Roasted Fig Salad with Honey Infused Goat Cheese

 Roasted Fig Salad with Honey Infused Goat Cheese

Roasted Fig Salad
- 10 fresh figs
- 1/2 tbs brown sugar
- 4 oz goat cheese
- 1 tbs honey
- 3 cups of mixed greens
- 2 tbs toasted chopped walnuts

Honey Lemon Vinaigrette 
- 1/4 cup of olive oil
- 1/2 juice of a lemon
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Take the fresh figs and cut them half way through, in fourths. Sprinkle brown sugar and bake for 15 minutes.

Take the goat cheese and honey and mix together. Once the figs are out of the oven, drop a small amount of goat cheese inside each fig.

For the dressing, mix all of the ingredients together and pour over the mixed greens. Place the salad on two large plates and add 5 figs each. Garnish with some toasted walnuts and pepper.

Enjoy!

Portobello and Goat Cheese Flatbread with Truffle oil

I am a huge fan of flatbread (and all things bread). I love that you can start out with just a base (the dough) and build off of that with whatever you want. You can make simple flatbreads with just cheese, or make fancier ones with extra ingredients and signature pairings like brie and pear or sausage and peppers.

One of my favorite flatbreads is my portobello and goat cheese flatbread with truffle oil. This flatbread is a fantastic appetizer that is definitely a crowd pleaser. The prep is so easy and it takes no time to make. The only way that you can make it more complicated is by making your own dough, but why bother when you can buy fresh pizza dough from your favorite pizza joint or food store.

 Portobello and Goat Cheese Flatbread with Truffle Oil

Flatbread:
- Pizza dough (store bought or homemade)
- 3 large portobello mushrooms
- 6 oz goat cheese
- 3 tbs olive oil
- 2 tbs truffle oil
- 1 clove of garlic (chopped)
- Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 500 degrees. Heat up a large sauté pan with 2 tbs of olive oil. Chop three large portobello mushrooms and place in the pan along with the chopped garlic.  Sauté the mushrooms and garlic for 10-15 minutes until cooked and season with salt and pepper. Stir in 1 tbs of truffle oil.

Roll out your dough with a little bit of flour and place on a baking pan. Drizzle 1 tbs of olive oil over the dough and add the goat cheese over top. The goat cheese doesn't need to be spread out evenly. Put the dough in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes. Take out the flatbread and add the portobello mushrooms and drizzle 1 tbs of truffle oil. Bake for another minute and garnish with a little bit of parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

Garlic Kale Caesar Salad

My favorite salad these days is caesar salad, especially kale caesar salad. Anytime I see it on a menu at a restaurant, I have to order it. I love the salty and tangy taste of the dressing and the kale has more substance than just regular lettuce, that it makes you feel like you are eating more than just salad. The crispy croutons don't only add texture but they are great for when you want to soak up the leftover dressing at the end. 

I decided to make my own kale caesar salad tonight. I made it extra garlicy because I love the taste and I love that it adds some additional spice to the salad.  You can make this salad as a side dish or add grilled chicken or fish to make it more filling. 

Here is how I did it:

 Garlic Kale Caesar Salad

Kale Caesar Salad:
- 6 large leaves of Kale
- 1 1/2 cup of diced crusty bread
- 1 tbs olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Freshly shaved Parmigiano Reggiano

Caesar Dressing:
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tbs sherry vinegar
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbs dijon mustard
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1 clove of garlic (chopped)
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare all of your ingredients.

Wash and cut the kale into bit sized pieces and place in a salad bowl. For the bread, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the bread into medium sized cubes and put on a baking pan. Drizzle 1 tbs of olive oil on top of the bread and sprinkle salt and pepper. Toss the bread and place in the oven for 10-12 minutes.

For the dressing, combine all of the ingredients and whisk until completely combined. Pour overtop of the kale and toss.

To assemble, place the salad on a large plate and sprinkle the homemade croutons overtop . Shave Parmigiano Reggiano and add freshly cracked black pepper to finish.

Enjoy!

Anne