If there’s anything I really hate, it’s making bacon. I hate the mess. I hate the cleanup. I hate the way the bacons spits on me. But this salad…it was pretty much worth it.

(Original recipe found here; revamped by me.)

This is what you need:

• 1 pound corkscrew pasta
• ½ cup skim milk
• 12 ounces turkey bacon
• 2 medium ripe tomatoes cut into chunks
• 1 tablespoon thyme
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• ¼ cup diced green onion
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup light mayo
• ¼ cup light sour cream
• 2 tablespoons chives
• 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped

This is how you make it:

1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water as the label directs. Drain pasta and toss with the milk in a large bowl; set aside.
2. Slice bacon into small sections and cook in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels if you’re not using turkey bacon. (Turkey bacon is not greasy so there is really nothing to drain.) Add the tomatoes, thyme, garlic, and green onions to the pan with the bacon and toss until warmed through. Season with salt and pepper. Toss the mixture with the pasta.
3. Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, and chives with the pasta until evenly combined. Season with salt and pepper. Add the lettuce right before serving; tossing again to coat. If needed, add a little more mayo and sour cream (just do a 2:1 ratio) to make sure pasta and lettuce are coated. Serve at room temperature.