Bacon Cheddar Cheese Puffs

Today we had a fun event at work. We all got together to have a potluck and play games. These types of events don't happen very often, so it's always nice to get out of the office for a bit. Well, we had a sign up sheet to determine who would bring what for today. I decided to sign up for an appetizer. Normally, I would make a dessert since that's my favorite thing to make, but I decided to sign up for an appetizer. Everyone and their brother signed up for desserts. It took me quite a while to decide what I wanted to make. Eventually, I settled on this cheese puff recipe from With Love and Cupcakes. Instead of Chipotle Cheese I used Bacon Cheddar Cheese since TJ's didn't have that option. And, I must not know how to make things smalls because my cheese puffs were quite large. What really matters is how it tasted, and these were great! I would definitely make these cheese puffs again, but smaller! And, my co-worker's must have liked them, because only 2 were left! Leftovers for the win! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 cup water
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon mustard
1 cup all-purpose flour
5 eggs
1 cup grated chipotle-flavored cheddar cheese, like the one here (Or Bacon Cheddar Cheese from Trader Joe's)
 

Pre-heat your oven to 450 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Take out a small saucepan and combine the water through mustard. Set the stove to medium heat. Stir until the butter has melted and the mixture begins to boil. Add in the flour and lower the heat to low. Stir until the mixture comes together and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Continue to cook the dough and stirring for about five minutes. The mixture should start to steam. Transfer the dough to your standing mixture. Go ahead and beat for a couple minutes to help release some of the heat from the dough. Next, add in an egg one at a time. I beat the egg prior to adding to the mixture. Stir well after each addition. Fold in the cheese and combine well. Put some of the mixture into a piping bag and pie out the mixture in small amounts...1 1/2 inches side and 3/4 inches tall. Bake the puffs for about 15-20 minutes or until nice and golden in color. Remove from oven and cool completely. Enjoy.

Pizzette with Fontina, Tomato, Basil, and Proscuitto

One of our Iron Chef alum is moving to Wisconsin...boo...so we had a going away party in her honor. The theme was cheese and wine. Yum. But, I decided to bring a little appetizer to the party. After all, cheese isn't the most filling food in the world. I perused a couple of my cookbooks before settling on this recipe from Bon Appetit. Unfortunately, I completely forgot to put the prosciutto on the pizza but they still came out pretty tasty. I also used Trader Joe's pre-made pizza dough which definitely saved me some time. I also used a biscuit cutter to make little round pizza bites. Overall, I thought this was quite a tasty little appetizer. I will definitely make the next time I need to bring an appetizer to a party! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 13.8 oz refridgerated pizza dough
3/4 c grated Fontina cheese (about 3 oz)
8 cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/3 c thinly sliced fresh basil
1 1/2 oz thinly sliced prosciutto, coarsely torn into strips

Preheat your oven to 475. Lightly sprinkle rimmed baking sheet (or pizza stone) with flour. Next, roll out the dough on a floured surface and use a 2 1/2 inch cookie or biscuit cutter to cut the dough rounds. Arrange the rounds on the baking sheet. Sprinkle the Fontina cheese on the rounds. Divide equally. Next, place 2 tomato quarters on each round, pressing gently into dough. Sprinkle tomatoes with grated Parmesan cheese. Place in the oven and bake for about 12 minutes or until the cheese is a golden color. Remove from the oven and drizzle with olive oil and then top with the basil. Then, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Drape prosciutto strips over. Serve immediately.

Asian Pear and Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese

Don't you just love arugula? It's such a great lettuce and goes great with a wide variety of accompaniments. I love it with blue cheese, parmesan, grapes, white beans, fennel, beets, etc. I thought I'd give this recipe a try from Food and Wine. They accompany arugula with pear, pumpkin seeds, and goat cheese. However, since I didn't have pumpkin seeds I used pistachios instead. I also used Giada's lemon dressing from this recipe. This is a seriously delicious recipe. Give it a try and I think you will love it. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp honey

1/2 tsp chopped thyme

Salt and freshly ground pepper

5 oz baby arugula

3 Asian pears (or d'Anjou) - peeled cored and very thinly sliced

1/2 c salted roasted pumpkin seeds

3 oz fresh goat cheese, crumbled

Sea salt, for sprinkling

In a small bowl; whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, thyme, salt, and pepper. Take out a large bowl, and add the arugula with the pear slices and pumpkin seeds. Add the dressing and toss well. Then, add the crumbled goat cheese and sprinkle some sea salt if desired. 

