On Tuesday I posted photos from our family’s Christmas Day festivities at my sister’s house and one of y’all asked if I would share the recipe for the blue cheese spread I had pictured with the three colors of pears.
Well, I just so happen to have a spare second (our sickie little guy is asleep on the sofa after a long day of fever, pediatrician’s office and chest x-rays) and am more than happy to share this yummy recipe!
Blue Cheese Spread
Serves 10 to 12
(found years ago in a Williams-Somoma Thanksgiving recipe booklet and
adopted by our family as a go-to appetizer when we’re hosting guests.)
Ingredients:
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
3T heavy cream (no one promised this would be healthy!)
6 oz. artisanal blue cheese
1/2t freshly ground pepper
1/2 C plus 3t chopped toasted pecans (or 1/4C pecans & 1/4C craisins, or neither – just whatever you like)
Pear slices for serving
1 baugette, sliced, drizzled with olive oil and pieces toasted in the oven at 350 for 13-18 minutes (or table crackers or neither. Again, whatever you like.)
Directions:
- Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese at medium speed until soft and creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the cream and continue beating until combined, about 30 seconds.
- Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the blue cheese and beat on low speed until the cheese is crumbled and no large pieces remain, about 1 minute.
- Stir in the pepper and the pecans/cranberries/whatever until evenly distributed.
- Divide the blue cheese mixture among 3 small ramekins, smoothing the tops with a spatula. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator until you’re ready for them (let them stand at room temperature for up to 2 hours before serving).
- Just before serving, sprinkle a bit of pecans or cranberries in the center of each ramekin (maybe do one plain, one pecan and one cranberry?)
- Serve with the toasted bread and pretty, colorful pear slices alongside.
>Sounds amazing. Too bad I'd be the only one to eat it around here. :(
Hope Oliver gets to feeling better really soon!
>i yearn for all things bleu. i was so hoping youd post this. but couldnt ask for it one handed from my phone whilst nursing. droooool. headed to publix right now (seiously, doing my shopping list just jogged my memory to come post this)