This post has been written in partnership with Red Gold, as part of an ambassador program. Opinions are my own.
When I had the pleasure of attending the Farm to Table press event?with Red Gold last year, I had no idea what I was in store for.?I had the assumption that I would just be learning all about growing tomatoes and the harvesting process; which of course was cool with me since I come from a line of farmers. But what I didn’t realize is that I was going to meet a family, not just a brand. After all, Red Gold’s slogan is “Grown by Families, Enjoyed by Families” but I didn’t know quite what that meant until I actually met them!
Months later, I was asked if I would be interested in joining a?Red Gold ambassador program?and I didn’t once hesitate before asking for more information. Red Gold is a brand that I can be excited to stand behind, not only because of their family values, but because of the quality of their products as well. Over the course of the next few months, I’ll be sharing more about the brand as well as tasty recipes with all of you. Today, I’m featuring a recipe straight out of the Red Gold cookbook, Baked Goat Cheese in Marinara Dip.
This recipe is absolutely wonderful and pairs deliciously with my Mozzarella & Pepperoni Crescent Rolls that I’ll share later this week. It’s a great dish for a party, yet can easily be cut in half like I did for a?tasty family appetizer.
You’ll find many more tasty recipes from Red Gold on their website so stop by and see which ones catch your eye. But don’t forget to stop back to see which recipes I’ll be cooking up over the next few months!
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 (14.5 ounce) cans Red Gold? Whole Peeled Tomatoes, or 1 (28 ounce) can Red Gold? Whole Peeled Tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 8 ounces goat cheese, softened
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons or chiffonade
- Marinara Sauce – Heat oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. When heated add the onions and garlic and cook until tender and browned. Add whole peeled tomatoes with juice, basil, oregano, salt and black pepper. Cover with lid and cook for 10-15 minutes. Open lid and mash the tomatoes until pieces are still visible. Cook uncovered for another 15 to 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375o F. In a small baking dish, press the goat cheese to fit the shape of the baking dish. Spoon 2 cups of the Marinara Sauce around the edge of the baking dish, leaving the center with the cheese exposed. Sprinkle with kosher salt.
- Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until goat cheese is hot and soft and the marinara is bubbly.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool for a couple minutes. Then sprinkle with prepared basil leaves. Serve hot with crostini or garlic bread for dipping.
- To chiffonade basil stack 5 to 6 basil leaves and roll into a cylinder shape, then cut crosswise to create thin ribbons.
- The Marinara Sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead for easy preparation of this recipe.
