Tie Me in Knots. Bacon Knots. Ooh baby baby ooh. [Rhonda]

TIE ME IN KNOTS. BACON KNOTS. OOH BABY BABY OOH.  [Rhonda]

Degree of difficulty: beginner
Time: 10 minutes prep for 1 lb of bacon, cook time 18 minutes
Serves: snack for 1 - 2 college boys, or 6 as an appetizer

Sometimes things get a little naughty, especially when bacon's in the house. But these are, quite simply, awesome. And super easy to whip up. Warning: you'll be at the prep station a while if you're doing these for a party, for two reasons. One, they are delicious and go fast...guests will scarf them. Two, with---ahem!---shrinkage while cooking, they become one-bite-wonders. So put on some Usher and go to it.

Ingredients:
(Version One)
1 lb bacon
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more if you like things hot)
Cooking spray

(Version Two)
1 lb bacon
1/2 cup honey or pure maple syrup or mixture of both (I mixed and it was great)
Freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cover a cookie sheet with foil, lightly spritz with cooking spray. Cut the bacon in half to make shorter pieces--or leave it long for a full-on effect. Loop it once to make a knot, dip in brown sugar/cayenne mixture (both sides) for version one, or for version two, place directly on the cookie sheet, then baste with honey and sprinkle with freshly cracked black pepper. Be generous. Cook for 18 minutes on top rack, check at about the 15-minute mark just in case your oven's running hot.

I've done a half and half tray here. Personal favorite? The cayenne and brown sugar. Looks prettier and tastes incredible.

Suggested soundtrack: Usher's "Scream"