Tasty, easy entertaining

I love to entertain.  While my budget doesn't run to caviar, I am always looking for ways to entertain tastefully.  An event doesn't need to be that posh but tasty is a requirement.  I firmly believe that you can do easy, tasty and impressive food to show family and friends how much you care.

I had shopped the Whole Foods in Wheaton while waiting for my husband, Jeff to get off of work.  I found a product that intrigued me, Rutherford & Meyer Fruit Paste.  It is whole fruit, cooked down not quite into fruit leather but into a very dense jelly like texture.  I had to play with it!

My concept for the Premier Designs open house we are holding included the fruit paste, creamy goat chevre, walnuts and puff pastry.  Very simple and easy to accomplish, can be made up in advance and VERY tasty!

 

I used pre-made puff pastry to make it easy.  I would have preferred fresh vs frozen but time demands didn't allow me to make my own. I opened the sheet and cut approximately 1" squares to line the bottom of a mini-muffin wrapper.  I had some lovely ones from IKEA that I had gotten on sale last year. 

Next I layered a small piece of the plum fruit paste.  More than a sliver, it was a small chunk.  A slice across the container short ways and then cut into quarters.  Place the fruit paste directly on top of the puff pastry lined cups.  Add a few small pieces of walnut and then top with a generous size of goat chevre.

Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 10 minutes or until puffed and golden.

The result is crispy yet soft, tangy yet sweet, small yet satisfying.  Would pair well with a nice buttery Chardonnay for the wine lovers out there although it could hold up well with most semi-sweet reds thanks to the plum fruit.

I do believe that these will have to go to Thanksgiving at Mom & Dad's this year.