Quick French Appetizers

French cuisine has seen many changes over the years. The one thing that has not changed is the fact that the food is as delicious as ever. The French cuisine also varies as per the regions. However, the use of cheese in the food and the dishes being served with wine is seen in all the regions. Over the years, chefs have come up with many new dishes that have become an integral part of French cuisine.

Ingredients

• Butter (softened), 1 stick
• Cream cheese (softened), 1 (8 ounce) package
• Parmesan cheese (grated), 2 tablespoons
• Garlic cloves (minced), 2
• Dried oregano, 1½ teaspoons
• Dried parsley, 1 teaspoon
• Dried thyme, ¼ teaspoon
• Dried dill weed, ¼ teaspoon
• Dried basil, ¼ teaspoon
• Ground black pepper, ¼ teaspoon

Mix the―butter, Parmesan cheese, cream cheese, oregano, parsley, garlic, thyme, basil, dill, and pepper―in a bowl together till they are evenly combined. Let this preparation chill in the refrigerator for around 8 hours or even overnight. This can be used in combination with other dishes (sandwiches or crackers) as it can lend a unique flavor to any dish.

Ingredients

• Soft fresh goat cheese, 1 (11 ounce) package
• Walnuts (chopped), ⅔ cup
• Tomatoes (chopped, drained, oil-packed, sun-dried), ½ cup
• Fresh thyme (minced), 1 teaspoon or dried thyme (crumbled), 4 teaspoons
• Sour cream, ¼ cup
• French bread baguettes (sliced), 2

Preparation
Mix the soft goat cheese, walnuts, tomatoes, and thyme in a bowl. Add the sour cream to this mixture and make it of the right consistency so that it spreads easily. Use a generous helping of pepper to season this. Cover the bowl and let it chill in the refrigerator. Let it come down to room temperature before serving with bread.

Ingredients

• Pastry for a single crust pie, 1
• Bacon, 6 slices
• Onion (sliced), 1
• Eggs (beaten), 3
• Milk, 1½ cups
• Salt, ¼ teaspoon
• Swiss cheese (shredded), 1½ cups
• All-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon

Preparation
Preheat the oven to 450 °F. Line the pastry shell with some foil. Bake it in the oven for 8 minutes. Once done, remove the foil from the shell and bake it again for 5 minutes. You must ensure that the crust is well set and also dry. Once it sets, remove it from the oven. Then, turn down the temperature to 325 °F.

Take a large skillet and cook the bacon in it till it turns crisp. Drain it but reserve around 2 tablespoons of the drippings. Crumble the bacon, and set it aside. Use the reserved drippings to cook the onion in the skillet. Once the onion turns tender, drain it.

Take a large bowl and mix the eggs, milk, and salt together in it. Then, add the bacon and onion to this. In a separate bowl, toss the cheese and flour together and then add this to the egg mixture. Mix well and then pour the mixture into the piecrust.

Bake in the oven for at least 40 minutes. You can even use some foil to cover the edge of the crust which will prevent it from burning. Let it set for at least 10 minutes before serving.