Goat Cheese with Chipotle and Piloncillo Sauce

I was over at my friend Kristy's for a cocktails a few weeks ago...and I met her friend Stacy. Stacy brought over this goat cheese spread with pita that I couldn't get enough of. SO GOOD! You have to try this!

Some of the ingredients are unusual, but I was able to find them in my grocery store. The caramel topping for this cheese spread is such a beautiful compliment! It is addicting! It is sweet and savory all at the same time. The recipe is so easy to make and you could do it the day before.

Chipotle is really easy to find these days. The tricky part is the Piloncillo. Mexican sugar cane. It comes in a brick like this:


You have to melt it down...but it really took no time at all. Your guests will love this dish.

Goat Cheese with Chipotle and Piloncillo Sauce

yield: Makes about 2 cups cheese spread and about 1 1/4 cups sauce, serving 10 to 12

ingredients

For cheese spread
6 ounces soft mild goat cheese, at room temperature
12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 small garlic clove, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon minced canned chiles chipoltes in adobo sauce

For sauce
1 tablespoon minced canned chiles chipoltes in adobo sauce
8 ounces piloncillo (Mexican unrefined sugar)
1 cup heavy cream

Accompaniment:
grilled bread, toasted pita chips, corn chips or crackers


Make cheese spread:
In a bowl with an electric mixer beat together cheeses, garlic paste, and minced chipolte chiles. Transfer mixture to a small serving bowl and chill, covered, at least 4 hours or overnight.

Make sauce:
In a small saucepan combine minced chiles chipoltes, piloncillo, and cream and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally and breaking up sugar, until piloncillo is melted and sauce is smooth, about 20 minutes. Transfer sauce to a small serving bowl and chill, covered, for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.

Spread cheese on grilled bread, corn chips or crackers and lightly drizzle with sauce.

More Loveliness from Amy Atlas

I swear everytime I see a table display by Amy Atlas, I wanna cry. They are just STUNNING. Look at this loveliness:



What did I tell ya...here are some close ups:





Everytime she posts more images, it is like Christmas for me. Enjoy!!

Baked Brie

Ok, I know baked brie has been around forever. It is so yummy warmed right out of the oven. Well, I had this at a recent Pampered Chef party, and I have been dreaming about it ever since, so I had to make it. Check this out:



There are tons of PC recipes that are keepers, because they are so simple! This one is right up there. The real beauty is you toast the bread and serve it all on the pizza stone...Love that!

Take a wheel of brie, slice it right down the center and set it in the middle of the stone, cut side up. I then spread some apricot/pineapple preserves, and sprinkled some pecans on top. Then take the 2nd half of the wheel, again, cut side up, and put it on top of the first half. Add more preserves and pecans.

Then slice a loaf of french bread and set it all around the brie. Put the whole thing into a 425 degree oven for 8-10 min. Let stand for 5 min before serving.

This is A-MAZ-ING! Simply serve it right on the stone with a large knife for cutting. Your guests will just cut it wedges and eat it on the bread. The rind is even good...I know some people who don't like to eat the rind...warming it like this, the whole thing is so good. You have to try it! This is a simple recipe with big impact.

Eats for Pikelween

So, I am trying to plan the menu for my Halloween Party and I think I have narrowed it down:


Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies
Chicken Wing Dip
Savory Goat Cheesecake with toast, crackers and honeycomb (I will post this recipe after I make it)
Pulled Pork Sandwiches (The Live.Love.Eat. recipe)
Sesame Chicken with steamed vegetables over scary Black Pasta
Taco Cups, using the Rachel Ray recipe, but I am making them like tiny taco salads with beans, ground turkey and all of the fixins.

Sweet Treats will include:
Cup Cake Pops (Bakerella Recipe)
Ghost Petit Fours (pictured above)
Chocolate Fountain with the following dipping items:
Bananas
Strawberries
Pineapple
Graham Cracker crusted marshmallows
Rice Crispy Treats

There might be a few other things thrown in there, but this is what I have honed it down to...I have already baked and cut out the cakes for the petit fours, I have formed the cake balls for my cupcake pops, and cooked the ground turkey for my taco cups.

I just plan to keep the momentum going all week but making what I can ahead of time. I have almost everything else done, my house is decorated almost 90%...I just want to have FUN at my own party this time...is that such a crime! I want to sleep in on Saturday with the peace of mind knowing I am really prepared this time!

Taking tips from Caterers

I love looking at photos of beautifully displayed food. It is a great way to get ideas for your next party. I stumbed upon a website forKimberly's Catering and there were some great pics I had to share. Here are some great examples of displaying food beautifully!

