Festive Christmas Cheeseball with Boursin Cheese, Cranberry Cheddar, Aged Gruyere, Caramelized Walnuts, Crispy Sage, Chives, + Rolled in Pomegranate Arils

Festive Christmas Cheeseball with Boursin Cheese, Cranberry Cheddar, Aged Gruyere, Caramelized Walnuts, Crispy Sage, Chives, + Rolled in Pomegranate Arils

Hey y'all, sorry I have been out of commission, we have been traveling non-stop. First we were in Birmingham for about a week, and then Atlanta for a few days, and in just two day, we're heading off to New Orleans for the Alabama vs. Ohio State game at the Sugar Bowl for the first football playoff game... oh yeah, and we get to celebrate New Years Eve there too!! So it will have been a couple crazy weeks. But even though we are heading to the famous Bourbon Street, sadly, we have to admit that Christmas has passed us once again :( I can't believe it has already come + gone and now we have have to wait a'whole'nother year before celebrating it again. This year, since we were so busy, I unfortunately didn't get to make but two new recipes to honor the holiday season. This is the first recipe and it is the perfect party appetizer that all your friends + family are sure to enjoy. And hey, it's festive in color, to boot! The cheeseball begins with softened cream cheese + boursin cheese, shredded cranberry cheddar + aged gruyere, caramelized walnuts, crispy sage, fresh chives, and finally rolled in pomegranate arils. How perfect is that... green, red, + white? It's like Santa's elves made it themselves. Honestly, it is so easy to make as well. All you have to do is beat together the softened cream cheese and boursin until whipped + cohesive. And then toss in the the shredded cheese, walnuts, herbs, and some fresh cracked pepper. Mix it together until a cohesive mixture is formed, and using plastic wrap, roll it into one large ball or two medium-sized balls, before placing them into the fridge to chill. Meanwhile, pour your pomegranate arils onto a thickly, paper towel-lined cutting board and spread them out, so that they can dry as much as possible. The more moisture removed, the better the cheeseball will look and taste (we don't want no soggy cheese, y'all)!! After the cheeseball has chilled out in the fridge and the pomegranate is perfectly dry, you just need roll the ball around in the arils, pressing them in slightly, so that they adhere and stick to the cheese... making the perfect presentation. You can serve the festive christmas cheeseball directly out of the refrigerator or you can let it soften a bit, so it is easier to spread onto various crackers. This appetizer hits every flavor note that you could ever want... salty, sweet, juicy, herby, cheesy, fruity, creamy, + nutty!! I hope y'all get to enjoy this one before New Years Day!! Enjoy :)

 

For the Festive Cheeseball:

4T Unsalted Butter, Melted

16 Fresh Sage Leaves

1 Round of Boursin Cheese, Softened

8oz Cream Cheese, Softened

6oz Cranberry Cheddar, Shredded

6oz Aged Gruyere, Shredded

1C Caramelized Walnuts

¼C Fresh Minced Chives (or more if you please)

Fresh Cracked Pepper, To Taste

1C Fresh Pomegranate Arils (enough to cover the ball; dried cranberries are a good substitute)

Various Styles of Crackers, For Serving

Directions:

1. Frying the Sage: Heat a skillet over medium heat and add butter. Once it's sizzling, toss in the sage leaves and cook until crispy - flipping once and cooking about 1 minute per side. Remove the sage leaves and place them on a paper towel to crisp up a bit. Set the butter aside.

2. Making the Cheeseball: In the bowl of your electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, mascarpone and cheddar cheese. Beat until combined, and then add in the almonds, sage leaves, remaining butter, salt and pepper. Mix on low speed until combined, about 1 minute, scraping down the sides and the bottom if needed. Take the cheese mixture out of the bowl and mold it into a big ball as best you can. Roll it in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes.

3. Prepping the Pomegranate: Meanwhile, place the arils on a paper towel and pat them completely dry. Let them sit out while the cheese is chilling to remove as much liquid from them as possible. This will keep the cheeseball pretty, and not wet or slimy.

