The first time I ever had burrata, I was out for a drink with a good girlfriend at a wine bar and we stumbled upon it on the menu. Intrigued by the idea of mozzarella infused with CREAM, we indulged. And wow. This is not mozzarella (and it’s not fresh mozzarella or bufala mozzarella either, although it looks similar to both). It’s a thin skin of mozzarella containing something even better, a creamy center that spills out when cut into. A-ma-zing.

This baked version makes an absolutely fantastic holiday appetizer, but be forewarned that it has a few extra steps involved (each totally worth it). Most importantly, make sure you FREEZE the ball of burrata the night before you need it so that it’s ready. You can also roast the tomato mixture the day before and store it in the fridge until you need it. With those two steps behind you, this goes together quickly and your guests will ADORE you.

Baked Burrata

Adapted from Cooking Light

Serves: 16

Ingredients:

1 (8-ounce) ball burrata
5 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon each, chopped fresh thyme & rosemary
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt & black pepper
3 large ripe plum tomatoes, halved
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
6 (14X9-inch) sheets frozen phyllo dough thawed
Cooking Spray
Toasted baguette slices

Directions

Early in Day or Night Before: Unwrap burrata; gently pat dry.  Wrap burrata in several layers of plastic wrap to preserve the “ball” shape.  Freeze 8 hours or until completely frozen.

1. Preheat oven to 425°.

2. Combine 2 teaspoons oil, herbs, salt, pepper, tomatoes, and garlic; toss to combine.  Arrange tomatoes, cut sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 40 minutes or until blistered and liquid almost evaporates. Cool. Chop tomato mixture.

3. Reduce oven temperature to 350°.

4. Working with one phyllo sheet at a time (covering remaining phyllo to prevent it from drying), lay one sheet on a flat surface, and coat with cooking spray. Stack another phyllo sheet at a slight angle over the first, and coat with cooking spray. Repeat the procedure with remaining phyllo and cooking spray, angling each phyllo sheet slightly over the previous sheet. Using a slotted spoon, spoon tomato mixture in center of phyllo stack, and discard any liquid. Unwrap burrata, and place frozen burrata on tomato mixture. Fold the phyllo edges over to enclose cheese and tomato mixture, pressing to seal. Turn ball over so the tomato mixture is on top, and place on a foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Brush phyllo with remaining tablespoon olive oil.

5. Bake at 350° for 30 -40 minutes. Remove from oven.

6. Preheat broiler to high and then broil cheese ball 2 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately. Cut with a sharp knife and spread on toasted baguette.

I’m betting you have a party or two to attend this month, and you just might have been asked to bring “an appetizer or dessert to share.” Yes? Okay good. No need to fret. Let’s get you set up to shine.

This recipe has all the savory goodness of wild mushrooms, shallots, goat cheese, fresh herbs, and sherry giving it high impact flavor. And yet, it leverages premade phyllo cups (you’ll find them in the freezer aisle) to keep it simple. You can whip up the filling before you leave the house , but if you’re bringing this to a party, I would take the warm filling in a bowl and fill the shells when you arrive so they don’t get soggy.

Creamy Wild Mushroom and Goat Cheese Cups

Adapted from Cooking Light

Makes: 30 filled cups

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped shallots (about 2 large)
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh sage
3/8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound exotic mushrooms (such as shiitake, cremini, and oyster) chopped
1 1/2 Tablespoons minced garlic
1/3 cup dry sherry
1 teaspoon lower-sodium soy sauce
3 Tablespoons light sour cream
3 Tablespoons half-and-half
2 ounces goat cheese (about 1/4 cup)
2 (2.1 ounce) packages frozen mini phyllo shells thawed (30 shells)
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Directions

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add oil to pan; swirl to coat.  Add shallots, and saute 1 minute.  Add sage, 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper, and mushrooms; saute 4 minutes.  Add garlic, and saute until mushrooms are lightly browned and liquid almost evaporates (about 5 minutes).  Stir in sherry and soy sauce; cook for 30 seconds or until liquid almost evaporates.  Place mushroom mixture in a medium bowl.  Stir in the remaining 1/8 teasp0on salt, sour cream, half-and-half, and goat cheese.  Spoon about 2 teaspoons mushroom mixture into each phyllo shell.  Garnish with fresh chives.

As originally posted November 2011.

I’m going to go out on a limb and say  that by this point in your life, you’ve probably read enough about how to use leftover turkey. So rather than add yet another tired idea to that list, I’m instead offering a recipe to get you back on track after your Thanksgiving feast. I hope you enjoyed every bite of it, including the late night cold turkey sandwich, but tomorrow is another day! And I’d like you to start it feeling energized and alive, instead of sluggish and weighed down. If you’re ready to lighten up after Thanksgiving’s heavier fare, this green smoothie is for you.

Just a quick whir in the blender transforms these fruits and greens into a refreshing drink that will get your Black Friday off to a healthy start so you’ll have plenty of energy to hit the stores in earnest. Happy shopping!

PS – You may want to keep these ingredients on hand for any other “recovery” mornings in the weeks ahead!

Back-on-Track Smoothie

adapted from Real Simple

makes 1 serving

Ingredients:

3/4 cup chopped kale, ribs and stems removed (or 1 cup of fresh spinach leaves)

1 stalk of celery, chopped

1/2 banana

1/2 cup apple juice

1/2 cup crushed ice

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions:

1. Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend till really smooth. Drink up!