Fruit N Cheese Cups Food

FRUIT AND CHEESE BOARD

Steps:

• On a large platter or cutting board, arrange fruit, almonds and cheeses. Place honey in a small jar; tuck jar among fruit.

FRUIT AND CHEESE PLATTER

Steps:

• Line a wooden board or flat dish with fig leaves and artfully arrange the goat cheese, grapes, preserves and crackers on top.
• Place the orange zest and orange juice in a medium (10-inch) heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset. Add the sugar, vanilla bean, and figs to the pot. Cover and bring to a full boil over medium heat. (Don't worry; it may look dry.) Stir the mixture and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Lower the heat, and cook uncovered at a full simmer for 50 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want the little bubbles to be throughout the pot, not just at the edges. After 45 minutes, refrigerate a small amount of the liquid to see if it becomes syrupy. It should be like a soft fruit preserve. Keep cooking just until the liquid starts to gel when cold. If the liquid is too firm, add a little orange juice or water, cook for a minute, and test it again until it's right. Depending on how ripe the figs are, they will probably keep their shape, but it's fine if they don't. Discard the vanilla bean and serve or refrigerate.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
• Place the oats, flour, brown sugar, and kosher salt in a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse for 45 to 60 seconds, until the oats are coarsely ground. Add the butter and pulse 15 to 20 times, until the butter is the size of peas.
• Dissolve the baking soda in the lukewarm water and drizzle it over the crumbs in the food processor. Pulse until the mixture is evenly moistened and can be pressed into balls that will hold together.
• With a medium (1 3/4-inch) ice cream scoop or two spoons, scoop the dough into your hands and roll them into round balls. Evenly space 12 balls on the prepared sheet pans. Flour the bottom of a flat-bottomed 3-inch-diameter drinking glass and use it to flatten each cracker to 1/8 inch thick and about 3 inches in diameter. The crackers will not be perfectly round. If there is a lot of flour on the crackers, turn them over with a metal spatula. Sprinkle with the fleur de sel and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown on the edges. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• "Cooking for Jeffrey" by Ina Garten © Clarkson Potter 2016. Provided courtesy of Ina Garten. All rights reserved.

FRUIT AND CHEESE KABOBS

Steps:

• For dip, mix first 4 ingredients. On 12 wooden skewers, alternately thread strawberries, grapes and cheese cubes. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

FRUIT 'N' CHEESE CUPS

Steps:

• Spray a mini muffin tin with buttered flavored vegetable spray.
• Place 3 pieces of phyllo dough in tin with butter veggie spray between pieces with corners facing different directions (looks like a star) repeat 24 times.
• Bake cups at 375 degrees for approx 15 minutes until crispy.
• Cool Shells, in pan until room temperature.
• While shells are cooling beat 1 cup mascarpone cheese with 2/3 cup strawberry fruit spread until pink and fluffy.
• Place approx 1 tsp of cheese mixture in each shell.
• Mix graham cracker crumbs with splenda.
• Sprinkle crumbs on cheese.
• Place blueberries on top of crumbs.
• Chill for approx 30 minutes.

BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE FILO CUPS

Steps:

• Combine the blueberries, granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until the berries start to break down and the liquid becomes syrupy, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Whisk together the mascarpone, powdered sugar and lemon zest and juice in a medium bowl.
• Spoon or pipe dollops of the mascarpone mixture into the phyllo shells, leaving room for the blueberry compote, then top with the blueberry compote. Freshly grate lemon zest on top to garnish and dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

MINI CHEESECAKE CUPS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add sugar, vanilla and salt and mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. , Spoon into paper-lined miniature muffin cups, 2 tablespoons in each. Bake at 325° for 20-25 minutes or until set. Cool completely. , In a small bowl, combine sour cream and confectioners' sugar until smooth; spread over cheesecakes. Decorate with fruit and/or nuts. Chill for at least 1 hour. Store in the refrigerator.

PROSCIUTTO CUPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• In a medium bowl, mix the garlic, spinach, and ricotta until well blended. Set aside.
• Place strips of prociutto into a mini muffin tin so that they line the bottom but there is also some meat hanging out over the sides to look like a flower.
• Fill each cup with about 1 1/2 TBS of cheese mixture or enough so the cup is full and rounded on the top. The filling should look like the center of the flower.
• Bake 10-15 minutes, until the prosciutto is browned and stiff to the touch. The cups should be able to retain their shape after they are removed from the tin. Serve warm, not hot.

FRUIT 'N CHEESE SNACK MIX

Steps:

• Place cheese in 1 side of resealable sandwich-size plastic bag; loosely tie pie cleaner or twist tie around middle of bag. Place fruit in other end of bag; seal bag, then twist pipe cleaner tightly to separate cheese from fruit.
• Curl ends of pipe cleaner to resemble antennae of a butterfly.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve. Untwist pipe cleaner, leaving bag sealed. Gently shake bag to mix fruit and cheese. Open bag and enjoy!