Cranberry Blue Cheese Tart Recipe

 

The holidays are the most magical time of the year. They’re also the craziest! It’s so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of parties, Santa visits, and shopping. Sometimes, it’s good to just take a second to slow down and enjoy the moment, the feeling, the season.

I like to slow down with close friends and family, and great food. Today, I’m going to share a recipe that is perfect as an appetizer, or even as a small plate for a social gathering: Cranberry Blue Cheese Tarts!

What you need:

• refrigerated pie crusts (I like the boxed kind!)
• 8oz container of chive and onion cream cheese spread
• 1 egg
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (I like to use Salemville® Blue Cheese)
• whole berry cranberry sauce
• optional: coarsely chopped walnuts

What you do:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees, and spray a mini muffin tin with cooking spray.
2. Unroll your pie crust. Use a round cookie cutter to cut 16 rounds (to the size that will fit into the muffin tins. Place 1 crust into each muffin cup, pressing down gently to make a “bowl”.
3. In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese spread, salt, pepper, and egg well, until smooth.
4. Divide the mixture evenly into each muffin cup.
5. Top each cup evenly with blue cheese.
6. Bake 11-13 minutes, or until edges of the pie crusts begin to turn golden brown. Let them cool 5 minutes, then remove from the muffin pan.
7. Garnish each mini tart with a small spoonful of cranberry sauce. If desired, top with chopped walnuts.

I like to use Salemville® Blue Cheese in this recipe, and Salemville® totally gets my “slow down” vibe this holiday season. Salemville® cheese wants to inspire you to slow down for the holidays with a special holiday giveaway. Now through December 31st, you can enter to win a grill smoker valued at $1,000. Bonus: their cheeses are rich in calcium, and contain no preservatives or chemical additives!

How will you be slowing down this holiday season?