7 Mistakes You Should Never Make With Bacon

PLUS: Why I can’t stop thinking about Wordle, the most adorable ottoman of all time, and more. PLUS: Why I can’t stop thinking about Wordle, the most adorable ottoman of all time, and more. January 28, 2022 [View Online]( TOGETHER WITH [LMNT]( Good morning! Just in time for your weekend breakfast or brunch, Today’s Good Thing will help ensure your batch of bacon is crispy and delicious as can be. You’ll learn about 7 of the most common bacon mistakes that lead to chewy and soggy bacon, and all you’ll have to do is avoid repeating them. There’s also a new In The Loop segment in today’s newsletter to fill you in on a topic people are buzzing about. This time, you’ll get the scoop on a new word game that has taken social media (along with the entire OGT Team) by storm. Jillee TODAY'S GOOD THING 7 Mistakes You Should Never Make With Bacon [Photos of bacon tips.]( No one wants unpleasantly chewy bacon, and avoiding these mistakes can make all the difference. 1. Buying Too Much. If you’re only making a serving or two, check at the meat counter to find out if you can buy a few slices instead of a whole package? Not only will that bacon be fresher than the packaged stuff, but it won’t go to waste in your fridge either. 2. Cooking It Cold. The fat in a slice of bacon stays cold longer than the rest of it, which can lead to uneven cooking. By letting your bacon sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before cooking it, it'll be much easier to cook evenly than if you had cooked it straight from the fridge. 3. Crowding The Pan. Crowding your pan full of tangled strips of bacon will only yield a floppy, greasy mess. Instead, lay out individual strips in a single layer, and you’ll have no trouble achieving the crispy, evenly cooked bacon you want and deserve. 4. Starting It In A Hot Pan. Another important step in achieving crisp bacon is allowing some of the fat to render out at the start of the cooking process, and the best way to do that is to start it in a cold pan. The bacon will cook and crisp more evenly, and you won’t be left with lots of chewy fat. 5. Discarding The Fat. Instead of throwing out bacon fat, pour it in a container and keep it in your fridge or freezer. You can use bacon fat in place of the butter or oil you would put in a sauté pan, add it to soups for body and flavor, or even use a bit in cookie dough for a sweet and salty combination. [2 More Mistakes You Should Never Make With Bacon ➜]( Related • [7 Mistakes We All Need To Stop Making In The Kitchen]( • [2 Weird Methods You Need To Try If You Love Crispy Bacon]( ⚡️QUICK TIPS⚡️ • The fragrance of most car air fresheners is way too strong for me, but these 3 homemade options are just right. [Read more ➜]( • Can’t seem to find a bra that checks all your boxes? These 3 simple tips will help you find your best-fitting bra. [Read more ➜]( • You take great care of your loved ones, but are you taking care of yourself? These 7 tips are a great place to start. [Read more ➜]( WEEKEND CLEANING CHALLENGE Clean And Organize Your Bathroom Cabinets In 4 Easy Steps [Photos of Jillee's bathroom cabinets.]( Whip your bathroom storage into shape to make your mornings less stressful. 1. Take Everything Out. This is no one’s favorite part of the process, but if your bathroom drawers and cabinets are anything like mine, they could use a good wipe-down to get rid of hair, dust bunnies, and sticky mystery gunk. It will also make the next step easier, so go ahead and empty your drawers and cabinets and wipe them out with a damp rag. 2. Get Rid Of Things. Next, get rid of anything you don’t need or that you don’t actually use. For inspiration, check out this list of [7 things you should get rid of in your bathroom](. Also, make note of anything that needs to be replaced—see this list of [9 things to replace in your bathroom]( for ideas. 3. Sort What's Left Into Piles. Once you’re down to what you’re keeping, sort the items into groups of similar items, like skincare products, hair products, makeup, etc. Resist the temptation to simply replace everything where it was before—this is an excellent opportunity to rethink your bathroom storage, so don’t squander it. 4. Replace And Organize. Lastly, replace your belongings in your clean drawers and cabinets one group at a time. If it seems like a drawer could use some dividers, or a cabinet could use [shelves or bins]( to maximize space, be sure to make a note of that so you can look for some later. Once everything is stored away, you’re done! TOGETHER WITH LMNT The “Addictingly Good” Drink Mix Reviewers Are Raving About We can get our recommended daily water intake from many beverages, but there’s one drink mix that goes above and beyond in both flavor AND function. Packed with the electrolytes your body needs in the perfect ratio, the hydrating power of [LMNT]( is unparalleled. And with flavors like Citrus Salt, Mango Chili, and even Chocolate, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. There’s a reason [LMNT]( has an average rating of 4.8 stars from over 1,400 reviews. Here’s what people are saying about it: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Addictingly good. Its salty kick instantly sends a signal to my body that it’s getting what it needs. Also, the sweet/salty flavor eliminates any craving I may have for sugar, so it’s been super helpful in keeping me on track with my nutrition.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “WOW.... After a workout, or on a hot or simply non-stop day, a packet of LMNT is a great pick-me-up. It just makes me feel more normal.