Day 286.
I didn't even try to light this properly and attempt a nice picture. Instead, I removed the stoneware from the base, wrapped it up in a beach towel, grabbed a sleeve of crackers and plopped on the couch in front of the TV.
When Adam or the kids got near, I snarled and batted them away with my arm.
This couldn't possibly taste any better.
The Ingredients.
serves 1 mom unless she feels like sharing. then it will feed more.
1 large round or wedge of brie (the round I used was 13.2 oz)
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
-1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (if you don't eat nuts, simply omit)
The Directions.
Crocktober 20, 2016
It is FRIDAY EVE!!
We are about 8 weeks into this school year, and it's been a doozy, schedule-wise for our family.
I have three kids, at three different schools, and they each have their own sport.
I've tried to limit our activities, I really have, but figure they each can do one thing.
That shouldn't be too much, right?
Well, it sometimes feels like WAY TOO MUCH, which is why I love Thursdays so much.
We are all home. Nobody needs to go get picked up in the 8 o'clock hour, which means I can change into jammies and chillax from about 6 pm on.
and I relish in it.
Adam and I have been trying our hardest to shuffle the kids off to bed somewhat early so we can binge watch Netflix (current fave is Nurse Jackie) and eat something "adultish" without the kids.
If you'd like to join us, we are having yummy, ooey brie tonight.
Apricot Brie
serves 2 and only 2.
(and nobody else even if you really want to try it because it smells so good. you can't have any. go to bed.)
1 large round or wedge of brie (the round I used was 13.2 ounces)
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (if you don't eat nuts, simply omit)
The Directions.
You have two choices here: you can use a 2-quart slow cooker or you can use a 6-quart slow cooker with an inserted oven-safe dish.
(pyrex or corningware).
If your brie has a really hard rind, cut the top part off.
Put the brie into the crockpot (or the oven safe dish).
In a bowl, mix the chopped apricots, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, water and rosemary together.
Spoon on top of the brie.
Sprinkle on the chopped walnuts.
If you are using an inserted dish with the brie in a large crockpot, you do not need to add water around the base of the dish.
Cover and cook on high for 1-2 hours, or on low for about 3. Check after an hour just in case.
When the brie is warm and as melty as you'd like, take it out. You aren't really cooking anything here, just melting it nicely.
Serve with your favorite crackers or apple slices.
It is FRIDAY EVE!!
We are about 8 weeks into this school year, and it's been a doozy, schedule-wise for our family.
I have three kids, at three different schools, and they each have their own sport.
I've tried to limit our activities, I really have, but figure they each can do one thing.
That shouldn't be too much, right?
Well, it sometimes feels like WAY TOO MUCH, which is why I love Thursdays so much.
We are all home. Nobody needs to go get picked up in the 8 o'clock hour, which means I can change into jammies and chillax from about 6 pm on.
and I relish in it.
Adam and I have been trying our hardest to shuffle the kids off to bed somewhat early so we can binge watch Netflix (current fave is Nurse Jackie) and eat something "adultish" without the kids.
If you'd like to join us, we are having yummy, ooey brie tonight.
Apricot Brie
serves 2 and only 2.
(and nobody else even if you really want to try it because it smells so good. you can't have any. go to bed.)
1 large round or wedge of brie (the round I used was 13.2 ounces)
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (if you don't eat nuts, simply omit)
The Directions.
You have two choices here: you can use a 2-quart slow cooker or you can use a 6-quart slow cooker with an inserted oven-safe dish.
(pyrex or corningware).
If your brie has a really hard rind, cut the top part off.
Put the brie into the crockpot (or the oven safe dish).
In a bowl, mix the chopped apricots, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, water and rosemary together.
Spoon on top of the brie.
Sprinkle on the chopped walnuts.
If you are using an inserted dish with the brie in a large crockpot, you do not need to add water around the base of the dish.
Cover and cook on high for 1-2 hours, or on low for about 3. Check after an hour just in case.
When the brie is warm and as melty as you'd like, take it out. You aren't really cooking anything here, just melting it nicely.
Serve with your favorite crackers or apple slices.
I eventually shared with Adam. We had it as dinner.
The flavor is so amazing, and the brie got so gooey and amazing. I think I just drooled a bit.
mmmm.
Yum! I am salivating as I write this... can't wait to try it!
October 12, 2008 at 9:40 AM
Love the "batting them away" image!