4. Finishing the Cheeseball: After 30 minutes, mold the cheese into more of a smooth ball. Add the arils to a plate or baking sheet and roll the ball through them, using your hands to press arils into all the cracks and crevices. You will need to gently press so the arils adhere to the cheese. At this time, you can serve it immediately or keep it in the fridge until ready to use. If you want to make it ahead of time, you can rolls the ball 1 to 2 days beforehand. I'd wait until the night before or morning of to add the pomegranate arils, and you may need to let the cheese come to room temp a bit so it's sticky enough.

5. Serve with various types of crackers and enjoy with friends + family!

Source: Pomegranate Jeweled, White Cheddar, Toasted Almond, and Crispy Sage Cheeseball

A Southern Inspired Version of Yotam Ottolenghi's Eggplant with Buttermilk Sauce

Roasted Eggplant with Buttermilk Sauce, Pomegranates, Candied Pecans,
Candied Jalapenos, Chives, + Balsamic Reduction

Have y'all seen any of Yotam Ottolenghi's cookbooks yet? I think he has about three out right now, I only own the one, Plenty. And even though, it is far from my cuisine of choice, I am so intrigued by his flavor combination, uses of veggies & herbs, and his beautiful photography. Although he includes protein in some of his recipes, most of them are vegetarian, which I love because I don't cook nearly enough those kinda dishes... mine almost all have to have bacon in them. Of course. The recipe that really pulled me in was his Eggplant with Buttermilk Sauce. The picture was so gorgeous and inviting, but had the perfect rustic touch to it! I knew I had to make it, but with a southern spin.... haha, no brainer there. The eggplants are halved and cross-hatched before they are drizzled with olive oil, salt, pepper, and cajun seasoning (instead of za'tar). Once you've roasted them it's time to garnish them with a'whole'lotta crap. YAY for crap! I included the buttermilk sauce & pomegranates, like Ottolenghi, but I also scattered some chopped candied pecan, candied jalapenos, chives, and a balsamic reduction drizzle over the top. I decided to use a balsamic reduction, but I think a pomegranate reduction or pepper jelly drizzle would be just as fab as well, so it's up to y'all! I absolutely adore how the pictures turned out, they are so bright + vibrant, and I think they would be the perfect addition to your summer table. But go ahead and make it now, it's really pretty any time of the year!! Enjoy :)

For the Eggplant:

2 Large + Long Eggplants, Sliced in Half Lengthways

1/3C Olive Oil

½t Dried Basil + Dried Oregano

Fleur de Sel & Fresh Cracked Pepper

1t Cajun Seasoning

For the Buttermilk Sauce:

9T Buttermilk (well-shaken)

½C Sour Cream

1 ½T Melted Bacon Fat or Olive Oil

1 Garlic Clove, Minced

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

For Garnishing:

Pomegranate Seeds

Fresh Chives, Minced

Homemade Candied Pecans, Roughly Chopped

Homemade Candied Jalapenos, Finely Chopped

Balsamic Reduction, Pomegranate Reduction, or Pepper Jelly (for drizzling)

Directions:

1. Preparing the Eggplant:Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the eggplants in half lengthways, cutting straight through the green stalk (the stalk is for the look; don't eat it). Use a small sharp knife to make three or four parallel incisions in the cut side of each eggplant half, without cutting through to the skin. Repeat at a 45-degree angle to get a diamond-shaped pattern.
2. Roasting the Eggplant:Place the eggplant halves, cut-side up, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush them with olive oil, keep on brushing until all of the oil has been absorbed. Sprinkle with the lemon thyme leaves and some salt and pepper. Roast for 40 to 50 minutes, at which point the flesh should be soft, flavorful, and nicely browned. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
3. For the Sauce:Whisk together all of the ingredients until a smooth consistency has formed. Season with salt & pepper. Keep chilled until you are ready to use.
4. Serving the Eggplant: Place the roasted eggplant halves onto a serving plate and spoon plenty of the buttermilk sauce over the halves. Sprinkle the top of the sauce with some more Cajun seasoning, and then drizzle on some balsamic reduction/pomegranate reduction/pepper jelly (of your choosing). Scatter plenty of pomegranate seeds, candied pecans, candied jalapenos, and freshly minced chives. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and enjoy!

here are some #instagrub pictures :)

