Crispy Dubliner Bites with Toasted Walnuts, Pear & Cashel Blue

Mouthful, isn’t it?

You have no idea.

If you’ve not introduced yourself to Kerrygold yet, I’m here to tell you…It’s about time you did.

First off, their Dubliner is just about my favorite cheese ever. Ever. It’s rich and yet unassuming. It is amazing grated in to macaroni and cheese, scalloped potatoes, or a simple salad. It’s a little salty, a lot flavorful, and just downright versatile. In a word – it’s perfection.

This Irish perfection was the inspiration and base for my contribution to a virtual dinner party for Kerrygold, which I co-hosted this month with Paula of Bellalimento. Be on the lookout each month for a new theme…it’s going to be a fun project and I am looking forward to each and every challenge!

I love the idea of new and unusual appetizers. It seems that parties seem to offer the same finger foods, and mixing it up isn’t always the easiest thing to do. These Dubliner Bites provide a delicious alternative to the standard appetizer tray – garlicky cheese crisps topped with a bite of Kerrygold’s Cashel Blue, fresh pear, and a toasted walnut. The opposing flavors meld and transform into a mouthful of goodness that you won’t be able to stop eating!

• 1 cup thick grated Kerrygold Dubliner Cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 ripe pears, peeled & thinly sliced
• 8 ounces Kerrygold Cashel Blue Cheese
• 18-20 Roasted Walnut Halves

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, combine the grated cheese, garlic, and chopped walnuts. Line a baking pan with a silicone mat or parchment, and spoon 1 tablespoon mounds of the cheese mixture onto the pan, separating each by 3 inches. Lightly press each mound with the back of a spoon to level to a thickness of about ?” thick.
2. Bake 5 minutes,being careful not to burn. Remove from oven.
3. When crisps have cooled, top each with a pear slice and spread about 1/2 teaspoon of Cashel Blue on each and finally top with a toasted walnut half.

As I mentioned, I partnered with Paula on a series of posts for some amazing companies, and this month of course was Kerrygold. We had some fantastic bloggers join us for the challenge of using Dubliner and Cashel Blue in our recipes, and I am thrilled with the results! Take a peek at what our lovely blogger friends came up with, all using Kerrygold as inspiration…

• Paula of Bell’Alimento – Beef Tagliata Arugula & Mushroom Salad with Cashel Blue
• Dara of The Cookin’ Canuck – Dubliner Cheese Cayenne Crisps with Golden Beet Basil Salad
• Jessica of The Novice Chef – Buffalo Chicken Salad with Cashel Blue Dressing
• Angie of Eclectic Recipes – Kerrygold Flatbread Pizza

I’d also like to give a HUGE thank you to our sponsor, Kerrygold, who graciously supplied all of us with plenty of great cheese and butter for our recipe development. It was such a pleasure working with you! For more Kerrygold info, you can visit KERRYGOLD….plus Follow along on TWITTER & FACEBOOK!

Disclaimer: Kerrygold supplied me with product and compensation for my participation in this campaign. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.