Stuffed Dates

This Thanksgiving it was Heather and Pete's turn to host the family at their home. Being that our mother in law enjoys hosting us all in her home each Christmas, Heather and I rotate the Thanksgiving tradition every other year in our homes. I know she and I equally enjoy spoiling our family with creative touches, and building lasting memories in our homes. We usually start preparations in early October! Our family has so much to be thankful for. I'm a half full girl, always living my life through rose colored glasses, so to list all the things I'm grateful for would be like writing a novel. So, I won't ramble on. Just know that I consider myself blessed everyday, for many reasons.

My favorite recipe this year, came in the way of an appetizer. Heather found it on food network.com. Dates wrapped in bacon, stuffed with cream cheese and an almond....delish!

Stuffed Dates Appetizer

18 1 x 4 in pieces cream cheese
18 pitted dates
18 salted and roasted whole almonds
6 slices of bacon cut crosswise into thirds
18 wooden picks

Stuff one piece of cheese and one almond into each date, then wrap one piece of bacon around each date and secure with a toothpick. Arrange dates, bacon seam down and one inch apart in a shallow baking pan lined with parchment. Bake 5 mins then turn with tongs and bake until bacon is crisp, about 6 more mins. Drain on a paper towel and serve immediately.

Cousin Love

I caught Steven in the act. I'm pretty sure he was looking for Nana's homemade yeast rolls.

We had football.....

and dancing, of course. She dances wherever she goes.

And finally, a quick Kountanis family portrait.