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We all love a good Chip Buffet, but if you're looking to add some culinary flare to your New Years Day, try these delicious stuffed dates.  People will pop them in their mouths like popcorn!

 
Stuffed & Wrapped Dates
Medjool Dates (the big ones--CA dates are too tedious to work with, even if already pitted)
Mascarpone Cheese
Blue cheese
Toasted Pecan Halves
Prosciutto di Parma (optional)

Leave cheeses at room temperature for 30 minutes so they're softer and easier to work with.  Scoop some Mascarpone cheese into a bowl, then crumble desired amount of blue cheese into the Mascarpone and mix together with a small spatula.  I usually use about 1-2 tbsp blue cheese for 1/4 cup Mascarpone (this amount stuffs at least 20 dates), but use however much you want depending on how strong of a blue cheese taste you like.  (If you're not a blue cheese fan, you can do half Mascarpone and half goat cheese),

Remove pits from dates by slicing one side open enough to pull the pit out.  Using a small spoon, small icing spatula, or butter knife, stuff a small amount of the cheese into each date.  Then stuff a pecan half into the cheese and set date aside.

Take a thin slice of prosciutto and cut it lengthwise into 3 long strips.  Place a date at one end of one of the strips and roll it up in the prosciutto.  Repeat with remaining dates & prosciutto slices.  (To make vegetarian, just omit the prosciutto.  Or, wrap date in a large basil leaf and stick a toothpick in it so it holds).

Enjoy!!