Bacon Wrapped Goat Cheese Food

HOW TO MAKE BITE-SIZED BACON WRAPPED GOAT CHEESE STUFFED DATES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Slice a small slot into the side of each date and stuff the inside with goat cheese.
• Wrap each date with half a slice of bacon and poke a toothpick through.
• Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes. Flip dates over and bake for an additional 5-8 minutes. Serve warm.

BACON-WRAPPED DATES WITH GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice the dates lengthwise on one side to create an opening. Remove the pit.
• Using a spoon, stuff a small amount of goat cheese into the cavity of each date and press the sides together to close.
• Cut the bacon slices in half. Wrap each date with a slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick.
• Arrange evenly on a baking sheet with raised edges (otherwise grease will get everywhere) and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the dates and use the toothpick to turn each one so it's laying on its side. Bake for another 5-8 minutes, until browned to your liking, and turn the dates to the other side and repeat. Remove from the oven, place on a paper towel lined plate, and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

GOAT CHEESE WRAPPED IN VINE LEAVES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Overlap 3 grape leaves, vein side facing up, to form a solid circle (see Cook's Note*). Place the goat cheese round in the center of the circle. Use 2 roasted pepper strips to wrap around the cheese. Carefully wrap the leaves snugly around the cheese. Repeat with remaining leaves, cheese and pepper strips.
• Over high heat, cook the leaf bundles in olive oil for 1 minute on 1 side in an oven-safe skillet. Turn the bundles and cook for 1 minute more. Place the pan in the oven for approximately 3 minutes.
• To serve, place vine leaf bundle in the center of a large plate. Open up the leaves and drizzle with olive oil. Serve with crackers or bread.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the red peppers on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven on the top rack for 35 to 40 minutes, turning occasionally, or until the skin is blistered and charred. Immediately transfer the hot peppers to a small bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, peel off the skin and remove the stem and seeds. Cut into 1-inch wide strips.

BACON-WRAPPED STUFFED FIGS

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the broiler. Slice the figs about 3/4 of the way down the center lengthwise, and open each like a book; set aside.
• Combine the goat cheese, pesto, lemon juice and zest and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a small bowl with a rubber spatula. Fill each fig with about 1 teaspoon of the cheese-pesto mixture.
• Wrap each stuffed fig with a slice of bacon, and secure with a toothpick. Put the figs, seam-side down, on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Broil, turning once, until the bacon is cooked through and crispy, about 4 to 5 minutes per side.

BACON-WRAPPED QUAIL STUFFED WITH GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Season each quail inside and out with salt and pepper. Transfer to 1 to 2 large bowls, add oil, thyme, and garlic, and toss to combine. Refrigerate, covered, at least 1 hour and up to 48 hours.
• Preheat oven to 500°F. Remove 1 quail from marinade. Stuff cavity with 1 ounce goat cheese and 1 sprig rosemary and tie legs together loosely with kitchen string. Wrap 1 strip bacon around breast and transfer quail, breast side up, to rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with remaining quail, using 2 to 3 baking sheets. Roast until just cooked through (cut into inner thigh; meat will still be slightly pink), about 15 minutes.

BACON WRAPPED GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Freeze the goat cheese for five to ten minutes if too soft and gooey so you can roll it into 8 lumberjack-thumb sized logs.
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roll in the chives.
• Wrap with bacon so that the whole log is covered.
• Place in an aluminum foil boat, or a shallow glass pan (i.e. a pie tin).
• Bake for ten minutes, or until the bacon is golden brown and the cheese bubbly.
• You can do these on the grill too if you have an aluminum grill pan. Or in a pan on the stove over medium heat turning occasionally so that it is evenly browned.

BACON WRAPPED PRUNES WITH GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• 1. Halve the prunes.
• 2. Fill prune half with goat cheese.
• 3. Slice bacon in half.
• 4. Wrap prune in 1/2 bacon slice.
• 5. Arrange prunes with the loose end of bacon facing downward on a foil lined baking tray.
• 6. Broil until browned, turning once.
• *Optional: Use decorative toothpicks to make these bites more festive.

GOAT CHEESE-STUFFED FIGS WRAPPED IN BACON

Steps:

• Preheat broiler.
• Cook bacon in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until most of the fat is rendered but bacon is still pliable, about 10 minute You do not want crispy bacon!
• Transfer the bacon to a paper towel to drain.
• Remove 1 scoop of flesh from each of the fig halves with the small end of a melon-baller, set aside for another use. (Makes great ice cream or just bite sized snacks).
• Scoop out a piece of the goat cheese with the same meon-baller and fill in the hole in each fig half with the cheese scoop.
• Stir together brown sugar, cumin, and salt in a small bowl.
• Rub the mixture onto 1 side of each bacon slice, and cut each bacon slice in half to have 16 slices of bacon.
• Wrap 1 of the half strips of bacon around 1 of the fig halves, leaving the sugar/spice side out, and secure with a toothpick.
• Broil the figs, cut side up, on the rack of a broiler pan about 3 inches from the heat, until bacon is browned - about 2 minute.
• Cool slightly and then discard toothpicks.
• Serve warm.

BACON WRAPPED GOAT CHEESE CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F
• In a bowl, mix together the diced tomato and goat cheese. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Mix in the olive oil and around a teaspoon of the chopped oregano leaves.
• Cut a slash lengthways in each of the chicken breast fillets to form a cavity in each one.
• Stuff each cavity with the goat cheese mixture.
• Wrap each chicken breast in 3 bacon slices and secure each one with a piece of string or toothpick.
• Place the bacon-wrapped chicken breasts in a shallow, greased oven dish, Sprinkle with the remaining oregano and season with freshly ground pepper.
• Roast the chicken for 20-30 minutes until cooked through.
• Serve at once with a tomato salad.

BACON & BEEF WRAPPED ASPARAGUS AND GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Tenderize steaks with a meat tenderizer. Rub steaks with your favorite steak seasoning (I like to use a greek seasoning blend). Lay out flat on cookie sheet and drizzle heavily with balsamic vinegar. Cover and marinate for 30 minutes.
• Trim asparagus to 4-5 inches in length. Divide steaks into 3 oz pieces, large enough to hold approx 3 asparagus spears each. Divide goat cheese into 1/2 ounce servings.
• Place 3-4 trimmed asparagus spears and 1/2 oz of goat cheese in center of each steak. Roll steak to seal in asparagus and cheese. Wrap each beef roll with 1-2 slices of uncooked beef bacon. Place toothpick through seam to help hold bacon on while cooking. Place wrap, seam side down, on broiler pan. Bake in oven on 350F for 30 - 35 minutes.