Breakfast +Bar Snacks

Mid November through New Years is, hands-down, the busiest time of year at work. 14 hour days, 7 day weeks, it's really just a matter of fighting to get through it. So needless to say, my first year, I assumed everyone blew off any kind of office Christmas celebration.

Wrong.

Suddenly the few days before Christmas, I was getting showered with gifts from coworkers for whom I had done nothing. When did they have time for all of this?!? When did they shop, and bake, and wrap? I barely had time to change clothes each day. I was pretty embarrassed when I had nothing for most of them, and frantically scrambled to find a quick gift for the people I absolutely needed to.

I didn't make that mistake this year. I found a half day off and whipped together this ridiculously easy, impressive, delicious treat, stuffed them into 24 mini mason jars, and handed them out like Santa. Everyone loved them (most were eaten the same day), and for once I felt like I beat everyone else to the chase!

Maple-Bacon Roasted Almonds

1 pound whole raw, shelled almonds
6-8 strips thick-cut bacon
2-3 Tbsp mustard powder
3/4 c maple syrup
finishing salt

Line a baking sheet with tin foil and spread out the bacon. Bake the bacon at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until done (don't let it get too dark.) Move the bacon to a plate, leaving the tin foil and grease in the pan.

Spread the almonds onto the same pan, and stir to coat almonds in bacon fat. Reduce oven temperature to 350 and bake for 10-12 minutes, until almonds are warm and slightly roasted. In the meantime, chop bacon (I used my food processor--much easier and less messy, just be sure the pieces don't get too small.)

Remove the almonds from the oven and transfer to a large saucepan. Stir in bacon pieces and mustard powder, stirring to coat. Over low heat, stir in maple syrup until evenly combined. Allow to cook until syrup is thinned out and slightly reduced.

Spread the almonds back onto the baking pan, sprinkle with finishing salt, andto allow to dry (2-4 hours; the longer you give them, the less sticky they'll be.)

Don't worry if it seems like the almonds are too sticky--it takes a LONG time for them to try, but they will!

You can store them in an airtight container for up to a month…but they won't last that long.