On the day before New Year’s Eve, a sweet friend sent me this recipe as a fun appetizer suggestion.
Here is the Original Recipe:
Preheat oven according to Puff Pastry dough directions, spray or butter cupcake baking pans, set aside
Press a square (about 4″x4″) into each cupcake section of pan
Add 2-3 tbs. fig preserves
Add 1 triangle or slice of goat cheese, about 1/2″ thick
Sprinkle walnuts, chopped or halved over preserves, then drizzle with honey
Bake according to pastry directions, cool on baking rack about 10 minutes,
remove gently from the cupcake pan
I personally love an easy-to-assemble, time saving recipe which just happens to be quite elegant as well! My family, however, prefers less “fancy” and more “hardy”, with simpler flavor combinations.
This should be titled “Renovated Recipes: From Fancy to Family Fabulous”!
So, why would I alter an excellent appetizer recipe?
Let’s think about that…
who are you serving?
Do you have dietary restrictions or fussy eaters around your table?
How do you handle it?
I’ve learned over the years, to alter ingredients as needed according to the person or people I’m serving, to their food-preferences or needs.
I know I’m not the only momma-cook who’s done this, I’m sure you have as well!
When I considered the teenage boys who had just returned home after a quick Christmas visit here with me, I laughed when I read the ingredients for these appetizers.
5 ingredients are used for this appetizer:
Puff pastry
fig preserves
Goat cheese
honey
walnuts
garnish
Of those five ingredients, not including the garnish, 2/3 of my “group” would prefer the dough and honey!!!! That’s it!
You guys! The first group to visit Grandma’s house for Christmas was my three young ladies, my granddaughters. These two sets of grandchildren could not be any MORE different as far as their “food” intake goes! My grandsons go for quantity, with simple dishes of limited ingredients, and my oldest granddaughters have a true culinary appreciation and adventurous spirit. These girls would love the figs and goat cheese!
Group number Three consists of four under the age of eleven years old, which brings us right back to “bread and honey”!
This little group above holds my heart tightly, and every minute I get to spend with them is a treasure. Feeding them is less blissful!
Three teenage girls, granddaughters are not pictured here, they arrived before Christmas, mid-December. They are sushi lovers, even when they were very young, which I thought was amazing. They have no dietary restrictions and they’re adventurous to try something new. They will be the first ones to try the Honey & Fig Goat Cheese Appetizers recipe, as written! I know they’ll love it!
Group two, the teenage boys, are the bread and meat eaters! No figs for them!
I thought they may like my savory version of the altered appetizer recipe., which included dough, meatballs, pizza sauce or marinara with a creamy Mozzarella cheese melted on top. I think that’s a safe bet for them!
Note: on the above photo, you’ll notice that I used Phyllo dough, which did not turn out well. Do not switch the dough used, Puff Pastry sheets worked best.
Version Two is just for me, it’s similar to the original recipe, which uses Fig preserves, I would love the original recipe, but I wanted to show you how EASY it is to simply alter a few ingredients…for the non-fig lovers!
My last version makes this recipe almost-a-dessert!
In fact, I chose these ingredients to please my littles, but watch out for sticky fingers after you serve it!
Friends, since this is my third day of making my EASY 30-minute appetizer, I’m choosing to “pass” on making the third version for your viewing pleasure. Because after all, who do you think is sampling every recipe?
I just can’t do it!
January has always been my “back to the gym” month, look better month and/or let’s get fit month!
The reason I’m altering an already fabulous recipe, is to simply show you that you CAN!
Play with the recipe, switch things up, experiment. You have nothing to lose! ,
except perhaps, three days…
Happy Baking!
and Enjoy!
xx,
