Appetizer Alert: Goat Cheese, Sun-dried Tomato, and Pesto Terrine

Now, not everybody likes to cook.  But with this recipe, there are no excuses people!  This is a great, no cook, no fuss, make-ahead appetizer that is just plain yummy.  It's fun and has a little bit of a wow factor and just tastes better than buying hummus at Ralph's.  When I say it is easy, boy, do I mean it!


Ingredients:
10 oz. of goat cheese
1/4 - 1/2 cup of heavy cream
3 tbs. of store bought pesto
5-6 oil-packed sundried tomatoes, drained and chopped
1/4 cup of pine nuts, toasted and finely chopped
extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
black pepper
pita chips or french bread for dipping


Directions:

Line the inside of a 2-cup sharply sloping bowl (about 4 inches across the top) with plastic; let the ends extend over the sides a few inches. In a mixing bowl, mash the goat cheese and 1/4 cup of the cream with a fork and season with 1/4 tsp. salt and a few grinds of pepper; add more cream if the cheese hasn’t softened.
Spoon about one-third of the cheese into the lined bowl and pack it into an even layer. Spread the pesto almost completely to the sides of the first layer of cheese. Top with another third of the cheese, the sun-dried tomatoes, and all but 1/2 Tbs. of the pine nuts. Top with the remaining cheese. Pack down, fold the plastic over, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (I like to make this the night before I need it and keep it in the fridge.)
Half an hour before serving, take the bowl out of the refrigerator. Pull on the edges of the plastic to loosen the terrine from the bowl. Invert the terrine onto a plate, drizzle with a little olive oil, and let sit for 1/2 hour to warm up.  Sprinkle with the remaining pine nuts, season liberally with pepper, and serve with pita chips or french bread.

Say Ableskivers Three Times Fast . . .

Christmas time in my family means one thing and one thing only... Ableskivers.  If you have never heard of them before, don't worry, you are not alone.  An Ableskiver is basically a Danish pancake.  They are round, fluffy, yummy, bites of goodness.  My dad's grandmother Leta who lived to be 100 years old, was Danish and passed down this recipe.  We always make these at some point during the holiday season.  I will, say that you do need an Ableskiver pan for this recipe to work, but surprisingly the Ableskiver pan has made its way into stores like William Sonoma and Sur La Table.  So don't shy away from this family favorite!  I have seen Ableskivers filled with jam or nutella, but we like to keep it "old school" in my family and enjoy them simply with butter and powdered sugar.  


From my family to yours . . .


Great Grandma Leta's Ableskiver Recipe


Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups of flour 
1/2 tsp. of salt
1 1/4 tsp. of baking soda
3/4 tsp. of baking powder
2 cups of buttermilk
2 eggs separated (you will use both the whites and the yolks)
3 tbs. of melted butter


Directions:
Sift dry ingredients.  Add milk and mix well.  Add melted butter and mix.  Add yolk to mixture and beat.  In a separate bowl beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.  Fold the egg whites gently into the the batter.  This ensures a light and fluffy Ableskiver.  Don't manhandle the egg whites!  


To cook, heat up your Ableskiver pan over medium heat (see below.)

Add butter to each hole and allow to melt.  Add about a tablespoon of batter into each hole.  The signs of an Ableskiver ready to be flipped, are the same signs you look for in a pancake.  Look for bubbly edges.  You can use a toothpick to move the the half-cooked Ableskiver to see if the bottom is golden brown.  When it is, you use your tooth pick to help you maneuver the Ableskiver so it cooks on the other side, forming a ball.  Allow the second side to brown.  To check if it is done, insert your toothpick into the center and if it comes out clean take out.  Serve with butter and powdered sugar and enjoy!