Mashed Potato Casserole with Smoked Gouda and Bacon

One of our very first Iron Chef's was Iron Chef Bacon. Can you believe we've been doing these Iron Chefs for almost 4 years??!! Yowa!! I remember loooving this mashed potato casserole courtesy of Bon Appetit. I, of course, thought it was the winner, but my presentation was pretty lame. Oh well. I've made this recipe several times since, and most recently at a Friends-giving party. I bet it would have been voted the winner had those friends attended the Iron Chef party. ;) This recipe is filled with lots of goodness: butter, potatoes, cheese, and bacon! Mmmm. Trust me; you'll love it and your friends will thank you for it! Enjoy!  

Ingredients:
6 slices thick-cut smoked bacon (preferably applewood-smoked)
3 large green onions (white and pale green parts only), finely chopped
3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 cup sour cream
1/3 cup whole milk
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
2 cups (about 8 ounces) coarsely grated smoked Gouda, divided

Take out a 13x9 baking dish and butter it. I omitted buttering the dish. I figured it wasn't needed since mashed potatoes aren't exactly sticky. Place the peeled and diced potatoes in a large pot with enough water to cover the potatoes. Throw in some salt and boil with the lid slightly ajar for about 30 minutes or until the potatoes come out fork tender.

Meanwhile;  cook bacon in a large heavy skillet until nice and crispy. I used the entire package of bacon. I mean really; 6 pieces?!  Anyway, once the bacon is sufficiently crispy; transfer to a paper towel to drain. Then take out a small bowl; and add in the chopped green onions along with the crumbled bacon. Stir and set aside.

Once the potatoes are fork tender; drain into a colander. Then place potatoes back in the same large pot, and while cooking over medium heat; stir until potatoes are dry and light film forms in the bottom of the pot. Next, add in the sour cream, milk, and butter. Use a potato masher to mash up the potatoes until almost smooth. Honestly, I used an immersion blender at this point because my masher wasn't doing a good job at smoothing the potatoes. They were quite chunky. Then, stir in 1 1/2 cups of the smoked Gouda and 1 cup of the bacon mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Next, spread the potato mixture into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining Gouda.

Pre-heat oven to 375 and then bake the potatoes for about 30 minutes or until the cheese melts and the edges of the potatoes start boiling. Sprinkle reserved bacon mixture on top and serve.

Iron Chef Grape: The Signature Salad

I hosted our 17th Iron Chef Competition. I decided that our "secret" ingredient would be grape. There was some contention concerning this ingredient. I think because there aren't a heckuva lot of recipes out there for grape. You really have to go digging to conjure up some recipes. Overall, I think it was a pretty darn successful competition. I wanted to make something delicious, but I didn't really want to win since I was the hostess. I decided to make a side dish, and tried a couple different recipes. Ultimately, I settled on this salad because I thought it was delicious and represented the grape well. Plus, it's a pretty dish which doesn't hurt. I've since made this salad and it's really scrumptious. Enjoy.
 


Ingredients:
8 ounces mixed greens
2 cups red grapes, sliced in half
2 pears, peeled, cored, and diced
2/3 cup dried cranberries (Craisins)
½ cup shelled pistachios
2 ounces gorgonzola cheese (I used Manchego cheese)

Sherry Shallot Vinaigrette
1 medium shallot, minced (about 4 teaspoons)
1 clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup sherry vinegar (if you can't find sherry vinegar, substitute red wine vinegar)
½ cup olive oil

The recipe doesn't call for this, but I roasted my grapes. Set your oven to 350 degrees. Take out a baking sheet and add some foil on top. Place the sliced grapes on the baking sheet, and place in the oven. Bake for about 5 to 10 minutes until the grapes start to soften. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Now, let's make the dressing. Take out a small bowl, and combine the minced shallots, garlic, salt, pepper, and vinegar. Then, whisk in the olive oil until well combined. Now, onto the salad. Take out a large bowl and combine the lettuce, diced pears, cranberries, pistachios, cheese, and roasted grapes. Using salad tongs give a quick toss of the ingredients. Pour in the dressing and serve immediately. Enjoy.

