Prickly Pear, Pepper, Pecan Baked Brie

It's hot and sweet with a perfectly lightly salted hunk of brie melting in oozing piles of glory and love over toasted slices of sourdough.

I make it about once a year because well...I actually like seeing my feet on occasion. In the original post for Jalapeño pepper pecan baked brie I used the original recipe: Tangy Pepper-Pecan Brie and I used apricot jam. As I finally had actually accomplished the goal of harvesting prickly pear cactus fruit and making it into jam this year (a lofty goal mind you...) I decided to use my jam in place of the apricot. Apricot used in this recipe was incredible. Prickly pear...let's just say, one of the most amazing uses of a cactus I've ever seen.I thought it was the perfect way to kick off the New Year. What a glorious year 2010 has been. Miracles of life, gifts of mercy and amazing opportunities that have given me hope beyond words. We are looking forward to many more days, weeks and years of happiness. Are you ready to face a new adventure? I am. I'm ready to embrace whatever is put before me! If I can make lemons into lemonade...cactus into jam...imagine what I can make out of all those blessings God has given me right up front and in my sweet little face!

That being said...let's put this New Year's amazing hot appetizer before us. Starting with the prickly pear jam. I made my own on the blog for all to see here (Prickly Pear Jam 101 Tutorial ). Feel free to make it or purchase the prepared stuff. Another evil-delicious jam that will work amazingly well for this appetizer is my Peach Mango Jalapeno Jam . It's almost too good to even share with company though. I warn you. Ace ate the whole case I made in July...within two weeks. Head shake. That's just a shameful display of jam-carnage if you ask me. So is this...

Arizona grown pecans are beautiful. What more can I say about these little nuggets of happiness. Oh, I know what I can say...eat more! The Arizona pecan growers are giving me a handsome kick-back for saying that. Okay...not really. I made that part up.

My recipe you will need:

1/2 cup pecan halves, chopped and divided
1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed and seeded, chopped
1/2 cup prickly pear jam (sugar free or regular)

1 clove fresh pressed garlic
1 4-inch round (8 ounces) Brie cheese with rind, room temperature
1 loaf (16 ounces) French baguette ( I useHomemade Sourdough )
Melted butter (about 1/2 cup)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine the jam, jalapeno, garlic and half of the pecans.

Using a bread knife, cut baguette on a bias into twenty-four 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange baguette slices around Brie; baste with butter using a pastry brush.

Oh land-o-lakes alive! Have butter. Not every day, but every once in a while...you will not die.

Cut Brie in half horizontally. Place one half of Brie, cut side up, onto center of Large Round pizza stone. Spread half of the prickly pear jam mixture evenly over bottom half of Brie using Small Spreader. Top with remaining half of Brie. Spread remaining jam mixture over Brie; sprinkle with remaining pecans.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until baguette slices are golden brown and Brie begins to soften. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Then of course go outside and light off a few sparklers. Enjoy your family and friends close to your heart.

Because the kids may or may not remember the amazing brie, but they will 100% remember the fist time they held a sparkler.

There you go! Happy New year!


Yield: 12 servings
Nutrients per serving: Calories 230, Total Fat 6 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Carbohydrate 38 g, Protein 6 g, Sodium 400 mg, Fiber 2 g