BY VICTORIA ABBOTT AKA MARY JANE AND VICTORIA MAFFINI
Christmas is almost upon us! Even though it’s unusually warm here this
week here in Eastern Ontario and the grass is green, we can feel the excitement
in the air. It’s a lot easier to get
around and shop without slush, snow or freezing rain. We love a white Christmas but are looking at
this weather as a gift. The last two
years we had minus 20 Celsius aka minus 4 Fahrenheit from late November. Not that we’re bitter! So let's celebrate with a giveaway! Read to the end for details.
This year we turned our hand to Marinated Goat Cheese. Are we the last people to fall in love with this little recipe? Never mind. We’re in the game now. We tried these first when we had dinner for eight last week. They were close friends and we told them they were Guinea Pigs. They sipped their wine and stiffened their spines. But the Marinated Goat Cheese was a hit. Both versions.
We’re making more because we never know when someone will drop in and because they just get better marinating. Plus, you don’t have to be too fussy about exact measurements and can change the ingredients to suit yourself.
Let us present: Marinated Goats Cheese Two Ways.
We invested in pretty mason jars with flip tops and pink peppercorns (which we couldn’t find in our village). We think they jazz things up a bit. These would also make great gifts.
MARINATED GOAT CHEESE TWO WAYS
Maple Walnut Marinated Goat Cheese
Ingredients:
1 ounce pink peppercorns
½ cup walnut pieces, toasted
3 tablespoons maple syrup
Orange zest (we decided against it because of an allergy)
All you do is:
Toast walnut pieces at 350 F for about ten minutes. Cool.Slice the goat cheese into medallions
Place two or three medallions in the wide-mouthed jar. Sprinkle with pink peppercorns and walnuts.
Mix olive and walnut oil.
Drizzle with maple syrup and oil,
Repeat until all medallions are used. How easy is that? Cover with remaining oil. You may need to add a bit more.
Seal and marinate in the refrigerator for one to two weeks (or at least a couple of days).
Bring to room temperature before serving so the olive oil becomes liquid again. Serve with fresh rolls, crostini or your favorite crackers. Ours were gobbled up before we had time to take photos!
Lemon Garlic Marinated Goat Cheese
1 log goat cheese (250 grams/8 ounces) for each
Good quality olive oil (about ¾ cup)
Fresh thyme sprigs and fresh rosemary
1 ounce pink peppercorns
Zest of one lemon
2 cloves garlic sliced
All you do is:
Slice the goat cheese into medallions
Place two or three medallions in the wide-mouthed jar. Sprinkle with pink peppercorns and thyme, lemon zest and garlic. Drizzle with oil.
Repeat until all medallions are used. How easy is that? Cover with remaining oil. You may need to add a bit more!
Seal and marinate in the refrigerator for one to two weeks (or at least a couple of days).
Bring to room temperature before serving so the olive oil becomes liquid again.
Serve with fresh rolls, crostini or your favorite crackers.
We hope you enjoy these and however you celebrate or brighten your life during the dark days of December, we hope you have joy, happiness and great food. We hope you get to put your feet up and relax!
We hope you get to read lots of books too, of course, it goes without saying.
With great affection to all our friends and readers, from Victoria Abbott (aka Mary Jane and Victoria Maffini) and our furry friends.
We wish you all things bright and beautiful, like this amaryllis that was a month early this year and a month late last year. We love it anyway.
Please come by with a comment and you might win our fabulous book collector tote! You know you want it! Perfect for lugging your Christmas books about.
This sounds delicious, and looks very pretty as well. Merry Christmas to you!
ReplyDeleteejbs3s@yahoo.com
Ooh, such fabulous goat cheese varieties! And adorable dogs :) Wishing you an early Merry Christmas! EMS591@aol.com
ReplyDeleteThank you! Merry and happy to you too.
DeleteHugs.
MJ/VA
YUM! I think I'll try that lemon garlic version.
ReplyDeletesuefarrell.farrell@gmail.com
I just discovered cranberry crusted goat cheese at Costco, so I will be trying these. I used to tell the family that my experiments were Guinea Pig food too.
ReplyDeleteEven here in California I always hope that we will have a big snowstorm on Christmas Eve, after I'm done shopping and cooking and wrapping of course. Then a big melt the day after Christmas.
I would get a collar like that for Pep but Peaches doesn't look all that happy in it! Happy Holidays. xo
Ah Peaches never looks happy! That's her schtick!
DeleteHugs, MJ and Victoria
Sounds perfect! Thank you for the recipe.
