Thursday, January 23, 2014

Homemade Boursin Cheese Recipe

 
 
"If the divine creator has taken pains to give us delicious and exquisite things to eat, the least we can do is prepare them well and serve them with ceremony."

 
- Fernand Point




I live a few hours outside of Seattle. I've never seen so much team spirit in all of my life! At first, I really couldn't figure out why so many people were wearing blue and green this past few weeks. Then as time went by, I finally figured it out. People are talking about their beloved team, the Seattle Seahawks, everywhere I go. On the radio, at the grocery store, even at the salon. I've never seen anything like it.

 Their pride is contagious. I've become so proud and excited myself about this football team. I don't even know how the game is played. But I will be watching with my husband, as he talks me through the game. Super Bowl is coming, and you'll need to serve something yummy that pleases everyone. This is one of those things.


Just a few simple ingredients (with a few herbs/spices) combine together to make this irresistible spread.
 
This is my kind of recipe. Simple, easy and inexpensive, but sure doesn't taste like it. A big payoff, for about 10 minutes worth of work. When I say payoff, I mean people rave about it, they love this stuff. They might even expect you to bring it along to every party you are invited to here on out. Don't say I didn't warn you.
 
I've been making this spread for a while now and been wanting to share it with you. If I have the cream cheese in the house, I always have the other ingredients on hand, so it's a cinch to whip up on the fly. It can also be frozen for months without losing it's great creamy texture. So if you have company stopping by unexpectedly, you can have some ready quickly.

 

 
 
Sure it's perfect for an appetizer served with crackers and vegetables like I've shown here, but it can also be enjoyed in many other ways.
 
Such as:
 
- Garlic Bread - spread it on bread like you would for regular garlic bread and broil it under the broiler
 
- Use it as a spread on sandwiches instead of mayo
 
- Thin it with milk to use as a pasta sauce
 
- Use it as a topping for a baked potato or other vegetables

- Put it in your mashed potatoes instead of butter

As a filling for chicken like this  Boursin Stuffed Chicken

- Mixed in with scrambled eggs or in an omelet

- On top of a steak like you would with regular butter

and of course, Boursin.com has lots of recipe ideas, here.
 

 
 
Another plus to this recipe is the cost. A box of Boursin cheese is about 4 or 5 bucks, and the package is a little over 5 oz. This recipe makes 12 oz. and costs at most 2 dollars or maybe 2.50, (depending on what brand of cream cheese you purchase) so you get double the amount at half the cost, or even less. What a deal!
 
Happy Super Bowl Sunday! I hope your team wins. (If your team is from Seattle, I mean.)
 
 
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Large Footed Vintage Silver Butlers Serving Tray, Vintage Leonard Silver and Glass Relish Tray (holding celery and carrots), International Silver Vintage Jam Dish (holding the cheese), and Vintage International Silver Bowl with Spoon (holding the tomatoes), available in my Etsy Shop, House of Lucien.  Follow House of Lucien on Facebook!


I've started a second Etsy shop! Coco's Kitchen is where I sell vintage cookbooks and vintage kitchen items. I'm adding new items all the time, and I would love it if you checked it out, and favorited my shop, and even spread the word, if that's your kind of thing. Thank you!





Homemade Boursin Cheese Recipe

makes 12 oz. (340 g.) or about a cup and a half. Recipe can easily be doubled

Ingredients

1 - 8 oz (227 g.) package of cream cheese - at room temperature

1 stick (1/2 cup) or (114 grams) butter - at room temperature

2 cloves of garlic, minced or put through a garlic press

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

OR instead of the 3 above, use about 1 - 1 1/2 tsp. of an Italian Seasoning blend

Freshly ground black pepper - to taste

Salt - to taste, a few pinches


Directions

Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix it all together for a few minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape everything down with a spatula and mix again for a minute or two. Conversely, you can do the same thing in a food processor.

A variation to this recipe is to make a roasted garlic version, if you don't like raw garlic. Just replace roasted garlic with the fresh. If you are using roasted garlic I may add one or two more cloves.

This is better the next day when the flavors have a chance to meld. Bring to room temperature before serving.

This keeps in the fridge for about a week. Or it freezes well for 4 or 5 months. Just make sure it's wrapped very well so no air can get in.  Bring to room temperature before serving.

I hope you love this recipe as much as I do!