Apricots with vanilla blue cheese

It's been quite a while since I've posted here. Life just gets in the way sometimes PLUS I got hit with an acute case of Diverticulitis a few weeks ago. While I was recovering, my food was limited to a very bland diet which did not include cheese. But I have been dying to get back here.

Yesterday I bought some fresh apricots. I thumbed through my copy of The Great Big Cheese Cookbook and came up with an adapted version of Miniature Blue Cheese Balls with Winter Fruit. Summer is the perfect time to mix up some fresh fruit and cheese. I think these would make a lovely presentation at a summer cocktail party or brunch. The original recipe calls for 30 apricots; I used about 6 which yields 12. Also, I opted for no pecans since I can no longer eat nuts but I think they would add a delicious kick.

Ingredients:

6 fresh apricots
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 tablespoons cream cheese, at room temperature
4-5 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
a handful of toasted and chopped pecans for garnish
Drizzle of honey

Directions

Wash, dry and cut in half the 6 apricots; arrange on a plate.

In a small bowl, mix together vanilla, cream cheese and blue cheese.

Put a small scoop of the vanilla cheese mixture in to the center of each apricot and garnish with pecans.

Drizzle some honey over the apricots.

Ready to serve!

Spring salad with candied walnuts and blueberry vanilla goat cheese

If you need one more reason to run out and buy the Blueberry Vanilla Goat Cheese from Trader Joe's, this is it. Last night I made a spring salad with candied walnuts and blueberry vanilla goat cheese. This was such a delicious and refreshing salad that I'm sure to make again. One of the things I loved the best was the tiny little wild blueberries that imparted themselves in to the salad mix. If you can't find this cheese and/or don't have a Trader Joe's near you, crumbled goat cheese or gorgonzola would do the same minus the delicious vanilla flavor and little blueberries.


Ingredients

1/2 cup walnut halves
1/4 cup sugar
3 cups mixed greens
1/2 cup crumbled blueberry vanilla goat cheese
1 tablespoon raspberry vinaigrette
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions

1. Place walnuts and sugar in a skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves into a light brown liquid and coats the walnuts. Remove walnuts from skillet, and spread them out on a sheet of aluminum foil to cool.
2. Place in a large salad bowl the mixed greens, cheese, vinaigrette, vinegar, and olive oil. Toss gently; add candied walnuts, and toss again.

Blueberry vanilla goat cheese

For the love of Christ, don't walk....sprint like a madman....over to your local Trader Joe's for a log of their blueberry vanilla goat cheese! Studded with tiny wild blueberries soaked in vanilla, this goat cheese is worth every last Hail Mary you'll have to do for the sin of eating the entire log by yourself in one sitting without offering to share it with anyone. When I passed by the cheese section at Trader Joe's the other day, I knew there was no way it wasn't going in my cart. At $4.29 for an 8oz log, you just can't beat it. I decided to pair it with a plate of fresh sliced pears. The creamy vanilla/blueberry/goat cheese goes together so well with the texture and slight sweetness that only a pear can bring. But of course, I'm also going to try it crumbled in to a bed of baby field greens with a light vinaigrette and some candied walnuts. Why are you still reading??? Get yourself over to the store now!