Endive with Blue Cheese and Caramelized Pears

This is a great "guest-worthy" appetizer.  My mother-in-law was visiting over the weekend and I felt like I sort of failed on being a great hostess.  It's usually my thing ... having guests ...hosting, making people feel comfortable, etc.  This weekend though, not so much.  First of all I didn't think she'd be arriving until noon on Sunday so first thing that morning I headed to the grocery store for lunch & dinner supplies only to return home at 10:30 and find her waiting on the hot patio outside of my locked house (oops).  I made lunch, we went to the pool and afterwards my husband grilled steaks for dinner.  Then after dinner, knowing mother-in-law and daughter were safe in bed, we headed to a neighborhood party where we had a few cocktails ... well, not a few, so many that I don't remember walking back to my house (another oops).  And the next morning when I was supposed to wake up and make breakfast for my weekend guest I was so hungover I stayed in bed until after 10, ugh (oops yet again!).  I did manage to make it downstairs for a bit holding back the night before's meal until my mother-in-law headed home.  I was so happy to be sick (truly, truly, alcohol-induced sick) in peace.  My only redeeming grace from the entire weekend was the appetizer I prepared Sunday evening ... the Endive with Blue Cheese & Caramelized Pears.  It's a crowd pleaser and my hope/wish is that's the only thing my husband's mom remembers, lol.  It's delicious!!!!  Reminds me of something from a fine-dining restaurant.

Here's the recipe:
INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sugar
2 pears, peeled & diced
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
25 endive spears (about two heads)
1/2 cup pecans, chopped & toasted

DIRECTIONS:
In a large saute pan over medium heat add butter & sugar.  Add the diced pears and cook until well caramelized, about 8 minutes.  (keep stirring and make sure this does not burn).

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the garlic, vinegar, salt, pepper and olive oil.  Add this mixture to the blue cheese.  Spread each endive spear with the cheese mixture and then top with the caramelized pears and finally top with the pecans.  Arrange on a plate in a floral pattern.  Enjoy!  Makes about 25 servings.  (My picture shows 1/2 of the recipe since I was only serving 3 people.)

Recipe adapted from: FoodNetwork.com

Happy Birthday KathCooks / Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods

I started this blog a year ago today ...happy 1st birthday KathCooks!!  My little corner of the "inter web" had over 2500 views over the past year (wow!).  I blogged a total of 50 recipes, some of which were more popular than others.  The three recipes with the most views were:  Soft Pretzels, One Minute Flourless Cupcakes, and Salsa Chicken.  Recipes with the least amount of views: Tuscan White Bean & Sausage Stew, Baked Oatmeal, and Biscotti.

I'm proud of myself for sticking with this for a year and hope to keep it going. I think this will be a nice collection of recipes for my daughter to read someday.  Thanks to everyone who has been reading my blog!  I appreciate the views & feedback!

I find it fitting that my blog is celebrating a birthday at the very same time I happen to be volunteering to bake for a local farm's birthday ...their 200th birthday to be exact.  199 years older than my silly blog.  Blue Hound Farm is celebrating their 200th birthday this weekend with a party and the proceeds benefit PAWoundedWarriors.org.  If you don't have anything planned for Saturday you should check it out and make sure to stop by the bake sale to sample some of my goodies!  More information/details can be found here: Blue Hound Farm Barn Bash.

I baked a lot of stuff for the bake sale ... cookies, whoopie pies, brownies, rice krispie treats, chocolate covered pretzels, and Salted Caramel Corn.  189 individually wrapped items so far with more baking to do tomorrow.  I truly enjoyed making everything and it felt good to volunteer my time.  One of my favorite items I made was the chocolate covered pretzels I think because they turned out so pretty.  If you ever need to volunteer for a bake sale these will look great on the table!  Enjoy!!

Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods
1 package of pretzel rods
1 package of chocolate chips (milk chocolate, semi-sweet, or white)
Sprinkles (optional)

Melt 1 cup of chocolate chips in the microwave at 50% power for 30 seconds (one cup at a time seems to work really well). Stir the chips with a rubber scraper until completely melted.  Use the rubber scraper to "paint" the chocolate onto the pretzel rods coating all sides and leaving an inch or two at the bottom empty.  You can top with sprinkles if you'd like. Place coated pretzels on wax paper-lined cookie sheet and refrigerate for 20 minutes or until chocolate is set. Place pretzel rods in pretzel bags (sold at craft stores).  One package of chocolate chips coats about 25 pretzel rods.  You can also melt additional chocolate chips and make a drizzle over top of the pretzels instead of using sprinkles. I melted about 1/4 cup of white chocolate for about 20 seconds at 50% power and scooped it into a plastic bag, cut one corner of the bag and drizzled over the milk chocolate coated pretzels.

all the baked goods wrapped & ready for the sale