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Guests for the holidays? Time to get prepared! Everyone loves our freezer-friendly Spicy Apricot Bacon Bites. Make-ahead and bake as needed. Don’t miss our other must-have tips for the season.
Whether you’re merry and bright or completely overwhelmed, ’tis the season. With the holidays comes the good and the bad, and no matter which way the cookie crumbles, I’ve learned it’s best to be prepared.
To that end, I keep a fridge and freezer stocked with easy to make and serve apps. And my pantry and medicine cabinet is full with cleaning and germ fighting goodness.
What are my essentials? Glad you asked.
Armed and Ready for Germ Season
I keep Clorox Disinfecting Wipes in my kitchen and every bathroom during the winter months. Why? Because they kill 99.9% of germs* that can live on surfaces**… for up to 48 hours!
Unfortunately, my guests don’t always arrive solo. When germs tag along for the ride, I’ve got the essentials to mitigate. Although I have my own supply, I also keep a secondary medicine cabinet for my guests… just in case.
Fearing the worst? Theraflu lends relief from cold and flu symptoms, providing powerful relief without a prescription. Abreva is not for temporary symptom relief, but healing. It delivers the best results when used at the first sign of a cold sore. Any my standby for germ season? TYLENOL®. The convenient caplets relieve painful cold and flu symptoms like coughing, congestion, and sore throat both day and night.
Here’s hoping that being prepared for germ season is like bringing an umbrella with you. When you have everything you need, maybe you won’t need them!
One thing you’ll be glad of no matter what? My freezer-friendly Spicy Apricot Bacon Bites. I make a big batch of these in November, then whenever I need a quick and easy appetizer, I bake as many as I need. These little skewers are unexpectedly delicious and perfect for the holiday season.
Spicy Apricot Bacon Bites
Slice the bacon into thirds. Place a sage leaf on each apricot, wrap with a piece of bacon, and place seam-side down on a baking sheet.
To cook: Preheat the oven to 375º F. Bake until the bacon is beginning to crisp, 6 to 8 minutes per side, a few minutes longer if frozen. If the bacon doesn’t begin to crisp within this timeframe, increase the oven temperature to 400º.
Meanwhile, combine maple syrup and sriracha. Remove from oven, and dab the bottom of each bite on a paper towel to remove grease, prior to placing on a serving platter. Brush with the maple syrup mixture and serve.


Spicy Apricot Bacon Bites
Guests for the holidays? Time to get prepared! Everyone loves our freezer-friendly Spicy Apricot Bacon Bites. Make-ahead and bake as needed.
Ingredients
- 8 slices of bacon
- 24 apricots
- 24 sage leaves
- 3 Tb. maple syrup
- 1 Tb. sriracha (or to taste)
Instructions
- Slice the bacon into thirds. Place a sage leaf on each apricot, wrap with a piece of bacon, and place seam-side down on a baking sheet.
At this point, you can freeze until ready to use.
To cook: Preheat the oven to 375º F. Bake until the bacon is beginning to crisp, 6 to 8 minutes per side, a few minutes longer if frozen. If the bacon doesn't begin to crisp within this timeframe, increase the oven temperature to 400º.
Meanwhile, combine maple syrup and sriracha. Remove from oven, and dab the bottom of each bite on a paper towel to remove grease, prior to placing on a serving platter. Brush with the maple syrup mixture and serve.
Get the ingredients for our Spicy Apricot Bacon Bites, as well as Abreva, TYLENOL®, Theraflu and Clorox products, at Kroger. Be sure to visit this link for savings on the products pictured above.
Other great appetizer ideas include our Sundried Tomato Hummus and this Veggie & Black Bean Sheet Pan Nachos recipe. Looking for other ways to manage the hectic holiday season with recipes and tips for hosting? Check out these ideas, here.
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Abreva – Use only as directed. Read and follow label directions. Clorox – Use as directed. Theraflu – Read and follow label directions. Theraflu is for use in adults 12 years and older. Use products only as directed. TYLENOL® – ® Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. 2017. Use products only as directed. The makers of TYLENOL® remind you to use only one medicine with acetaminophen at a time.
*Influenza A Virus **On hard, non-porous surfaces. See product label for list of organisms.
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