Recipe by Mary Capone, Author of The Gluten Free Italian Cookbook

Bacon Wrapped Dates stuffed with Goat Cheese with a Red Wine Reduction
Bacon and fruit combinations are always a favorite on Italian tables.

Ingredients
8 pieces bacon, such as smoked apple bacon or pepper bacon
14–16 dates, pitted
4 oz. Cheves goat cheese
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped fine, stems removed
1/4 cup red wine
2 TBL balsamic vinegar
1 TBL sugar

Mix it Up
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a small baking dish.

• Cook bacon in a pan leaving it slightly undercooked so that bacon is pliable and can be wrapped easily around the dates. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and cool. Reserve 2 TBL of bacon grease in the pan.

• Cut dates open on one side leaving skin intact.

• Mix together goat cheese and thyme.

• Spoon about 1/2 tsp of goat cheese mixture into each date and gently press closed. Cut bacon in half crosswise. Wrap one piece of bacon around each of the stuffed dates. Secure with toothpicks if necessary. Place in casserole dish.

• Heat pan with bacon grease over medium high heat, about 1 minute.  Whisk wine, vinegar, and sugar into pan and reduce until sauce thickens forming a syrup, about 5 minutes. Pour over the top of dates and bake in oven for 20–25 minutes.  Serve warm.

Makes 14–16

Dairy-Free
Substitute soy cream cheese for goat cheese and add a pinch of salt and pepper to mixture.