Brie en Croute
Herb-Marinated Feta Cheese
Marinated Goat Cheese
Marinated Grapes
Marinated Olives
Pumpkin Cheesecake Tarts
Pungent Cheese Herbs
Sweet & Spicy Mixed Nuts
Torte Reform
Prep Time: 10 minutes, Inactive Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 28 minutes, Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients:
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, pre-packaged
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
½ cup walnuts
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (8-oz) wheel Brie
¼ cup brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
Crackers, for serving
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Defrost puff pastry for approximately 15-20 minutes and unfold.
In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Sauté the walnuts in the butter until golden brown, 5 minutes. Add the cinnamon and stir until walnuts are coated well. Place the walnut mixture on top of the Brie and sprinkle the brown sugar over the mixture. Lay the puff pastry out on a flat surface. Place the Brie in the center of the pastry. Gather up the edges of the Brie, pressing around the Brie and gather at the top. Gently squeeze together the excess dough and tie together with a piece of kitchen twine. Brush the beaten egg over top and side of Brie. Place Brie on a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes until pastry is golden brown.
Serve with crackers.
To give a special look, cut extra pastry into heart or flower shapes and bake until golden.Makes two cups
2/3 cup olive oil
1 heaping teaspoon green or red peppercorns
2 cloves garlic, slivered
2 tablespoons shredded fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
3 bay leaves
½ pound feta cheese, cut into ¾ inch cubes
Place the oil, peppercorns, garlic, basil, thyme, oregano, and bay in a quart jar. Cap and shake well. Add the feta, taking care not to crumble it, cap again, and gently turn to mix. Let stand at room temperature for several hours, turning the jar several times. Use right away or store, covered, in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving. Keeps indefinitely.
Go to Page Top
Makes two 8 oz. jars
6 ounce log goat cheese
2 Bay leaves, broken into pieces
1¼ cups olive oil
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly smashed
1 teaspoon green or black peppercorns, crushed
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Cut goat cheese into ½ inch slices and gently divide between jars. Don’t pack the cheese in too tightly or the slices will stick together. (I put the cheese in the freezer for about 10 minutes it will cut easier).
In a large glass measuring cup, combine olive oil, garlic, parsley, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, and peppercorns. Pour over the cheese. Completely cover cheese with the liquid mixture. Allow to marinate for 5 days at room temperature, or if your kitchen is too warm, put in refrigerator. (I use my garage).
Olive oil stops the cheese from ripening further, so this young cheese will last several weeks refrigerated The oil solidifies when cold, but liquefies quickly at room temperature.
Go to Page Top
2 pounds green seedless grapes stems removed
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups chardonnay
1 vanilla bean for each jar
2 cups white wine vinegar
1 cinnamon stick for each jar
1 cup sugar
Rinse grapes and remove stems discard any bad ones. Fill pint and or quart jars with the grapes; there should be enough for 1 ½ quarts. Place the remaining ingredients in a heavy sauce- pan, heat and stir until sugar is dissolved! Cool slightly, pour over the grapes, and add vanilla bean and cinnamon stick to each jar. Be sure grapes are completely covered with liquid. Close the lids, label with the date, and refrigerate.
Allow the grapes to marinate at least 2 days before serving. They will keep several months in the refrigerator.
Ingredients:
2 pounds red table grapes, stem removed
Several whole cloves
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cinnamon stick for each jar
2 cups red wine (such as merlot)
several whole allspice berries
2 cups red wine vinegar
5 or 6 Cardamon seeds,crushed
1 cup sugar
Rinse grapes and discard any bad ones. Fill pint and or quart jars with grapes; there should be enough for 1 ½ quarts.
Place remaining ingredients in heavy sauce- pan, heat, and stir until sugar is dissolved. Cool slightly, pour over grapes and add cinnamon stick to each jar. Be sure grapes are completely covered with liquid. Close the lids, label with the date, and refrigerate.
Allow the grapes to marinate for at least 2 days before serving. They will keep several months in the refrigerator.
Go to Page Top
Makes one cup
1 cup unpitted firm green olives
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 sprigs thyme leaves or ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
In a small bowl, toss all the ingredients together. Let sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes, before serving.
Go to Page Top
12 paper muffin cup liners
12 ginger snap cookies
1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup, solid packed pumpkin
½ cup sugar
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
Preheat oven to 325°. Place the muffin cup liners in a muffin tin. Place a gingersnap cookie in the bottom of each liner. Beat cream cheese, pumpkin, sugar, pumpkin pie sauce, and vanilla until well blended. Add the eggs and beat well. Divide the batter equally among the 12 muffin cups. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until set. Cool in the pan on a wire rack. Remove from the pan and chill before serving.
Makes 1/3 cup
2 tablespoons dried basil
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon dried chives
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried marjoram
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Mix well, store in jar.
Go to Page Top
1 large egg white
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons dry oregano
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon chili powder
1 pinch ground cloves
2 cups mixed nuts (salted)
Preheat oven to 250°F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
Whisk the egg white, brown sugar, oregano, cumin, chili powder, and cloves in a medium sized bowl until thoroughly blended and slightly foamy. Add and toss nuts to coat evenly. Spread nuts on the prepared baking sheet and roast stirring every 15 minutes, for 45 minutes. Nuts will be fragrant and slightly darker, but still a bit moist (they crisp as they cool.) Cool completely on pan and serve them at room temperature.
Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. (Makes 2 cups.)¼ cup prepared basil pesto
Vegetable oil for brushing pan
¼ cup finely chopped rinsed drained bottled roasted red peppers
20oz. soft mild goat cheese, softened at room temperature (2 cups)
3 tablespoons bottled black olive paste or tapenade
Crackers, for serving
Special Equiptment:
2 ¼ cup loaf pan (5 ¾ by 3 ½ by 2 ¼)
Drain pesto in a small fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl 15 minutes. Lightly oil loaf pan and line with a sheet of plastic wrap large enough to allow a generous overhang on all 4 sides. Blot peppers well between towels to remove excess liquid. Spread about ¼ cheese evenly over bottom of loaf pan and top with all of pesto evenly. Drop ½ cup cheese over pesto to cover it. Top with chopped peppers evenly. Drop another ½ cup cheese over peppers to cover. Spread olive paste evenly on top then drop remaining cheese over to cover it evenly. Cover pan with a sheet of plastic wrap and chill for at least 8 hours. Let torta stand at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before serving.
Cook’s Note:Ø For a smoother-looking torta, oiled loaf pan can be lined with parchment paper instead of plastic wrap (leave a 2in. overhang on all 4 sides)
Ø Torta can be chilled in a pan for up to 24 hours. Let it stand for 20 minutes at room temperature before serving
All rights reserved
Last update: 7/27/2007