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Onion Tarte with Wilted Garlic Arugula
Two thawed sheets of puff pastry at room temperature
4 bacon slices (1/4 lb), cut crosswise into 1/8- to 1/16-inch-wide strips
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 lb onions, halved lengthwise and very thinly sliced crosswise
2 leeks, White parts only, trimmed, thinly sliced and cleaned to remove any sand or grit
8 oz cream cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 egg beaten
8 oz fresh baby arugula
2 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated
3 Tablespoons olive oil
sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper
Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate to drain and pour off all but a couple of tablespoons of the bacon fat. Add butter to the skillet and cook onions and leeks with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper over moderate heat, stirring, until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Cover skillet and continue to cook, stirring frequently until onions are very soft and golden, about 20 minutes. Stir in bacon, then remove from heat and cool 10 minutes.
Add cream cheese, nutmeg, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper to onions. Stir until cheese is melted and well combined.

Roll out each sheet of dough to 1/8” thick in a rectangular shape. Place dough on silicone lined baking sheet. Mound half of the cheese and onion mixture in the center of each rectangle of dough. Spread evenly, leaving a 2 inch perimeter of dough around the edge. Gently Fold the edges of the dough up over the filling and pinch folds to secure. Brush with egg wash. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
Cool until the filling has set, 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl mix the garlic and olive oil. Add the arugula and toss until well coated. Season with salt and pepper. Mound half of the garlic arugula on top of each of the warm tartes. The heat will wilt the arugula and allow the garlic oil to permeate the top of the tarte.
Slice each tarte into six pieces. Serve warm.
Savor. Linger. Enjoy! -Cynthia

Blue Cheese Apple Butter Puff and Happy Leap Year!

We have just celebrated a Leap Year Landmark with a party. What fun it is to have a house filled with happy people, yummy treats to share and lovely music in the background. We had such fun! Here is a little treat to serve at a party or alongside your next soup and salad.
Pastor Chuck’s Apple Butter contains all the concentrated goodness of Maine apple flavor and fresh complimentary spices.
Serves 8
2 sheets puff pastry, thawed if using frozen
8 oz crumbled blue cheese
4 Tablespoons apple butter
1 egg, lightly beaten
Unfold puff pastry sheets one each on a parchment or silpat lined sheet pan. Gently press seams together where the pastry had been folded. Brush each sheet with 2 Tablespoons of apple butter. Sprinkle 4 oz of blue cheese on top of the apple butter. Fold the pastry sheets back up the way they had been in the package. Fold one third toward the center, then fold the other side over the top of the folded pastry. You’ll end up with a narrow rectangle for each piece of pastry. Brush each rectangle with the beaten egg. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until the tops are puffed and lightly browned.
Remove from the oven and cool 10 minutes. Place on a cutting board and slice each puff carefully with a serrated knife into eight pieces.

Baked Brie with Dried Cherries and Maple Sugar

Be careful with this one! If you serve it to hungry guests as an appetizer they might not leave room for dinner. Its outstanding with a soup and salad for a delicious meal.
Ingredients:
6” wheel of brie
1 sheet of puff pastry at room temperature
1/2 c dried cherries
2 T crumbled maple sugar
1/2 c rough chopped pecans or pinenuts (optional)
water
Place a piece of waxed paper or parchment on your work surface.
Unwrap and unfold your puff pastry sheet. Press any cracks to seal pastry into a whole sheet.
Sprinkle the maple sugar in the center of the pastry and smooth out to the size of the wheel of brie.
Mound the dried cherries and pecans on top of the sugar.
Gently place the brie upside down on top of the fruit and nuts.
One by one carefully pull the corners of the puff pastry up onto the brie. Use a touch of water when you place the pastry corners on top of each other to seal. After the four corners are touching- encasing the cheese- trim the four sides if you need, so they will not be too bulky. Save the trimmings. Now carefully pull the sides down to fully encase the brie.
Use the trimmings to decorate the top. You can slice long thin triangles and roll them up from one point. Dab a bit of water on the top of the brie with your finger and gently press your decorations on.
Bake in a 400’ oven according to the puff pastry package directions. 30 minutes is usually enough. Bake until golden brown.
Serve with a knife and crackers or bread rounds.