Herbed Almond Encrusted Goat Cheese Bites | #CelebrateAlmonds

I’ve partnered with California Almonds to bring you this sponsored post and all opinions stated are my own.

It's been awhile since I've talked about a food holiday, but since February has the honor of being American Heart Month, National Snacking Month, and Almond Month (not to mention Almond Day falls on the 16th), I thought it would be fun to combine all three by sharing a few almond recipes with you throughout the month.

Grilled Veggie Sandwich w/ Goat Cheese (aka The Frodo) inspired by Baker's Blues

Nine years! That's how long I've hoped that, and waited for, this book to come out. Back in the summer of 2006, I devoured the first two books in this trilogy by Judith Ryan Hendricks while occupying a quilt in my backyard, sounds of my then 2,3, and 8 year old kids somewhat muted in the background. I couldn't put them down. They were the catalyst for my need to bake bread. If it weren't for those little ones who kept me so tired, I'm pretty sure I would have found work in a bakery, where I had to be in at 3am.

I'd actually logged a little early morning bakery time during my culinary apprenticeship a number of years before that—and enjoyed it—but these books just sucked me in and brought it to a whole 'nother level. Of course, I was also set to move to Seattle and just insert myself into Wyn's life. (I have been to Seattle since then, and wouldn't have regretted the move one little bit.) I purchased a copy of The Tassajara Bread Book, which was/is very important to Wyn, online immediately.

Although it took some time and practice...and 4 or so more years to actually completely conquer my fear of yeast (not to mention sourdough)...I've now shared 130+ yeast bread recipes right here on All Roads Lead to the Kitchen. Any time somebody asks me why I started baking bread, I tell them about the books Bread Alone and The Baker's Apprentice, and that summer 9 years ago.

Red Cabbage and Golden Raisin Salad

Once the new year hits, you hear people left and right making resolutions and setting goals that often revolve around their diet. I'm not immune to getting in that mindset, but I also try to be realistic. You know, with myself. I definitely get the urge for lighter and fresher. But the thing is—it's January. And January in my world means it's still downright freezing outside. So, I'm still knee deep in hearty stews, slow cooking roasts, and comforting casseroles. And don't plan on letting those go for at least a few months.

That said, I love adding a bit of freshness to those meals meant to warm you to the bone. Although that can also be a bit of a challenge this time of year. While I love locally grown produce, and devour it with an urgency as soon as the ground thaws, sometimes we have to get a little creative with what we have this time of year. Onions, winter squash, tubers, and cabbage abound! You know what's great about that, though? All of those crops are inexpensive and extremely versatile.

When you think red cabbage, images of a big pot simmering on the back of your grandmother's stove may fill your head. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that (pass me a bowl!). But, I know many people who don't like cabbage...or think they don't like cabbage. And it's usually memories like boring boiled cabbage that they cite as the reason why when I ask.

Pomegranate Salad

Are you knee-deep in holiday sweets yet? Since it's already two weeks into December, that scenario is almost impossible to avoid. It can be easy to forget that life is not all about the butter...the sugar...the chocolate...the glacé fruit (okay, maybe nobody ever thinks it's about the glacé fruit). That is why I'm sharing this salad with you today. Okay, that and the fact that I'm today's stop for the Sharing Morocco blog tour!

The thing is, looking at this salad, you don't necessarily think healthy. You think beautiful—or at least I do. The deep, rich reds and greens that come straight from the earth rather than a tube. Busting out this salad in the middle of the holiday madness is like bringing home somebody to meet your family for the first time. Everybody's nervous and wondering if they'll fit in. But instead of being awkward, it's like they were supposed to have been there all along. They just fit.

Aside from the colors that just scream winter, I think it has a lot to do with the addition of lightly candied nuts and nature's own little sugar bursts, dates. This salad is just one of the many vibrant dishes lining the pages of the new (released in October) cookbook by Ruth Barnes, otherwise known as The Petite Gourmande.

Grilled Goat Cheese w/ Tomato & Tarragon on Olive Bread + No-Knead Olive Bread

Did you know that April is National Grilled Cheese Month? If ever you needed an excuse to eat a grilled cheese sandwich every day for 30 days straight, this is it! Personally, I don't really think excuses are necessary when it comes to grilled cheese. It's been one of my favorites since I could chew.

During my sophomore year in college, some of our closest friends from our brother floor freshman year moved off campus. They moved into an ever-coveted house. But since we all got pretty tight the year before, they still dropped by the dorms to visit pretty often. Now, I ate the majority of my meals in the cafeteria - which I actually didn't mind. I thought the food was pretty good. Heck, we even had King Crab legs on special occasions. But sometimes, I just missed a home-cooked meal. Even if it was something as simple as a grilled cheese.

So, being the awesome guy that he was, Mike (one of our "brothers") used to make grilled cheese sandwiches and bring them to the dorm for me. I can't remember if he used the stovetop or a grilled cheese maker, but it didn't matter. It was the highlight of my day every time. Perfectly golden, crispy bread encasing ooey, gooey melted cheese. I don't think that I ever expressed how thankful I was to him for taking the time to do that, but it's a gesture that sticks with me to this day.

