Goat Cheese Crumbles

Goat Cheese, those two words used to make me cringe and dry heave because I was afraid of the unknown and unfamiliar taste, smell, and texture of this mysterious food.  I have crossed over and now have a new found respect for the goat and the wonderful cheese that is produced from her milk.  It is a delicious addition to a bed of greens, topped with left over steak strips or roast, dried cranberries and pomegranate red wine vinegar dressing.

Smoked Gouda Cheese

One of my New Years goals is to sample a new cheese each week and incorporate it into a recipe.  I picked up a small package of smoked Gouda cheese from my local grocery store's cheese counter.  The recipe I used it in is Rachael Ray's Smoked Turkey Panini. The apples were a sweet little surprise that was a good counter balance to the smoky cheese.  Since it only called for 5 ingredients, it was a quick and simple dinner to prepare.  I paired it with a homemade bowl of veggie soup and fresh fruit.  As Rachael would say, delish!