EASY, ELEGANT AND ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS APPETIZERS. Bon Appetit! Vanessa

Fig and Gorgonzola Crostini with Honey

Sweet and juicy fresh figs on toast with creamy melting gorgonzola cheese, a touch of honey and thyme.

Servings: makes 4-8

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

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Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 8 slices bread or baguette
• 1/2 cup gorgonzola, crumbled, room temperature
• 8 figs, cut in half
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 4 tablespoon walnuts, coarsely chopped
• pepper to taste
• 4 tablespoons honey

Directions

1. Sprinkle the gorgonzola on the bread, top with the figs, thyme, walnuts and pepper.
2. Broil in the oven until the cheese just starts to melt.
3. Drizzle with honey and enjoy!

 

 

Goat Cheese and Gruyere Artichoke Toasts

Serves: about 1 cup spread

Ingredients

• Baguette, Italian bread, French bread, or Sourdough bread, sliced for toasts
• olive oil
• 4 oz goat cheese
• 2 oz (1/2 cup) grated gruyere cheese
• 3 Tb chopped marinated artichokes
• 2 Tb fresh parsley, chopped
• pinch of salt and pepper
• squeeze of lemon juice, optional

Instructions

1. Preheat broiler. Lightly brush both sides of toasts with olive oil and place on non-greased sheet tray. Place in oven and broil until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn slices over and repeat with remaining side. Remove from oven.
2. Meanwhile, mix together remaining ingredients in medium bowl.
3. Spread desired amount on each toast and return to oven. Broil until cheese is golden brown and bubbly, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from oven and serve warm.

Notes

How much spread you put on toasts is dependent on the size of the slices. If you want a creamier spread, add about 1 Tb of mayonnaise to the mixture

 

 

PROUD PEPPER JELLY (made in Flower Mound, Texas and available at Specs!)

Raspberry-Brie Tartlets

• 20 slices white bread
• ¼ c. melted butter
• 1 (8 oz.) wedge Brie, cut up
• 1 jar Raspbanero jelly

Remove crust from bread. Roll and flatten each bread slice with rolling pin. Cut 3 circles out of each bread slice with a 1 ¾ inch round cookie cutter.
Brush mini muffin pans with melted butter. Press bread circles on bottom and up sides of muffin cups; brush bread cups with melted butter. Bake at 350° for 7 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove bread cups from muffin pans, and place on ungreased baking sheets. Fill cups evenly with cheese pieces; top each with ¼ teaspoon Raspbanero jelly. Bake at 300° for 10 minutes of until cheese is melted. Makes 5 dozen.
Note: To make ahead, freeze toasted bread shells up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature about 30 minutes. Assemble tartlets and bake as directed.

Stuffed Mushrooms with Pecorino and Herbs

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Italian-style dried bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 28 large (2 1/2-inch-diameter) white mushrooms, stemmed

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Stir the bread crumbs, Pecorino Romano, garlic, parsley, mint, salt and pepper, to taste, and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium bowl to blend.

Drizzle a heavy large baking sheet with about 1 tablespoon olive oil, to coat. Spoon the filling into the mushroom cavities and arrange on the baking sheet, cavity side up. Drizzle remaining oil over the filling in each mushroom. Bake until the mushrooms are tender and the filling is heated through and golden on top, about 25 minutes. Serve.