I am SO making that Gorgonzola Cheesecake for my Halloween Party. Though, I might switch the Gorgonzola for Goat Cheese. I will share the recipe soon!

Hot Olives

My friend Kim has told me about Hot Olives before, and I just found this recipe on Rachael Ray...I have to try it. It is super easy! Great for a wine night. I will be having a wine tasting get together with my awesome neighbors soon...it is such a winter thing to do, and so fun...we always drink WAY too much wine! :) I will post pics of that when we have it too!



Hot Olives
Rachael Ray

From Every Day with Rachael Ray
October 2006

MAKES TWO CUPS

2 cups mixed olives
1 fresh or dried bay leaf
1 sprig rosemary
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 long strip orange zest
Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling

Preheat the oven to 350º. Layer 2 sheets of foil, each 18 inches long. Place the olives in the center of the foil and toss with the bay leaf, rosemary, thyme, fennel seeds and red pepper flakes. Add the orange zest and drizzle with EVOO. Pinch the foil together and seal to form a pouch. Warm the olives in the oven for 15 minutes.

Chicken Cigars

Frankie's Chicken Cigars
Rachael Ray

From Every Day with Rachael Ray
March 2007

FOUR SERVINGS



1/2 teaspoon ground cloves or ground ginger
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons grill seasoning, such as McCormick Grill Mates Montreal steak seasoning
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken breast
1 shallot, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (eyeball it)
Flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (a generous handful)
8 sheets phyllo dough
6 tablespoons melted butter

1. Preheat the oven to 425°. In the bottom of a large bowl, combine the cloves, cumin, chili powder, poultry seasoning, paprika and grill seasoning. Add the chicken, shallot, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and parsley, and stir to combine.
2. On a nonstick baking sheet, brush a sheet of phyllo with half of the melted butter and top with a second phyllo sheet. Form one-quarter of the chicken mixture into a log the length of the pastry. Roll the log tightly in the phyllo. Repeat with remaining chicken mixture and phyllo. Cut each log into 3 "cigars," for a total of 12, and brush with the rest of the butter.
3. Bake the cigars until evenly golden and firm, 15 to 20 minutes.

Pita Chips

Mediterranean Pitas
David Tamarkin

From Every Day with Rachael Ray
September 2007



EIGHT SERVINGS
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 5 min

16 mini pita pockets, about 2 1/2 inches in diameter
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound each hummus, tapenade, pesto, sun-dried tomato spread, black bean dip and spreadable goat cheese
Olives, for garnish
Paprika (optional)

1. Preheat the broiler. Split each pita pocket in half, forming 32 disks total. Place the disks, cut side up, on a baking sheet and brush with the olive oil. Place under the broiler and cook until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes. Let cool.

2. Top the pitas with the various spreads. Place an olive in the center of some of the pitas. Sprinkle lightly with paprika, if desired.

Barbecue Beef Cups

Ok, here is another great one from Rachael Ray...this is super simple and will be great at my next party! I will make mine with ground turkey breast...I never use ground beef. I might even try some mushrooms, bell peppers and some pasta sauce instead of the barbeque filling!


Barbecue Beef Cups
Byron Kasper

From Every Day with Rachael Ray
November 2007

3/4 pound ground beef
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
One 16.3-ounce can refrigerated biscuits
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese


Preheat the oven to 400º. In a skillet, brown the beef over medium heat; drain off excess fat. Remove from the heat and stir in the barbecue sauce and brown sugar. Grease a 6-cup jumbo muffin pan and place a piece of biscuit dough in each cup, stretching the dough up the sides. Divide the beef mixture among the biscuit cups, sprinkle each with cheese and bake until golden, 10 to 12 minutes.

Goat Cheese Appetizer

Don't these look good! Just found this very simple recipe on the Rachel Ray website...and I looks like a keeper to me! Looks great on the plate too!



Goat Cheese Rounds
Tracey Seaman

From Every Day with Rachael Ray
August 2008


Cut one 11-ounce goat cheese log into 6 equal rounds. Lay flat on a serving plate and drizzle with 1/3 cup of extra-virgin olive oil. Sprinkle 2 rounds with 1 teaspoon of herbs de Provence and 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper, another 2 rounds with 1/3 cup of toasted chopped pecans, and the remaining 2 rounds with 1/4 cup of chopped sun-dried tomatoes; season with salt and pepper. Serve with toasted baguette slices.

Chic Jello Shots

Can you believe that these are jello shots? How beautiful are these...I am scouring the web for great ideas for Halloween...I am thinking I can make these with a purple color so they are almost black, or an orange...love the presentation here!



As seen on BRIDES.COM.

