Cranberry Pecan Baked Brie

Nice brie

 

Ingredients

 

1 medium Brie cheese round (5 to 6 inches)

1/2 cup cranberry juice

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/2 cup whole dried cranberries

1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped

2 tablespoons honey

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

One 17-ounce box frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed

1 large egg, lightly beaten

  1. Put the cheese in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes to chill.
  2. Bring the cranberry juice and brown sugar to a boil in a small saucepan and add the cranberries. Turn off the heat and let the cranberries plump for about 10 minutes. Transfer them with a slotted spoon to a bowl, add the pecans, honey and cinnamon and mix together.
  3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  4. Roll one of the sheets of puff pastry thinner with a rolling pin. Place the cheese on the center of the pastry. Top the cheese with the cranberry-nut mixture. Bring the edges of the pastry to the center and press together; brush the edges with the egg wash so they adhere.
  5. Cut three 1-inch-thick strips from the remaining puff pastry sheet. Cross the first 2 strips on top on the cheese so they intersect in the center like a ribbon wrapping a present. Seal the edges with egg wash. Bring the ends of the third strip of puff pastry up and over to create a bow shape, with the ends hanging down. Place in the center of the cheese and secure with egg wash. Brush the remaining pastry with egg wash.
  6. Bake until the pastry is light golden brown, tenting it if it begins to brown too much, about 40 minutes. Let rest briefly. Serve with crackers.

 

Tomato Sauce

Quick and Easy when there are extra tomatoes

 

Ingredients

 

20 Roma tomatoes (used tomatoes that I had, not necessary Roma), halved and seeded

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 cup finely diced onion

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon finely chopped oregano leaves

1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme leaves

1 cup white wine

 

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
  2. In 2 (13 by 9-inch) pans place tomato halves cut side up. Sprinkle with oil, salt and pepper, onion, garlic, and herbs. Bake tomatoes for 2 hours. Check the tomatoes after 1 hour and turn down the heat if they seem to be cooking too quickly. Then turn the oven to 400 degrees and bake another 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and process tomatoes through a food mill on medium dye setting over a small saucepan. Discard skins. Add white wine, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes.