Cranberry and Brie Pastry Bites

Today's update is to share a really easy, quick appetizer recipe I made over Thanksgiving.  I've been wanting to make this for ages, but in my household cranberries and brie just aren't appetizing for some reason.  So instead, I made this as an appetizer Thanksgiving day, which was happily gobbled up by my in-laws, and again that same week for a family game night.  Trust me- tuck this away for future reference when you need a nice, impressive snack with minimal effort!  The original recipe comes courtesy of Yummy Mummy Kitchen's blog, and she has plenty of other good things to check out as well.

Cranberry and Brie Pastry Bites
Makes 16

Ingredients

• 1 puff pastry sheet, thawed (I use Pepperidge Farm)
• 1 4-oz wedge Brie cheese, or 1 container of snack-size Brie wedges, opened and divided into 16 portions
• 1/3 cup homemade or store bought cranberry sauce (whole berry; not jelly)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400.  Spray a mini muffin tin with nonstick spray.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out puff pastry rectangle.  Using a pizza cutter, cut into 16 small squares.
3. Place pastry squares into muffin tin, pressing down gently in each opening.  Bake 8 minutes or until pastry begins to turn golden brown.
4. Remove muffin tin from oven and use the back of a spoon to gently press down in the center of each pastry square to create room for filling.
5. Place a portion of brie onto each pastry square.  Top with about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of cranberry sauce.
6. Place muffin tin back into oven for 5-7 minutes or until cheese is soft and pastry is golden brown.
7. Remove from oven, gently remove from muffin tins and cool on a wire rack.
8. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Optional: Top with toasted pecans and/or sugared cranberries.

Rustic Pumpkin Apple Bites

These little guys have been lurking on my Pinterest desserts page for a LONG time, and I finally made them last weekend.  Perfect for fall, with a nice oatmeal crust, these are not too sweet and not too heavy.  They make a nice little treat, and would be perfect for a Halloween party or even packed along for a picnic.  I did adapt my recipe a bit from Zestful Lou's, but appreciate the idea she planted!

Pumpkin Apple Bites

Makes 12 bites


Ingredients

For the crust

• 1 cup oats
• 1/4 chopped walnuts
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon milk

For the filling

• 3 tablespoons pureed pumpkin
• 2 tablespoons apple butter (I used caramel apple butter- YUM)
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 egg white
• 1/2 tablespoon corn starch
• 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Spray a mini muffin tin with nonstick spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together filling ingredients.
3. Place dry crust ingredients in a food processor and pulse until combined.  Then, with food processor running, slowly pour in melted butter and then milk.  Process until combined.
4. Scoop a tablespoon of crust dough and press into mini muffin tin.  Press down and up sides of the tin.  Repeat in each spot on the muffin tin.  You will have a bit of crust mixture left over- reserve.
5. Scoop 1-2 teaspoons of filling into each crust.  Sprinkle a little of the remaining crust mixture over each bite.
6. Bake 12-15 minutes or until filling is set.  The filling will be puffed up when you take the bites out of the oven, but will settle as everything cools.
7. Place muffin tin on a drying rack, and allow bites to cool completely before gently removing from tin.

Crust ingredients.  They smell amazing together!

All mixed with the butter and milk.

So rustic and delicious.