cheese sandwiches, chicken stock, black pepper
Serves: 8 Servings
Ingredients:
4 Eggs
8 sl Stale bread
60 g Softened butter
150 g Chedder cheese; grated
1 c Chicken stock
1/2 c Cream
Freshly ground pepper
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 150 deg C. Remove crusts from bread, butter each slice one
side only. Sprinkle 2/3 of the grated cheese onto 4 slices, sandwich with
the remaining bread. Cut cheese sandwiches in half diagonally. Grease a
shallow ovenproof dish with remaining butter. Arrange cheese sandwiches
over base of dish. Beat eggs, stock and cream, pour egg mixture over
sandwiches making sure each one is moistened. Allow to stand 30 minutes.
Sprinkle remaining cheese on top, season with ground black pepper. Bake for
30 minutes or until pudding is set and golden.
Readmore »»
Wednesday
Tuesday
Don't treat goat cheese as if it were from a cow
breads, goat cheese, pasta
by Teresa J. Farney The Gazette
Italian-style goat cheese comes in two varieties: hard and ricotta.
The hard version can be grated, sliced, baked and even fried, but forget about melting it over foods or breads.
"You can tell if cow's milk has been added to this type of goat cheese if it melts," says Hoehne dairy owner Doris Zubal. "The best way to enjoy this cheese is sliced thin and eaten. Or use it grated over pasta."
The ricotta, on the other hand, can be used for cooking. It is much whiter than cow's milk ricotta and has a smoother, creamier texture.
Holly Mervis, chef and co-owner of Garden of the Gods Seasonings & Gourmet at 2528 W. Cucharras St., recently started carrying the LePlatt Hi-Country Goat Dairy cheese.
"I like the ricotta over the hard goat cheese," she says. "I'm going to start using the ricotta in our stuffed shells and other dishes to let people know how it tastes."
You also can get flavored goat cheeses. Vallorie Philpott sells a popular jalapeo and red chile cheese, and also offers garlic and basil, whole black pepper and tomato and basil.
Whether you choose hard or ricotta, don't expect Italian-style goat cheese to taste or behave like the creamy, French-style chevre. And with the hard variety, don't be surprised by the texture, which can be, well, squeaky on the molars.
"That's right -- a lot of people refer to this as the 'squeaky' cheese," Zubal says. Readmore »»
by Teresa J. Farney The Gazette
Italian-style goat cheese comes in two varieties: hard and ricotta.
The hard version can be grated, sliced, baked and even fried, but forget about melting it over foods or breads.
"You can tell if cow's milk has been added to this type of goat cheese if it melts," says Hoehne dairy owner Doris Zubal. "The best way to enjoy this cheese is sliced thin and eaten. Or use it grated over pasta."
The ricotta, on the other hand, can be used for cooking. It is much whiter than cow's milk ricotta and has a smoother, creamier texture.
Holly Mervis, chef and co-owner of Garden of the Gods Seasonings & Gourmet at 2528 W. Cucharras St., recently started carrying the LePlatt Hi-Country Goat Dairy cheese.
"I like the ricotta over the hard goat cheese," she says. "I'm going to start using the ricotta in our stuffed shells and other dishes to let people know how it tastes."
You also can get flavored goat cheeses. Vallorie Philpott sells a popular jalapeo and red chile cheese, and also offers garlic and basil, whole black pepper and tomato and basil.
Whether you choose hard or ricotta, don't expect Italian-style goat cheese to taste or behave like the creamy, French-style chevre. And with the hard variety, don't be surprised by the texture, which can be, well, squeaky on the molars.
"That's right -- a lot of people refer to this as the 'squeaky' cheese," Zubal says. Readmore »»
Cooking With Cheese
basil pizza, olive oil, food processor
by Zacharia, Joy E, Johnson, Julie, Carrera, Elizabeth
Preparing great-tasting dishes is easy when they're complemented with this favorite ingredient.
Who doesn't love cheese? The problem (or so you might think) is that it isn't healthy, right? Wrong. It boasts generous amounts of calcium, protein, and riboflavin.
Let these delicious recipes inspire you to incorporate cheese into your healthy eating plan. JOY E. ZACHARIA, R.D.
FRESH MOZZARELLA AND BASIL PIZZA
MAKES 1 PIZZA
PREP: 30 MIN., RISE: 20 MIN., BAKE: 10 MIN.
