Tag: Goat Cheese

Prosciutto Asparagus and Quail Egg Tarts

Note: I was sent some quail eggs from Spring Creek Quail Farms in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.

I love a recipe that looks fancy, but really takes minimal effort, like this recipe for Prosciutto Asparagus and Quail Egg Tarts, adapted slightly from a Spring Creek Quail Farms recipe, created by Chef Andrea Monzon. When Spring Creek Quail Farms contacted me with a bunch of quail egg recipes, I jumped at the opportunity!

Spring Creek Quail Farms, a small, family-owned, zero-waste farm in Saint Anns, Ontario, offers a small but powerful, nutritious alternative in the Egg aisle: quail eggs. Quail eggs have long captivated food enthusiasts with their exquisite taste, enticed health-conscious consumers with their remarkable nutritional benefits and have been viewed as a delicacy by many communities. Spring Creek Quail Farms eggs can be found in multiple stores across the US and Canada.

Quail eggs are an easy and effective way to elevate really any recipe where you’d use eggs. The quail eggs, buttery puff pastry, tangy goat cheese, salty prosciutto, and fresh asparagus result in an absolutely delicious dish that can be served either as an appetizer or as a smaller main course.

Ingredients:

  • 1 sheet puff pastry
  • 1 (4 oz log) goat cheese
  • ~40 pencil asparagus spears
  • 4 slices prosciutto, torn into pieces
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 8 quail eggs
  • chives, chopped, to taste

Continue reading Prosciutto Asparagus and Quail Egg Tarts

Vegan Cranberry Goat Cheese Pistachio Truffles

Note: I was sent samples of Spero Sunflower Cheese Products in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.

It’s the time of year where having a few party appetizer recipes on hand can be very helpful, especially ones that you can create quickly and travels well, if needed.

I prefer to have some recipes that can fit different dietary needs, including an appetizer or two for dairy-free or vegan friends and family.

This recipe for Vegan Cranberry Goat Cheese Pistachio Truffles is made with Spero Alternative Goat Cheese. Spero, a plant-based company that offers sustainable and affordable cheese and egg alternatives, such as Spero’s Sunflower Cheese products. Spero has a bunch of yummy flavors of their cheese spreads, including The Goat, which is a smooth and tangy taste very similar to goat cheese.

Plus, this recipe is super simple and has just four ingredients!

Ingredients (makes 12 servings):

  • 1/2 cup roasted sea salt pistachios
  • about 2 tablespoons dried cranberries
  • 1 (6.5 oz) container Spero The Goat
  • 1 baguette, sliced

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Beet Kale and Goat Cheese Salad

Remember my insane beet purchase? I have finally cooked through ALL of the beets I bought! My last beet-filled meal was this Beet Kale and Goat Cheese Salad with Candied Walnuts, and boy, did I end my beet week on a high note. I had made a larger version (this recipe multiplied by 3) for my godson’s baptism and got rave reviews so I wanted to share it here as well, and luckily it finished off my remaining beet supply!

Roasting the beets takes a bit of time, but past that, this comes together really quickly. You can certainly buy pre-cooked beets to make this a quick recipe, I won’t tell.

 

Ingredients:

Salad (serves 4):

  • 4 medium-sized beets, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup walnut halves and pieces
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • salt, to taste
  • 4 cups baby kale
  • 1/2 cup microgreens
  • 4 oz goat cheese, crumbled (omit to make dairy-free/vegan)

Dressing:

  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 garlic clove, pressed (paid link) or grated
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup olive oil

Continue reading Beet Kale and Goat Cheese Salad

Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers

I was sent quite a few jalapenos as part of my Door-to-Door Organics box, more than I could really use in a normal time frame. So as part of #MyFarm2Table dinner, I decided to make Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers as one of the side dishes to use up the jalapenos.

 

I’m not the biggest fan of super spicy dishes, so after cutting and seeding the jalapenos, I placed them in a bowl of water for at least an hour to try to take some of the heat out of them. There was still some in the peppers, but it did help! (Note: there were still a couple of peppers that packed a punch, so be aware that every pepper is different in terms of heat).

 

For this recipe, I used local jalapeno peppers, and Apple Tree Goat Cheese, both from my Door-to-Door Organics box.

 

Ingredients:

  • 8 jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
  • 4 ounces goat cheese
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

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Peach-Glazed Chicken with Peach-Studded Bulgur

My boyfriend loves peaches so I am always keeping an eye out for any recipe that incorporates peaches into it. This recipe from Cooking Light not only included peaches two ways, but it also used a wheat product I’ve never used before: bulgur.

Bulgur is a fast cooking whole grain that’s been parboiled, dried, and cracked. One cup of bulgur is only 150 calories and includes 8 grams of fiber and almost 6 grams of protein. Sounds like a good addition to any meal!

