Holiday Appetizer

Edie is hosting an appetizer link party this week and I am so excited! Lots of yummy new recipes to add to the book before Christmas. Today, I am sharing one of my favorite apps of all time - bacon wrapped dates...Holy.Deliciousness. The first time I experienced this appetizer party in my mouth was at Cafe Ba Ba Reeba in Chicago. My recipe is a slightly different, but equally delicious version found below.

Ingredients
12 Pitted dates
1/2 Cup cream cheese (or any cheese you choose - goat cheese is delicious, too)
1/2 Cup brown sugar
4 - 5 slices of bacon 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F

Slice dates in half, and open them up

Pinch off pieces of cream cheese, and place them into the center of the dates

Close the halves of the dates, roll them in brown sugar, and wrap with a half-slice of bacon

Secure each date with a toothpick

Place in baking dish 

Bake for 20 minutes, or until bacon is crisp

Turn dates over after first 10 minutes for even cooking

Serve over bed of spinach drizzled with balsamic for a lovely holiday display

ENJOY!