Dinner Club: Bacon Bonanza

Monthly Feature
Each month...six friends get together for great food and good times! Check out the recipes and rundown.

The Shooks hosted and made the appetizers and entree. The Jaegers brought over tasty beverages, and the Shalins were in charge of dessert. The theme was Bacon Bonanza. Here's how it broke down:

Appetizers:
Bacon Wrapped Pineapple
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Bacon-Wrapped-Pineapple/Detail.aspx

Cayenne Candied Bacon
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/cayenne-candied-bacon-recipe/index.html

Avocado BLT
http://www.mealsmatter.org/recipes-meals/recipe/45171

Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/spinach-salad-with-warm-bacon-dressing-recipe/index.html

Main Course:
Bacon, Chicken* and Tomato Pasta
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/guy-fieri/bacon-and-tomato-pasta-recipe/index.html
*Chicken was an extra the recipe didn't call for

Dessert:
Vanilla Ice Cream with Caramelized Bacon and Sensational Chocolate Sauce
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Caramelized-Bacon-3059
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Sensational-Chocolate-Sauce/Detail.aspx

Drinks:
PDT's Bacon-Infused Old Fashioned
http://nymag.com/restaurants/recipes/inseason/45776/

The Rundown: My arteries feel violated. Even the bourbon cocktail was infused with bacon fat. I honestly don't even want to look at bacon for a good two weeks...maybe longer. I particularly enjoyed the Cayenne Candied Bacon. Thick cuts of bacon, super sweet, with a nice, slow burn at the end. Everything was great, and even the crumbled bacon bits worked well in the dessert.