Appetizers

Apple and Brie Crostini

The Brie at Costco is always wonderful this recipe from their Magazine was a winner. What’s not to like with almond butter, brie, apple, honey, spiced pecans–wow! I used the spiced pecans that I make every Christmas. This would be a wonderful appetizer for Valentine’s Day or a gathering of friends and family.

Apple and Brie Crostini

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 baguette, thinly sliced on the bias (Fork-Lore: I used Croccantini Original Sea Salt Artisan Crackers)
  • ½ cup Kirkland Signature Almond Butter
  • 3 oz. brie cheese
  • 1 large Honeycrisp apple
  • Fresh cracked pepper
  • ½ cup candied pecans, chopped (for garnish)
  • ¼ cup honey
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Heat oven to 375 F. Arrange baguette slices on a rimmed 9 x 13-inch baking sheet. Thinly spread almond butter on one side of each baguette slice, about 2 tsp.
  2. Slice the brie and the Honeycrisp apple thinly so one flavor doesn’t overpower the other, about ¼-inch-thick slices. Place brie on top of almond butter spread. Set apple aside.
  3. Bake 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
  4. Top crostini with apple and pepper. Sprinkle pecans on top for garnish and drizzle with honey. Serve immediately. Makes 4 to 6 servings, about 12 crostini.

Recipe from Costco Magazine

Breads

Cranberry Brie Sheet Pan Biscuits

Marrying two of my favorite fall flavors, Brie and Cranberry, into a biscuit was too good to skip. The fresh herbs and the drizzle of honey makes these savory biscuits a must for a special fall meal or Thanksgiving dinner. They are especially good warm from the oven. Even my grandsons liked them…but who doesn’t love a biscuit with honey!

Cranberry Brie Sheetpan Biscuits

INGREDIENTS:
  • Nonstick cooking spray, for the pan
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting (see Cook’s Note)
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons fine salt
  • 2 1/2 sticks (20 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus
  • more for serving
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, plus more for brushing
  • 8 ounces Brie, cut into small pieces
  • 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped chives
  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
  • 1/4 cup honey
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Spray an 18-by-13-inch half sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda and 2 teaspoons of the salt in a large bowl. Rub 4 tablespoons of the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until completely absorbed. Work the remaining 16 tablespoons butter into the flour mixture until pea-sized bits of butter remain. Use a fork to stir in the buttermilk until the mixture comes together into a shaggy dough. (Don’t overmix the dough.)
  3. Add the Brie, parsley, cranberries, chives and thyme to the bowl and gently mix with lightly floured hands, folding the dough over itself (this is where the flaky layers will form) until the ingredients are just combined.
  4. Turn the dough out onto the prepared sheet pan and use lightly floured hands to evenly distribute the dough into the prepared pan. Using a paring knife, gently score 24 squares on top of the dough, making sure the knife does not cut through to the bottom of the biscuit. (If baking the biscuits the following day, cover gently with plastic wrap at this point and refrigerate up to 24 hours.)
  5. Brush the top of the dough with more buttermilk. Bake until the biscuit top is lightly browned, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then use a paring knife to follow the score marks to cut through the biscuits.
  6. Meanwhile, mix the honey with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Drizzle the honey over the warm biscuits. Serve the biscuits warm or at room temperature with more butter, if desired.

Recipe from Food Network

Appetizers · Holidays

Cranberry Pepper Jelly

A tangy, yet spicy jelly on top of a mild cheese is such a wonderful appetizer. I’ve enjoyed many of these appetizers through the years but Christmas 2021, I made my own! After the epic fail of Grape Jalapeno jam a few years ago, I was a little nervous. Never fear, this recipe is a winner! Other than cleaning and chopping the jalapenos, this was an easy recipe and yielded 7 half pints of Jelly and a little more to enjoy immediately! It was wonderful on top of cream cheese or brie. It would be marvelous with chicken or fish, too.

It you make homemade Christmas gifts, I would highly recommend this for friends and family!

