Bacon Stuffed Tomatoes

Sharon in FL asked if I would share the recipe, so here goes:


BACON STUFFED CHERRY TOMATOES

2 pints cherry tomatoes
3/4 c. mayonnaise
1/3 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves
16oz. pkg. bacon, crisply cooked, drained, and crumbled


Cut the top off each cherry tomato, and using a melon baller or a sharp knife, carefully scoop out the seeds and pulp. Place each tomato upside down on paper towel to drain. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a small bowl.

Stuff each cherry tomato with the bacon mixture. Chill in fridge for at least 2 hours to blend flavors. To serve, I like to line the serving tray with parsley to keep the little tomatoes from rolling around. It's very pretty too. Serves 8

NOTES:
• I substituted Miracle Whip for mayonaise.
• I also substituted packaged shredded Parmesan/Asiano cheese for the freshly shredded. I crumbled it into smaller pieces with my hands.
• You'll want to use the larger cherry tomatoes and the smaller end of the melon baller. Trust me... I ruined a few tomatoes through trial and error. LOL

The photo is the one that came with the recipe. Mine looked neater than those. LOL The recipe really doesn't make a lot so if you're having a big crowd, you may want to double it. You could probably make these the night before. I made them about 5 hours ahead of time, and stacked them in tiers on a plate.

For a vegetarian version of this recipe, try substituting cashews or diced avocado for the bacon.