We’re going to use the first portion of the roasted vegetables from yesterday’s post in this recipe. You will need to estimate and set aside 1/4 of the yield from each vegetable, keeping them separated. Then make a tart crust (or you could just use 1 sheet of puff pastry).  I link you to a tart dough recipe here on the blog. You’ll only need half of it, but go ahead and make the full amount. You will love this tart and you’ll want to make it again, I promise! So make the full amount and freeze the other half of the dough and it’ll be even easier to make the next time.

I served the tart at a dinner party atop baby greens that were lightly coated with this vinaigrette,  but straight up is great too.

P.S. I’m just sorry that I served it on this bright peppermint stripe platter (hey, it was still the Christmas season) because it totally distracts from how bright and colorful the tart is. Go back up and see the top photo for proof of that!

Roasted Vegetable – Goat Cheese Tart

1/2 tart crust recipe from HERE
4 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 egg
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 of the Roasted Vegetable yield from HERE, (peppers, thinly sliced; eggplant, fennel, and onion, roughly chopped)

Roll out the tart crust dough into a 16 x 7-inch rectangle. Line a 13 x 3.5 x 1-inch rectangular tart pan with the dough, pressing firmly into the corners, cut off any excess draping over the sides. Lightly poke the bottom of the crust with a fork and Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

Move one of the oven racks to the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.  Blind bake the chilled crust for 12 minutes, or until set and lightly browned.  Remove from oven and set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the filling.

Using an electric mixer combine the goat cheese, cream cheese, and 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan cheese in medium bowl until smooth. Add egg and mix on high until smooth and creamy, for about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Spread the cheese filling evenly over the bottom of the tart shell. Arrange the roasted vegetables decoratively, in horizontal rows, over the filling.

Bake the tart until the filling and topping are heated through and the crust is golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle the top with the remaining 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese.  Let cool 5 minutes before cutting and serving. (May also be served at room temperature.)

Serves 6 to 8

I usually post a vintage image for each holiday, but for this Christmas how, about a photo recipe? Only a photo… no actual recipe to needed.  I’ll be serving this during our appetizer happy hour today. Isn’t it pretty and perfectly festive?

Sending each of you my best wishes for not only a beautiful Christmas day with your family and friends, but a very happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year. xoxo

… is kinda like red and green, which makes this very pretty appetizer or brunch pizza perfect for Christmas.

Naan can be found on the bread aisle at most grocery stores, at Trader Joe’s, or at Costco. And smoked mozzarella with other specialty cheeses. But if you can’t find the mozzarella, substitute smoked Gouda.

Smoked Salmon Pizza

4 Naan bread rounds
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Salt
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 lemon, zested and divided
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons fresh minced dill
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded smoked mozzarella cheese
8 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon
1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 tablespoon capers; rinsed, drained, and spread on a paper towel to dry
1/4 cup small dill sprigs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place the Naan on a baking sheet and brush the rounds with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Sprinkle each with salt and place in the oven for 10 minutes, until the bread is just slightly crisp.

In a mixing bowl combine the remaining olive oil,  cream cheese, garlic, half the lemon zest, lemon juice, minced dill, and the black pepper; mix well.

Spoon one-quarter of the cream cheese mixture evenly over each of the Naan rounds.  Sprinkle the smoked mozzarella over each round. Arrange salmon and red onion on top.

Return to oven and bake 5 minutes or until edges of the crust are crisp and the cheese is melted. Remove from oven and sprinkle with the remaining lemon zest, then top with capers and dill sprigs.

Slice each round into 4 wedges.

Makes 16 slices

This rich and colorful salsa comes together quickly. It is important to seed the tomatoes, otherwise the salsa will be watery. To seed, simply cut each tomato in half and squeeze out the seeds and juices, then dice.

I served this salsa, along with Cheddar Cheese Button Crackers, Mini Crab Cake BLT’s, Crudités Garden Bowl with hummus, and Elote’s De Lujo Margaritas on Friday night for a Stella & Dot jewelry party I hosted for my friend and neighbor, Amy (Amy of the famous Amy’s Taco Soup).

Avocado-Shrimp Salsa

1 pound cooked cocktail-size shrimp (41-50 ct) thawed, drained, and patted completely dry
2 cups seeded and diced tomato
2 ripe avocados, pitted and diced
1/3 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons minced pickled jalapeno
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, stemmed and chopped
1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Tortilla chips

Thoroughly mix the shrimp with the remaining ingredients (except tortilla chips) in a medium glass bowl. Taste for seasoning and adjust with more lime juice, salt, and/or pepper.

