Almost everyone loves bacon, whether you call it American pork-belly, Canadian bacon, French lardons, or Italian pancetta. In twelfth century England, couples who could last more than a year without arguing were awarded a side of bacon—an enviable prize that lead to the phrase “bringing home the bacon.” Be the hero of your dinner table with some of our favorite bacon recipes.

Emeril’s classic Bacon-Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Cream Cheese and Almonds are simple to prepare and make an elegant starter for an evening of holiday entertaining. Warm cheese, sweet fruit and crispy pork meld in a satisfying way that your guests will remember for many holidays to come.

For a lighter take on bacon, give the traditional stuffed potato a healthy makeover with Ellie Krieger’s Broccoli and Cheddar-Stuffed Potato Skins with Avocado Cream from The Cooking Channel. Savory Canadian bacon creates a crunchy topping for the garlicky avocado cream.

Spice up your Thanksgiving table with a savory Bacon-Jalapeño Stuffing. This cornbread dressing with bacon and cheese should please even the pickiest eaters in your family.

For an easy weeknight dinner, nothing beats Bacon and Lentil Soup from Food2.com. Versatile soups like this are a great way to use up small amounts of leftover meat or vegetables. Make a big batch tonight and have it for lunch tomorrow.

And for a truly different sort of treat, there are Maple Bacon Cupcakes from Food.com. Minced bacon is folded into a sweet batter that also includes bacon drippings, topped off with maple syrup-infused frosting. Is it breakfast, dessert or something in between? You decide.