Bacon Wrapped Dates

Prep. time: 20 min
Cook time: 13 min

Ingredients:
20 Medjool pitted dates*
1 pound aged Manchego cheese, cut into 20 blocks
10 slices bacon, cut in half

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Make an incision on one side of each date and insert a block of Manchego. Squeeze the date shut in your hand to secure. Wrap each date with a bacon strip and secure with a toothpick. Place all the dates on a sheet tray lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Roast the dates in the oven until the bacon on top is starting to crisp, 5 to 6 minutes. Turn the dates over and cook the other side until the bacon crisps, roughly another 6 minutes.

*I often get dates with pits in them and de-pit them myself with needle-nose pliers. By cutting the tip of the date off and pulling out the pit.

~Recipe is based on Anne Burrell's from foodnetwork.com

Indian Stew

Prep. time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 2 Tbs vegetable oil, such as safflower
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tbs curry powder
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 3 cups tomato sauce
• 2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas, rinsed & drained
• 1 Tbs fresh lime juice, plus lime wedge for garnish
• 1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt

Directions:

1. Cook rice according to package instructions; cover; and keep warm.
2. While rice is cooking, heat oil over medium in a large skillet. Add onion and garlic; season with salt & pepper. Cook stirring frequently, until onion is tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Add curry powder and ginger; cook stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Add tomato sauce, chickpeas and 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook stirring occasionally, until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in lime juice; season with salt & pepper. Serve stew with rice and yogurt, garnish with lime wedge and a pinch of curry.

~Recipe via Everyday Food, December 2008

Chai-Spiced Mixed Nuts

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbs Vanilla extract
• 1 egg white
• 3 cups nuts (I used 1 cup each almonds, pecans, & walnuts)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom

Directions:

1. Combine vanilla extract and egg white in a large bowl; stir with whisk until foamy. Stir in nuts.
2. Combine sugar, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and cardamom in a small bowl. Sprinkle over nuts, tossing to coat.
3. Place nut mixture on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove pan from oven. Turn off oven.
4. Toss nuts, breaking pieces apart. Return pan to oven, and leave pan in oven for an additional 10 minutes (with the oven still turned off).
5. Cool to room temperature. Store nuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

~Recipe from thekitchenismyplayground.com

Bacon & Egg Frittata

Prep Time: 15 min
Total Time: 25 min
Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:
8 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground pepper
1/4 lb bacon chopped
1 Tbs chopped chives

Make:
1- Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk eggs with salt and pepper; set aside.
2- Cook the bacon in a 10" nonstick, oven-safe skillet on Medium until crisp. Remove a quarter of the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate. (If you have plastic on the handle of your skillet wrap foil around the handle to make it oven safe)
3- Pour eggs over remaining bacon in skillet, Sprinkle evenly with chives. Transfer skillet to oven and bake for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with reserved bacon. Bake for 2 to 3 minutes more or until set. Remove; let cool slightly. Cut into wedges to serve.

**Substitute bacon and chives with whatever you like. Our favorite is ham and broccoli!

~Recipe originally taken from Parent Magazine September 2013

Monkey Bread

Prep. time: 2 minutmixturees
Cook time: 3 minutes

Ingredients:
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbs Cinnamon
1 package refrigerated canned biscuits

Directions:

1. Stir together melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon in a medium sized microwave safe dish.
2. Tear apart each biscuit into bite sized pieces and place in dish with other ingredients. Stir together; coating biscuit chunks with butter mixture.
3. Microwave  for 3 Minutes
4. Turn dish out on plate and serve. Caution it will be very hot after you microwave it.