02 | October | 2016 | Bewitching Kitchen

First Monday of October, and here I am to divulge the recipe chosen from my assignment in The Secret Recipe Club. Life has been beyond busy for us lately. Allow me to take a little detour. In our work we are subject to the “publish or perish” doctrine. Once we gather enough data, we write a scientific article and submit it for publication. A group of referees reads it and the assigned editor comes back with the verdict. Accepted or not. But the usual outcome, instead of a simple yes or no answer, turns out to be a lengthy series of requests from each referee for clarification, objections to this or that, “suggestions” of additional experiments. Sometimes the requests are valid, sometimes they are not. But even when they are not, we need to address them and, using as much tact as possible, explain our rationale. Obviously, you never win by getting nasty with a referee. Never. It turns out we have two articles in this final stage of negotiations, so it is a bit of a roller coaster at the moment. What does it have to do with The Secret Recipe Club? Usually I jump on my assignment right away and have the post ready to go within a couple of weeks. This month, believe it or not, I am composing this post mere 24 hours before Reveal Time. Talk about living on the edge! I hyperventilate a little as I type. This month, I was assigned the blog Lori’s Culinary Creations. I must share with you Lori’s motto, which I find perfect:

Today is life-the only life you are sure of. Make the most of today.
Get interested in something. Shake yourself awake. Develop a hobby.
Let the winds of enthusiasm sweep through you.
Live today with gusto.

That is pretty much what we should all be doing, shaking ourselves awake, paying attention, enjoying the ride. Do not sweat the small stuff might be too cliché of a phrase, but it is always a valid point to keep in mind. Lori is from California but now lives in Utah with her husband and a bunch of pets. Her recipes are geared for busy empty nesters. For the most part they are recipes that you can put together quickly but then she also enjoys making more complex creations during the weekend. Busy empty nester. It describes me to a T. I stalked her site and saved a bunch of options to share today. Like Spanish Meatball Appetizer (which I would love to have as my lunch); Seafood Crepes for a Romantic Valentines Brunch (write that down, folks, V-day will be here before we know it); Savory Griddle Cakes (I adore this type of concoction); Sweet Potato Burger with Roasted Jalapeno; Chickpea Carrot Burgers; and strangely enough I just saved one dessert, her Easy and Delicious Peach Blueberry Hand Pies. Am I losing my sweet mojo? I hope not. So, what did I fell for? The very first recipe I bookmarked because I could not shake it off my mind. Little Bites of Paradise, made with Brie, Canadian bacon (I used prosciutto), and green apples. Are they adorable or what?

PROSCIUTTO, BRIE & APPLE WON TON APPETIZER
(slightly modified from Lori’s Culinary Creations)

2 medium Granny Smith apples (chopped small)
2 tablespoons pomegranate vinegar
12 won ton wrappers
3 slices prosciutto
3 oz brie cheese, cut in chunks
chopped chives

Heat the oven to 325 F.

Place the chopped apples in a bowl and add 2 tablespoons of pomegranate vinegar. Set aside.

Spray a mini muffin pan lightly with cooking spray. Lay the won ton wrappers in the cups, filling every other cup and pinch the four sides as you go so it forms a flower bowl. Pinch the sides, not the corners.

Sprinkle an equal amount of prosciutto pieces on the bottom of the won ton cups. Place a small chunk of brie in each cup. Top with the apples, then with the chives.

Bake for 15 minutes.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This was SUCH a fun recipe to put together! Won Ton wrappers are quite versatile, and in this type of shaping they turn into cute flowers, waiting for you to pick them and…. wolf them down. There goes the poetic image… But, seriously, these were awesome. A perfect combination of salty and sweet, apples and brie are one of those matches hard to beat. I baked them in our small toaster oven and it took a little longer than 15 minutes, maybe closer to 20 minutes. The idea is to get the edges crisp and golden brown. By that time the Brie will have melted and be all comfy with the diced apple. As you can tell, I forgot the chives before baking them. I sprinkled some all over once the appetizer was out of the oven, and pretended it was meant to be like that. Oh, well… Perfection is overrated.

A LITTLE BITE OF PARADISE INDEED!

Lori, it was fun to stalk your site, I hope you enjoy my post on your beautiful Culinary Creation!

For my readers, click on the frog below to see what my friends came up with this month. For those interested in the ongoing friendly war between me and Dorothy, she gave me a royal beating this month. But I lose a batter. Never the war! Bring it, Dorothy, bring it!