By Labor Day weekend. The last weekend of summer by the calendar, though the heat will not read that memo for another six weeks at least. Tyler and I spent it at the lake for what he has now declared a third-year tradition, which means it has graduated from a repeat to an official thing, and I agree with his categorization.
I made all the same things as last year with one addition: I brought a batch of Debbie's corn pudding to the lake for the first time, which Tyler noticed immediately and said: you made Mom's corn pudding. I said yes. He said: for the lake. I said: it travels well. He said: she is going to be so pleased when I tell her. He said it with the specific pride of someone who is glad when the people they love know each other and feed each other, and I felt that too.
In the evening, sitting on the dock with our feet in the water as the sun went down, Tyler said: I want to tell you something. I said okay. He said: I have known for a while now. He did not say what he knew for a while. He did not need to. I said: me too. He said: good. He said: I just wanted you to know I know it. I said: I know you know it. He smiled at the water. I put my head on his shoulder. The lake was gold in the sunset and I was exactly where I was supposed to be.
I brought Debbie’s corn pudding because it felt like the right thing to carry forward — something from her kitchen to ours, already becoming part of the tradition. But the other dish that made the trip, the one that held up in the cooler through the drive and reheated beautifully on the dock grill, was these bacon wrapped green beans. They’re the kind of thing that feels celebratory without requiring a reason, which felt exactly right for a weekend that turned out to have one.
Bacon Wrapped Green Beans
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed and washed
- 8 slices bacon, cut in half crosswise
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven. Heat your oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top if you have one — this helps the bacon crisp all the way around.
- Blanch the beans. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until bright green and just slightly tender. Drain and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels so the bacon wraps and crisps properly.
- Make the glaze. Whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until the sugar is mostly dissolved.
- Bundle and wrap. Group 5 to 6 green beans into a small bundle. Wrap one half-slice of bacon snugly around the middle of each bundle, securing it with a toothpick if needed. Arrange bundles seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet.
- Glaze generously. Spoon or brush the glaze evenly over each bundle, making sure to coat the tops and sides.
- Bake. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until the bacon is crispy and caramelized and the glaze is bubbling. For extra crispiness, switch the broiler on for the final 2 minutes and watch closely.
- Serve. Remove toothpicks if used and transfer to a serving platter. These are excellent hot from the oven or held at room temperature for up to an hour — which makes them ideal for outdoor gatherings and lake weekends alike.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 145 | Protein: 6g | Fat: 10g | Carbs: 8g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 380mg