Hi Everyone,
Today #SundaySupper has teamed up with Gallo Family Vineyards to share with you our favorite holiday recipes. I love this time of year because of the Christmas music, the warm cozy comfort foods, the smell of Christmas trees and whiffs of cinnamon and baked cookies. It’s just so comforting and no matter where you are it just feels like home. The month of December is just fabulous, it’s funny once January hits, your’e thinking, when will it be Spring? But let’s stick to the holiday season for now. Today I am sharing with you one of my favorite, super easy, holiday recipes which is Baked Brie with Cranberries & Almonds.
I made a soft, warmed Brie cheese that is topped with dried cranberries, chopped almonds and is drizzled with honey. It is so perfect for a cheese platter. I can tell you one of the things I have been craving lately is cheese. I love, love, love cheese and crackers. I went crazy at the store and bought 6 boxes of different kind of crackers and 5 different kind of cheeses. I think cheese and wine are the perfect appetizer for any holiday event, or be like me and just have it for an evening snack in front of the fireplace.
When I first made this recipe and I was too busy getting my props out for the photos that I didn’t pay attention to the cheese in the oven. I figured 15 minutes was enough time to soften the cheese. Wrong! I could smell the cheese and I thought, ohhh, this will be yummy. I pulled open the oven door and to my surprise it melted (check out the bad photo on Instagram). Not cool! Now what do I do? I can’t share with you a pile of melted cheese. So I grabbed my purse and headed back to the store to pick up more Brie. This time I stared at the oven to make sure it didn’t melt. Guess what? It didn’t! Key lesson here is to not over-cook your cheese.
Once the cheese came out, it turned out wonderful. Soft, warm, gooey and just enough sweetness from the honey to complement the cranberries. I thought it went best with golden buttery crackers, but any cracker will do. What I also loved was the crunchy topping from the almonds.
I thought the best wine paired with this dish is Gallo Family Vineyards Chardonnay. I am a Chardonnay snob! I love it, it’s my favorite. Gallo Family Vineyards Chardonnay is crisp, medium bodied and has a hint of citrus and vanilla. It complements Brie cheese perfectly. I served it with some frozen cranberries. I thought it made my wine look more festive for the holidays.
If you are not into white wine, Gallo Family Vineyards has the most amazing Red Moscato that also pairs very well with cheese and crackers. It is a sweet wine, that has hints of citrus and finishes off with a blend of berries. I do love sweet wines and is perfect for the holiday time.
- 8 oz Brie Cheese, round shaped and rind peeled
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- 8 almonds, chopped small
- 2 tsp. honey
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees
- Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper
- Add the cheese to the center of your baking sheet and top with cranberries and sprinkle with almonds.
- Place in oven and bake for approximately 7-10 minutes. Be sure to watch it, so it doesn't melt.
- Grab the corners of the parchment paper and place cheese onto serving plate. I cut the parchment paper to fit the plate, This makes for easy transportation of the cheese.
- Drizzle with honey and serve immediately.
A little note when baking the cheese: When I made this recipe, I placed the cheese onto parchment paper and baked it. When it was done, I just grabbed the corners of the parchment paper and placed it onto my serving platter. This makes for no messes and easy transportation. I just trimmed the parchment paper to fit on my plate. I added a little rosemary and fresh cranberries for decoration.
I wanted to share with you a wonderful holiday charity program that Gallo Family Vineyards does every year. If you send Gallo Family Vineyards your wine cork or snap a picture of it, they donate a $1.00 to Meals on Wheels America. I think that is just wonderful. Lucky for me I have lots of corks to take pictures of. Please read below this special message from Gallo Family Vineyards.
“Our family is committed to helping Meals on Wheels America to improve the health and quality of life for the seniors they serve. For the sixth year in a row, Gallo Family Vineyards invites Americans to help end senior hunger and isolation with our annual Every Cork Counts™ program. We’re donating $1 for every cork submitted through our website or snail mail. All Gallo Family fans have to do is snap a picture, or send their corks!”
To get more recipes, great ideas and traditions, please visit Gallo’s Holiday Traditions and Dishes blog.
To learn more about Gallo Family Vineyards, you can go to the following websites:
Information on Gallo Family Vineyards
Gallo Family Vineyards store locator
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Twitter
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YouTube
For more recipe ideas and wine pairings, check out the #SundaySupper Pinterest board.
Have a wonderful day!
Toodles,
Jennifer
Appetizers:
- Bacon Pineapple Jalapeño Cheese Ball from Renee’s Kitchen Adventures
- Baked Brie with Cranberries & Almonds from Peanut Butter and Peppers
- Best Bar Nuts from Shockingly Delicious
- Lamb Seekh Kebabs from Soni’s Food
- Mediterranean Turkey Pita Bites from Magnolia Days
- Roasted Garlic Onion Dip from Food Done Light
- Roasted Cranberry Crostini from Recipes, Food and Cooking
- Slow Cooker Queso Blanco with Salsa Verde from Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
- Spicy Shrimp and Roasted Pepper Cheese Crostini from Fearless Dining
Main Dish:
- Italian Hoagie Flatbread from Family Foodie
- Roast Duck with Mole Sauce from Curious Cuisiniere
- Seafood Cannelloni from Palatable Pastime
Desserts and Sweets:
- Caramel Bread Pudding from Cosmopolitan Cornbread
- Chocolate Cups Filled with Cinnamon Pastry Cream and Berries from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Chocolate Dipped Cheesecake Bites from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse from Life Tastes Good
- Cranberry Orange Walnut Truffles from Desserts Required
- Cranberry Panna Cotta from The Freshman Cook
- Crustless Pumpkin Pie with Orange Scented Whipped Cream from Recipe for Perfection
- Dark Cherry Chocolate Cheese Danish from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
Plus don’t miss the Seasonal Wine Pairing Tips by Sunday Supper Movement.
Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board. Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.
Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Gallo Family Vineyards via Sunday Supper, LLC. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author, and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Gallo Family Vineyards.
So festive! And what a neat thing do to with serving chilled wine with frozen cranberries.
Thank you Renee. 🙂
What a spectacular holiday appetizer!! I love any excuse to make a baked brie!
Thank you Liz! I just love Brie Cheese, one of my favorites.
Love this classic appetizer! Perfect choice to pair with Gallo wines!
You are so right! Gallo is the perfect fit for Brie Cheese and others. 🙂
Mmmmm…..now this looks yummy! You can’t go wrong with melty cheese 😀
Thank you! I have to agree. 🙂
Baked Brie works for me!
I have to agree. 🙂
Baked Brie is always a favorite and jazzin it up with cranberries and almonds is perfect for the holidays.
Baked brie is such a classic! Perfect for the holidays!
My college roommate introduced me to baked brie and it has been a favorite ever since. Yours looks wonderful!
What a lovely appetizer! So easy to make and always a fave! Loving the cranberries & almonds!