OK I finally did it. I went red. Check it out!

Stephanie and I arre going to be on Kare 11's Showcase Minnesota today demonstrating how to make a perfect cheese platter. Here are our suggestions and a list of cheese to either make a "Crowd Pleaser Platter" or a "Impress Your Foodie Friends" platter.

Selecting the Cheese

• Try to include a variety of textures and flavors. Most cheese belongs to one of four basic categories: aged, soft, firm, or blue. For a good variety, choose at least one from each group. Some examples:
  Aged: Aged Cheddar, Comte, Goat Gouda
  Soft: Constant Bliss, Camembert, Brillat-Savarin
  Firm: Manchego, Mimolette, Parmigiano-Reggiano
  Blue: Gorgonzola Dolce, Valdeón, Stilton

• You can also try selecting cheeses by the type of milk used (cow, goat, sheep). This will ensure a range of different flavors on the plate.

• Serve at least one familiar cheese.

How Much Is Enough?

• For a party in which cheese is the main event, plan on buying 3 pounds for 8 people, 6 pounds for 16, or 9 pounds for 24. If cheese is one of many items being served, plan on buying 3 to 4 ounces per person.

 Accompaniments

• Offer a selection of breads, including sliced baguette, bread sticks, and crackers in all different shapes and sizes. It's a good idea to vary taste and texture among the breads as well as the cheeses.

• Jarred condiments and vegetables are quick and fuss-free. Try sweet preserves or honey, tart chutneys, and spicy mustards. You can also add artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, and caponata. If you have a bit more time, prepare caramelized onions, which complement most cheese plates.

• Various other sweet and salty items can work as well. Try cured meats such as prosciutto and salami, or candied nuts and pistachios. Assorted seasonal and dried fruits can include figs, cherries, apples, and pears.
   

Serving Tips

• Separate strong-smelling cheeses. If you want to serve a pungent, stinky-socks cheese, place it on a separate plate so it doesn't overpower more delicate ones.  four or five choices are enough.

• Set out a separate knife for each cheese, especially the soft varieties. Soft cheese spreads well with a butter knife; firm cheese might require a paring knife; and aged cheese often requires a cheese plane.

• Remove the cheese from the refrigerator an hour before serving-cold mutes flavor.

• Spread out the spread. Place the cheese platters and the other nibbles on several tables to avoid guest gridlock.

• Label each cheese so you won't need to recite the names all evening. If you like, also jot down a few poetic adjectives describing its flavor.

Crowd Pleaser Cheese Platter

Widmers 6 year cheddar:

80 year family tradition of three generations very sharp flavorful aged cows milk cheddar. Grassy buttery notes.

 Brie L'Ermitage:

French brie produced in Alsace with a careful pasturization and ripening process that results in a satiny, nutty, smooth brie.

 Basil Garlic Gouda from Holland

Young, tangy, dutch gouda flavored with basil and garlic. A great snacking cheese with a little kick.

 St Petes Select Blue:

Handmade artisan cows milk cheese made in the St Peters caves in Faribault MN. Creamy, white and subtle for a blue. Easy for everyone to enjoy.

Impress your foodie friends cheese platter

 Tome verte:

French goat cheese encrusted with aromatic herbs, tarragon, thyme and pink peppercorns,

 Cabrales D.O.

Spanish aged cheese that has twice as much aging as a normal blue and is not for the faint hearted. For many this is the strongest Blue they will have had.

 Red Hawk

Cow Girl Creamery in California makes this washed rind, triple cream organic cows milk cheese. Full fruity aroma and flavor. A must try cheese at Surdyks and on many favorites list.

 Corsu Vechiu

France is home of some of the finest sheeps milk cheeses. Comples, earthy and perfect paired with Medium bodied red wines.

We had a great time at Aamodts Apple Farm on Saturday. We broadcast live from Aamodts and had a blast. Here is a quick video with recipes and photos enclosed ( I apologize in advance for recipes omitted or mispellings - I am working with my limited notes:)

Here was the winning recipe by Shirl Chouinard - a apple cake that was dynamite.

