Chile-Bacon Grissini

Delicious Recipe compliments of Kristin Wagner

Ingredients:

30 thin slices bacon
30 grissini (thin Italian breadsticks)
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup chile powder
1 Tbsp. cayenne pepper

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Let the bacon stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes to let it soften slightly.
• Gently wrap one bacon slice in a spiral around each breadstick, leaving about 1/2 of the breadstick exposed on one end. Place the breadsticks on a tray and set aside.
• Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and place a baking rack on top of it.
• In a shallow dish that is long enough to fit the breadsticks, combine the sugar, chili powder and cayenne pepper. Stir until they are combined well, pressing out any lumps with the back of a fork. 
• Roll each breadstick gently in the mixture, coating the bacon well. Arrange the breadsticks about ½ inch apart on the baking rack.
• Bake the breadsticks for about 20 minutes, or until the coating is caramelized and the bacon is a deep mahogany color. 
• Loosen the breadsticks gently from the rack and cool for 10 to 15 minutes until they are firm enough to pick up. The bacon will become crisp and the breadsticks will harden as they cool. Serve at room temperature.

Cooking tip: These breadsticks may be wrapped 4 hours ahead of time. Keep them covered and chilled.