Recipes

New England tradition is behind this hearty soup supper. A mixture of tangy cheddar, Port wine and Dijon mustard produces a terrific spread to nibble on while the chowder is cooking. Pour Sauvignon Blanc throughout the meal.

10 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, diced, room temperature

1/3 cup ruby Port

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup finely chopped green onions

Assorted crackers

Directions:

Combine cheese, Port, butter, mustard and pepper in processor. Blend until mixture is smooth, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally. Add onions; using on/off turns, process until just blended. Transfer spread to small bowl or crock. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring spread to room temperature before serving.)

Place bowl of spread on platter. Surround with crackers and serve.

Makes 2 cups.

The flavours from three types of cheese combine beautifully to create this layered appetizer.

Or, try serving the torte as the perfect finale after dinner with a glass of port.

INGREDIENTS:

16 ounces cream cheese
8 ounces Gorgonzola, Cambazola or Bavarian Blue cheese
8 ounces Mascarpone cheese
1 cup pine nuts, toasted
3/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, diced fine
1 bunch fresh basil

Directions:

1. Have all the cheeses at room temperature. Line a 7 inch springform pan with plastic wrap, allowing enough to hang over so that you can cover the form when finished. Spread half of the cream cheese over the bottom of the lined pan.
2. Depending on which cheese you use, remove the rind if it has any. Place in a bowl and mix it until smooth. Spread it over the cream cheese layer. Finely chop the sun dried tomatoes and mix together with the mascarpone. Spread this evenly over top of the blue cheese. Arrange the basil leaves in a single layer on top, you will need about 12 large leaves. Save the smaller ones for garnish.
3. Divide the remaining cream cheese into thirds. Spread 2/3 of this over the basil leaves. Place the remaining 1/3 in a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle or tip.
4. Fold the overhang of plastic wrap over the torte ensuring it is covered. Chill for at least 4 hours. To serve, release the pan, unmould the torte onto a serving dish, press the pine nuts around the side of the torte, reserve 8 nuts for garnish.
5. Using the remaining cream cheese, pipe 8 rosettes around the edge of the torte, garnishing each one with a pine nut and small basil leaf.

Serves 12 – 15

Copyright © Caren McSherry

10-12 OZ. goat cheese (plain)
1 head of garlic, peel ea. clove
1 med. red onion, thinly sliced
1 Tbs. brown sugar
2 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
sm. bunch fresh basil leaves, chopped

Directions:

1. Bake garlic in 1-2 Tbs. olive oil for 30 min. at 350 in a glass baking dish.
2. Saute’ onions till transparent and soft; add br. sugar.
3. In dish in which garlic was baked, add onions and goat cheese; bake 20 min. at 350 until nicely soft.
4. Remove dish from oven, stir gently to blend ingredients; add balsamic vinegar.
5. Top with fresh chopped basil. Serve with crostini.

One Jar Peppadew peppers

8oz soft goat cheese

2 tablespoons Chives minced

Directions:

1. Soften goat cheese in a bowl by mashing with a fork.
2. Drain peppadews and place bowl side up on a serving plate.
3. With a small spoon place ½ teaspoon of goat cheese inside each pepper.
4. Top with chives and serve or keep refrigerated for up to three days.

Recipe courtesy of Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh

Total Time: 50 min Prep: 15 min Cook: 35 min

Yield:20 servings

Level:Easy

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds goat cheese
• 14 dried Mission figs (1 cup), sliced
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 large Spanish onions, thinly sliced
• 10 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3 rosemary sprigs
• 2 teaspoons salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 sliced baguettes, for dipping

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Crumble the goat cheese into an oven safe dish and set aside. In a sauce pot combine the figs and sherry with enough water to barely cover the figs. Place the sauce pot over high heat and bring up to a bubble, cover and remove from the heat and let the figs plump while the onions are cooking.

Pour the olive oil into a large skillet and place over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Using a slotted spoon remove the plumped figs from the sauce pot, leaving behind any of the pluming liquid. Add the figs to the cooked onions, stir to combine and then spoon over the until the edges begin to bubble.

Remove and serve immediately with sliced baguettes.

Alice sent me this recipe. Substitute one of the cheeses in my stock for the provolone. I’ve suggested Fontina Fontal but, I think, any meltable cheese would be delicious. — Kath

1 Fresh Baked Baguette
¼ Cup of Fresh Pesto
4 Roma Tomatoes
1/8 Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
6 Slices Provolone (or Fontina Fontal or Boorenkaas)

Split baguette in half, sprinkle each have with garlic (can be grandulated) and butter and light toast.
Split pesto in to two. Spread on each half of garlic toasted baguette.
Wash and cut tomatoes in ¼” slices. Place tomatoes on pesto until baguette is covered.
Lightly drizzle oil on tomatoes, and sprinkle salt and pepper lightly over tomatoes.
Place cheese on top of tomatoes. Bake @ 350 degrees until cheese is bubbly. Approx. 12 – 16 minutes.