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “So good! Feels like a treat, but with benefits. I definitely can tell a difference in my hydration if I use one of these at night or in the day if I know I’ll be exercising/sweating. I love the taste! Especially the Citrus Salt. I love margaritas and this tastes a lot like one to me.” Ready to try it for yourself? Take advantage of a special offer for OGT readers: [get a free LMNT Electrolyte Drink Mix Sample Pack]( when you cover the cost of shipping (just $5 for US customers). [Claim Your Free LMNT Sample Pack ➜]( [Claim Your Free LMNT Sample Pack ➜]( Supporting our sponsors makes it possible for me to continue sharing the tips and tricks that make your life easier! [Check out LMNT]( for hydrating electrolyte drink mixes with no sugar or artificial ingredients. - Thank you! SAVE MONEY Get A Home Energy Assessment [A photo of someone installing home insulation.]( If you want to save money on your energy bills, it helps to know where improvements can be made. If you haven’t made any investments in your home’s energy efficiency in the past few years, you may be using more gas or electricity than you need. And with the price of just about everything going up these days, it will likely be in your benefit to start improving your home’s energy efficiency sooner rather than later. Many utility companies offer customers the option to request a home energy assessment. The person performing the assessment will identify ways you can use their service more efficiently, which could range from easy improvements like new weather stripping, to large-scale investments like new insulation or HE appliances. If your utility companies don’t offer assessments, look for a certified contractor in your area who offers whole-home energy efficiency reviews. They may charge more for the service than a utility company, but on the bright side, a contractor will be able to review all of your energy sources at once instead of just one. You may not be able to implement all of the recommendations from your energy assessments at once, but at least you’ll know what needs to be improved and can start chipping away at them. You know what they say—”knowledge is power!” JILLEE'S PICK An Ottoman In Sheep’s Clothing [A photo of a sheep ottoman.]( When I’m shopping for an item without a particular style in mind, I like to peruse through the options and trust that “the one” will reveal itself in time. It’s impossible to predict what the one will be, but I know it when I see it, and that’s what happened recently during my search for an ottoman for the chair in front of my fireplace. As soon as I saw this [furry sheep ottoman by Christopher Knight Home](, it was so clearly the one that I bought it on the spot. Was it strictly necessary? The chair did need an ottoman, but I concede that no one really needs a sheep-shaped one. However, it’s cute, soft, and makes me happy whenever I see it, and that makes it worth it in my world. [See the Christopher Knight Home Pearcy Furry Sheep Ottoman on Amazon ➜]( IN THE LOOP We Can’t Stop Thinking About Wordle [An image of a laptop screen displaying a game of Wordle.]( If you’ve been perplexed by all the social media posts with grids of gray, yellow, and green blocks, you won't be once you learn about [Wordle](. This buzzy word game has been all over social media lately, and it's become a collective obsession for the OGT Team—we’ve been comparing our results every morning in Slack. The goal of Wordle is incredibly simple: correctly guess the 5-letter word of the day within 6 guesses. There’s only one correct answer per day, so you have to use your guesses wisely. The only hints you get are the following colors that appear on the letters after each guess: • Gray letters do not appear in the word • Yellow letters appear in the word, but in a different position • Green letters appear in the word and are in the correct position Another interesting aspect of Wordle is that you can only play it at [this specific website](. That’s because Josh Wardle, the engineer who created it, made it for his puzzle-loving partner, but after Wardle’s friends and family got hooked on it in November, it started to spread rapidly. Currently, Wordle has over 300,000 daily users. Give it a try and let me know what you think—if you enjoy it as much as I do, I might start including a link to the day’s puzzle here in the newsletter! A FEW MORE THINGS... Work Hard, Play Hard: It’s National Fun at Work Day, an opportunity to fight the winter and workday doldrums with some workplace merrymaking. Having fun at work isn’t just about blowing off steam—bringing humor and happiness into the workplace can help build relationships, raise morale, and improve productivity. So get together with your boss or coworkers today for some fun at work. Stay Hydrated The Delicious Way: Not only do LMNT drink mixes replenish much-needed electrolytes, but they taste great, too. Give your body (and taste buds) exactly what they’re craving. [Claim your free LMNT Sample Pack today](.* On This Day: In 1813, Jane Austen’s novel [Pride and Prejudice]( was first published by Thomas Egerton in Whitehall, London. The first edition was published as a set of 3 hardcover books, one of which sold at an auction in February 2020 for the hefty sum of $100,000. Today, Pride and Prejudice is consistently listed at or near the top of “best-loved books” lists around the world. *Sponsored by LMNT. What did you think of today's email? 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