Iron Chef Grape: Sweet Potato Crostini with Goat Cheese and Grape Salsa

This little appetizer was the winner of Iron Chef Grape. Kim found this recipe on MyRecipes and decided to try it because it had really good reviews and there aren't a lot of ingredients to make it. It was the clear winner at Iron Chef. This little nugget of an appetizer has a lot of flavor and depth to it. The goat cheese gives it a nice tang while the grape adds a hint of sweetness. And, the sweet potato helps give it a nice crunch. It is a wonderful appetizer albeit a bit messy, so be sure you have some napkins handy if you serve. But, I guarantee it will be a huge hit at your next party. I mean it won Iron Chef, so you can't go wrong with it!



Ingredients: 20 large frozen waffle-cut sweet potato fries
2 tablespoons red pepper jelly
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 cup quartered seedless red grapes
1/4 cup finely diced yellow bell pepper
2 tablespoons finely diced green onions
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 (4-oz.) package crumbled goat cheese

First set your oven to 425 degrees. Bake your sweet potatoes according to the manufacturer's instructions. Mine needed to bake for about 25 minutes. I turned my sweet potatoes half way thru to ensure even cooking. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Next, take out a small bowl and add the red pepper jelly and lime juice. Stir in the grapes. Then, add the next 3 ingredients. I used chives as I couldn't find green onions at the grocery store (go figure). Take a sweet potato and add a teaspoon full of the grape salsa on top. Then, sprinkle the goat cheese on top of the salsa. Enjoy!

Baked Brie

Baked Brie is one of those appetizers that are sure to be a hit at your next party. One of my friend's made this recipe at a Volleyball party and it was gobbled up by everyone. I asked her for the recipe, and I've made it several times since. It's a really simple recipe, but tastes like you put a ton of effort into making it. If you like brie, apples, cranberries, brown sugar, and pastry dough then you will love this recipe. Give it a try and you will be a big hit at the next party. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1/2 of a red apple, diced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 brie wedge (okay to keep the rind on)
1 Pillsbury Crescent dough sheet

Simply roll out the crescent dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the brie on the crescent sheet. Then, sprinkle the brown sugar, diced apples, and cranberries on top of the brie. Gently fold up the dough and twist to seal. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 to 30 minutes or until the dough is a pretty golden brown color.

Alison's Quiche

So, for the past couple years I've been going to a co-worker's Ornament Exchange party. And, every year that I've been she's made this Quiche recipe as part of her brunch menu. The first year I tried it I was pretty leery since I'm not an egg person. But, I have to admit that I really liked it. So, if you are not a big egg person I bet you will love this recipe. It doesn't taste real eggy (is that a word?) but it has that fluffiness you can expect from a cooked egg. Plus, you use a pie crust, which, if I'm being honest is my favorite part. And, you also throw in your favorite veggies and/or protein such as ham. I think that if you are a big egg person then you should really love this recipe. Give it a try and I'm sure you won't regret it. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup veggies of your choice, diced (Mushrooms, Green Pepper, Onions, Asaparagus)
1/2 cup cooked diced ham
3 eggs
1 cup Half and Half
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups shredded swiss cheese
2 tbsp flour
1 pre-baked pie shell

Cook your vegetables in 2 tablespoons of butter until nice and soft. I used green peppers and onions. Set aside. Since I used diced pre-cooked ham I didn't bother sauteing them.
Next, take a medium bowl and mix the eggs, half and half, salt, and pepper. Then, mix the flour with the cheese in a medium bowl. Now, take out your packaged pie crust; pour in the veggies and diced ham. Add in the cheese and then carefully pour the egg mixture over the cheese. Place the quiche on a baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Then, drop your oven temperature to 325 and bake for an additional 30 to 35 minutes. The quiche is ready when a knife inserted doesn't come out runny. Let stand for a few minutes before serving.

