I followed the recipe to the tee and it turned out very well. The blue cheese melts well, the tang blends with the sweet of the date and the crisp salt of the bacon is heavenly. This is a very unusual appetizer and will definately get your guests talking! Everyone at the party liked the appetizer, however it seemed to me "missing" something. In the future, I will add a toasted almond with the blue cheese to give it a crunch (overall the consistency is too smooth). I also made a small batch with the same sauce from the bacon wrapped waterchest nut III recipe (available from this site). It was loved just as well. The only reason this recipe didn't get 5 stars is it is more difficult to make than most appetizers, but very much worth the little bit of extra trouble!

Reviewed On: Aug. 17, 2009

The firest time I tried this recipe, I made them for a friend's birthday party, it was a huge hit! So many people raved about how wonderful they tasted. I doubled the batch and didn't have any left! I followed the recipe pretty closely, but I did add a few squirts of Sriracha Hot Chile Sauce to give it a bit of heat (just add to your taste). I only used half a strip of bacon to wrap the waterchestnut. I baked them longer until the bacon was crispy. Then I dipped them in the sauce and baked again for 10-15 longer so that the sauce was more of a glaze. I did not double the sauce, the amount of sauce was plenty, even though I doubled the amount of waterchestnuts/bacon I used. I also soaked the toothpicks in water so they didn't burn or turn dark brown. I served them in a crock pot set on low to keep them warm. Since then, I have received constant requests for me to make these again!

Reviewed On: Aug. 1, 2009

This is one rich dish. I've made this exactly as the recipe instructs with "good" results, but the general consensus is "too rich." I modified the recipe by doing half heavy cream, and half/half. I used ham steaks, but cook the water out of the cubed ham first, drain. Then layer the potatoes, ham and cheese. Double the cheese. Cook a little longer to ensure the dish isn't runny (almost half hour longer). The yukon gold potatoes really do work the best. Enjoy!

Reviewed On: Oct. 18, 2008