Strawberries stuffed with goat cheese

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Have you ever stuffed strawberries with creamy fresh goat cheese? Wait until you see how easy this low-carb appetizer is. It's perfect for summer entertaining, whether you're hosting a backyard barbecue or throwing an elegant dinner party. If you have any guests who are following a low-carb diet or are gluten free or vegetarian, they will really appreciate this simple snack.

This hors d'oeuvre shows off the savory side of strawberries and brings out their natural acidity. I love the combination of sweet, fragrant strawberries and creamy cheese flecked with minced rosemary and lemon zest. All you need are five ingredients, a paring knife, and some practice with a piping bag.

I made a batch of these stuffed strawberries for the June meeting of Food Bloggers Los Angeles, our local blogging network. They were good, but then I had a flash of inspiration and sprinkled them with a tiny bit of salt. Sounds weird? It totally worked. Don't skip the sprinkle.

Note: You may have extra filling. It's delicious spread on toast, or you can use it to fill hollowed-out cucumber cups, cherry tomatoes, roasted mushrooms, or grilled zucchini boats.

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Strawberries stuffed with goat cheese

by Erika Kerekes June-26-2016

Ripe strawberries stuffed with a combination of fresh goat cheese and cream cheese flecked with rosemary and lemon zest. A wonderful summer appetizer that's low-carb, gluten free, vegetarian and grain-free.

Ingredients

• 2 pints fresh strawberries (about 2 dozen)
• 4 ounces fresh goat cheese (chevre)
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 1 lemon, zest only
• 2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, plus more for garnish if desired
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• Equipment: food processor, piping bag with decorative tip

Instructions

Wash the strawberries. With a small paring knife, remove the hull (leaves). Cut a small circle into the top of each berry to make a small cavity. Place the berries upside-down on a paper towel to dry while you make the filling.Put the goat cheese, cream cheese, lemon zest and rosemary into the bowl of the food processor. Add a pinch of salt and a generous grind of pepper. Blend until smooth. Transfer the cheese mixture to the piping bag.Carefully fill each strawberry with goat cheese, creating a decorative swirl on top. Sprinkle with a tiny bit of additional salt. Garnish with the additional rosemary springs. Serve immediately.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 10 mins Total time: 20 mins Yield: 12 servings

Herbed Idaho® mashed potatoes

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Are you thinking about Thanksgiving already? I am.

Our family Thanksgiving moves around, but it's at my house this year. There are some dishes that make a regular appearance on the menu no matter who's hosting: braised red cabbage, my mother-in-law's spinach and mushroom stuffing, green bean casserole, roast turkey.

But I'm a bit of a renegade: I cut my turkey into parts and roast it like chicken. And (don't faint) I don't always make mashed potatoes. I didn't grow up with mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving, so sometimes I just...forget.

Are we still friends?

I hope so. Because I want to tell you about the very easy, very beautiful, very delicious herbed Idaho® mashed potatoes I'm making this year. Creamy, buttery mashed potatoes mixed with a ton of minced fresh herbs. Simple, aromatic, and very green.

I developed this recipe for the Idaho® Potato Commission, which is always looking for creative new twists on mashed potatoes. Thanksgiving dinner can be rich and heavy, but the grassy scent and taste of the mixed herbs in these mashed potatoes cuts right through the richness. I like Idaho Russet potatoes - their dry, fluffy interior soaks up the butter and half-and-half perfectly.

Do you serve mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving? Traditional or twisted? Let's share some mashed potato ideas in the comments below....

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Herbed Idaho® mashed potatoes

by Erika Kerekes October-15-2013

Creamy, buttery mashed potatoes mixed with a ton of minced fresh herbs. A perfect side dish for Thanksgiving dinner. Recipe developed for the Idaho® Potato Commission.

Ingredients

• 3 pounds Idaho® Russet potatoes
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for serving
• 4 bunches fresh soft green herbs, e.g. parsley, basil, tarragon, chives, dill
• Freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

Wash and peel the Idaho® Russet potatoes, then cut into 2-inch chunks. Place the potato chunks into a medium-sized pot and cover with water by 1 inch. Add 1 teaspoon salt to the water.Bring the pot to a boil, turn down the heat, and simmer 20-25 minutes, or until the potato chunks are tender when pierced with a small knife or the tines of a fork. Drain the cooked potatoes in a colander, then return them to the hot pot. Shake gently for a minute or two; you will see steam rising as the potatoes dry out.While the potatoes are cooking, wash the fresh herbs and dry them thoroughly in a salad spinner or by wrapping them in paper towels and shaking. Chop the herbs finely, discarding any woody stems. You can chop the herbs by hand with a large knife or in a food processor. You may end up with more than 1 cup of chopped herbs, depending on the size of your bunches; save the rest for another use.When the potatoes are almost done, put the half-and-half and 1 stick butter in a glass bowl or Pyrex measuring cup. Microwave on high power about 1 minute, until the butter is melted and the half-and-half is warm.Add the half-and-half mixture to the pot with the potatoes and mash the cooked potatoes with a potato masher until smooth. Add 1 cup of fresh chopped herbs and stir with a large spoon until incorporated. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve immediately, adding more butter on top if desired.

Details

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 25 mins Total time: 40 mins Yield: 8 servings