Easy Baby Bries - Apricot and Cherry

I don't have good photos of these recipes because they get eaten up before I can get my lens cap off!

These two brie recipes are easy as can be, fool-proof crowd pleasing appetizers.

Brandied Apricot Brie and Cherry Pecan Brie (pictured above)

Brandied Apricot Brie
Mix together 1 C apricot preserves, 2 teaspoons of brandy, 1 1/2 teaspoons of orange juice, 1/2 a teaspoon of cinnamon.

Heat mixture in microwave for 30 seconds to a minute - until it's just starting to bubble.

Place a wheel of brie in a shallow serving dish, pour the apricot mixture over it, and microwave until the brie is soft and melting. (In my microwave it's about a minute.)

Serve with French bread.

And even though I've made this three times this summer, these are the two pathetic photographs I have:

Trust me - it's very pretty. I'll try to get a decent photo next time!


Next up, Cherry Pecan Brie.

I think this one is my new favorite. It's sweet and zingy and uses two of my favorite things: cherries and balsamic vinegar!

Mix in a bowl 1/3 C cherry preserves, 1 T balsamic vinegar, 1/8 t freshly ground pepper, and 1/8 t of salt. Pour mixture over your Brie round and heat in microwave until the brie is soft and melty. Top with toasted pecans.

Again, this is it for the pictures:

Y'all, this is SO good. Serve with water crackers, bread, or toast points.

Two super easy, no cook, wonderful appetizers!

Have a great Monday and be sure to check out the other great recipes at Rachel's!

The Bull Ridin' Song

Last fall Mr. P was flipping through the channels on TV and stopped on Professional Bull Riding. My boys were riveted, especially little Bear who was not even three yet.

Bear fixated on bull riding with all his toddler energy. We did a cowboy birthday, he got boots and a hat and some chaps, and he rides his spring horse so hard it moves around the room until he tosses himself from the saddle (gets bucked off) and leaps to the sofa (so he doesn't get trampled).

His favorite bull rider is a young man named (music warning on this link) J. B. Mauney (pronounced "mooh-nee") . Three-year old Bear sort of mushes those initials together and calls him "Jackie Mauney," which charms the socks right off of his Mama. Here is J. B.:

( I love that hat.)

Bear also likes a rider named Kody Lostroh. Kody won the world championship last year and took home $1.5 million dollars.

This weekend the PBR comes to Nashville. Bear is so excited. The other night he grabbed a toy microphone and sang me "the bull ridin' song" which I'm seriously thinking should be the opening act at the PBR. I don't know if this indicates Bear's calling as a bull rider or as a heavy metal rocker, but it sure would get the crowd going!

I present: The Bull Ridin' Song

The Bull Ridin' Song from Amy Smith on Vimeo.

You want to go see some bull ridin' now don't you?

(not a sponsored post)