12 small Yukon Gold potatoes
olive oil
salt and pepper
4 garlic gloves, peeled
2 medium sprigs fresh thyme
1 pkg. goat cheese (5 oz)
½ cup sundried tomatoes, roughly chopped
Parsley-Rosemary “Pesto” (see below)
½ cup cooked, crispy bacon, roughly chopped
24 fresh chive tips, about ½-inch long

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place potatoes and enough olive oil to coat them in a large Dutch oven. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Add the garlic and the thyme sprigs. Place potatoes in oven and begin roasting. Turn potatoes over every 10 to 15 minutes so they brown lightly on all sides. Roast 35-45 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and let them cool to room temperature. Cut the potatoes in half and very carefully scoop out the center of each half with a melon baller. Cut a tiny slice off the bottom of each potato half to keep them from rolling if necessary. Fill each potato half with a tiny bit of goat cheese, a piece or two of sundried tomato and a small amount of the Parsley-Rosemary Pesto. Top each with a little bit of chopped bacon. Place filled potatoes onto an oven-proof serving platter and place them into a 375 degree F oven for about 5 minutes or until heated through. Top each potato with a fresh chive tip and serve warm. Makes 24 potato halves (2 each for 12 guests).

Parsley-Rosemary “Pesto”
1 cup fresh parsley leaves, washed, dried and loosely packed
2 tbsp. fresh rosemary leaves
approximately ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
pinch brown sugar
salt and pepper, to taste
1 small clove garlic, minced

Place all ingredients into the bowl of a food processor. Process until completely pureed. Adjust seasonings if desired, including olive oil. Consistency should be soft but not runny. Makes approximately ¾ cup pesto. Keeps for about 1 week when refrigerated.