When I was adapting my sister Bridget’s recipe for Microwave Corn Chowder to make Crockpot Corn Chowder this week, I may have come across the greatest time-saving and cleanup-saving tip of all time. To add crispy chopped bacon to a crockpot recipe usually meant a big mess and some time and diligence cooking up and chopping bacon, or chopping, then extra diligence because small pieces burn faster.

Bridget’s recipe, however, uses a pair of kitchen shears to cut the bacon into small pieces. Place the bacon in a 4-cup glass measure, cover with a paper towel, and microwave for 5-6 minutes (I paused after about a minute or two to stir them up, so they weren’t stuck together). Voilà! Crispy bacon pieces for my corn chowder in no time, with minimal mess!

For the final cleanup, this tip is from my cousin Jenn’s husband Frank: Place a piece of aluminum foil so that it sets in your sink drain, and turn the edges up a little to catch the bacon fat as you pour it into the foil. Let the fat congeal, wrap the foil around the fat, and toss it in the trash!

Thanks Bridget & Frank for making my life easier this week!