Foodgasmic - Brie Apricot Cresent Rolls

Foodgasms - yes they exist and their frequency of occurrence depends on how high or low the standards of your taste buds are. Mine are medium so I'm lucky enough to be able to enjoy "mind-blastingly" good food once in awhile, and I've discovered one a few days ago that I'm gonna share with all you lucky people.

So Chef Aaron offered to make dinner and bought enough food to feed a small country...which was me. There was the risotto and roasted garlic and vegetables, and a beautiful red and green salad with strawberries, candied pecans, baby spinach and red peppers (I ruined the color theme by forcing diced mangoes in there). Of all his creations, I want to feature this tomato and cranberry goat cheese tower he designed, layered with baby spinach, coriander and chives with a splash of balsamic vinegar. I believe he purposely made it this high so that I can butcher it with my knife and make a complete cutting fail.

This crappy picture is not doing it justice but you get the idea. The acidity in the vinegar complemented the sweetness in the cranberry goat cheese really well, and the tomatoes met both of these flavours half way and the coriander adds a good zing to the whole taste.

However, the Foodgasmic part of the evening was the Brie Apricot Rolls. It was the simplest dish on the menu and it was so good I wish Wal-Mart sold second stomachs so I could keep stuffing my face with them.

It may look very ordinary, but imagine: a hot, buttery, slightly salty, crispy crust wrapped around a ball of warm, soft melted brie blended in with a touch of sweet apricot jam.........ahh....
He made 8 of those, and since he was allergic to cheese and could only risk eating one of them, I felt "obligated" to fulfill my duty, and downed three of those heavenly bites in one night.

Now here's the good part - The RECIPE

You only need these three ingredients: Pillsbury Crescents dough, Apricot Jam (1/2 the calorie, double the fruit, what can be better?), and a block of brie cheese.

1. Unroll the dough and split them into 8 portions
2. Put a block of cheese, about 2 cubic cms, in the middle of the dough
3. Add half a tablespoon of jam to each piece
4. Get creative and somehow wrap each one up so none of the fillings will leak out
5. Bake at 375 F for 10-15 min until golden brown.
6. Eat and go "mmmmmm".

Like any thing else that tastes superly good in life, this little thing is not easy on the calories for those of you who are counting. It's about 220 cals per piece but on the bright side, think about all the calcium and vitamins you are getting!

Anyways, they taste great fresh out of the oven. If you want to enjoy them for later, just rebake them in alittle bit in a toaster oven. If you don't have a toaster oven.....go get one! They are just about one of the most useful gadgets to have in the kitchen. I honestly think you can cook almost any dish with a microwave and a toaster oven.