Sweet Potato Medallions with Candied Bacon - Gluten Free

Everything is better with bacon, right? How about candied bacon with dark balsamic reduction? Traditionally at Thanksgiving everyone makes the casserole of canned sweet potatoes with maple syrup and mini marshmallows on top. Not in my house, I like things different and it's all about that perfect bite. That bite has to be sweet, salty, have texture and brings about an involuntary mmmmmmmmmm.

Sweet potatoes have to be included for Thanksgiving but I wanted a new and creative way to make them. This recipe has to be my all time favorite and yes, I ate the entire plate while making that mmmmmmmm noise.

This recipe is easy and I guarantee you will win praises from your guests. Let's get cooking you'll need:

1 Sweet Potatoe/ 2 people - peeled and cut into 1/4" rounds Bake: 350 degrees 25mins

1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

2 tbsp butter (a small piece on each round)

4 slice of maple bacon - cubed

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp brown sugar

pinch of salt

pinch of red pepper flakes

1 can whole berry cranberry sauce

1/4 cup (or less) of sour cream

mint leaves for decoration

Paper cupcake wrappers cut down (optional)

Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into 1/4" rounds and place on a cookie sheet that is lined with parchment paper. (you'll thank me later for this, it's easier to clean up).

Sprinkle the potatoes with the pumpkin pie spice and a pinch of salt. We're going to salt every layer of this dish to ensure that salty sweet yummy taste shines thru. Please in an the oven and bake 25 mins or until the sweet potatoes are cooked but not mushy. Leave on the baking sheet and top with a little butter.

While these are baking, in a non-stick skillet, brown your bacon cubes. Drain the bacon and return it to the non-stick skillet. Add the balsamic and the brown sugar stirring over low heat. NOTE: When this cools, you will have a crunchy brittle. Sprinkle the red pepper flakes (optional - you can add more or less)

Open the can of cranberry sauce and put a small dollop on each of the sweet potato rounds. The goal is to spread the cranberry out to a thin layer. Top this with the candied bacon.

Finish the medallions with a little sour cream. This is an amazing bite of salty, sweet and savory. The only thing missing from this bite is the stuffing!

Make sure when you eat these, you get a bite of everything at once. I call that the PERFECT BITE!

I wanted the presentation of these sweet potatoes to be simple but make it easy for everyone to enjoy. I cut down a paper cupcake holder and placed the sweet potato medallion in the center. It fit perfectly and was very colorful.

This recipe can be made with turkey bacon instead of maple bacon.

This is a GLUTEN FREE side and is absolutely delish!

Additional substitutions:

1) You can add a smokey bourbon to the candied bacon

2) Turkey bacon instead of regular

3) Yogurt instead of sour cream

Like all my recipes, this is only a guide, make the recipe your own!. Enjoy!

* This recipe is copywrighted **