These little delights are worth every calorie!! They mix the saltiness of the bacon with the sweetness from the orange and maple syrup to yield this absolutely delicious vegetable side dish that everyone is sure to love!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. asparagus
- 1 package bacon, cut in half
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 oranges
- 1 bag fresh cranberries
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, cut into 1″ pieces
- 3 – 4 TBL olive oil
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
To Bake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Drizzle the orange maple sauce over the dish. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
- Bake 25-35 minutes, until bacon is finished cooking and crispy. Yum!
Directions
- Using a vegetable peeler, peel the orange zest off the first orange and set aside. Using a zesting tool, zest the second orange to obtain 1 tsp zest. Juice both oranges until you yield 1/4 cup orange juice.
- In a small bowl, combine 1 tsp orange zest, 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, and 1/4 cup maple syrup. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake.
- Toss asparagus with olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
- Wrap 3-5 stocks asparagus with 1/2 strip uncooked bacon, and place in a single layer on a baking sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Repeat until all asparagus is prepared.
- Sprinkle additional 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper
- Sprinkle cranberries, rosemary and orange peels around the pan and cover with plastic until you are ready to bake.
