Manchego Stuffed Dates with Bacon and Smoked Paprika

I was so blown away by the Gorgonzola stuffed dates, I really could not stop thinking about them for weeks after.  So I decided to make another batch, but this time following the original recipe and using Manchego cheese.  I couldn’t believe how different the result was!! While the gorgonzola cheese took center stage in the first batch, the Manchego cheese brought out the sweetness of the date resulting in a much creamier smoother finish.  Both were excellent in very different ways.  I can’t wait to try it out with asiago, pecorino, or any other cheese for that matter!