Herbed Goat Cheese Bites Food

HERBED GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Find a small, wide-mouth canning jar or small glass vase (3 1/2 inches in diameter by 4 inches high), just large enough to hold the two goat cheeses on top of each other with a little room to spare. Cut each cheese in half horizontally, making 2 rounds from each. (A piece of dental floss makes this easier.)
• Place half of the first disk flat in the jar, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then with 1/2 teaspoon dill, 1 teaspoon basil, and a few red pepper flakes, and drizzle with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Place another disk of cheese on top and repeat the seasonings, herbs, and oil. Continue with the remaining cheese disks, piling one on top of the other with oil and seasonings in between. When all the disks are stacked and seasoned, drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil on top. Cover and set aside at room temperature for one hour or refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Serve at room temperature with bread or crackers for people to help themselves.

HERBED GOAT CHEESE BITES

Steps:

• Mash together with a fork the goat cheese, cream cheese, herbs, tomatoes, salt and pepper.
• Chill this mixture in the refrigerator for a while to make it easier to work with.
• Roll small scoops of the goat cheese mix in your hands to make smooth balls.
• Put the balls in a clean jar, and completely cover with the evoo. Store in the refrigerator for at least 1 day, to give the flavors time to develop.
• Serve on a cheese platter, or with baguette, crackers, crudites.
• The oil makes a wonderful addition to a salad dressing!

HERB COATED GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Arrange the bread slices on 2 heavy baking sheets. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of olive oil over the bread slices. Bake until the crostini are pale golden and crisp, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, stir the herbs, lemon zest, pepper, and salt in a medium bowl to blend. Using about 2 teaspoons of cheese for each, form the goat cheese into 1-inch diameter balls. Roll the cheese balls in the herb mixture to coat completely. Arrange the cheese balls on a platter. Drizzle the extra-virgin olive oil over and around the cheese balls. Serve with the crostini. Garnish with herb sprigs.
• The crostini and cheese balls can be prepared 1 day ahead. Store the crostini in an airtight container at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate the cheese balls.

HERBED GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Arrange cheese on a small plate. Sprinkle with oregano, red-pepper flakes, and lemon zest. Season to taste with salt and pepper and drizzle with oil. Serve immediately with crostini or crackers.

HERBED GOAT CHEESE TEA SANDWICHES

Steps:

• For the spread, place the cream cheese, goat cheese, garlic, thyme, parsley, 5 tablespoons milk, salt, and pepper in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment.
• Beat on medium speed until well mixed. Add an additional tablespoon of milk if the spread is very thick.
• To make sandwiches, spread each slice of bread with the goat cheese spread.
• Slice the cucumber in thin rounds and arrange on half the bread slices.
• Top with remaining bread, press slightly.
• Trim off the crusts, and cut into halves, thirds, or triangles.

HERBED GOAT-CHEESE TOASTS

Steps:

• Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Divide baguette slices between 2 shallow baking pans. Lightly brush tops of slices with oil, then lightly season with salt and pepper. Bake, switching position of pans halfway through baking, until toasts are crisp but not hard, about 10 minutes.
• Stir together goat cheese, herbs, shallot, and pepper. Season with salt.
• Beat cream with a whisk until it just holds soft peaks, then fold into cheese mixture. Serve with toasts.