The Bohemian Mama — Live Free

GF Eggplant Parmesan Sammies

April 14, 2013 by Sarah · 4 Comments

My daughter has an Italian boyfriend..He loves all kinds of Italian food….well quite frankly we all do….so when I asked him to give me some of his favorite dinner ideas..(he and my daughter eat dinner here often)..he said Eggplant Parmesan sandwiches of course!! Doesn’t that look delicioso? OF COURSE IT DOES… this recipe is so easy and filling! GF Eggplant Parmesan Sandwiches ingredients: EVOO 2 large eggplants ( cut into 1/4 inch thick rounds) it made 7 sandwiches sea salt (sprinkled on the eggplant) mozzarella cheese (cut in thin slices) Fresh basil (cut in thin slices) Finely shredded Parmesan ( to sprinkle on at the very end) GF hamburger buns or focaccia bread, or rustic Italian bread Preheat oven to 400; then cut eggplant into rounds ..I cut the eggplant length wise in half and then used a biscuit cutter like this one to make round pieces..then cut them in half because the rounds were so thick.. baste eggplant with EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)*thats Kenny’s actual hand..haha and sprinkle with some sea salt THEN put on a cookie sheet and bake for about 15/20 minutes cut some fresh basil into long skinny strips to add to sandwich at the end cut mozzarella into neat thin pieces perfect for melting… here’s a pic of the ingredients..then turn the oven to 425 broil Time to load up the bread(which has been drizzled with EVOO) by adding the already baked eggplant rounds..~~DUMP~~ spoon the marinara sauce on top then add the mozzarella slices put them into the oven on broil..for only about 4-5 minutes ..be sure to keep watch as you don’t want it to burn..add the basil strips.. look at the melted goodness…. oh you have to see another one.. OHHH YEA…..mouth watering isn’t it? time to….sprinkle on some parmesean BOOM…an eggplant Parm sammie..easy peasy people che perfetto! This recipe would be perfectamente for meatless Monday’s Don’t you agree???

Filed Under: Entrées, Foodie Heaven Tagged With: eggplant Parmesan sandwiches, gluten free, recipes

BOHO family book list…Read Alouds

April 2, 2013 by Sarah · 2 Comments

I LOVE books….I love books about books….. that’s right, books about books… a few of my favorite books ABOUT books are:

The Read aloud handbook by Jim Trelease For three decades, millions of parents and educators have turned to Jim Trelease’s beloved classic to help countless children become avid readers through awakening their imaginations and improving their language skills.

Honey for a child’s heart by Gladys Hunt Now in its fourth edition, Honey for a Child’s Heart discusses everything from the ways reading affects both children’s view of the world and their imagination to how to choose good books.

Who should we then read? by Jan Bloom This 250-page reference guide includes biographical material on 140 authors of great books for children and young adults, and it also lists alphabetically several quality series such as Landmark, “We Were There,” Vision Biographies, Childhood of Famous Americans, etc.< I got Jan to autograph my copy at a homeschool book fair conference once>

According to Sonlight curriculum ( we used this curriculum with all of our kids, some homeschooling moms just order the catalog to get book ideas from it because they are tried and true) some of the benefits of reading aloud to children are:

To introduce your children to great literature that is beyond their personal reading capacity.
To develop within your children a life-long love of reading. (Even though they may not be able to read a good book on their own, when you read great literature to them, it creates a thirst to read. They begin to think, “I love books! One day I’m going to read books like this!”)
To expand your children’s vocabulary.
To build listening skills–including the ability to visualize the meaning of spoken words.
To develop an “ear” for good oral reading.
To develop oral reading skills. (Having heard quality oral reading done by you, your children will imitate you. And,
To give you and your children a context for sharing mutually significant times together.

ok This will be a smattering ( you’ll thank me because I could go on and on) of some of our family’s favorite read alouds…FYI..when I started to read a loud to my kids every day, years ago, their reading comprehension and vocabulary jumped grade levels..and they were already excelling.

These are in no particular order..

