Bacon Guava Cream Cheese Bites Recipe

This is a compensated campaign in collaboration with Farmland® and Latina Bloggers Connect. But, of course, all opinions are my own.

Recipe Development - let’s discuss this for a moment. 

When I hear the term, “Recipe Development,” I think of scientist types in an expansive, pristine kitchen, clothed in white lab coats and safety goggles. Because “Recipe Development," you see, is probably something that's best left to the professionals. 

At least that’s the way this plays out in my mind. However…

I’ve had an idea for an appetizer-type recipe rattling around in my brain for a while. It has some of my favorite ingredients with the delicious addition of bacon. It would be ideal for a game day snack. 

And serendipitously, I’ve been tasked to develop a recipe using Farmland® Bacon. 

Full confession: My first reaction was, “Seriously? I’d so love to.” My second reaction, “I don’t really know if Recipe Development is part of my particular skill set.” Of course, I didn’t say this out loud, but that's not important right now. 

It had to be something that appealed to my Cuban sensibilities. And incorporated bacon. 

“Seriously? I’d love to!”

The best ingredients are key for this recipe to taste like I wanted it to. Farmland^® Bacon has that whole “slow smoked over real wood” thing going for it so that was a no-brainer. (I buy it at Walmart.)

From the Farmland^® Bacon website: For decades, Farmland^® has taken pride in perfecting their curing and smoking technique – a difference you’ll taste in every delicious bite. (Emphasis mine.)

The Farmland^® Bacon is what takes this recipe to that next level. So much so, that I thought about calling this recipe, “Every Delicious Bite.” Yep. It’s that good.

Ladies and Gentlemen, without further ado, let me present to you my latest recipe (drum roll, please).

Bacon Guava Cream Cheese Bites.  

Let’s just observe a moment of silence, please. Thankyouverymuch.

I have had cream cheese wontons before and I think they’re perfectly lovely. Of course, when my thoughts turn to cream cheese, you know I will be thinking of adding guava somehow very soon. But then, I still needed to incorporate bacon into this mix. 

That’s right when the whole thing went from Pedestrian to Sublime, the Heavens opened and an Angelic Choir burst into a Song of Great Celebration and Joy. That, or I got really, really excited.

Bacon. Guava. Cream Cheese. Wontons. Together at last.

Believe me when I tell you that this is a pretty brilliant combination of textures and flavors. And you’ll be floored by how these beautiful little creatures can be put together so quickly and so very deliciously. 

 

The guava is what gives it the sweetness. Paired with the cream cheese it takes this to the Next Level of Cubanity. The bacon? Well, the bacon is what makes it other-worldly. And when you deep-fry these little bundles you get crunch. Everything you want in a Cuban-style appetizer or game day treat. 

Bacon Guava Cream Cheese Bites 

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 lb. (half a package) Farmland® Classic Cut Bacon
• Square wonton wrappers (I used the small ones.)
• 4 oz. cream cheese
• 4 oz. guava paste
• Cooking oil (for deep frying)
• Water (to glue the wontons)

1) Slice the entire package of bacon down the middle so you have shorter pieces to cook. 

2) Fry these in a hot skillet until they are crispy, but not burned. 

3) Drain on paper towels and chop roughly into smaller pieces. 

4) Separate the thin sheets of wonton. I used both 1 and 2 sheets. Two sheets add more crunch. This will depend on your personal preference. I tried some both ways and I was equally happy.

5) Cut up the guava into small pieces.

6) To build the wontons, place small pieces of guava in the center of the wonton.

 

7) Spread with cream cheese, drop a few pieces of the roughly chopped bacon into this little cream cheese nest. 

8) Dip your fingertip in water and run a tiny bit of water around the edges of the wonton. This acts like glue. You can also use egg white for this. Grab the corners of the wonton and squish (<—yes, that’s the technical term for it) corners together to create a little pouch. 

9) Heat your oil in a deep skillet. The depth of the oil should just cover the wontons.

10) Fry quickly in the very hot oil. It should only take about 10-15 seconds, if that. Work in small batches. Don't do more than 3 or 4 at a time. They cook very quickly.

11) Drain cooked wontons on a paper towel. 

12) Let them cool slightly before eating. They’re great at room temperature.

13) Serve and receive your praises. 

Makes about 36 pieces.

Come to think of it, I kind of ROCK at Recipe Development. 

For more awesome Farmland recipes, go give them some Facebook love right here.

-

This is a compensated collaboration with Farmland® and Latina Bloggers Connect. However, all opinions expressed are my own.

Homemade Pastelitos de Guayaba - in 3 Acts.

