full bellies | warm welcomes
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this morning we got up early-ish and went in search of the nearest farmer’s market. we’ve been out of town a bunch so we thought we could get to know our new corner of the delta a little better.
we went the wrong directions and then made it back to greenville for their market just in time to buy some beautiful cherry and pear tomatoes, some speckled butter beans, and lady peas.
the tomatoes were too small for a BLT sandwich, so tonight for dinner we made the next best thing… a BLT salad. 
something about the lemon juice, garlic, and mayonnaise in the dressing was the perfect combination… boone had thirds. if you find yourself wanting something easy and summery, this adaptation of a southern living recipe might be just the ticket.
crush the garlic into a paste, and slice the onions into thin ribbons. cook the bacon in a skillet until it’s crispy and brown. Once the bacon is ready, drain it using paper towels. Now comes the healthiest part…cook the onions in the bacon drippings until they’re translucent. i know… my weight watchers’ commitment isn’t looking so good right now. don’t judge me.
mash the garlic clove into a paste using the flat side of a knife or a garlic press. combine with the mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and lemon juice to make the tangy dressing.
combine the bacon, lettuce, onions, and tomatoes, then mix in the dressing. voila! a light, delishy summer salad.
the new Delta Magazine had a fantastic article about the best BLTs in the Delta and almost all of them had something extra like fried green tomatoes or catfish added. now, no doubt those are all delicious but my favorite BLT is as basic as it gets and comes right from my own kitchen. read on.
The Classic BLT
Weight Watchers Points: 9
Serving Size:2
What you need:
4 slices of white bread
5 slices of thick cut bacon
hellman’s REAL mayonnaise (don’t you DARE substitute this)
2 ripe, locally grown tomatoes
salt, pepper
green bib lettuce
What to do:
Toast the bread (we don’t have a toaster, so we just use the oven on broil) and while it’s toasting, make the bacon. I use the microwave and cover the bacon with a paper towel and cook on high for 3 minutes. My mom uses a skillet…
Cut tomatoes into thick slices. Once the bread comes out of the oven, spread the mayonnaise over both sides of the bread, layer the tomato slices, bacon, and lettuce and sprinkle with salt and pepper. If you’re feeling fancy, use an avocado for a little extra creaminess…totally unnecessary, but it sure does something great with the acidity of the tomato and the salt. delicious.
i’m going to plant some tomatoes in august just so i don’t have to wait until next july for another sandwich as good as this one.
I’m not sure why, but this recipe from my mom is just better than other recipes… and they’re definitely a ton better than pouring some out of a can and heating them up. Some people are a little unsure about them at first glance but once tasted, they’re believers. I think this is probably the recipe I get asked for most often… so I’m going to share it with you! (but ONLY if you’ll remember that I already told you I’m not a professional photographer.) The name comes from the fact that this recipe uses bacon, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, and caramalized onions to really deepen the flavor… they’re so GOOD that they’re big and bad if you ask me!
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