Bakin' and Bacon: The Bacon Effect

Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've heard bacon makes everything better so to test this theory I embarked on the baking of bacon chocolate chip cookies.  Some of you might immediately be turned on by the thought of greasy pig fat cookies while others are probably repulsed by the idea of mixing greasy pig fat into something as delicious and traditional as the chocolate chip cookie.  I'll admit that I had my apprehensions about bacon and cookies (and not just for the fact that I am a vegetarian) but I gave it a try anyway.  

It's as simple as the title sounds; just add bacon to a chocolate chip cookie dough and bake!  (To prepare the bacon I layered a cookie sheet with bacon, sprinkled with brown sugar to add extra sweetness to the cookie, and baked in the oven.) My one suggestion would be to watch the ratio of dry to wet ingredients.  You will need a stickier dough because you are adding extra dry ingredients (the bacon!) to the dough and you want the dough to stick together so you can roll into golf ball sized balls.

And the results...

Bacon does make everything better (at least chocolate chip cookies)!  Yup, that's right these cookies were quite a hit (my ultimate frisbee team can attest to indulging in a bacon cookie complemented by a PBR and enjoying every bit).  The cookie was not too overwhelmed by the bacon flavor; the chocolate chips certainly balanced the salty bacon.  
Incorporating a non-traditional ingredient into a classic recipe was worth the taking the risk but I'm not sure where this will lead me in my next baking adventure. 


The Bacon Effect

So, I have obviously established that bacon makes everything better and this provoked me to think what's my bacon?  Confused?  I'll clarify:  Bacon added to any food will make it instantly better (the bacon effect), so what it is in my life that can have that same effect?  

Sticking with the puns, my bacon is probably bakin'.  (I'm sorry if that's too much for some of you but it had to be said- this is a blog about baking.)  Baking is my first response to a stressful day (that would probably explain why I've been baking so much lately).  Baking focuses my mind on a single task but also has a physical aspect to it (trust me, whipping cream by hand is a better workout than lifting dumbbells).  I love being able to create something that will make someone happy and excited to indulge in (I have been told that the way into someone's heart is through their stomach but I don't think I have stolen any hearts yet).  There is nothing I enjoy more than being in a kitchen, listening (and dancing!) to some twee pop, and sipping at coffee while I attempt to create something sweet.

Baking makes everything better for me, so what is your bacon?