From my cookbook…Gerri’s Goat Cheese Spread
There are few things more enjoyable than experiencing a delicious meal with good friends. Whether you are the host or you are invited to someone’s home, sharing an evening with good friends and good food is a simple life pleasure.
There are over 300 recipes in my recently published cookbook, Everyday Cooking for Everyday People Like Us (Click on the link in Note 1 to get your own copy). Even in these inflationary times, we can prepare delicious meals for our family and do so in a way that does not break the budget. And it’s all in the cookbook!
Special recipes from special friends
While my cookbook primarily contains my recipes and those of my family, I do have a few special recipes from special friends, and this is one of them. When I think of a rich and savory appetizer, this recipe comes to mind, like something served on a special occasion. Of course, if Gerri has you over for dinner, you can bet it is! I hope you enjoy this delicious recipe as much as we do!
Gerri Fey’s Goat Cheese Spread
When I was at American Airlines, I was a manager working for Bill Fey. He was the best boss I ever had and was a mentor of mine. I learned so much about how to get things done and how to lead people. Later, he hired Diane as his assistant. Yes, that is Diane my wife. We were both busy single parents at the time, and you know, well, that’s how people meet sometimes…Anyway, here we are 25 years later, we all are retired, and we are still friends with the Fey’s.
Gerri is an Italian from Buffalo. And I’m going to tell you, if Gerri has you over, you are going to have one of the best Italian meals ever. And she is going to go all out, and you will think you are in the most expense white tablecloth restaurant in New York City. We all like to tease Gerri because her place settings always include chargers. What is a charger you say? A charger is an oversized plate, usually of contrasting color that is placed below your dinner plate. It’s typically only used in upscale restaurants. Yes, now I know too, and Diane just had to have them, so we are the proud owners of several different color chargers!
Anyway, as I recall, Bill and Gerri had us over for dinner (they are the best ever hosts!) and Gerri served her goat cheese spread. Absolutely fantastic! Of course, I had to have the recipe. So, here it is for you to enjoy as well! I’ve made just a few assembly revisions of methods that worked out well for me due to the difficulty working with the cheeses, the pesto, and the tomatoes.
Ingredients
2 8 oz. packages of cream cheese, softened
8 oz. goat cheese, softened
2 cloves garlic, minced, plus extra slices
4 tablespoons fresh or 1¼ teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
¼ cup basil pesto (Note 1)
½ cup sundried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
French Baguette, sliced ½” thick on the bias
Optional-Lox (cured salmon)
Thinly sliced red onions or capers (optional)
Directions
1. Mix the first 5 ingredients together thoroughly.
2. Tear off a sheet of wax paper sized to fit and overlap an 8 x 4 bread pan, small casserole dish or similar. Spread 1/2 of mixture on the wax paper to the same size as the interior of your pan. Place in the pan, and smooth to fit. I used a small metal spatula wetted with water to prevent sticking. Spread the pesto on top of the goat cheese. Place the other 1/2 of the cheese on top of the pesto, Spread the sundried tomatoes over and top. Remove from container, fold in half and place on another sheet of wax paper. Place back into the pan and again, smooth to fit.
3. Refrigerate for up to 8 hours to allow mixture to firm up. Allow to warm before serving.
4. Toast the sliced baguette pieces. Rub each piece with garlic clove halves. Place on a platter and serve with the cheese spread.
5. Top with lox, if using, and onions and capers if desired (Note 2).
Notes
1. If you have some of my pesto prepared, use it. Otherwise, I recognize that preparing pesto is a lot of work for ¼ cup so you may just want to buy prepared pesto from the grocery store.
2. Gerri’s original recipe did not use cured salmon (lox) but if you want to use it, it is a delicious addition. I would say at this point this is more of a light meal than an appetizer unless you cut the baguette slices in half for smaller bites. The onions and capers really set this dish off!
Gerri Fey’s Goat Cheese Spread
What’s in it for me?
Good eats, that’s what!
Call to Action
Show someone how much you love them by preparing a delicious meal for them. Later, enjoy the time and money you save by relishing your leftovers, either for lunch at work or dinner at home. Take comfort in knowing you are eating healthy food you prepared. All because you made a good decision to follow the recipes and tips in the cookbook I developed just for you.
Besides getting a copy of the cookbook for yourself, it makes an excellent gift for those you love and care for, especially for those with a young family who are looking to save time and money in the kitchen. And learn a few things in the process! What a great idea!
Recommended Resources
Everyday Cooking for Everyday People Like Us by David Giustozzi
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Notes
Please note that as an Amazon Affiliate, I may earn a small commission on the sale of any of these recommended resources.
Everyday Cooking for Everyday People Like Us by David Giustozzi: https://amzn.to/437OhVQ