Saturday, January 22, 2011

Gorgonzola and Cherry Pastry Puffs


I have long had a love affair with appetizers. Each small bite can be filled with simple or complex flavors .A couple years ago on a Saturday, I hosted a “cooking class” at my house for a half a dozen co-workers. The theme was “All Appetizers”. I put together a packet of the recipes and purchased all of the ingredients. Everyone just simply showed up and contributed money towards the ingredients.


























For this particular cooking class, I set aside about 7 to 8 different recipes ranging from Thai Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce to simple Brie and Chutney Cups. I served sparkling wine for everyone and we ate each appetizer along the way. By the end of the three hour time period, each person was quite satisfied.



















Christine, who has worked for me for the past six years, was probably the most excited about the class. She took copious notes. Literally right after the class she drove to Trader Joe’s and purchased quite a few items to make the recipes for her family that night. To this day, she still makes a lot of the recipes from the class and has passed them along to her friends and family.



Last week, I had my annual team appreciation lunch. The Gorgonzola and Cherry Pastry Puffs were a complete hit with the entire team. It was such a simple appetizer that will impress any guest. Christine stayed after the lunch to help me clean up, which was a complete help. Before she headed out, she wrote down the recipe for the cherry puffs and made it that night for her family. It makes me smile from ear to ear to know that she loves my appetizer recipes so much.

























Gorgonzola and Cherry Pastry Puffs

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
¼ C. Dried cherries, finely chopped
3 T. Cherry preserves
½ C. Crumbled gorgonzola
2 T. Pecans finely chopped and lightly toasted or dry roasted

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 36 mini muffin cups with cooking spray.

On a lightly floured surface, unfold the pastry sheet. Cut the sheet into 6 rows by 6 rows to yield 36 1 ½ inch squares. Lightly press 1 square into each muffin cup, pressing the center to the bottom of the cup with your finger. Bake 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix dried cherries and preserves until well blended, set aside.

Remove the pastry cups from the oven and with the handle of a wooden spoon, press the centers. Add a teaspoon of the gorgonzola cheese to each one, and then top with a ½ teaspoon or so of the cherry mixture. Sprinkle a few pecan pieces on each one.

Bake for 2 to 4 minutes or just until the cheese is melted. Carefully remove each one with a sharp knife and serve.

21 comments:

  1. Those puffs look so flaky and tempting!

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  2. Are these too fancy to take to a super bowl party? Please don't say yes.. they look too good!

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  3. Wow, what a wonderful appetizer! I'm not a big fan of gorgonzola, I'll probably replace it by goat cheese. Thanks for sharing!

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  4. I love the combo of the rich, salty cheese and the sweet cherries. They are s pretty too! Perfect party food!

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  5. Lisa, who wouldn't like your appetizers? I've tasted a few so I know they're winners.

    I love mixing sweet and salty together, especially gorgonzola. The little puff pastry cups just make these so much easier to pop into your mouth. Simple and elegant.

    I hope you enjoy this beautiful Sunday. :-)

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  6. I'm so with you about appetizers!

    I've been scouring for interesting and tasty tidbits lately. What I like about appetizers, besides the sophisticated flavors that can be packed in one small bite is that - they're bite-sized and portion controlled. Sometimes they're all I need as the meal.

    How fun your appetizer class sounds. I luv these little cups of cherry/gorgonzola! ;)

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  7. Beautiful, little puffs. Great mix of flavors.

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  8. You never cease to amaze me! I've never tried the combination of cherry and mascarpone but I love fruit and cheese together so this is a must try! I would love to take one of your "all appetizers" classes!

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  9. I have the gorgonzola, pecans, and puff pastry - next trip to Trader Joe's I'm buying the cherries and making these divine little puffs! Love the flavors and the appreciation you show for your co-workers :)

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  10. Gorgonzola and Cherry - what a lovely combination!!!

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  11. Great recipe made even easier by using puff pastry. Perfect for entertaining or serving with cocktails! Thanks for sharing!

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  12. Lovely appetizer! I really like sweet and savory flavor combinations! Thanks for sharing!

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  13. Those puffs look so tasty and good. I'm adding the recipe to my favorites!

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  14. Terrific flavor pairing!
    Congrats on Top 9!
    LL

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  15. Hi Lisa! Alright, here is what I LOVE about these appetizers: salty, sweet, and buttery, all in one bite. You can't get any better than this! I'll be bookmarking this for sure :)

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  16. How pretty! I can't think of a better flavor combonation for a perfect dessert! love gorgonzola!

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  17. p.s. love your blog to bits! I'm your newest follower and look forward to more deliciousness.
    I'd love for you to join Simply Healthy Family if you would like.

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  18. Congrats on the top 9 today! These look amazing.

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  19. These looks so delicious and simple to make, thanks so much for sharing the recipe!

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  20. That sounds like such a fun class...I love appetizers too. These are gorgeous and love the flavors :)

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