Bacon Wrapped Horseradish Shrimp

It was love at first bite when I ordered bacon wrapped horseradish shrimp as an appetizer about 20 years ago. Since that time I've served it at parties to the delight of family and friends. Last night, a last minute change in plans had me scrambling for a quick meal and I decided this would be just the thing.

Shrimp is already low in calories and horseradish is a condiment that is "free" on Weight Watchers. The substitution of center cut bacon and then a halving of the typical amount used (usually one slice per shrimp, I reduced it to half a slice per shrimp) brought the dish to a low 5 points per serving.

Serves 2 - 5 WW pts per serving

Ingredients

9 oz large shrimp (12 shrimp)
6 slices center cut bacon (I love the Oscar Myer)

horseradish

Cook the bacon in the microwave for about 2 minutes. You want it to be pliable enough to wrap around the shrimp. Slice each strip in half.

Clean and devein shrimp, leaving the tails on. Then, cut down the back without cutting through. You don't want to butterfly the shrimp, you just want to create a little pocket.

Place a scant teaspoon of horseradish in each pocket, wrap the half slice of bacon around the shrimp, and secure with a toothpick.

Broil the shrimp until they are opaque and the bacon is crispy. Be careful not to overcook.

If you'd like, you can make a quick sauce by combining a 1/4 cup cocktail sauce with a 1/4 cup sour cream, then add more horseradish to taste.

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TASTE NOTES

I don't know why I haven't made these shrimp more often for dinner--probably afraid of the fat/calories in the bacon, but now that I've discovered center cut bacon, we're going to indulge more often. I have made them in the past wrapped in prosciutto and they're good that way, too. With some very thin, fresh asparagus and some steamed new potatoes with parsley and butter, this was a great dinner that went together in no time at all.