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/3 cups water
  • 3/4 cup uncooked bulgur
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, divided
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
  • 2 cups chopped peaches
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
  • 1 ounce goat cheese, crumbled (about 1/4 cup)
  • 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  • 1/2 cup unsalted chicken stock
  • 1/4 cup peach preserves
  • 2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard

Continue reading Peach-Glazed Chicken with Peach-Studded Bulgur

Salmon and Snow Pea Brown Rice Bowls

Brown rice can take a while to cook but it makes for a great base for a yummy meal. If you don’t want to wait for traditional brown rice to cook, you can always use the microwave pouches to get this dinner ready in no time. This recipe is from Cooking Light. Ingredients:

  • 6 oz salmon fillet, skinless
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup snow peas
  • 1 ½ cups cooked brown rice
  • 1 tablespoon crème fraiche
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
  • ½ cup chopped orange sections
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese

Continue reading Salmon and Snow Pea Brown Rice Bowls

Prosciutto Fig and Arugula Flatbread

!This weekend, I attended a conference in Philadelphia. As a “local blogger” I received quite a few food perks due to my proximity to the conference. I was sent home with a case of Gerolsteiner Mineral Water, a whole watermelon (and a heavy one at that!), and a case of fresh California Mission Figs. Poor me, right? 🙂

So. Figs don’t last terribly long which means I might have a few fig posts in a row. But figs are so much more versatile than you expect and can be really quite fantastic in a savory dish, especially in this Prosciutto, Fig, and Arugula Flatbread!

Flatbreads are a great weeknight meal, although you have to let your dough sit out at room temperature for at least an hour. So, more specifically, they are great for nights where you get home in time to leave out the dough, go do some chores/errands, and then want to whip up a quick meal.

Whenever I think of figs, my mind immediately goes to bacon-wrapped figs (I’ve done a post in the past with bacon-wrapped dates which I used as a substitute for figs in case you have any interest), which can be easily translated from an appetizer into a main meal by turning the recipe into a flatbread. When visiting my boyfriend’s brother last summer,  they made us an absolutely delicious grilled flatbread with prosciutto, figs, and goat cheese which was my inspiration for this dish. I added some baby arugula and a balsamic reduction as well to give it a little more bite.

Ingredients (serves 2 as a main dish and 4 as an appetizer):

  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 8 oz dough, at room temperature
  • cornmeal for dusting (or flour)
  • olive oil
  • 6 oz crumbled goat cheese
  • 3-4 mission figs, thinly sliced
  • 1 oz prosciutto, torn into thin strips
  • 1/4 cup lightly packed baby arugula
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • grated Parmesan cheese, to taste

Continue reading Prosciutto Fig and Arugula Flatbread

Goat Cheese Stuffed Lamb Burgers

Oh yes, you read that correctly. A delicious grilled lamb burger, with goat cheese inside. I have been craving Goat Cheese Stuffed Lamb Burgers for a good week now and finally managed to find ground lamb (which was surprisingly difficult for some reason) to make them. I used a recipe off of Finish Your Broccoli‘s blog that she made a while back to make the actual burger. I took some liberty in making it but for the most part it’s basically the same.

 

Ingredients:
  • 1 pound ground lamb
  • 3 tbsp plain yogurt
  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 tbsp minced fresh mint
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • Pinch cayenne
  • 4 oz log goat cheese
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp chopped parsley
  • 1 tbsp chopped basil
  • Tzatziki
  • Sliced cucumber
  • Pita bread or hamburger buns, toasted

Add the ground lamb, plain yogurt, panko, mint, salt, pepper, cumin, and cayenne to a large bowl.

Mix to combine.

Add the goat cheese, olive oil, parsley, and basil to a small bowl.

Mix to combine.

Take the meat mixture and divide it evenly into four patties.

Make a well in each patty and add an equal amount of the cheese mixture into each well.

Form the meat patty around the cheese mixture.

Heat a grill pan (or grill) and cook the burger to your liking. Because they are so thick, you might need to cook them long and slow.

Grill the hamburger buns or pita bread.

Top the burger with tzatziki and sliced cucumber.

And there you have it!

You bite in and get a really delicious, moist burger.

With a flavorful, gooey center.

Mmmm.

This is EXACTLY what I was craving. And it’s really quick! What more could you ask for?