This sounds fantastic. My mouth is watering! I'll have to see what oven-proof little dish I have that will fit into my crock.
I recently found some crackers that have neither gluten nor soy, and I've been making up for lost time after many crackerless weeks.
Why is my mouth watering? It's been several seconds since I read your post! :)
October 12, 2008 at 9:57 AM
I usually just dump a bit of apricot preserves on top of my Brie. This sounds like a "fancier" alternative!
October 12, 2008 at 10:47 AM
Hi Quinn, what is the brand of the crackers you've found? I usually get the rice crackers, or the Blue Diamond almond thins.
-steph
October 12, 2008 at 10:51 AM
Can you do this in the little dipper?
October 12, 2008 at 11:03 AM
Hi Amy,
you won't be able to use such a big piece of brie. If you have a smaller wedge, it will work, and then cut the topping in half. The Little Dipper says it only holds 1 cup---but I've found that it holds close to 2.
--steph
October 12, 2008 at 11:10 AM
Wow. That sounds amazing! I'll be making that for Thanksgiving for sure.
Love your site, btw.
October 12, 2008 at 11:51 AM
Today, you are the subject of my post and a link to your site. What a determined person you must be to stay with your crockpot, this way.
October 12, 2008 at 12:50 PM
This looks sooooo goooood!! I'm adding the needed ingredients to my shopping list......will make it soon. ( but I want it now!! ) :D
October 12, 2008 at 1:31 PM
Ooh, this sounds yummy! I have a simiar recipie but made in the oven in little pie crusts in a mini-muffin tray. Only calls for brie and apricot jam, but I bet the walnuts and balsamic vinegar will liven it up a bit.
I wonder if there is such a thing as fat&cholesterol free brie... hmmm....
October 12, 2008 at 2:10 PM
Ok, I have a confession. I bought a crockpot yesterday. I already have a crockpot, mind you, but it's ginormous, for my ginormous family. I got myself a wee little cute one so I could make yummy recipes like this one. And the pumpkin pie dip you posted earlier was FANTASTIC!!
October 12, 2008 at 2:14 PM
Okkkkk.....that is just tooo funny.. But then I love brie too, so I might be just as bad....I will have to give it a try and find out...LOL...thanks for the smiles.
We are having your Autumn sausage casserole for supper tonight....it smells divine...
October 12, 2008 at 2:28 PM
My sister an i microwave jam and brie. gross sounding and kind of pathetic, but it works for us.
October 12, 2008 at 2:43 PM
I think i could live on only varieties of cheese and crackers!
October 12, 2008 at 3:01 PM
This looks amazing!
October 12, 2008 at 3:36 PM
Yummy! I make a baked brie for holiday parties, A round of brie, with a mixture of apricot preserves, craisins, and walnuts smeared over the top, then wrapped in puff pastry and baked. . .It is divine! Can you "bake" puff pastry in the crockpot?
October 12, 2008 at 7:31 PM
This...is one I'm going to make, when I'm all achy, and needy, and feelin' blue. And...I'm hogging it all........for medicinal purposes!
October 12, 2008 at 7:44 PM
Mmmmm. I've never tried brie...but this may just do the trick. Thanks!!
BTW, I love your site!
~Liz
www.AGiveawayADay.blogspot.com
October 12, 2008 at 9:06 PM
I've really wanted to try your various brie dishes recently, but haven't done it yet because when I went grocery shopping for brie I was shocked at how much it cost, and I shop at a discount grocery store! I'm waiting until I find a coupon so I can go buy it. Does anyone here know of a place I can get brie a little cheaper?
October 13, 2008 at 7:29 AM
This sounds wonderful! Great appetizer idea also.
How are the Diamond Almond Thins? I have been meaning to grab some for my DS...but keep forgetting.
Christy
October 13, 2008 at 4:51 PM
this sounds real good, I bet you can use other dried fruit as well like dried figs or cranberries. This will be a treat around the holidays.
October 14, 2008 at 2:24 PM
OMG I absolutely have to make this for the weekly potlucks we attend.....drool, drool.....
October 16, 2008 at 1:10 PM
This looks absolutely divine, and super-easy for parties. Can't wait to give it a whirl!
