Honey Bacon-Wrapped Dates

 Ingredients:

• 2 oz. cream cheese, softened

• 1 Tbsp. thinly sliced chives, plus more for garnish

• ¼ tsp. paprika

• 20 medjool dates, pitted (12 oz. package)

• 10 slices bacon (thin cut), halved crosswise

• 2 jalapeños, cut into 20 thin slices

• 2 Tbsp. honey

• Toothpicks

Directions:

• Preheat oven with 29 briquettes (19 on top, 10 on bottom) for 12” oven

• Stir together cream cheese, chives, and paprika in a small bowl

• Cut dates in half, enough so they can be opened like a book but not cut all the way through

• Stuff each date with the filling and fold closed

• Wrap each date with a bacon piece. Top with a jalapeno slide and secure with a toothpick

• Bake dates until bacon is beginning to crisp

• Remove from oven and drizzle the hot dates with honey. Sprinkle extra chives on top

Note: Tastes best when served hot!

Texas Twinkies

Ingredients:

• 15 large jalapeños 

• 1 lb. chopped beef brisket or roast

• 1 cup grated pepper jack cheese

• 8 oz. block of cream cheese

• 2 packages of bacon

• Bbq sauce

• 2 tsp. salt

• 2 tsp. pepper

• 2 tsp. garlic powder

• Toothpicks

Directions:

• Prepare beef brisket/roast in smoker/oven

• Here’s the link to the roast recipe I used: https://www.aforkstale.com/crockpot-pepperoncini-pot-roast-recipe/ 

• Cut from the stem to the bottom of the pepper, being careful not to slice through the other side

• Scrape all the seeds out with a spoon

• Combine cream cheese, pepper jack, chopped brisket, and spices together until fully combined

• Preheat oven with 27 briquettes (18 on top, 9 on bottom)

• Stuff each pepper with the filling until almost overflowing

• Tightly wrap each pepper with 1-1½ slices bacon. Secure with a toothpick

• Bake until bacon is crispy

• Take jalapeños out of oven & slather generously with bbq sauce. Return to oven for about 10 more minutes