On Resolutions

I made these bacon-wrapped dates today. Though delicious, they didn’t taste exactly as I wanted them to. Part of me is determined to continue my attempts until I get the recipe just right, but this would essentially mean resolving to eat more bacon, which may or may not conflict with some of my other goals for the new year.

In short, use the recipe below as a jumping off point, and feel free to tweak as you please. Here are a few things that I would do differently on a second attempt. 1) Greatly increase the blue cheese to cream cheese ratio. I would try 75%, or maybe even 100%, blue cheese. 2) Use smaller dates. While the medjools were meaty and delicious, they somewhat overwhelmed the cheesy filling. 3) Salt the filling, if needed. I think it would depend on how much cream cheese you opt to use.

Alterations aside, these were a deliciously salty, sweet, tangy snack. The bacon crisped up beautifully in the oven, while the exposed parts of the dates got deliciously caramelized. The balsamic drizzle was inspired by a similar dish I tried in Laguna Beach, and it adds a nice acidic counterpoint to all the richness.

And since I couldn’t offer you a perfect recipe myself…

If you’re in want of any resolutions for 2016, perhaps yours could be to try one of these delicious potato recipes:

     Hasselback Potatoes from this site, or

     Cheesy Potato Cups from over here

I eat potatoes fairly often, and I enjoy having a variety of stellar preparation methods up my sleeve. And frankly, these are stellar. So click click, eat eat.

Fun Fact:

Dates are a good source of fiber and potassium, a mineral with many vital functions. Potassium is necessary for muscle contraction and works with (or rather, against) sodium to regulate blood pressure and fluid balance in the body.

Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Dates

Medjool Dates, scored lengthwise and pitted

Cream Cheese

Blue Cheese

Smoked Bacon

Toothpicks

2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

1 Tablespoon Water

1 – 1½ teaspoons Balsamic Vinegar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix equal parts cream cheese and blue cheese. Stuff 1 tsp of cheese mixture into pitted dates. Wrap ½ slice of bacon around date, and secure with toothpick. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet for 40 minutes, flipping each date halfway through, until bacon is browned and crispy. Let cool on (or over) a paper towel.

Boil the brown sugar, water, and Balsamic vinegar together until reduced and syrupy. Drizzle desired amount over the stuffed dates.