It'sss BACON

It's a known fact that bacon makes everything better. Ok, its actually my opinion, but it's pretty true. Bacon is a food that can literally be used for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even dessert! You can eat bacon by itself or incorporated into your meals. After you fry bacon, you can even use the fat as a substitute for butter or oil, and it makes your meal taste even more flavorful.

Bacon has really become a trendy food, everyone is trying to out cook one another just to see who can be more creative with their bacon. I'd like to share with you some of my favorite ways to fall in love with bacon, over and over again!

• The classic "Happy Waitress," a grilled cheese with bacon and tomato (sometimes served open face): this sandwich is not your boring two slices of bread glued together by cheese. The crispy salty bacon pairs nicely with the soft, sweet, sliced tomatoes. The cheese adheres to the ripples in the bacon making each bite a crunchy melty delight.

• Bacon wrapped scallops: I'm drooling just writing about it.
  
  These little gems really explode in your mouth. The scallop is tender and sweet. The bacon gives it a big salty hug. I usually eat these with a touch of horseradish sauce to give it a little bite. 

• Maple bacon cupcakes: I know this sounds weird but they are banging! You start with a traditional yellow cake recipe, topped with maple frosting and then crumbles of crunchy bacon. All the flavors really marry in your mouth. The hint of salt from the bacon is just enough to intensify the other flavors of the cupcake

• Chicken bacon ranch pizza: This has become a very popular pizza toppings combo. I see it at just about every pizza place I visit. The secret to making it even better is... buffalo chicken! The heat from the buffalo sauce, cools down with the ranch dressing and finishes with a crunchy hunk of bacon. The bacon is already cooked when added so when you cook the pizza the bacon gets even crunchier as it twice bakes. 

I just know, if you're anything like me, you will love these bacon enhanced foods! Bacon is such a simple ingredient, but when added to other foods, it totally ups the flavor levels!

Good Eats in Lake George, NY

Food is one of my favorite obsessions and Lake George, NY is my all time favorite vacation spot. When you combine these two you have a happy girl! Ever since I was a little kid, my family and I have always visited Lake George several times a year. Our trip wouldn't be the same if we didn't visit the places I've listed below. In this post, I'd like to share with you some of my favorite food finds to eat in the beautiful Adirondacks. 

• Breakfast is a pretty hard meal to mess up, so it can easily be found at many places in Lake George, but if you want the biggest and best tasting meals you have to visit The Lone Bull. This Western themed breakfast/steak house has been an all time regular for my family since I was a kid. Whenever I visit I feel a little bit older because of their menus; they are placemats stamped with the years they have been in service. I can recall when the numbers were much smaller, showing how long I've been visiting. At The Lone Bull you order your breakfast by the number on the menu, cream and syrup are served in bull shaped containers, and they never let you go home hungry. Almost every breakfast item is under $11 which is the perfect price for breakfast. I promise you will leave with a smile and a full belly!

• If you're looking for a steak house then you are in luck. Just a few miles down from the center of town is an outstanding restaurant called The Log Jam. The name really sums it up but for a picture perfect description the Log Jam site says:
  

"Whether you’re visiting the Lake George – Saratoga region, or you live here year round, The Log Jam Restaurant takes pride both in the beauty of the Adirondacks and in providing you with superb food and accommodating hospitality in an authentic log cabin. If it weren’t for the aromas of sizzling steaks, you just might think you walked into an Adirondack logging camp of 100 years ago. A pot-belly stove warmly greets you at the front door, wood plank floors stretch beneath your feet, pine logs cut from the mountains above Lake George surround you, and three massive stone fireplaces provide the perfect romantic setting".

Of course you don't have to get a steak here, but you'd be sorry if you didn't. There are many other entrees that include fish, chicken, and pork. Each meal includes their outstanding salad and bread bar; you could make a meal out of that alone!  Whenever we decided to go to The Log Jam we starve ourselves all day, making room for all the delightful foods to come at dinner.

• If Italian is more to your liking then Mario's is the place to be!
  
  Located just a few blocks up from the main strip, Mario's is your traditional family owned Italian restaurant. Both the outside and inside of this restaurant screams Italy. They have been family owned and operated for over 60 years and the flavors of their dishes are authentic family recipes. You are greeted at the table with fresh hot bread, garlic and oil dipping sauce is optional but a must! Most meals come with house salad or soup. My husband almost always get the Pasta Fagioli. The meals come out good and hot with lots of Parmesan cheese on the side. Usually, there is so much pasta that we always have leftovers (even though we try to stuff it all in us.) The prices are reasonable, the staff is friendly, and the food is great. What more can you ask for?
  

• I always want dessert when I'm on vacation and dessert can come any time of the day when you're on vacation, right? If you've got a sweet tooth like me then you will surly love visiting A&W's ice cream shack. This little ice cream building is located on the right just as you pull into the Village of Lake George.
  
  
  You can't miss the smiling orange bear welcoming you in. This is the perfect stop for a cold treat. Soft serve and hard scooped ice cream is served here in all the flavors you can think of. They also make milk shakes, sundaes and root beer floats. Along with the cold treats you can find some traditional road stop snacks like fries, burgers and dogs. A&W is fun for the whole family, it makes everyone feel like a kid at heart! 

I truly hope you and your family get to visit Lake George and eat at some of these great finds my family and I have eaten at for many years. I know you will love everything each place has to offer!