Meaty Bacon-Mushroom Sauté [cook once-eat all week]

Ingredients:

o  3 packages Bacon Ends (about .80 lb. each); roughly chopped

o  2 pints Mushrooms, roughly chopped

o  1 large onion, roughly chopped

o  1 bell pepper, seeded and diced

o  1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced (optional)

o  ¼ tsp. garlic powder

o  Salt and pepper; to taste

Directions:

1.      Preheat a large cast-iron skillet slowly to medium-high heat.

2.      Add chopped bacon to the pan; stirring to break it up, followed by onion. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Bacon should begin to crisp and onions become translucent.

3.      Remove a few tablespoons of fat to a small dish. Add bell peppers, jalapeños and black pepper, stir and cook for another minute.

4.      Scoop mixture out with a slotted spoon and transfer to another dish temporarily. 

5.      Add chopped mushrooms to the hot bacon grease, followed by garlic powder. Cook for a few minutes until crisp on the edges, or to your liking.

6.      Return the bacon mixture to the skillet and stir to incorporate. Season with salt if needed. 

Notes:

·      Bacon ends lend a ‘meatier’ feel than sliced bacon (and it’s cheaper too!)

·      All of the ingredients cook down considerably. It turns out to be a nice, even balance of bacon-mushroom-veg. 

·      Cooking the mushrooms separately is important to get a nice texture, otherwise they will just steam.