Who doesn't just LOVE bacon? Americans, that's for sure—we buy over 2 billion pounds each year. One day I got a supposedly anonymous text from my grandson saying "This is from someone that loves YOU and BACON!" I still laugh over that. And my husband loves it so much that I've thought of creating a perfume called "Eau de Bacon."

When our favorite brand goes on sale I'll buy 3 or 4 pounds and cook it all up at once in my large Dutch oven. After draining all the fat (saving a smidge for other cooking projects), I further drain it on paper towels and when cooled, I package it into small freezer bags and freeze. We always have bacon on hand for all sorts of things because of this technique.

And speaking of buying bacon, on the site Eat Like No One, are tips for smart bacon-buying (if you've ever bought a package of mostly fat, you'll appreciate these):

• Buy from the deli/meat counter; quality is far better and you can see what you're getting.
• Never buy the cheap stuff—it's mostly chemicals.
• When you do purchase bacon from the refrigerated section, look for bacon labeled center cut (it's from the leaner, more meaty section of the pork belly).
• Try a bacon-of-the-month club if you're a big bacon fan. Zingerman's Bacon of the Month Club (www.zingermans.com) comes highly recommended by professional chefs and die-hard foodies.

And speaking of "all sorts of things," there's so much you can do with bacon. For instance, on the Food Network site I found 50 things you can do with bacon. Here are just 10:

1. Bacon Guacamole: Mash 2 avocados with 1/2 cup each chopped tomato and cilantro, 1/4 cup each chopped onion and crumbled cooked bacon, 1/2 minced jalapeño, some lime juice and salt.
2. Cheesy Bacon Popcorn: Drizzle 4 cups hot popcorn with 1 tablespoon bacon drippings. Toss with 3 tablespoons crumbled cooked bacon and 1/4 cup each grated parmesan and cheddar.
3. Bacon-Apple Sandwiches: Spread a split baguette with honey mustard. Fill with cooked bacon, sliced brie and apple, and lettuce; add salt and pepper. Slice.
4. Bacon Butter: Cook 2 slices bacon in a skillet; drain and chop. Blend 1 stick softened butter with the drippings and 2 tablespoons maple syrup. Stir in the chopped bacon. (This is going into my Cook'n 11, a newly created chapter, Finishing Butters!)
5. Fried Bacon Sandwich: Spread dijon mustard on sliced challah; sandwich with Canadian bacon and shredded gruyère. Whisk 1 egg with a bit of milk and nutmeg; dip the sandwiches in the egg mixture and fry in butter.
6. Stuffed Mushrooms: Mix 1/2 cup each grated parmesan and breadcrumbs, 4 slices crumbled cooked bacon and 2 tablespoons each parsley and olive oil. Stuff into mushroom caps, drizzle with olive oil and bake at 350° F, 20 minutes.
7. Bacon-Wrapped Dates: Stuff pitted dates with blue cheese and wrap in bacon. Secure with toothpicks. Broil, turning, until crisp, 5 - 6 minutes.
8. BLT Pasta: Cook 8 slices bacon; drain and chop. Cook 1 chopped red onion, 3 sliced garlic cloves, some red pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon salt in 3 tablespoons drippings. Add 5 cups grape tomatoes; cook 12 minutes. Add 1/3 cup cream; cook 2 minutes. Toss with 12 ounces cooked penne, 4 cups arugula, the bacon, some basil and a splash of pasta water. Top with parmesan.
9. Bacon Nuts: Beat 1 egg white until frothy; toss with 2 cups mixed nuts, 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning, 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 4 slices crumbled cooked bacon. Bake at 325°F, 10 minutes.
10. Bacon Buns: Mix 1/4 cup each diced ham and crumbled cooked bacon. Place 1 tablespoon in the center of 8 refrigerated biscuit dough rounds; fold over and crimp. Bake at 350°F, 15 minutes.