If you don't have time to prepare fresh dough, some supermarkets sell uncooked pizza dough on request from the bakery department. Bake pizza on a pizza stone or heavy baking sheet that withstands high baking temperatures. (High heat makes the crust crispy.) For a lighter meal, enjoy half a pizza with a tossed salad drizzled with fresh lemon juice and olive oil.
1 (4-ounce) portion Pizza Dough
½ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large plum tomato, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon sliced fresh basil
4 thin slices (2 ounces) fresh mozzarella
1 (1-ounce) slice country ham or smoked ham, cut into thin strips
¼ teaspoon pepper
PREHEAT oven to 450°. Shape Pizza Dough ball into a 6- to 8-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. (Dough doesn't need to be perfectly round.) Place dough on a piece of parchment paper. Fold up edges of dough, forming a 1-inch border. Brush oil evenly over dough using a pastry brush. (If you don't have a pastry brush, drizzle oil evenly over dough.)
COVER pizza dough circle loosely with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 15 to 20 minutes.
HEAT pizza stone or heavy baking sheet 10 to 12 minutes in oven.
REMOVE and discard plastic wrap from dough. Layer tomato and next 3 ingredients evenly. Sprinkle with pepper. Carefully transfer dough on parchment paper to pizza stone.
BAKE at 450° for 10 minutes or until crust is golden.
Pizza Dough:
MAKES 6 INDIVIDUAL DOUGH ROUNDS
PREP: 15 MIN.; STAND: 7 MIN.; RISE: 1 HR., 30 MIN.
Dough may be frozen up to 1 month. To freeze, wrap each portion in plastic wrap, and place in zip-top plastic freezer bags. Thaw in refrigerator overnight, or let stand at room temperature 4 hours.
1 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
1/8 teaspoon sugar
1 (¼-ounce) envelope active dry yeast
3 to 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Vegetable cooking spray
STIR together I cup warm water and sugar in a 2-cup measuring cup. Sprinkle with yeast, and let stand 5 to 7 minutes or until mixture is bubbly; stir until blended.
PLACE 3 cups flour and salt in food processor bowl. With motor running, add yeast mixture and olive oil; process mixture until dough forms. (If dough is too sticky, add more flour, 2 tablespoons at a time.) Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray; lightly coat dough with cooking spray. Cover with a clean cloth, and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.
PUNCH dough down. Turn dough in bowl, and coat with cooking spray; cover with cloth, and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 30 minutes or until doubled in bulk. Cut dough into 6 equal portions, shaping each portion into a 3-inch ball. JULIE JOHNSON
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA
Calories per pizza 508 (38% calories from fat); Fat 21.4g (Sat 10.2g. Mono 5.4g, Poly 1.2g); Protein 23.4g; Carb 52.8g; Fiber 2.9g; Chol 60mg; Iron 4mg; Sodium 1063mg; Calcium 346mg
CRAB-AND-GOAT CHEESE POBLANOS WITH MANGO SALSA
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
PREP: 30 MIN., BROIL: 10 MIN., STAND: 10 MIN., BAKE: 30 MIN.
Rinse canned crabmeat to freshen the taste; drain well before combining with other ingredients. Goat cheese adds tangy flavor to this spicy-sweet dish.
8 poblano chile peppers
2 egg whites
1 (8-ounce) block part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 (4-ounce) package goat cheese
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ to 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ to ½ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1 (6-ounce) can lump crabmeat, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen kernel corn, thawed
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Vegetable cooking spray
Mango Salsa
Garnish: chopped fresh cilantro
BROIL chile peppers on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet 5 inches from heat 5 minutes on each side or until peppers look blistered.
PLACE peppers in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal and let stand 10 minutes to loosen skins. Peel peppers. Carefully cut peppers open lengthwise on one side, keeping stems intact; discard seeds. Set peppers aside.
PROCESS egg whites in a food processor until foamy. Add mozzarella cheese and next 5 ingredients, processing until blended.
PLACE cheese mixture in a large bowl. Stir in crabmeat and next 3 ingredients.
SPOON crabmeat mixture evenly into peppers, pinching cut edges together to seal. Arrange stuffed peppers, seam side down, in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
BAKE, covered, at 375° for 25 to 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Top with Mango Salsa, and garnish, if desired.
