Apple Brie Quesadilla

We are cheese lovers in our family. And it seems that I am always attracted to appetizer recipes that include cheese. Many (OK...many) years ago in my earlier life of entertaining friends, I thought it was daring to put out a plate of cheese and crackers that included Harvarti, not just cheddar! Yes, that was thinking out of the box for me. As I became more attracted to cooking and baking and learning about new foods, wines and pairings, I found that if I was going to serve something to my guests, a plate of cheese and crackers was not going to cut it. I wanted different things, fun food, creative tastes. Those who know me best, know that I am an appetizer queen. I love to fuss with this course. This recipe is not only a great appetizer, it can be a good snack if you have some flour tortillas left over and don't know what to do with them. And it works as well with pears as it does with apples. Paired with a wonderful chilled, crisp white wine, this is superb to serve your guests. And it's not that boring plate of cheese!

Apple-Brie Quesadillas

Peel core and thinly slice a Granny Smith apple. Saute apples with 1 Tbsp butter.

Add 8 slices of fully cooked and cut-up bacon. Cook for 1 minute.

Spread 4-fajita size tortillas in a non-stick baking sheet.

Divide apples among the tortillas; top apples with 6 oz of sliced Brie cheese and 4 more tortillas. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking. (This is tricky, so use a couple of spatulas to do this.) Remove from oven and cut into wedges and serve.

Dreaming of Light Meals on the Deck

With dreams of nicer weather, I keep thinking of evenings on the deck with good friends. There are times when we just kick back and don't feel like fussing. We start with a crisp white wine and baked Brie. This particular one is a favorite and is wonderful served with sliced apples and pears. After that we have a beautiful antipasto....garlicky salami and sausage in oil, smoked provolone, a tangy wedge of gorgonzola, kalamata black olives, garlic green olives, succulent vine ripened tomatoes, roasted red peppers, and tuna in olive oil. Serve along with a crusty baguette and a good Chianti. For dessert, an aperitif of limoncello or sambuca and a cup of espresso with a little lemon rind to end a lovely evening. Ah...dreams of summer.... soon we will be able to share this al fresco meal....soon.....
Baked Brie
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/3 cup chopped almonds
8 ounces brie cheese
3 tablespoons apricot preserves
1 frozen puff pastry
1 egg white
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degree C). Lightly grease a 9 inch pie pan.
2. Slice the wheel of Brie in half, horizontally, so that the halves are two, flatter wheels of Brie. Lay the puff pastry in the pie pan. Place half of the Brie (rind-side down) onto the pastry dough. Sprinkle almonds, brown sugar, and fruit preserves evenly over the top. Place the other half of the Brie (rind-side up) over the almonds. Bundle the pastry dough around the Brie.
3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.