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The first time I roasted Brussels sprouts with crispy bits of smoky bacon, I fell in love with these mini cabbage heads all over again. It's a side dish I make again and again -- and here, I've turned those same flavors into the perfect two-bite appetizer. Simply wrap a slice of bacon around each sprout and send them to the oven to get nice and crispy. In 45 minutes, you'll be dunking those bacon-wrapped brassicas in a tangy blue cheese dip.

Tasty tips

1. Buy uniformly sized Brussels sprouts. Similarly sized Brussels sprouts will cook evenly and at the same rate. Hand-select them from your grocer's bulk bin when possible.

2. Use traditional-cut bacon. Thick-cut bacon is a favorite for serving alongside scrambled eggs, but stick to thinner, traditionally cut bacon for this recipe. Thick-cut slices are so meaty that they won't crisp by the time the sprouts are done.

3. Don't cut the strips in half. The bacon shrinks in the oven, so use a full strip for each sprout to make sure the veggies remain wrapped.

4. Bake wrapped sprouts seam-side down. Arrange bacon-wrapped Brussels sprouts seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. The ends of the bacon strips will fuse together as the fat renders and the strips crisp.

How to serve bacon-wrapped Brussels sprouts

Two-bite bacon-wrapped bundles emerge from the oven sizzling and brown. Blot on paper towels to absorb excess grease, then pile onto a platter alongside a bowl of cool and creamy blue cheese dip. Consider this sauce an upgrade from the sports bar buffalo wing variety.

Crumble your favorite funky, blue-veined cheese into a bowl with equal parts mayonnaise and sour cream, then finish with a squeeze of fresh citrus, which gives the sauce a tangy flavor that compliments the smoky, salty sprouts.

If you're prepping in advance, you can wrap and refrigerate the sprouts up to three days.

Bacon-Wrapped Brussels Sprouts

Serves 4

For the Brussels sprouts:

16 medium Brussels sprouts (about 12 ounces)

16 slices bacon, not thick-cut (about 1 pound)

Freshly ground black pepper, for serving

For the dipping sauce:

1 clove garlic

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 ounce blue cheese, crumbled (1/4 cup)

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 375 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

2. Trim the bottom of 16 Brussels sprouts. Lay 1 bacon slice flat on a work surface. Place 1 Brussels sprout on the wider end of the bacon and roll up tightly. Arrange seam-side down on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining Brussels sprouts and bacon slices.

3. Bake until the bacon is brown and the Brussels sprouts are knife tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Meanwhile, finely chop 1 garlic clove, squeeze the juice from 1/2 lemon to get 1 tablespoon, and place both in a small bowl. Crumble 1 ounce blue cheese (about 1/4 cup) and add to the bowl. Stir in 1/4 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

4. Use tongs to transfer the Brussels sprouts to a double layer of paper towels to absorb any excess fat. Season with freshly ground black pepper and serve with the blue cheese dipping sauce.

Recipe notes: The Brussels sprouts can be wrapped in bacon and refrigerated up to three days in advance. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to four days.

Ingredient variation: Choose low- or no-sugar added bacon if following a low-carb or ketogenic diet.

(Patty Catalano is a contributor to TheKitchn.com, a nationally known blog for people who love food and home cooking. Submit any comments or questions to editorial@thekitchn.com.)