Annually, on August 20th, we celebrate National Bacon Lovers Day. If you are a fan… and you know who you are… this day invites us to indulge in all things bacon.
Perhaps you’ll add a peppery slice to your Bloody Mary cocktail. (Adding a lobster tail or jumbo shrimp is nice, too!)
Or cook up a sandwich-sized bacon weave to fully top your next burger or BLT. Serve up your eggs with bacon. Add crumbled bacon to your macaroni & cheese, salad, chili, or any other dish. I love bacon. Every time I cook bacon, I tend to prep 3-4 pounds at a time. There are ALWAYS great uses! And it freezes great, so I get a lot of bacon but only make the mess once.
Lately, a favorite request when we attend events, is to bring my Sassified Bacon Jam Dip, served over BBQ Roasted Cream Cheese. (The jam freezes well, but I do not prefer the texture of frozen/thawed cream cheese. However, I have never had any leftovers to consider!)
1 lb bacon, fried, but not crisp (drained on paper towels); drippings reserved; bacon chopped
8-oz block cream cheese
Your favorite dry BBQ seasoning
2 lg sweet onions, thinly sliced
¼ – 1/3 c golden monkfruit (or brown sugar)
3 T balsamic vinegar
½ c favorite bottled sweet Thai chili sauce
Open foil wrap around cream cheese and brush top and sides with bacon drippings; sprinkle heavily with BBQ seasoning. Then flip, top-side-down into oven- or grill-safe pan. Score top ½“ deep into ½ – ¾“ diamonds. 
Then brush with bacon drippings and sprinkle with BBQ seasonings. Bake in 275°F oven (or closed grill) for 45 min. Meanwhile, in some of remaining bacon drippings, cook onions over med-low heat to med heat for 10-12 min, stirring several times. Stir in sugar, vinegar, and chili sauce. Then stir in bacon. Mound over the hot, roasted cheese block and drizzle with more sauce, if desired. Serve hot with buttery crackers or scoop-style chips.
KISS Tips: No time to roast the cheese? No problem. Simply serve the bacon jam as a dip surrounded by buttery crackers, like Ritz. Or try stirring softened cheese and jam together, warm in microwave, stirring a couple of times so it all melts together. Make Go for Cheesier Bacon Jam Dip by creaming together ½ c mayonnaise, softened 8-oz cream cheese, and stir in 2 c shredded cheddar cheese and 2 thinly sliced green onions. Then stir in bacon and caramelized onions. Pack into a baking dish & drizzle with additional sauce and a sprinkling of crumbled Ritz crackers before baking 15 minutes at 350°.
