A Cheesy Holiday Season

I love the holidays almost as much as I love cheese! So one of my favorite things to do is put out artistically creative cheese plates and yummies!  My love of cheese comes from snacking on its deliciousness while painting.  So I have decided to share some of my favorite recipes (both that I borrowed from Martha Stewart) that I use season after season.

Cheese Bite Hors d'Oeuvres

I love this - because it is three recipes on one plate and it a work of art

Get the Goat Cheese Bites Recipe (far left row and far right row)
Get the Fig and Blue Cheese Bites Recipe (second row from left and second row from right) Get the Feta Cheese Bites Recipe (center row)

Basil Flatbread Crackers

I love putting out wedges, circles and blocks of various cheeses as well

as some homeade crackers. 

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil, plus 40 whole basil leaves
• Coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 large egg white, lightly beaten for egg wash

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pulse flour, chopped basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and the sugar in a food processor until combined. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. With machine running, add cream; pulse until dough forms.
2. Briefly knead dough on a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces; shape into rectangles, and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
3. Roll out 1 piece of dough on a lightly floured surface into a very thin rectangle (about 12 by 16 inches). Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with egg wash, and sprinkle with salt. Press 10 whole basil leaves into top.
4. Bake until golden brown and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool. Repeat 3 times with remaining dough, egg wash, salt, and whole basil leaves. Break into individual crackers using your hands.