In Case You Misunderstood...

I could see how someone might wonder about Paige's golden retriever Seamus sitting under the headline, "Roasting More Than the Turkey." Not intentional!

Roasting more than the turkey

Our Thanksgiving is pretty much written in stone: great-Grandmutter Schmerling's sausage stuffing in turkey; Brussels sprouts; creamed onions; mashed potatoes and gravy; cranberry sauce; pear pie. A "new" starter of a delicious lima bean puree with cheddar-sage muffins was introduced years ago.

Yesterday, my cousin Paige changed it up a bit with a delicious appetizer of roasted figs with goat cheese. They're small, savory, and just right with pre-dinner drinks.
Thanks, Paige, for busting us out of our rut! xx00

Roasted Figs with Goat Cheese Serves 4
Time: 10 mins

8 ripe figs
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup soft goat cheese
1/3 cup honey
4 pinches finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (this is very forgiving; if you're already cooking turkey, say, at 325 degrees, just allow more time for the figs to warm)

2. Using a knife, carefully trim any tough portion of the stems from each fig. Rub each fig all over with extra-virgin olive oil, then slice down through the stem about 3/4 inch. Make a second cut perpendicular to the first cut, so that you have an x-shaped cut in the top of each fig.

3. Gently pry the edges apart and stuff each fig with about 1 teaspoon of the goat cheese. Place the figs upright on a baking sheet and bake until the figs are plump but have not burst, about 10 mins.

4. Drizzle the honey onto the serving plate and place the roasted figs on top of the honey. Sprinkle with a pinch of the chopped rosemary; drizzle more honey on top if desired. Serve immediately.