Cheesy New Year

New Year's Eve is right around the corner. I hate to admit it, but I am a little relieved that I am not hosting a New Year's Party this year. I just made a promise to Hubby that I wouldn't host any parties, dinners, brunches, lunches, or ANYTHING  for the whole month of January. This is to allow us to get completely unpacked and settled in, since that was hard to do when I was cooking and decorating practially  non-stop for 4 weeks.

Even though technically a New Year's Eve Party is in December, it does creep into January, so I decided to forego a party. Despite the lack of hospitality for the month, I will still be transitioning my decorations around the house from Christmas to New Years/ Winter decorations, so keep watch for that. AND I want to share a  recipe for Baked Brie that I love to have on New Year's Eve--in fact,  I just might make it even though I won't have a party.

I recently made this at my parents house at Christmas as an appetizer, and it was popular with both the adults and the kids. I love it because it is super easy to make, but seems a little impressive somehow. I didn't take photos of this one because my grocery store messenger (who will remain anonymous) brought home Pepperidge Farms "Puff Pastry Shells" instead of "Puff Pastry", and the shells just didn't make a beautiful Brie that the pastry sheet makes. I tried rolling out and pinching together the thawed shells, but they separated in the baking and made somewhat of a lumpy-looking mess.  (I should have taken a photo for your amusement.). Interestingly, it still tasted so delicious that no one really commented about it's unusual appearance.

Baked Brie is basically a large piece of cheese that is topped with fruit preserves and wrapped in puff pastry dough. The cheese becomes soft, the dough browns, and you cut off pieces to serve with crackers or apple slices. Yummy. It is great as an appetizer, part of a buffet table, or on the coffee table during movie night or sports games on TV!   There are lots of variations-- but here's how I do it.

Baked Brie

1/2 package thawed Puff Pastry (1 sheet)
8 oz round Brie
1/4 cup fruit preserves (rasperry, apricot, blackberry....whatever you like or have in the fridge)
1 egg
2 T water

Preheat oven to 425. Grease cookie sheet. Roll out puff pastry slightly. Place cheese (with rind on) in center of dough. Spoon preserves onto cheese. Bundle puff pastry up around cheese and preserves, pinching to seal.  Beat the egg and water together to make an egg wash and brush over the dough (you will not use entire egg wash). Bake 20-25 minutes until golden. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Serve with crackers and/or fruit wedges.

Enjoy!