Oven Bacon, Where Have You Been All My Life?

I fondly remember the years of Sunday morning breakfasts with the family.  Everyone pitching in, and duties being handed down through the kids.  One in particular, bacon frying went from my dad to my brothers as they became old enough, and finally me.  Proud  to be really helping now (having graduated from pouring juice), I really took to the spattering fire-hot grease pelting me from the waist-up.  A few close calls with the eyes, but overall, the chore was worth the reward.

I had heard of this, "Baking bacon in the oven," crowd but like you I considered them crazy…people to be wary of but polite to.

Well, thanks to a small hangover, and overall laziness, I put the bacon on a cookie sheet and into the oven it went.  It was odd not having to dodge angry spattering grease, and I heard it cooking, but could it really be?  I peeked.  There they were, snug in the glow of the  bright heating element at 400 degrees.  I closed the oven door and let them rest for about 15 minutes.

How can it be that so easy a method of making perfect crispy, tender bacon has been kept so secret?  Is the ritual of covering one-third of your kitchen in grease so sacred that any threat must be squashed?  Well, I'm never going back to the skillet!  And while I'm still trying to perfect this oven-craft bacon