Holiday Party Series Part 3….

                                                               Ambiance and atmosphere

Today I bring you the final part of our three-part Holiday Party Series. I have had so much fun collaborating these 3 posts with Amanda that I am kind of sad to see it end. Maybe we will be able to come up with some more fun collaborations in the new year, I suppose we will see. With three party outfits, and recipes at your disposal you better hurry up and get your party on since Christmas is at the end of the week!

We decided to make our final holiday party more upscale. I wanted a fancy hors d’oeuvre that tastes rich,and delectable, but is super easy to throw together. Just because it is easy doesn’t mean that anyone has to know! I decided to bring you classic Bacon Wrapped Dates, with optional cheese, to pair with Amanda’s classic party dress. I was seriously skeptical about how these would taste, but wow! (They are even better after they have cooled.) So wrap some dates, create a festive spirit with some magical decorations, put on your holiday best (Thank you Amanda!), and get ready to enjoy the magic of your sparkling, fancy, classic holiday party!

For more beautiful Christmas decorations visit here

You really can’t get any easier than this recipe. With as quick as these are you have plenty of time to throw up some beautifully magical decorations that will capture the mood of the party. Something sparkly to enhance the food, drink, and beautiful outfits that are being showcased.

I truly wish that the pictures conveyed how absolutely amazing these little appetizers taste, but you can’t capture the sweetness of nature’s candy bundled up in a salty little pork blanket with a camera.

The dates can just be wrapped in bacon (choose any kind you like, I’m sure thinner cuts wrap better than thick cuts) alone, or stuffed with cheese and then wrapped. Either way they taste amazing. You are probably wondering about the “toothpicks” that are being used in the pictures. Yes, I used spaghetti broken into thirds. These can be made a day, or two,ahead if necessary, they actually taste better the next day. Whatever is easiest, do it! Then when the party day arrives you can sit back, relax, and enjoy!

Make sure that you run over to see the amazingly classic, yet elegant, outfit that Amanda Bella has put together for you this week. (I am so totally in love with the dress!) She has brought us three amazing looks, for three amazing parties. While you are over there make sure to browse through her other posts, you will find a lot of helpful tips whether you are 100% on top, or totally fashion impaired like me. 😉 Thanks again, Amanda, it has been a blast! 🙂

I wanted the last look in our three-part holiday series to be a fancy, elegant, and classic one! I purposely chose a more conservative dress + strayed away from the traditional pops of red to play with the most underrated Christmas color: green! Though it’s simple, I can promise that this outfit will be turning heads the moment you enter the room. 🙂

Bacon Wrapped Dates

By Angie Gouchenour

12 servings

Ingredients

12 dates – pitted

6 slices of bacon – cut in half

Cheese (Optional)

Directions

Pre heat oven to 350’f

Using a paring knife make a small slit on the side of the date and remove the pit

If you want to stuff them, now is the time. Just a pinch of your favorite cheese will do the trick

Cut the bacon slices in half

Wrap ½ a slice around each date

Place them with the bacon end down on a non-stick foil covered cookie sheet

Bake for 10 minutes

The bacon will crisp up as it cools

Let cool, and either store in a sealed container in the fridge, or place toothpicks in the center for easy serving.

100 calories per bacon wrapped date