Breads and Sandwiches

• Using bacon fat in place of butter to make grilled sandwiches gives them an added layer of flavor. Whether you're making a simple grilled cheese sandwich or frying up a hearty Reuben or indulgent peanut butter and jelly sandwich, once you use bacon grease to brown the bread, it may be hard to go back to butter. The next time you're making toast for breakfast, heat a heavy skillet over medium high heat, add enough bacon grease to coat the pan, and toast the bread to golden brown on both sides. Add a few tablespoons of bacon grease to cornbread, pancake or waffle batter to heighten the taste experience and create crusty exteriors.

Vegetables

• Instead of rubbing the skins of potatoes with oil to brown them while baking, use bacon grease. The skins get crisp and instead of a heavy bacon-bit topping, you get delicious bacon flavor in every bite of the skin. Make the baked potatoes extra special with a topping of thinly sliced red onions slowly browned in bacon fat. Use bacon grease to brown sliced russet or sweet potatoes prepared for side dishes. Instead of sauteing fresh spinach in olive or vegetable oil, use an equal amount of bacon fat to barely brown the greens, then add a splash of balsamic vinegar right before serving to brighten the bacon flavor.

Sweets

• Combining salty and sweet tastes has created the world's most enduring candy bars. You can use the same pairing technique with baked goods. Replace some of the shortening in pie crust recipes with chilled bacon grease to produce a tasty crust that goes particularly well with fruit fillings. Bacon grease added to cake and cupcake recipes adds a layer of intrigue and makes the exteriors golden brown and slightly crispy. Replace up to half the butter or shortening in cookie recipes such as chocolate chip and shortbread to enhance their oven browning and kick up the flavors.

Snacks

• Flour or corn tortillas cut into wedges and browned in a bacon-grease-coated skillet make tasty snacks. Season them with paprika, salt and pepper while they're still hot. Instead of using oil to make a pot of old-fashioned popcorn on the stove top, substitute bacon grease and let the kernels brown for a few minutes before covering the pot to capture the exploding popcorn.