Egg White Frittata w/ Mushrooms, Spinach, & Goat Cheese inspired by Trinity Stones

So, apparently Paranormal Romance is a thing. When I first saw it, all I could picture were aliens in love. Fortunately this novel has no such nonsense in it. It has Nephilim and humans in love. Much better. And I'm being entirely serious. But if asked to give it a genre, I would probably have chosen Supernatural Romance over Paranormal Romance - it just seems more fitting. But I'll move on.

Would you believe me if I told that I've never read a Romance novel before? It's true. They just never appealed to me. I remember studying the Fabio-filled paperback covers in the grocery store when I was a kid, though. They didn't even pique my interest back then. Now, this isn't a straight-up Romance, so I still can't say that I've read one. But if the few pages filled with scenes full of deep penetrating thrusts, milking his hard length, and swirling tongue on sensitive peaks are just a glimpse into their pages, I won't be starting anytime soon. At those points, I felt like I shouldn't be reading the book while my kids were in the same room!

Roasted Red Pepper, Basil, and Almond Pesto Crostini {#FreshGifts}

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of AeroGarden in conjunction with Kitchen PLAY.  All opinions are my own.

Living in the midwest, I am a "four seasons" kind of gal.  I sweat under the hot summer sun.  I welcome the rain and the tender green buds in spring.  I slog through the snow and ice in the winter.  I rejoice in the cool air and colorful leaves in autumn.  And no matter how much I complain that it's too cold, or too hot, or that a certain perfect season isn't long enough, I wouldn't want it any other way.

That said, I do miss summer's bounty when it comes to cold weather cooking and entertaining.  Especially when the holidays roll around.  Sure, I can run to the market and pick up some herbs and veggies that have been either shipped or (preferably) locally grown in a greenhouse.  And I do.  But isn't it so much easier, and much more satisfying, to walk barefoot to the garden and harvest your own?  That would be a yes.

Enter the AeroGarden.  It's high tech.  It's high output.  It's an indoor garden.  That means that even there's a foot of snow on the ground outside my window, I can still wander barefoot to the garden and harvest my own herbs (or veggies, or even flowers).

Caramelized Garlic Tart {National Garlic Day}

My top three holidays: Thanksgiving, Independence Day, and National Garlic Day.  For real.   My kids even know when National Garlic Day is, because it's the first thing I write on my brand-spanking new calendar every year.  Okay, maybe it's not the first thing.  But that's only because I start in January and write things  "in order".  So, it's more like the fifth or sixth thing I write.  But it's there.

I spend a good portion of the year trying to decide what "THE" dish for that year will be.  I make plenty of garlicky things on a regular basis, but I'm always looking for something a little special for the day.  Just like I do for any other holiday.  I'm a little disappointed, because I semi-promised myself that this would be the year that I made garlic ice cream.  I think I may have even told you that last year.

Here we sit.  Ice Cream-less.  I guess I'm just going to have to make it as a treat for a non-holiday, because I absolutely cannot wait a whole 'nother year to make some.  The sad part is, I have several recipes patiently hanging out...waiting for me to try them.

But really, the lack of ice cream today has to be forgiven.  And (mostly) forgotten.  Because the tart you see here?  It deserves all of your attention.  It is a thing of glory (really, I'd sing songs about it).  There are three heads of garlic in there.  Three soft, caramelized, seductive heads of garlic.  There's also herbs.  And there's cheese.  Beautifully tangy goat cheese and creamy, nutty gouda.  I am enamored of it.

Ice cream, shmice cream.

Caramelized Garlic Tart

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 75 minutes (total)

Keywords: bake entree vegetarian nut-free garlic cheese herbs

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 1 sheet (half of a 17.3 oz. box) puff pastry, thawed
• 3 heads garlic, cloves separated and peeled
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 Tbs. Balsamic vinegar
• 1 c. water
• slightly heaping 2 tsp. sugar
• 1 Tbs. chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme
• sea salt
• 4 oz. chèvre (soft goat cheese)
• 4 oz. gouda
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 c. + 2 1/2 tsp. heavy cream
• 1/4 c. + 2 1/2 tsp. crème fraîche
• freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Set a 9.5-inch tart pan with a removable bottom on a baking sheet.

Roll out the puff pastry into a circle that will line the bottom of the pan and hang over by about 1/2-inch or so. Line the pan with the pastry. Prick the bottom a few times with the tines of a fork. Line the pastry with a circle of parchment, foil, or wax paper and fill it with pie weights (or dried beans or rice). Set in the fridge to rest for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Slide the baking tray with the tart shell on it into the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes. Lift out the liner and the weights and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the pastry turns a light, golden color. Leave the oven on.

You can start this part as soon as the pastry goes into the fridge, and continue on once it goes into the oven. Place the garlic cloves in a small saucepan and cover with water by at least an inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 3 minutes. Drain and wipe the pan dry. Add the olive oil to the pan along with the blanched garlic over high heat and cook for 2 minutes. Add the Balsamic and the water and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the sugar, chopped rosemary and thyme, and about 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Continue to simmer at a quick bubble until the most of the liquid has evaporated and the garlic cloves are coated in a caramely syrup, 10-15 minutes.