Slice on the diagonal, served with amogio:
Amogio

1 Large Can Diced Tomatoes
½ Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Salt
½ Tbsp Pepper
¼ Cup Fresh Sliced Basil (Be sure to stack leaves before very thinly slicing. If you rough chop, you will “bruise the basil”).

Place tomatoes in mixing bowl. Add olive oil, salt, pepper and basil.
Add all together let sit for 2 – 3 hrs, re-stir and serve lightly chilled.
Garnish with fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Note: Olive Oil is not “winterized”. It will turn into a semi-solid overnight. Best used same day as made.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
1/2 large red bell pepper, cut into matchstick-size pieces
1/2 large yellow bell pepper, cut into matchstick-size pieces
1/2 large green bell pepper, cut into matchstick-size pieces
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
1 cup whole milk
1 cup whipping cream
8 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, grated (about 2 cups)

Preparation:

Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add peppers, onion and garlic. Sauté vegetables until tender, about 6 minutes. Add flour and stir 2 minutes. Whisk in stock, then milk and cream. Simmer until slightly thickened, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes. Gradually add cheese 1/2 cup at a time, stirring after each addition until melted and smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes 4 servings.
Bon Appétit!

R.S.V.P. – October 1999
Boudro’s On the Riverwalk, San Antonio, TX

Here is the recipe for Broccoli and Bleu Cheese Soup as it was given to me by a friend. I think you might appreciate it in the original form. lol What worked for me? One small onion, one carrot, one stalk celery, water, two heads of broccoli, and 2.5 ounces of cheese (which was simplified to a “handful of cheese” the second time around). Enjoy!  — Michelle

Sauté onions (or skip them if you want to keep it simple).

Add stock or water or water with a soup cube in it or water and a whole onion and whatever leaves, stalks, and hulls are leftover from yesterday tied up in a bit of cheesecloth (or in a clean old sock or scrap of calico–I mean, who cares?)

Fresh basil and balsamic vinegar are an unbeatable seasoning for a sauté of veal, pork, chicken, or seafood. This recipe was inspired by vinegar expert Renato Bergonzini and is a Modenese favorite. Make it for a quick supper or for a menu where you need a fast-cooking main dish. The basil must be fresh (dried cannot be substituted here) and the balsamic vinegar a richly flavored one. In dishes like this, boneless pork loin is often substituted for veal.

• 3/4 to 1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat
• About 2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons commercial balsamic vinegar blended with 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 20 fresh basil leaves, torn
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon shredded fresh basil leaves for garnish

1. Slice tenderloin into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Put between pieces of plastic wrap and with the back of a saucepan pound to about 1/8 inch thick.
2. Toss the scallops with flour, shaking off excess. Heat oil and butter in a big sauté pan over medium high. Quickly brown the meat in a couple of batches, taking only 20 to 30 seconds per side. Keep warm on a serving platter, sprinkling each batch with salt and pepper as it comes out of the pan. Add more oil as necessary.
3. Quickly add half the balsamic, all the torn basil, and the broth to the pan. Boil, scraping up brown bits, for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Pour over the scallops Sprinkle remaining vinegar over meat and top with the shredded basil. Serve hot.

Serves 4.

Adapted from The Splendid Table: Recipes from Emilia-Romagna, the Heartland of Northern Italian Foodby Lynne Rossetto Kasper (William Morrow, 1992). Copyright ©1992 by Lynne Rossetto Kasper All rights reserved.

375° 12-15 minutes

Yield: About 36 average size cookies

About 90 with 1.5 inch cutter

• 2 cups shredded Irish Cheddar
• 1½ cups flour
• ¾ teaspoon dry mustard
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted

Preheat oven. Toss together cheese, flour, mustard and cayenne pepper. Mix in butter. Knead with your hands to form dough. If it is very dry, add a tablespoon of water.

On a floured surface roll out dough, half at a time, to a thickness of between 1/8 and ¼ inch. Cut out with desired shape cutter – star, leaf or heart work well. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes or a little longer until lightly browned on the bottom. Remove to a rack to cool completely.

Store in an air-tight container.

Use this flavorful butter in place of plain butter to make gravy, or place directly on top of cooked steaks.

Prep Time: approx. 5 Minutes.
Ready in: approx. 2 Hours 5 Minutes.
Makes 1 cup (16 servings).

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 ounce sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter.
2. Mix in parsley, garlic, and tomatoes.
3. Chill for at least 2 hours.

