Off The Charts Chicken Fried Bacon

I've made chicken fried steak
and it's a real tasty part of southern cooking.
Chicken fried bacon is just off the charts!
You must try this at least once in your life.


Ingredients:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
16 ounces sour cream
8 ounces mayonnaise
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup minced red onion
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon chopped chives
2 tablespoons chopped dill
2 tablespoons chopped tarragon
Zest of 1 lemon, finely grated or chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
Fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
In a large bowl, whisk together
the cream cheese, sour cream and
mayonnaise until very smooth.
Whisk in the garlic, onion, parsley,
chives, dill, tarragon, lemon zest,
vinegar, salt and chipotle pepper.
Season to taste with additional salt,
vinegar and black pepper.
Cover and chill until needed.
The dip tastes best if the flavors
are allowed to develop
2 to 3 hours before serving,
and will keep for up to 3 days,
refrigerated.

Chicken fried bacon and assembly:
2 pounds bacon
4 cups flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 quart buttermilk
Vegetable oil for frying
Creamy ranch dipping sauce

Directions:
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour,
baking powder, salt and pepper.
Place half of this mixture in a large,
flat baking dish.
Pour half of the buttermilk in a
separate large baking dish.
Dip each bacon strip first
in the buttermilk,
then in the seasoned flour.
Set the bacon aside on a rack
for a few minutes to allow the flour
to absorb some of the buttermilk
to form a good coating.
For an extra crispy coating,
dredge the bacon once more
in just the flour mixture.
Heat a good inch of vegetable oil
in a large frying pan until
a thermometer inserted reads 350 degrees.
Fry the bacon, a few strips at a time
until the strips are golden brown.
Drain the bacon on paper towels.
Continue until all of the bacon is fried.
Serve the bacon warm with the cold
dipping sauce and plenty of napkins.