Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates Wrapped in Bacon

If you are having guests over, it's nice to start with some snacks to munch on to hold everyone over until dinner.  One of my favorite hors d'oeuvres to serve is goat cheese stuffed dates wrapped in bacon.  They pair well with wine and they can be served at room temperature.  Did I mention they are not very difficult to make and EVERYONE loves them??

Ingredients;
20-25 Whole dates, with pits
1 small log of goat cheese
1 package of bacon

One of the reasons I buy whole dates, with the pits, is because when they are removing the pits from the dates, sometimes they slice both sides.  For this particular recipe, that wont work.  So, I know it is a little more work, but it is worth it!

To start, slit the date along one side and remove the pit.  Repeat until all of the pits are removed from the dates.

Stuff the date with goat cheese.

Cut a slice of bacon in half (if you use the whole slice, it will be too much bacon and the bacon will not get crispy enough), and roll the date in the bacon.  Do not use the thick cut bacon.  Use the regular thin sliced bacon.

Heat a pan on medium high.   Once the pan is hot, place the dates on the pan.

As they brown on each side, rotate the dates so you get a nice sear on all sides, about 10-15 minutes.  When removing the dates, place on a plate with a paper towel.  Remove from the paper towel, transfer to a platter and serve!

Thyme 2 Taste...