These little morsels have other names, but if you love blue cheese, as I do, you will love love love these!!  I know they sound weird, but hang in here with me, they are amazing.  In fact, I used my very favorite blue cheese, which is Maytag Blue Cheese, (thank you Gina Coffman) produced by http://www.maytagdairyfarms.com/.  However, I love gorgonzola and basically any blue cheese.   I am giving credit to my love and cooking partner hubster, Mike, because this is one that we re-created together, and he charges on with making them, once I brew up the cheese mixture.  We were introduced to these at a work Christmas party of his many years ago, and we think we’ve done a pretty good copycat job.  (yes, the cooking operation is a joint one at the Beene Ranch).

Gather whipped cream cheese, the blue cheese of your choice, some patience, dried dates, bacon and you’re on the road to yummo!    I took this pic while making these, and cannot tell you why the buttermilk is in the picture….I didn’t use it, but apparently I thought about it.  (welcome to my world of cooking)  (I promise pics will get better…remember, I’m NOT a blogger nor am I a photographer)

I will go ahead and admit now that if you are looking for a lot of specific measurements, you’re in the WRONG place.  If you grow up in the restaurant business, with parents that are good cooks, you’ll find that things aren’t typically measured.  My husband gives me a LOT of grief about not following recipes.  I feel that a recipe is just an outline…kinda like you had to write in Public Speaking 101 in college.  Between outline topics, you ad lib.  I can tell you that if you just hang in there and give it a little KANSAS CITY CHIEFS  try, you’ll be able to enhance your creativity and cooking skills!!!

Warning:  my dishes don’t ALWAYS work out.  Seriously.  Some stuff I’ve made is not good (and I probably should have used a recipe or measured ingredients).  If I’m at the lake, I just toss it in – figure the fish will like it.  Speaking of the lake, and cooking, don’t par boil jalapenos in the cabin of a boat.  It doesn’t work out.  At.  All.  Those ended up in the lake too, and not at my friends Dee & Betty’s party – I couldn’t stand the fumes.

So, let’s focus.  Mix the whipped cream cheese with blue cheese to taste, slit the dates open, stuff them with blue cheese mixture, and wrap with 1/3 piece of bacon.  Secure with toothpicks that have been soaking in water this entire time.  Now I will tell you that some people make these and pre-cook the bacon a little bit.   I think that’s a great idea, and haven’t tried it, but I plan to.  Will make it much quicker since the bacon will crisp up more pronto.  Place on a baking rack and dream about deliciousness.   These  need about 30 minutes or so, but if you try the pre-cooking bacon suggestion, should be less.    Anyhoo, this is what they look like, and eat some before your guests arrive, or you may not get any.

The only other thing you might do is to let someone try them who despises blue cheese — oh crap, that’s funny.  🙂    Try to have your phone camera ready.

Photo courtesy http://www.gimmesomeoven.com

Enjoy!

~Connie