ReplyDeletemyrifraf(at)gmail(dot)com
Love this delectable recipe. Thanks. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI'm going to try the 2nd one ASAP to get it in the frig for New Year's Day... grammyd01@comcast.net
ReplyDeleteThanks for this perfect recipe for the holidays. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI've never tried goat cheese but think I might try it now! Woke up to some snow here in Edmonton AB and -7. Could be worse! Merry Christmas ladies!!
ReplyDeleteMygnomeshome@gmail.com
My
Great recipes, will have to try. Merry Christmas.
ReplyDeletediannekc8@gmail.com
The dogs look unusually uncertain. Are they not in the holiday spirit yet?
ReplyDeleteGreat recipes. I love goat cheese--both the fresh young variety and older ones, too.
Wishing you the very best holidays and winter.
A very merry Christmas to you all.
libbydodd at comcast dot net
PS Love the boots!
DeleteSame to you, Libby! The dogs are only certain about treats.
DeleteHugs.
MJ and VA
I've never tried anything like this. Merry Christmas and thank you for the giveaway.
ReplyDeleteGreat recipes, so easy to make. Thanks for the giveaway. Have a great Christmas and a wonderful New Year.
ReplyDeleteYour recipes always make me drool. Thank goodness I only look; otherwise, I would never get out of the kitchen to do any reading. Thanks for the chance to win and Merry Christmas! doward1952@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteBoth savory and sweet, nice! For sure printing these out. I just love these cozy recipes that are easy. With all of the parties at work and with friends and family, this will be something perfect and totally different to take. Thank you for sharing! SherylHbooth@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI have never tried that and it would be interesting to. I would do it and not tell my husband what it is till he tries it. Thank you for the giveaway and recipes along with your cozy books that i so enjoy!
ReplyDeleteI love the variety of recipes printed in some of the cozy mysteries. It's like getting two books in one. robeader53@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteLove the tote! Interesting recipe.
ReplyDeleteLove the recipe and the tote ! kathambre@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteThe recipes look delicious, I absolutely love the Book collector series. I've got them all on my bookshelf and have read them more than once. I can hardly wait for the next.
ReplyDeleteMERRY CHRISTMAS ! XOXO
The recipes look delicious, I absolutely love the Book collector series. I've got them all on my bookshelf and have read them more than once. I can hardly wait for the next.
ReplyDeleteMERRY CHRISTMAS ! XOXO
Thanks for the recipes and the giveaway. Have a great holiday.
ReplyDeleteYou were not the last to hear of this. I fear I was! But now that you have brought me into the loop of the chic, I'll be trying it!
ReplyDeleteYou can just never have too many totes, and a book tote is even better. Thanks for the recipes, and the fun chance to win. And, of course, for writing such fun books. :) rencw@verizon.net
ReplyDeleteI love your recipes! Merry Christmas! l.bergh@sbcglobal.net
ReplyDeleteGreat recipe--the cheeses are adorable! as are the boots, the girls, and as Libby pointed out, the uncertain dogs!
ReplyDeleteSnort! Thanks, Lucy! XO MJ
DeleteI love the whole series, thanks for the chance to win a bag with all of the titles on it!
ReplyDeletemagicgirl2357@yahoo.com
Thanks for the chance to win!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance to win!
ReplyDeleteI love your books and the recipe looks good!
ReplyDeleteLisa
hseaside5@aim.com
Thanks! Nice to hear that!
DeleteHugs.
MJ/VA
Love the festive dog picture and looking forward to trying the recipe for my supervisor's Christmas party. dbahn@iw.net
ReplyDeleteHope you like it, Dianne!
DeleteHugs.
MJ/VA
I'll have to give the cheese a try. Love the series! Thanks for a chance to win. Jlsbookclub @ nc.rr.com
ReplyDeleteSo glad you like the series. Hope the cheese suits you too.
DeleteHugs.
MJ/VA
Aww.. Merry Christmas and thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteedith.patchan@live.com
Happy Christmas! Thank you for the contest.
ReplyDeletedavisel1830@hotmail.com
Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteI love recipes that include walnuts!! Happy holidays!!
ReplyDeletelindaherold999@gmail.com
rhondajgothier@yahoo.com Would love it!
ReplyDeleteThe first recipe is such a unique combination... you've got me intrigued.
ReplyDeletecozyupwithkathy @ gmail dot com
What a great tote and the pups look so cute!
ReplyDeleteJHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com
The recipes look delicious. I love your red boots. marlene.ezell@gmail.com
ReplyDelete