a blonde, a boy, and a blog. . .: candied bacon skewers

i recently threw a brunch-themed baby shower for one of my best friends (see last post). i spent a lot of time researching different brunch recipes, and eventually came up with a killer menu! much to my surprise, i received the most compliments on the candied bacon skewers! now, i haven't eaten pork in probably 22 years (besides the accidental slice of pepperoni that made it's way from my husband's side of the pizza over to my side, or that time at a wedding when my friends collectively neglected to tell me the delicious mashed potatoes i was eating contained pork...). i thought my bacon cooking skills were a bit lacking... so i was slightly shocked to hear that they were such a hit! i had trouble finding a recipe to make exactly what i had in mind, so i combined a few tips i found online into the recipe you see below. i still like pigs better alive than dead, so i still have yet to try these... but rest assured i will have some pretty happy coworkers tomorrow when i break out the leftovers!

candied bacon skewers

serves 6-8 people

ingredients:

16 oz. thick cut bacon (choose a leaner cut)

1 cup brown sugar

1/4-1/2 cup maple syrup

wooden skewers

instructions:

preheat your oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit. line a 9x13 inch baking pan with foil. place foil, parchment paper, or wax paper down on your work surface. prepare the skewers by spritzing lightly with cooking spray. remove the bacon from the fridge (keep cold until immediately prior to use. the colder the bacon, the easier it is to skewer). lay each slice of bacon flat on your work surface. drizzle the maple syrup over the bacon, then evenly brush the syrup over each slice. sprinkle enough brown sugar to lightly coat the bacon, then rub it in with your hands. turn the bacon over and repeat with the maple syrup and brown sugar. skewer the bacon into a wave-like pattern (*tip: try to pierce the skewer through the red/leaner part of the bacon... the fatty part doesn't hold up well and has a tendency to fall off the skewer). gently set the ends of each skewer so they are resting on the sides of the baking pan (see picture below). when all skewers are complete, gently place the pan in the oven for 30 minutes (turning the bacon skewers halfway through).