Cheese

Tomato and Mozzarella Salad

February 4, 2009 by Lynsey 1 Comment

I wanted to make something to go with supper one night but I wanted something a little different from the norm. We always have beans, peas, corn or asparagus and while there’s absolutely nothing wrong with any of those I just wanted a change. The main dish of the meal had a lot of veggies in it, so I thought something light would pair with it perfectly.

I had a pint of grape tomatoes in the refrigerator so I really wanted to do something with those. I thought a fresh mozzarella and tomato salad would be perfect. It was so easy to put together and it tasted incredible. It really complimented the main dish perfectly.

Tomato and Fresh Mozzarella Salad

Ingredients:
1 Pint grape tomatoes, rinsed and halved
3/4 Cup fresh mozzarella, cubed
1 1/4 Tablespoons olive oil
2-3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Place tomoatoes and mozzarella cubes in a bowl and toss with olive oil. Once coated drizzle with balsamic vinegar and toss. Season with salt and pepper, to desired taste, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipe by: Lynsey Lou

Blue Cheese Turkey Meatballs

February 3, 2009 by Lynsey 1 Comment

I had some ground turkey on hand the other night and I wasn’t really sure what to do with it. I looked around and some websites and searched for recipes, but when you type in ground turkey there are so many options that pop up and they can be overwhelming. I finally narrowed it down and listed some other ingredients to the search. I came across a turkey meatball recipe on All Recipes and thought it sounded pretty good. I decided that I would make those for our supper.

I have never made meatballs before so this was going to be a learning experience for me. Meatballs are actually pretty easy to make. I guess I always thought they would be pretty difficult but they really aren’t and it doesn’t take long to make them at all. I really liked this recipe because it recommended baking them; so it was one of those that could be made and then left until it was finished. Sometimes it’s just nice to have meals that don’t require a lot of attention during the cooking part, and this was one of them.

I wasn’t really sure how they were going to come out so I was a little worried at first and I guess I just didn’t know what to expect. Then end result was awesome. The flavors blended together perfectly. I was worried they might be a little dry but they weren’t, everything about them was perfect. The meatballs themselves had tons of flavor so there really wasn’t need for a sauce or anything to go with them. I just put them on a bed of pasta that was tossed in olive oil and parsely and then I sprinkled everything with parmesan cheese.

Turkey Blue Cheese Meatballs

Ingredients:

4 cloves garlic
1/2 onion, cut into chunks
2 jalapeno peppers, halved and seeded
1 pound ground turkey
3 tablespoons blue cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs
3 egg whites
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.

Pulse garlic cloves in a food processor until minced. Add onion and jalapeno, and pulse until minced again. Scrape the onion mixture into a large bowl along with the turkey, blue cheese, bread crumbs, egg whites, and olive oil. Season with soy sauce, dried parsley, Italian seasoning, pepper, and chili powder. Mix well.

Roll the mixture into 2 inch balls, and place onto prepared baking sheet.

Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, and no longer pink in the center, about 25 minutes.

Recipe Source: All Recipes

Bacon Cheddar Dip

January 12, 2009 by Lynsey 1 Comment

At work, we all decided to have a little Christmas party on Christmas Eve. Everyone agreed to bring a few things that we could snack on throughout the day. The desserts were already taken care of so I decided that I would make some sausage balls, so we could have something to eat on during the morning, and then I also made some dip.

I wanted to make a dip that was pretty easy and that didn’t need to be heated or kept warm while being served. I started looking around on different websites to see if there was anything that just jumped out at me. It’s amazing how many different dips there are; it can be overwhelming especially if you don’t have an idea of what kind you want to make. I finally came across this dip on the Kraft Foods website and thought it sounded pretty good. There were very minimal ingredients and it would only take a matter of minutes to put together. Since I had some other stuff I needed to do in the kitchen I decided this was the one I would go with.

This dip was so easy to put together and didn’t take hardly any time at all. The recipe called for real bacon bits but I used real bacon and crumbled it up; which I think made it even better. I made it the night before so it could chill over night and so the flavors would infuse a little better. This is a dip that would be great served at any type of gathering any time throughout the year.

Bacon Cheddar Dip

Ingredients:

1 (16oz.) Container reduced fat sour cream

1 Cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

4-6 Slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 Green onions, sliced

Crackers to serve with dip (I used Triscuits)

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together (except crackers) and refrigerate at least an hour before serving.