I don't give it much thought anymore. One of my kids will say they are craving Cuban guava pastries (Pastelitos de Guayaba).

This inevitably makes me smile because I remember having this same craving growing up. Sadly, it was only when we were on a random trip to L.A. that there was even a remote chance that my pastelito craving could be indulged.

Living here in Southern California, I had often lamented that there were no pastelitos to be had, unless, of course, I wanted to take the time out to roll out dough and all that. I did it on occasion, because the other alternative was to drive five area codes in So Cal traffic to procure the beloved pastelito. And that road trip, while eventually satisfying, was also time consuming and gas-guzzling.

Necessity, as they say, is the mother of invention. (Well, in this case, it wasn't technically a necessity. It was a craving. But that's not important right now.) And I figured out a way to make easy pastelitos de guayaba at home. Easy. Pastelitos. (I firmly believe and maintain that it was Divine Inspiration.)

So I shared my recipe and there was great rejoicing in the land. (Yay! *confetti canons explode*)

Now when someone has a craving, they reach into the cupboard for the guava paste (always on hand) and into the freezer for some frozen pastry dough (also always available). You never know when the craving will strike and it's best to be prepared, no?

That's the story of my life. Or rather, this might be....

Pastelitos de Guayaba - in 3 Acts

• Act 1 - Bake a batch of pastelitos. (Recipe can be found right here.)
• Act 2 - Wait (impatiently, with lots of finger tapping and pacing) for them to cool.
• Act 3 - Serve them on a platter (listen closely for all the oohs and aahs).

Wait for the applause. Take your bow.

Bravo!  ;-)

For the love of guava...

WARNING: I've used a lot (!) of exclamation points in the following post. Such was my level of excitement...

In my family of origin and in the Cuban home where I grew up, we always had a couple of items in the pantry:

1. Cans of leche condensada (sweetened condensed milk).
2. Bars of guava paste.

I'm guessing that the way we used those two culinary (?) items might seem questionable to those outside of our culture, but they were staples in our home.

I'm also guessing that guava might be an acquired taste.

This doesn't, however, diminish my love for guava in any form, particularly when it comes to desserts.

Exhibit A - Pastelito de Guayaba from the nearest Portos Cuban Bakery:

The following exchange started when a fan of MBFCF posted the following photo on my Facebook fan page. (By the way, if you don't follow MyBigFatCubanFamily on Facebook, you really should. But that's not important right now.)

"Look!" My friend, Maria Prieto, tagged me in a photo:

They look like Fig Newtons, but made with guava?

GUAT?!!

I decided that I Must. Have. These. Sadly, this guavaliciousness is only to be found 3,ooo miles away... in Miami.

Then another friend posted this ad from Sedanos. Which I'm pretty sure only exists in Miami, which, again, is 3,000 miles away from me.

(I'm starting to take this personally...)

They're even on sale! Why, oh why, do I live 3,000 miles away from this guavaliciousness?

At almost the same time, I got an email from Reader Grace with the following photo:

And another from Geraldine raving about the guavalicious goodness of these forbidden treats. (3,000 miles away, people!)

And then this one from the lovely Christina Flores-Pina. Her blog is called La Cocina de Christina, and you want to go check it out. Trust me. (She can probably even tell you how many Weight Watchers points in these, because she knows stuff and is cool that way.)

The taunts photos were coming from everywhere. *heavy sigh*

But then, because MBFCF readers are fabulous that way....the offers started coming in, too....

My friend, Maria, who happens to live in Miami and near a place that sells the forbidden fruit bites, offered to send me some.

Umm....YES!

{Special NOTE: Maria is the fabulous artist, Maria Soto Robbins - here's a link to her artsy blog, who made the beautiful pendants that my daughters and I love and wear most all the time. Please check out her wonderful ETSY shop, art by msr, and give her some love.}

And another from Reader Gladys in New Jersey. (New Jersey, you might have noticed, is still 3,000 miles away from me. Just sayin.')

So now, I've got quite the stash of the fabulously amazing Conchita Guava Bites! (<--That exclamation point is actually part of their logo, but that's not important right now.)

And while we're on the subject, to the Conchita Guava Bites! (<--again) People, I'd just like to say that I'd really love a lifetime supply of these beauties for all this free press I'm giving you and also because the nearest store that carries these is 3,000 miles away. Just consider it, please. That is all.  ;-)

And to those of you who have so generously offered to help me maintain my guava habit, muchisimos besos!

And for those of you who would like to join in on the relajo that is MBFCF fan page, please "like" us on El Feisbu. Even if you're 3,ooo miles away. =D