Ben and bacon. Can you think of a better match? I can’t! This week, Ben suggested breakfast for dinner: biscuits with sausage gravy, and scrambled eggs. To his great delight, I beat him to the bacon punch, and suggested we add bacon-wrapped dates to the menu. On Christmas, his cousins made dozens of these for an appetizer, and Ben couldn’t rest until they were gone. How many dates with bacon does a guy need? Not sure about an exact number, but I think they’re going steady.
Bacon-Wrapped Dates
16 dates
16 half strips of bacon
2 ounces honey goat cheese
Preheat oven to 450º. Slit dates lengthwise and remove pits. Spoon goat cheese into cavities and squeeze closed. Wrap dates in bacon and bake 20 minutes or more, or until bacon is done to your liking.
I must admit to being a little surprised that Ben chose breakfast for dinner. Generally, he loves breakfast, as long it is limited to once a day. When you have breakfast for dinner, you have a breakfast surplus and a dinner deficit. Once you allow brunch into your life, you run the risk of eliminating a whole meal. 3-1=2. It’s a mine field, really. I mean, you love bacon, you were meant for each other, you’re soulmates, but you skip meals for no one. No one. (Apple didn’t fall from the tree. I once told the person trying to schedule me for meetings that I skip lunch for no one. Now retired, (coincidence?) she knew I meant business, and I’ve never been asked to forego a meal at work since then. I come in early, I stay late, but 12:00 rolls around? Liz is gonna eat.) But, I digress.
Sunday, we had plans to try a new place for brunch after church. Ben was oddly resistant. He kept telling us it was closed, the reservations wouldn’t work, the weather is bad, it’s a hard mountain to climb, yadda yadda yadda. We were in the church parking lot, and Ben started in again on just skipping brunch. I called his bluff and offered to drop him off at home for some leftovers. We got in the car and drove off to pick up Sophia. When we were about halfway to Sophia’s house, it struck me that all protestation had ceased. I turned around to see… an empty backseat. We had inadvertently driven off without Ben!
We made a panicked U-turn, drove fast, and found Ben standing on the street corner in front of the church. I expected he would be upset and crying (because I was fairly close to that myself) but he was calm. I asked him what happened, and he said, “I have no idea.” Forensic analysis of the incident would suggest that he feared the brunch place would not serve burgers (a valid fear – it was only breakfast-y stuff) and he would end up with two breakfasts for the day and no lunch, so he just didn’t get in the car.
We all agreed to forget about the incident, and we had a delicious brunch at Nomad.
Here’s proof that Ben loved his brunch (second breakfast) of eggs, potatoes, tomatoes, and bacon!
Our recommendation? If you’ve got a date with bacon, show up!
Poutine is a word I didn’t know so I looked it up. Does it really taste good?
It is great! Ben remembered it from our trip to Canada.