Bacon-Wrapped Sausage-Stuffed Dates

I've been promising to get this gem of a recipe shared here for about 2 weeks now. And my intention was to get it up here ASAP so that everyone within earshot blog-shot could enjoy it in all of it's savory, sweet goodness. But life sometimes gets in the way. And sometimes you come down with the flu. UG.

But I digress ... you are here for something special, so feast your eyes on THIS ...


I know, right?!

And to be honest, this picture just does not do it justice. In fact, I can see I am just going to have to make these again soon so that I can try to get a better shot for you.

I stumbled on this magnificent idea while browsing the amazing recipes over at Paleoaholic. Like so many of my favorites, these come together quickly and with very little fuss and they deliver such a powerful punch of flavor that they were an instant favorite of everyone that has tried them (& we've been sharing these at every opportunity).

Bacon-Wrapped Sausage-Stuffed Dates

Stuff You Need:

• 15 Medjool pitted dates
• sausage (I used a local spicy jalapeno sausage)
• 5 slices bacon, cut into thirds crosswise
• 15 toothpicks

What To Do:

1. Preheat the over to 400F.
2. Slice sausage lengthwise. Then slice off 15 - ¼ inch semi-circles of sausage.
3. Slice your dates in half and place a semi-circle of sausage in each.
4. Wrap each stuffed date with bacon and secure with a toothpick.
5. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the bacon is nice and crispy. Flip them at about the 15 minute mark so that both sides will be equally crispy.

And that, folks, is all she wrote! You'll want the dates to cool at least a little before enjoying, but it's hard to wait because these will simply call to you from the oven. Your tongue will thank you for a little restraint though.

As usual, I've made a few adjustments to the original recipe. First off, the original calls for Spanish chorizo. I didn't have any the day I first planned to make these and then I loved them so much with the spicy jalapeno sausage that I just stuck with it. And second, the original recipe calls for the addition of a spicy tomato sauce. As you can tell from my picture, I did serve it that way at least once. But in all honesty, I didn't feel like it truly added anything to the dish, so I only served it that way the first time and we haven't missed it one bit.

I served these as a special treat on Super Bowl Sunday. We've shared them with friends at a pot luck dinner. And we've whipped them up just to kick up a weeknight meal. They are a wonderful treat that can turn any day into a special event.

And I hope you will enjoy them as much as we have!