Printed from Allrecipes,
Submitted by Nina

2 c. whipping cream
1 (5 oz.) pkg. Boursin cheese with herbs
USE SARAH’S GARLIC SPREAD
3 lb. red potatoes, scrubbed, thinly sliced (raw)
1/2 stick butter
1 1/2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter 9 x 13 x 2 inch baking dish. Stir cream, cheese, and butter in heavy saucepan over medium heat until cheese melts and mixture is smooth. Arrange sliced potatoes in baking dish slightly over lapping rows. Generously season with salt and pepper. Pour some cheese mixture over potato layer. Repeat with a couple of more layers until potato slices are used up. Bake until golden brown and potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, about 1 hour. Sprinkle with fresh parsley.

This recipe was given to me at the market by a couple of young ladies who,
after tasting the mushroom brie, commented to me that it tasted like Mushroom Business.

I made this for Thanksgiving and it is delicious.

• ¼ cup butter
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 1 lb mushrooms, sliced (recommend portabello)
• ½ cup celery, chopped
• 1 ½ – 2 cups seasoned stuffing cubes
• 2 eggs, beaten
• ½ cup sour cream
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 3 tsp salt
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup sharp cheddar, grated

1. Grease or spray a 2 ½ quart casserole.
2. Saute’ onions in butter approximately 2-3 minutes until they release juice.
3. Mix remaining ingredients EXCEPT cheese and add to mushrooms.
4. Pour into casserole.  Chill for at least 1 hour (can cover and refrigerate overnight)
5. Bake at 325F for 1 hour.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese.
6. Bake 10 minutes longer until cheese is bubbly

Ingredients:

• 8 large potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4″ thick
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup finely chopped spring onion (scallions)
• 2 cups shredded Irish Cheddar cheese
• butter
• 1/2 cup chicken stock, hot

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat an oven-proof gratin dish with butter. Layer alternately, the sliced potatoes, salt and pepper, onions, and cheese, finishing off with a layer of potatoes and reserving 1/2 cup of the cheese. Dot with butter. Pour hot stock over the dish. Butter a square of aluminum foil and cover the dish. Bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes. Remove foil, top with remaining cheese and bake an additional 15 minutes or until potatoes are done and cheese is melted and bubbly.

No. There are no sundried tomatoes in this delicious summer appetizer. It is called dried tomatoes because the tomatoes are dried (well, not completely) for 65 minutes in the oven. It is such a simple appetizer and yet so delicious. Sweet tomatoes, fresh thyme and rosmemary, garlic and goat cheese roasted in the oven… yummy, yummy! I suggest you serve this tomatoes either on individual plates accompanied by fresh, crusty bread or as a crostini topping (then it’s finger food). It’s from a Swiss cooking magazine called Saisonküche, the august 05 edition. I made it this weekend and will certainly make it again! Enjoy!

Ingredients (Makes 4 servings):

• 6 tomatoes
• Olive oil
• 4 springs thyme
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• superfine sugar
• salt
• pepper
• 2 garlic cloves
• 100 g goat cheese (3.5 oz)

Preheat oven to 100°C / 220°F.

1. With a knife cut crosses into the skin of the tomatoes. Put them into boiling water until it is easy to remove their skin (should take a minute or two). Dash them in cold water and remove skin. Quarter and remove seeds. Distribute on a baking sheet.
2. Dribble tomatoes generously with olive oil. Set a little bit of the herbs aside (for garnish). Remove the leaves/needles (I chopped the needles roughly) from the rest of the herbs and sprinkle over tomatoes. Sprinkle everything generously with superfine sugar. Season with salt and pepper. Put the tomatoes into the oven (middle shelf) for 1 hour.
3. Cut garlic in fine slices. Cut cheese in fine slices – the cheese slices should not be bigger than the tomato pieces in the oven.
4. When the tomatoes were in the oven for 1 hour, distribute slices of garlic and cheese on top of the tomato pieces. Put them back into the oven again and give them another 5 minutes.
5. Remove from oven, drizzle with some olive oil (optional, I didn’t and they were still delicious) and garnish with the herbs you set aside.
6. Serve them either on individual plates (you then need a fork) with crusty bread or as a crostini topping on some toasted french stick slices.

Bob and Bobbie say this is the best biscuit recipe ever.

It’s from FOOD AND WINE November 2005.  Enjoy.