Recipe Source: Kraft Foods

Sausage Balls

December 17, 2008 by Lynsey 1 Comment

I guess I had a theme of pork going on for my appetizers for Thanksgiving, it wasn’t planned at all. Actually I hadn’t even thought about the ingredients in everything until just now. To go along with the Hearty Sausage Dipand the Piggie SticksI made sausage balls. Everything went together very nicely and everyone loved it all.

I love sausage balls, they are one of my absolute favorite appetizers. They are heavier and more filling that a lot of other appetizers out there and they are so versatile; they can be served hot, cold or room temperature. They are a great thing to make ahead; they can easily be mixed and rolled into balls the night before and then cooked the day they are needed. When you are cooking a lot of stuff for an event recipes like this are a life saver.

I know there are a ton of different recipes out there for sausage balls. They can be the simple, basice recipe or there can be different items added to them to spice them up a little. I decided to stay simple and do the classic recipe and they were awesome. I also did a dip inspired by Paula Deen; it paired with the sausage balls very well.

Sausage Balls

Ingredients:

1 (1-pound) package ground sausage

3 cups baking mix (I used Bisquick)

4 cups grated sharp Cheddar

1/8 tablespoon pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with vegetable oil cooking spray.

Combine all ingredients in a large glass bowl. Mix well with your fingers. The mixture will be very crumbly. Form into 1 inch balls, squeezing the mixture so it holds together, then rolling it between the palms of your hands to form balls.

Place the balls on the baking sheet. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. To prevent sticking, move the balls with a spatula halfway through cooking.

For the dip:

Combine 1 cup of mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon of spicey mustard. Stir together well and serve with sausage balls.

Recipe Source: Paula Deen

It's a cheesy world

November 26, 2008 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

To continue with the cheesy theme that started with my Cheez-It Chicken, I decided to make some cheesy baked squash. As I previously stated in my cheesy chicken post, I love cheese, so that also means there can never be too much cheese…kind of like you can never have too much chocolate:). Squash is one of my favorite vegetables; I have prepared it in many different ways but never combined with cheese.

I was really please with the way this recipe turned out. The squash was so teneder, the onions had a great flavor and the cheese went wonderfully. I basically took all the flavors that were in my Cheez-It Chicken and put them in this dish. I thought it turned out pretty tastey especially since it was an experimental dish!

Cheesy Baked Squash

Ingredients:
2 Medium squash
3-4 Tablespoons butter
Salt & Pepper, to taste
2 Well rounded tablespoons sour cream
1/2 Medium onion, sliced
Olive oil
1/4 Cup shredded cheddar cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Rinse squash and then thinly slice.

Place squash and sliced onions in an oven safe baking dish. Drizzle a little olive oil on the squash and onions, salt and pepper to taste and then mix together.

Add sour cream and stir together well.
Place in oven and baked for 20-25 minutes. After about 20-25 minutes take out of oven and sprinkle cheese over top, put back in the oven until cheese has melted.

Recipe by: Lynsey Lou

It's so easy being cheesy

November 26, 2008 by Lynsey 1 Comment

Cheese is one of my favorite foods. I use cheese in all kinds of dishes; from comfort foods to savory foods. There is such a variety of cheeses; I love trying new kinds but sometimes good old cheddar is just what I need. Cheese and cheese flavors also come in so many forms from the infamous cheese in a can to cheese flavored crackers to cheese coated crackers and chips. It’s everywhere!

Since I love cheese so much I thought I would experiment and make a super cheesy chicken. Why not combine my love for cheese in all forms and make a wonderfully cheesy meal? That’s what my Cheesy Cheez-It chicken and cheesy squash casserole was all about. If you love cheese or just have to satisfy a craving for it then this will definitley do it for you!

Cheesy Cheez-It Chicken

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast
2-3 well rounded tablespoons sour cream
1/4 Cup shredded cheddar
1/4-1/2 Cup Cheez-It crackers, crunched up
Pepper, to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line pan with foil and spray with a little cooking oil
Season both sides of chicken with fresh, ground black pepper. You may use a little salt if you like but the crackers have plenty of salt in them. I used a little sea salt:).

In a bowl mix the sour cream and shredded cheddar.

Pour crackers on a plate to roll chicken in.

Coat chicken in sour cream mixture, roll in crackers and then place in prepared pan.

Place in oven and bake for about 30 minutes.

