BLUE CHEESE BRUSCHETTA WITH CARAMELIZED PEARS

Following a joyous Church service on Christmas Eve, we had been invited to continue the festivities with friends. Toasts and good cheer, delicious food and jubilant conversations were in wonderful abundance - and Thankfully, they continue throughout the year.

BLUE CHEESE BRUSCHETTA WITH CARAMELIZED PEARS

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
2 pears, peeled, cored and sliced
2 tablespoons butter
toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
honey
bruschetta

Mix the cream cheese and blue cheese together in a small bowl. Set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Place pears into skillet and cook until softened and browned on both sides.
Spread the cheese mixture on each bruschetta, top with a piece of pear, sprinkle with toasted walnuts and drizzle with honey.
Enjoy!

BRUSCHETTA WITH TOMATO, AVOCADO, BASIL AND MINT

A friend of mine saw a movie "girl rising" while she was traveling, and worked very hard to bring it to our town. My heart swelled and I was so proud of her when the numbers in the theater grew so large, they had to move the showing to a much bigger room.
It is a movie that "showcases the human spirit and the power of education to change a girl and the world" (from the Girl Rising website girlrising.com/‎) It was a very thought provoking and emotional film, telling the stories of nine girls from different countries.
I was meeting friends before and going out for a cocktail after, so I made an appetizer for my husband and I to share when he got home from work. We came together briefly to catch up on the day, and enjoy a bite to eat and each others company, before heading in different directions for the evening.

BRUSCHETTA WITH TOMATO, AVOCADO, BASIL AND MINT



1 baguette, cut crosswise into rounds
olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped jalapeño
1 pound assorted tomatoes, coarsely chopped, juices drained
2 large avocados, halved, pitted, peeled, cut into small cubes

Heat oven to 425F.
Arrange bread rounds on large rimmed baking sheet. Brush with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until crisp, about 12 minutes. Cool.
Press garlic into medium bowl. Add onion, basil, mint, lemon juice, and chiles. Mix in tomatoes, then avocados, season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve with the toasts.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Bon Appetit Fast Easy Fresh Cookbook, 2008
www.bonappetit.com/.../the_bon_appetit_fast_easy_fresh_cookbook

SMOKED TROUT HORSERADISH DIP and OATCAKES and EDAMAME BRUSCHETTA and CREAMY LEMON NUT BARS

We just had what I call a wild and wonderful weekend of entertaining - we had friends over 4 days in a row - lots of fun cooking, excellent company and great conversation.
The fabulous ladies from book club helped get the festivities started. We met on Thursday night, and chatted, divulged, expressed, articulated, gabbed, shared, laughed long and laughed hard and even managed to talk about the book for about 3 minutes. It is an incredible group, and I very much look forward to our gatherings every month. My intention was to keep the menu light and fresh, with an eye to spring.

SMOKED TROUT HORSERADISH DIP

11.25 ounces of smoked trout
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream (I used reduced fat mayo and sour cream with good results)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons horseradish, or to taste

Discard skin and any bones from trout. Stir mayonnaise, sour cream, dill and horseradish together. Gently mix in trout and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with bread.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from epicurious
www.epicurious.com › recipes & menus

 OATCAKES

110 grams of rolled oats
3/4 cup wholemeal flour
1/2 cup self-rising flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
110 grams of butter, chopped
1 large egg, beaten

Heat oven to 190 C.
Process oats to a fine but still grainy consistency. Mix with flours, brown sugar and salt. Rub in butter until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Lightly mix in egg and turn on to a surface dusted with flour. Knead briefly and shape into a ball. Roll out to 5mm thick and cut into rounds. Bake on trays 20 minutes. Cool.
Serve with assorted cheeses.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from New Zealand House and Garden
www.nzhouseandgarden.co.nz/entertaining.asp

EDAMAME BRUSCHETTA

Cut a baguette into slices, toast. In a food processor, blend 12 tablespoons of shelled edamame, 8 tablespoons of grated parmesan, 8 basil leaves, 2 tablespoons of water, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 teaspoons of sherry vinegar, until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top each with chopped red bell pepper, and basil leaves.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Self Magazine
www.self.com/fooddiet/recipes

CREAMY LEMON NUT BARS

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour, divided
1/3 cup pecans, chopped
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350F.
Line a 13 by 9 inch baking pan with foil, spray with cooking spray.
Mix butter, powdered sugar and vanilla in a large bowl. Gradually stir in 1 1/2 cups of the flour and pecans. Press dough firmly on bottom of prepared pan. Bake 15 minutes.
Beat cream cheese and sugar in medium bowl with electric mixer on high speed until well blended. Add remaining 1/4 cup flour and eggs, beat until blended.
Stir in lemon juice and peel. Pour over baked crust in pan. Bake 30 minutes or until set. Remove from oven, cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and cut into bars.
Enjoy!