I know everyone has a great brie recipe–don’t they?  If you don’t know, Brie starts out as a “stinky Cheese”–(my daddy used to have limburger and soda crackers every Friday night–the smell was a little like this).  But NOW you are considered Upscale if you eat Brie!  BTW:  I don’t cut the rind off.  It is perfectly edible, and helps the cheese stay formed

Start with one nice wheel (circle) of Brie.  Costco has a perfect one–you can also cut this in half by using a wedge, but it’s a little harder to wrap it in the Puff Pastry OR Phyllo dough when it’s cut.  Anyway, I use the circle, and one square of Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry.  (Phyllo is a little more difficult to work with, but if you are familiar and confident with it, use about 5 layers.) I “wrap” the cheese in the Puff Pastry, by pulling up the corners, pressing them together with my wet fingers, and doing my best to make it look good.  You could turn the circle over and it would look perfect, but then the bottom bunched up crust doesn’t cook the way it should.  But that’s YOUR choice!  Now, bake the wheel on a cookie sheet in a 375 oven according to package directions.  I think it’s about 20-25 minutes.  (note:  do your best to seal it, as you are hoping not to let the hot cheese drip out at this point–but don’t panic, it will still be good!  WHILE YOU ARE BAKING it, put these 4 things in a small saucepan:  a stick of butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup Kahlua, and 1/2 cup chopped pecans.  Start boiling, and boil the heck out of it till it really bubbles up.    You are hoping to thicken it just a little (this is called “reducing”).  AS SOON AS THE BRIE COMES OUT OF THE OVEN, poke a few holes in it with a chopstick, and pour the rich syrup over it.  This gets tricky if you want to serve it on a pretty table, so immediately transfer the cheese to a thick or oven proof dish and then pour the syrup over. Serve on crackers or crostini (bread).   READ ON FOR A FUNNY ANECDOTE (FA):  I served this at a party and my friend came up to me and apologized for cutting into the Brie, because she said it “oozed all out over my cracker and ruined the presentation”.  That’s what is is SUPPOSED to do!!  Oozy, gooey, mmmmmm…