Honey Pecan Cookies

I like these cookies because they don't require softened butter, but that also means they are very dense. Luckily, I like dense cookies. I also didn't have honey (I know, it's in the title) but I did have agave nectar and some real maple syrup. I used about a 80/20 proportion of those two to replace the honey. I think it was pretty much the same as honey, right...? In any event, the maple syrup smelled fantastic when the cookies were baking. I also used some course ground sea salt instead of regular table salt to give it a bit of texture. 

Bacon-Bourbon-Pecan Brownies

Because butter and chocolate apparently aren't enough in brownies, why not add bacon grease? I had to give these brownies a go as soon as I read the recipe in Food&Wine. I think this is about as manly as dessert is going to get, and it includes three of my favorite things. 

This has to be the messiest thing I've made in a while. I think half my kitchen is now spattered with bacon grease and brownie batter. I had to fry the bacon, melt the chocolate, and then mix it all together in several steps. It's a good thing they turned out alright...