Chocolate Covered Bacon (★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆)

Today's post is brought to you by some men.

Well it was inspired by some men anyway...it's still brought to you by me.  

But you'll like it because it involves chocolate.

Oh, and bacon.

Yes, BACON!!

This Sunday, my house was graced with some carnivorous fellows.  

Not only did they hand-make the largest beef patties I have ever seen, but one ambitious male...*cough*, er, my Brother...decided that his should be composed of, what looked to me, to be a quarter pound of bacon.  

Now that's some raw, pure bacon love. 

I didn't want to bake this week.  Since Thanksgiving, I've been hard pressed to find an ounce on my body that actually craves sugar anymore.   It's the holidays, am I supposed to crave something before I shove my face full?  Oh, ya.  That's right.  Whooops.  

I thought these burgers were impressive enough to merit a post, so I just paparazzi'd these poor guys to my hearts content.  

...But that was before the smell of sizzling bacon began to waft through the house.

...and that still, small, ever present voice whispered to me - "chooocoolaaattteee." 

And it was cinched. 

Various stages of joy.  Devouring at it's finest.

Ladies and Gentlemen - The Half Pounder.  My Muse.  

I don't know what it is about bacon.

But it's amazing, isn't it?

What other breakfast food is worth mutilating your foot on a George Foreman grill for?

What other crispy delight can merit an entire comedy segment that rings so true it brings tears to your eyes?

And what other meat could possibly be smothered in chocolate?

Nary a one, I tell you!

Chocolate Covered Bacon

• 1 Package (16 oz.) of Bacon
• 1 - 2 Cups of Chocolate Chips
• 1 - 2 Tbsp of Vegetable Oil
• Optional Decorations (Sprinkles, White Chocolate, Sea Salt, Slivered Almonds)

Makes Approx. 15 pieces
Needed: A tall, microwave-proof cup
Needed: Parchment or Wax Paper

How to cook delicious bacon:
1) Preheat oven to 400F Degrees
2) Lay bacon side by side in roasting pan (or pan with edges).  The less they touch the better (they start
    to meld to one another), but just try your best.  As you can see, I started lining the sides.  The bacon
    will shrivel as it cooks so I moved them around when more space developed.
3) After 12 minutes, flip the pieces over with a fork or some tongs.  Continue baking in 3-5 minute
    increments until pieces are crisp and beginning to brown.  You may need to remove some sooner and
    cook others longer.
4) Place pieces on a paper towel to soak up any excess oil.

How to dip bacon in chocolate:

1) Start with throughly cooled bacon.  In the tallest, skinniest, microwave-safe cup you can muster up, 

    microwave 1 - 2 cups of chocolate chips.  Start with 1 minute and increase in 30 second increments.  

    Stirring well between each heating.  

2) Add 1 Tbsp of Veggie Oil to melted chocolate chips.  This will help thin out the mixture.  If it is still  

     too thick you can add another Tbsp.  

3) Tilt the cup sideways and dip in bacon.  Flip over to cover both sides.  With your finger scrape off 

    the excess chocolate back into the cup and help fill in any spots that didn't get covered.

4) Place bacon strips on parchment paper to harden.  Sprinkle with decorations as desired, before 

    chocolate is fully set.  You can refrigerate to speed up the process.

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I thought these were pretty good. The mixture of salty and sweet with an added crunch is actually not bad. And definitely worth trying especially since they are so easy to make and will cost you $3 a slice at any candy store.

Bacon.  

It's for men, women, and children.  

The uniter of us all.