October 17, 2008 at 9:26 AM
My Husband travels frequently for work, and when ever he does, after I get back from the office. I have cheese. Not that I can't have cheese when he is in town mind you, but it is something of a ritual. So tonight I am making your brie. It has another 1.5 hours in the crock pot. I only used a little 7 oz round and put it in a little corningware grab-it bowl inside the crock...and I cannot wait. :)
October 20, 2008 at 5:10 PM
Oh man! I actually have all of these ingredients. I am going to be in so much trouble tonight! As for the Costco issues and the price of brie that some of your commentors have made, here is a little secret: You can get an entire wheel of brie at Costco for $5-$6. No kidding. We pay around $5.50 for ours. I have been in brie heaven the past couple of weeks. When you can get the wheel for the same price as the wedge it totally warrants a trip to Costco! LOL
October 23, 2008 at 2:48 PM
I loved this! I made it and ate it for dinner - and for midnight snack. And then made it again at a friends for movie and wine night. SO GOOD!
October 26, 2008 at 11:28 AM
What a great website! I just found it and have to bookmark it so I can come back and make your yummy recipes. Thanks!
October 27, 2008 at 5:53 PM
I finally made this after drooling over it for quite some time, absolutely deliscious!!
November 26, 2008 at 12:50 PM
Do you think I can make this and then travel with it for an hour to a holiday party? Does it need to be served fresh?
Thanks!
December 17, 2008 at 1:10 PM
Hi Heidi,
I'd recommend getting it ready at home, and putting it in the crockpot to travel, and then plug it in oh high at your destination. Brie is fine getting up to room temperature, and then it shouldn't take that long to get melty.
xoxo
steph
December 17, 2008 at 1:53 PM
This looks amazing! I'm planning on making this on Sunday for a get together with my parents and my husbands parents. I'm going to use an oven-proof insert, but will that affect the cooking time? My 1.5 qt only has one setting, so I was figuring it would already take 2-3 hours without the insert. What do you think? Thanks so much! You have created a mecca!
December 19, 2008 at 10:50 AM
Hi Sara, it might take a bit longer, but not much---just long enough for the inserted dish to get as hot as the crock, maybe another 20-30 min.
xox
steph
December 19, 2008 at 10:54 AM
WOW is all I have to say! I stumbled across your blogs the other day in a search for a crockpot taco soup....I am now officially ADDICTED to your crockpot blogs. Seriously. I have found myself getting lost over the past couple days in all you have to offer! My crockpots will never be the same again! Not just for chilis and stews anymore! (Which I despise btw...stew, not chili). Anyway, back to the brie. AMAZING! I read on one of your soup recipes I think it was, that it tasted like 'a bowl of Autumn' (or something like that). I now know exactly what you meant by that. THIS definitely did and it was made on such a perfectly cold (39 degrees at 2pm...in SEPTEMBER!) day. I have never liked brie until this recipe (mind you, I've only ever tried it cold on crackers). But I couldn't pass this up and had to try it right away. B/c I've never been a huge fan of brie, I had the idea to cut down on the amount of brie but keep the same amount of topping (thinking to me it would be all about the topping). I now regret that decision b/c my brie pretty much all 'gooed' down and mixed up with all of the topping. Don't get me wrong, it was still DELISH, but any little bit of non melted down brie that I did get, made me want MORE! Next time I will use the entire amount of brie and probably stop it right at an hour (I let mine go for just over 2). I can't wait to make this as an app for the next ladies night! THANK YOU STEPHANIE!!!!
September 25, 2009 at 11:45 AM
I have read this posting before, and still chuckle over the snarling at the hubby. I love apricots and the easyiest jam alive is cover dried apricots with water, cook on low until water is absorbed. Dump one can of crushed or chunk pineapple in and stir. Refrigerate and enjoy a good iron rich jam that your body will absorb because it is paired with a fruit/citrus pineapple.
Loved the GMA chicken and missed the show, but saw it on the web.
You are one foxy hippie!
Huggs, Cait
October 20, 2009 at 6:32 PM
this sounds so good! Just heard about your book on KGO, and passing the word on facebook :)
October 21, 2009 at 2:53 PM
I am going to make this at my next potluck! Could crackers be used with it too?
November 7, 2009 at 9:15 PM
definitely! If you aren't gluten free, any favored cracker will do. If you are, the new Nut Thins by Blue Diamond are great, as are tart granny smith apples cut in slices.
xoxo steph
November 7, 2009 at 9:56 PM
This looks fabulous! Do you think it would be worth making without the walnuts, or would it lose too much flavor? I love them but Oldest Kid is allergic.