The books in the following picture represent some of my absolute favorite books to have read to my own kids from the time they were babies and of course give as gifts whenever I can!

Blueberries for Sal~ I loved reading this one

Make way for ducklings~Mr. McCloskey has created a host of well-loved children’s books, including Homer Price, Lentil, Blueberries for Sal, Time of Wonder, and One Morning in Maine. They are all great!!

Hank the cowdog~ this is best listened to on CD with the author reading it

Witch of Blackbird pond~Elizabeth George Speare’s Newbery Award–winning novel portrays a heroine whom readers will admire for her unwavering sense of truth as well as her infinite capacity to love.

Caddie Woodlawn~which has been captivating young readers since 1935, was awarded the John Newbery Medal for the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.

Little Britches..LOVE THIS series~Little Britches was the literary debut of Ralph Moody, who wrote about the adventures of his family in eight glorious books, all available as Bison Books.

The golden goblet~the first couple of chapters are a little slow but after that you get sucked in..Ranofer struggles to thwart the plottings of his evil brother, Gebu, so he can become master goldsmith like their father in this exciting tale of ancient Egyptian mystery and intrigue.
Newbery Honor Book

The Children’s homer~ One of my middle sons favorites..Published in 1918, Colum’s stirring telling of the Greek epics is still unequaled as an introduction to the classic myths for young readers.–Publishers Weekly

Where the red fern grows..OMG fantastic..tear jerker~An exciting tale of love and adventure you’ll never forget.

Cheaper by the dozen…awesome!!!~Translated into more than fifty-three languages and made into a classic film starring Clifton Webb and Myrna Loy, Cheaper by the Dozen is a delightfully enduring story of family life at the turn of the 20th century.NOTHING to do with the Steve Martin film by the way NOTHING…

Carry On Mr. Bowditch..~all three of my kids LOVED THIS BOOK!!

Johnny Tremain~”Johnny Tremain” is a classic that tells the story of a young boy caught up in the turmoil of 1773 Boston and the start of the American Revolution.

Miracle on Maple hill~ delightful for the elementary set

Notice a trend of american history books?? YEP..american historical fiction..my favorite time period!

Christmas~

Jothams Journey trilogy~Written as a devotional for parents to read to their children during Advent, Jotham’s Journey unfolds day by day leaving you with a cliff hanger every chapter.. until the exciting climax on Christmas Day. Each day’s installment of the story is followed by a short devotional which will challenge your family to share in Jotham’s discoveries.

Best Christmas pageant ever~

The Herdmans are the worst kids in the history of the world. They lie, steal, smoke cigars, swear, and hit little kids. So no one is prepared when this outlaw family invades church one Sunday and decides to take over the annual Christmas pageant.

None of the Herdmans has ever heard the Christmas story before. Their interpretation of the tale — the Wise Men are a bunch of dirty spies and Herod needs a good beating — has a lot of people up in arms. But it will make this year’s pageant the most unusual anyone has seen and, just possibly, the best one ever.

ONE of the very best things you can do for a child is to read to them on a daily basis..

This link will take you to the 1000 good books list..AMAZING..look no further for what you should read to your kids!!

Ok this should grab your attention..

So share with me your family’s favorite read alouds….

A Book by Edgar Guest“Now” – said a good book unto me -
“Open my pages and you shall see
Jewels of wisdom and treasures fine,
Gold and silver in every line,
And you may claim them if you but will
Open my pages and take your fill.“Open my pages and run them o’er,
Take what you choose of my golden store.
Be you greedy, I shall not care -
All that you seize I shall gladly spare;
There is never a lock on my treasure doors,
Come – here are my jewels, make them yours!

“I am just a book on your mantel shelf,
But I can be part of your living self;
If only you’ll travel my pages through,
Then I will travel the world with you.
As two wines blended make better wine,
Blend your mind with these truths of mine.

“I’ll make you fitter to talk with men,
I’ll touch with silver the lines you pen,
I’ll lead you nearer the truth you seek,
I’ll strengthen you when your faith grows weak -
This place on your shelf is a prison cell,
Let me come into your mind to dwell!”