Recipe by: Lynsey Lou

Triple Cheese Threat

November 6, 2008 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

When I think grilled cheese, it just takes me back to my childhood. I love grilled cheese sandwiches, there’s not a lot to them but they are so very good. Sometimes all it takes is a tall glass of milk and a hot grilled cheese sandwich to hit the spot. It really hit the spot for supper!

This isn’t you’re everyday, regular grilled cheese!!! There is nothing wrong with the classic grilled cheese sandwich (it’s a classic for a reason), but I decided to put a little spin on it. I took the Cheesy Cornmeal Breadand made a grilled cheese sandwich, but made more of a grown up version. The end result was nothing but awesome! This is one of the simplest recipes but it is so good, and it definitely settles the craving for a grilled cheese sandwich.

Triple Cheese Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients:

4 Slices of Cheesy Cornmeal Bread

1/4-1/2 Cup shredded sharp cheddar

1/4-1/2 Cup shredded pepper jack cheese

Butter, for bread and skillet

Mayo

Directions:

Although I’m pretty sure everyone knows how to make a grilled cheese sandwich I’m going to walk through the steps anyway!

Preheat a small skillet with a dab of butter over low-medium heat. Butter one side of the cheesy cornmeal bread slice and place buttered side on the skillet. Spread a little mayo on the side of bread facing up. Sprinkle a generous portion of cheese (the more the better in my opinion) on the bread. Take second slice of bread and spread a little mayo on in and place on top of the cheese. Spread butter on the side of bread facing up. Cook until golden brown, flip and cook other side until it’s golden brown and the cheese melted. Serve up with a tall glass of milk and go back to your childhood!

Recipe from: Lynsey Lou

Is it white bread or cornbread?

November 6, 2008 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

It’s a mix of both! This is yet another recipe inspired by Spencer and one of his finds at a local restaurant. I remember the first time he had this bread he went on and on about how good it was and how unique it was. He was amazed how it was a normal bread but it had the flavor of cornmeal and the cornmeal could also be tasted. The next few times he went to that restaurant he had the same sandwich with the same “jalapeno cornmeal bread”; he was definitely obsessed with this bread by now. Ever time he had it he would come home and describe the flavors of it and tell me how awesome it was to have a bread that was a real bread but flavored with cornmeal.

From all of his raves I knew I needed to be hunting for a recipe that was similar to this amazing bread. I started my hunt not a moment too soon. About a week ago he was going to this famed restaurant to get his favorite sandwich but when he arrived they were closed. Just like so many other businesses right now, they were struggling to make it with the economy being like it is and unfortunately they are closed…hopefully just for the time being.

My first attempt of this famous bread was pretty good but I am still working on perfection. I didn’t stray too far from the original recipe since this was my first time baking it but it turned tasty. It smelled so good while it was baking and then when I pulled it out of the oven the loaves were so pretty and golden! They tasted awesome; and all the flavors were very evident but not overwhelming at all. This is definitely a “must try” bread! I’ll keep posting with my modifications to this recipe and possibly with a recipe of my own!

Cheesy Cornmeal Bread

Ingredients:

1 cup boiling water
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 (1 tbsp) package active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm milk
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 1/4 cups grated colby jack cheese
5 to 5 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (I used 5 Cups)

2 Tablespoons diced jalapenos

3-5 Tablespoons jalapeno juice (I will probably add more next time)

Directions

Pour boiling water over cornmeal and let stand until just warm.

Stir together sugar and lukewarm water. Sprinkle yeast over top and let stand until doubled in volume.

In a large mixing bowl, combine warm water, salt, brown sugar, 1 cup cheddar cheese, cornmeal mixture and yeast mixture. Stir well. Mix in jalapenos and jalapeno juice until evenly mixed. Add flour 1 cup at a time. When dough becomes too stiff to stir, turn out onto a floured surface. Knead in additional flour until dough is no longer sticky. Knead dough 10 minutes.

Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic and let rise until doubled in volume, about 1 to 1/2 hours. Punch dough and divide in half. Shape into two loaves and place into buttered loaf pans. Let rise again until doubled in volume. Carefully sprinkle remaining cheese over bread.

Bake at 375°F for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden and sides of loaf are also golden. Remove bread from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

Adapted From: Shop World Kitchen

Chipotles and Ranch…a great combo

October 30, 2008 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

For the Daring Baker’schallenge this month we were challenged to make pizza dough the way classic pizzerias do. We had to toss the dough in the air and all that fun stuff. It was quite an experience and I had a blast completing this challenge. This dough is incredible as well, it takes a little more time since it is a two day process but it is so worth it. For any of you that love pizza and love making pizzas at home the dough is a must try.

