Tapas Bacon Wrapped Dates And Sweet Red Bell Pepper Sauce Recipes

TAPAS: BACON WRAPPED DATES AND SWEET RED BELL PEPPER SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Soak round toothpicks in water for 15 minutes, this will prevent burning when baking.
• RED PEPPER SAUCE:.
• Place garlic cloves w/ peels on a baking dish and bake for 15 minutes.
• Rub pepper and onion with olive oil.
• After baking the garlic cloves for 15 minutes, add the red bell pepper and onion to the baking sheet and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until tender and roasted. It may take a bit longer.
• Squeeze the roasted garlic out of it's paper into a blender along with the roasted onion and bell pepper. *use a blender or small food processor.
• Blend until smooth. Slowly add olive oil until blended. * you may use more or less.
• Add salt.
• Slowly add half and half until creamy while blending.
• Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Warm in the microwave before serving.
• BACON WRAPPED DATES:.
• Cut bacon strips in half (making them 1/2 as long approximately 3").
• Microwave the strips for 2 minutes.
• Wrap each date with a 1/2 strip of bacon and secure with a toothpick.
• Spray a 4 sided cookie sheet with nonstick spray.
• Place all prepared dates in the cookie sheet.
• NOTE: If you have mini muffin pan, suspend the bacon wrapped date over each opening and the bacon fat will drip off into the muffin pan. This is my preferred method.
• Bake for approximately 15 minutes, turning once. *Important to turn.
• After turning, continue baking for an additional 10 minutes or until bacon brown and crispy or as desired.
• BAKING TIME may vary. Just be sure to watch carefully.
• Serve with sweet red pepper sauce for dipping or puddle the sauce on a plate and place the wrapped dates in the sauce.
• Note: Everything can be prepared and baked ahead of time and served later. Just warm through in the microwave for about 30 seconds.

RED BELL PEPPER TAPAS

Steps:

• Adjust broiler rack to within a 4 inches of heat source.
• Cover broiler pan with foil and preheat broiler.
• Place peppers on hot foil.
• Broil for 15-20 minutes, turning each pepper every 5 minutes until skin is blackened.
• Remove peppers from broiler and place in a brown paper bag.
• Roll top of bag down and set aside for 15 minutes, this steams the skins which makes removing the skin easier.
• Peel peppers by cutting around the stem and twisting it, halve peppers and peel the skin back with a knife.
• Rinse peppers with cold water and remove seeds.
• Slice pepper halves lengthwise into 1/4 inch strips.
• Place pepper strips into a jar.
• Add oregano, garlic and oil.
• Close the lid and shake to blend.
• Allow to marinate an hour.
• We like this served with garlic bread.
• This will keep one week in the refrigerater in jar.
• I haven't tried letting it marinate that long but I bet it would be great.
• Cooking time includes steaming and marinating time.