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Really, it’s party central over here. As you all well know, I am no stranger to baby showers this year. With my sisters being due two months apart, and then giving birth two weeks apart. With countless friends welcoming their first and second babies. With so many upcoming spring celebrations coming our way – from Mother’s Day to a thousand (slight exaggeration) family birthdays – to Father’s Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, and more! It just keeps coming. Life is full of reasons for celebrations.
I’m no stranger to FRE wines, since I take after my mom in that department. As for my sisters, they are both new moms who miss the taste of wine and cocktails but can’t indulge right now in their lives. Luckily for them, with FRE they can now!
FRE wines serve as a great base for mocktail recipes, and also provide an alternative, delicious beverage for people who cannot or choose not to consume alcohol. This is big for me with two new mothers in my family! We have so much to celebrate now that my new nephew, Parker, is home from the NICU, and both sisters will get their first Mother’s Day. Parker was due the week of Mother’s Day, so if he had been late, this would not have been my older sister’s first Mother’s Day.
And celebrate, we will, with a “wine and cheese” party! So I’m making Bacon & Cheddar Wrapped Apple Slices, and homemade cheese straws! You can use horseradish cheddar for the apple slices too, but I used Vermont cheddar.
FRE is produced through a de-alcoholization process, and then less than one half of one percent of alcohol remains in the wine. The winemakers also use the revolutionary spinning cone colum to remove alcohol while preserving the delicate fragrances and flavors of the wine. The beautiful finished product is then a fresh and delicious wine, with all of the characteristic aromas and flavors of premium wine, BUT, with less than 0.5% alcohol and half the calories of traditional wine.
Are you throwing a baby shower, or a party in which people who cannot or choose not to consume alcohol will be invited? Awesome. FRE comes in many varieties, and pairs quite nicely with some delicious cheese-based recipes:
What You Need:
A package of bacon – about one slice per apple slice, unless it’s big bacon and then it’s one bacon slice per two apple slices!
1 or 2 large apples. I chose Pink Lady.
2 tbsp fresh or packaged lemon juice
Vermont cheddar or horseradish cheddar
Toothpicks
What You Do:
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place bacon slices on sheet in a single layer.
3. Bake for 8-15 minutes. I know that’s a wide range but I needed mine in for a full 15 minutes for perfect bacon.
4. Cook bacon until it’s fully cooked but still pliable, so you can wrap it. You don’t want it too crisp.
5. Cut your apples into 8-16 wedges, removing cores and seeds. Brush all the apple sides with lemon juice.
6. Make shavings of cheddar with a wide vegetable peeler, and drape them over each apple slice.
7. Wrap cooked bacon around the apple and cheese while it’s still hot, but you’ve let it sit on paper towel for a few minutes.
8. Use the toothpick to hold each creation in place. Serve. Enjoy!
For the cheese straws, simply combine two cups of flour, two cups of shredded cheddar cheese, 3/4 cup butter, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 cup milk into a bowl and mix until well combined. Add the milk last. On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough and cut it into pencil shaped sticks, or just thicker than them! Twist them – it’s fun! Arrange them on the baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
If you’re really enterprising, you can roll out leftover dough and use star cookie cutters to make cheese crackers. I added more flour because the dough gets sticky, so they’re not as crisp as the crackers. And I left pepper out!
Check out this coupon at One Stop Wine Shop – where customers can enter the promo code FRE at checkout to receive 30% off. Special note: They cannot ship (from site) to Alabama, Kansas, or Tennessee. Check out Facebook for more info!
I have only two words for you: Guuuurl, yassssss!!!!
Come over!
One you had me at bacon!! Seriously anything wrapped in bacon is tops in my book and most definitely going to try now 😉
I do love these three flavors together. Bacon really works well with.. nearly everything!
Once again, you had me at bacon! However, this time you added cheese, so now I am drooling over here!
You can’t have one without the other, right??
Bacon and cheese are two of my favs! These looks so easy and delicious! #client
Me too! And apples and cheese. So I just felt like combining it all!
Yum!
Perfect one word description!
OMG – I like bacon wrapped anything. Seriously! Bacon is my soul food and the way to my heart… literally 😉 Plus apples and cheese?! Oh my. This is the most delightful pairing.
Pinning this – now. Making this ASAP!
xoxo
Thank you! I think you’ll enjoy it. I really loved all the taste combinations.
xoxo
You had me at bacon but unfortunately I can’t eat raw apples. I wish that I could however. I can drink that wine though. I’m seriously a lightweight when it comes to drinking so this is perfect for me.
I think you have mentioned that about apples. Boo! I will say that it will work great on pears if you can do them!
Yummy! Bacon + cheese + apples = delicious!
It’s my favorite mathematical formula. That and chocolate and peanut butter.
Definitely making the bacon/apples this weekend. Everyone at my house will LOVE them!
Oh, I hope so! Enjoy!
Well hello there to my new favorite Tamara food inspired creation. I am a firm believer that bacon makes things better. Well except for doughnuts. I am not quite there yet.
Wow, that means a lot! The only way to top this is with doughnuts, is what you’re saying? I’m firmly a sprinkles person, are you?
Ummm…I can’t even handle this.
Like I want to lick my screen.
Turn away Tamara — this is going down.
haha, did you do it? Did you lick the screen??
Fre wine is one of my favorites! I didn’t think too many people knew about them! I never thought apples and bacon would be a good combo but I am salivating while looking at the pictures!
I’m so glad you like it too! I didn’t know about it until recently, but I’m glad I do now!
