed
1/2 pound bacon, cooked crisp, chopped
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon, and the salt.
In a medium mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to cream together the butter and 1 cup of the sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until they are fully incorporated. Beat in the vanilla. Add the butter mixture to the flour mixture, then stir in the mashed bananas, beating well after each addition. Fold in the bacon.
Stir together the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the remaining cinnamon.
Drop the dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheet 1 inch apart. Sprinkle generously with the cinnamon-sugar and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until slightly browned.
I can't eat them but I have it on good accord from my taste tester that they are delicious. I may even consider throwing some bacon into my next banana bread recipe.
If I hadn't added the cinnamon sugar to them, I though that I would like to dip the cookies half in semi-sweet or dark chocolate. I know bacon and chocolate go well together as well as banana and chocolate and I think it would just be divine. Unfortunately, I thought of this too late...but you should give it a try!!! Let me know what you think!!
It was so wonderful breaking out the baking again. It had been too long! and too long since my last blog too! Don't worry, I won't leave y`all hanging again!
xo
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