Bacon-Wrapped Dates
Ingredients:
- Container of whole UNPITTED dates — Don’t half-ass this and get the pitted dates. Not the same. Not even close.
- 4 oz Pepper Jack Cheese, cut into small rectangles
- Thick cut bacon of your choice, each strip cut into thirds
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Prep dates by slicing lengthwise along the top of the date, wedging open, and popping the pit out.
- Stuff date with cheese rectangle and wrap with bacon. Secure with toothpick.
- Arrange on foil-lined cookie sheet.
- Bake for 7 minutes, then flip. Bake an additional 7 minutes. Dates will be very hot, so let cool before devouring.
Pro tip: Bake with slit-side down first. When you flip, the cheese won’t ooze out as much!
Brown Sugar and Dijon Roasted Pork Loin (referenced Rockrecipes.com)
Ingredients:
- 4 lb pork loin roast
- 4 tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- Salt & Pepper to Season
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Season Pork with salt and pepper. Place in roasting pan. Roast uncovered for 30 minutes.
- Remove pork from oven. Brush entire pork roast with mustard. Generously press brown sugar into the mustard/ pork surface…this will be messy, so tie your hair back, and roll your sleeves up beforehand.
- Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Return pork to oven and bake until you have an internal temperature of 145 to 160 degrees. Tip is 15 minutes per pound of pork total. Baste Pork in juices several times throughout the cooking process.
- Let set for about 10 minutes before carving.
- Use the drippings for a sauce to top the pork with.