Savor summer and the fresh vegetable season as long as you can… This version of the classic summer sandwich kicks it up a notch with heirloom tomato, brioche, and Quick Aioli. Oven-baked Sheet Pan Bacon avoids the mess on your stove from frying bacon and produces perfectly cooked crispy bacon. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS
Serves 2-3

1-2 ripe heirloom tomatoes (or Beefsteak tomatoes)
3-4 strips of bacon per person
Boston Bibb lettuce
Brioche buns (sub your bread of choice)
Quick Aioli
salt and pepper

PREPARATION
1. Cook the bacon
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a sheet pan with tin foil; place the bacon slices on a rack on the sheet pan. Cook for 15 minutes and turn the bacon; cook for another 15 minutes for crispy bacon. Remove the bacon slices to a paper towel and set aside.

2. Make the aioli While the bacon is in the oven make the aioli

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1-2 garlic cloves (finely minced or grated and mashed to a paste with a pinch of salt)
1 tablespoon good quality olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional)
3-4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (to taste)
Pinch of salt (to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Combine the ingredients and mix well.

3. Assemble the sandwiches

Slice each brioche bun in half and lightly toast the cut face-side of each half. (toasting is optional)
Spread aioli on the face-side of the brioche.
Top with one or two leaves of lettuce.
Cut the tomato into ¼ inch thick slices and place one or two slices on the lettuce.
Top with the crispy bacon.
Salt and pepper to taste.
ENJOY!

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

1. Line a 12” x 17” sheet pan with aluminum foil.

2. Place the sheet pan grate on the foil-lined pan and lay out the bacon slices.

3. Place the pan in the preheated oven for 15 minutes; turn the bacon strips over.

4. After you turn the bacon, cook for another 15 minutes or until desired crispiness.

5. Place the cooked bacon between two sheets of paper towel to absorb some of the grease.

Bacon lovers unite! This kitchen hack has been around for a while now, but if you’re still cooking bacon in a skillet on the stove and getting grease splatters all over your stove top, your hands, your glasses, and the counter, you need to try this. Not only does it save your stovetop and you from the grease bath, it allows you to cook almost a pound of bacon all at the same time! If you only want to cook 4-6 slices of bacon, you can do the same thing using your toaster oven. Once you perfect your timing, you’ll have easy-peasy, crispy bacon every time with very little mess. That’s what I’m talkin’ about! Where’s the bacon?! (The bacon is with Blueberry Pancakes...one of my weekend favorites!)

*Note: Some people (bacon lovers in particular) believe bacon is an important component of a life-well-lived. Remember… live life with moderation and no guilt!!

Bacon Lettuce and Tomato Sandwich →

No Guilt Sheet Pan Bacon →