Bacon Wrapped Figs

Dear Stomach, you're welcome. 

Have you ever had a fig picked fresh off its tree?   If not, take my word for it... it will change your world. Okay, maybe not your world - but it will change your mind about figs.

 My parents have a Black Mission Fig tree in their backyard and lucky for me, the tree bears a lot of fruit. Last year when I realized how delicious dates were, I gave figs a try also.

 mmmmm mmmmm.  So good! 

I was heading to a birthday party a few weekends ago and wanted to bring a yummy snack to share with the group. The group loves food as much as I do, so I wanted to really bring something fab.

And thus, bacon wrapped figs came to fruition.

 Look for figs with firm and greenish-dark skin, no breaks in the skin and no little fruit flies!

It is important to pick figs that aren't too ripe - you want a little green still 

so the fruit stays firm while handling and cooking.

 A few figs were up higher in the tree, I coaxed my mom to get them for me... Where did she go?

 Give those suckers a little rinse, pat dry gently with towel.

 Ta-Da!

 Trim hard stem just a bit and slice those beauties in half

 Scoop some of the seeds out, to make a teeny boat for the cheese.

 Spoon in about 1/2 Tbsp of goat cheese into the fig, and wrap it up with bacon!

 Broil, bake on a rack or BBQ until bacon is crispy and brown

 The combination of sweet & savory will knock your socks off!

Bacon Wrapped Figs

14-16 black mission figs

1 lb bacon

4 oz goat cheese 

1. Rinse fresh figs of sticky "sap" and yuckiness

2. Trim the hard part off the stem of the fig

3. Slice figs in half lengthwise

4. Scoop out a bit of the seeds to make a hollow space for cheese

5. Fill hole with as much or as little goat cheese as you want

6. Slice bacon strips in half, lengthwise

7. Wrap bacon around fig 

8. Bake on a rack at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or grill on BBQ to allow fat to drip and bacon to get crunchy! 

9. Take a big bite of amazingness

10. Repeat