Brandied Blue Cheese, Walnut and Pear Crostini

Ever the creative hostess, Georgia Desmarais served these appetizers at a recent dinner. They were delicious served warm and toasty!




Brandied Blue Cheese, Walnut and Pear Crostini
Ingredients:
4 oz. blue cheese, crumbled
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp brandy
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
16 baquette slices
1 ripe pear, thinly sliced

Directions:
Bring cheese and butter to room temperature (30 minutes). Mash with a fork until smooth.
Stir brand and walnuts into cheese mixture.
Place baguette slices on cookie sheet. Toast one side under the broiler. Turn and place slice of pear on untoasted side. Top pear with teaspoon of cheese mixture.
Broil 4-5 " from heat for about 2 minutes, or until cheese melts and is bubbly.
Serves 8.

Thanks to Best of Bridge, Calgary, Alberta for the recipe. If you like the fruit, Tastes & Treasures has several recipes using Pears.

Easy Pesto Appetizer

Great recipes are often the easiest. This simple appetizer was toasted crostini topped with Classico Tomato Pesto. Add a slice of Monterey Jack cheese and fresh basil leaf. Nice presentation.

Thanks to Sue Hinton of Port Huron, Michigan for this appetizer. We enjoyed biking all around Harbor Springs last summer, then relaxing with good food and great friends.

Tastes & Treasures cookbook has many wonderful appetizer recipes too.

Pickled Beets from Leslie Christiansen

PICKLED BEETS Leslie Christiansen
Here's an easy one:
Goat Cheese Crostini with Pickled Beets. Make the Pickled Beet recipe and dice the beets into tiny cube; drain on a paper towel.
Make the crostini. Spread with fresh goat cheese. Sprinkle with the Pickled Beets. YUM.

Ingredients:
1 lb beets, roasted and sliced
1 cup cider vinegar
½ cup water
½ cup sugar
½ t pickling spice
¼ t mustard seeds
¼ t cassia chunks
¼ t cardamom
¼ t coriander
1 bay leaf
10 pepper corns
2 T dill weed

Directions:
Place all ingredients except beets in a medium sized heavy-bottom sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.
Place the beets in a heat-proof bowl. Pour the liquid in with the beets. Allow to cool, then cover and refrigerate overnight.
The next morning, strain the liquid. Add the liquid back into the beets, cover and refrigerate.

Ingredients for home-made pickling spice:
6 T mustard seed
3 T whole allspice
2 T coriander seed
6 whole cloves
1 T ground ginger
1 T red pepper flakes (optional)
3 bay leaves
3 cinnamon sticks

Directions:
Crush the cinnamon into pieces and crumble the bay leaves.
Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container.

Crostini with Brie, Cranberry and Pistachios

One of the most popular appetizers served at the Membership Open House on Oct 20 was this delightful Crostini. Leslie Christiansen has shown her culinary talents before and we were thrilled to have her in this historic kitchen again for the event. Renee Donnelly and Bonnie Newhoff help out with the preparation. Note the Veggies on the counter, ready to be presented also.

The Historical League has written two books in the last few years. Tastes & Treasures A Storytelling Cookbook of Historic Arizona is filled with great

recipes like this one.

Our AZ Centennial book, Recollections and Reflections An Arizona Historymakers Centennial Commemoration is an official Legacy Project. Both books were available at the Open House.

CROSTINI WITH BRIE, CRANBERRY & PISTACHIOS

Ingredients:

8 oz brie, at room temperature

½ cup dried cranberries, chopped

½ cup pistachios, chopped

1 baguette French bread

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Method:

1. Preheat oven to broil. Move oven rack near the top.
2. Slice bread about 3/8-inch thick, about 24 slices. Place bread on a sheet pan and lightly drizzle with olive oil.
3. Lightly toast one side of the bread, about 3-4 minutes. Allow to cool.
4. Using a butter-knife spread a thin layer of the brie on the toasted side. Sprinkle with the chopped cranberries and pistachios.

Serves 12 as an appetizer