Filed Under: Musings of a Bibliovore, Non-Fiction

Power corrupts..

March 26, 2013 by Sarah · 2 Comments

What is the role of government? To work for us? or for us to work for it? I think Mayor Bloomberg of New York needs a refresher course. Check out this article…. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said on Sunday: Sometimes government does know best. And in those cases, Americans should just cede their rights. “I do think there are certain times we should infringe on your freedom,” Mr. Bloomberg said, during an appearance on NBC……………………. WAIT….WHAT? ANYONE else see the slippery slope we have found ourselves on? Mr. Bloomberg thinks he’s knows whats best for ME?..For YOU? Listen I already have parents..Oh and I have a brain that God gave me and I use it…mostly LOL

Here’s the definition of LIBERTY: The state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one’s way of life. Ummmm HELLOOOOO Do I need to go all Give me liberty or give me death up in here….<nevermind>*snort

ANYWAY… in the meantime he wanted to ban soda drink cups over 16 oz. I’m all about eating healthy but I am also all about the government NOT telling me what and how much to eat. I agree we need education about what causes obesity and diabetes but AGAIN its not the governments role.

I will be a lactivist until the day I die… it’s NOT the governments role to tell us what to feed our children. Breastmilk is a live substance made perfectly for the growing human brain…formula is a dead mixture that is constantly evolving as they discover yet one more thing breastmilk has that needs to be added to the formula. Yet despite my passion that every baby be given the perfect food for them..its still up to the mother, the government has no role in it.

Then last but not least…Gun Control…OMG..we have a mental health problem in America……. an “evil” is alive and well problem..but mostly a lacking of Jesus in your life kind of problem…not a gun problem…and certainly not a we need more government intervention as the solution to the problem.

Do you care?…I do and you better believe I care through my vote and what I teach my kids…

Filed Under: A Bohemian Life, Opinion

Bohemian Mama’s homemade granola bars

January 25, 2013 by Sarah · 6 Comments

My Family LOVES this granola recipe…Its from a friend of mine, Monica Brown. Here is her web site. We’ve been making it for years!

Here’s the recipe:

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup of your favorite crunchy cereal (like brown rice cereal—rice crispy type)
¼ cup sesame seeds, whole
1 ½ cups dried apricots (I used chopped Medjool dates)
1 cup organic raisins
¼ cup chopped almonds (soak them ahead of time if you want them to be softer)
¼ cup ground flaxseed (golden flaxseed is my favorite)
½ cup protein powder (or flour, your choice)
1 TBL. Butter or coconut oil
¾ cup brown rice syrup
½ cup raw almond butter or natural peanut butter
1 tsp cinnamon

Pour all of the ingredients except the oil, syrup, almond butter, and cinnamon into a larger mixing bowl. Mix completely and break up any chunks of dried fruit.

In sauce pan, over medium heat, melt coconut oil, brown rice syrup, almond butter and cinnamon until creamy. Pour over dry ingredients and quickly mix together. You may need to use your hands. Pour into a 9 * 13 inch pan. Pat mix to fill pan. . .press down like you would rice crispy treats. Refrigerate 4 hours or until you can’t stand it any more and have to eat some! Cut into bars and wrap in wax paper, or plastic wrap. Store in fridge. SUPER TASTY!!

A look at *all* of the ingredients..(minus the rolled oats. They are  in the recipe I just forgot to put them on the counter to get their pic taken)…I didn’t take a pic of each individual step this time…. just a few of the more interesting ones..like FLAXSEEDS …all you ever wanted to know and more….lol

Golden Flaxseeds are super nutritious! The key to eating Golden Flaxseeds is to grind them fresh before you use them. According to Livestrong.com (Yes, even though Lance is a cheater(ugh) the foundation is still valuable) Flaxseed is an excellent source of fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. However, when eaten whole, flaxseed passes through the gastrointestinal tract undigested. Sooooo To obtain the health benefits from flaxseed, it is important to grind it. Pre-ground flaxseed is available in the marketplace, but buying it whole and grinding it yourself will yield a fresher product as flaxseed can become rancid quickly. Once the flaxseed is ground, it can be added to many foods such as cereals, baked goods, smoothies,granola bars(duh) or salads.