Calories (including ¼ cup salsa) 229 (39% calories from fat); Fat 9.89 (Sat 5.4g, Mono 2.3g, Poly 1.2g); Protein 17.5g; Carb 20.6g; Fiber 5g; Chol 36mg; Iron 2.7mg; Sodium 277mg; Calc 264mg
Mango Salsa:
MAKES ABOUT 1 ½ CUPS
PREP: 15 MIN.
Purchase jarred mango, found in the produce section of the supermarket, if you can't find ripe mangoes.
1 mango, peeled and chopped
1/3 cup diced red onion
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
STIR together all ingredients. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Readmore »»
by Zacharia, Joy E, Johnson, Julie, Carrera, Elizabeth
Preparing great-tasting dishes is easy when they're complemented with this favorite ingredient.
Who doesn't love cheese? The problem (or so you might think) is that it isn't healthy, right? Wrong. It boasts generous amounts of calcium, protein, and riboflavin.
Let these delicious recipes inspire you to incorporate cheese into your healthy eating plan. JOY E. ZACHARIA, R.D.
FRESH MOZZARELLA AND BASIL PIZZA
MAKES 1 PIZZA
PREP: 30 MIN., RISE: 20 MIN., BAKE: 10 MIN.
If you don't have time to prepare fresh dough, some supermarkets sell uncooked pizza dough on request from the bakery department. Bake pizza on a pizza stone or heavy baking sheet that withstands high baking temperatures. (High heat makes the crust crispy.) For a lighter meal, enjoy half a pizza with a tossed salad drizzled with fresh lemon juice and olive oil.
1 (4-ounce) portion Pizza Dough
½ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large plum tomato, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon sliced fresh basil
4 thin slices (2 ounces) fresh mozzarella
1 (1-ounce) slice country ham or smoked ham, cut into thin strips
¼ teaspoon pepper
PREHEAT oven to 450°. Shape Pizza Dough ball into a 6- to 8-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. (Dough doesn't need to be perfectly round.) Place dough on a piece of parchment paper. Fold up edges of dough, forming a 1-inch border. Brush oil evenly over dough using a pastry brush. (If you don't have a pastry brush, drizzle oil evenly over dough.)
COVER pizza dough circle loosely with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 15 to 20 minutes.
HEAT pizza stone or heavy baking sheet 10 to 12 minutes in oven.
REMOVE and discard plastic wrap from dough. Layer tomato and next 3 ingredients evenly. Sprinkle with pepper. Carefully transfer dough on parchment paper to pizza stone.
BAKE at 450° for 10 minutes or until crust is golden.
Pizza Dough:
MAKES 6 INDIVIDUAL DOUGH ROUNDS
PREP: 15 MIN.; STAND: 7 MIN.; RISE: 1 HR., 30 MIN.
Dough may be frozen up to 1 month. To freeze, wrap each portion in plastic wrap, and place in zip-top plastic freezer bags. Thaw in refrigerator overnight, or let stand at room temperature 4 hours.
1 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
1/8 teaspoon sugar
1 (¼-ounce) envelope active dry yeast
3 to 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Vegetable cooking spray
STIR together I cup warm water and sugar in a 2-cup measuring cup. Sprinkle with yeast, and let stand 5 to 7 minutes or until mixture is bubbly; stir until blended.
PLACE 3 cups flour and salt in food processor bowl. With motor running, add yeast mixture and olive oil; process mixture until dough forms. (If dough is too sticky, add more flour, 2 tablespoons at a time.) Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray; lightly coat dough with cooking spray. Cover with a clean cloth, and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.
PUNCH dough down. Turn dough in bowl, and coat with cooking spray; cover with cloth, and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 30 minutes or until doubled in bulk. Cut dough into 6 equal portions, shaping each portion into a 3-inch ball. JULIE JOHNSON
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA
Calories per pizza 508 (38% calories from fat); Fat 21.4g (Sat 10.2g. Mono 5.4g, Poly 1.2g); Protein 23.4g; Carb 52.8g; Fiber 2.9g; Chol 60mg; Iron 4mg; Sodium 1063mg; Calcium 346mg
CRAB-AND-GOAT CHEESE POBLANOS WITH MANGO SALSA
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
PREP: 30 MIN., BROIL: 10 MIN., STAND: 10 MIN., BAKE: 30 MIN.
