Friday Night Bites | Ham and Cheese Palmiers + Thanksgiving Reflections

Happy Thanksgiving to each and everyone!  Thanksgiving is a day to reflect on all of the gifts we have.  Be thankful. Be grateful. Be appreciative. Be with family and friends. Be able to give back in a small or large way to others.

I am personally thankful for so much - my wonderful hubby, terrific family, great friends, health, rewarding career and to work for a special company and my cute doggie Max. I am very thankful for all of YOU, my faithful readers of my blog.  These are at the top of the list, but I could go on for quite sometime, but won’t bore you.  I do work for an outstanding organization that is like a second family.  Our Director of Human Resources sent an email out to the entire company to ask everyone to share what they are grateful for.  The response was overwhelming with high percentage of the company responding – that speaks volumes.

An “All Employee” email was sent out yesterday revealing what everyone was thankful for.  The common theme was family, friends, and the wonderful organization we work for.  A few unique items were thrown in such as being thankful for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers music, but if that is what that person is thankful for – more power to him or her. Smile.  At the top of the email was a quote that sort of says it all…..  “Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance”  Eckhart Tolle.

With Thanksgiving Day being the kick off to the holiday season, a big part of the many celebrations is food.  Today we will be celebration the holiday with my parents and my siblings and their family – I can’t wait to see everyone.  Each year we divide and conquer the food duties.  I am in charge of bringing the appetizers. Surprise huh?  Wink. Smile.  I am bringing a quick and tasty appetizer that has been a staple for quite sometime.  It is the perfect appetizer to make when you need a last minute appetizer that will impress your guests.

My Ham and Cheese Palmiers are quick, easy and pack a punch of flavor.  The presentation looks like you slaved for hours in the kitchen.  A perfect pairing for these delights is your favorite Chardonnay.  One of my all time favorite Chardonnays is from Grgich Hills Estate.  They craft their wines from grapes that are organic and biodynamic along with no malolactic fermentation which in turn retains the acidity.  The aromas and flavors found from this wine are tropical fruits, orange blossom honey and toasted almonds.  There is certain richness and butter tones as you sip through this delightful wine. 

Ham and Cheese Palmiers 

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed 
2/3 cup (lightly packed) Jarlsburg cheese, shredded
4 to 6 slices of Black Forest Ham

1/3 cup Pesto (handmade or store bought)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Use a non-stick baking sheet.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out puff pastry to 1/4 inch thick. 

Spread the pesto over the entire pastry leaving 1/3 inch free of pesto along the edges.  Sprinkle the grated Jarlsburg over pastry and then lay the ham over the cheese to cover.

Roll one side tightly to the middle, then roll the other side to middle and press slightly together. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Use a sharp knife, cut into ½ inch slices thick. 

Place on prepared baking sheet spacing the rolls 1 inch apart. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until rolls are puffed and golden. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.