Stuffed Medjool Dates

Ingredients:

1 pound Medjool Dates (Sun ripened (soft) not Dry and wrinkly)

1- 8 ounce container Mascarpone cheese, at room temperature

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons honey

1/2 pound toasted pecan halves (325 degrees on a cookie sheet, about 15 minutes, pay close attention, they tend to burn really quickly!)

Instructions:

1) Make a cut the length of the date and remove pit. Place pitted dates on a plate and set aside.

2) In a small bowl combine cheese, honey and lemon zest with a spatula until mixed well.

3) Fit a small pastry bag with a 1/2 inch tip, fluted or plain. Place cheese filling in the bag. Carefully fill each date with about 2 teaspoons of the cheese mixture for large dates and 1 teaspoon for smaller dates. Place a pecan on top of each filled date. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.