Yummy in my Tummy

I feel as though I have been doing a lot of cooking for potlucks and such lately.  It is a great way to cut down costs for your own party and get others involved!  I love bringing something to a party, otherwise I feel empty handed.  Although a bottle of wine is always welcome, I love to make appetizers.

Recently, I made a goat cheese stuffed baguette:



Here is the basic recipe, but feel free to create your own stuffing.  I used roasted red peppers and carmelized onions.

Ingredients:

• Baguette about 14-inch long
• 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• 4-8 oz fresh goat cheese
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 jar roasted red peppers, finely chopped
• ¼ cup finely chopped Kalamata olives
• 2 oz finely chopped spicy salami
• About 2 tbsp minced Italian parsley
• About 1 tsp minced fresh thyme
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Salt to taste (very unlikely since there’re plenty of salty ingredients)

Preparation:

Slice off both ends of the baguette. Using a long thin knife and working from the both ends, hollow the baguette out leaving about ½-inch thick crust all around.

Using an electric mixer beat the cream cheese until smooth and lump-free. Beat in the goat cheese and garlic. Stir in the rest of the ingredients.

Working again from the both ends, fill the baguette with the cheese mixture. Pack the filling tight. I used a slender shot glass for pressing the filling in. Wrap the stuffed baguette very well in plastic and refrigerate for at least two hours and up to two days. Right before serving, slice the baguette into ½-inch thick slices and serve. For the most neat looking slices, treat it as a cheesecake – each time slice it with a hot dry knife.

Happy Munching!

xoxo,
Jza Jza