Green Bean Bundles

For dinner the other night, I made green bean bundles to go with the eggplant parmesan. We got the recipe from How Sweet It Is.

Oh.
My.
Word.

If you need a simple hors d'oeuvre to impress people, this would definitely be one to try. The fresh green beans turned out crunchy but not dry. The brown sugar garlic butter brushed across the tops of the bundles was the perfect complement for the thick-cut bacon. On a side note, I would strongly encourage you to use fresh garlic, not the kind in the jar. It makes a HUGE difference in taste. 


You'll need these ingredients:

*1 pound fresh green beans
*10-12 slices of thick-cut bacon
*2 tablespoons butter
*1 tablespoon brown sugar
*2 cloves of garlic, minced
*1/4 teaspoon salt
*1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, and garlic, and simmer on the stove while you make the bundles.

First, wash a pound of fresh green beans

Cut off the ends and arrange in groups of 5-8 (I chose to make small bundles so I only used 5)

 Cut each slice of bacon in half, and wrap around each bundle of green beans. Place seam side down on  a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick spray, and brush with the garlic/sugar/butter mixture.

Cover with foil, and put in the oven for 35 minutes. Then uncover and bake for another 10-15 minutes (until the bacon gets crispy). When you pull them out of the oven, the bundles will look like this:

I plan on using this recipe for my first dinner party. These would be a great side for steak, pork chops, chicken...Pretty much anything. Or by themselves. At midnight. In the kitchen. It may not be the most healthy way to enjoy your veggies, but goodness it sure is a tasty way. 
(Recipe makes about 10-12 bundles)