Cheese Platter & Tomato Jam Hunt

As I already mentioned, we went to Postino with our friends a few Friday nights ago.  It was fabulous!  We went to a dinner party at their house a couple months back and I was on a Postino kick at the time. 

Postino makes the most amazing buschetta I have ever had in my life!  One of my faves is the Tomato Jam with Goat Cheese Bruschetta.  Tomato Jam, you ask?  Yes... Tomato Jam.  It sounds SO weird but is absolutely fabulous! 


So back to the dinner party.  I wanted to bring an appetizer and what better than a cheese platter?!  So simple and delish.  I really wanted to do a goat cheese log topped with tomato jam (because of the ridiculous obsession with Postino at the time)... but where could I find this delightful treat?  I embarked on a lunchtime journey to find this treat (which subsequently that turned into a few day journey...). 


I started at Fry's, thinking that just by chance it would be there.  Not a tomato jam in sight.  Then Cost Plus.  Then AJ's... then Safeway.  As my hour-long lunch was over, I was defeated.  I searched online for a couple of nights, to find a few weird spots and unusual websites that sold it... but I felt weird ordering jam online! 

I decided to use Facebook as a resource, and everyone suggested the places I had already been, and another person even sent me a recipe.  Too late to make it, though! No time!

Then.... VIOLA! My fave, trusty, LGO came to the rescue!

She may have cost me ten buckaroos, but I. HAD. TOMATO. JAM!

I had a leftover piece of french bread so I had to try the tasty tomato jam ASAP. 

Scrum-diddly-umptous! 

And how about on a hunka goat cheese?  Delish.

Of course, I had to add some brie cheese to the platter!

 What a great arrangement.  So easy (minus the tomato jam hunt).

 These are my fave - Carr's Water Crackers :)

 And YUMMY - sharp white cheddar cheese!

 Some lovely blueberries for color and a lil sweet touch...

And these lovely babies.  I LOVE raspberries!

Next time you gotta go to a dinner party, take a cheese platter... simple... and come on! Who doesn't just LOVE cheese?!

And don't forget your $10 tomato jam... available at LGO!

Salami Apertivos

Okay, first things first… I am so terribly sorry it has been awhile since I last blogged!  Between starting MBA School and this beautiful Arizona springtime weather, I have been quite the busy gal! 

We are headed to dinner this evening with a fabulous couple friend at Postino Arcadia.  This place is fab-o!  On Monday and Tuesday evenings, you get a board of bruschetta and a bottle of wine for $20.  This bruschetta isn’t any old bruschetta.  It’s very rich and filling (pics to come soon)… 

Anywho, it made me think of this simple and tasty recipe.  It's no Postino, but it's a great appetizer or snack!  I had some leftover french bread and was waiting for dinner to finish cooking a few days ago, so I whipped this one right up. 

Slice your french bread:

Drizzle it with a little olive oil:

Top with some shredded Parmesan cheese...

Then some salami...

And then a little more parm cheese on top.

Throw it in your convection oven (I LOVE that fan bake setting)...

Take it out when the cheese on top is toasty:

Nom Noms...

Tastes delish!

Simple and such a crowd pleaser!

As always, here's the recipe!

Salami Apertivos

Makes: 12 Apertivos



Ingredients:

1 French Bread Loaf

3 Tsp Olive Oil

1.5 Cups Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping

24 slices of Salami

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Slice the french bread into 12 slices.  Place slices on a baking sheet.  Drizzle olive oil on top of bread. Divide Parmesan cheese evenly among the slices of bread.  Top each slice with two salami slices. Sprinkle more Parmesan cheese on top and place in the oven for 5-7 minutes, or until cheese is melted and crispy on top. 

Cheesy Buffalo Wing Dip

I promised this recipe would come soon so here it is!  Have you guys ever been to Papago Brewery in Phoenix?  Rob and I first became obsessed with the Buffalo Wing Dip from there, and after too many visits to the Brewery, I decided it was time to try to make this dip myself and save a few bucks. 

I made this for our Christmas Eve get-to, where we have ton's of appetizer's and play games (the dice game in particular, which is too much fun!).

I LOVE making this recipe for parties.  It's so simple and tasty!  I wish I could say it was low-cal, but I'd be tellin' a lie.

Here's what you need:

Pour your cream into a sauce pot:

Warm it up, and throw your cream cheese in the pot.

Whisk it around...

And throw your cheese in there!

Look at all this cheese!  Whisk it around...

Until it's nice 'n creamy/cheesy:

You want it to look something like this when you raise your whisk:

And once that's warmed up and saucy, add your wing sauce...

(We like Red Devil the best)

Whisk it around again until well blended.

Throw it in a small Crock-Pot, and top with Gorgonzola Crumbles.

I mean, look at this!

Take a bite with a chip (or celery, which is AWESOME!).

Here's the deal.  When I make my famous pico (as I learned from the one and only, my friend Jose - recipe to come soon), or this dip, I have to get these Xochitl Tortilla Chips from Cost Plus World Market.  They are thin and delightful and everything you would want or need in a tortilla chip! Take a look at them here.

You could even make a little nacho platter with this dip and top with chorizo..

This recipe is also great with a little shredded chicken mixed in.   

Here's the recipe, enjoy!

Cheesy Buffalo Wing Dip
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Makes: Approx. 3 cups

Ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 brick cream cheese, softened
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 to 1 cup wing sauce (do this to taste, I like it more spicy than most do)
Gorgonzola Crumbles
Optional: Shredded Chicken

Directions:
Turn your Crock Pot on low.  Pour the cream into a sauce pan on medium heat.  Once warmed, add the cream cheese.  Melt the cream cheese until well-blended, and add mozzarella cheese.  Melt the mozzarella and add wing sauce.  Optional: Add shredded chicken and mix well.  Pour into a small Crock Pot on low and top with blue cheese crumbles.  Serve with tortilla chips and celery.