Crumble both cheeses (or you can shred the harder cheese, if you like) into the pastry shell. Spoon the garlic and its syrupy liquid over the cheese. Whisk the remaining ingredients together (with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper), and pour over and around the cheese and garlic, allowing the garlic and cheese to still show over the surface. You will use most of the filling, but may have a tablespoon or so that will not fit - no biggie, don't overfill the shell.

Slide into the oven, close the door, and lower the heat to 325° F. Bake for ~45 minutes, or until the filling is set and the top has started to turn golden in spots. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a bit, so that you can comfortably pick it up. Once you are able to handle it, lift the bottom from the ring and then use a long, flat spreader (or something like it) to slide the tart onto a serving plate. Garnish with a couple of fresh sprigs of thyme, if you like.

Serve warm or a room temperature. Store completely cooled tart in the fridge, wrapped tightly; reheat in a low oven until warmed through.

note:

If you don't have any crème fraîche, you can make a decent substitute by whisking about 1 1/2 teaspoons of buttermilk into 5 teaspoons of sour cream. I'm not saying it's an exact replica - but it works for me.

adapted from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi

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Want more recipes featuring garlic? Here's a few I've posted in the past:

• Roasted Garlic-Bacon Dip
• The BEST Garlic Bread in the Whole Wide World. Seriously.
• Tomato Garlic Soup w/ Cheese Tortellini (and Simple Garlic Broth)
• Sopa de Ajo
• Apple Spice Cake w/ Roasted Garlic + Honey-Poached Garlic Sauce
• Chicken w/ 40 Cloves of Garlic
• Fried Eggs on Garlicky Fried Rice w/ Chile Vinegar
• Oaxacan-Style Peanuts w/ Chile & Garlic (Cacahuates Oaxaqueños con Chile y Ajo)

And since one can never have too much garlic, here are some more GARLICKY GOOD recipes from a few of my friends:

• Pickled Garlic Cloves from Kimchi Mom
• Cioppino from Noshing with the Nolands
• Garlic Lovers Pizza from Kudos Kitchen by Renee
• Grilled Chicken Salad w/ Garlic Confit from Comfy Cook
• Chicken w/ Secret Dipping Sauce from Cookistry
• Sausage Meatballs w/ Red Gravy from Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Garlic Beef Enchiladas from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Spaghetti w/ Roasted Garlic and Oil from The View from Great Island
• Stir-Fried Green Beans w/ Pork & Garlic from Stirring the Pot
• Linguine con aglio e olio d'oliva from The Cooking Actress
• Garlic Salad from Blueberries and Blessings

HAPPY NATIONAL GARLIC DAY 2013!

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Couscous Salad w/ Cucumber, Tomato, Mint, & Goat Cheese

I don't know what it is about couscous...but I love it.  The mouth-feel of it.  The distinct taste of the little pasta granule.  I really do think it has a taste of its own.  Odd?  I find it comforting.

Plus, it's another one of those you-can-do-so-many-things-with-it foods.  You can use it as a side dish or an entree.  And honestly, most often?  I find myself considering it an entree.  Even when I make it my favorite way...simply tossed with a healthy handful (okay two) of freshly grated Parmesan.  I don't know what it is about it, but I have to limit myself from eating a whole pot full that way.  Tossing it with veggies...cooked or raw...is another great way to turn it into a main course salad.  And just by switching up the add-ins and seasoning, it can be a different meal each time.

Funny thing, though.  My husband despises couscous.  Ummmm...what!?  What in the world is there to hate about it?  Really.  I wanna know.  He can't answer why...but it appalls him.  I try to reiterate the fact that he's nuts by insisting that he loves pasta and couscous is simply mini pasta.  Doesn't change his mind.  Weird.  Whatever.  I'm almost too embarrassed to say that this feeling has trickled down and infected my oldest child.  Two and three couldn't care less one way or the other...and nobody feels the love I do.

So yes.  Usually I wind up making a couple servings.  One for me now.  One for me later.  None for them.

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Couscous Salad w/ Cucumber, Tomato, Mint & Goat Cheese

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Keywords: boil salad side couscous vegetables

6017806

Ingredients (serves 2)

• ¾ c. couscous
• 1 c. boiling water
• ~1 c. sundried tomatoes packed in oil or slow-roasted cherry tomatoes
• ½-1 seedless cucumber, chopped
• 1-2 scallions, sliced
• ¼ c. fresh mint leaves, chopped
• ~1½ Tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• zest of half a lemon
• olive oil, as needed
• ~½ c. goat cheese
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Put couscous in a large bowl and pour boiling water over. Add a good drizzle of the oil from the tomatoes, plus ~¼ tsp. salt and a few grates of black pepper. Stir and cover. Let sit for ~5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Once couscous has cooled down a bit, add cucumber, scallions, mint, and lemon juice. Toss. Stir in lemon juice and a bit more oil from the tomatoes or some olive oil. Season and adjust seasoning, if needed.

Dollop goat cheese on top and stir gently. Grate some lemon zest over the top. Enjoy!

adapted from Falling Cloudberries by Tessa Kiros

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