I made this cranberry and pistachio-coated goat cheese log for a little Christmas party we held before departing Chicago. And then again this week to share with our family. Yes, because it’s festive and simple, but mostly because we can’t stop eating it. The key ingredient is the honey drizzled on top just as it comes out of the oven. Serve it warm (to the point that it’s soft, but not melted into a puddle on the plate- this would still taste great but not look as pretty) with crackers and bread and be in love.
Baked Goat Cheese with Cranberries, Pistachios, and Honey
INGREDIENTS
log goat cheese
chopped pistachios (I used dry roasted and unsalted)
sweetened dried cranberries
honey, for drizzling
crackers and/or sliced baguette, for serving
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Roll goat cheese log in pistachios and cranberries to coat. (You’ll have to be forceful to get them all to stick.)
2. Place log on an oven safe baking dish (a sheet pan lined with parchment paper works great) and bake in preheated oven for about 10 minutes (time will vary with the size of your log), until warmed but not melted.
3. Remove from the oven and drizzle with honey. Serve warm with crackers or baguette.
This one is for Dustin. Deviled eggs are not something I would probably ever choose to make for myself. I’m not big on anything mayonnaise-heavy. But he craves all the traditional summer picnic foods- deviled eggs, potato salad- that take no shame in swimming in mayonnaise. Sometimes I just want to make the boy happy. And this is what we end up with.
And I admit that… I really liked these! The filling is creamy and tangy- if not a little too rich. (I didn’t bother to ease up on the calories, but I like the idea of using Greek yogurt to replace some of the mayonnaise.) The chives are crunchy and fresh. Dusted in mild, smoky paprika I found them to be unexpectedly alluring.
Smoky Deviled Eggs
INGREDIENTS
12 eggs
1/2 cup mayonnaise (or a combination of mayonnaise and plain Greek yogurt)
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. white wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
fresh chives, chopped for garnish
smoked paprika, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
1. To hard boil the eggs, place the eggs in a single layer in a large saucepan, covered by at least an inch of cold water. Add a half teaspoonful or so of salt. Place the saucepan over high heat and bring to a rolling boil. Remove the pan from the heat, immediately cover, and let sit 12-15 minutes (depending on the size of your eggs- larger eggs take slightly longer). Rinse the eggs under cold water to stop the cooking (or cool in an ice bath). Once cooled, the eggs can be refrigerated until ready to use.
2. Carefully peel and cut each egg in half lengthwise. Scoop out the yolks into a small bowl. Set the egg whites on a serving platter.
3. To the egg yolks, add the mayonnaise, Dijon, and vinegar. Mash together with a fork until you reach the desired consistency. (I like my filling almost smooth.) Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Pipe filling into each egg white. Sprinkle with chives and dust with smoked paprika. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Yum, yum, yum! I, excuse me, we (my entire family) love these Mexican “egg rolls”. Family tradition dictates that for our Christmas Eve dinner we serve an array of appetizers and treats. This past 24th of December I debuted this recipe and it was a smashing success! My younger sister Katelyn has been ferociously baking batches of them ever since. You must serve them alongside either avocado dipping sauce (not pictured) or chipotle spiked sour cream (both fabulous).
2/16/09: I suppose these Southwest Egg Rolls are technically an appetizer, but since no human being has ever been known to eat only one, we have turned them into a complete meal! Filled with an assortment of sauteed Southwestern ingredients, held together by oozing Jack cheese, and oven-baked-till-crisp in a butter-brushed tortilla shell, they will tantalize your taste buds and leave your stomach shouting for more. We make huge batches of them and store them in the fridge or freezer. This ensures that there will be leftovers galore-perfect to sneak when that can’t-quite-get-enough feeling overcomes us again. For a seriously greasy snack, try deep frying them.
Southwest Egg Rolls with Avocado Dipping Sauce
INGREDIENTS
Southwest Egg Rolls: 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and diced
2/3 cup green onion, sliced
2/3 cup red bell pepper, minced
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2/3 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1/4 cup diced jalapeno peppers, seeded and rinsed (1 medium sized)
3 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley (or 1 1/2 tsp dried)
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. garlic powder (or 5 cloves fresh minced garlic)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (or 1 Tbsp. dried)
1 tsp. salt
1/4-1/2 tsp. ground cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
3 cups shredded Monterrey Jack or Cheddar cheese
20-30 (6-8 inch) whole wheat flour tortillas (depends on the size of your tortillas and how full you stuff them)
1. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add green onions and bell pepper and saute 5 minutes until tender.
2. Add diced cooked chicken, corn, spinach, black beans, jalapeno, parsley, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, cilantro, salt, and cayenne pepper. Cook and stir 5 minutes until well blended and tender. Remove from heat and stir in cheese so it melts.
3. Place tortillas between two moist paper towels and microwave 30 seconds-1 minute until hot and pliable.
4. Spoon even amounts of mixture onto each tortilla. Fold in ends of tortilla, then roll tightly around mixture. Arrange in a medium dish, cover, and store in the freezer or refrigerator. Chilling them for several hours before baking helps hold them together, but is not absolutely necessary. They keep well frozen, and can be placed directly in the oven.
5. Butter a baking sheet and place rolls evenly on the pan. Brush them with melted butter.
6. Bake rolls at 375 F for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and the edges begin to crisp, rotating them every 10 minutes.
7. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for several minutes before slicing in half. Serve with Avocado Dipping Sauce and garnish with chopped onion and tomato.
8. To prepare sauce combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whip until creamy. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
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