Salsa may be made up to 2 hours ahead. Place plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the salsa to prevent air from darkening the avocado.

When ready to serve, transfer salsa into a decorative bowl. Place bowl in the center of a platter or tray and surround with tortilla chips.

Makes about 5 cups

…small packages! Really, not much more to say other than that!

Mini Crab Cake BLTs

Crab Cakes
6 slices white sandwich bread
3/4 cup minced fresh parsley, divided
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
2 heaping tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup peeled and finely diced white onion
1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper
1 pound lump crab meat, picked over

Horseradish Mayonnaise
1 cup prepared mayonnaise
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Sandwich
Butter and olive oil for cooking crab cakes
12 slices thick-cut bacon, each slice cut into quarters and cooked crisp
24 slider buns, lightly toasted
12 slices heirloom tomato, each slice cut in half
12 butter lettuce leaves, each leaf torn in half

Crab Cakes: Tear up the bread and pulse in a food processor to make fine, soft crumbs. Transfer the bread crumbs to a shallow pan and mix in 1/2 cup of the parsley.

In a food processor, combine the egg yolk, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, mustard, paprika, thyme, celery seeds and black pepper. Pulse to combine. With the motor running, add the oil through the feed tube in a slow, steady stream until the mixture emulsifies and forms a mayonnaise. Transfer the mayonnaise to a bowl.

In a large bowl, combine the onion and bell pepper with the remaining 1/4 cup parsley.  Add the fresh mayonnaise and crab and mix lightly.

Using a rubber spatula, fold in 1 cup of the bread crumb mixture. Do not overwork the mixture.  Gently form into 24 mini cakes and flatten them into patties. Dredge the patties lightly in the remaining bread crumb mixture.  Place on a wax-paper lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or longer.

Horseradish Mayonnaise: Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.  Cover and refrigerate.

Sandwiches:  Place a nonstick skillet over medium heat and melt 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in the skillet.  Add 12 crab cakes and saute for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until they are golden brown and heated through. 

Transfer to clean baking sheet. Repeat with remaining 12 crab cakes.

Lightly spread each side of the buns with the horseradish mayonnaise.  Top each bottom bun with 1 piece of bacon, 1 crab cake, another piece of bacon, a tomato slice, and a lettuce leaf. Place on top of bun and secure with a pick.
Makes 24

What do you get when you mix together a little cheddar, flour, and butter and then bake it? Tasty melt-in-your-mouth morsels of heavenly goodness, that’s what!

Cheddar Cheese Button Crackers

1  1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons kosher  or sea salt, for sprinkling

Place 1 cup of the cheese in a food processor, then the flour, next the butter pieces, then the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese along with the salt and cayenne. Pulse until the ingredients  look like fine crumbs.  Add the milk and pulse until the dough almost comes together.

Remove from the food processor and knead until the dough is soft and well mixed. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a floured surface roll out the dough to a 1/8 inch thickness. Use 1-inch round or other small cookie cutter to cut out, re-roll and cut out scraps. You can use any small cookie cutter, in any shape you would like to cut out the crackers, but I especially love to cut them out into little buttons. If you have a set of round cutters, use the smallest two; the 1-inch and the 3/4-inch diameter cutters. Use the 1-inch to cut out the rounds and the 3/4- inch for just pressing slightly into the dough for button-like detailing.

Place cut dough on a Silpat or parchment lined baking sheet about 1/2-inch apart. Using a tooth pick to make 4 small holes in the center of the dough to finish off your button design. Sprinkle lightly with kosher or sea salt.

Bake crackers approximately 25 minutes or until lightly browned around edges and crackers are firm to the touch.

Remove crackers to wire rack to  cool.

Makes about 60 buttons

I’ve mentioned before how much I enjoy True Food Kitchen. In fact I celebrated with two different birthday lunches there, the first with my dad and the second with my good friend, Karen (who was one of my bridesmaids, all those years ago).  When Dad and I were there, the two women at the table across from us were enjoying this huge bowl of vegetables. It is True Food’s gorgeous crudités bowl with tzatziki and black olive dips. The next week, when Karen and I went, I had to order it so that I could check it out more closely and recreate it at home. I think this is one of the prettiest ways to serve crudités that I’ve ever seen! That is True Food’s bowl above… and mine is below.

