Bacon Wrapped Dates with Cream Cheese

The perfect combination of sweet and salty, bacon wrapped dates stuffed with cream cheese are a definite crowd-pleaser. They are sure to be the first thing to disappear at a party or get-together!

I'm back friends! And I'm ready to get back into action! Now I'm sure you've wondered why I've been MIA for so long. Well, long story short, on July 24th sweet London Jane joined our family. You can read a little more about it here. I decided to take a break from the blog for the past two months to adjust to parenthood.

Life as a new mom has been totally exhausting. I have never felt more sleep-deprived, kind of like never-ending jet lag, in my entire life. But needless to say, I have absolutely loved and cherished every minute of this crazy adventure. And now that I feel like I'm finally starting to get a hang of my new routine, I'm ready to dive back into the baking and blogging world again!

It's hard to believe at this same time last year, Jacob and I were preparing for our Middle Eastern adventure. This was one trip we had talked about taking for several years, so it was so neat to see it finally come together.

I'll admit, that it is definitely one of my favorite trips to date. Although, in all honesty, I could probably say that about all of the trips we've been on...It's really hard to choose a favorite one.

One of my favorite parts about our travels in the Middle East was...you guessed it...the food! I've always loved Middle Eastern food, like shakshuka, pita bread, and baklava. So it was fun to actually try the true, authentic Middle Eastern cuisine.

The one thing I found interesting was how popular dates are there! In fact, I learned that Egypt grows more dates than any other country in the world. Who knew?! I've never been a huge fan of dates, but after eating them with breakfast, lunch, and dinner for a week, I certainly changed my mind. And after trying chocolate covered almond stuffed dates, I was definitely converted to the fruit!

Today's recipe, bacon-wrapped dates with cream cheese, certainly isn't traditional Middle Eastern cuisine (at least I'm guessing it's not!), but I think it's a fun, unique twist for enjoying the fruit. Honestly, who can pass up anything wrapped in bacon?? This recipe is so easy to throw together. Seriously, it only takes three ingredients and a few minutes in the oven. It's the perfect appetizer to take to a party or get together!

How do you eat dates?

While dates are delicious on their own, it's fun to spice things up by wrapping them in bacon, covering them in chocolate or stuffing them with almonds, cream cheese or pistachios. They also taste great when added to salads, desserts or smoothies.

What are the health benefits of dates?

Anything wrapped in bacon and stuffed with cream cheese probably isn't the healthiest option, but on their own dates have quite a few health benefits. Dates are high in fiber, high in antioxidants and they can help with blood sugar regulation, to name a few benefits.

Other appetizers you'll love!

• Easy Homemade Hummus
• Roasted Tomato Bruschetta with Goat Cheese
• Traditional Swiss Cheese Fondue
• Authentic Guacamole
• Pico de Gallo