March Top Pick author Jenny Gardiner steps into our babe-a-licious kitchen to cook up a recipe she thinks would be divine for your next book club!

GOAT CHEESE TORTA (from Jr. League Celebration Cookbook)

Makes 12 to 16 servings

2 (8-oz) pkgs. Cream cheese, softened
7-8 oz. Mild goat cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tsp. Snipped fresh oregano, or 1 tsp. Dried oregano, crushed
1/8 tsp. Freshly ground peppers
1/4 c. prepared pesto
1/2 c. sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
1-2 slivered almonds, toasted
fresh oregano or parsley sprigs
stone-ground wheat crackers or thinly sliced baguette

Line a 1-qt. Loaf pan or souffle dish w/ clear plastic wrap. In a food processor bowl or large mixer bowl, combine the cream cheese, goat cheese, garlic, oregano and pepper. Process or beat w/ electric mixer until smooth. Spread 1/3 of the cheese mixture into bottom of pan. Top w/ the pesto, spreading evenly. Layer w/ another 1/3 of cheese mixture. Drain sun-dried tomatoes, reserving 1 tomato for garnish. Chop the remaining tomatoes and spread evenly over the cheese mixture. Top w/ remaining cheese mixture. Cover plastic wrap and press gently to pack the cheese. CHILL SEVERAL HOURS!
Uncover cheese, invert onto serving plate, and remove plastic wrap. Cut reserved sun-dried tomato into thin slices. Garnish torta w/ tomato, toasted almonds, fresh oregano or parsley. Serve w/ crackers or baguette. American Title III winner, Sleeping with Ward Cleaver, (Available now! – click on the book cover art to learn more about the book from Amazon.)

Winging It: A Memoir of Caring for a Vengeful Parrot Who’s Determined to Kill Me (Simon Spotlight Entertainment/March 2010)
www.jennygardiner.net
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