A Quick and Easy Appetizer Recipe for New Year's

I hope everyone has enjoyed Christmas, Hanakaah, Kwanzaa, or whatever else you have been celebrating. More festivities are coming up; in just a few days we will bid farewell to 2014 and welcome in a new year.

A quick and delicious appetizer recipe for New Year's Eve or New Year's Day

If you are planning a party, I have an easy and delicious suggestion.  I have been making Honey-peppered Goat Cheese with Fig Balsamic Drizzle for several years.  I believe the recipe was originally published in Christmas with Southern Living - 2007.  I found it on myrecipes.com. 

I have tweaked this recipe in multiple ways, and often even alter my own alterations, making it with whatever ingredients I have on hand!  It is a very forgiving recipe, so feel free to use it just as a guide.

The original recipe says to cut the goat cheese into rounds.  I find it much easier to just crumble it and serve it as a spread, and I think it looks just as pretty.  Here is a photo and the recipe for my version of this dish:

I served this on Christmas Eve.  See my post about my dishwasher for more photos!

Goat Cheese Appetizer with Honey, Pepper and Balsamic Vinegar

Ingredients

         1 (11-oz.)  fresh goat cheese log

         1/3 cup olive oil

         1/4 cup honey

         1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

         1 teaspoon fresh thyme or oregano leaves (or 1/2 tsp. dried)

 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar (I have used plain, fig, and cranberry-pear flavored varieties)

         Garnish: 

fresh thyme or oregano

1 -2 tsp. orange zest

1/4 cup dried cranberries

 1/4 cup toasted pecans, pine nuts or pepitas (roasted sunflower seeds)

         Crackers or crusty bread

Preparation

1. Crumble goat cheese onto a serving plate. 

2. Combine oil, honey and pepper; drizzle over cheese. 

3. Sprinkle with 1 tsp. thyme leaves. Cover and chill up to 2 days.

4. Remove cheese from refrigerator 1 hour before serving. 

5. Just before serving, drizzle a little vinegar over cheese. Garnish with orange rind and nuts or seeds, if desired. 

6. Serve with crackers or bread.

Note: I find this keeps quite well for a day or two, even after the vinegar has been added, especially if a white balsamic vinegar is used.

I know that a lot of people don't like goat cheese, but adding honey and olive oil changes the consistency and gives it such a delicious sweetness that nearly everyone enjoys this dish!

Do you have a favorite appetizer recipe?

This post may be linked to one of the great link-up parties I follow and list on my blog. Check them out!