Good Stuff

Good Stuff: Maple pepper bacon strips

One good recipe

The makers of Samuel Adams Boston Lager recently shared this recipe with me. I'm passing it along as it's so good and perfect to serve any time of year. You don't need to be a beer lover, like brewery founder Jim Koch, to enjoy it. But then, why aren't you a beer lover?

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Lay bacon on parchment paper on a sheet pan. Cover with one more sheet of parchment paper. Bake at 300 degrees for 14 to 15 minutes. Bring honey and maple syrup mixture to a boil, reduce to simmer and lightly boil until it becomes thick like caramel. Add beer and reduce by half. Then add the two mustards. Take top sheet of parchment paper off bacon. Baste in honey mixture. Return bacon to oven and turn temperature to 275 degrees until bacon is crispy.

Maple Pepper Bacon Strips With Boston Lager Glaze

16 slices thick-cut bacon

1 cup honey

1 cup maple syrup

2 cups Samuel Adams Boston Lager

2 tablespoons grain Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons dry

mustard

One good smoothie

Yoplait Frozen Fruit & Yogurt Smoothies are a delicious way to get your antioxidants, calcium and vitamin C as well as a full serving of fruit and live yogurt cultures. Just a cup of milk to mix and you'll be whirling your way to good nutrition. Available in three flavors with two 8-ounce servings per package: Triple Berry, Strawberry Banana and Strawberry Mango Pineapple. Look for them in the freezer section of the supermarket at a suggested price of $3.29.

One good tool

Put pepper in its proper place and keep your counter or stove top clean. The new William Bounds Sili Gourmet Pepper Pad is perfect for pepper or salt mills. It acts as a coaster to keep crumbs off the counter. It comes in white for salt and black for pepper, and won't absorb odors or stains. Available at specialty shops or online retailers ( www.wmboundsltd.com) at a suggested price of $4.