Dan Can Cook

Cooking has always vexed me.

On one hand, I have low tolerance for the prep work, the shopping, the cleaning, the waiting, the unplanned multitasking, and the inevitable throwing away of parts unused. Worse, the occasions I have decided to cook, my instincts to be creative often lead to some utterly stupid meals. (Ask Katie about my attempts to be creative with Chicken Parm.) Result: almost all of my meals are takeout or delivery.

On the other hand, I love food. This certainly doesn't hurt the desire to eat at restaurants, but it does always pain me that I can't even seem to make much right at home.

Two weeks ago, I decided to make a run to the grocery store and pick up a few things so I could do something easy, but with a little bit of effort. End result: some excellent homemade croutons that topped a pretty decent chicken Caesar salad.

Inspired by Serious Eats' National Pork Day coverage - particularly Meg's comment about her favorite pork recipe - I decided to get cooking again this morning.

• I grabbed some nice fresh european bread, a cluster of vine tomatoes, a head of Boston lettuce, a small bottle of Hellman's Mayo and a pack of hardwood smoked bacon.
• I baked the bacon after seasoning it a little with some sea salt and cracked pepper. I have learned my lesson that trying to cook a lot of bacon in a skillet is both a time sink and a recipe for grease burns. It still came out the right level of chewy that a sandwich such as this requires.
• I ripped off two leaves of lettuce per sandwich, and sliced the tomatoes into four thin slices. I do not believe in shredded lettuce for sandwiches.
• The bread was toasted so that it just barely browned - leaving the insides chewy but the outside firm enough to hold up the sandwich.
• Mayo was blended with this lovely fried garlic olive oil we've had kicking around in about a 3:1 ratio to form a makeshift garlic aioli.

And when it was all assembled, it all clicked.

Yes, cooking a BLT is not the most exciting thing in the world - but I defy you to look at that picture and not get hungry.

Food is even more delicious when you make it yourself. Be good to yourself - cook something. If I can do it, you sure as hell can.