Cheese

Calzones with Cheese, Sausage, and Roasted Red Pepper

The original recipe includes a dough recipe, but I didn't think I had enough time to let the dough rise on its own. I used two hot Italian pork sausages, one red onion, 16oz ricotta, and 12oz mozzarella. No gas (and I didn't want to start the grill just for one pepper) so I broiled the pepper in a pan for about 15 minutes, turning it a couple times once the top surface was charred. After about 10 minutes in the oven, it started to release its juices. After 10 minutes in the paper bag, the pepper was limp and the skin peeled off incredibly easy.

I used my two pizza stones in the center of both ovens at 400F. I built the calzones one at a time on my pizza peel, sprinkled with enough corn meal to allow the calzone to slide on to the stone with a couple small shoves. 30 minutes was perfect. ...and omg they were delicious!!!

Pizza Dough:

  • 1 cup + 2 tbsp warm water (80F)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 3 cups bread flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

Calzones:

  • 1 large red bell pepper
  • 1 1/4 lb red onions, sliced
  • 4 sweet or hot Italian sausages, casings removed
  • 3 cups (packed) coarsely grated mozzarella cheese (about 12oz)
  • 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese (about 12oz)
  • 4 tsp dried oregano
Directions:

  1. Using my Breadman Ultimate, add ingredients, select pizza dough cycle, and press start (about 55 minutes). Easy peasy.
  2. Meanwhile...... Char bell pepper over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in paper bag and let stand 10 minutes. Peel, seed, and slice.
  3. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add red onions; saute until brown, about 25 minutes. Set aside.
  4. Cook sausage in heavy medium skillet over medium heat until cooked through, breaking into 1/2-inch pieces with back of fork, about 15 minutes. Set aside.
  5. Mix both cheeses and oregano in medium bowl; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  6. Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 400F. Dust 2 heavy large baking sheets with flour.
  7. Divide dough into 2 equal portions; shape each into ball. Roll out dough balls on lightly floured surface.
  8. Spread 1/3 cheese mixture over half of each round, leaving 3/4-inch plain border. Cover cheese with onions, then 1/3 cheese mixture, sausage, the remainder of the cheese, and the peppers. Fold plain dough halves over filling, forming half circles. Pinch edges of dough firmly together to seal.
  9. Using large spatula, transfer 2 calzones to each prepared baking sheet. Pierce tops in several places with small knife for steam to escape. Bake calzones 15 minutes. Reverse positions of baking sheets and bake until calzones are golden brown, about 15 minutes longer.

Source: The Bon Appetit Cookbook


Caramelized Onion-Stuffed Baked Potato

Nom. Instead of Gruyere, I used sharp cheddar and fresh crumbled goat cheese. I didn't have dry sherry so I used some marsala wine which made the onions super strong but it was delicious.

Ingredients:

  • 2 baking potatoes (about 1.5 pounds)
  • 1/2 cup (2 oz) shredded Gruyere cheese, divided
  • 2 tbsp reduced-fat sour cream
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 tsp butter
  • 2 cups vertically sliced red onion
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp dry sherry
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
Directions:

  1. Pierce potatoes with a fork; arrange on paper towels in microwave oven. Microwave at high 10 minutes or until done, rearranging potatoes after 5 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.
  2. Cut each potato in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp, leaving 1/4-inch-thick shells. Combine potato pulp, 1/4 cup cheese, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Spoon potato mixture evenly into shells.
  3. Melt butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sugar, saute 8 minutes or until browned. Stir in sherry, Worcestershire, thyme, and garlic; cook 1 minute or until liquid evaporates, scraping pan to looses browned bits. Top each potato half with about 2 tablespoons onion mixture and 1 tablespoon cheese. Arrange stuffed potato halves on paper towels in microwave oven. Microwave at high 1 minute or until thoroughly heated.

Source: Cooking Light: Annual Recipes 2006
4 servings


Summer Squash Pizza with Goat Cheese and Walnuts

Pizza. Yes.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • all-purpose flour, for dusting
  • 6 oz pizza dough
  • pinch of crushed red pepper
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup shredded part-skim-milk mozzarella
  • 1 tsp chopped summer savory
  • 1/4 pound summer squash, thinly sliced on a mandoline
  • 2 oz fresh goat cheese, crumbled
  • 2 tbsp chopped toasted walnuts
Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 500F. Preheat a pizza stone. In a small bowl, combine the 1 tbsp olive oil with the minced garlic and let stand. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to form a 12" round, 1/4" thick. Transfer the round to a lightly floured pizza peel.
  2. Leaving a 1/2" border of dough, brush the round with the garlic oil and sprinkle with crushed red pepper, salt and black pepper. Scatter the onion slices over the round; top with the mozzarella and savory. Arrange the squash slices on top in a single layer, overlapping them slightly. Dot with the crumbled goat cheese.
  3. Slide the pizza onto the hot stone and bake for about 5 minutes, until the bottom is crisp and the squash is slightly browned. Transfer the pizza to a work surface. Sprinkle with the walnuts and drizzle with olive oil. Cut into wedges and serve.

