For weeks, I have searched for one holiday product--goat cheese with orange and cranberries. Saturday, I decided to make it myself. Of course, it is not identical but close enough taste-wise to make me happy.
I cut in half a log of goat cheese, used leftover whole berry cranberry sauce I made, and bought a jar of orange marmalade.
Here is how I did it:
*Put four ounces of goat cheese in a bowl.
*I used about a quarter cup or less of cranberry with whole berries and made with less sugar than it was supposed to have. This was all the cranberry sauce I had.
* 3 big tablespoons of Smucker's Marmalade.
* Mix with a fork. Don't mix too much. Or, mix away.
When Tommy tasted it on a cracker--Wheat Thins Lightly Salted--he liked it but said it needed more cranberry. Well, I had no more cranberry! So, I added the juice which made the cheese sort of runny but did not detract from the taste. Tommy explained he tasted cranberry on the first bite of the cracker, but then it was all orange. Now, I am just ignoring that, wishing I had not stirred it more...lol.
I have the second half of the log of goat cheese and will make this again when I cook another bag of cranberries. Next time I will have more cranberries to use and will make sure they are at least cut in half, maybe not. Also, I used Smucker's instead of Bon Maman. Smucker's was cheaper. I chose Smucker's because I could see pieces/shreds of orange peel. Bon Maman was free of solids as far is I could tell, I wanted the pieces of fruit for the visual. If you have or can make your own orange solids in the form of marmalade, do it. Next time, I will stop mixing at the stage the goat cheese looks like cottage cheese.
The cranberry and orange might be good just poured over the log of goat cheese. Maybe you would want to flatten the round log a bit or just crush it and pour the mixture over that. Don't get it too gloppy unless you like it that way.
This dip/spread was beautiful, great for Christmas! The other half will be made for NYE. This was much better than the log with cranberries and orange, but more expensive since I had to buy the marmalade. I am going to experiment with making some sort of orange add-in that is not exactly marmalade. This might be better on a Water Cracker.
We watched Home Alone until A Christmas Carol with Patrick Stewart came on. I hope that Carol is shown that has Kelsey Grammer in it. I love that one. We watched a Bonanza Christmas story, too.
And, we had a little Christmas music.
In an hour or so, a person is coming to pick things up from the floor (main job) and dust and vacuum the living room. I am already exhausted, and it is only 11 am.
I usually find a sharp cheddar with cranberries around this time of year, starting in October. Our tradition has become, since moving to this house, to have a snack tray for food on Sunday in the wintertime, and that cheese was a favorite on the tray. I bought a wedge in late October, but was unable to find it since. Goat cheese with cranberries, however, is available. If I head to a store this week, I might pick some up for our Christmas pre-dinner munchie tray.
ReplyDeleteI love ALL versions of "A Christmas Carol," but especially the one with Patrick Stewart. I haven't seen the one with Kelsey Grammer in a good number of years.
Meg,
DeleteI have never seen cheddar with cranberries, but it sounds delicious. Your munchie tray must have been a great hit. I have only seen Kelsey Grammar in it twice. But, I wait.
Aldi carries a cheddar with cranberries. Lovely!
Deleteslugmama,
DeleteThanks, good to know.
I have never in my life had goat cheese. This sounds like it would be tasty.
ReplyDeleteI DVR'd the Patrick Stewart Christmas Carol last night to watch later. I don't do well with commercials - so I can just fly through them!
Had Christmas music playing on the TV this morning while working in the kitchen.
Have a good one.
Cheryl,
ReplyDeleteGoat cheese is delicious. And, these flavors with it is wonderful. I like commercials so I can go to the bathroom and get something to eat. Right now, someone is here, working and helping me.
My husband, who will eat almost anything (he especially loves cheese) cannot stand goat cheese. He even tried it when we were traveling (in St. Lucia, maybe?) because it was "gouda goat cheese". Nope!
ReplyDeleteBobbie,
DeleteToo bad. His loss.
I love herbed goat cheese on toasted french bread, strawberry, and balsamic. Your made it yourself cheese blend is right up my alley.
ReplyDeleteSam,
DeleteThe herbed goat cheese sounds like I might like it. If you make mine, let me know how you changed it and how you like it.
Glad you're getting help on getting some of the work done that you want.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE goat cheese and I'm sure it delicious with the orange and cranberries. It is delicious with figs.
Lori,
DeleteHelp just left and I am happy. I don't have any fresh figs, but I have fig preserves. How would you suggest eating/serving it?
I just let the goat cheese come to room temp. Wrap in plastic wrap and roll it into a log then return to the fridge to chill. When you're ready to serve, spoon fig preserves over the top. You can also add chopped pistachios, walnuts or pecans but it isn't required. Then spread on crackers, or toasted bread of your choice.
DeleteI love goat cheese but my hubby does not. Something I tried was baked brie cheese on crackers and I topped it with homemade cranberry orange relish that my mom makes. It was so yummy! I need to get my mom's recipe for the relish.
ReplyDeleteDebbie,
DeleteSounds great. Maybe you can shore the recipe when you get it. ???
Good for you for your impromptu; when I try most of the time it does not work out.
ReplyDeleteUrspo,
DeleteIt was better until I tried to improve it for Tommy. But, we both liked it.
I tried goat cheese one time and didn't care for it. The goat cheese I tried was very strong tasting. I would imagine there would be some type of goat cheese I would like with a mild flavor. Can anyone suggest a mild flavored goat cheese? I love melted brie cheese, that is always one of our New Year's Eve treats. I know there must be a mild goat cheese.
ReplyDeleteI hope you can get your cranberry-orange goat cheese flavor balanced just right the next time.
My Grandpa (Dad's dad) kept goats and every morning my Dad would go out and milk them They didn't live in the country but in an older suburb near St Louis. My Dad drank goat milk from the time he was about 8 years old until he went into the Marines at 18. The rest of his food on many days consisted of a lot of candy and chips, his mom died when he was 7. Dad had cavity-free teeth his entire life, but ultimately lost some teeth due to gum disease in his late 70's after developing heart problems. I always thought that the goat milk was probably what kept his teeth free of decay for all of those years. I have never tasted goat milk. Dad thought it tasted good. My Great Aunt Hulda always drank goat milk, too, and had good teeth.
I have never had strong goat cheese. That might turn me off. The brands that I find in Publix are never strong, very milk as a matter of fact. The blueberry-coated goat cheese in Publix and Aldi are really mild. Yes, I bought some in Aldi's when I could still go in there.
DeleteI think I can get it right for us next time. It is so good with just either the orange or cranberry shining.
My friend (jamming with sasquatch) loves goat milk. He learned to love it when he was stationed in Germany. I would have fed my children goat milk if I thought it would eliminate cavities...lol. That is interesting. I do know that cheddar cheese eating is supposed to be good for keeping teeth free of so many cavities. I think goat milk tastes nasty! I don't know how the cheese tastes so wonderful.
It sounds delicious! I like cranberries and orange together too.
ReplyDeleteBelinda,
DeleteI don't like the relish, but this was great.
I can't believe how hungry I got reading this entry! I actually had to get make myself a small jelly sandwich to deal with all this talk.
ReplyDeleteVery clever of you to make your own cranberry-orange goat cheese! It seems very simple but exactly right--and I'll bet it's much cheaper than buying it ready made. I never did get around to making that recipe I posted the last time we talked cranberry orange and goat cheese.
When it comes to orange marmalade, the English know what they're doing. Chivers is my favorite. It's not bitter, but not dreadfully sweet, either.
I have never had a strong-tasting goat's cheese, either. It's all incredibly mild. I think it must have gone bad.
Cheddar cheese with cranberry is a gift of the gods. Add sharp mustard and crusty bread and you have the makings of the best grilled cheese you've ever had!
This sounds amazing! I love goat cheese! I saw some of the festive goat cheese logs earlier in the season & now wish I'd grabbed them when I did because I can't find them now. I might try yours but I wouldn't mix it. Thanks for the idea :)
ReplyDeleteBri,
DeleteI did not mean to mix it! Mixing sort of happened. Publix still has the blueberry logs.
Yes I know you didn't mean to mix it but am sort of glad you did so I know not to ;)
DeleteI don't have a Publix near me or an Aldi for that matter. It's always interesting to hear about different grocery stores in other areas.
I also love hearing about your food adventures & how others eat - the other day you introduced me to a food I'd never heard about & had to Google to learn more - Purple hulled peas! Have never seen those around here before or even heard of them prior to you, is it a southern dish or am I just out of the loop? (quite possible hehe)
Bri,
DeleteWell, I live in the South and have away supposed they were Southern. Eat them with chow chow or sliced tomatoes.
They must be southern! I'll have to search my grocery store to see if they sell them here - my initial search online at Kroger was unsuccessful in finding them. And now you are talking about something else new to me - what in the world is Chow Chow?!? To me it's a dog breed... I am sure that isn't what you mean, at least I really hope that isn't what you mean. I also tried googling it but just came up with pictures of dogs LOL Linda you are teaching me so much!! I wonder what else you guys eat that I have no clue about :)
DeleteBri,
DeleteI saw this eleven months later! Sorry I did not answer. Since I have no clue what you have not heard about eating, I just cannot say what we at that you have no clue about. I just talk about normal-to-me foods.