Sweet, Salty And Creamy, Oh My!

I have a confession to make…I’ve been hoarding a container of large medjool dates to make some sticky toffee pudding and I was not willing to part with them under any circumstances. Then I saw a recipe that a Chef friend had made using dates, and I can honestly say that I almost went into convulsions after seeing the photo of the finished product. The recipe was simple…dates, goat cheese and bacon…how can you go wrong?

These looked and sounded delicious and it made me want to run to the kitchen, pull them out of their hiding place and prepare them right then and there.

Having grown up in a home where a plate of dried fruit and nuts in the shell always graced our table, I can honestly say that dates have always been one of my favorite dried fruits.

Over the years, I have come to love the sweet, moist medjool date that is so delicious, it would qualify for the nature’s candy moniker above all other dried fruits. The inherent caramel flavor of this treasured dried fruit makes it a perfect ingredient for any creative cook.

I’m always looking for appetizers that are not only delicious but that can be put together in a snap…and these little treasures fit the bill on all counts. If you do not have goat cheese on hand, cream cheese will work just as well.

Bacon Wrapped Dates Stuffed With Goat Cheese

Medjool Dates

Goat Cheese (or cream cheese)

Bacon

First you need to remove the dry piece that you will find on one end of the date where the stem attaches to the fruit.

Then take a small paring knife and slice open one side of the date and remove the seed.

Take a piece of the goat cheese and fill the cavity of the date and close the date well.

The cheese does not ooze out when baked, so don’t worry if it does not close completely. Wrap the stuffed date in half a piece of bacon and place it on a lined sheet pan. Repeat with the rest of the dates.

The great thing about these is that you can bake them in a toaster oven if you are only making a few dozen. Make sure to turn it on the broil setting and bake for about 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm.