Candied Bacon Pigs - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 (14 ounce) package little smokie sausages
1 pound bacon slices, cut into thirds crosswise
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, divided
1/2 (12 fluid ounce) can cola-flavored carbonated beverage
1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1 dash hot pepper sauce, or to taste (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
Wrap each little sausage with 1/3 slice of bacon, and secure them with toothpicks.
Place the appetizers on a large baking sheet and sprinkle with 3/4 cup of brown sugar.
Bake in the preheated oven until the sugar is melted and bubbling, about 40 minutes; turn the appetizers after 20 minutes.
Remove the appetizers from the baking sheet with a slotted spoon, and place into a slow cooker. Sprinkle the remaining 3/4 cup of brown sugar and the five-spice powder over the smokies, and drizzle with the cola. If desired, add hot sauce to taste.
Set the cooker to High, and cook 4 hours. Serve warm.