YUM!! What a delicious array of food happening here. I do love a good party and nice wine.
I remember going to a wine and cheese party once, and only eating the cheese and maybe a sip of wine. I wish I had known about FRE!
Obscene. Truly. Some of us are trying to stick to diet plans you know. LOL
ha, I know. I’ve been trying to be all active and healthy. BUT. I can’t imagine that this isn’t healthy? I mean.. fruit! Protein! Whee!
Oh but it’s such a science now!! It has to be the “right” protein, eaten at the “right” time of day. Like gracious me, remember when eating was a little bit fun?! ha.
But a definite no to the carbs. That should have been the first clue that fun was leaving the table.
Mmmmm! Those look good and with bacon – perfect with wine! I agree there are so many great reasons to celebrate life!
It’s all the little and big things, isn’t it? And this time of year makes me want to party a lot more.
Bacon and cheese wrapped apple slices?!?! Are you kidding me right now? Adding all of those to my next shopping list along with an extra large bottle of wine. Cheers!
Cheers to you! That sounds like a fun shopping list.
I love the combination of melon & prosuitto I never thought to switch to apple and bacon. Such a simple yet tasty idea. Ready to pour some wine and eat up.
Mm… and I will definitely have to try your melon and prosciutto idea!
Adding bacon and cheese to anything makes it better! Because it’s apple slices — healthy! — I can eat a dozen or so, right?!
Yes! Healthy apples have fiber. And bacon and cheese are protein. WIN!
I’ll bet the sweetness of the apple goes well with the bacon. Might just have to try this myself!
It somehow seems like a match made in heaven. Thank you!
Those are just perfect! Wine and cheese are always a great combo! So curious with the cheese straws.
And what joy to see all of you sisters in an I should say recent photo? 😉 So much happiness!
I love the cheese straws! They’re just delicious. Des and I favor them a little more doughy, though.
These combinations are fantastic! I can see how apples and bacon would be perfect together.
I always love “Applewood Smoked Bacon” and I don’t think it involves actual apples, it makes me think there’s an association!
Hi Tamara, oh my! Growing up in the South West of England Cheddar was our local cheese and I still love it now (I was so excited when they started importing mature Cheddar here, love it!). I have never heard of horse radish Cheddar, but I wouldn’t turn it down, it sounds a perfect pairing!
I enjoy eating Cheddar and apples or grapes, but would never have thought to add bacon into the mix, but I bet it’s tasty. It may even get my lot to eat more apples too.
xx
Yum! You make it sound so delicious and I bet it was really great over there, like it is in Vermont. And Wisconsin!
Horseradish cheddar is a new discovery of mine. My dad introduced it to me!
How easy is this little appetizer? It’s a great combo – but I would worry about the apples turning?
I was totally concerned about that too! Luckily that’s where the lemon juice comes in. They definitely lasted into the next day! They might have lasted longer, but they were eaten. So the lemon juice is a great natural preservative.
Everything looks good. And hurray that the little one is home from NICU!
Thank you!! He was there almost a month. I got to meet him twice but I haven’t gotten to truly hold him yet. I’m trying to change that immediately.
GET IN MY BELLY!! Although, I have to slow down with the cheese, I’ll just hand it to my babe, he’s my cheese eater. 🙂
XOXO
haha, I’d be your cheese eater too. I think I’m addicted.
UGH… Everything sounds so good! Cheese is a weakness of mine! 🙂 Anything with cheese and I’m there!
Me too! Although I’m weird. If it’s a cheese I love, mostly cow’s milk cheese, I’m addicted. Then there’s a list of cheeses on my no fly list. So I guess I wish I could love them all.
OMG – you had me at BACON! Hello!!! And you made it healthy with the apples! A DOUBLE win! Thank you!! I have to share this w/ my 10 year old, he LOVES bacon!
Your 10-year-old has great taste! One of my favorite online videos is of a baby trying bacon for the first time and going into ecstasy.
Those look fantastic! I love party food and those looks like they are a showstopper. Congrats on all the babies too! 🙂
Thank you! I’ll be making these for our gigantic family reunion, when we have one next month.
Wine and yummy treats – when can I join you??? Looks so fun and yummy!
haha, yes! You can join me.
Everything about this looks so delicious. Bacon, cheese straws….yum!
If it should happen that you’re at my house, I will make fun appetizers for you!
I have a baby shower coming up to plan next month! Good ideas, love the bacon, apple slices
Oh lucky for you! I’m almost sad I don’t have one to plan right now, since both sisters had their babies.
Taste explosion!! These looks sinfully delightful. Of course, we can’t show my hubby or he would eat all the bacon and all you would have left is apple and cheese.
haha! Which isn’t so bad, though. I do love apple and cheese sandwiches.
somehow I never would have thought about this as being good, but your pictures are quiet convincing and tasty looking. I need this!!
It just somehow works! So many taste sensations that go well together, so I thought, why not?
Mmmm…these look delicious! The Southern girl in me is jumping for joy over that cheese straw recipe & the stars are adorable!
I’m so obsessed with the cheese straws. I may have eaten.. umm.. ALL OF THEM.
I’ve heard of non-alcoholic wines before but I’ve never tried any. I don’t drink at all, so it would be interesting to see how much different wine tastes vs. grape juice…lol. Since I have never had alcohol I just imagine wine tasting like a regular graphics juice ☺
I have to admit, I hadn’t heard of it either. At Bar Mitzvahs, we used to do grape juice and I can’t stand grape juice!