Crudités Garden Bowl with Caesar Dip and Tapenade

Green and yellow green beans
Snow peas
Long baby broccoli stems
Thin asparagus spears, tough ends snapped off
Ice
Cherry or teardrop tomatoes
Long and thin carrots, peeled and cut in half lengthwise if needed
Persian cucumbers, cut in half lengthwise
Red and white Belgium endive, separated into spears
Caesar Dip (1/2 recipe)
1 small jar black olive tapenade spread

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and fill a large bowl with a lot of ice and just enough cold water to cover the ice.

Drop in the green beans into the boiling water and blanch for 1 minute, then lift out with a slotted spoon and drop immediately into a large bowl of ice water. Once the beans are completely chilled, lift out of the ice water and place on paper towels to drain. Next, blanch the snow peas in the same manner. Now, the broccoli and finally the asparagus in the same way.

Keeping the four vegetables separate, roll up in damp paper towels, wrap each roll in plastic wrap and refrigerate to crisp the vegetables, for a least 2 hours.

When ready to serve, fill a large serving bowl one third of the way full with ice. Sprinkle with ice with a couple handfuls of cherry tomatoes.

Now start “planting” your garden. Poke the various vegetables into the ice, finishing with the endive spears. Sprinkle with more cherry tomatoes.

Place the tapenade in a food processor and thin with 2 tablespoons water. Use the pulse button to smooth just a bit. Place the Caesar dip and the tapenade in two separate bowls and serve alongside your beautiful vegetable crudités garden. Enjoy!

These quick and easy appetizers may be shaped however you like; as tartlets, purses, or turnovers. The recipe below describes how to make into tartlets. For purses, completely enclose the filling and brush the entire outside surface (except the bottom) with egg-wash. For turnovers, chop the apples and nuts into smaller pieces and fold into triangles, crimp the edges with a fork and brush all over with egg-wash. Personally, I prefer the tartlets for two reasons; you can see exactly what is inside and there is a higher filling to pastry ratio when the filling is not fully enclosed. It gives you more bang for your buck. Any version of these may be used to top a salad, but once again, I think the tartlets are the best option for that application as well.

I also prefer to use Trader Joe’s puff pastry for this recipe. The sheets are in a perfect square, without any folds. Pepperidge Farm is the other easy-to-find choice and will also work. The end product will be shaped slightly different, as their pasty comes folded in thirds and is a rectangular shape. It is also thinner, so no need to roll out, but you will need to thaw according to package directions before unfolding.

Apple Walnut Gorgonzola Tartlets

2 cups peeled, cored, chopped Granny Smith apples (2 or 3 small)
1/3 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons honey or agave nectar
Freshly ground black pepper
2 sheets frozen puff pastry 
1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water to make an egg wash

Combine apples, walnuts, Gorgonzola, and honey in a small bowl.

Season with pepper to taste.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Working with one frozen puff pastry sheet at a time, cut into 9 even squares. 

Allow to thaw for about 2 minutes before using a rolling pin to roll out slightly in both directions, just to thin the pastry a little. Transfer the squares to a silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Place a tablespoon of the apple mixture in the center of each square. Bring up and pinch the edges to create little free-form tartlets.

Use a pastry brush to paint the outside portions of the pastry with a thin egg-wash glaze.

Chill in the refrigerator while you prepare the second puff pastry sheet with the remaining filling.

Place in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until puffed up and lightly browned. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Serve either warm or at room temperature. Can be made and baked several hours in advance.

Makes 18 

I am up in Flagstaff today visiting Connor and watching my friend, Larry Fitzgerald, and the team at Cardinal’s camp. It is a joy to not only see them both, but to get out of the record-breaking heat in the Valley of the Sun; 114 degrees yesterday!

It literally tried to chase me up the mountain yesterday on the drive here. I left the house at about 10:30 AM and it was 106 degrees. By 11:00, I was at 2000 feet and the temperature was climbing faster than I was; 109. When I reached the Sedona turn-off, it was 11:25 and it was 111 degrees! What was going on here -what’s a girl to do? Drive faster, that’s what I did!

