BACON-WRAPPED BLUE CHEESE SHRIMP

Bacon-Wrapped Blue Cheese Shrimp image

Blue cheese, bacon and basil pack big flavor into a couple of bites. To save time, you can assemble the skewers the night before and then serve them hot from the broiler on the day. -Vivi Taylor, Middleburg, Florida

Provided by Taste of Home

Time 40m

Yield 16 appetizers.

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter, melted
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
16 uncooked shrimp (16-20 per pound), peeled and deveined
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
16 cubes blue cheese (1/2 inch)
16 fresh basil leaves
8 bacon strips, halved
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil

Steps:

Preheat broiler. Combine butter, garlic and pepper sauce. Cut a slit in each shrimp along the inside curve; flatten slightly. Sprinkle shrimp with salt and pepper. Press a cheese cube into slit. Wrap a basil leaf and bacon piece around each shrimp; secure with a toothpick., Place shrimp on a greased rack of a broiler pan. Broil 6-8 in. from heat until shrimp turn pink and bacon is crisp, 5-6 minutes on each side, basting occasionally with butter mixture., Arrange shrimp on a serving platter; sprinkle with celery, crumbled blue cheese and basil.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 88 calories, Fat 6g fat (3g saturated fat), Cholesterol 47mg cholesterol, Sodium 230mg sodium, Carbohydrate 1g carbohydrate (0 sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 7g protein.