Candied Bacon

I'm not gonna lie.  I've been very busy.  And when I haven't been busy, I've been very lazy.  True story.

On top of all the usual hockey-related and church-related activities and work, we've had some other craptastic news piled onto us with a sick family member.

And if that wasn't enough . .. my hubby came home one night and said, "Can we make candied bacon for not-tomorrow, but the day after?"

You see, he had an apprentice at work who was graduating from the program and he wanted to celebrate by bringing in candied bacon.  Really, it's not a bad idea at all.

Until you have to start chasing around a toddler in addition to chauffeuring around a teenager and sick family members.  Then it becomes a rush job with the potential to be a burden.  

However, we managed to escape the burden.  And hubby helped make it.  Which is a HUGE help. 

This was rather easy and simple...assuming you like bacon.  And what's not to love about bacon?  Please note, I made both candied bacon and chocolate covered bacon.  I used a 1/2 pound of bacon for each variety.

Candied Bacon

Ingredients:

1/2 LB Bacon, thick cut

3/4 Cup Brown Sugar

Step 1:

Prepare the pans in order to cook the bacon. Do you know the easiest way to cook bacon?  Bake it.  Get it:  BAKE-ON  :)  I love a good pun.  All silliness aside, it truly is the easiest way.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with tinfoil.  Place oven safe baking racks on the lined baking sheet.  Place bacon on top of the racks.  This allows for the grease to drip away from the bacon as it cooks.  

Step 2:

For each slice of bacon,  take a big pinch of brown sugar and rub it onto the raw bacon.  Only do this to one side of the bacon.  Make sure it's nice and coated.  Repeat this for each slice of bacon to be candied.  

Step 3:

Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes.  Mmmmmmm . .. smells delicious.

Step 4:

Remove from the oven and flip each piece of bacon over.  Carefully sprinkle brown sugar on this side of the  bacon.  Disburse/spread the sugar evenly with a spatula as needed.  Return to oven for additional 5-10 minutes.

Step 5:

Remove from oven.  Let cool.  Resist to eat it while hot.  You will burn yourself if you do.  Yes, I am speaking from experience. 

Chocolate Coated Bacon

Ingredients:

1/2 LB Bacon, thick cut

1/2 LB Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Step 1:

Prepare and cook your bacon however you prefer to (I like to bake it).  You will need your bacon to be CRISPY for this treat!  Drain thoroughly on paper towels and let cool.

Step 2:

In a microwave safe bowl, pour in the chocolate chips.  Place in microwave and cook on high for twenty seconds.  Remove and stir.  Return to the microwave and cook again for twenty seconds.  Stir.  Caution: you want to be very careful with melting your chocolate.  You just barely want it melted.  This is why you microwave for small amounts of time and stir.  It may look lumpy when you take it out, but once you stir it - it will smooth out.  It should take very long to melt it.

Step 3:

Dip the cooled bacon into the chocolate and place on wax paper to set.  Once the chocolate has hardened, enjoy!

Storage:  Place both the candied and the chocolate coated bacon in the fridge for storage.