I could see the building clouds and the lightening ahead, so I knew there was hope. I actually stopped focusing on the thermostat, and just like a watched pot that won’t boil if you watch it, the temps finally went down and the next time I looked it was 94. When I reached Flag at 12:20 it was a lovely 84 degrees, relief at last!

In addition, I was able to have coffee this morning with my high-school girlfriend, Darcy. She sang at our wedding, 26 years ago. Don’t you just love it when you haven’t seen a friend for a few years and you just pick up where you left off, as if you had lunch together last week? It’s the best, love you, Darcy.  OK, all that has nothing to do with our recipe today, these are just good, so make ‘em!

Potato, Pepper, & Chorizo Empanadas

3/4 cup finely chopped Spanish chorizo
2 onions, peeled and diced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 red bell pepper; cored, seeded, and diced
1/2 green bell pepper; cored, seeded, and diced
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1 large Yukon Gold potato
1 package purchased puff pastry, thawed according to package directions
1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water (egg wash)

Cook chorizo in oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring, 2 minutes, then transfer to a medium bowl with a slotted spoon. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the chorizo drippings from the pan.

Add onions to saucepan and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 15 minutes.  Add garlic, bell peppers, bay leaf, salt, and oregano and cook, stirring frequently, until peppers are soft, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel the potato and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Stir into the onion mixture and cook over medium low heat, covered, stirring frequently, until potatoes are just tender, 10 to 12 minutes.   Add potato mixture to chorizo in bowl and stir gently to combine well. Discard bay leaf and cool filling to room temperature.

Move oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Place 1 sheet of puff pastry on a work surface. Keep the remaining sheet covered.  Roll out slightly to smooth out the seams. Using a 2-inch round cutter (or a clean tuna can with both end cut off) cut out 10 rounds. Spoon about 2 tablespoons filling into the center and fold dough in half, enclosing filling.   Press edges together to seal, then crimp tines of a fork.  Transfer empanadas to a baking sheet.  Make 10 more empanadas in same manner, with remaining sheet of puff pastry and remaining filling.  Place on a second baking sheet.

Lightly brush empanadas with egg wash and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until golden, about 15 to 20 minutes total.  Transfer empanadas to a rack to cool at least 5 minutes.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes about 20

The empanadas freeze exceptionally well. Place unbaked and egg-washed empanadas on a small baking sheet or plate and freeze until hard.  Transfer to a freezer-quality zip-lock and keep for up to 3 months. No need to defrost before baking, just add an extra 5 minutes or so to cook through and brown.

Photo by Gwen Walters

When deciding what to serve for an appetizer party, it is important to think of all the various components:

hot and cold
meat and vegetarian
rich and mild
complex and easy-breezy
color on the table (you need to be careful that everything is not dark and brown)

I put out only four items for the Blog Anniversary Party, which is at least 3 less than I normally do. Taking into consideration all the above factors was especially important. Here is what I offered and what purpose each served for the buffet:

Italian Guacamole with Cibatta Chips – cold, vegetarian,  mild, colorful, easy-breezy, and diet friendly

Bacon Lollipops – hot, meat, rich, complex, although lacking in color

Lamb Merguez Flatbread – hot, meat, rich, colorful, complex

Prosciutto, Melon, and Bocconcini Picks – cold, meat, mild, colorful, and exceptionally easy-breezy

(can be made vegetarian – substitute an heirloom cherry tomato for the prosciutto on half,  or all, of the picks)

The importance of having easy-breezy recipes included on a party buffet can not be overemphasized.  As the hostess, you need to know that there is at least one recipe that is no fail, no cook, and if all else falls apart, you could get your kid or spouse to complete it for you without too much direction.  This recipe is exactly that, keep it in your repertoire!

Prosciutto, Melon, and Bocconcini Picks

1 ripe cantaloupe melon
Zest and juice of 1 lime
4 -ounces thinly sliced Prosciutto di Parma
12-ounce container fresh marinated brocconcini (cherry-size mozzarella cheese balls)

Cut the melon in half and remove the seeds. Using a melon baller, scoop out the melon into balls. Place melon balls in a bowl and toss with lime zest and juice.

Use a very sharp knife to cut each slice of prosciutto into 4 long strips. Make a ruffle or a layered ribbon of each strip (see photo).

