Recipe Thursday

Strawberry-Goat Cheese Bruschetta
from Better Homes & Gardens May 2009




Ingredients



1 8-oz baguette


1 Tbsp olive oil


1 4 oz log goat cheese (chevre)


1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries


1/2 cup arugula


olive oil


sea salt


freshly ground black pepper


snipped fresh herbs





Directions





1. Heat broiler. Halve baguette crosswise, then lengthwise. Place cut sides up on large baking sheet. Brush with the 1 TBSP oil. Bril, 3 to 4 inches from heat for 1 1/2- 2 minutes or until lightly toasted.





2. Slice and divide cheese among toasts. Top with sliced berries. Broil 2-3 minutes or until cheese and berries soften. Remove from broiler; top with arugula. Drizzle with additional oil. Sprinkle salt, pepper and herbs. Makes 4 servings.

Although I get this magazine, I wasn't too thrilled to try this recipe until my friend Robyn said it was great. I made it, sans arugula (since I STILL haven't found it in my podunk town) and thought it was pretty good. I'm not sure if I got a good goat cheese, so I will try this recipe again once I get the greenlight on which kind of goat cheese to go with. I used the Chevre spreadable brand. I recommend giving it a try if you are a fan of goat cheese and you have good control over your broiler, as the first thing I did was burn my baguette.

An Afternoon with My Mom

Today I spent the afternoon with my mom. Not in the physical sense of course, but while I made some sushi I put in two of my mom's favorite cds (that I purchased even before she died because these songs are some of my favorite too). Those cds were Ricky Nelson and Bread. I don't know if anyone knows Ricky Nelson (he is the father of the long haired Nelson twins of our day), but I'm pretty sure no one (other than my closest friends) know who Bread is. I can't really describe their sound...maybe soft rock, but not like Rod Stewart old people soft rock. This is like, 1970's, smooth grooves, you're definitely smoking pot, but you aren't tripping acid kind of music. Does that make sense? It's hard for a girl who has never done a drug in her life, so I'm just guessing. It's not trippy like Pink Floyd...ok, I guess it is a little easy listening, light rock, but I still love it. In fact, I learned today (on that wikipedia link) that Boy George covered one of their hits "Everything I Own". Now that I'd like to hear. Oh my goodness, after a little more research, it appears that song was also in Happy Feet. So for my friends out there with kids, let me know if you heard it.

My mom and I had an interesting relationship. It's hard to have a normal parent-child relationship when one of you is addicted to painkillers. It's also hard when that same person is very insecure and scared of her own shadow...something I was lucky enough to pick up and carry into my own life. I miss my mother very much. I'm about to graduate with my Master's and I know she is smiling down at me. I know that I make her proud and that means so much to me. She was my best friend and my worst enemy, and I hold her so close in my heart. I know she's happier now-she just couldn't handle the reality of life, but at least she raised someone who is figuring it out!