this pic above is actually of the blender in motion…not.really.sure.what.you’ll.get.out.of.this pic…..#iamusemyself

See how easy it is to grind the flaxseed? fascinating picture of the before and after of grinding..I just used my Blendtec blender or you could just use a coffee grinder..it does not matter!

chop up some apricots ( or you could substitute with dates or cranberries)

add some protein powder…Ours is vanilla flavored..we don’t do regular wheat flour here because of gluten sensitivities(if your wondering if you are allergic to Gluten or have a sensitivity to it go here  and learn more about it)

mix all dry ingredients together….now time for the fun part..

sticky brown rice syrup.. I use Lundbergs Brown rice syrup found here . It is a  nutritive sweetener about one half as sweet as sugar, brown rice syrup is the perfect healthful, tasty alternative for those of us who are trying to watch our sugar intake.

I’ve already dropped in the coconut oil (white clump in pan lol)by Tropical Traditions. check out their site here and now I am adding the Brown rice syrup..some serious goodness right there..ok I have a sweet tooth I’m not going to lie.. next is the creamy almond butter

Here is the brand of almond butter I used…I bought it at Market street. You can read about it here. Notice the measuring cup I am using for the brown rice syrup and almond butter..well its from Pampered Chef back in the day( the yellow color is the dead give away)I would prefer the white one they sell now. You can find it here. I could** not** live without this fabulous tool when using things like nut butters or sticky things like honey or Brown rice syrup..A unique adjustable plunger design cleanly ejects the solid ingredients…LOVE IT!… time to add the almond butter

see how easy if just falls out?..you should see how easy honey slips out..

Of course last but not least is the cinnamon..cinnamon has some serious health benefits found here!! wow you’ll want to start having some erday ::snort::

Now melt and stir the wet ingredients over medium heat…

aren’t the swirls pretty…if you’ve read the blog for any length of time you know I’m weird like that…lol

once mixed and melted, spoon onto the dry ingredients and start stirring like crazy….

This next part is kind of like when you make rice krispy treats..only not quite as sticky..and actually good for you..YAY!

once in 9×13 dish…put in fridge to let set for a few hours.. then using a knife..cut whatever size you desire and try to not to eat the w hole thing yourself in one sitting …you might as well make two batches up front…everyone will love these granola bars..and you will feel like little Susie homemaker because they are from scratch and well when you are in charge of the ingredients list..you have control over the ~~crap~~ stuff, that goes in your family’s mouth…seriously these don’t really take very long to make..the waiting for them to set so you can eat them is about the only torturous thing about it..even clean up is a breeze…well if you count that the 13 yo has dish duty. . lol

one last pic of the wrapped end result…

Enjoy!!* these are perfect for a snack on the go* Please let me know how you liked these if you make them…the comment section is at the top of the blog post so scroll back up and tell me a thing or two…

Filed Under: Foodie Heaven, Snacks

Do you live life with a monkey on your back?

January 12, 2013 by Sarah · 6 Comments

Every time I have ever watched the show Hoarders..it has made me want to go clean out a drawer or get rid of something ..ANYTHING…..I think there is an interesting correlation between an actual hoarder( where you have to maneuver around piles of stuff) and someone whose house is clean and organized but they have to spend inordinate amounts of time keeping it that way because of their collection of ~~junk~~ stuff.

Both have the proverbial monkey on their backs at all times..one knowing(or possibly being told) they should be cleaning up and organizing but because its a mental illness somehow can not..and the other if they can not(because of work) or choose not( some form of fun or play) to clean or organize, or God forbid go do something else, usually end up feeling tremendous guilt, because they think they should/need to be dealing with the mess or the possibility there of.

