a brunch so good you’ll need to detox - recipe: twisted hickory bacon with brown sugar rub

I’ve got brunch on the brain these days. My husband and I hosted a brunch on Easter Sunday and this coming week, I’ll be teaching a brunch-by-the bite cooking class at Household China.

Easter morning began with an egg hunt for our son and his good friend Avery. It was so much fun to watch them run around and squeal with delight as they found the eggs and discovered the jelly beans and chocolates tucked within them.

“Detox” the next day, however, was not so fun.

Anyway, they certainly worked up quite an appetite running around — as did the rest of the doting adult guests, chasing after them with cameras.

For starters, I served a few quiches and stuffed chicken breasts. By the way, David does not like quiche. He claims it’s the texture he’s at odds with.

I also served home fried potatoes, cream cheese coffee cake, mini blueberry muffins, cinnamon raisin scones, fruit salad, and twisted hickory bacon with brown sugar rub.

In addition, my friend Kelly brought her addictive lemon squares and a festive Bunny cake... for the kids. Well, to be honest, we all devoured it.

The most popular item was the bacon, which truthfully, didn’t surprise me. You can never make enough bacon at a brunch. The same goes for mashed potatoes and gravy at Thanksgiving.

I love the combo of the salty, smoky bacon with the sweet brown sugar. If you like bacon with maple syrup and pancakes or waffles, you’ll love this recipe.

Warning — the resulting bacon is highly, highly addictive.

twisted hickory bacon with brown sugar rub

Makes eight long pieces. I cut each piece of bacon into two or three. Best to do that after cooking and before serving.

note: this recipe can easily be doubled or tripled

ingredients

• 16 slices/strips bacon (not thick cut)
• 1/3 cup brown sugar

method

• Preheat oven to 400º F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and top with parchment paper.
• Place 8 slices of bacon on the tray.
• Sprinkle each slice of bacon with about two teaspoons of brown sugar.
• Cover these eight sugared slices with the other eight slices of bacon so that the brown sugar is sandwiched between two slices of bacon.
• Twist each of the double bacon slices until it is entirely “spiraled” like a twisted cheese straw.
• Bake in the oven until bacon is crisp, approximately 30 to 40 minutes.
• Check half way through cooking and turn tray if required.