Rinse canned crabmeat to freshen the taste; drain well before combining with other ingredients. Goat cheese adds tangy flavor to this spicy-sweet dish.
8 poblano chile peppers
2 egg whites
1 (8-ounce) block part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 (4-ounce) package goat cheese
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ to 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ to ½ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1 (6-ounce) can lump crabmeat, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen kernel corn, thawed
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Vegetable cooking spray
Mango Salsa
Garnish: chopped fresh cilantro
BROIL chile peppers on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet 5 inches from heat 5 minutes on each side or until peppers look blistered.
PLACE peppers in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal and let stand 10 minutes to loosen skins. Peel peppers. Carefully cut peppers open lengthwise on one side, keeping stems intact; discard seeds. Set peppers aside.
PROCESS egg whites in a food processor until foamy. Add mozzarella cheese and next 5 ingredients, processing until blended.
PLACE cheese mixture in a large bowl. Stir in crabmeat and next 3 ingredients.
SPOON crabmeat mixture evenly into peppers, pinching cut edges together to seal. Arrange stuffed peppers, seam side down, in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
BAKE, covered, at 375° for 25 to 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Top with Mango Salsa, and garnish, if desired.
Calories (including ¼ cup salsa) 229 (39% calories from fat); Fat 9.89 (Sat 5.4g, Mono 2.3g, Poly 1.2g); Protein 17.5g; Carb 20.6g; Fiber 5g; Chol 36mg; Iron 2.7mg; Sodium 277mg; Calc 264mg
Mango Salsa:
MAKES ABOUT 1 ½ CUPS
PREP: 15 MIN.
Purchase jarred mango, found in the produce section of the supermarket, if you can't find ripe mangoes.
1 mango, peeled and chopped
1/3 cup diced red onion
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
STIR together all ingredients. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Readmore »»
Sunday
Cheese Souffle: How and Why I Ate One a Day
healthy foods, cheese souffle, grocery store
By Harriet Hodgson
More healthy foods are appearing on store shelves. When I saw a carton of egg whites at my grocery store I immediately thought of cheese souffle. Cheese souffle is one of my favorite foods, but it's high in fat, and I hadn't made one in years. If I could come up with a healthy recipe I could eat cheese souffle again.
I bought two cartons of egg whites, fat-free cheddar cheese, and fat-free milk. "This should do it," I thought to myself. On Monday morning I wrestled the souffle dish from the back of the cupboard, assembled my ingredients, and began what turned out to be "The Great Cheese Souffle Experiment."
My first souffle was made with one tablespoon of butter, instead of three, and a teaspoon of margarine. Butter is a thickener and, to compensate for less butter, I added extra flour to the sauce. I added a teaspoon of Dijon mustard to bring out the flavor of the cheese. The classic recipe calls for six eggs, but I used one whole egg, and egg whites for the rest. To stabalize the egg whites I added a teaspoon of cream of tartar.
When I put the souffle in the oven it looked perfect.
The souffle started to rise and the aroma of melting cheese wafted through the kitchen. "This is going to work," I said to myself. But it didn't work. Fifteen minutes before the souffle was due to come out of the oven it fell. My classic cheese souffle had turned into a cheese tortilla. I don't like to waste food, so I ate part of the souffle top for lunch.
"Oh well," I thought. "Tomorrow is another day." On Tuesday morning I got out the souffle dish, assembled my ingredients, and made souffle number two. This time I used two tablespoons of butter. I was careful to beat the egg whites until they were stiff, not dry, and folded them ever-so-gently into the cheese sauce.
When I put the souffle in the oven it looked perfect.
But the same thing happened. Fifteen minutes before the souffle was due to come out of the oven it fell. Again, I ate part of the brown, cheesy top for lunch. Cooking is chemistry and, since I'm not a chemist, the only thing I could do was make souffle number three. Then four. Then five. I experimented with more butter, more flour, two whole eggs, low-fat cheese, and one percent milk.
Every souffle fell. Much as I love cheese souffle, I was getting tired of the same whacky lunch. Despite a reputation as a gourmet cook I felt like a failure. By the end of the week I had consumed so many egg whites I felt like a giant parade balloon - a thin person filled with air. Maybe I'd float around the kitchen. Heck, I could float around the neighborhood.