November 9, 2009 at 4:33 PM
Hi Ariel,
leave 'em out---no problem whatsoever. They mostly provide texture.
xoxo steph
November 9, 2009 at 5:03 PM
i'm allergice to walnuts, can you use almonds instead?
November 16, 2009 at 2:44 PM
Absolutely! Use what ever nuts you prefer, or keep them out all together.
xoxo steph
November 16, 2009 at 3:17 PM
Just made this for the first time today as a pre-Thanksgiving appetizer (without the walnuts b/c we don't do nuts in food in this house). Mom's question after her first taste: "Is this all we have??" I'd say it's a success! =)
November 26, 2009 at 1:55 PM
I'm making a spinoff on this recipe. There are three or four wedges of brie jammed into the bottom of my 7 quart crock pot thawing overnight. I've also got dried cranberries with the water, balsamic and rosemary in a bowl in the fridge rehydrating overnight. Those will go on top of the cheese tomorrow with the walnuts on top. The ratios are all different... especially since I didn't measure anything... but I've got a lot more people to feed. We'll see how it goes!
November 27, 2009 at 3:57 PM
Wow. I don't think I've made this universally loved in years. I tweaked your recipe a little, swapping dried cranberries for the apricots, skipping the sugar, and eyeballing the topping. I used a much lower ratio of topping to cheese also -- I probably used about as much fruit and nuts as you did, but I used four wedges of cheese, entirely filling the bottom of my 7 quart crock pot. I sliced up a loaf of rosemary olive oil bread, a loaf of roasted garlic bread and some plain baguette as well as including soda crackers on the platter of bread, and cut up some winesap apples.
I'll try to put up a photo of it at my livejournal tomorrow.
November 28, 2009 at 8:02 PM
I made this for guests and it was excellent. Perfect size for appetizer for 6 people. I had to use brie triangles, cut up and arranged, as my grocer did not have the brie wheel. It came out great. Very happy with this recipe.
January 30, 2010 at 8:39 PM
I should mention that I served this with crackers -- All Bran Fiber Crackers (really good, kinda like wheat thins) and melba toast crackers were the best.
January 30, 2010 at 8:56 PM
Oh My Goodness this sounds fantastic!!! Maybe I'll make it and take it to a dinner we're going to on Friday...
October 13, 2010 at 1:21 AM
I made this and something didn't turn out right. Is all brie created equal? How do you know you have good brie? Because I don't think it was the topping, I think it was the brie. And I have had brie before, but I have never bought and used it. Will definitely try again. Maybe I will go with trader's joe's brie. I think I will also cut all the rind off.
November 12, 2010 at 2:49 PM
Stephanie, do you have any suggestions for adapting this recipe to work in my 6qt Smart-Pot? Maybe I could put the brie in a smaller ceramic dish within the Smart-Pot?
February 11, 2011 at 8:20 AM
Hi Sofia,
Absolutely! I use a pyrex or corningware dish---anything that is oven-safe can go directly into the crockpot insert; no water needed.
we love this appetizer!
--steph
February 11, 2011 at 8:39 AM
Made this dish for my book club meeting on Thursday night & it was a hit with everyone, and so easy too! I'm thinking about using cranberries next time or a mixture of apricots and cranberries. I'll let you know how it turns out.
May 28, 2011 at 9:29 AM
Tried this again with just dried cranberries and my friends & I both agreed we like them better than the apricots. Thanks again!
June 1, 2011 at 12:17 PM
Hi, I'm looking for an appetizer to bring to an anniversary party next weekend. Do you think I could make this in a 3 - 4 qt. crockpot and double it? Do you think it would still turn out fine? Any thoughts as to what I should bring to serve it with besides crackers, or will that just be good. I actually came to your site today to find a main dish crock pot thing to make but this sucked me in and I want to try it! Thanks!
July 14, 2011 at 7:40 AM
Someone just forwarded me this recipe. I'll probably make a few adjustments but the idea of using a crock pot for it is awesome!
July 26, 2011 at 7:17 PM
A friend (and avid follower of your blog) who passed away recently served this dish at a Mother's Day luncheon a couple years back. Phenominal. Thank you so much for bringing a happy memory of her to mind by mentioning it. Enjoy your holiday weekend. BTW, her name was also Stephanie.
August 31, 2012 at 6:23 PM