Barefoot Contessa's Ham and Cheese in Puff Pastry

I made this recipe for a friend's 40th birthday party a year ago, and I remember it being such a hit that I decided to make it again for a White Elephant Christmas party. I think Ina Garten hit the nail on the head with this appetizer. I love me a ham and cheese sandwich, but adding puff pastry to the mix just takes this rather plain sandwich to another level. Also, substituting gruyere cheese in place of swiss cheese makes it even fancier. And, using Dijon mustard instead of plain ol' yellow mustard takes it to gourmet status. Plus, it's super simple to make and tastes yummy! Really. Give this fancy version of the plain ol' ham and cheese a try and you will want to make it for your next party! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted (recommended: Pepperidge Farm)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 pound black forest ham, sliced
1/2 pound Swiss Gruyere cheese, sliced
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

First, roll out your puff pastry so that it's around 10 by 12 inches. If you have trouble rolling it like I did then just skip this part. The sandwich will still taste the same. Next, spread the dijon mustard on the puff pastry, but leave space around the edges. Then, add the ham and then the cheese. Brush the border with the egg wash. Be sure to roll out the second puff pastry to 10 by 12 inches or just leave it as is, but either way you need to place this on top of the filled pastry. Pinch the edges together to help seal the two puff pastries together. Gently, brush with the egg wash and slice small slits so that steam can escape while baking. Place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet, and then gently move the puff pastry to the baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until the pastry is a lovely golden color. Serve hot or warm.

World's Best Lasagna

Growing up I wasn’t the biggest fan of lasagna. I thought it was just okay, but it wasn’t something I craved. I think the ricotta cheese was something I didn’t enjoy. For me; it was a bit too tangy. Maybe if it had more cheese in it than ricotta I would have enjoyed it more. Fast-forward 20 years later; and I have become a big fan of lasagna. I think the reason for this is now I can look for my own recipes and try them myself. Plus, I can add a ton of cheese if I so desire. Well, a while back I came across this recipe.

It had great reviews, and though the recipe seemed a bit daunting with all the ingredients;I was eager to give it a whirl. I’m really glad I did. It’s probably the best lasagna I’ve ever had. You make your own meat sauce, it has a ton of cheese (and, yes, even ricotta), and it makes a ton of it. I made this the other night; and my Dad raved that it’s one of the best things he’s ever had even in restaurants. So, go make it and you will not regret it one bit. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 lb. sweet Italian Sausage (or just regular Italian sausage)

3/4 lb. lean ground beef

½ cup minced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes

2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste

2 (6 oz) cans tomato sauce

½ cup water

2 tbsp white sugar

1 ½ tsp dried basil leaves

½ tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tbsp salt

¼ tsp ground black pepper

4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

12 lasagna noodles

16 oz ricotta cheese

1 egg

½ tsp salt

¾ lb. mozzarella cheese

¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese

First, get out your Dutch oven or large pot; and sauté the ground beef, sausage, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Next, stir in the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and water. Then, season with the sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and 2 tbsp of the parsley. Simmer, covered, for about an hour and a half. Stir occasionally.

About an hour and fifteen minutes into the sauce simmering; take out a large pot and pour water and a little salt to cook the noodles in. Bring to a boil and cook the lasagna noodles for about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl; combine the ricotta cheese, egg, ½ tsp salt, and remaining parsley. Stir well.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Get out a 9x13 baking dish and pour 1 ½ cups of the meat sauce into the bottom of the dish. Spread the meat sauce. Next, arrange 6 of the noodles lengthwise across the meat sauce and spread half the ricotta mixture over the noodles, evenly. Top with a third of the mozzarella slices and then spoon 1 ½ cups of the meat sauce over the mozzarella and sprinkle ¼ cup of the Parmesan cheese. Repeat the layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Take some foil out to cover the baking dish; but first spray the foil with cooking spray so the cheese does not stick. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Then, remove the foil and bake for an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Pasta w/ Zucchini, Basil, and Goat Cheese

