Goat Cheese Sugar Cookies + Baked Prosciutto, Egg, Avocados With #MontchevreIsGoat Cheese

This post is sponsored by Montchevre but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Growing up, every time we'd fly back East to visit my father's family I'd be entertained with tales of his fabled gut, and eating conquests. That is to say my father, from a young age, would ask to go next door to get a grinder for dessert whilst the rest of the family enjoyed ice cream from the scoop shop.

It's not that he had an endless stomach, it's more that he had a thirst for food, and the exploration of flavor. Spending valuable calories on dessert just wasn't as tempting as trying a new sandwich or the featured dish at the local Portuguese diner. As a result I was raised with a fine appreciation for not just food and the act of eating, but ingredients; their role as flavors and textures, and the never-ending range of combinations they could be manipulated into, with.

Cheese, with no explanation needed in my mind, has long been at the top of my food chain pillar. There are not only so many different bases and flavors, but the range of textures, and it's versatility to transform anything from an appetizer to dessert is truly special.

I enjoy cheese for cheese's sake on a platter with fresh fruit, nuts, charcuterie and wine, as a dessert in a cheesecake, in a gooey creamy sauce over fresh past, in plastic wrapped sticks I pull and peel with a child's delight, melted into chips on parchment in the oven, and so much more. So, the fact that I only just discovered the magic of goat cheese a few years ago is a true tragedy within my culinary story.

As so many others I first tried goat cheese on a fancy field of greens salad. It was daintily sprinkled atop a plate of fresh spinach garnished with a savory vinaigrette, candied walnuts, juicy sweet strawberry slices, and thin slivers of grilled chicken. At the time the concept of goat cheese was filed away under 'specialty' ingredients in my foodie brain bank. I was under the impression that it was an ingredient most often stocked in specialty shops, best reserved for enjoyment in restaurants when prepared by fine chefs.

So, when I discovered Montchevre goat cheese in a store whilst shopping one day I quite literally let out a squeal and promptly sent Jay a photo of my cart full of cheese, as any true epicurean would. Furthermore, my discovery that this magical melty, savory, nutty cheese came in multiple flavors, and even a spreadable loaf instantly expanded the creative recipe uses within my head.

I recall my first flavored goat cheese experience was Montchevre Blueberry Vanilla- good enough to eat on it's own as a spread with a toasted bagel, this particular flavor solidified a need to use goat cheese in sweet recipes; not just savory. After that it was cheesecake tarts, morning berry crepes, key lime pie, and even goat's cheese dark chocolate brownies. This particular type of cheese is so easy to work with when baking, and the rich lightly nutty undertones of the Montchevre goat cheese range truly allow for sweeter pairings.

One might even dare to say that Montchevre IS goat cheese. That's how defining the quality French cheese-making techniques, and high quality goat's milk from local family farms is. I certainly encourage you to locate my favorite cheese, Montchevre, at a store near you. You'll find crumbles to sprinkle on just about anything and an assortment of goat's cheese loaf flavors and sizes to pair, bake, and cook to your heart's content. The Blueberry Vanilla variety is especially delicious in my fluffy, soft, Goat's Cheese Sugar Cookies so be sure to grab a loaf, and print the recipe at the bottom of this post.

Crumbled goat cheese, of course, is likely the form you are most familiar with because of how easily it can be incorporated to or added onto nearly any dish or recipe. NON GMO Montchevre Original Crumbled goat cheese is high in protein, calcium and vitamin D and contains less lactose while being rich in nutrients and vitamins. It also help the make me feel instantly 100% more like a real life chef when I pull it out of my fridge and sprinkle it on top.

Speaking of simplicity and feeling like a world class chef- it seems like anything with avocado is instantly hot these days. As if avocados suddenly were created by some sort of wacky scientist, or, maybe millennials simply discovered how to properly serve them. As a SoCal native I've been raised with this butter fruit- we drive past them at fruit stands every few blocks on the main roads, 7 JUMBO avocados for $5. You truly can't beat that folks.

Of course when you're spoiled with such convenient and affordable access to a quality supply of a fresh ingredient you tend to get a little creative with how you can use it. I use avocados almost as much as I use Montchevre goat cheese- and I often use them together.

Another thing that is very hot right now in the culinary world are simple, deconstructed, recipes. Recipes with 5 or less ingredients where the majority, or all, of the ingredients can be instantly seen and identified on the plate. I'm a huge fan of this cleaner eating style movement.

If you've ever pitted an avocado and been just too lazy to slice it up or mash it and put it on something then all of your worries are solved. Viola! Why not cook INSIDE your avocado? There's already a nifty little bowl right there for all of your ingredients.

I'm sure this serving concept has a bunch of buzz words and fits some hot fad eating style, but really it's a simple as avocado, meat, egg, cheese for me- basics we see between break or on bread often. Of course I've said it many times before, I'm just not a huge fan of bread- It's never done me wrong, I just enjoy a more animal style eating approach.

So core your avocados, put a little prosciutto inside each half, sprinkle some Montchevre goat cheese inside, plop an egg yolk on top and spoon a little egg whites, then top with more goat cheese and a dash of pepper. Place those bad boys in a 450F oven for 15 minutes, or until egg has reached desired consistency. If you would like runny yolks you can leave the yolk off until the very last 5 minutes for the perfect browned but runny egg every time.

A dish like this is great any time of the day and pairs well with a rich hollandaise, cup of fresh fruit, or bowl of delicious tomato soup. Because these can be prepared in 2 minutes, and cook fuss free on a piece of parchment in the oven, it's a great recipe to make in bulk when entertaining the masses for a breakfast or brunch over the upcoming holidays. I find that these will even keep well in a tupperware, after being cooked, for a day- making leftovers a delicious snack,

Bottom line, there are endless possibilities for Montchevre goat cheese and the ingredient itself is so versatile in flavor and format nobody should be intimidated by it. Also, one cannot truly call themselves a cheese lover until they've experienced goat cheese. You can find Montchevre at a store near you here. Let me know if you have a favorite way to enjoy, or a recipe to include, goat cheese!

Goat Cheese Sugar Cookies

• 2 1/2 C unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tesp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 C sugar
• 1/3 C (3 OZ) soft Montchevre goat cheese, room temperature
• 6 TBS (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 C vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 2 TBS milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• nonpareil sprinkles or sanding sugar (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2.  In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. Combine sugar, goat cheese, + melted butter in a large bowl and whisk until mixture forms a smooth paste. Whisk in oil. Add egg, milk, + vanilla extract and stir until smooth. Fold in flour mixture until incorporated and no dry ingredients are left.
4. Pour sprinkles or sugar into a small bowl. Dough will be soft, but should still be workable. Use a small cookie scoop to portion out about 1 tablespoon of dough, then roll in sprinkles/sugar to coat. If you have trouble with sprinkles sticking a damp cloth to moisten hands works great for rolled dough balls. Arrange on prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between each cookie.
5. Bake for 10 to 12 mins, until cookies are just set and slightly cracked. Cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.