How to Host Your Own Chopped Party

My sisters, mom and I love the show Chopped on the Food Network. If you're not familiar with the show, they start with four chef contestants. They give them some wacky ingredients and tell them to make an appetizer in 30 minutes. After the appetizer round, the food is judged by food critics and one chef is eliminated. This process continued with the entrée and dessert round until one chef is named the winner. 

Working hard

One day while at my husband's family's house, we decided to do our own version of Chopped. It was so fun! The judges gave us four ingredients to make an appetizer: baby watermelon, peanut butter, sesame covered cashews and bacon. Two of us were competing and we had two commentators/judges. We were allowed to use anything in the kitchen as well as these ingredients just like on Chopped but we were a bit more flexible on the time limit. This is what I ended up creating:

Fruity salad with watermelon and berries and a lite peach/peanut butter dressing.  Plus bacon wrap ups.

 I won this round, but it wasn't because of my salad, it was these pretties: 

Bacon Wrap Ups!

Recipe for Bacon Wrap Ups:

Ingredients: 

12 slices of bacon, cooked but not crispy

12 cherry tomatoes, washed and dried

1 brick of cream cheese, slightly softened

5 finely chopped sesame covered cashews

Directions: 

1. Start with a cherry tomato. Completely cover the tomato with cream cheese. 

2. Pour the finely chopped sesame covered cashews (or anything small and crunchy) in a small shallow dish. Roll the cream cheese covered tomatoes in the chopped cashews to get a good covering.

3. Take a slice of bacon and roll the tomato up. Secure with a toothpick through the bacon and tomato.

4. Repeat!

5. Enjoy!

To play your own game of Chopped at home you need: two willing "chefs" and two willing judges. You'll also need a sense of humor and a kitchen, preferably one that's well stocked.

What would you make with those ingredients?