Cranberry Pepper Jelly

INGREDIENTS:
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (I used a 12 oz. package of fresh cranberries)
  • 1 cup jalapeno
  • 2 cups cider vinegar
  • 1 cup water
  • 4 cups sugar
  • 6 tbsp. Ball RealFruit™ Low or No-Sugar Pectin
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Sort & wash cranberries. Measure pectin and add 1/2 cup sugar to it.
  2. Add vinegar and water to large stock pot.
  3. Chop and remove seeds from jalapenos. 1 cup of jalapenos makes a fairly mild jelly.
  4. Add peppers and cranberries to the vinegar and water to pan.
  5. Bring to boil.
  6. Reduce heat.
  7. Simmer for about 10 minutes until everything is soft.
  8. Strain out the cranberries and pepper mixture with a slotted spoon to a food processor or blender.
  9. Blend until very smooth. (you can add some of the liquid from the pan to help break up the cranberries and peppers, if you need to)
  10. Return to the saucepan.
  11. Add sugar/pectin mixture. Bring to rolling boil.
  12. Add the remainder of the sugar.
  13. Bring back to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute.
  14. Fill hot jam into hot jars.
  15. Wipe rims.
  16. Attach lids. Tighten bands finger tip tight.
  17. Process in water bath canning pot for 15 minutes. Turn of heat, allow jars to sit in hot water for at least 5 minutes.

Recipe from blinkysculinarycarnival

Appetizers · New Favorite

Blackberry Brie Bites

Brie and Blackberries is like a slice of heaven. For my last meal, I would definitely choose Brie and a bowl of berries so this recipe sounded perfect to me! It’s relatively simple to make.  Delicious addition to my recipe box!

You’ll notice a glimpse of Fancy Schmancy Asparagus to the right as well.  I used 1/2 of the crescent rolls to make the Blackberry Brie Bites and the other half for the Asparagus.  Win, win!

BLACKBERRY BRIE BITES

1 tube refrigerated crescent rolls (8 oz.)
1 round Brie Cheese (8 oz.)
1/4 cup blackberry jelly or jam
24 fresh blackberries
24 large toothpicks (optional)

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Separate the crescent rolls into 4 rectangles. Press the seams together and cut into 6 even squares. Press into 24 mini muffin tins.
  • Cut the rind off the Brie.  Cut into 24 small squares. Place one square into each crescent lined tins. Spoon a small amount of blackberry jelly/jam on top of each cheese square. Fold the tips of the crescent rolls over, if desired.
  • Bake for 12-15 minutes.  Remove from the oven and top with a fresh blackberry on a toothpick.  Serve immediately.

Makes 24 crescent cups.

Recipe from Inside BruCrew Life

New Favorite · Sandwiches

Grilled Apple and Brie Sandwich

I love a good sandwich and when I spotted the word BRIE, I was sold.  I’m a sucker for wonderful cheeses and I decided it was worth the gluten treat to try it.  It was a wonderful sandwich although, as always, I wondered what it would be like if I added a nice jam to it.  Next time…I’m adding a raspberry jam…mmmm, can’t wait!

GRILLED APPLE AND BRIE SANDWICH

2 slices whole wheat (or whole grain) bread
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 Granny Smith apple, peeled and very thinly sliced
1/3 cup thinly sliced brie

  • Preheat a skillet over medium heat.  Lightly brush 1 side of each slice of bread with olive oil.  Place 1 slice of bread, olive oil-side down, into skillet.  Arrange apple slices evenly over bread.

  • Layer with cheese and top with remaining slice of bread, olive oil side up.  Cook, until bread is golden brown and the cheese has melted.

Recipe from Colorado Classique Cookbook

Family Favorites · Gluten Free · New Favorite

Easy Peasy Appetizer…Mozzarella and Raspberry Chipotle Jam

Now that I’m MUCH older, I’m feeling a little lazy around the postings so taking it easy for a week or two and celebrating the rest of my birthday month.

Even though I’m feeling lazy, sometimes you want a wonderful appetizer but don’t feel like putting a lot of time into it.  Are you with me?

Many years ago a popular appetizer was a brick of cream cheese with jalapeno jelly and it is still a favorite but I like to shake it up a little.  I purchased a fantastic jar of Shirley Ann’s Raspberry Chipotle Jalapeno Jam a while back and paired it with slices of Buffalo Mozzarella with crackers and sliced baguette. Yummo! It would be equally wonderful with a fine Brie.

Here’s to a lazy August day!

Family Favorites · New Traditions

Brie and Honey; Brie and Jam, Brie any way!

Brie is truly my favorite cheese or all time.  I love it plain, baked in pastry with jam or simply topped with honey or jam. It is a simple, elegant, crowd-pleaser every time.

Happy New Year! Wishing all a wonderful year creating new traditions for your friends and family.