Bacon Wrapped Dates Stuffed With Blue Cheese 222 Food

BACON WRAPPED DATES STUFFED WITH MANCHEGO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Make an incision on one side of each date and insert a block of Manchego. Squeeze the date shut in your hand to secure. Wrap each date with a bacon strip and secure with a toothpick. Place all the dates on a sheet tray lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Roast the dates in the oven until the bacon on top is starting to crisp, 5 to 6 minutes. Turn the dates over and cook the other side until the bacon crisps.
• Remove the dates from the oven and brush both sides with maple syrup. Return the dates to the oven until they are really crackly and sticky, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve hot.

BACON-WRAPPED DATES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Slice the dates lengthwise three-quarters of the way down. In a small bowl, press the cream into the blue cheese with a fork. Press a small scoop of the blue cheese into the center of the dates and close them back up. Cut each piece of bacon in half. Wrap each halved bacon strip around a date. Secure with a toothpick.
• Place the bacon-wrapped dates on a baking sheet. Bake until the bacon is crisp, 15 to 20 minutes.

BACON-WRAPPED DATES STUFFED WITH CREAM CHEESE AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Stuff 1 piece of cheese and 1 almond into each date, then wrap one piece of bacon around each date and secure bacon with a toothpick if desired. Arrange dates, bacon seam down and 1 inch apart in a shallow baking pan.
• Bake 5 minutes, then turn dates over with tongs and bake until bacon is crisp, 5 to 6 minutes more. Drain on a paper towel or parchment. Serve immediately.

BACON WRAPPED STUFFED DATES WITH BALSAMIC REDUCTION

Steps:

• Simmer balsamic vinegar in small saucepan until reduced by half. Syrup will be thick. Set aside.
• Mix almonds into goat cheese.
• Cut small slit in dates and stuff with small amount of cheese mixture.
• Cut each bacon slice into 3 pieces. (Par-cook if thick sliced.) Wrap piece of bacon around each date, and secure with toothpick.
• Place on foil-lined baking sheet.
• Broil for about 10 minutes, turning over when browned on first side. Be careful as they can burn quickly.
• Arrange on serving platter and drizzle with reserved balsamic reduction.