Halloween Table: Amy Atlas

I so pleasantly discovered Amy Atlas yesterday and she took my breath away. I had a smile from ear to ear and with every click of my mouse thru her "Eye Candy" gallery. Her styling is amazing and simple color choices and attention to detail is impeccable.

Check out this beautiful Halloween Treat table...


I love the centerpiece tree! Notice how she breaks up the food, so that it is balanced on both sides of the table. The table is neat and organized...just beautiful!


Check out the boxes underneath the ghost cakes...probably just a gift box, wrapped, with a little ribbon. These displays don't have to be expensive to look great.


Cute glassine bags with goodies inside hang from the tree with bright wax twine. The lanterns above bring in so much color too.

Casual Cocktails

I have invited my boss and friend Steve over a million times but he is a jet setter and never in town. Well, he finally got some time to stop by my place and see what a life made my me was all about! :)

We originally planned to have dinner at my place on Saturday...but Steve couldn't make it so he asked if we could switch to Friday, after work...[PANIC SETS IN...WHAT DO I MAKE, DO I HAVE ENOUGH TIME???} I quickly decide to chill and accept, of course I can do this...just have to think on my feet. So what do I do with an hour to shop at lunch and 2 hours prep time after work? I planned some little bites, all but one I have never done before, but I think they all turned out ok!

At 8pm, Steve and Gina arrived:



I also invited Lon and Kelly. Kelly had a prior engagement, so here is Lon enjoying a Tequila!


Here are some of the dishes I prepped for the evening. My first was Roasted Figs wrapped in prosciutto.


I first sliced fresh Mission Figs in half and coated them with a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and about 1/4 cup brown sugar and roasted them in the oven for 20 minutes.


In the mean time, I cut slices of prosciutto lenghwise to make 2 thin strips. I put a smear of cream cheese in the center of each slice:


Once the figs were cool, I placed a fig in each, rolled them up and secured with a toothpick:



My second dish: Shrimp Fra Diavolo Shooters.

I took a little help from the awesome Whole Foods store that just opened and picked up a great seafood soup as the base of my shooters...but first I had to make the shrimp:

I marinated 12 large shrimp in 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 cloves of garlic finely minced, fresh grouned black pepper, 1/2 tsp. chile flakes and lemon zest for about an hour.


Then I sauteed them in a very hot pan.


Cook the shrimp for about 2 minutes per side...or they will get tough. Don't overcook them!


I have this awesome shot glass set that I got as a wedding gift. I usually do dessert shooters in them...but today, they would be shrimp shooters.


I poured the chilled soup into each shot glass, topped each with a cooked shrimp and served over ice.

I also made Stuffed Mushrooms.

These are really easy, and my old high school friend, Melaine asked me for the recipe...so I decided to make them tonight so I could document for her.

I started out with a container of large, cleaned mushroom and removed the stems.



I then took about 1/2 cup of sliced mushrooms and finely diced them. I sauteed them in olive oil over high heat until they were soft, about 15 minutes. I took the pan off the heat to cool.


I mixed the cooled mushrooms with Alouette Cheese, diced roasted red peppers and filled each cap with some of the mixture.


I topped each cap with parmesan cheese and baked them on a cookie sheet on 400 for 8-10 minutes.

My last dish were POLENTA BITES with Caramelized Mushrooms. I saw this recipe on Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello and had to try it.



For the polenta:
3 cups heavy cream
2 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon finely ground sea salt, preferably gray salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 cup polenta
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
For the mushrooms:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound button or cremini mushrooms, cut into quarters
Finely ground salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup Marsala Wine
2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley leaves

Cook the polenta: In a medium, heavy pot over high heat bring the cream, stock, salt, and nutmeg to a boil. Add the polenta gradually, whisking constantly. When the mixture thickens, switch to a wooden spoon and adjust the heat to maintain a bare simmer. Cook, stirring often, until thick, smooth, and creamy, about 15 minutes. Add the Parmesan and stir. Keep the polenta warm over low heat, stirring occasionally. If the polenta gets dry as it sits, stir in about 1/4 cup of warm stock or cream.
Saute the mushrooms: In a medium skillet over high heat, heat the olive oil. When the oil is hot, sprinkle in the mushrooms in a single layer. Don't stir them! Let them sizzle until they have caramelized on the bottom, about 2 minutes. When the bottoms are caramelized, toss them once and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Continue to cook without stirring for about 5 minutes. Season mushrooms with salt and pepper. Add the butter and cook until it begins to brown, then add the garlic. Continue to cook until the garlic begins to brown. Add the thyme and cook for about 10 seconds. Add the lemon juice and cook until the liquid evaporates. Add the wine, and simmer until the mushrooms are glazed with the sauce. Add the parsley. Then stir and remove the pan from the heat.