On Saturday morning I announced to my husband, "I'm going to make one last souffle." (It was a dramatic announcement.) Years ago, when we weren't as health conscious, I used to make souffle for dinner. My husband would come home hungry and smell the baking souffle when he got out of the car. The oven was next to the door I would stick a "Don't slam, souffle in oven" sign on it.
The note always made my husband smile and he always raved about my cheese souffle. And so, with great care and determiniation, I prepared souffle number six. When I put the souffle in the oven it looked perfect. I kept peeking in the window to see if the souffle was rising. It rose steadily and looked like a cook book photo. Had I invented a healthy cheese souffle?
Five minutes - just five minutes - before the souffle was due to come out of the oven it fell. We ate the brown, crusty, delicious top for lunch, along with a green salad. Though it wasn't the best lunch I've ever served, my husband appreciated my efforts. I've given up on inventing a new cheese souffle. Sometimes you shouldn't mess with a good thing! Readmore »»
By Harriet Hodgson
More healthy foods are appearing on store shelves. When I saw a carton of egg whites at my grocery store I immediately thought of cheese souffle. Cheese souffle is one of my favorite foods, but it's high in fat, and I hadn't made one in years. If I could come up with a healthy recipe I could eat cheese souffle again.
I bought two cartons of egg whites, fat-free cheddar cheese, and fat-free milk. "This should do it," I thought to myself. On Monday morning I wrestled the souffle dish from the back of the cupboard, assembled my ingredients, and began what turned out to be "The Great Cheese Souffle Experiment."
My first souffle was made with one tablespoon of butter, instead of three, and a teaspoon of margarine. Butter is a thickener and, to compensate for less butter, I added extra flour to the sauce. I added a teaspoon of Dijon mustard to bring out the flavor of the cheese. The classic recipe calls for six eggs, but I used one whole egg, and egg whites for the rest. To stabalize the egg whites I added a teaspoon of cream of tartar.
When I put the souffle in the oven it looked perfect.
The souffle started to rise and the aroma of melting cheese wafted through the kitchen. "This is going to work," I said to myself. But it didn't work. Fifteen minutes before the souffle was due to come out of the oven it fell. My classic cheese souffle had turned into a cheese tortilla. I don't like to waste food, so I ate part of the souffle top for lunch.
"Oh well," I thought. "Tomorrow is another day." On Tuesday morning I got out the souffle dish, assembled my ingredients, and made souffle number two. This time I used two tablespoons of butter. I was careful to beat the egg whites until they were stiff, not dry, and folded them ever-so-gently into the cheese sauce.
When I put the souffle in the oven it looked perfect.
But the same thing happened. Fifteen minutes before the souffle was due to come out of the oven it fell. Again, I ate part of the brown, cheesy top for lunch. Cooking is chemistry and, since I'm not a chemist, the only thing I could do was make souffle number three. Then four. Then five. I experimented with more butter, more flour, two whole eggs, low-fat cheese, and one percent milk.
Every souffle fell. Much as I love cheese souffle, I was getting tired of the same whacky lunch. Despite a reputation as a gourmet cook I felt like a failure. By the end of the week I had consumed so many egg whites I felt like a giant parade balloon - a thin person filled with air. Maybe I'd float around the kitchen. Heck, I could float around the neighborhood.
On Saturday morning I announced to my husband, "I'm going to make one last souffle." (It was a dramatic announcement.) Years ago, when we weren't as health conscious, I used to make souffle for dinner. My husband would come home hungry and smell the baking souffle when he got out of the car. The oven was next to the door I would stick a "Don't slam, souffle in oven" sign on it.
The note always made my husband smile and he always raved about my cheese souffle. And so, with great care and determiniation, I prepared souffle number six. When I put the souffle in the oven it looked perfect. I kept peeking in the window to see if the souffle was rising. It rose steadily and looked like a cook book photo. Had I invented a healthy cheese souffle?
Five minutes - just five minutes - before the souffle was due to come out of the oven it fell. We ate the brown, crusty, delicious top for lunch, along with a green salad. Though it wasn't the best lunch I've ever served, my husband appreciated my efforts. I've given up on inventing a new cheese souffle. Sometimes you shouldn't mess with a good thing! Readmore »»
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