Gorgonzola Cheese Cups with Pear & Hazelnut Green Salad Recipe

I’m bringing these fun Gorgonzola Cheese Cups filled with a Pear and Hazelnut Green Salad to a surprise virtual baby shower. There’s nothing more exciting than the imminent arrival of a new baby. When that baby is coming to someone as sweet as Jen of My Kitchen Addiction and her husband, that calls for a celebration, full of great food and drinks.

While I know Jen through her wonderful blog (full of amazing sweet and savory dishes, as well as helpful “how to” ideas), I also know her through a decidedly non-food channel.

Many of you may not know this, but Jen is also the venerable leader of Cookie Crushers, the fantasy football team that just might pummel my team, Panfrying Pigskins, in our next matchup. While the weekly competition is fierce in our league, it’s all in good fun. Of course, we do still manage to sprinkle in conversations about football and tailgating food. You just can’t tackle the “food lover” out of a group of food bloggers.

When Tracy of Sugarcrafter and Amber of Bluebonnets & Brownies came up with the idea of honoring Jen and her little one with a virtual baby shower, I started dreaming of different treats or appetizers I could bring.

Immediately, my mind wandered to my Crispy Parmesan & Rosemary Cups with Spinach & Strawberry Salad. However, I wanted to put a fall twist on it. One of my favorite fall salads is a classic lettuce mix with pears, nuts and Gorgonzola cheese. Of course, you see that salad in almost every restaurant, done in the same way each time.

In this version, the Parmesan and Gorgonzola cheeses are melted into a golden brown circles and gently pressed into muffin tins to form crispy cups. The rest? Just toss baby lettuces with chopped fresh pear, toasted hazelnuts and a simple vinaigrette of balsamic vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil. Gently place the salad inside the cooled cups for a pretty, original appetizer.

Congratulations, Jen! I can’t wait to hear about the arrival of your little one.

The recipe:
In a small bowl, combine the Parmesan cheese and flour.

Heat a small, nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Be sure the pan is fully heated before adding the cheese. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan mixture into a 4-inch circle in the middle of the skillet. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of Gorgonzola cheese over the Parmesan cheese.

Cook until the circle starts to hold together as you lift it off of the pan and the bottom is starting to brown, about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.

Using an offset spatula, lift the circle of cheese from the pan and flip to the other side. Cook for an additional 15 to 30 seconds.

Gently press the circle into a muffin tin. Repeat with the remaining cheese, to make a total of 8 cheese cups. Let the cheese cups cool completely in the muffin tin. When ready to use, carefully lift them out of the tin.

In a medium bowl, combine spring mix, toasted hazelnuts, pear, and a simple vinaigrette made of the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Only use enough vinaigrette to lightly dress the salad.

Place the cheese cups on a serving platter and gently fill with the salad. Serve immediately.

It’s not a baby shower with just salad, so make sure you check out the amazing drinks, desserts and savory dishes by some of my favorite bloggers:

Bluebonnets & Brownies | Raspberry Lemon Fruit Dip
Sugarcrafter | Sweet Potato Cake with Honey Buttercream
My Baking Addiction | Mini Pumpkin Pies
Simple Bites | English Eccles Cakes
Stetted | Roasted Red Pepper and Caramelized Onion Dip
Food for my Family | Homemade Pear Italian Sodas with Cardamom Cream
eat. live. travel. write. | Goat Cheese and Tomato Tartlettes
Gimme Some Oven | Creamy Caramel Apple Dippers
Dessert For Two | Caramel Apple Cookie Cups
Bake at 350 | Soft Sugar Cookies for a Baby Shower
TidyMom | Apple Pomegranate Spritzers
i am baker | Advice to a New Mommy
Healthy Green Kitchen | Guacamole with Pistachios
Tracey’s Culinary Adventures | Caramelized Onion, Gruyere and Bacon Spread
What Megan’s Making | Apple Spice Muffins
Bellalimento | Frozen Berry Shortcake
GoodLife Eats | Coconut Lemon Banana Bread

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Gorgonzola Cheese Cups with Pear & Walnut Green Salad Recipe

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From the kitchen of Cookin Canuck. www.cookincanuck.com

Yields 8 salad cups

Ingredients

• 1 cup (packed) Parmesan cheese
• 8 tsp Gorgonzola cheese
• 1 tsp all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (packed) baby spring mix
• 2 tbsp chopped hazelnuts, lightly toasted
• 1 Bartlett pear, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine Parmesan cheese and flour.
2. Heat a small, nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Be sure the pan is fully heated before adding the cheese. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan mixture into a 4-inch circle in the middle of the skillet. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of Gorgonzola cheese over the Parmesan cheese.
3. Cook until the circle starts to hold together as you lift it off of the pan and the bottom is starting to brown, about 1 to 1½ minutes.
4. Using an offset spatula, lift the circle of cheese from the pan and flip to the other side. Cook for an additional 15 to 30 seconds.
5. Gently press the circle into a muffin tin. Repeat with the remaining cheese, to make a total of 8 cheese cups. Let the cheese cups cool completely in the muffin tin. When ready to use, carefully lift them out of the tin.
6. In a medium bowl, combine spring mix, toasted hazelnuts, pear, and a simple vinaigrette made of the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Only use enough vinaigrette to lightly dress the salad.
7. Place the cheese cups on a serving platter and gently fill with the salad.
8. Serve immediately.

by From the kitchen of cookincanuck.com