Fig and Goat Cheese on French Baguette

My husband and I made these a few years ago for Christmas Dinner, to be served before our traditional lamb. We and our guests ate until we were full. This is really simple and easy to do. My daughter helped me make the ones pictured below. This can be served as an appetizer or a snack. Please note, that if you like bread, sweet fig preserves, and strong cheeses, you might overeat. If you don't like strong cheeses, you could try Brie instead.

Fig and Goat Cheese on French Baguette

Ingredients:

1 fresh French Baguette 

3-5 Tbsp. olive oil

Slices of Goat cheese

Fig Preserves

Plain Goat Cheese, Locally produced Fig Preserves, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and fresh French baguette

Tools:

Silicone brush

bowl to hold the olive oil

Spoon

bread knife

baking sheet

cutting board

butter/cheese knife

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice the French Baguette on a diagonal using the bread knife. Pour olive oil into a small bowl. Use the silicone brush to brush olive oil on the bread.

AB "painting" the olive oil on the baguette with the silicone brush. 

Place the bread as you finish brushing oil onto a baking sheet. 

Slice the goat cheese into large chunks and place on the sliced bread. 

Sliced French bread with olive oil and goat cheese.

Spoon out more or less to your taste of the fig preserves.

Spoon out more or less fig preserves to taste. 

 Then, place in the oven to bake 10 - 15 minutes. Keep an eye on this because you don't want to burn your bread. Serve and enjoy! Makes 10 - 14 slices (depending on how you sliced bread). 

Fig and Goat Cheese nice and warm from the oven. Delicious!

Ringing in the New Year

Happy New Year! 2015...

I decided to start a blog. Yes. On December 31, 2014 at eight thirty-something, I decided that I should start a blog. Somewhere between keeping a baby out of my cabinets and baking, I figured that this would be an opportunity for me to be creative and express myself along with the millions of other people who are leaving their electronic mark on the internet for everyone to see. I don't know that I have anything that I truly hope to accomplish by this, other than entertainment and maybe some inspiration for others, but this is primarily for myself.

I have made a few New Year's Resolutions that I hope to actually keep-

1. Be On Time for Events/Meetings/Gatherings/Etc.
2. Drink more water.
3. Do things I love.
4. Make time for a daily devotional.
5. Remember important events, like birthdays and anniversaries.
6. Leave work on time.
7. Try to keep up with a Blog.

While most people are spending their time figuring out how they are going to lose those pesky holiday pounds, I don't think that a fitness regimen is really necessary for what I want to accomplish.

Why attempt these New Year's Resolutions?

1. Be On Time for Events/Meetings/Gatherings/Etc.
For anyone who is close enough to know me, I am habitually late to everything. Yes. I know that the first step is admitting that I need help. My intentions are always good. But somehow between trying to get from Point A to Point B in a timely manner is not my strength. Party anyone? I'll be about a half hour to an hour late.

2. Drink more water.
Who doesn't want to have a beautifully clean looking complexion? And have great working kidneys at the age of 90? Yes. I have looked at various research criteria and have noted that for years, scientists really do know what they are talking about when it comes to water...not to mention that they have also linked focused thinking and stronger immunity to this concept. Sign me up. Ideally, 8 glasses of 8 oz (8 cups of water, people) would be a good target. I cannot make this promise. Instead...I will just drink more.

3. Do things I love.
I do have things that I love to do. You would never know it by the amount of time I spend doing Laundry and dishes and bath time....and bathrooms. And don't get me wrong. I am thankful that I can do all I listed above and those not listed. I love all kinds of things from laughing with my kids, spending time cooking for my family, planning for projects that I seem to start and never finish, and taking photos. I just need to do them.

4. Make time for a daily devotional.
I recently saw a post from Toby Mac that stated, "IF YOU ARE SERIOUS ABOUT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, YOU WILL FIND SERIOUS TIME TO PRAY." - Bill Hybels.
It made me think about the fact that I really don't make my relationship serious. Sure, I pray every day and I bless my food with a prayer, but is that really enough? I don't think so. I wanted to make a time for a devotional to be early in the morning. My problem is that I sleep through the time or make an excuse. I have to do better than that.

5. Remember important events like birthdays and anniversaries.
I let down people with birthdays and anniversaries. I don't celebrate those moments with them. I don't know why I am not as joyful about these events. I don't celebrate my own like I should. I think I dwell about what I cannot do versus what I can. And that has to change. My dad made a comment to me recently that made me do a double take. "You know these events come once a year." Wow. Well. I can do better on that. Does this mean I buy a birthday present or anniversary gift for everyone I know? Nope, but for my close knit group, I can at least acknowledge the event in some special way.

6. Leave work on time.
What? My husband has been putting up with me leaving work late. He recently confided that if I could be home by a specific time, he would make a better effort with helping me prepare dinner. Done. I agreed to leave within 30 minutes of the leave time. Maybe this will help with my be on time issue, too.

7. Try to keep up with a Blog.
Yep. I thought I needed something extra to keep up with. Really. I want to share what I am doing, but how often do I really get time for coffee with a friend or to visit with family? I figured it would be a motivation for me to actually do some of the projects I want to do.

Happy New Year. 2015, I look forward to what you bring.