Goat cheese and mushroom Tart

 

Goat cheese and mushroom tart

Goat cheese and mushrooms are two of my very favourite ingredients. I like them anytime, anywhere, in almost any combination. I love them so much that I’m actually a little surprised that I haven’t posted a recipe using them together, before now.

In my post last week, I mentioned that we had spent a week relaxing at our family cabin. Since the entire idea behind a vacation at the cabin is to relax, I usually spend some of my time working on a new recipe or two. That might sound odd to some people, but for me, being in the kitchen, creating something new and yummy is one of my favourite ways to relax. Especially with some music playing and my husband occupying the kids. Oh, and how could I forget, a glass of wine to sip on while I work away.

As far as wine goes, I tend to be a red wine kinda girl. In this case, however, I felt like this recipe was a bit too rich for red. I chose instead to sip on a delightful Sauvignon Blanc from Serendipity Winery. It was fresh and light, which was perfect for balancing out the richness of this goat cheese and mushroom tart.

Serendipity Winery 2013 Sauvignon Blanc

All in all, I would say this recipe completely sums up my idea of a perfect, relaxing day. I hope you enjoy it!

397g package of frozen puff pastry, thawed

2 oz cream cheese, softened

2 oz goat cheese

1 tbsp garlic chives

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 (14g) package of dried porcini mushrooms

1 Cup portabello mushrooms, sliced and then halved

1 large shallot, minced

4 pieces of asparagus, trimmed

salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

Start by re-hydrating the porcini mushrooms according to their package directions.

While the mushrooms are re-hydrating, roll out the puff pastry to form a rectangle that’s about 10″x12″. Place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and set aside.

Blend together the cream cheese, goat cheese and chives. Gently spread the mixture evenly over the puff pastry.

Once the porcinis are ready, heat the butter and olive oil together in a skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 1 – 2 minutes, until just starting to sweat. Add the portobello mushrooms, cook for a just a few minutes, then add in the porcinis. Continue cooking for a couple minutes longer until the mushrooms are tender. Season with salt.

Evenly spread the mushroom mixture over the cheese and pastry. Top with the asparagus, cutting it into smaller pieces if you like.

Bake for 20 – 25 minutes until the crust is golden and flaky.

 

Roasted Vegetable Quesadillas

Roasted Vegetable Quesadillas

I can’t believe it’s July already!

The month of June went by in a flash for me. Between all the year end school events for my kids, a couple weekends away and having family come to visit, there hasn’t been a lot of down time. There also hasn’t been a lot of time to cook.

This past weekend I was in the Okanagan area of British Columbia playing in a slopitch tournament. The Okanagan is known for it’s high temperatures in summer, delicious wines from several surrounding wineries and beautiful, sandy beaches. I didn’t get a chance to visit any of the wineries, but I definitely experienced the heat while playing ball in 40 degree weather, after which, the beaches were completely necessary to cool down. Now that we’re back home, I’m looking forward to a few low key weeks before we’re off again.

Between the heat and lack of time, I’ve been sticking to lighter, easier meals at dinner time. I just don’t have the energy to cook and I don’t really feel like eating anything heavy. This recipe for Roasted Vegetable Quesadillas has become one of my favourite weeknight meals to make. It’s light, healthy and comes together in about 30 minutes. It’s also a perfect meatless option that’s entirely satisfying.

 

1 large zucchini

1/2 Cup crimini mushrooms

2 bell peppers

1 red onion

3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp honey

2 tbsp fresh oregano ,chopped

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 Cup goat cheese crumbles

1/2 Cup Havarti cheese, grated

4 flour tortillas

1 Cup cherry tomatoes, diced

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Farenheit

In a large bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, honey, oregano, salt and pepper. Add the zucchini, mushrooms, peppers and onions and toss just to coat. Spread the vegetables evenly over a 9×13 baking dish and place in the oven to roast for 20 minutes.

Spread the roasted vegetable evenly over one half of the tortillas. Top with the goat cheese and Havarti. Fold the other half of the tortilla over the veggies and cheese and place on a preheated grill for 5 – 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is crispy. Serve with fresh diced cherry tomatoes.