Portobello Mushroom Blue Cheese Tart Recipe

Most of the time, I have puff pastry in the freezer. That means that when I’m in a pinch, as I was today, I can always whip up a light meal with a few vegetables and make a savory tart. This time around I made a caramelized onion and fennel filling, topped with sliced grilled Portobello mushrooms and blue cheese. I paired the individual tarts with mixed greens and a simple vinaigrette.

Sunny days are back, so I tend to prepare easy, lighter meals like this one and a lot of cooling drinks to fight off the heat. Who wants to be stuck in a hot kitchen when the weather is this nice? 

Pumpkin and Goat Cheese Tartlet Appetizers

Whenever we host parties, I always like to serve bite-size appetizers. For our most recent fete, I made small savory tartlets filled with mashed pumpkin and Butter Gold potatoes. For extra creaminess, I added crumbled goat cheese along with some sesame-flavored candied walnuts for crunch.

The wrapping was made of puff pastry, which I’ve also used for many other types of appetizers. Whatever filling you choose, these cute miniature appetizers are always a hit.

Easy Cheese Appetizer Recipe

We're still in Paris and I've been feeling a little lazy as our vacation winds down. Maybe it’s a subconscious awareness that we’re about to go back to the daily grind. Still, we need to eat, and these cheese appetizers literally take about 10 minutes to assemble. This gives me plenty of time to do, well, other things.

I stacked cheese and sesame crackers, Rocamadour (goat) cheese, store-bought cherry preserves and sun-dried tomatoes into these little bites. They are so delicious, my husband Lulu could eat them by the dozen while waiting for dinner to be served.

The sweetness from the preserves and creaminess from the cheese pair wonderfully. You could make small variations using other chutneys or relishes as well.

Savory Cheesecake Appetizer Recipe

Lulu's aunt, Nikhat Auntie, sent us a jar of delicious homemade mango chutney. I couldn't resist experimenting with it. From past culinary concoctions, I've found that mango chutney pairs wonderfully with goat cheese. It made sense to mix both flavors in a savory cheesecake.

I dressed them in mini molds and served them as appetizers. I used shortbread cookie for the crust and also added pomegranate to play with the sweet, savory and tart flavors of the cheesecake.

It was a hit! These appetizers can be prepared in advance, plus they don't require any baking time, meaning I'll be making them quite often. That is, if Lulu's aunt sends me some more of her amazing chutney!

Blue Cheese Pear Salad Recipe

When pears still have a hard texture, they are a wonderfully sweet addition to salad. I wanted to make a first course that looks festive for the holidays, so I mixed some greens, hazelnuts, dried cranberries, pears and blue cheese. What's not to like? To finish, I drizzled creamy blue cheese dressing on the salad.

This is definitely not a salad for dieting! It's the holidays though, so indulge.