Bacon Wrapped Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates

This is a great dish to take to a party as an appetizer or just a tasty snack at home.

~ A quick word on bacon… Purchase locally sourced bacon whenever possible to ensure it was humanely raised. Whether you cook 2 pieces or 2 pounds of bacon, you’ll have a greasy mess so I advise you to buy a large package and cook it all up at once. If you cook it to ¾ of the way you like it, then put it in a container in the refrigerator, you’ll have bacon for days – just reheat and serve~

What you’ll need:

Bacon

Whole Dates

Goat Cheese

Toothpicks

Cut the bacon strips in half, then cook the bacon to about ¾ of the way done (approximately 375° 10 minutes each side). I find baking it easier for less mess as well as coming out flat rather than curled.

While the bacon is cooking, remove the pits from the dates – use as many dates as pieces of bacon. To remove the pits, take a knife on the end where the stem was (there will be a divot) and cut off the end. The pit should slide out easily. If not, use a toothpick to loosen it and pull it out.

Next take pieces of goat cheese (or any other soft cheese you want to try) and stuff it into the hole in the date. Be sure to press it in so the entire cavity is filled.

Once the bacon is done, allow it to cool so it is easy to handle, then place the stuffed date in the middle and wrap the bacon around it – fasten with a toothpick.