“You’re invited to a Thanksgiving dinner party. Please bring an appetizer for guests to have with a cocktail before dinner”. What a fun little theme for this month’s Creative Cooking Crew! How many holiday meals have you ruined because you stuffed your faces with too many appetizer before the actual diner? Come on don’t be shy put your hand up in the air. Even more so now because the family is finally getting more creative than the stand-by tuna ball, crudites and ham rolls. Well we have not served these in years already, thankfully. But I am sure my Beet and Blue Grilled Cheese Bites would be a welcomed change to the mix.
I am always a bit amused at this time of the year with all the Thanksgiving posts. I am in Canada and we had our Thanksgiving in mid October. It is also not a big celebration as it is in the US. But still it is fun to participate each year and contribute to a meal I am not invited too, like with the Retro Aspic Green Bean Casserole that I made last year. Well I lie, I am going to my first ever Thanksgiving dinner party this year. It will take place in Montreal but it is hosted by an American friend. I am really looking forward to it.
Canada VS American Thanksgiving
In the US it is the 4th Thursday in November and in Canada it is the 2nd Monday in October. Canada is to give thanks for the harvest only where as the US is also about thanking the natives who saved the colonists from starvation. Canada first celebrated in 1578, in the US it started in 1620.
Why we are a month earlier? Geograhpy! We are more north so the harvest season ends sooner in October, similarly to Europe as Europe has harvest celebrations in October as well.
Since the US date is close to Christmas it gets the ball rolling for the holiday season, not so in Canada. Some families get together in Canada but it is not considered a big holiday.
So I decided early on to go with a fancy grill cheese. Coming up with my combination was a challenge. It had to be colorful yet not too stacked and easy to cut into bites. And you have to served it right away so the cheese does not solidify again. Beet came to mind but I did not want to go with plain goat cheese. Turns out blue cheese is a good combination. If you find blue cheese to intense you can use a brie blue cheese like I did which is much milder.
Beet and Blue Grilled Cheese Bites
Ingredients
- roasted beets thin slices
- balsamic vinegar
- sea salt
- triple cream brie blue cheese or plain blue cheese
- butter
- slices of country bread
Instructions
- In a bowl toss the beets with the balsamic vinegar and salt.
- Heat a pan over medium heat.
- Completely butter one side of each slice of bread.
- Lower heat a notch and place one slice of bread in the pan, buttered side down.
- Sprinkle half the cheese on the bread, layer the beets, sprinkle remaining cheese and top with the 2nd slice of bread, buttered side up.
- Cook until golden brown, flip and cook until golden brown.
- Cut into squares with a sharp knife.
Notes
I love the results as the beets just look like they have a layer of thick gloss on them when it is actually cheese. Its not too thick and if you cook it right with will serve well on an appetizer plate. The trick is to slowly melt the cheese on both sides so everything sticks together. This is achieved by heating your pan on medium and then lower it a notch. Just let it grill on a lower heat slowly. This makes the crust extra crispy too.
Thank you Lazaro Cooks and Foodalogue for this month’s fun challenge. Check out what the other members have created on our Pinterest board by clicking on the banner below.
Like the cute presentation of a classic pairing!
These look so great I can barely stand it
Love this fantastic looking,creative appetizers.
The colors look gorgeous, so does the combination of flavors.
Happy Thanksgiving, Evelyn!
Ohhh, now this is good! Sharing for sure!
When I saw the color I immediately thought these were made with cranberry (Thanksgiving and all), but the beets are a great surprise. I bet these are quite the treat 🙂
I simply love beets with blue cheese and I would have to indulge before the meal. Good choice.
delicious and gorgeous appetizers for the holidays…never thought blue cheese and beets would work so wonderfully together…innovative and delicious recipe,thanks for the inspiration 🙂
I just learned something new (and I’m embarrass to say I didn’t even bother to find out). So the geography is the reason why you guys celebrate early. It totally makes sense now! Love your grilled cheese bite size!!! 🙂
oh YUM! I would not be able to stop eating these, they sound sooooo delicious!
These are gorgeous, love the flavor and color combination!
MMM beets. I love beets. Put it on anything and I am a happy camper. I made a beet salsa and loved it. These little bites are adorable and perfect. Gorgeous challenge.
I love bite sized appetizers but I know if these were given to me, I would have stuffed myself too. Beet and blue cheese..what a rocking combination!
Traitor! You should have this post a month earlier.
No excuses!
I LOVE your gorgeous little grilled cheese bites! Beets and blue cheese are one of my favorite salad combos…and I have a feeling it could be a new favorite sandwich : ) Especially with a triple cream brie blue…mmmmmm….
OMG!
This looks outrageously good!
I always stuff myself on appys and this little temptation would be no exception!! Unlike many of my fellow American I don’t really get worked up over Thanksgiving and usually spend a quiet day with my husband, which is nice : )
wow, finger licking good!
i’m affraid i can barely stop eating the entire platter…..
What a PERFECT bite for holiday entertaining!
I have fired the typist today Evelyne 🙂
LOL Joanne
G’day Evelyn Your recipe sounds great and your photo is mouth watering, true!
Would love to try this right now too! YUM!
Cheers! Joanne
That looks so divine! And I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I always thought that the Canadian one was at the same time as the American-that must make things confusing. Is it the same sort of celebration? 🙂
Thanks Lorraine. In the US it is the 4th Thursday in November and in Canada it is the 2nd Monday in October. Canada is to thanks for the harvest only where as the US is also about thanking the natives who saved the colonists from starvation. Canada first celebrated in 1578, in the US it started in 1620.
Why we are a month earlier? Geograhpy! We are more north so the harvest season ends sooner in October, similarly to Europe as Europe has harvest celebrations in October as well.
Since the US date is close to Christmas it gets the ball rolling for the holiday season, not so in Canada. Some families get together in Canada but it is not considered a big holiday.
That has to be tasty! Thanks for the bite and belated Happy Thanksgiving to you.
I would probably finish the whole platter! They look divine, Evelyne.