Bacon, Stilton Apricot Cheese Stuffed Honey Glazed Pork Chops

At my girls wine and cheese party a couple of weeks back I stumbled upon my new favorite cheese, Stilton Apricot.  I drizzled little bites of this amazing cheese with honey and paired it with chopped dates for the perfect bite!

After that night, I knew I had to do something with this amazing combination of ingredients. The simple thing to do would be to fill the dates with the cheese, wrap them in bacon and drizzle them with honey, very similar to the Bacon Wrapped Dates I prepare on a regular basis.  But that was too easy.

I knew I wanted to incorporate bacon into the ingredient list and what goes better with pork than… more pork.  That was when I decided to glaze pork chops with honey, then stuff them with the delicious mixture of Stilton Apricot cheese, chopped dates and bacon.

The result was a completely amazing lunch for me and my good friend Ruby!

Ingredients

• 2 pork chops
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped dates
• 4 slices bacon (fried until crisp and chopped)
• 1/4 cup Stilton apricot cheese

Start by glazing the pork chops. The video below will guide you with step by step instructions.

After 15 minutes in the oven, remove, flip the pork chops and baste with the rest of the honey glaze.

While the pork chops are in the oven, prepare the stuffing mixture in a small bowl by combining the dates, bacon and cheese. I also drizzled an additional tsp of honey into the mix to help bind the ingredients and for a little extra honey flavor!

Once the pork chops have been basted with the honey glaze on both sides and cooked for 15 minutes each remove them from the oven and place on a cutting a board.

Allow to cool enough to handle or use a pair of tongs to hold the pork chop in place while slicing through the center to stuff. Slice the pork chop through the middle while keeping the edges in tact..

Stuff with the bacon, cheese mixture.

Place the pork chops back into the cast iron skillet and into the oven for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is slightly melted.

Remove the pork chops from the skillet. Heat the honey glaze in the bottom of the skillet on the stove top over high heat to reduce.

Once the glaze comes to a boil and reduces by half, brush the mixture on top of the pork chops and serve.

There was extra cheese and bacon mixture leftover, so I put a little on top, there can never be too much cheese and bacon!

These were the most juicy and flavorful pork chops I’ve ever eaten and made for a perfect lunch paired with sautéed kale and fresh lemonade!

♦ Gluten Free Option: This recipe is gluten-free.

♥ All pottery seen on the littleleopardbook can be purchased by visiting www.longaberger.com/muffetbond or e-mailing keepsakebl@sbcglobal.net.

Bacon Wrapped Dates

These little “parties on a stick” first came into my world at Cafe Sevilla in San Diego.  I became beyond obsessed with them and started making them for every party, event, Monday, you know, whatever!

The kicker with these is, my Mom loves them!  When the certified pickiest eater in the world likes something, you know it’s good!  I’ve started making them every time I go home for a family event. They are quick, easy and make a great appetizer or party dish!

Ingredients (makes 20 dates)

• 20 dates
• 10 slices bacon
• 4 oz blue cheese

Begin by slicing half way through the dates and removing the pits. Next add the blue cheese.

Slice the bacon in half then wrap a 1/2 slice around the date.

Next, slide a toothpick through to secure the bacon.

Repeat 19 times.

Place into a 375° oven for 20 minutes, turn dates over then continue to cook 10-15 more minutes or until bacon is crispy.

Depending on the event (and how many new recipes I’m trying to conquer that day!) when I have time I add an Apple Cider glaze on top.

Apple Cider Glaze Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter (apple butter preferred)
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• 6 tbsp apple cider
• 2 tbsp half and half
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 sprig fresh thyme

Start by melting the butter in a small saucepan, next combine the additional ingredients and whisk well.  Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring consistently. Remove from the heat and let stand 3 minutes.

Use a pastry brush to glaze the dates 3-5 minutes before removing them from the oven.

♣ Vegetarian Option: Replace the Bacon with Vegetarian Smart Bacon.

♦ Gluten Free Option: This Recipe is Gluten-Free.

♥ All pottery seen on the littleleopardbook can be purchased by visiting www.longaberger.com/muffetbond or e-mailing keepsakebl@sbcglobal.net.

Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs

Nothing beats meat wrapped in meat. And the official hot dog of Los Angeles is no exception to the rule!  Street cart vendors can be found outside of office buildings by day and outside of bars by night lining up their carts of pork wrapped pork topped with grilled peppers and onions and ready to be taken down by the citizens of Los Angeles! With the help of the LLB you can now make these delectable dogs in the comfort of your home from anywhere in world!

Ingredients (makes 2 hot dogs)

• 2 beef or pork franks
• 2 slices bacon
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 red onion (sliced)
• 1/2 red bell pepper (sliced)
• 1/2 green bell pepper (sliced)
• 1 jalapeño (sliced)
• 2 hot dog buns

Start by wrapping each dog tightly with a slice of bacon.

Place the dogs over medium heat on the grill.

While the dogs are grillin’ cook the peppers and onions.

Add olive oil to a large skillet, add the sliced vegetables and cook over medium heat 5-7 minutes or until tender.

(If cooking these dogs up at an actual camp out, you can cook the veggies in a cast iron skillet placed directly on the grill with the dogs!)

When the dogs are almost finished grilling add the buns to the grill to give them a light toast.

Remove from the grill and place the dogs in the buns.

Next, top with the delicious and colorful grilled veggies!

Now that’s one sophisticated (and flavorful) hot dog!

Click here for printer-friendly version: Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs

BLT Caesar Wrap

Every once in a while an unplanned “what’s in the fridge?” meal turns into a new favorite and last week that most definitely happened! I turned a classic favorite, the BLT, into a new, fun wrap with kale instead of lettuce and caesar dressing instead of mayonnaise!

Ingredients (serves 1)

• 1 large flour tortilla
• 2 tbsp caesar dressing
• 2 cups kale
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 slices bacon
• 1/2 cup tomatoes (chopped)
• 2 tbsp shaved parmesan cheese

Start by cooking the kale in 1 tbsp olive oil and 1/4 cup water in a covered skillet on the stove top. At the same time, cook the bacon until crispy.

Meanwhile, spread the dressing into the middle of the tortilla.

Next add the cooked kale and bacon on top.

Next, top with the tomatoes and parmesan cheese.

Now wrap it up and get ready to enjoy!

Oh my gosh, the crispness of the bacon with the mild bitterness of the kale and the creaminess of the caesar dressing, this was such a great, random concoction and I’m not going to lie to you all, I ended up making it two other times last week!

Click here for the printer-friendly version:  BLT Caesar Wrap

♥ All pottery seen on the littleleopardbook can be purchased by visiting www.longaberger.com/muffetbond or e-mailing keepsakebl@sbcglobal.net.

Loaded Baked Potato Bread

While seeking menu inspiration for my Superbowl Party I ran across a recipe for a spicy, cheesy pull-apart bread which eventually lead me to concoct this recipe a couple months later. I took one of the loaves of rustic potato bread I baked last week and packed it with all my favorite baked potato toppings!

Ingredients (makes 1 loaf)

• 1 loaf potato bread
• 4 bacon slices (cooked and crumbled)
• 4 tbsp butter
• 2 cups cheddar and jack cheese (shredded)
• 1/4 cup green onions (chopped)

Start by melting the butter in a small mixing bowl.

Next add the cheese, chives and bacon to the melted butter.

Mix well.

Next, slice the potato bread loaf both horizontally and vertically 3/4 of the way through.

Be sure not to slice all the way through, but enough to reach in there and stuff the loaf with your mixture of baked potato toppings!

Now use your fingers to stuff the topping mixture into the bread load.

Now wrap foil tightly around the bottom and sides of the loaf, leaving the top exposed.

Add another piece of foil over the top and place in a 350° oven for 15 minutes.

Remove the top piece of foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

After the cheese is melted completely remove the bread from the oven and discard the foil. Place the loaf on a serving plate.

You all know what’s coming next, my favorite, the zoom shot!!

Yum, cheesy! I served this with my Baked Buffalo BBQ Chicken and a nice twist on a traditional southern meal was born!

♣ Vegetarian Option: Simply remove the bacon to make this recipe vegetarian.

♥ All pottery seen on the littleleopardbook can be purchased by visiting www.longaberger.com/muffetbond or e-mailing keepsakebl@sbcglobal.net.