Mini Scallop BLTs and Crab Cakes

I've been a little out of the mood for food. Shocking, I know! Trust me, it was shocking to me! I've been eating leftovers and pantry stuff since my party on Saturday, I just haven't been able to summon any enthusiasm for anything requiring much effort. Today I decided the buck stops here, I'm not going to tolerate boring food anymore. I didn't know what I wanted, but I knew I didn't want beef. I had scallops in the freezer, so I decided to start looking for scallop ideas, and see where that led me.  My only requirement was the dinner couldn't be heavy. I came across a recipe for a scallop BLT salad, which appealed to me in it's low-carb-ness. Then I saw it called for FINELY crumbled bacon. Meh, I'm out. I realize I didn't have to follow that recipe, but did I mention that I'm not really in the mood for food?? That's when I stumbled across the mini scallop BLT's, perfect little bites of heaven. This appealed to me on every level possible; it's low carb, it's a small bit, scallop, bacon, and mayo. What more could I ask for???

The thick cut bacon is candied with honey, mustard, cinnamon, maple syrup, and a touch of paprika.  I sauteed the scallops in the bacon fat, and then added the tomato slices to the pan, giving them a good sear and also imparting more of that heavenly bacon flavor into the mini BLT.  Plus, heating the tomatoes prevented the tiny bites from getting cold quickly. The sauce is mayo is mixed with fresh thyme, oregano, garlic, paprika, and pepper. I added red leaf lettuce for color and a crisp bite, and also to satisfy the "L" part of "BLT". ; )  To round out the meal, I made mini crab cakes from snow crab, green onion red pepper, garlic, and panko. They are topped with micro greens, and served with the same herb mayo.

This is AMAZING. I wasn't going to candy the bacon, because I wasn't in the mood for sweet food, but holy COW it was amazing!!! The bacon made the dish, and totally stole the limelight from the crab cakes. The flavor of the scallops stands up surprisingly well to the other ingredients, and the mayo adds the perfect amount of creaminess and herbiness to make this a truly stand out dish.  Heaven.

Candied Bacon

3 thick slices bacon
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp mustard
1 tbsp brewed coffee
2 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp cinnamon

Mix together everything except the bacon.  Lay the bacon on a baking sheet topped with foil. Brush with sauce, and place in a cold oven. Set the temperature to 375, and keep an eye on the bacon. After about 10 minutes, flip the bacon, brush with more of the sauce, and put back in the oven until the bacon is cooked through and the sauce is caramelized.