Bacon-wrapped sausage cups: FOX Family Feast

HOUSTON - For our FOX Family Feast, I tried something that will fill your guests up just enough to keep them out of your busy kitchen while you're cooking on Thanksgiving Day.

I waited for my son, Zach, to come home from college to ask for help with this project. I literally bombarded him at the door, after he drove in from Austin, and he was ready to help!

We cooked-up bacon-wrapped sausage cups.

Bacon Sausage Cups Recipe

Ingredients  

• 1 package of bacon, cut in half
• 1 pound of sausage or kielbasa (I used jalapeno kielbasa)
• 8 oz. cream cheese (either allow it to soften or use whipped cream cheese)
• 1/2 cup grated cheese
• Pork rub of choice (recipe called for 2 TBSP, that was too salty, 1-2 teaspoons would be plenty)
• BBQ sauce and/ or honey of choice optional (I didn’t use any)
• toothpicks (optional but helpful)
• fresh jalapenos (optional to put de-seeded ones on top)

Instructions

In a bowl, mix together cream cheese, grated cheese and rub of your choice.

Cut the bacon slices in half.

Cut the sausage links into 1/2″ slices.

Wrap the bacon around the sausage slice using a toothpick to secure it in place. Once you’ve done this, you should have a little "cup" created by the sausage bottom and bacon sides.

Fill the "cups" with cream cheese mixture until just under the top slice of bacon. I made a piping bag with a sandwich baggie and just cut a small hole in one end to squirt out mixture.

Sprinkle with seasoning rub (optional, it's already in the cream cheese mixture).

Brush on BBQ sauce or honey, if using.

Heat smoker to 225-250 degrees (or oven to 350 degrees).

Cook until the bacon is done and crispy to your liking (approximately 45-60 minutes).

More FOX Family Feast recipes

• Frozen orange mandarin jello
• Corn casserole empanadas
• Twice baked potatoes
• Pumpkin dog biscuits
• Sweet Potato Cobbler
• Stuffed Acorn Squash
• Brussels sprouts au gratin