To make portions of bacon bits, buy one of those 3-lb boxes of "Bacon Ends and Pieces" for $3-$4. Either the Wrights or Smithfield brands - both are very good, they're real smoked bacon.

Take out a few big pieces and freeze those separately for flavoring some bean soup or collard greens.

Run the rest once through the meat grinder using the large-holed plate. Wrap the results, .33-.5lb at a time, in wax paper and freeze until you need them for salads, potatoes, stuffings, whatever. They last for years in the freezer and thaw really quick at low power in the microwave. Then fry as usual.

Fresh-cooked bacon bits whenever you need them at 1/3rd the cost of using regular bacon. - sw