Mini Date and Walnut Cakes

These are the easiest little yummy desserts.  There are only 4 ingredients and you just mix everything together and bake in a mini muffin pan, you just can't screw these up.  The outcome are these little crispy, chewy, nutty, "cakes" Be careful, these are really delicious and before you know it you've eaten 12 all by yourself.  Save some for the rest of your family :)

Ingredients:

3 eggs beaten
1/2 cup dark brown sugar packed
1 cup chopped dates (you can buy dates already chopped in a box at the grocery store, so easy!
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all ingredients together and spoon into a well greased mini muffin pan.  Fill each almost to the top of the pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until cakes are golden brown.

**Do not line the tins with paper liners before baking.  It's best to heavily grease the mini muffin tins and bake directly in the greased tins.  Then pop out the cakes and put each one into a liner and top with half a candied cherry.

Makes 24 mini cakes

Chestnut and Blue Cheese Stuffed Dates with Almonds

This is a very simple and quick appetizer idea for any occaision.  We served these as one of the appetizers before Thanksgiving dinner. 

Ingredients:

20 dates, pitted

20 whole almonds

1/3 cup of chestnuts, roasted and cut into small chunks

1/3 cup of blue cheese, crumbled

Preparation:

Split dates donw the center and carefully remove the pit.  Do not cut date in half.  Stuff 1 or 2 pieces of roasted chestnuts down into the bottom of date, next stuff to the top with blue cheese crumbles.  Lastly, top each date with a whole almond.  Place dates on a lined baking sheet and bake in a 400 degree F. oven for about 7 minutes or until hot and cheese is melted.  Let cool slightly before serving so your guests do not burn their mouths on the hot cheese.