a twist on BLT | Itty Bitty City Kitchen

My fiance just got his wisdom teeth out.

Which means he’s on the applesauce and mashed potato diet.

I feel horrible. But, at the same time, I’m hungry. And I can chew. So mashed potatoes and applesauce are just not going to cut it for me.

But I also don’t really feel like cooking just for me. When I lived alone I never really cooked, not because I couldn’t cook, but because it seemed like such a lot of work to make a meal just for myself.

But from that time alone, I’ve come up with some satisfying meals that involve just the smallest amount of cooking. This is one of them.

I love big salads for dinner. But sometimes you need a little meat tossed in there to make it really feel like a meal. Usually I go the route of the prosciutto salad dressing, but I was in the mood for something with a little more to it.

I liked the idea of prosciutto, but I wanted something a little smokier, something more like bacon.

And so, a BLT salad.

I love BLTs, but sometimes you just aren’t in the mood for a sandwich. Don’t brush aside the meal, but instead think about deconstructing it and assembling it in a bowl.

For this salad you will need:

Bacon
Lettuce
Tomato
Avocado
(and any other bits you like added to your BLT)

For the dressing, I’m making a champagne vinaigrette. But again, use whatever you like.

My dressing is a tablespoon of good, spicy mustard, a tablespoon of champagne vinegar, two tablespoons of olive oil and some freshly ground black pepper, tossed in a mason jar, then shaken (lid on) to combine.

From there it’s just a matter of slicing up your veggies and your bacon

Tossing in a bowl and topping with dressing.

I’m aware it’s slightly mean to make bacon and fill the apartment with the intoxicating aroma when your other half can’t eat, but I’ve made promises to make him all of his favorites as soon as he’s better.

That makes it okay.

Right?

Let me start off with an apology. The photos in this post are a bit fuzzy.

You see, I was cooking and, hazards of food blogging I guess, burned myself. I pulled my hand away, and, in doing so, knocked my camera off the counter.

Yup. It broke.

There was lot of cursing. And almost some crying. It’s a brand new camera.

But I eventually pulled myself together (there may have been a few milano cookies involved) and got in with the day.

I didn’t hurt myself or break anything irreplaceable.

Perspective. And milanos.

So back to the post.

Yesterday I took my dad out to his favorite place for Father’s Day.

I was torn between my usual order and something else on the menu that caught my eye. For dad, it was a no brainer. It was all about the burger.

I ended up with my usual, but couldn’t help but think about the other menu item. I bet I could make that at home.

What was it that almost had me? A BLT with a fried egg. It sounded so simple, but so intriguing. The simple part was what had me ordering my usual. I knew with a little thought I could easily make my own itty bitty city kitchen version of the BLTE.

For a period of time, I hated bacon. The smell of it made me nauseous and the taste just didn’t do it for me. It was not a health thing. It was purely a taste thing. A few weeks ago when my boyfriend and I went out for burgers, I forgot to tell the waiter no bacon on mine. So when it came with bacon, I shrugged and figured I’d give it a go.

I was surprised that I liked it. But hey, taste buds change. Unfortunately, mine will always crave breads and fried stuff. Why can’t they change to crave only fruits and vegetables and grains? At least until bikini season is over.

So bacon. I like it again. Which is probably why I was eying that BLTE.

It’s Sunday. My boyfriend’s home with his dad. And I’m home alone. I can make a big messy BLT with a gooey fried egg on top and no one will ever know. Well except for you. But you won’t tell, right?

I decided to jazz this up a little bit and switch out the lettuce for some baby kale. Kale’s having a moment. It’s a superfood, packed with vitamins and good stuff. So it will balance out the bacon.

So here’s my BKTE

You will need

1 whole wheat English muffin, toasted
2 thick slices of tomato
a handful of baby kale
2 eggs, fried
3 pieces of bacon, cooked
1 tablespoon Greek yogurt with a squeeze of lemon juice (in place of mayo)

Start by cooking the bacon. Instead of making a mess frying it, I put the bacon strips on a foil-lined cookie sheet and baked in a 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes. You can fry it. Or microwave it. Whatever you prefer.

Meanwhile, crack two eggs in a frying pan and cook over medium low heat. You want them cooked but with the yolk still runny.

While the eggs cook, mix the Greek yogurt and lemon juice and apply to each half of the English muffin. You can use mayo, but I like the tang of the yogurt and the lemon, plus it’s a healthy alternative.