Sunny's Bacon Bark

Ingredients

For the nuts:
1 cup pecan halves, about half gently chopped (do not buy them pre-chopped, you want bigger chunks)
1 cup walnut halves, about half gently chopped (do not buy them pre-chopped, you want bigger chunks)
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon hot Hungarian paprika
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the bacon:

6 strips center-cut bacon, sliced or cut with scissors into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup light brown sugar
Zest of 1 lemon (using a rasp or Microplane)
1/2 teaspoon hot Hungarian paprika
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Yields: 6-8

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Prepare the nuts: In a small bowl add pecans, walnuts, maple syrup, brown sugar, paprika, pumpkin pie spice, a pinch of salt and a grind or two of pepper. Stir until everything is coated, set aside.

Prepare the bacon. In a small bowl add bacon, brown sugar, lemon zest, paprika, a pinch of salt (yes, bacon has salt, but a pinch goes a long way here) and a grind or two of pepper. Mix with your hands to ensure all sides of chopped bacon are coated. Spread coated bacon out on a non-stick baking sheet (or line it with non-stick aluminum foil) and cook until fat is rendered and the bacon looks almost done (flimsy, but wrinkled) and sugars are bubbling, about 8-10 minutes.

Combine the bacon and nuts. Remove bacon from the oven and pour the contents of the nut bowl on the sheet. Using a rubber spatula, stir and fold the bacon and nuts together until every thing is coated. Spread out into one layer on the sheet. Place back in the oven for 15 more minutes, stirring and spreading again halfway through.

Rest the Bacon Bark. Turn off oven and open door, leaving the tray to rest for 15 more minutes. Remove and allow to completely cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container.