Figs, Blus Cheese and Prosciutto - Two Ways

I hope you all had a wonderful long weekend with friends and family. I'm so exited figs are finally available at local grocery stores! I recently made two very similar appetizers using seasonal figs. If you end up trying both recipes, let me know which one you like better!

PROSCIUTTO-WRAPPED FIGS
Ingredients:
5 figs, halved
5 slices prosciutto, halved lengthwise
Blue cheese
Black pepper or aged balsamic vinegar

Directions:
- Preheat the oven at 400 degrees F.
- Stuff some blue cheese into the fig and wrap prosciutto around the fig.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Serve with black pepper or aged balsamic vinegar.

FIG TART
Ingredients:
1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted
1 egg, beaten
5 figs, sliced
2 slices prosciutto, cut into 1-inch strips
Blue cheese, crumbled
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt

Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cook the onion in the pan with the butter and salt for 15-20 minutes until lightly caramelized.
- Roll out the puff pastry sheet on a floured board a little bit.
- Brush with the egg wash and place the figs, onion, blue cheese and prosciutto evenly.
- Bake for 15 minutes.

Cheese and Green Onion Rolls

The other day I watched Ina Garten make a simple appetizer using frozen puff pastry on Barefoot Contessa and I was inspired to do the same. Since I had leftover cheese from Costco (yes, everything is big there!) that I was trying to use up, I decided to make puff pastry rolls with cheese and green onions. These rolls are great by themselves as an appetizer, but they also make a wonderful side dish for a soup or a salad.

Ingredients:
1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted
1 egg, beaten
1 cup cheese, shredded (e.g., cheddar, gruyere)
3/4 cup green onions, chopped (scallions are also great!)
1 shallot, chopped
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
1 tsp thyme, chopped

Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll out the puff pastry sheet on a floured board a little bit.
- Brush with the egg wash and sprinkle the rest of the ingredients evenly.
- Roll up like a jelly roll.
- Cut into 20 pieces.
- Bake for 15 minutes.

Bacon-Wrapped Dates

I love making and eating appetizers more than regular meals. Appetizers are usually easier and less time-consuming to make and since they're small, you can comfortably eat main courses and desserts afterward. Appetizers are also great by themselves. I like to make them when I'm not that hungry or when I don't have much time before friends are coming over. Bacon, dates and cheese are three things I always have in the fridge, so I decided to combine them to make a super easy and delicious appetizer. What I love the most about this appetizer is that you get a perfect blend of different textures and flavors: crunchiness and saltiness from the bacon, sweetness from the dates, and creaminess from the cheese.

Ingredients:
10 dates, pitted
5 bacon slices, halved
2-3 oz cheese (e.g., blue, feta, goat, ricotta cheese)

Directions:
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Stuff cheese into dates.
- Wrap bacon around each date and secure with a toothpick.
- Bake for 15 minutes, turning the dates two, three times.
- Drain on a paper towel.