Hopefully we are all somewhere in the middle..not a deranged mess and not ocd…However, ask yourself..How much time do I have to devote to my precious belongings in order to keep it looking presentable so that I can live my life in peace? I would guess the answer is WAY TO MUCH TIME…

Here’s my point…I think we all need to embrace a more minimalistic lifestyle when it comes to our belongings… I think so many of us live our lives around, dealing with our possessions, dealing with our mess, dealing with our clutter, that we waste precious hours and days and weeks just trying to keep up. Some of us are better at it than others…and I am fully aware of how first world this is, as far as problems go, but I truly think it gets in the way of our being able to enjoy our lives. to be present to do Gods will.. We carry this burden of feeling that we need to be cleaning or organizing something or we will be taken over by our” must have” junk or at least the paper that comes into our homes!!

OK here’s a test…what does your garage look like? your closet? your kitchen counter… your desk?.what kind of reaction would you have if someone just dropped by your house RIGHT NOW?..maybe your one of the few who truly does not care if its a mess( I only personally know about 2 people that fit this category)..but most of us WANT to live in a clean and organized and tastefully decorated home..it makes us feel good and we can think and be creative and have a more peaceful home when it is that way…it certainly frees up more time to spend doing what we want, like spending time with family or volunteering or actually doing “insert your hobby of choice”.

Do you think if you got rid of some of your stuff and didn’t have to spend so much time thinking about AND THEN doing something about, cleaning and organizing “it” ..you might have more peace of mind?….as we get older time seems to fly by more quickly…how do you want to spend it? The only true way to make time slow down is to be fully present in the moment (read 100 gifts) and you can do that more easily by living a simple, purposeful life.

Click here to visit a website that can help you start or encourage you to continue on a journey of not being enslaved by our stuff…

Now those of you who know me would probably not describe me as minimalist..( I love TJ maxx wayyyy too much..lol) However.. I am a work in progress..I just know I want to use the hours and minutes of my life well and at the same time live in a clean, organized, and peaceful environment…meshing the two is my goal…

Are you with me?

AMEN!

Filed Under: A Bohemian Life, Opinion

How to receive a compliment BOHO style!

January 6, 2013 by Sarah · 1 Comment

Have you ever noticed how you respond to a compliment? If you simply say Thank you and nothing else this post is not for you..However, if your like a lot of women I know, you don’t know how to take a compliment without adding some self deprecating comment right afterwards. I learned long ago to just say thank you to most compliments…but I noticed the other day that when given a compliment I said thank you but then gave a lame excuse right after..UGH.. thinking about it later on I regretted making the excuse..

Etiquette expert Lizzie Post (great-great-granddaughter of Emily) points out, “It’s actually rude to discredit their compliment.” Simply say thank you..or thank you that means a lot coming from you. AND NOTHING ELSE if its not positive.

Here is a web site that can give you some practical advice about giving and receiving compliments. Scroll 3/4 the way down and she gives some insight and asks you to think about a few things to see why you respond the way you do.

If you always feel the need to downplay a compliment take a step back and ask yourself why you can not receive the praise the other person wants to bestow on you…start handing it to God and just say Thank you..you’ll feel better and so will the giver of the compliment!

Filed Under: A Bohemian Life, Opinion

Christmas tree hunting Colorado style aka fam pics galore

November 28, 2012 by Sarah · 3 Comments

Driving to the National Forest near Minturn, Colorado..

It only costs $10 to cut down a tree…no matter how tall….wow lets not talk about how much we spend on *our *tree each year thank you very much..

Let’s walk up the road a bit before we go down into the woods..

Amanda tromping around having fun..<marc photobombing on the rt.>

Meredith and the boys joining the group….Tanner woke up YAY!

Amanda , Reed, and Tirsa

Anthony and the Gopro..Heaven help us…lol..I love this man.. the gopro in my face, I could do without ; )of course we are pretending to be Bear Grylss in a daring adventure.. like the weirdos we are..

FINALLY..

found the perfect tree…Ryan cutting it down..

But wait…. FAMILY pictures galore..

Mom and Dad with all the grand-kids…

Ryan and Meredith and the boys in front of their tree…CUTE!

Grandpa and the grandsons…

Anthony and Me and our crew….yes..sunny AND cold…lol

Mom, Amanda, and Me…..I’m totally framing this one..love it!

