This has to be one of the easiest appetizers available! It is so simple that my 8 year old neice was able to do this all on her own. The recipe below serves 12 but it is quite easy to size up or down depending in your needs. I always make more than necessary because they are gone in a flash! 
Ingredients:
12 Crimini mushooms, stemmed and cleaned, or more depending on the number of guests
5 oz. high quality goat cheese, divided into 12 servings
1 Tablespoon walnut oil
1/4 cup walnut halves or pieces
Preheat toaster oven, or conventional oven if making a large quantity, to 400 degrees.
Gather all the mushroom caps in a small bowl. Drizzle until covered in olive oil, about 1 tablespoon. Stir to coat and add one or two twists of ground sea salt or 1/4 tsp. table salt. If desired, you can add one stalk of rosemary, finely minced to the bowl. Stir until well combined, gently so that you don’t break or injure the mushrooms.
Next, place each mushroom cap, round side up, on a broiler pan or cookie sheet. Place in either the toaster oven or conventional oven. Roast until browned. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature, for about 10-15 minutes.
Turn the mushrooms stem side up.
Spoon a heaping glob of goat cheese into the mushroom cap. Add either a walnut halve or chopped walnuts. Drizzle with 1/4 teaspoon walnut oil.
Let stand at room temperature for 20 – 30 minutes. Serve.
Another twist to these is to add a few strips of sundried tomatoes, sparingly and just for color and a spark of flavor. Too much is overpowering.
These are good for all occasions from New Year’s Eve, Birthdays and Superbowl to simple dinner parties. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
12 Crimini mushooms, stemmed and cleaned, or more depending on the number of guests
5 oz. high quality goat cheese, divided into 12 servings
1 Tablespoon walnut oil
1/4 cup walnut halves or pieces
Preheat toaster oven, or conventional oven if making a large quantity, to 400 degrees.
Gather all the mushroom caps in a small bowl. Drizzle until covered in olive oil, about 1 tablespoon. Stir to coat and add one or two twists of ground sea salt or 1/4 tsp. table salt. If desired, you can add one stalk of rosemary, finely minced to the bowl. Stir until well combined, gently so that you don’t break or injure the mushrooms.
Next, place each mushroom cap, round side up, on a broiler pan or cookie sheet. Place in either the toaster oven or conventional oven. Roast until browned. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature, for about 10-15 minutes.
Turn the mushrooms stem side up.
Spoon a heaping glob of goat cheese into the mushroom cap. Add either a walnut halve or chopped walnuts. Drizzle with 1/4 teaspoon walnut oil.
Let stand at room temperature for 20 – 30 minutes. Serve.
Another twist to these is to add a few strips of sundried tomatoes, sparingly and just for color and a spark of flavor. Too much is overpowering.
These are good for all occasions from New Year’s Eve, Birthdays and Superbowl to simple dinner parties. Enjoy!










































Festive Holiday Salad
November 28, 2009 by madamedonna
Few starters are simpler than this one!
Simply chill a plate.
Next, top it with some mixed greens. Any salad greens will work but an assortment is desirable for an interesting mingling of flavors.
Slice a Fuyu persimmon and decorate the greens with those brightly colored slim slices.
Dot the persimmon with crumbles (or globs as we call them in my kitchen) of chevre (goat cheese).
Lastly, sprinkle the plate with some homemade (or store bought, if you must) candied pecans.
The result is an inviting and colorful first course, filled with flavor and good nutrition. At the last minute, before serving, drizzle any type of citrus vinaigrette (or for New Years, use a high quality champagne vinaigrette) over the top and serve chilled!
Happy Holidays!
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