Bacon-Wrapped Chorizo-Stuffed Dates

As promised, this is the second in a series of posts about the amazingly delicious (and simple!) recipes we served at our pool-party-slash-BBQ over 4th of July weekend.

I almost don't know what to say about this recipe, because all of the ingredients and instructions are included in the title. You can't get any simpler than that! And they were a huge hit at the party. Even my sugar-conscious CrossFit beauties couldn't resist the temptation, and held their own with the boys in the date-eating department.

I actually stole this idea from a fellow CrossFitter who brought them to a paleo potluck at the gym. I would love to give them credit, but the party was huge and the buffet table was overwhelmingly-long, so I have no idea who I've robbed. I have a feeling they'd be cool with it, tho. We work out with a pretty-awesome bunch of humans.

Bacon-Wrapped Chorizo-Stuffed Dates

My whole house smelled amazing after cooking these little guys.

Ingredients

3 lbs medjool dates, pitted (I got mine at Costco)

3 links chorizo sausage (I prefer Wellshire Farms - found at Whole Foods)

9 strips thin-cut bacon

Toothpicks

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice each chorizo link into 18 min-links. I cut mine in half the long way. Then cut each half again into thirds the long way, and then into thirds the short way. For example:

Makes 18 pit-sized mini-links from each chorizo link.

Fill the space in each date (created when the pit was removed) with a chorizo mini-link. Set aside. Slice each bacon strip into six mini-strips. I cut mine down the center the long way and then into thirds. Wrap each date with a mini-strip of bacon and secure it with a toothpick. Place wrapped dates on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until bacon is fully cooked, but not too crispy. About 20 minutes. Immediately remove from baking sheet and place in a heat-safe dish lined with paper towel. Makes 54 dates (between 10 and 25 servings, depending on how many CrossFitters you are feeding).