Candied Bacon Wrapped Sausages in a Puff Pastry Blanket with Apricot-Mustard & Pomegranate-Ketchup

I love my Candied Bacon Wrapped Sausages, or "pig candy" as we call them. So I knew that I would make those for our Super Bowl party, but at the last minute, I decided that I should shove those suckers into some puff pastry dough and bake them off, turning them into "gourmet pigs n' a blanket". I love that the candied sausages give them some sweetness, which means you can eat them plain without any dipping sauces. And people, don't use that boring ole' croissant dough... you gotta use the good stuff, puff pastry. It is so crisp, flakey, and fluffy. I just love the texture. It can't be beat. Now, you can't serve gourmet pigs n' a blanket with just ketchup and mustard. No no no, that will not work. So I whipped up two sauces, an Apricot-Mustard and a Pomegranate-Ketchup. I feel like you need both at your party because the world consists of two types of people: the mustard-eatin' people and the ketchup-eatin' people. I am of the ketchup-eatin' people. I'm slightly obsessed and will actually eat it plain. I know, don't hate. However, the Mountain Man is a mustard person, strictly mustard. I know, hate him. Anyway, having options for people to chose from is very important in a successful party my friends. So they can go plain or with one of the condiments. We gobbled these pigs down in about 5 minutes flat. We felt like pigs after eating them, no pun intended!! Enjoy :)

Candied Bacon Wrapped Sausages in a Puff Pastry Blanket  

Gourmet Pigs n' a Blanket

Apricot-Mustard and Pomegranate-Ketchup

For the Candied Bacon Wrapped Sausages:

2lb Bacon, Cut into Halves or Thirds

2 Packages of Conecuh Smoked Sausages, Cut into Bite-Size Pieces

2C Brown Sugar

2T Cajun Seasoning

2t Paprika, Dry Mustard, & Pepper

½t Garlic Salt, Cayenne, & Cinnamon

For the Sausages in a Puff Pastry Blanket:

Prepared Candied Bacon Wrapped Sausages, Cooked

1 Large Egg

1T Water

AP Flour (for the work surface)

1 Box of Frozen Puff Pastry, Thawed

Sesame or Poppy Seeds, For Topping

For the Apricot-Mustard:

1C Apricot Preserves

¼C Apple Cider Vinegar

3T Coarse Grainy Mustard

For the Pomegranate-Ketchup:

1C Ketchup

¼C Pomegranate Molasses

Directions:

1. To Make the Candied Bacon Wrapped Sausages: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and cover a baking sheet with tin foil and spray with pam. Cut the bacon into halves or thirds and wrap each strip around the sausage pieces. Place the wrapped sausages onto wooden skewers. In a mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar and seasonings. Roll the bacon wrapped sausages into the sugar-seasoning mix until well coated. Arrange them onto the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with more sugar. Bake for 30 minutes until the bacon is crisp, the sausage is warm, and the brown sugar is caramelized, and then flip the sausage over, sprinkle with more brown sugar, and bake for another 15-20 minutes until the other side has caramelized as well. Let the sausages cool enough to handle and remove the toothpicks.
2. For the Sausages in a Puff Pastry Blanket: Heat the oven to 450 degrees. On a lightly floured work surface, working with one sheet of puff pastry at a time, roll into a 14x11inch rectangle. Cut lengthwise into seven 1 ½inch wide strips. Cut each strip crosswise into 4 rectangles, each about 3 ½inches long. In a small bowl, beat together the egg and water, and set it aside. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Place a cooled candied bacon wrapped sausage on the narrow end of one piece of pastry. Roll to enclose, brushing with some of the beaten egg to adhere. Transfer them to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining sausages. Brush the tops of the puff pastry with egg wash and sprinkle with seeds.
3. Bake the sausages in a blanket until puffed & golden, about 20 minutes. Let them cool briefly before serving with the apricot-mustard and pomegranate-ketchup.
4. For the Apricot-Mustard: Combine the apricot preserves, vinegar, and mustard in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Let cool to room temperature before serving.
5. For the Pomegranate-Ketchup: In a small bowl, mix together the ketchup and pomegranate molasses until incorporated.