The Festive Holiday Cheese Log has been a part of my life for many years. I started making it in my twenties when I would go to a holiday party every night during the month of December. I was like one of Santa’s reindeer, dashing from the office to my apartment to any apartment in San Francisco that was hosting a festive gathering. It was exhilarating and exhausting, and this delicious party snack was truly my saving grace.
In terms of easy, festive, delicious dishes, there’s nothing that covers all three the way this festive holiday cheese log does! Back in the day, I would throw the pre-assembled pieces (topping, toast, cheese, and a platter) in my purse and go! When I arrived at the party, I would plate everything in the kitchen and drop it on the table. Of course, because I am me, I would stand close by and await the compliments. My kind of party, tbh.
These days (namely in 2020), I am significantly less ambitious in my party holiday schedule (though I still love compliments). The only thing on my schedule this holiday season is watching “The Family Stone” nightly, and curling up on the couch with this Festive Holiday Cheese Log. These two compliment each other so well which, in turn, compliments me so everyone’s happy!
Watch me make this recipe on Instagram!
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Festive Holiday Cheese Log
What You’ll Need
- 1 10.5 oz log of goat cheese
- 1 10 oz jar sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 10 oz jar pitted kalamata olives
- 2.5 oz fresh basil
- olive oil
- salt
- pepper
- 1 baguette (or just plain crackers)
What You’ll Do
- Simplest recipe ever and most festive, too. We are gonna do this one step-by-step because I’m the mom, and I think it’s what’s best for us.
Make It Step By Step With Me:
1. First thing’s first—you absolutely do not need to make little adorable delicious perfect baby baguette toasts. You can just use your favorite cracker. It’s absolutely fine with me!
Now, if you are making said toasts, you want to get your oven to about 400º. Slice your baguette into little thin toasts and brush each side with olive oil. Place them on a baking tray and toast until they are nice and golden brown. This usually takes about the same amount of time as it does to make your cheese log topping, which is to say it’s not a very long time, so keep checking your tiny toasts!
2. Okay, grab your main characters of tonight’s performance. It’s an all-star cast, in my personal opinion.
3. Chop up your olives, casually, into little chunks. I find often that even though we buy pitted olives, a few pits end up in here anyways. So do a little pit check. #pitcheck.
4. Chop up those gorgeous sun-dried tomatoes into chunky chunks as well!
5. Add chopped up basil into a mixing bowl (this perfect one is from NoCrumbsLeft) along with the tomatoes and olives. Add a few glugs of good olive oil, some salt, pepper, and red peppers flakes.
6. Stir until everything is evenly combined. Adjust flavors to taste.
7. Oh, look! Our toasts are done. Perfect timing! Set aside to cool.
Toasts can be made ahead, of course!
8. I find that if you can let this mixture marinate for at least 30 minutes, it really reaches peak flavor.
Now, you can make this ahead as well. Same day, but ahead. However, I don’t recommend storing it in the refrigerator because the oil will congeal and you don’t want that.
9. Okay, it’s almost party time so we are gonna assemble our Festive Holiday Cheese Log! Speaking of that log, you really want it to be softened enough to spread nicely, so take it out of the fridge for a bit so it gets spreadable.
Now grab your favorite tray and center your log on it.
10. Arrange your toasts around your cheese log, leaving a bit of space between the two for your festive topping to join the party. I like to do the topping last, as I do enjoy when some of it spills over the cheese and onto the bread and sort of flirts with it a bit. It’s really the pinnacle of my sex life.
11. Now, the grand finale! You get to arrange the topping over the log. Let me just say that a healthy dumping of the topping on the log is fine. In fact, bury it and make it a magical discovery for everyone!
I do personally like to let the log peak out a bit. Again, I find it to be just the most flirty thing in the world!!!
There is no wrong way!
Oh and don’t forget a few knives or spoons (my preference) to get in there and grab what you need and get it on your toast!
12. Name something for more FESTIVE than this?
I know—you literally can’t!
Enjoy!
