Bacon goes well with just about anything—with a side of pancakes, in a sandwich, or even dipped in chocolate. But have you ever thought about putting it in a holiday dessert? The notes of maple and walnut in this pie make bacon the perfect accompaniment, and give it a distinct sweet and salty flavor.

Instructions:
The crust

1. First, fry up the bacon in a skillet on medium heat until crisp (about 3-4 minutes). Transfer to a paper towel.
2. Save 2 tablespoons of bacon fat from the pan, and measure the rest of the leftover fat in a heat-safe measuring cup. Let cool for 10 minutes. Add in enough shortening so the total volume is 6 tablespoons (¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons).
3. Pour flour into a bowl and add the fat from the measuring cup, cutting it in with a pastry cutter or fork until it resembles coarse cornmeal.
4. Mix together 2 tablespoons of cold water and the vinegar and add to flour mixture until a soft, non-sticky dough forms. Form the dough into a ball, dust with flour, and roll into an 11-inch circle. Place a pie plate in the center and trim the edges.

The filling

1. Beat together the eggs, maple syrup, sugars, and vanilla extract into a bowl with an electric mixer, at medium speed. Mix in the reserved 2 tablespoons of bacon fat.
2. Crumble the bacon into small pieces in the bowl. Stir in walnuts until incorporated and pour into the pie crust.
3. Bake at 350 degrees, until puffy and brown (about 55 minutes). There should only be a slight jiggle in the center. Let cool before slicing.

Note: Store this pie tightly sealed in plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 2 days.