Chocolate Maple Bacon Pecan Fudge

TAZ LOVES BACON!!!

 Taz has a favorite activity the usually occurs in the evening - laying on the couch, between Daddy's legs with his bacon chew bone - going to town on it.  He really wanted to help in the kitchen today...  And who knew that fudge was so easy to make!

 You will need:

1 & 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup dark chocolate chips

4 tbsp unsalted butter

12 strips of maple bacon

1 tbsp maple syrup

14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

Handful of chopped pecans (maybe 1/2 cup)

 Cook up the bacon either on a skillet on the stove or bake it - low and slow so it gets crisp.

 Yummy - almost done.  

 Done!  

 Dry off any grease from the bacon and drain on paper towels.  

Once it is cooled, chop all but two slices - those we will use at the end.

Chocolate time!  

 In a medium size saucepan, mix together both chocolates, butter, maple syrup and milk - over a low flame.  You want this to melt very slowly and keep it moving with a spoon.

 Once everything is melted and mixed together, add the chopped bacon and pecans.

 Lightly grease an 8 x 8 baking dish with a tiny amount of butter.  The best ones for this are those silicon baking dishes - you'll see at the end, the square is very easy to pop out.  Pour the mix into the square pan and use a spatula to press it down into place - it will seem pretty thick.  Sprinkle the reserved copped two bacon slices on top - press them down into the fudge a little bit.

 Cover with foil and refrigerate for at least four hours - overnight is best and you can serve it the next day

 Nice and chilled!  Here's where the silicon/rubbery material is best - you can work the edges free and then it pretty much just pops out...

 These little guys are pretty sweet and rich - you could probably cut them 7 by 7 or 8 by 8.  Hmmm... math skills...  so you'll get between 49-64!

C'mon!  This is the perfect recipe to post a picture of Nasty Pig in Chelsea!  haha  :)

 Ok guys... ready to go to the office tomorrow!  Hopefully people will enjoy these salty/sweet unique treats...  who knew bacon and chocolate is so good together.

Fancy Cocktail Franks in Puff Pastry!

The perfect holiday party finger food!  These little guys are dressed up with the addition of puff pastry and sesame/poppy seeds!

What you'll need:

1 box of frozen puff pastry (Only thaw and use one sheet)

1 package mini hot dogs (I like Nathan's brand)

1 egg

1 tbsp water

2-3 tbsp sesame and poppy seeds

**Preheat oven to 400 degrees**

 Lightly flour your work surface so that the pastry doesn't stick.  Read the box on directions for how to thaw and for how long.  I once left it too long and it was a big, sticky mess.

 Rub some more flour on each side and roll it out a little bit.

 Cut the sheet into strips that look wide enough to cover most of each mini dog.  

 Once they are rolled up, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  I beat an egg with 1 tbsp water to create and egg wash - use this to seal each "blanket."  As I rolled the hot dog in each strip, use one finger and dip in the egg wash, then seal the dough like an envelope.  Place them with the seam on the bottom - you don't want them to come apart while baking!

 Once they are all on the pan, use a pastry brush and give each one a light coating of egg wash.  Do this quick so the ones you start with don't become dry when you finally get to the other side - I sprinkled each one with some of the seeds (half the pan got sesame and the other got poppy).

 Bake for 15-20 min until they are a nice golden brown!  

 Delicious and fancier than regular mini dogs at a sports bar!!! 
Serve them with your favorite dip - I love these with some grey poupon!