So, our next Iron Chef is tomorrow and the secret ingredient is Basil. I really love basil so I was excited to try out some recipes. I figured this recipe from Supernature  might be a hit because for one it has goat cheese and two, well, it has basil. I really enjoyed this pasta dish. I don't think it's an iron chef winner, but it is still a really great recipe for a weeknight dinner. It was very easy to make and different than your typical pasta dish. I hope you like it. I know I did! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
½ tsp dried chilli flakes, approximately
1 tsp sea salt
1 medium brown onion, peeled and finely diced
2 tbsp lemon juice                                                
2 large garlic cloves, finely diced
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 oz goat’s milk cheese, diced if soft, or grated if firm
.75 pound of dried pasta (any kind)
2 c green zucchini, ends trimmed
Freshly ground pepper
Freshly grated parmesan to serve
Handful fresh basil leaves, torn

Grate zucchini on a grater with the large holes side. Then, take a heavy pan and pour in the olive oil and cook the onion, garlic, half the basil leaves, red chili peppers, salt, and pepper.  Now, cook for about 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat. At this point, get your pot of water boiling and add in the pasta. Add in the zucchini and cook for about 5 to 8 minutes. Supernature's tip about not cooking the zucchini for too long was certainly accurate, because the green definitely disappeared from the zucchini. I added the lemon juice next (as is recommended) but I wish I hadn't. Next time I make this I will not add the lemon juice. If necessary, add in additional salt and pepper. Drain the pasta once it's al dente. Add the pasta to the zucchini mixture and toss. Spoon the pasta mixture into bowls and top with goat cheese and more basil if desired. Enjoy!

Iron Chef Cheese Recap

We’ve been wanting to use cheese as a secret ingredient for awhile now, but for some reason we only just got around to it. But I’m sure glad we did. It was an excellent night of food. Maybe not the healthiest, but since we only have Iron Chef once every two or three months, it’s probably ok. Well, and there was the Just Dance competition that we had after eating that probably burned a few calories.

We started the night out with the dreaded cheese drink. We had been willing to eliminate this category for this ingredient because… well… “cheese drink.” Who wants to try that? Well, Cara took this as a challenge, and I’d say she was surprisingly successful in making a tasty drink with cheese. Her Strawberry Cheesecake smoothie used cream cheese. It was well balanced because even though you could taste the cheese, it didn’t dominate the flavor. This was way better than the dirty cheese martinis we were afraid of. (Sorry about the blurry pic, I had some light issues on this one).

The appetizers were the place to be, since both of our winners of the evening had this course. Chelyen made Caesar Chicken Salad in Parmesan Cups and walked away with her first Iron Chef win! It was a good thing she made seconds. The Parmesan cups were a really creative way to serve the chicken salad and were deliciously crispy even on their own. I think Chelyen was hoping to take some leftovers home, but no dice!

 Our second appetizer was a cheese ball—but not just any cheese ball. Emily made a Parmesan Crusted Goat Cheese Ball with Basil Oil. She served with little toasted pieces of bread and it was a big hit, earning Emily the second place prize. It was the best presentation of the evening (imo) with the white cheese and bright green basil oil. And it tasted great to boot!

We did the sides and mains all together, so I’ll just go through them in no particular order. Morgan’s side was a spicy, Cheesy Cornbread Muffin. I love me some cornbread (we’re in the South, come on) and this was a good rendition. I think it was cheddar and jalapeño, which is a combo I could never be mad at.

 I made the other side, which fell a little short of my expectation. I had a roasted caprese salad once at a restaurant in Chicago and really enjoyed it. This was my attempt, but I think the tomatoes needed to roast a little longer, and it might have tasted better served warm.

Kim made a really flavorful cheese soufflé. I have never made one, but I hear that they are pretty difficult to pull off, so the degree of difficulty was high here. Plus I’m a sucker for the “breakfast for dinner” thing so she got me there. Didn’t really photograph well on those red plates, but it really did taste great!

Jen made “Company Chicken,” a name I really love. Ok, so it is not the most beautiful looking food—but it was really good and homey. Had that “stick-to-your-ribs” feel to it. Definitely the kind of dish you would make to impress guests. 