(can be halved)

4 C. all purpose flour
2 T. baking powder
2 t. Kosher salt
1 t. sugar
2 sticks cold unsalted butter cut into Tablespoons
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
½ cup of crème fraiche
1 large egg

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut in the butter until it is the size of peas. Whisk 4 cups of flour with the baking powder, salt and sugar. Make well in center.
3. In a small bowl whisk the heavy cream with the crème fraiche and egg. Pour into the well. Stir with a fork until evenly moistened.
4. Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured work surface. Knead 2 or 3 times until it holds together.
5. Roll 1 inch thick.  Cut 2 ½ inch or smaller round cutter.
6. Transfer to baking sheet.  Refrigetate until firm.
7. Bake 18 minutes or until golden.

Kathleen;

How appropriate, I just tried a new recipie last night with your parmesan,
it was great, here it is.

My note; I substituted evaporated skim milk for the heavy cream, and greased
the dish with a non-fat substitute. It still turned out wonderful!

Will send more when I try them.  Thanks so much for the Glossary of Italian
Cheeses. I printed it out for myself.

Talk to you soon;  Theresa

Ingredients:

2 1/4 lb broccoli, cut into flowerets
2 T olive oil
2 garlic cloves
2 leeks, trimmed and sliced
1T all purpose flour
1/2 C heavy cream
1/2 C dry white wine
2T butter, pllus extra for greasing
6T Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Salt and Pepper to taste

Parboil the broccoli in salted, boiling water for a few minutes, drain and
cool slightly. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pan, add the garlic
and leeks and cook over a low heat until softened. Discard the garlic. Stir
in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes until lightly
browned. Stir in the cream, season with salt and pepper and mix well. Add
the broccoli, pour in the wine and simmer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat
the oven to 400 degrees. Grease an ovenproof dish with butter. Remove the
pan from the heat and transfer the mixture to the prepared dish. Sprinkle
with the Parmesan, dot with the butter and bake until golden and bubbling.

Serves 4 , from The Silver Spoon

1/4 C. parmesan cheese
1/2 C. sour cream
1/2 C. mayonnaise
1/2 C. finely chopped sun dried tomatoes
14 oz. can artichokes, chopped
8 oz. shredded swiss cheese
1 small clove of garlic, finely minced
1/4 tsp. tobasco

Mix ingredients; sprinkle a little extra parmesan on top; bake at 350 approx. 25 minutes.

Bon Appetit!

Rosemary Cary

PS  I think that these recipes would work for lo-carb diets.

Rosemary Cary
Director of Technology
Muskegon Area ISD
630 Harvey St.
Muskegon, MI  49442
231-767-7229

I promised this recipe to you and almost forgot.  This is the Pumpkin-Goat Cheese Cheesecake that my daughter made at Thanksgiving and everyone (even those who don’t like goat cheese) liked this recipe.

Ingredients:

1/14 cups granola (no large nuts or raisins)
1/8 tsp ground cloves (divided)
3 ounces crushed wafer cookies, such as Crisp Butter Wafers
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup melted butter, plus 2 Tablespoons
8 ounces goat cheese
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese
1 1/4 cups pumpkin, solid pack
1 cup sour cream
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Toss the granola, cookie crumbs, brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon each cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt and 1/16 tsp ground cloves together in a medium bowl.  Stir in the butter and pat the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.  Baker for 15 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.  Beat the goat cheese and sugar together using an electric mixer set on low speed.  Add the cream cheese and beat for one more minute.  Add the remaining ingredients and continue to beat on low speed for 20 minutes or until the mixture is very smooth.  Transfer the batter to the prepared springform pan and bake in the middle of the oven until set — about 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Cool completely on a wire rack.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 to 5 hours until cake is completely set.  Bring cake to room temperature before serving.

We had a little problem with the springform pan leaking with this recipe if you feel this might be a problem place a jelly roll pan on the rack below the springform pan.  Place a small amount of water in the pan so it won’t burn.

You could also use purchased ready to go graham cracker crumbs and make the crust according to the directions on the package.  We prefer the granola because it gives it a slightly nutty flavor with the pumpkin.

Have fun.

Four years ago, while food-styling with chef Alain Rondelli, we got to sample one of his creations—an inspired combination of pears and Roquefort and pepper. Its playful mix of sweet and savory led to this dessert.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 30 min

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 firm-ripe Bosc pears, halved lengthwise and cored
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 4 oz Manchego cut into 4 pieces, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup honey

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Melt butter in an 8-inch square glass baking dish in middle of oven, about 3 minutes.
3. Arrange pears, cut sides down, in 1 layer in butter and roast in middle of oven until tender, about 20 minutes.
4. Pour vinegar over pears and roast 5 minutes more.
5. Transfer pears, cut sides down, to serving plates with cheese and spoon some of juices from baking dish over pears. Drizzle pears and cheese with honey and sprinkle with pepper.

Makes 4 servings.

Gourmet
October 2000
Alain Rondelli