Bacon-Wrapped Dates with Balsamic Glaze

Guys, huddle in.  This recipe’s a home run.

These little nibbles are deliciously savory and easy to make.  All you need is goat cheese, dates, bacon, and balsamic vinegar- that’s only 4 ingredients!  More specifically:

• 1 lb. Medjool Dates
• 1 package bacon
• 4 oz. goat cheese
• 1 cup balsamic vinegar (will reduce down to 1/4 cup)
• toothpicks

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

Slice down one side of each date so that you can remove the pit (it should remain in one piece).  The only dates I could find in my local grocery store were already pitted, so I could skip this step.

Pack each hallow date with goat cheese and then close it back up, and wrap bacon around it.  It used between 1/3 to 1/2 a slice of bacon on each date.  Slide a wet toothpick through the center to secure the bacon.

Bake in a pan/dish with sides (to catch the grease) for 30-40 minutes.  Flip them over after 20 minutes of cooking.

While the dates are in the oven, boil 1 cup of balsamic vinegar.  Once it’s boiling, turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer for about 30 minutes.  It should be reduced to a syrupy texture.

They were a huge hit at our little holiday get-together.  Personally, I couldn’t get enough of them!

Remove the dates from the oven and glaze with the balsamic, then serve.

Recipe from here.