Touch Dates

When I was home last week I went to a restaurant called Touch. If you live anywhere near Springfield, MO you should go there. It is perhaps one of the coolest places I've ever eaten.

They gave us a free appetizer and at first I was skeptical. Bacon wrapped dates with goat cheese didn't sound that great, but let me tell you, after eating them I knew I had to make some at home!

Just 3 ingredients:
goat cheese
pitted dates
bacon (I used center cut just because they're less fatty)

You'll also need several toothpics soaked in water.



Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

Stuff the dates with the goat cheese. This is nearly impossible without a pastry tip. Trust me. I will be buying pastry tips at my earliest convenience.

Next cut several strips of bacon in half. Lay out on paper towels in a single layer. Cover with another paper towel to prevent splattering. Microwave for 1 - 1 1/2 minutes. You don't want to cook them, just speed the process along. They should still be very pliable.



Wrap each date with a piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick. You could make these ahead of time and keep them in the refrigerator until ready to serve.



Pop them in the top rack of the oven for 5 minutes or until done.



Sweet, salty, crispy, chewy, goodness! You simply must try!