Tuesday Treat: Devils on Horseback

Found a great New Year's Eve appetizer that I am going to try this weekend called Devils on Horseback. According to the post, these little things are the perfect mix of salty, sweet, crispy, chewy, and crunchy. We'll see how they turn out.

Ingredients:
20 wooden toothpicks
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
20 dates, pitted and left whole
20 whole smoked almonds
10 bacon slices, cut in half

Directions:

1. Preheat oven at 400 degrees. Soak the toothpicks in water. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan/dish.
2. Mix the ginger and soy sauce in a bowl. Put the brown sugar in a separate bowl. Spread open a pitted date and stuff it with an almond. Wrap the date with a half slice of bacon and pin it together with a toothpick. Dip the bacon-date bundle into the soy sauce mix and then the brown sugar. Place the dipped date in the prepared baking dish.
3. Bake until the bacon is brown and crispy, 15 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool for 15 minutes and serve warm/room temperature.

Ideas:

• Double or triple the recipe for large groups.
• Replace dates with dried apricots or prunes.
• Use reduced sodium soy sauce.
• Replace almonds with mango chutney or walnuts.
• Sprinkle finished bundles with extra brown sugar for more sweetness, or with red chili flakes for a spicy kick before baking.

I don't know that I've ever had a date, so we'll see how this works out. As for the nut, I'll just have to see what kind is the cheapest. I know nuts in general are fairly expensive. As for the suggested ideas, I have no idea what mango chutney is... but the addition of some red chilies sounds amazing. Wonder if it would ruin the entire taste if served with Ranch dressing? Hmmm... my mouth is watering now. Have a blast this weekend!

Love is love, no matter the back story. <3 DS