How to...

In honor of the 4th of July (tomorrow) I am posting a how to make the perfect BLT. As someone who loves to cook I realize making a sandwich isn't exactly cooking, which is why it is the perfect summertime meal. When it is 100+ degrees outside the last thing you want to do is turn on your oven! So here goes...

Start with the freshest tomatoes you can get. These came straight out of our garden (some of the few those darned birds didn't get!).

Next, get nice, crisp lettuce. I prefer Romaine because it seems to stay crispier and fresher longer.  This is crucial!

 Now, toast some bread. Please don't judge me on my crumby toaster, this is real life, people! Toasted bread is super important, otherwise you'll have a mushy texture, which maybe you like. In that case, save a step and don't toast your bread!

 I probably should have mentioned this before, but while doing all of this, you should probably be cooking bacon. Otherwise, it won't be a BLT! You want to cook your bacon to crispy but not burned. Once the bacon grease has cooled it makes a nice treat for your dog and helps keep his (er, their) coat shiny. Toby loves it! We pour it over his food.

 Now, it's time to assemble. This is actually a really important step, believe it or not. First, apply a thin layer of mayo to both slices of bread. For the perfect BLT I love the spicy mayo (not really THAT spicy, since I'm a wimp!) from Kraft (no, they don't sponsor our blog or anything!).  Then on one side of the bread place the bacon. On the other, the lettuce. The tomato slices should always be between these so they don't slip out. Otherwise you lose the tomatoes and it just becomes a big mess. Add a little salt and pepper to the tomatoes. Easy on the salt, since the bacon is fairly salty. Okay, really salty. Put the sandwich together and enjoy! Sorry I have no pictures of the completed project. Jason and I gobbled them down because we were so hungry!

Now, one last thing. The perfect summer BLT is made oh so perfect by its follow up, the all important dessert. Might I recommend a delicious south Alabama watermelon...

Or maybe some homemade peach ice cream using Chilton County peaches? I have the best recipe for homemade peach ice cream. Maybe I'll share that next...

                                                  ENJOY! Happy 4th!