In my Facebook news feed I saw an idea for Bacon Pickle wraps. Â They sounded interesting. Â I thought I’d pick up some bacon the next time I was in town and give them a try. Â They were super easy so, why not give them a try. Â In the summer I don’t cook a lot of potatoes and heavier meals. Â Supper is often a burger and a salad. Â I thought these would be perfect to add as an appetizer for a light meal.
There really isn’t a recipe. Â I just wrapped the bacon around the pickle and cooked it in the oven until the bacon was done.
So the verdict… meh. Â Hubby and I both decided we like our pickles cold and crisp and we like our bacon hot and crisp. Â I likely won’t make them again…but Kalissa, she loved them and will likely make them again. Â It’s all a matter of taste I guess.
When I was at the store buying the bacon I about had a heart attack. Â $5.99 for a pound of bacon?!?! Â I didn’t know bacon price had gotten so high. Â I have to marvel at what advertising and publicity do to such a lowly product. Â For those of you who don’t know bacon is the a product of the under belly of a pig. Â For the most part, as far as meat quality goes, it’s worthless. Â I think long ago, people came up with the idea of bacon as a means of not wasting any of the pig. Â Years ago, bacon was fairly inexpensive but the food industry has made bacon a staple product. Â How many things aren’t bacon/chicken/ranch flavored? Â How many dishes have bacon sprinkled over the top? Â Growing up bacon was primarily a breakfast food and occasionally on a burger or for a BLT. Â Besides that, bacon wasn’t really used. Â Now days bacon is everywhere.
Along the same lines, years ago when Hubby and I were first married chicken wings were dirt cheap. Â We didn’t have a lot of money. Â We’d be invited somewhere and I could buy 20 chicken wings for $2. Â I’d make BBQ wings and take them whenever we were getting together with friends. Â Everyone loved them and they were always a hit. Â Now days…chicken wings are expensive. Â Again, industry took an undesired piece of meat and made it into something that is now SUPER popular. Â Back then, there was no such thing as “wing night”.
I’ve explained this to my kids before and they all look at me a little strange. Â They can’t imagine life without bacon flavored EVERYTHING..or wings. Â Can you think of other foods that have really changed over the years? Â I’d love to share the list with my kids.
As far as the bacon wrapped pickles go…try them. Â I’d to know if you’re on Kalissa’s side and love them or me and Hubby and can live without them.
One thing we had that, thankfully, no one has elevated to a higher level is junket — a substitute for pudding, I think, during the war years.
I about hyperventilated when I saw the price of bacon too! I just went through 5 pounds in 6 days feeding a cowboy crew. They didn’t get bacon on the 6th day, but they love their bacon. :) I’m with you on the bacon wrapped pickles…don’t think that’s my cup of tea. And I agree – marketing can make anything trendy. Guess I’m an old fashioned kind of gal and not one to follow the crowd.
Try wrapping the pickle with ham and a little cream cheese no heating just eating. Everyone sorta turned up their noses but later the platter was empty
Hey, Jo – I believe I remember your guys are volunteer firemen? Give them a hug from California. I’m 50 miles from the wine country fires, thank goodness. But I have come to have such respect for firemen, police, first responders….. what those guys have been through out here is just horrendous – the for the first few days, they just worked non-stop, no rest, cause there weren’t enough. At least now they can go sleep on a cot or a floor for a few hours and then they are back on duty. amazing people.
I would have to say flank steak. That was our go to meal. Growing up in CT. We live on the coast. We ate lots of fresh fish. One of our favorite was flounder. Back than you couldn’t give it away..
Mussels. People used to just throw them away. Now they are served in nice restaurants!
Here in Australia lamb used to be cheap. Now it’s expensive, and lamb shanks in particular are a restaurant specialty, way overpriced, and served every which way.
I love bacon too and as an appetizer, bacon-wrapped prunes is amazing! http://www.cookingninja.com/238-Crispy-Bacon-Wrapped-Prune.html I think I would be with you on the pickles…they are supposed to be cold and crispy!
Prices for bacon and butter or crazy! And what about hotdogs and hamburger? That’s what poor people used to live on. I guess now days one has to be rich to live poor. Decent bread is expensive too, so I bake most of my own….tastes so much better and is so much better for you without all the additives.
I think you hit the nail on the head! The only thing I ever used wing were for making stock along with the backbone. I think wings started as a cheap appetizer in bars where the spiciness was intended to make you more thirsty hence the sold more beer.
When we were first married (in 1984) I could get turkey legs for $.29/lb. I fixed them in every imaginable. That and oxtails were cheap. Oxtails make great soup! So was beef tongue, my Mama prepared it for sandwich meat. My hubby wouldn’t eat it. Sometimes, it’s best to give ingredient info after the meal!
At the fair, they sell BBQ’d turkey legs for $15 each! I had a heart attack, couldn’t believe how long the line was! Just shook my head.
@Kathy: Yes! We used pickled asparagus spears and cream cheese wrapped in ham as a special finger food for our annual New Year’s Eve game nights. It was always the first thing gone.
I don’t like pork, but I’m with you on the chicken wings! I buy the 10 pound bags of leg quarters, cut them up, boil the backs for broth, cook the thighs separately, then use the drumsticks for Buffalo or other spicy dishes where I would have used wings before. I season and bake my “Buffalo Drums,” basting them with sauce throughout the baking. They aren’t as crispy as wings, but there is more meat–they make a meal! And at around $.69 a pound. :)
Someone mentioned flank steak–oxtail and skirt steak are also expensive.
Liver was also one of the inexpensive meats the we grew up eating but now it’s served in restaurants with onions and BACON. I have to say I enjoy it so much more that the former flour and fry method but the price is way high too. I guess we all love that smoked flavor.
I just now read a blog where the quilter shared her recipe for apple pie with bacon in it. I know that it is probably good, but what’s the point? Somethings don’t need anything extra. I do want to make some bacon jam, though. I think it would be good on a burger.