Goat Cheese, Date, & Pear Balsamic Field Green Salad

This salad is simply divine! Not only does it go well with a glass of wine & a buttered slice of fresh french bread, BUT you can also put it on top your freshly baked homemade cheese pizza! enjoy!

Goat Cheese, Date, & Pear Balsamic Field Green Salad

Ingredients:

1 Bag (1lb. Field Greens washed and drained)

2 ripe red Pears, seeded, diced, and set aside (toss in lemon juice)

Juice of ½ a lemon (for pears)

½ cup diced Dates (pits removed)

½ cup Goat cheese

½ cup Caramelized Walnuts

¼ cup high quality extra virgin olive oil

½ cup high quality sweet balsamic vinegar (I only use the 18 year aged balsamic from http://robbinsfamilyfarm.com/store.html)

Salt and pepper

Nature’s Seasoning to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rough chop walnuts & add to 1 teaspoon of butter and 1 teaspoon of brown sugar. Bake until golden brown, toss & set aside to cool.

In a large salad bowl, whisk together olive oil, Balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper, and dates.  Allow dates to sit in dressing for about 15 minutes.

Combine greens, and drizzle dressing on top, toss, and then add pears & and walnuts. Toss, & sprinkle each serving with goat cheese. Serve immediately.

Chicken and Goat Cheese Quiche

This quiche was one of the recipes I made for Christmas Dinner (lunch). I have a couple of varieties I make of this style quiche, but this was the first in which I used goat cheese. I loved the creaminess it added to the recipe, and I will be using it again in the future. It worked very well. This also reheats well in a toaster oven, & we had it again this morning for brunch. Enjoy.

Goat Cheese and Chicken Quiche

2 frozen deep dish Pie Crusts (or homemade pie crust)

1 diced yellow Onion

2  boneless Chicken breasts-chopped finely

2 tablespoons Olive oil

½ cup Sour cream

2 teaspoons Butter

1/2 tsp. Nature's Seasoning

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1 cup Mozzarella

1/8 cup Goat cheese   

1/8 cup fresh flat leaf Parsley-chopped

½ cup fresh Basil-minced

8 eggs

1 cup heavy Cream

Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

Over medium heat, sauté olive oil, 2 tablespoons of butter, basil, parsley, and onions till golden brown. Add chicken, salt, pepper, and Nature’s Seasoning. Cook until well done & chicken is cooked through (about 7 minutes total). Remove from heat & set aside.

Whisk together eggs, crumble goat cheese & add the remaining ingredients. Whisk together. , & add chicken.  Split the mixture between 2 pie crusts. Bake at 375 for about 40 minutes. Cover edges of pie crust with egg wash, to prevent burning.