Pancetta Crisps with Goat Cheese and Pear

With the holidays fast approaching, we all need more quick appetizer recipes for when friends and family come to visit. This one for Pancetta Crisps with Goat Cheese and Pear from Southern Living intrigued me: pear, pancetta, honey, and goat cheese. I was interested to see how these flavors would all play out together. Because this can be served cold, you can do most of it ahead of time, pop it into the fridge, and bring it out right before you need it. Note: I only made 6 servings but naturally this can be expanded to fit any number of people.
Ingredients:
  • 6 thin slices pancetta (I just asked the butcher to slice it thin, but not as thin as proscuitto)
  • 1 anjou pear
  • 1/4 (2-oz.) package goat cheese, crumbled
  • Cracked pepper
  • Honey
  • Thyme leaves and sprigs
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Arrange the pancetta slices on a cookie sheet lined with tin foil.
Cook the pancetta in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until crisp.
Transfer the pancetta to a paper towel and allow to sit for 10 minutes.

Use an apple corer to core your pear. This was surprisingly easy (I have no clue why I thought this would be a battle).
Slice the pear into equal sized slices. I got 6 slices, plus the top and bottom of the pear.
Add the pancetta on top of the pear. Top with crumbled goat cheese. Sprinkle with pepper and some chopped thyme. This is where you can stop and pop these in the fridge if you are making them ahead. Right before serving, drizzle with a bit of honey.
It’s quite pretty, isn’t it?
But… how does it taste? I actually really liked this! It’s flavorful, different, and easy to eat with one hand (crucial for a get together where most are walking and mingling).
The pancetta was a wonderfully salty contrast to the sweetness of the pear and honey, the goat cheese added a nice creaminess and the thyme added little pops of flavor that brought the whole appetizer together.
There were some awesome textures in this as well. Overall, a definite keeper!

Hummus Vegetable Pizza

It’s no secret that I love hummus. I’ve made quite a few different versions on this blog. So I was really excited when I was given the chance to sample some hummus through the Foodbuzz Tastemakers program. I was allowed to choose any hummus my little hummus-loving heart desired. But, I’ve actually tried them all before. And I’ve loved them all (some more than others, obviously). I decided instead to incorporate the classic hummus into a meal. A coworker gave me an awesome idea: hummus pizza. Brilliant!
Ingredients:
  • Pizza dough (I used Trader Joes)
  • Classic Hummus
  • 1 zucchini
  • 1 yellow squash
  • 1 package of sliced baby bella mushrooms
  • 1 small onion, chopped (I used red because that’s what I had)
  • Roasted red peppers, chopped
  • Marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
  • 1 goat cheese log
  • Cherry tomatoes, halved
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • cooking spray

Continue reading Hummus Vegetable Pizza

Shrimp Tomato Basil Linguine with Warm Goat Cheese Rounds

I had some left over goat cheese from my Orecchiette with Swiss Chard, Red Peppers and Goat Cheese dish. When I was looking for recipes, I came across this one for Shrimp Tomato Basil Linguine with Warm Goat Cheese Rounds from Cooking Light. I had no clue how seafood and goat cheese would be together, but was willing to find out!
Ingredients:
  • 1 (16 oz) box linguine
  • 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 (4-ounce) package log-shaped goat cheese
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium (~1 cup) onion, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 plum tomatoes (~2 1/2 cups), roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil

Continue reading Shrimp Tomato Basil Linguine with Warm Goat Cheese Rounds

Orecchiette with Swiss Chard, Red Peppers and Goat Cheese

My CSA share came with Swiss chard this week. I wasn’t in the mood to do another leafy green side, so I looked for a recipe that incorporated the Swiss Chard within the main dish. I found this recipe in the Health section of the New York Times and thought it was worth a try.
Ingredients:
1 bunch of Swiss chard, stemmed and washed
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 red bell peppers, finely diced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
2 garlic scapes, thinly sliced
Salt
1 teaspoon chopped fresh marjoram
1 box of orecchiette
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

To begin, boil a pot of water over high heat. While the water is coming to a boil, prepare your Swiss chard. Add ice water to a bowl. When the water boils, add salt and the Swiss chard.
Boil for 2 minutes and remove using a slotted spoon and transfer to the ice water.
Reduce the heat of the leftover boiling water to a simmer. Drain the chard and squeeze the excess water out. Chop the Swiss chard and reserve.
In a saute pan, heat the olive oil and add the finely chopped peppers and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring often.
Bring the pot of water to a boil again. Add the pasta, cooking until al dente as directed on the box. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
In the saute pan, add the garlic scapes and salt, stirring to combine.
When combined, add the chopped Swiss chard and marjoram.
Stir and lower the heat to warm.  Add the 1/2 cup of pasta water and stir in the goat cheese.
Add the orecchiette to the mixture and serve.
This was a nice alternative to the normal pasta with tomato sauce. The orecchiette helped catch some of the Swiss chard, peppers, and goat cheese so definitely use this type of pasta or another kind that can catch the ingredients. This made so much pasta, it will also be my lunch tomorrow. I have a feeling this will be better the next time around!
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