Idaho® Potato Wrapped Dates

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. Slice potato lengthwise on mandoline into 1⁄16-inch thick slices.
3. Bring shallow pan of water to a boil. Place potato slices in water; simmer 2 minutes until slices are flexible and cooked halfway through. Drain on paper towels.
4. Gently slice each date open lengthwise; fill center with ½ teaspoon blue cheese and press date closed to encase cheese filling.
5. Brush one slice cooked potato with oil. Wrap around date and secure with a toothpick. Place dates on baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes until potato is lightly browned. Serve warm.

Variations

• Sprinkle 15 uncooked shelled and deveined prawns lightly with Chinese Five Spice Powder. Wrap each with a potato slice as directed above. Bake 5 minutes at 400° F. Serve warm with soy sauce or ponzu dipping sauce.

• Cut asparagus spears into 3-inch lengths. Wrap each with a small piece of prosciutto. Wrap each with a potato slice as directed above. Bake 15 minutes at 400° F until asparagus is tender and potato slice is lightly browned.

• Spread mini fully cooked chicken apple sausages with Dijon or spicy mustard. Wrap each with a potato slice as directed above. Bake 8-10 minutes at 400° F until potato is lightly browned. Serve at once.

• Clean 15 bite-sized (1½ to 2-inches in diameter) mushroom caps. Place ½ teaspoon sweet or spicy Italian sausage meat into cavity of each mushroom. Brush each slice of potato with vegetable oil; drape over top of mushroom cap and secure with toothpick run horizontally through mushroom. Bake 15 minutes at 400° F until sausage is cooked through and potato is lightly browned.

• Combine 2 teaspoons curry powder, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ¼ teaspoon of salt and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in small bowl. Cut 1 small chicken breast (6 oz.) into 15 bite sized chunks. Roll chicken bites to coat in spice mixture. Wrap each piece chicken with a potato slices as directed above. Bake 10 minutes at 400° F until chicken is cooked through and potato is lightly browned.