mini apple + gruyère grilled cheese

You could use pear in place of the apple, or even included a thin slice of ham if that’s your deal.

1 baguette
2 crisp apples, cored and sliced thin
4 ounces of Emmi Le Gruyère, grated
Dijon mustard
Butter or olive oil, for cooking
Slice the baguette into thin slices.

Heat a slick of butter or olive oil in a pan over medium-low heat. On a slice of bread, give it a swipe of Dijon, a generous sprinkle of Gruyère, a few apple slices, another sprinkle of Gruyère and then top with another piece of bread. Griddle the mini sandwiches for about 2 minutes on each side until the crust is golden and then cheese is melted. Repeat in batches with remaining ingredients.

These can be made in advance and warmed in a 250’ oven for 5 minutes before serving to refresh them. 

mapled walnuts

If you stock pecans, those will work great here too. Make extras, these are so yummy in green salads.

1 Tbsp. butter or coconut oil
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
2 tsp. light brown sugar
3/4 cup walnut halves, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 350’ and line a small baking tray with parchment paper. In a small saucepan, warm the butter, maple and brown sugar together till combined. Add the walnuts and stir to coat. Spread them on the baking sheet and roast for 5-6 minutes until dried and just toasted. Remove to cool completely to crisp up. These can be made up to a week in advance and kept covered until ready to use. (Also great in salads!)