Tag Archive for: blue cheese

Strawberries and Blue Cheese with a Balsamic Vinaigrette

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I am generally not a fan of baby showers, but I went to one for a friend last week that was truly delightful.  It was a sit-down dinner at an absolutely beautiful home, and all of the women were so smart and fun to be around that I had a wonderful time.  The best part about the baby shower was that the niece of the hostess is a remarkable chef at the restaurant EVO (www.evopizza.com) in Park Circle in North Charleston.  EVO is a great restaurant- amazing pizza!!  Blake McCormick created the menu for the baby shower, and she did such a marvelous job, so of course, I emailed her to ask for some recipes to share with you all.  The thing I was most impressed with was a passed appetizer she had created using strawberries, blue cheese, and a balsamic vinaigrette sauce on top.  It was so simple, yet so unusual and fantastic.  I am going to actually just post what she responded in her email to me about how to make them.

“I used locally grown Ambrose farm strawberries, washed and trimmed of tops and cut in half long ways (this provides a steady strawberry). I used a firm goat cheese (drunken goat, it’s available at the Harris Teeter, it has a purple rind). Using a vegetable peeler, create small, shaved slices of the cheese.  For the topping, reduce down 1 cup of balsamic vinegar (preferably aged and of good quality) slowly, stirring periodically.  Reduce it down to a syrupy consistency, keeping in mind that as it cools it will thicken even more, so be aware of not taking it too far.  Let cool completely before topping.  Lay strawberries down on the platter top with cheese and drizzle a small amount of balsamic reduction and serve.”

I can’t wait to have a party to try this.  Thank you so much, Blake!  If you haven’t been to EVO, you need to check it out if not for the pizza then for this amazing chef!!  I am now off to Utah to ski at Alta until Sunday, and I couldn’t be more excited!  Will post about it when I get back, hopefully in one piece!

The Gateway to Bourbon Country:
Blue Cheese and Toasted Walnut Crostinis with Kentucky Sweet Sorghum

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I was searching for new fun recipes when I came across this website www.bourbonbarrelfoods.com, and what isn’t fun about bourbon?  Here is a little bit about the company from their website:

Bourbon Barrel Foods is a maker of gourmet food products that reflect the rich heritage of Kentucky’s Bourbon Country, “The Napa Valley of the Bluegrass.”  Our philosophy is to make quality gourmet sauces and seasonings by adhering to a three-word philosophy: slow, small, simple.  From the farmer in southern Kentucky who grows the soybeans for our naturally fermented, small-batch soy sauce, to the grower in Eastern Kentucky who harvests the sorghum we use as a sweetener, we have a hands-on approach that requires us to search for the best the state has to offer and develop relationships with the farmers who get great satisfaction seeing their crops grow from the seed to the shelf.

Bourbon Barrel Foods is located in Louisville, Kentucky.  The Gateway to Bourbon Country.

Fantastic!!  What’s even better is that they have recipes on their site that look amazing.  I am going home this afternoon to make this one!!

Blue Cheese and Toasted Walnut Crostinis
with Kentucky Sweet Sorghum

Ingredients
6 to 8 oz crumbled blue cheese
2 oz walnut pieces
Bourbon Barrel Foods brand Kentucky Sweet Sorghum
1 baguette sliced into rounds

Directions

Preheat oven to 375
Mix cheese and nuts and
portion onto bread rounds
Drizzle sorghum on top and toast until melted and slightly browned
Garnish with fresh herbs or fruit
Can be served warm or at room temp
Should keep 2 days in sealed container

I am in love with this ad!

 

 

Heading to visit the Pioneer Woman!

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I am about to head off for a long weekend in Oklahoma and Arkansas- two states I have never been to.  We are headed to Oklahoma this afternoon to spend two nights with the Pioneer Woman (www.thepioneerwoman.com)  and her husband.  Corby and the Pioneer Woman’s husband have been friends since they were 4, which is the reason for the visit.  If you haven’t read her blog, book, cookbook or seen her TV show- you should.  She is amazing.  Not only is she an amazing cook- can’t wait to eat there!!- she is also an amazing photographer, and she homeschools her four children.  I can’t even help my sweet Walker with his homework without losing my mind.  I try to emulate her photography occasionally.  Here is how it turns out.

Clearly, you can tell which one is my picture vs. her amazing picture.  Corby on the ranch with the rainbow- beautiful.  Corby on the creek with bad lighting- mine.  Oh well.

So apparently, tomorrow on the ranch, they are shipping cattle. Apparently, we are helping.  At least there will be good food at the end of it all.  Here is one of her recipes for Mystery Rolls that is so easy and good and of course has cheese.

Mystery Rolls

6 oz crumbled blue cheese

1 stick of salted butter

1 roll of Pilsbury Biscuits

Preheat oven to 350.  Place the stick of butter and the crumbled blue cheese on a baking sheet.

Take out the biscuits and cut them into quarters.  Place the baking sheet with the butter and cheese in the oven until it has all melted.  When all the butter and cheese has melted, take the baking sheet out of the oven and dump the biscuit pieces onto the baking sheet.

Stir around the biscuit pieces until they are fully coated with the butter and cheese, and then arrange in rows on the sheet.

Place back in the oven for 8 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.  They are sooo good!