savory

Every now and then, I find myself gravitating toward the pre-made tomato-topped focaccia bread in the bakery aisle of my Whole Foods. However, I always shy away, wondering, what I would do with it? Luckily, I found this recipe which turns focaccia flatbread into a scrumptious and flavorful French-bread pizza. It's topped with three of my favorite ingredients — sausage, spinach, and goat cheese — but if you prefer other items, use those instead.

To start your weekend with this dish, get the recipe after the jump.

When YumSugar suggested I make crackers as an edible gift, I immediately envisioned a cheesy cracker that would pair nicely with a bottle of bubbly. However, I realized that if I made a light, crisp herb-infused cracker instead, then I could gift it with a beautiful chunk of cheese. Who doesn't want homemade crackers and artisanal cheese?!

Although the thought of cracker dough can be a little intimidating, this recipe is surprisingly simple and straightforward. After chilling in the fridge for a couple of hours, the dough was no trouble to roll out. The more rustic the better — these crackers should look homemade. Package in a cellophane bag and give with a nice circle of brie or my favorite cheese, Cowgirl Creamery's Mt. Tam. Get the recipe now.

Earlier today I teased your tastebuds with a goat cheese quiz, so it's only fair to share my current favorite goat cheese recipe: tomato and goat cheese tarts. Goat's milk has a high amount of fatty acids (much more than cow's milk) that provide the cheese with its characteristic tart flavor.

Goat cheese most commonly comes in a soft, spreadable, crumbly form, although there are hard aged varieties that have a consistency more like feta. Since goats are hardy animals that can survive in areas where cows cannot — parts of the Middle East, Africa, and the Mediterranean — goat cheese is the world's most widely consumed cheese.

I love the salty and creamy flavor of goat cheese and almost always have it in my refrigerator. To see how I paired the tangy cheese with ripe tomatoes to make this easy tart, read more

I have a serious weakness for sweet-salty foods. One of my favorite ice cream treats as a kid involved saltine crackers, and the salted caramel ice cream at local sweet shop Bi-Rite Creamery is to die for. The sweet-savory deliciousness extends far beyond desserts to everything from fig pizza to watermelon and feta salad. What's your favorite dish that combines savory and sweet tastes?