Anthony and Me…aren’t we cute..cheesing away?…heehee

Time for some sledding action…

Oh yea..back to the tree.. strapping that bad boy to the top of the car..time to go home decorate the tree and have hot toddies..

driving home with tree on top..

and of course..I do not have one picture of it decorated…why?..I DON’T KNOW..oh well..use your imagination..plus..I’m sure I will post a picture of our personal Christmas tree…so you can wait with baited breath until then..LOL

Where do you get your tree? When do you put it up?…leave a comment and share your Christmas tree thoughts!

Filed Under: A Bohemian Life, Family

Thanksgiving 2012 in the Vail Valley

November 27, 2012 by Sarah · 4 Comments

It was a perfect weekend to visit my brother Ryan and his family in Edwards, Colorado. My parents drove up from Crested Butte and it was a happy family celebration.

After coming in the night before and all of us going out to dinner..<best ribs ever> It was , of course, Thanksgiving day. Everyone contributed…. it was way too much food..not sure why but I only took pictures of the first and last things we ate???.are we starting to see a trend?lol no wonder I need to start going to the gym!

MY favorite appetizer is the goat cheese smothered in cranberries…too.die.for PEOPLE!

Marc and Reed helped make the Cheese ball pretzel Turkey..thanks to Grandma for bringing all of the supplies…

Isn’t that cute? It was yummy too..felt kind of sad demolishing him but hey…he goes on forever in our pics..right?!LOL

of course next we go right to the pies..

So usually we bake our own but with everyone traveling in..we ordered the pumpkin and the apple from the french bakery…pretty tasty..then the pecan pie was made by my brothers nanny Tirsa.. She was wanting to contribute something too… She is from the Netherlands and is soo sweet…It was fun getting to know her and She and Amanda hit it off right away..so fun!

A view from the dining room window…Colorado is so beautiful and peaceful..a perfect get away..I feel so refreshed!

The guys went for a mountain bike ride..(we were inside cooking)

The boys hung out outside…fun day for everyone…(we were inside cooking)lol

The best way to the end Thanksgiving day 2012 is to take a family walk outside in the fresh mountain air….PERFECT!! (we were finally done cooking HA HA HA)

Filed Under: A Bohemian Life, Family

Celebrating Advent

November 13, 2012 by Sarah · Leave a Comment

For many years my family has celebrated the Advent season by reading a trilogy of books starting with Jotham’s journey, Bartholomew’s Passage, and Tabitha’s travels. You can find out about them here. I’ll share more about them later.

Advent, anglicized from the Latin word adventus meaning “coming“, is a season observed in many Western Christian churches, a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advent

I grew up celebrating Advent by opening up an advent calender for each day of the month..

there was a little paper window to open for each day of the month and was a countdown to Christmas…now we have bought ones that have a little chocolate hidden behind each little window/flap…

Yummy and fun!..

We have enjoyed this one below over the years.. each day is a little book to read and it tells in small increments the Christmas story of the Birth of Christ through scripture!

The Jesse Tree is one advent idea we have never done but I would like to even if I don’t have any young children anymore..I think it could be a sweet time for me and for my future grandchildren as a wonderful tradition.. I want to start this year..and of course I will ~~force~~ encourage my older kids who still live at home to join in…

The Jesse Tree is named from Isaiah 11:1: “A shoot will spring forth from the stump of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots.” It is a vehicle to tell the Story of God in the Old Testament, and to connect the Advent Season with the faithfulness of God across 4,000 years of history. The Branch is a biblical sign of newness out of discouragement, which became a way to talk about the expected messiah (for example, Jer 23:5). It is therefore an appropriate symbol of Jesus the Christ, who is the revelation of the grace and faithfulness of God.