Next was the raw apple cake from Ann Valenti that came in a close second place. The picture and the recipe follow (note she served the icing alongside)

Raw Apple Cake

1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup softened butter
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups apples chopped
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup coconut

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla. Beat well. Sift flour,
salt, and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture. Add appples, nuts,
coconut and raisins. Mix well. Pour into greased and floured shallow  8"
x 8" pan. Bakd 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Icing
2tbs butter - melted
3 tbs milk
1 cup confectioner's sugar
lemon

Mix well. Add lemon juice to tast and add a little grated lemon rind.
Ice while still warm.

Third place was Grandmas Apple Breakfast by Michelle Karlson.

 Hi, This has gotten to be one of our favorites! First it's a crockpot
recipe, next-it cooks overnight so it's ready for breakfast!

Apple Cobbler:
4 apples, pared, cored and sliced
2 cups granola (we use low fat)
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2-1 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup raisins or craisins
2 cups skim milk

Combine all but the milk in the slow cooker on low. Cook overnight.
Spoon the mixture into bowls to serve with the milk. For those who don't
like nuts or raisins, they can be served on the side:) Enjoy!! My
grandson had 2 bowls full!

Jeana Fergusen had the Topsy Turvey apple pie, made with a store bought crust that was also really good.

TOPSY-TURVY APPLE PIE -   after baking, it's turned upside down transforming the sticky bottom crust into a sweet, nutty topping!

INGREDIENTS
Glaze and Crust -
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1/2 cup pecan halves
1 box (15 oz) refrigerated pie crusts, softened
Filling-
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 cups thinly sliced, peeled apples (4 medium)
Topping-
Whipped cream or ice cream (optional!)

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 425°F. In 9-inch glass pie plate, mix brown sugar, butter and corn syrup. Spread evenly in bottom of pie plate. Arrange pecans over mixture. Make pie crusts as directed on box for Two-Crust Pie, placing bottom crust over mixture in pan.
2. In small bowl, mix granulated sugar, flour and cinnamon. Arrange half of apple slices in crust-lined pie plate. Sprinkle with half of sugar mixture. Repeat with remaining apple slices and sugar mixture. Top with second crust; seal edge.  Cut slits in several places in top crust.
3. Place pie on sheet of foil on middle oven rack in oven; bake 8 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F; bake 35 to 45 minutes longer or until apples are tender and crust is golden brown. Immediately run knife around edge of pie to loosen. Place serving plate upside down over pie; turn serving plate and pie plate over. Remove pie plate. Serve warm or cool with whipped cream or ice cream.

Shayle Domingueaz made apple crisp

Maria Emmerich made Apple marscapone chimichangas and even made one low carb for me!

Here is Heather Morningstar's Swedish Apple Pie (in covered dish)

 Barb Blank made the Haralson Apple Crunch

Lynn Genter has skinny apple turnovers.

Lyndsey Losey made carrot apple caserole.

It was a super great time! Thanks all.

Hi, This has gotten to be one of our favorites! First it's a crockpot
recipe, next-it cooks overnight so it's ready for breakfast!

Apple Cobbler:
4 apples, pared, cored and sliced
2 cups granola (we use low fat)
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2-1 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup raisins or craisins
2 cups skim milk

Combine all but the milk in the slow cooker on low. Cook overnight.
Spoon the mixture into bowls to serve with the milk. For those who don't
like nuts or raisins, they can be served on the side:) Enjoy!! My
grandson had 2 bowls full!
Thank you, Michelle

---------------------------------

YUM-YUM-YUMMY
INGREDIANTS:
2 eggs
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
4 cups diced peeled apples
1 cup chopped walnuts
Cream Cheese Frosting, below

NEXT:
Beat eggs until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar, oil and vanilla. Into a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg; stir into first mixture. Stir in apples and walnuts. Put in greased 13x9x2-inch baking pan and bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Let cake cool in pan on a rack for 10 to 15 minutes. Spread apple cake with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 pkg.(3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons butter, softened
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl; beat until smooth.

THIS CAKE IS SO YUMMY AND PERFECT FOR APPLE SEASON!!
THANKS FOR LETTING ME SHARE MY RECIPE FOR THIS CONTEST ANN WALTERS