For my pizza I decided to make a chipotle ranch pizza. It turned out awesome. All the flavors came out perfectly and blended together so well. There are many more pizzas I want to try and I have plenty of dough waiting on me; so I can’t wait to share them with you. This recipe is a ranch lovers dream; this will quench the heaviest craving for something ranch! I loved coming up with this pizza and we enjoyed every slice.

Chipotle Ranch Pizza

Ingredients:

Recipe for Basic Pizza Dough

2 Chicken breast, boiled

2 Tablespoons Tupperware Ranch Chipotle seasoning

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 Small onion-sliced and sauteed

1 Block cream cheese-room temperature

4-5 Tablespoons Ranch dressing mix

1/4 Cup homemade ranch dressing (follow directions on dressing mix)

1/4 Teaspoon dill

3/4 Cups shredded parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat baking stone on highest setting for 45 minutes before cooking pizza.

Once chicken has cooled, shred and then add salt, pepper, chipotle ranch seasoning, and dill; mix together well.

In bowl take room temperature cream cheese and mix in dry ranch dressing mix.

In small skillet preheat a little olive oil and sautee onions. Remove from heat once the onions start to turn clear and get nice and carmelized.

Remove stone from oven and place dough on stone and form edges. Spread cream cheese on dough, sprinkle with chicken, add onions, drizzle ranch dressing on top, and then add cheese.

Place back in ove for 5-8 minutes; until crust reaches nice golden brown.

Chipotle Ranch Recipe from: Lynsey Lou

Chicken Stew and Cornbread Dumplings

October 28, 2008 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Soups, stews, chilis and more. Fall and winter are the perfect time to break out the classic soup recipes that are favorites as well as try some new ones that you run across. There are all types of soups; from the ones that make you feel cozy and warm because they are “home style” to the ones that are a little more fancy with rich tastes. I’m a huge fan of any type of soup and I’ll try anything once.

I’ve been looking through different cook books, catalogs and on different websites to get an idea of some different soups I would like to try this season. There are tons out there that sound so incredible; I don’t know if I will get to all of them this year! I’ve definitely gotten inspired by all the different types out there and I’m honestly amazed there are endless options.

I came across one that sounded so good and it was basically a spin on the classic chicken and dumplings recipe. Spencer loves chicken and dumplings, so when I saw this recipe I knew it was a must try. This wasn’t your typical chicken and dumplings; for starters the base was more of a cream base and the dumplings weren’t ordinary dumpinlings, they were cornbread! I love cornbread so I really didn’t think you could go wrong having cornbread dumplings, plus they had cheese in them. This treat just seemed to be getting better and better by the minute!

This was more of a stew than a soup, and it was so good. Spencer absolutely loved this; I know it’s one thats going to be on the menu from now on. Even in you’re not a dumpling fan you would probably like this recipe, these aren’t your typical dumplings that are actually down in the soup. This is also a recipe that could be made without the dumplings and with a side of cornbread instead.

Chicken Stew and Cornbread Dumplings

Ingredients:

1 16 ounce bag frozen, mixed vegetables
14 Ounces water and 1 chicken boullion cube
1 Medium onion, roughly chopped
1/2 Cup water
1/2 Teaspoon dried oregano OR 1 Teaspoon fresh
1/2 Teaspoon dried dill OR 1 Teaspoon fresh
***You could use any other herbs instead.
1/4 Teaspoon garlic powder
Fresh cracked pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste
1 2/3Cup milk
1/3 Cup all purpose flour
2 chicken breast poached and cubed-season with salt and pepper
1 Recipe for cornbread dumplings

Cornbread Dumplings:

In a medium bowl stir together 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 1/3 cup yellow cornmeal, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and a dash of black pepper. In a small bowl combine 1 beaten egg, 2 tablespoons milk, and 2 tablespoons cooking oil; add to flour mixture, stirring with for just until combined.

Directions:

In a large saucepan combine brother, frozen vegetables, onions, water, dried herbs (if using), salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Bring to boil.
In a small bowl combine milk and flour, stire into vegetable mixture. Stire in checken. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Stir in fresh herbs if using.
Drop Dumpling dough from a tablespoon into 4-8 mounds on top of the bubbling stew. Simmer, covered (do not lift cover), over low heat for 10-12 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in a dumpling comes out clean. Once finished add a little more fresh cracked pepper and salt.

Recipe Source: adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook

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