Foodie Friday! Bacon Wrapped Smokies

I hosted some coworkers for brunch last Saturday.  It is fun to get together and hear what is going on with each other and find out what life after 4:30 p.m. looks like for them.  

Diane MO is getting in some reading and enjoying her flowers.  With boys out of school for the summer Shannon is keeping busy with family activities and keeping her sanity.  And Nancy has a garden!  She even shared some green beans with Michael and I which were wonderful!

For the brunch I made egg bake, coffee cake, fresh fruit and these bacon wrapped smokies.  I first made them for a Christmas brunch with our kids and grandkids several years ago and they were a big hit.  I thought our girls' brunch was a great time to make them again.  

Bacon Wrapped Smokies

16 oz pkg Hillshire Farms Lit'l Smokies

1 pkg bacon (you won't need it all)

1 cup packed brown sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cut bacon slices into strips about 2-1/2 inches long.  Wrap each Lit'l Smokie with a piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick.  Place in a 13 x 9 pan.  Sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake for 30-35 minutes until bacon is crisp and sugar melted.  Cool slightly.

I used a baking sheet and baked them at 350 degrees along with the egg bake and coffee cake.  At that temperature they took about 1 hour 15 minutes.  Since I was baking at a lower temp I could also use a Silpat mat in the pan (Silpat mats are not suggested for higher temperature baking).  This allowed the bacon juice and brown sugar to pool on the mat and blend together and they baked in that "marinade".  (Yum-o!)  

Clean up was easy. I used paper towels to soak up the bacon grease/brown sugar residue, then put the Silpat mat in the sink with just a little soapy water and it was clean in a flash.  

If you try these you are in for a treat!

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Our friend Loretta shared with me how she cooks her sweet corn, but each summer I have to ask her again as I have forgotten.  I always overcooked it in the past, so thought someone else may appreciate this as well.  Plus, I thought if I put it on my blog I wouldn't have to ask Loretta again next year!

Sweet Corn

Bring water to boil in dutch oven.  Add corn and return to a boil.  The corn is then done.  We had our first peaches & cream sweet corn last weekend.  There is absolutely nothing better than that first ear of homegrown Iowa sweet corn.

Happy Friday!