Bacon Drippings

Bacon is a wonderful ingredient. I use it in several recipes, especially soups! Recently, I made a homemade split pea soup and bacon was my first ingredient. However, when I cook bacon sometimes there is too much fat rendered to leave in the soup. I wouldn't want greasy peas! Whenever this happens I pour the excess fat into my Cuisinart and use it for a salad dressing. I also add a garlic clove, some Dijon mustard, some mayonnaise, lemon juice, honey and a little pepper. This dressing is fantastic on lettuce and spinach. It also tastes great with a wilted, warm spinach salad or my warm cabbage salad. Maybe it is fattening, but the flavor is amazing and I am not wasting lovely bacon drippings!