baked brie

origin

A few Thanksgivings ago I was looking for a cheese appetizer and came across the baked brie concept. I checked a number of websites, and have no idea which sites I used to paste together this recipe. Since then it has become a staple appetizer for the family–deceptively easy, and always impresses. This is a hearty appetizer.

ingredients

-1 round of brie (not baby brie)

-1 puff pastry

-1 egg

-insides: match this to your meal. Two combinations I like: crasins with toasted almonds, and apricot jam with pecans.

-Box of crackers–I like the nuttiness of whole wheat crackers matched with the brie.

instructions

Preheat oven as per instructions on puff pastry box. Cut excess rind off the round of brie. (The rind on brie is edible, but sometimes it is extra thick in places.) Using a sharp knife, stand the wheel on its edge and cut the round in half. I find that using a French knife that has been run under cold tap water to be an easy way to do this. 

Lay the puff pastry out, and put one piece of the brie, rind side down, onto the center of the puff pastry. Put a thick layer of the ‘insides’ onto the brie (maybe a 1/2 inch), and then put the top on the brie. Fold the puff pastry around the brie. Cut off excess puff pastry as too many layers (this can easily happen on the top of the baked brie) makes it hard to bake it appropriately. Make sure that you fully seal the puff pastry by getting your finger tips wet. 

Line a small baking sheet with a piece of tin foil, and lightly spray the foil. Place the wrapped brie on the foil. Beat the egg, and then lightly coat the puff pastry with the egg using either a brush or your fingers. Bake the brie until the puff pastry is cooked–it should be golden brown. 

Let the baked brie set for about five minutes, and then serve with crackers. 

Today starts a beginning of ‘publishing’ my ‘recipes.’ I say ‘publishing’ because this is my website, so it is a form of publishing but remains a long way from traditional publishing which includes paper and ink. I say ‘recipes’ because, try as I might, nearly all of my recipes include general quantities, proportions, or concepts. I do not claim brilliance, but I love to share conversation over food and a bottle of wine, and am often trying something new. So this is for those of you who have asked me to share my recipes. 

One of the great things about my current job is I am surrounded by people who have completely different backgrounds and skill sets than I do. While walking by the desk of our creative genius (aka graphic designer), he was doodling on one side of his massive screen. I loved the doodle, and a copy of it is now sitting on my desk. Eventually you will get to see his work on Blood:Water’s site, but until then, go here. Hope this makes you smile. 

English is my native language, and the only one I speak relatively fluently. One would think that I would be able to keep common phrases straight and use them properly, but this seems to be a virtual impossibility. The other day I was chatting online with a friend and I said I was ‘green with jealousy.’ Somewhere deep in the back of brain there was a little alarm bell that went off (note: a ding, not a gong) because I knew I did not have it right. But did my mind manage to pull up the right phrase? Nope. A couple of hours later it suddenly dawns on me that the phrase is green with envy. 

I have to admit that I was rather impressed with myself the other day in that I realized I said the wrong phrase and later figured out the correct phrase; most of time I remain clueless. The exception to this is when dad is around–he laughs and corrects my mis-phrased phrases. I wonder what goes through everyone else’s mind when they hear ‘Pam phrases.’ 

 And what else is that I do to jumble this language you ask? There are times when I can practically grasp the word I want in my hand, and yet am unable to find it. When I am tired or cold I have to remember to not slur my words together as they remain clear in my head regardless of what comes out of my mouth. When I am excited I talk really really fast. One good friend would point it out every time it happened by sarcastically saying, “Could you talk a little faster?” He eventually got used to the fast talk and gave up his little quest to slow me down.  And so I remain a fast talker, sometimes word-slurrer who regularly says the wrong thing. 

And yet I love to speak. I love to talk with friends for hours, debate odd topics, lecture to a room full of student, and inspire kids through spoken words

Yep, that’s me. And yes, I have red hair, but that’s a topic for another day

Priceless.

Last weekend I was up visiting friends in South Bend and was adamantly told by one that I needed to get the book list back up–asap if possible. I promised her that was in the plans, though it might take a different format (maybe this time I’ll tell you if the book is worth reading or warn you if the book was complete beach trash). That’s when I realized that you (the grand plural you that we do not have a word for in English) might have an opinion about something you do or don’t want, or styles that you do or do not like for this website. This is your chance. All I can promise is that I will consider what you suggest, but that I do promise. So if you have a preference, an inkling, or something that always makes you smile, tell me in a comment!