The fun of this book series is you follow Jotham through his mishaps and adventures and you read a chapter for each day of Advent and each days chapter ends in a cliff hanger . You then cant wait to hear what happens the next night, each of my kids would ask if I could keep reading because they were so sucked in. Each night the book tells you which candle to light in your advent wreath.I always let the kids do this part. its really a fun tradition…side note…it is suspenseful and could be a bit scary for teeny tiny little ones..however all of my kids loved it. After each chapter there is a short lesson or small devotional which can get the kids talking and thinking about their walk with God. I always loved to have a fire going and the tree lit and it added to the coziness of the moment.

The Advent wreath is a circular garland of evergreen branches representing eternity. On that wreath, five candles are typically arranged. During the season of Advent one candle on the wreath is lit each Sunday as a part of the Advent services. Each candle represents an aspect of the spiritual preparation for the coming of the Lord, Jesus Christ.

This year Advent begins Sunday, December 2, 2012, and ends Monday,December 24, 2012. It’s getting cold here and starting to finally Feel like that time of year..

By the way, Hobby Lobby and Hallmark both have advent candles if you need to replenish or so you can start your own advent traditions!

A good friend of mine has just blogged about her favorite Christmas books to read..check it out here

What does your family do to celebrate Advent and the Birth of Christ?

Filed Under: A Bohemian Life, Musings of a Bibliovore

BOHO mama~ Goat cheese stuffed dates wrapped in Bacon appetizer

November 12, 2012 by Sarah · Leave a Comment

So one day I’m in ~~my happy place~~ the grocery store shopping around and a lady and I start talking and she is making these stuffed dates as an appetizer..you put the words goat cheese and bacon in the same sentence and it’s totally obvious I’m hooked….so naturally I have to add the ingredients to my cart and start to day dream of making them… eating them.. and blogging about them… to my favorite people….. you guys…She shared this recipe and I shared my mushroom goat cheese frittata recipe found here with her and we both went our happy separate ways!

BOHO MAMA stuffed dates appetizer ingredients:

Dates~ pitted then cut in half down one side

Goat cheese~..whatever kind you happen to find works

Bacon~…ok I’m drooling at this point..one package~ I don’t eat it often, thus the drool..

That’s it!! easy peezy…oh and an oven..and a dish with sides because of the grease…. no need to start a fire in your oven.. that could ruin happy hour..

preheat the oven to 350 then bake for about 25-30 minutes or until the bacon is brown and crispy!

any kind of bacon will do..this is just what was on sale at Market Street….

sorry… I had a moment

I’ve never bought these dates before but they were already pitted and since I don’t have a lot of time right now this works!

random that this kind had honey in it..but I have a sweet tooth so why not…

you need pitted dates and then cut them in half so you can stuff them..

I start by stuffing the dates..it doesn’t have to be pretty folks!

I cut the bacon strip in half and it rolls perfectly around the stuffed date…

It’s like ~~playing with your food~~ being creative..Isn’t that beautiful..ok.. you already know I’m a little cra cra

Aren’t they neat little rows?*sigh*..time for the oven..I ran out of goat cheese at 24 dates. so that’s how many I am making (lol)…I love that is was a perfect even number..Once they are done and you take them out.. I placed each one individually on paper towel to blot off the excess bacon grease…

HOLY MOLY…these baby’s are to die for..I mean..I could eat the WHOLE batch and not feel bad about it..well I might just a little bit..no.. on second thought..I don’t think I would.. : ) As per usual let me know here on the blog in the comments section if you try these and how you liked them!! Bon Ap·pé·tit

Bacon wins every time! Here’s my contribution to the 6 degrees of Kevin bacon:

Filed Under: Appetizers, Foodie Heaven

GF Eggplant Parmesan Sammies

BOHO family book list…Read Alouds

Power corrupts..

Bohemian Mama’s homemade granola bars

Do you live life with a monkey on your back?

How to receive a compliment BOHO style!

Christmas tree hunting Colorado style aka fam pics galore

Thanksgiving 2012 in the Vail Valley

Celebrating Advent

BOHO mama~ Goat cheese stuffed dates wrapped in Bacon appetizer

Meet The Bohemian Mama

Want my latest post in your inbox?

Grab My Button!

Musings of a Bibliovore: My amazon Store

Sites I Love!