I’m not going to lie – I definitely do my best recipe brainstorming as I lay in bed at night, right when I’m about to fall asleep. Most of the time, nothing much comes out of it since I have an incredible ability to fall asleep within 30 seconds flat, but one night, my brain was really going, because I was thinking about something super important: how I could get more runny egg pizza in my life.
You know, normal things normal people think about.
I did a little something crazy.
I made you something vegan. On a bacon blog. I KNOW.
But hear me out. First of all, let’s be real, this zucchini bread was never going to have bacon in it. Some things just aren’t meant to be. And I’ve just been so damn inspired by all the gorgeous vegan baked goods hovering around the food blogosphere lately (sticky buns, anyone?) that I have been dying to try my hand at some vegan baking. And boy, am I glad I did.
Phew. I don’t know about you guys, but this weekend was a BIG eating weekend. And a big beer-drinking weekend. And a big happy-times-outside-not-too-productive weekend. It was totally awesome and exactly how a holiday weekend is supposed to be, but as always after a vacation or holiday, I am feeling greatly in need of a few days that don’t involve stuffing my face with enormous oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. We all need a few of those days every now and then, even those of us (ahem) who write food blogs about bacon. It’s all about the balance here.
Last summer, I waxed poetic about my all-time favorite kind of salad: panzanella. I mean, it’s a bread salad. What’s not to absolutely love? I made this salad a million times last summer and I don’t see this summer being any different. But while I’m waiting for those perfectly plump tomatoes to hit the farmers market, I decided to whip up a spring version that I have to say I – gasp! – might like better than the original.
I think the giant hunks of thick-cut bacon and the bread toasted up in bacon fat might have something to do with it. Maybe.