Cheese Party and Bruch

We hosted a cheese tasting brunch.

Here are the recipes and a few pictures of the very memorable and delicious morning.

Crostini

Jamie Oliver

Mixed Herb Crostini

Get any mixture of soft herbs like fennel tops, green or purple basil, parsley, mint, chervil,

thyme leaves, or sorrel and roughly chop them.

Take six cherry tomatoes and halve them, then rub one of the halves into each of your hot crostini.

Grate some pecorino or Parmesan over the top and season with salt and pepper.

Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle over your chopped herbs.

Mixed nuts (Ina Garten)

1 pound roasted unsalted cashews

2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons light brown sugar

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175°C).

2. Spread the cashews out on a sheet pan. Toast in the oven until warm, about 5 minutes.

3. In a large bowl, combine the rosemary, cayenne, sugar, salt, and butter.

Thoroughly toss the warm cashews with the spiced butter and serve warm.

Mini Quiche (Canadian Living)

24 Frozen mini tart shells, (in foil cups) thawed

4 eggs

1-1/4 cups milk

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

8 slices applewood smoked bacon, cooked and crumbled

2 green onions, sliced

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1/4 cup chopped mushroom

Filling: Place tart shells on rimmed baking sheet; divide bacon, green onions and cheese among shells.

In bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, mustard, salt and pepper; pour into tart shells.

Bake in bottom third of 375°F oven until pastry is golden and filling is just set,

25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm.

(Make-ahead: Let cool. Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat in 400°F/200°C oven for about 4 minutes.)

Harvest Crunch

I'm quite sure I did not make enough of this perfectly crunchy, slightly salty, sort of sweet, snack. If you still have time, run to the bulk barn, grab some nuts and seeds, throw them in a bowl with butter, maple and some spices and you too will have a very harvest-crunchy kind of snack. And, if you're able, double it.

Harvest Crunch

Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Celebrates

2T butter/olive oil

3T Maple syrup

1/2C pine nuts

1/2C chopped hazelnuts

1/2C halved almonds

1/2C raw pumpkin seeds

1/2C raw sunflower seeds

2T Brown sugar

1/2t kosher salt

1/4t paprika

1/8t cayenne

Heat oven to 350.

Melt butter and maple syrup together over med heat.

Toss nuts, sugar, seeds, salt and spices in a large bowl.

Toss, and then drizzle with melted butter and maple mixture.

Toss again and then spread evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment.

Bake 8-10mins, stir, bake another 8-10mins.

Cool and store in a sealed container at room temp.