Source: Food & Wine, October 2009


The Pioneer Woman's Macaroni and Cheese

I haven't made this yet, but it's on the list of things to make very very soon. As for what kind of cheese this recipe calls for, the source mentions using all sharp cheddar or you could mix cheeses: Colby, Monterey Jack, Fontina, Mild Cheddar, Pepper Jack or even a little Gruyere. Courtesy of Cathy.

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups dried macaroni
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 2 heaping tsps dry mustard (more if desired)
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 lb cheese, grated
  • 1/2 tsp salt (more to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp seasoned salt (more to taste)
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • *Optional spices: cayenne pepper, paprika, thyme
Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Cook macaroni until very firm. Macaroni should be too firm to eat right out of the pot. Drain.
  3. In a small bowl, beat egg.
  4. In a large pot, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together over medium-low heat. Cook mixture for five minutes, whisking constantly. Don’t let it burn.
  5. Pour in milk, add mustard, and whisk until smooth. Cook for five minutes until very thick. Reduce heat to low.
  6. Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pour it into beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking eggs. Whisk together till smooth.
  7. Pour egg mixture into sauce, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth.
  8. Add in cheese and stir to melt.
  9. Add salts and pepper. Taste sauce and add more salt and seasoned salt as needed! DO NOT UNDERSALT.
  10. Pour in drained, cooked macaroni and stir to combine.
  11. Serve immediately (very creamy) or pour into a buttered baking dish, top with extra cheese, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and golden on top.

Source: The Pioneer Woman


Baked Jalapeno Poppers

These were mighty tasty! I used only 7 or 8 jalapenos that I had on hand, half a package of cream cheese, and half a block of sharp cheddar cheese. Instead of chopping off the stem and top of the jalapeno, I tried to slice the stem in half with the rest of the jalapeno to have something to hold on to when breading. Worked great.

Ingredients:

  • 20 large (4″) jalapeno peppers
  • 1 package of cream cheese (8oz) at room temperature
  • 200 g of extra old cheddar cheese (about 1/2lb)
  • 3 eggs
  • 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1.5 cups panko
  • salt and pepper
Directions:

  1. In a medium sized mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with one egg until it is smooth and well combined.
  2. Shred the sharp cheddar cheese on the finer holes of a box grater so that the shreds are nice and fine. Mix this in with the cream cheese mixture, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
  3. Slice each jalapeno in half lengthwise and scoop the seeds and as much of the rib as you like out of the peppers.
  4. Stuff each jalapeno half with a heaping mound of cream cheese. The egg will bind with the cheesy interior to keep everything in it’s place.
  5. Lightly grease a shallow cooling rack which is small enough to sit on top of your baking sheet.
  6. Preheat the oven to 400F.
  7. To bread the jalapenos, flour goes in the first bowl. In the second bowl, beat the two remaining eggs and season liberally with salt and pepper. The panko goes in the third bowl.
  8. Grab a jalapeno pepper and roll it around in the flour. Dip the whole thing into the whisked eggs and turn it to make sure that the whole thing is well coated. Shake off any excess. Roll the eggy jalapeno in the panko, pressing down just gently as you turn, to coat it with crumbs.
  9. Lay the jalapenos onto the lightly oiled rack making sure that they don’t touch.
  10. Bake the poppers for 20 - 25 minutes, or until the tops are lightly browned and the crust is crusty.

Source


Tillamook, Beer and Bacon Mac and Cheese

Mmmmmm... beer cheese.

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups large macaroni
  • 2 teaspoons salt, divided
  • 2 tablespoons Tillamook® Butter
  • 1 tablespoon light flavor olive oil
  • 1 large shallot, finely minced
  • 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 8 ounces Tillamook® Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 cup dark beer
  • 6 slices precooked bacon, sliced into 1" pieces
  • 2 teaspoons full strength, prepared stone ground mustard
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large pot, over medium-high heat, bring two quarts water and 1 teaspoon salt to a full rolling boil. Gradually add macaroni and boil approximately 15 minutes or until pasta reaches desired tenderness. Drain.
  3. Melt butter and olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté shallots in butter and olive oil for approximately 2 minutes or until they begin to turn transparent. Add flour to the pan, stirring constantly until a smooth paste forms. Stirring constantly, gradually add milk and continue cooking until mixture is thick and bubbly (mixture should coat the back of a spoon). Add 6 ounces of the cheese and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat and add beer, bacon, mustard, garlic powder, pepper and remaining salt. Stir well.
  4. Spray a 9” x 9" square glass pan with non-stick cooking spray. In the large pot, combine macaroni and cheese sauce and stir. Pour into 9” x 9" baking dish, cover with foil and place into preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove foil and sprinkle the remaining 2 ounces of the shredded cheese and continue cooking, uncovered for another 15 minutes.
  5. Remove macaroni and cheese from the oven. Allow to cool for approximately 5 minutes before serving.

Source... Thanks Sarah!!!


Spinach Artichoke Dip

Oh man this was good. After baking, I stirred it to mix in all the yummy cheese.

Ingredients:

  • 12 oz canned articokes, drained and chopped
  • 10 oz frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 4 oz cream cheese (from a block)
  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar, shredded
  • salt
  • pepper
Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients throughly. Scrape into a small (about 12 oz) casserole dish.
  3. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until slightly browned and just starting bubble around the edges.

Source



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