Pierce through a melon ball with a bamboo pick or toothpick, then add a prosciutto ruffle, and one mozzarella ball. Repeat with all remaining melon balls, prosciutto ruffles, and mozzarella balls.  Arrange picks on a platter and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes about 30 

This in another recipe I’m recreating from that restaurant we love in San Francisco, Gitane Restaurant and Bar. It is one their Catalan Flatbreads.

Merguez is a fresh sausage made with lamb, beef, pork, or a mixture of two or all three. It is heavily spiced with harissa, garlic, peppercorns, cumin, fennel, and more. You can buy it online from several sources or make the homemade version, provided here.

For some insane reason, I forgot to sprinkle my finished flatbread with the fresh cilantro. It could have had something to do with all the martinis I was making (and enjoying) all night! Don’t follow my lead, it is the cilantro that truly makes this flatbread exceptional. Oh, and no worries, I promise that the martini recipes using my infused vodkas will be posted on Sunday.

Lamb Merguez Flatbread

Lamb Merguez
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
2 teaspoons coriander seed
1 teaspoon cumin seed
8-ounces smoked bacon
1 pound ground lamb
1 small head garlic, cloves peeled and crushed
2 tablespoons harissa, or more to taste
1/2 cup sherry vinegar
Flatbread
1  1/4 cups warm water
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
3 cups flour
1  1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
Toppings
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large red, yellow, and/or orange bell peppers; cored, seeded and thinly sliced
1 large red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 ounces Fontina cheese, grated
1 bunch fresh cilantro; well washed, dried, and roughly chopped

Lamb Merguez: Place the fennel, cinnamon, peppercorns, coriander, and cumin seed in an electric spice grinder. Pulse until spices are ground together. Set aside.

Place the raw bacon strips in a the bowl of food processor and process, using the pulse button, until nearly smooth. Add the lamb, the spice mixture, garlic, harissa, and vinegar. Combine all ingredients until smooth. Transfer to a glass bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.

Flatbread:  In the bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, stir together water, yeast, and sugar until well mixed. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. In large bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Add flour to the yeast mixture and mix on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds. Add oil and mix on low speed until combined. Switch from paddle to dough hook and knead on medium speed until dough is elastic and pulls away from sides, about 6 minutes.

Lightly oil a large bowl. Shape dough into ball and transfer to bowl. Turn over  to coat lightly with oil, then cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

While dough is rising, position rack near bottom of oven and place a pizza stone on the rack. Preheat oven to 450 degrees for 1 hour. Prepare the toppings.

Lamb and Toppings:  Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add a tablespoon or two of the lamb. Stir until cooked through. Remove from pan and taste, add more harissa, if needed.  Once the lamb is to your liking, heat the skillet again and cook up all of the lamb, breaking up with a metal spatula until completely cooked through.  Transfer to paper towels to drain.  Do not wash out the skillet.

Heat the same skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and when hot, saute the peppers and onion for 2 minutes, stirring often. Season with salt and pepper and add the garlic. Continue to saute until the peppers are just crisp-tender, about 3 more minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a plate to cool.

Divide dough into 4 equal parts. Roll out each piece into a long thin rectangle with a rolling pin on a floured surface until each is about 1/8-inch thick. Cover with plastic wrap so pieces do not dry out. Transfer one flatbread at a time to a pizza peel or the bottom of a large baking sheet, dusted with flour.

Transfer 1 flatbread at a time to preheated pizza stone and bake in batches until slightly puffed but still pale, about 5 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely. (Flatbread crusts may be pre-baked in this manner up to 2 hours ahead.)

Assemble and Bake: Preheat oven to 450 degrees with pizza stone in place for 1 hour.

Brush each flatbread with olive oil. Scatter with cheese, lamb merguez, and pepper-onion mixture.

Transfer 1 or more flatbreads to preheated pizza stone and bake in batches until toppings are warmed through and cheese has melted, 6 to 8 minutes.

Transfer flatbreads to a large cutting board and top with cilantro Using a very sharp knife, cut into rectangular slices and serve immediately.

Makes about 20 to 24 slices

Bacon Bonbons – prunes stuffed with goat cheese, wrapped in smoked bacon, in a spiced port glaze

That is the full description on the menu at Gitane Restaurant & Bar in San Francisco – which I used to make these delicious and addicting little morsels at home. I served them on Tuesday night at the Blog Annivesary Party and they disappeared quicker than anything else on the table.

