Two Words

Bacon.  Crackers. 

Baked together into crispy, porky, salty, crunchy deliciousness.

How did I manage to miss this for the past twenty years?

I stumbled across this recipe recently in what's left of the weekly Food Section of our Atlanta Journal-Constitution.  (Actually, calling this a recipe is somewhat of a stretch as it requires only two ingredients and is a snap to make).  Since I was getting ready to host a casual dinner party, it caught my eye because it sounded easy (as in a complete no-brainer) and tasty.  So I whipped up a batch, served them to my guests and watched them disappear.  Quickly, I might add.

Now I don't know the origin of this (someone just screwing around in the kitchen, no doubt), but when I took a batch to one of my foodie friends and his eighty-ish-something (dynamic) mother, she talked animatedly about serving these at cocktail parties back in the day.  A quick Google search revealed multiple recipes and variations with several statements that these had been around for years.

Given my interest in retro recipes, I would love to know if any of you have ever heard of these.  Maybe your mom made them?  Your grandmother, perhaps?  Let me know, please.

In the meantime, I will leave you with the "recipe" which recently appeared in the AJC, from Mississippi author Martha Hall Foose's book "A Southerly Course."  Make these for your next cocktail party, or make them just for yourself.  You might feel guilty, but you won't be sorry!

Henry is neither guilt-ridden or sorry.

He's just relieved the Food Police are on vacation!

BACON CRACKERS  (adapted from Martha Hall Foose)

15 strips of bacon (preferably applewood-smoked)
45 buttery crackers (such as Waverly Wafers)

Preheat oven to 250-degrees.  Place a baking rack over a sheet pan and coat very lightly with cooking spray. 

Slice bacon strips into thirds.  Wrap each cracker with a piece of the sliced bacon, then place seam side down on the prepared rack.

Bake for 1 1/2 hours or until bacon is thoroughly cooked through.  Remove from oven and cool completely.

Serve immediately or store for up to 1 day in an airtight container.

Yield:  45 crackers or enough to feed one (once you devour eat one, you'll see what I mean)

*  When you  procure your bacon, make sure it isn't thick-cut.  Thinner slices will wrap more easily around your crackers.

*  Speaking of crackers, make sure you avoid those with trans fats.  I used Whole Foods 365 brand and it worked quite well.  Also, I prefer rectangular crackers for this, but if you need to use round or oval ones, have at it.  The end result will taste the same (and you will still eat too many of them).

*  While you can make these ahead, I think they are better if you serve them as soon as you have made and cooled them.  Nonetheless, I would happily consume more than my fair share ...even if they are a day old!

*  Folks, this is trash food at its best.  Please forgive me for my lack of  food integrity here!