 Most of us steered away from the cheeses with really strong flavors since they can be polarizing, but Shu went right at it, using a Stilton blue cheese. She paired it on a sandwich with roast beef and red onions. I really appreciated that the flavor of the cheese was truly the star of the dish, and it was a great pairing of flavors as well.

Finally, we had two desserts. First was Doan’s Cream Cheese Brownies, and really, you can’t go wrong with that recipe. They were fudgy and decadent—everything you want in a brownie. And I know that we ate almost the entire pan of them by the end of the night, so you know they were good.

 Laura, our hostess for the evening, had the most creative dish of the night: Goat Cheese Ice Cream with a Raspberry Sauce. It’s not something you would expect, and we were all a little nervous about trying it. But actually, I think the recipe has some potential. The goat cheese gives ice cream a nice tang that adds another dimension. But in this case I think the ratio of goat cheese was a little too much, since that was a dominating flavor. But the point of Iron Chef is to take risks and get creative, and Laura certainly did that.

It was a great night of food, and wonderful to try recipes with such a well-loved secret ingredient. I was really happy with the variety and creativity that everyone showed, and it was good to get together again. The next Iron Chef hasn’t been planned yet, but be on the lookout! And if you have any cool ideas for ingredients, we’d love to hear them.

Iron Chef Cheese: Parmesan Crusted Goat Cheese w/ Basil Oil

One of my favorite food blogs that I love to peruse is Annie's Eats. I've tried several of her recipes and so far I've loved them all. Last year, she posted a recipe for this goat cheese and basil oil, and I thought it looked so pretty in the picture that I bookmarked it to use in an eventual iron chef. Well, the perfect opportunity arose when we had Iron Chef Cheese. I knew I wanted to make this recipe, but I did try this one as well. It was also tasty. However, I decided to go with the goat cheese with basil oil, because I knew it would be a pretty presentation. This is definitely a tasty recipe, and very easy to make. I was right in making this for Iron Chef Cheese; I took home 2nd place for this one! Give this recipe a try at your next party. Your friends won't be disappointed. Trust me! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
For the goat cheese:
½ oz. Parmesan cheese
¼ cup panko
Freshly ground pepper
4 oz. semi-firm plain goat cheese
1 clove garlic
¼ tsp. coarse salt, plus more to taste

For the basil oil:
¼ cup fresh basil leaves
1 clove garlic
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Baguettes for serving

First thing you do is take your goat cheese and smush it in a medium sized bowl. Sprinkle some ground pepper and the salt into the bowl. Mix together. Take your garlic clove and mince it. Sprinkle salt onto the garlic. Then take a knife and start mashing it until the garlic forms a paste-like consistency. Put this in the cheese bowl, and mix together with your hands. Now, take a food processor and throw in your parmesan and panko crumbs. Pulse until the mixture is nice and fine. Pour this onto a medium size plate. Sprinkle some salt and pepper onto the panko mixture. Now, take your goat cheese and form it into a ball. Roll the goat cheese ball into the panko/parmesan mixture until it is completely covered. Cover with plastic wrap and stick it in the fridge for a bit.

Next, take a small sauce pan and fill with water. Bring to a boil. Place a bowl filled with ice water next to the sauce pan. Place your basil in the boiling water for about 30 seconds. Immediately remove from the boiling water and dunk it into the ice water. This helps the basil retain it's green color. Dry the basil with a paper towel. Take your food processor (hopefully, you cleaned it from the previous step) and place the garlic and basil in it. Pulse until the basil and garlic is finely minced. Scrape down the sides of the food processor. Start the food processor back up again and this time pour the olive oil down the feed tube in a steady stream. Process until completely combined. It should form a green hue. Stop the food processor and strain the mixture thru a fine mesh sieve into a small bowl. Discard the minced basil. Next, remove your goat cheese from the fridge, and discard the plastic wrap. Place the goat cheese in the center of the bowl that has the basil oil and serve with toasted baguettes slices. Enjoy!!


(Click here for printable recipe)