bacon-wrapped goodies

but it really deserves its own post (especially because I got an actual photo this time, albeit after we'd decimated my nicely laid-out plate). My mom's been making these for as long as I can remember, and they never last more than five minutes at one of our family's parties.

Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts

2 cans whole water chestnuts (about 40 water chestnuts)

1-2 packages bacon (I like the Trader Joe's apple-smoked type)*

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup soy sauce
water

wooden toothpicks

Drain the water chestnuts. Cut the bacon strips into quarters (thirds if they're short pieces), wrap around the water chestnus and secure with toothpicks. Mix the brown sugar and soy sauce together, adding tablespoons of water until it forms a thin paste. Roll the water chestnuts in the mixture and place close together on a baking dish (I use a Pyrex pie pan, glass is easier to clean burnt sugar off of). Drizzle the remaining sauce over them. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30-40 minutes or until the bacon is crispy at the edges.

Put the pan in the sink to soak as soon as it's cool enough, or you will regret it when you go to clean! Let the water chestnuts cool on a plate for a few minutes and then serve.

 I used one package of unusually large slices of bacon to make about 35 water chestnuts and 18 apricots, cutting the bacon into fifths instead of thirds.

*Depending on the length of the bacon and how many pieces there are. You need at least 2 inches of bacon per chestnut.

Bacon-Wrapped Apricots

24 dried apricots

8 slices of bacon

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup soy sauce

wooden toothpicks

As with the water chestnuts, cut the bacon into thirds and wrap one piece around each apricot. Put them close together in a glass pan and pour the sugar-soy mixture over them. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350º. Cool on a plate and serve.

I didn't like these nearly as much as the water chestnuts, but they did soak up the sweetness of the sauce really well and Kelly was very fond of them.