Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Apricots

Welcome to Day #2 of Appetizer Week, a multi-blogger event co-hosted by Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic. With the big football game coming up, we wanted to make sure you had plenty of ideas for your game day spread. Each day we will be dishing up a different set of appetizers. We hope you enjoy this fabulous group of recipes. Tune in each day starting with Monday, January 20 and ending on Saturday, January 25.

These bacon wrapped stuffed apricots are filled with Havarti cheese and almonds. The sweetness of the apricots combined with the mild melty cheese and the crunchy almonds go beautifully with the bacon (it's a cliché, but what doesn't go well with bacon?).

These are perfect little appetizers for a party, and are so easy to make. Havarti cheese is very creamy and mild, and melts perfectly inside the apricots.

Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Apricots

Ingredients

24 dried apricots

3 oz Havarti cheese, sliced 1/4 inch thick and then cut into 1/2 inch squares

24 almonds

12 strips of bacon, cut in half across the middle

24 toothpicks (soak in water)

Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Set a rack about 6 inches below your broiler.
2. Line a baking sheet with foil.
3. Slit open the apricots and place a piece of cheese and an almond inside.
4. Wrap with a slice of bacon with a 1/2 inch overlap (trim off excess).
5. Secure with a toothpick and sprinkle with black pepper. 
6. Broil the appetizers, turning often with tongs to crisp the bacon all over. 
7. If there is too much grease, you can move the appetizers to a second foil lined pan and continue to broil. The whole broiling process should take about 10 minutes or less. 
8. Serve immediately.

Adapted from The Best of Fine Cooking Appetizers, Fall, 2011

Visit all the other Appetizer Week Peeps for more Munchie Causing Goodness:

• Caramelized Onion, Brie, and Pear Crostini by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Easy Low-Carb Chicken Dip by Yours and Mine Are Ours
• Tuna Bruschetta by What's Cooking, Love?
• Harvest Sweet Potato Salsa by Farm Fresh Feasts
• Mini Cheeseburgers by Rants From My Crazy Kitchen
• Buffalo Chicken Tortilla Pinwheels by Home Cooking Memories
• Easy Cheesy Mexican Dip by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• French Onion Grilled Cheese Stackers by Mom's Test Kitchen