The one change I would make, is to cook them a little longer than I did for the party. Although wonderful as they were, I’d like for the bacon to be a bit crisper. I’ve increased the baking time in the recipe below as compared to what I did the other night.  Please keep that in mind when you make them. The bacon will look and be more “cooked” than reflected in my photo.

The name, Bacon Bonbons, is so cute. I can’t just steal it, so I’d like to come up with a new clever name for my version. I haven’t found it quite yet… as you will see. So, any help – from any one of you – would be graciously appreciated!  (Thank you JoAnne Halberg for coming up with a better name!)

Dried Plum Gumdrops  Bacon Lollipops

Spiced Port Glaze
1  1/2 cups Port
1 stick cinnamon
2 whole cloves
2 teaspoon agave nectar
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon orange zest

Lollipops
1 pound bacon
8-ounces pitted prunes (dried plums)
6-ounces goat cheese (chèvre)

Glaze: Place port into small saucepan and heat over medium heat until reduced by half, to 3/4 cup. Add remaining ingredients and cook at a low simmer for 10 minutes. Immediately transfer glaze to a 1-cup glass measuring cup and set aside.

Lollipops: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil.

Lay out the bacon on a microwave safe plate lined with parchment paper or paper towels (I prefer parchment, because until you remove the bacon quickly after cooking, it sometimes sticks to the paper towels). Cover with another paper towel and microwave on high for 3 or 4 minutes. The amount of time depends on the strength of your microwave; you want the bacon to partially cook, but do not want it to begin to brown or crisp at all. This par-cooking gets the bacon going so it doesn’t have to bake in the oven as long and also preshrinks it a bit, which helps with the wrapping of the prunes.

Use a small sharp paring knife to butterfly each prune (cut in half horizontally, not quite through – opening like a book). Place a small hazelnut-size of goat cheese in the center of each prune and fold closed to seal.

Wrap each filled prune with bacon and secure with a pick. One slice of bacon will wrap 3 prunes. Place gumdrops on prepared baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for 12 minutes. Turn pan and bake another 12 to 15 minutes, or until bacon is crisp.  Transfer gumdrops to paper towels to drain. Meanwhile, reheat the glaze in the microwave for 30 seconds.

Place on a platter and drizzle with warm glaze. Serve immediately and watch them disappear before your very eyes.

Makes about 36

Last night’s “Blog 2-Year Celebration Cookbook Happy Hour” was a great success and so much fun. Thank you to all the lovely ladies who attended, a few of them are shown here.

One of the many people missing in the photos is Chef Gwen Walters. Unfortunately, in the one photo she was in, she was nearly unrecognizable… looking very incognito in a baseball cap and with a fan in front of her face. Kind of like a restaurant critic or something…. well that makes sense, she is a restaurant critic, so maybe it was intentional… hmmm? I’ve mentioned here before that Gwen is the queen of smoothies; she is also the queen of Tweets. So generous with her promotion of others. Last night she tweeted out a picture of the party. Even pictures from her iPhone are better than the ones I take with an actual camera… check this out.

When the guests arrived, this is what greeted them at the front door.

From there, guests could roam throughout the house and find cookbooks for sale on just about every flat surface available. Ranging in price from $5…

to $3…

$1 and $2…

all the way down to .50 and .25 cents.

And, of course, we had food and drink! Today’s Italian Guacamole recipe is just one of many; the rest will be posted each day for the rest of the week.  Once again, thanks to everyone who came, now go enjoy those cookbooks!

I found a version of this recipe in Bon Appétit more than a year ago and have been meaning to post it here ever since. I love the Italian twist on this Mexican classic. 

Italian Guacamole with Cibatta Chips

6 medium avocados, halved and pitted
Zest and juice from 1 large lemon
 3/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup peeled and finely minced shallots
Salt, to taste
Ciabatta bread thinly sliced and toasted crisp in a 400 degree oven
Assorted crudités (such as blanched and salted fingerlings, cherry tomatoes, celery, fennel, sugar snap peas, and carrots)

Use a large spoon to scoop avocado flesh from peel and place into a large bowl; add lemon zest and  juice. Using fork, mash avocados coarsely. Mix in  basil and shallots. Season to taste with salt. (May be made 1 hour ahead. Place plastic wrap directly onto guacamole to cover and chill.)

Transfer guacamole to serving bowl. Place on platter. Arrange toasts and crudités around bowl.