Name: Jalapeno, Bacon and Apricot Zingers
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 20 dried apricots; 20 jalapeños; 7 bacon (cut into thirds)

I have a love of bacon. No, really. I love bacon. All salty and sweet and meaty. And that's why I jumped at the opportunity to work with Applegate, the makers of amazing natural and organic bacon. I've been known to skip a real dinner and head down with my husband to the local rum distillery to order a cocktail and plate full of bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers. No joke. It doesn't happen often, but it does happen ... almost often.

And at home, when we have guests, I often make little bacon appetizers. Why? Because everybody loves bacon. So I'll take fresh jalapenos, split them down the middle and stuff them with a blend of cream cheese, cheddar cheese and garlic, before wrapping them in bacon. Other times, I remove the pits from dates, all sticky and sweet, and stuff them with an almond or a bit of blue cheese before wrapping them in bacon, too.

Bacon, you see, is my thing.

Rate this Recipe

5 from 1 vote

6 servings

Jalapeno, Bacon and Apricot Zingers

Sweet and salty with a hint of heat from jalapeno, these tiny bites of apricot and bacon make a lovely starter or snack for guests. This recipe comes from The Grain-Free Family Table by Carrie Vitt (Harper Collins, 2014). Photos and text are reprinted here with permission.

Cook Time30

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Ingredients

20 dried apricots
20 jalapeños
7 bacon cut into thirds

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 F and adjust the rack to the middle position. Line a baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper.
Using a paring knife, cut a slice horizontally down an apricot. Cut almost but not all the way through, so that it will open like a book. Place a jalapeño slice inside the apricot, wrap the apricot in a piece of the cut bacon, secure it with a toothpick, and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
Bake for 10 minutes. Using a pair of tongs, flip the zingers and bake for 10 minutes more, or until the bacon is golden brown. Serve immediately.

Notes

NOTE: You can make these ahead of time and freeze them, unbaked, in an airtight container. No need to thaw them—you can bake them straight from the freezer. Just increase the baking time to 25 to 30 minutes.

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