The Foodie Fixx: Cheeses

Is it really January 12th already?? Where does the time go?

I hope everyone has had a fabulous Holiday Season and are settling into 2011 with great ease and flair. I, for one, have not stopped moving for the past three weeks. Christmas was amazing; full of fantastic feasts, fabulous family and friends, and far too many perfect presents. We were all spoiled silly at my household. I then got to kick off the New Year with a city trip and several days showing off my new home, celebrating life and positivity with my wonderful friend Amber and her boyfriend Rob. The day they left I went straight to work, ringing in two back to back twelve hour days, before I packed up and headed out to play in the snow in Tahoe for the weekend with my new favorite friend Rachel. Have I mentioned how much I love snow?

Home Monday night, work all day Tuesday, and that brings us to today; my first day of semi-relaxation (minus caring for my mother who just came out of the hospital and tackling piles of laundry! Whew.) More importantly, it is finally time for a blog post!

So there is my long winded explanation for my absence and my segue into the New Year. I don't know how you kitchen gods and goddesses find time for daily blogging while raising families, running households, or holding down careers! I admire you all. My New Year's resolution is definitely to find more time for my recipes. And since I am applying for my business license and getting my kitchen certified I do see this as a resolution at which I will most likely succeed! So cheers to you all and thank you for the continued support and positivity!

And now I present you with a very simple yet exceedingly mouthwatering appetizer: The Infamous Baked Brie. I was first introduced to this delicious dish by my friend Jackie in college and have been pulling it out for dinner parties ever since. Baked Brie is an exquisite starter and although it can be easily prepped and prepared, with a few finishing touches it will look nothing less than gourmet.

For this recipe you will need a parchment or tin-foil lined baking sheet, a knife, a pastry brush, and measuring cups.

Baked Brie with Fig Jam

1 15oz Round of Brie Cheese
1 Sheet Frozen Puff Pastry, thawed
1/2 cup Fig Jam, or Jelly of your choosing (I love Apricot and Raspberry!)
1 egg, beaten + 1 tsp Water
4 Sprigs Fresh Rosemary
1/4 cup Fresh Raspberries
Crackers, for Serving

*Begin by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F.

*Carefully slice the wax away from the top of the brie round. Trim the wax from the edges of the brie as well, but do not remove completely.

*Remove the thawed puff pastry dough and lay it out on a flat surface. Center the brie round on the dough and cut about 2 inches off the dough, so that the edges when folded will come up around the sides but not cover the top of the brie round.

*Using your knife cut thin strips from the edges of the excess puff pastry. If you do not have enough you can cut the strips from a second piece of dough. You need 8 in total. Set aside.

*Wrap Place the brie round in the center of the remaining puff pastry sheet. Spread the top with a thick layer of jam. Pinch the puff pastry up around the edges of the baked brie as you would a pie crust.

*Now layer the puff pastry strips, criss-crossing them over the top of the brie round in a lattice design. Brush the top and sides of the puff pastry with the egg wash using a pastry brush.

*Place the brie on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes, until the dough has reached a beautiful golden brown color.

To Serve: Remove from the oven and place on serving dish. Garnish with the rosemary sprigs and raspberries and serve immediately with crackers.

Wah-lah! A lovely start to a fancy meal!

This can be pre-prepared and frozen for an even quicker dinner party addition. Simply defrost and bake before your guest arrive.

This dish is also fabulous with fresh sliced pears, honey, and walnuts. Or you can make a savory brie using garlic and herbs. Have fun with it!