Baby balls

Okay, that post title makes me giggle.  Titling posts is even harder for me than writing them but you'll see how I came to that one in just a bit. :)

First, the baby part.  I was asked to design the invitations for a Halloween baby shower!  (Okay, I offered when I heard about it but they took me up on the offer so that's almost the same! *grin*)  The theme of the shower is Boo Crew so I took inspiration from the invite that they found where they loved the wording of but not the design...

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...and designed something that fits with the Boo Crew theme without outright copying it. :)

They also found this idea (which I am totally stealing if a miracle baby ever happens):

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So, of course, I made theirs to match the invite: :)

Now for the balls.  LOL

With my tummy issue, any time I eat anything with chocolate in it, my tummy hurts.  A lot.  Thankfully, I am not one of those girls that HAS to have chocolate every day.  In fact, most of the time I will pass up chocolate for something else.  I know.  I'm not normal.  I have no idea what part of chocolate is the issue but knowing it makes my stomach hurt makes me WANT it.  Gotta love human nature. :)

Well, I had a chocolate Larabar last week and I didn't have an issue.  It was really good, too!  The main ingredients were dates, cocoa powder, walnuts, and coconut... that's it.  But since they are too expensive, imho, I found a recipe online to make. :)  This is the recipe I found and tried to tonight.

O. M. F. G.  So good!

I really need to get a good food processor, though, to replace the wimpy little 3-cup one I have and hate.  But even with the big nuts in my balls (*stifles giggle*), these are amazing!  I made them into balls instead of bars, though, because a whole bar was actually too rich for me and this shape was easier to make and store.

For dinner tonight, I made a grilled ham (nitrite-free, of course) and Colby sandwich on bread I made yesterday with just some raw vegetables sprinkled with a touch of salt and pepper.  My bread ended up being so tall that I had to cut the sandwich into 6ths!  This was such a simple yet satisfying meal which was perfect for my last meal before Hubbyman comes home tomorrow.

I was kind of naughty last night for dinner but I make no apologies for it! I present to you.... cheddar-filled bacon-wrapped dates!

I don't like my bacon overly crispy :P

These were a sort of last minute concoction based on craving sweet & savory for dinner.  That and having 3 lbs of dates to use. (Thanks, Costco!)

Cheddar-filled Bacon-wrapped Dates

• 6 slices of bacon (I used uncured bacon), cut into thirds
• 18 dates, pitted
• 18 pieces of Cheddar, cut into pieces that are 1/4" x 1"

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Line cookie sheet with a sheet of aluminum foil.
2. Put a piece of cheese in the pit slit of the date.  Wrap with a 1/3 slice of bacon, overlapping at the bottom.  Put the date, seam side down, on the cookie sheet.  Repeat for all the dates.
3. Bake 20-25 minutes for less crispy bacon, longer if you like your bacon cooked more.

I am going to make these again but with the bleu cheese I picked up tonight. :D