~Jackie~
I love the holidays because they are full of festive old and new foods to try! Most of the parties that we have been to this season have been assortments of appetizers and small plates; which I love because you get to try a variety of different foods while enjoying holiday cocktails. This year Amanda and I seem to be obsessed with cooking with bacon, which is so odd because we don’t normally eat it, but it is such a tasty and versatile ingredient to use when making appetizers. And everyone loves bacon, so you are guaranteed to go home with an empty tray, and not be the embarrassed one in the corner because you brought a broccoli and cauliflower crudite that no one eats – yuck. Traditionally we see bacon wrapped dates at a restaurant or party, which are SO good, but it’s always nice to mix things up. In this easy and quick recipe I added some holiday flavor with a leaf of fresh sage, swapped out the dates for apricots, and wrapped everything in bacon. And if you want to get a little fancy I recommend adding a drizzle of balsamic reduction before serving.
Now I want to make it clear that although this recipe is fantastic and I highly recommend it for a holiday appetizer – there are so many other things you can wrap in bacon… Don’t limit yourself to apricots and dates, some other delicious ideas are: bacon wrapped pineapple, bacon wrapped chicken, bacon wrapped jalapenos, bacon wrapped smokies, bacon wrapped water chestnuts, bacon wrapped brussel sprouts, and bacon wrapped apples. Pairing the salty bacon with something sweet is the perfect flavor combination. For someone who didn’t eat bacon their whole life, I have really been catching up! And the best part about all these bacon wrapped foods is that they are so easy to make and only require 2-3 ingredients!
This appetizer takes only a few minutes to prepare and about 15 minutes to bake. To begin, preheat your oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil. I found it was also helpful to grease the baking sheet to make sure none of the bacon stuck to it. Cut cold bacon strips by measuring the length around an apricot adding on about 1/2 inch. Cut all slices of bacon to form assembly line, then place one apricot in the middle of the bacon, and one sage leaf on top. Fold both sides of the bacon over the sage leaf and place seam side down on the baking sheet. This recipe will make about 24 bites. Bake for 12-16 minutes until bacon is fully cooked and crisp. Insert toothpicks and serve warm with an optional balsamic glaze/reduction on top. I like to prepare these ahead of time and keep them in the fridge, and when I’m getting ready for the party I pop them in the oven so they are served fresh. Hope you enjoy this salty & sweet bacon treat! Happy Holidays!
- 8 slices thick bacon
- 24 dried apricots
- 24 fresh sage leaves
- balsamic vinegar / balsamic glaze* for serving
- toothpicks for serving
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a large sheet pan with foil and grease.
- Cut cold bacon strips by measuring the length around an apricot adding on about 1/2 inch.
- Cut all slices of bacon to form assembly line, place one apricot in the middle of the bacon, and one sage leaf on top.
- Fold both sides of bacon over the sage leaf and place seam side down on the baking sheet. Bake for 12-16 minutes until bacon is fully cooked and crisp.
- Insert toothpicks and serve warm with an optional balsamic glaze drizzled on top.
- *To make a balsamic glaze, mix balsamic vinegar with a little sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until glaze is reduced by half, about 20 minutes. The glaze should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
