Just before Christmas, one of the moms from our 3rd grade class hosted a gingerbread house decorating party for some of her daughter’s friends. We happened to be on the guest list and had a blast. Not only was it fun because the kids had a ball decorating their houses with all sorts of edible sweeties, but she had a spread of real food (and beverages) for those of us who don’t find Skittles and Everlasting Gob-Stoppers nearly as interesting as we used to.
One of the appetizers she served was a goat cheese roll smothered in the most delicious cranberry sauce ever. I begged her for the recipe. She said, “I got it at Costco.”
Now, if you know me at all, you know I’m not a fan of Costco for a litany of reasons, and I had successfully avoided becoming a Costco member for a long, long, long time. But then we got a dog. And dog food is a lot cheaper at Costco. Also, apparently I can buy Fage yogurt and 12-grain bread at a deep discount. Not to mention, gas is 30 cents a gallon less expensive, and when you’re fueling with premium gasoline that’s a big deal. So, now we’re Costco members. Yippee!!
But I’m not buying prepared appetizers at Costco! No matter how yummy they are!!
This recipe was easy enough to find and easy to put together. On top of that, I’d put it up against the mass-produced Costco version (admittedly delicious) any day. It was wonderful. The cranberry sauce is tangy and lemony, yet with the warmth and savoriness of cinnamon. It was one of my favorite appetizers on New Year’s Day. I think it would also work as a Super Bowl party appetizer – the cranberries are pretty festive, but we’re not so far removed from the holidays that you couldn’t pull it off on game day. Enjoy!
Cranberry-Cinnamon Goat Cheese (recipe courtesy Mission Food)
Ingredients:
- 6 oz. fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 tsp. orange zest
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 11 oz. log goat cheese
- Crackers, for serving
Directions:
- Add cranberries, sugar, water, orange zest, and cinnamon to saucepan over medium to medium-high heat, stirring occasionally for about 8 to 10 minutes. The cranberries will pop, the mixture will foam and subside, and the sauce will thicken as the cranberries break down.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Lay a sheet of plastic wrap on the counter. Spread about 1/2 cup of the cranberry mixture onto the plastic wrap, a little longer and wider than the goat cheese log. Lay the goat cheese log on top of the cranberry sauce and spread more sauce over the top and sides of the goat cheese (much like frosting a cake). There should be about 1/4-inch thick layer of cranberry sauce over all the sides of the goat cheese.
- Wrap the plastic wrap around the cranberry-coated goat cheese log and refrigerate.
- Remove the goat cheese from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving to allow the cheese to slightly soften and become easier to spread. Remove plastic wrap before serving!