Place or pipe about 1 tablespoon of warm polenta onto a spoon. Place about 1/2 teaspoon of the mushroom on top of the polenta. Garnish with grated Parmesan. Serve immediately.

These were really good! I served them on these little amuse bouche spoons I got at Crate and Barrel. I have had them forever waiting for the right time and recipe.




All in all, I didn't have much time, but I was able to come up with some tasty treats. I am really glad Steve and Gina (and you too, Lon) finally got to hang out!

Puff Pastry Roll Up

I am always looking for party food that I can make ahead. I am vowing to myself to have an awesome time at my upcoming Halloween bash, so I am planning early...this is very necessary!!! Oh, if you haven't heard, Pikelween is on...so my blog will be full of my food prep, decor and set stylings...I really do a lot for this party, and because I want to retire it after this year, I wanna do it right....anyway, I digress...

I found this recipe over at CREATE MY EVENT and it sounds like a simple enough appetizer. You could pretty much substitue the fillings with whatever you like. My favorite part is that you can make it a few days ahead, and on party day, pull it out of the fridge, slice, heat and serve. Nothing better than that!



Twisted Tapas by CREATE MY EVENT
Ingredients:
3/4 cup finely grated manchego cheese (about 3 ounces)
1 tsp. spanish smoked paprika (optional)
2 tsp. quince paste (spanish membrillo)
1 puff pastry sheet (from one 17 1/4-ounce package frozen puff pastry
sheets), thawed
1 large egg, beaten lightly
2 ounces thinly sliced serrano ham

To Make:
In a bowl combine manchego and paprika.

On a lightly floured surface arrange pastry sheet with a short side facing you and cut in half crosswise. Arrange one half of sheet with the long side facing you and brush edge of far side with some of the beaten egg. Place half of serrano ham evenly on top of pastry, avoiding egg-brushed edge, and top with half of the manchego mixture.

Starting with side nearest you, roll pastry jelly-roll fashion into a log and wrap in wax paper. Make second log the same way. Chill pastry logs, seam sides down, until firm, at least 3 hours, and up to 3 days.

When ready to serve, pre-heat oven to 400°F. and lightly grease 2 large baking sheets. Cut logs crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices and arrange, cut sides down, 1 inch apart on baking sheets. Bake in batches in middle of oven until golden, 14 to 16 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool slightly. Serve warm.

Yield:
About 30 - 40 pieces

Garlic Onion Tortilla Cake

I made this a few years ago and it was awesome. I just thought about it and wanted to try it again...this is one of those recipes that is great warm or served at room temp...which is perfect for a party or picnic! It has to sit overnight, so this is a do ahead, but really good!



Garlic Onion Tortilla Cake
by Guy Fieri
2/3 cup canola oil
4 cups small chopped red onion
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup roasted garlic, from jar
5 tablespoons grated Parmesan
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons minced cilantro leaves
Salt and pepper
12 flour tortillas
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring to caramelize but not over brown. Add butter and sugar and cook until onions have nicely caramelized, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
Once cooled mix together the remaining ingredients except for the tortillas and vinegar; refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

After mixture has had time to meld, set aside 1/3 of the mixture for the dipping sauce and evenly spread the remaining mixture on the top of 11 tortillas. Stack the tortillas on top of one another, with the last tortilla on top having no mixture spread on it. Wrap tortilla stack in plastic wrap and let set up for 12 to 24 hours in refrigerator.

Heat a grill heat. Cut the stack into 16 wedges. Grill each wedge on each side until warmed and grill marks appear. Mix reserved mixture with balsamic vinegar for dipping sauce. Serve tortilla wedges with dipping sauce.

Warm Chicken Wing Dip

My brother Louis gave me this recipe, and I make it for every party because people just love it.



1 8 0z package Cream Cheese
1 cup of cooked shredded chicken
Crystal or Red Devil Hot Sauce (5 tbsp or to taste)
Ranch Dressing (1/4 cup, or to taste)

We like to throw everything in to the crock pot and let it melt together. Eat it with Fritos...in my opinion that is the only way!

You could also mix all of the ingredients into a casserole dish, top with shreadded cheddar cheese and bake on 350 for 20 min until warm and bubbly.

I know this is a very simple recipe, but believe me, people LOVE IT!!! Make a double batch!

4th of July Bash

Well I would call our 4th of July party a jolly old time. We almost got rained out, but we had great food and a good group, so it turned out just fine. Here are a few highlights: