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Snacking in the Kitchen

~ Culinary Adventures In & Out of the Kitchen. Recipes, Reviews, Culinary Musings.

Category Archives: Cheese

My Love Affair with Burrata Cheese

09 Wednesday Apr 2014

Posted by snackingkitchen in Cheese, Farmers Market, Healthy, Meatless Monday, Vegetables, Vegetarian

≈ Leave a comment

Burrata Love Affair0

And so begins my love affair with Burrata. The what?  Burrata is Italian cheese made out of water buffalo or cow’s milk. Think of it as a sphere that holds a creamy, soft, decadent cheese inside that is encased in a fresh, stretched mozzarella.  Apart from calling it burrata, I prefer to refer to it as Angel Pillows.  I imagine angels resting their heads on burrata as they fall asleep.

The other day I went to DeLaurenti and Pike Place Market to pick up a few must-have items.  In my bag, I collected burrata, broccolini, tomatoes, olive roll, watermelon, rainbow olives, and Castelvetrano olives.

The fist night, I roasted broccolini and carrots (simply drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with salt and ground black pepper, broccolini got a healthy sprinkle of garlic).  Give this a try in a 425 F for 15 minutes.

I drizzled the broccolini with pomegranate molasses and added a few slices of burrata.  Once the plate was composed and photographed, I quickly moved burrata to a toasted olive bread and cheered my success with a glass of white wine.

Image

 

Two days later, I could hardly wait until breakfast.  The whole grain slice of bread was already getting warm and crisp in the toaster.  The tomatoes were sliced and lightly salted.  The olives scattered on the plate.  Then it came time to delicately slice a ball of burrata cheese.  Be gently, you don’t want the creamy filling to ooze out.  Once out of a toaster, I quickly topped the bread with slices of burrata and a drizzle of olive oil.  And then I inhaled and took a bite.

Image

 

And just for fun, here’s a shot of what some of my plates really look like, when they are not photographed.

Image

 

Your turn!  Are you having a love affair right now? Do share – keep it PG13 please 🙂

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Pizza Time – Roasted Vegetable and Ricotta Pizza

11 Wednesday Dec 2013

Posted by snackingkitchen in Appetizer, Arugula, Cheese, Pizza

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

cheese, dinner, italian, pizza, vegetarian

roasted vegetable and ricotta pizza recipeYesterday was another Hanukkah Pizza Night hosted by my friend Alla.  Crusts, tomato sauce, varieties of cheese and toppings, abound, all you really needed was your imagination and extra oven space.  This year, I went vegetarian route with Roasted Vegetable and Ricotta Pizza.  The combination of toppings is pretty flexible to fit your tastes, but I would advice against tomato sauce and too much cheese.  You really want to taste the vegetables.

I grilled slices of eggplant but took the shortcut of buying roasted red bell peppers.  Feel free to roast your own, if you wish.

Roasted Vegetable and Ricotta Pizza

Ingredients

1 thin pizza crust, pre-baked

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided

1 1/2 cups arugula

1 cup ricotta cheese

6-10 slices roasted eggplant

2 roasted red bell peppers, sliced

6-8 cherry tomatoes, halved

4-6 marinated artichoke hearts, quartered

roasted vegetable and ricotta pizza recipe 2

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2.  Spread olive oil over the crust and sprinkle with half Parmesan cheese.

3.  Top the cheese with arugula and dollop with ricotta cheese.

4.  Lay eggplant slices over dollops of ricotta cheese.

5.  Arrange peppers, tomatoes, and artichoke hearts over the pizza and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese.

6.  Bake directly on the oven rack for 10-12 minutes, until cheese is melted and the crust is crisp.

7.  Cool slightly before slicing.

This was really fresh and delicious.  I would sprinkle the baked pizza with fresh basil and a handful of red pepper flakes.

What’s your favorite pizza?

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Olive Bread Crostini with Spicy Apricot Jam and Herb Cheese ~ Mystery Farmers’ Market Delight

10 Tuesday Sep 2013

Posted by snackingkitchen in Appetizer, Bread, Cheese, Farmers Market, Vegetarian, You Buy I Cook

≈ Leave a comment

Have you been to a farmers’ market lately?  Well, my friend Priya has, and she came back with a basket of market goods for me to cook with.  Lucky me!

I immediately reached out for a crusty loaf of olive-rosemary bread, amber-colored glass jar of spicy apricot jam, and soft, herb cheese.  Wouldn’t they make a perfect appetizer?

Olive Bread Crostini with Spicy Apricot Jam and Herb Cheese

Directions

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

2.  Slice bread into 1/3 inch slices and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and ground black pepper.

3.  Toast bread on both sides until golden-brown and crusty, about 5 minutes.

4.  Rub garlic over both sides of toast.

5.  Spread cheese and jam over the bread and eat immediately.  I am thinking a glass of chilled sparkling wine would go well with the crostini.

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Caprese Salad ~ Tomatoes, Mozzarella Cheese, Homegrown Basil

03 Monday Jun 2013

Posted by snackingkitchen in Cheese, Cooking, Meatless Monday, Recipe, Salad, Vegetables, Vegetarian

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I present you with one of summer’s most beautiful and simple salads: Caprese.  With just a few ingredients – tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, good extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper, this salad just might become one of your favorites. 

It lends itself to many variations.  Add a drizzle of balsamic syrup, a spoonful of basil, or sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and chopped olives.  A beautiful start to the meal, this salad can also be the meal on its own.  Wait for the tomatoes to ripen on the wines, pinch off the leave from the basil plant, and arrange on a beautiful platter.  Your eyes and your stomach will be happy with this delight.

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Vegetarian White Lasagna Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

04 Monday Feb 2013

Posted by snackingkitchen in Cheese, Cooking, Dinner, Pasta, Recipe, recipe development, Vegetarian

≈ 1 Comment

I am thrilled to be once again participating in 30 Days, 30 Ways Macaroni & Cheese Blog launched by the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board to celebrate the National Cheese Lover’s Day.  The blog features a brand new mac and cheese recipe every day for 30 days. Be sure to check out all 30 delicious recipes!

Last year, I made individual portions of My Big Fat Greek Mac and Cheese.  This time, I combined the flavors and textures of lasagna and macaroni and cheese with stuffed pasta shells to create Vegetarian White Lasagna Macaroni and Cheese!  Enjoy!

 


Vegetarian White Lasagna Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients

For the Stuffed Shells
22 jumbo pasta shells

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups mushrooms, sliced

1/2 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry

8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded

8 ounces ricotta cheese

1 egg

1/4 cup chopped parsley

salt and pepper, to taste

For the Sauce
1/4 cup olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup flour

2 cups milk

4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded

4 ounces smoked Gouda cheese, shredded

smoked paprika, to taste

salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2.  Cook pasta according to box directions, reducing the time by two minutes.  Rinse in cold water, drain, and set aside.

3.  For the filling, heat oil in a large nonstick pan over medium high heat.  Add mushrooms, onion and garlic and saute for five minutes, stirring often.  Stir in spinach and saute for additional three minutes.  Combine sauteed vegetables with mozzarella, ricotta, egg, parsley, salt and pepper.

4.  Spoon the filling into pasta shells, about two tablespoons per each shell.

5.  For the sauce, heat oil and garlic in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly for three minutes.  Pour in the milk, slowly, constantly whisking.  Increase heat and cook the sauce until it thickens, about five minutes.  Off heat, stir in the cheese until melted.  Season with smoked paprika, salt and pepper.

       

    

6.  Ladle 1/2 cup of the cheese sauce on the bottom of a 2-quart casserole dish.  Arrange 11 filled pasta shells over the sauce.  Pour half of the remaining sauce over the stuffed pasta shells.  Repeat with the remaining pasta shells and sauce.

7.  Bake Vegetarian White Lasagna Macaroni and Cheese in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, until heated through, the cheese is golden brown and bubbly.  Cool for 5 minutes and serve.  A green salad and a glass of chilled crisp white wine go beautifully along with the dish.

Disclaimer: Wisconsin Cheese sponsored this post.  All opinions are my own.  
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You Buy, I Cook ~ Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

12 Wednesday Dec 2012

Posted by snackingkitchen in Cheese, Vegetables, Vegetarian, You Buy I Cook

≈ Leave a comment

One of my favorite “You Buy, I Cook” participants arrived Saturday night for dinner.  I told her that I was in the mood for grilled cheese sandwiches and had a wide variety of cheese at home.  She provided the rest.  What followed was an incredible, decadent, delicious dinner! Thank you, Priya!


We began by sauteeing quartered chanterelle mushrooms in olive oil with garlic.  Once the mushroom turned golden and tender, we finished them with a pad of butter, salt and pepper.

For the grilled sandwiches, we cut thick slices of artisan bread and layered Mozzarella, Smoked Gouda and Parmesan cheese along with thinly sliced tomatoes.

First, we seared the sandwiches on one side in a cast iron skillet until the bread turned golden brown and toasty, about 3-5 minutes over medium high heat.  We then flipped the sandwiches and transferred the skillet to a 400 degree oven to melt the cheese and toast the other side.  This was quite easy and the sandwiches turned out perfect.


True to herself, Priya brought over a beautiful pomegrante and released the ruby-red gems into a bowl for us to snack as we were cooking.

Since the oven was already hot, we roasted asparagus spears, simple drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper.

Dinner served!

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Spinach and Mushroom Cream Sauce

29 Friday Jun 2012

Posted by snackingkitchen in Cheese, Cooking, Dairy, Recipe, Vegetarian

≈ 1 Comment

Oh Yum! This delicious, rich and cheesy Spinach and Mushroom Cream Sauce served as a landing pad for the Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli with Three Cheeses and Basil I posted earlier this week.  I’m not going to argue against the calories contributed by the half and half, but I will point out that spinach is high in fiber, and you get plenty of calcium in each serving of the sauce, so go ahead and make a batch!


Spinach and Mushroom Cream Sauce


Ingredients


2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 large onion, finely diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 container sliced mushrooms

9 ounces fresh spinach leaves

1 cup half and half

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup chopped basil

2-3 teaspoons lemon juice


salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1.  Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add onion, garlic, and mushrooms.  Saute, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables become tender and golden brown.

2.  Stir in spinach, in batches, if necessary.  Cook until spinach wilts completely, about 3 minutes.

3.  Pour in half and half, lower the heat, and simmer the sauce until it thickens, 10-15 minutes.

4.  Add Parmesan cheese and basil and season with lemon juice, salt and pepper.

5.  Ladle the sauce on the bottom of the plate and serve with Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli or your favorite pasta.

Can you think of another use for the sauce?  Do share!

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Green Olive, Banana Pepper, and Cilantro Quesadillas

19 Monday Mar 2012

Posted by snackingkitchen in Cheese, Cooking, Mexican, Recipe, Vegetarian

≈ 1 Comment

Last week I shared with you a recipe for No-Thrills Butternut Squash Soup. It’s true, you could make the soup and enjoy a bowl or a cup of it on its own.  But like many other things in life, the soup is better with an accompaniment, a friend you might say.  What I prepared to go along with the soup, with my friend Alla, was these Green Olive, Banana Pepper, and Cilantro Quesadillas.  (If you have been reading the blog for a while, I bet you can guess that Alla’s quesadilla came sans banana peppers and cilantro.  It was still delicious!)

This was a vegetarian recipe, if you feel like adding a little bit of non-dairy protein, roasted chicken or shrimp would taste great in the quesadilla.



Green Olive, Banana Pepper, and Cilantro Quesadilla

Ingredients 
(for 1 quesadilla)



1 flour tortilla

1/4 cup shredded cheese

4-6 green olives, stuffed with pimento, chopped

1 banana pepper, chopped

1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon oil

Directions

1.  Lay the tortilla on top of a flat surface.
2.  Cover half of the tortilla with cheese, olives, banana pepper, and cilantro.  Season with salt and pepper.

3.  Fold the tortilla in half, slightly pressing so that ingredients stick together.

4.  Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Cook the quesadila 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown.

5.  Remove the quesadilla and cut into wedges.

6.  Serve with a bowl of No-Thrills Butternut Squash Soup.


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Southwestern Confetti Double Baked Potatoes

09 Thursday Feb 2012

Posted by snackingkitchen in Appetizer, Cheese, Cooking, Holidays, Mexican, Potatoes, Recipe, Vegetarian

≈ 5 Comments

Last week there was this very important game on TV.  Lots of guys running around a field, protected with padding, helmets, and jock straps.  Something about the New York Giants winning?  Oh right!  It was the Super Bowl.  Well, not being a fan of football, I was still very excited when my friend Carly (aka Apple Girl) invited me over for a potluck football viewing party.

Carly was going to bake ginger soy chicken, which turned out amazing!  Other potluck contributions included an apple crisp, French macaroons, chips, and fantastic fried Mac and Cheese balls (made by another Apple Girl, Rachel).  Instead of beer, we sipped on Mango Peach White Sangria that Carly put together (if you are lucky, she’ll write a guest blog post and share her recipe with the rest of us!).

When thinking about my contribution to the potluck, I was reminded of an episode of The Pioneer Woman on Food Network where Ree Drummond makes double baked potatoes.  I love potatoes, and when cut in half and baked, they resemble footballs!  This was going to be perfect, I thought.  I decided to make these double baked potatoes vegetarian, colorful and relatively healthy by adding some vegetables.  The Southwestern Confetti Double Baked Potatoes were born, cooked, and devoured.

Southwestern Confetti Double Baked Potatoes



Ingredients


12-14 small Idaho potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
coarse salt
1 small onion, finely diced
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
1 tablespoon Southwestern seasoning blend
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 cup sour cream
1 bunch green onions, sliced
8 ounces shredded cheese, divided
ground black pepper

Directions


1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Scrub potatoes and pat dry with paper towels.  Coat potatoes with half of olive oil and generously sprinkle with salt.  Place a cooling rack inside a baking sheet.  Arrange potatoes on top of the cooling rack and bake for one hour.

 

2.  While the potatoes are baking, heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion, bell pepper, jalapeno and seasoning.  Cook for 5-7 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

3.  Once baked, remove the potatoes from the oven, and cool.  Slice potatoes in half.  Carefully scoop the potato flesh into a bowl, making sure not to rip the skin.

4.  Add half and half and sour cream to the potatoes.  Mash thoroughly and season with salt and pepper.  Stir in sauteed vegetables, green onions and half the cheese.

 5.  Scoop the potato filling back into potato skins (I used a cookie scoop).  Sprinkle potatoes with the remaining cheese and bake for another 20-30 minutes, until the potatoes are heated through and the cheese has melted.

Time to eat!

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Project "You Buy, I Cook" ~ Salad with Pomegranate and Asian Pear

17 Thursday Nov 2011

Posted by snackingkitchen in Asparagus, Cheese, Cooking, Pasta, Recipe, Salad, You Buy I Cook

≈ 4 Comments

A month or so ago  I unveiled my new project “You Buy, I Cook.”  It’s pretty simple and rather fantastic, if I say so myself.  Here’s how it works.  You purchase groceries, I cook (you get to cook and learn with me, if you wish), we eat, you do the dishes.  Everyone wins.

My first project was with Lera.  I came over to make sauteed shiitake mushrooms with lots of fried onions and garlic.  We ate the mushrooms on top of mashed potatoes (the potatoes got a healthy doze of sauteed onions and garlic as well). We drank copious amounts of red wine and hung out on the couch.  It was too dark to take photos, but trust me, the food was delicious and Lera was happy.  Needless to say, there was no help from Lera in the kitchen department, but she is a gem when it comes to cleaning!

The second “You Buy, I Cook” project happened just last week.  Priya showed up at my door with a mystery basket of groceries, and in the midst of my lamb project (come back next week to find out about it!), we cooked lunch.

The contents of the mystery basket were quite exciting!  By the way, on top of being a fantastic salsa dancer, Priya is a photographer. I decided to let her play with my camera while I was cooking.  I’m happy to share some of her photos in this post.

I didn’t want to incorporate all the ingredients in one dish.  Instead, I made a salad and pasta.

For the salad, I quickly combined garlic, shallot, mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and whisked in olive oil.  Do you see a piggy whisk?  I bet you wish you had one as well!  My super fabulous friend Diana gave me the whisk a year ago and I love it!

The dressing came out lovely – thick, creamy, punched with garlic.  I drizzled the dressing on top of the assembled salad: mixed greens, pomegranate seeds, slices of Asian pear, and ribbons of cheese.

With the rest of the ingredients, we made pasta.  We roasted the bell pepper and asparagus, coated with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper.  I tucked in a few cloves of garlic along with the vegetables.

While the vegetables were roasting, I cooked the pasta, and Priya chopped up tomatoes.  We mixed tomatoes with the leftover mustard vinaigrette and then combined it with the bow tie pasta.  We ate the pasta along with roasted vegetables.

I’m ready for my next “You Buy, I Cook.”  Who shall be my next guest?

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Watermelon Salad with Queso Fresco and Balsamic Reduction

14 Thursday Jul 2011

Posted by snackingkitchen in Balsamic, Cheese, Cooking, Fruit, Recipe, Salad, Vegetarian, Watermelon

≈ Leave a comment

I fell in love with watermelon as a kid.  Juicy, sweet, and available only in the summer, watermelon was a special treat.  We ate it by the slices, spitting out the seeds, or saving them for later (we’d pop them in the mouth and split the seed with our teeth, enjoying the sweet white flesh).  I remember my Dad telling us stories of his youth when he’d split the watermelon in half and scoop out its flesh with a spoon.  It sounded so indulgent and decadent to me!
One summer, when visiting my dad’s relatives, I tasted pickled watermelon.  As a child, it didn’t sound as strange to me as it might sound to most adults these days.  Maybe it’s because even back then I was obsessed with everything pickled.  I suppose, that experience has prepared me to accept and embrace watermelon in savory preparation.

I still remember the day I discovered the taste of watermelon salad.  It was during a restaurant week in Dallas, Texas.  The restaurant was in one of my favorite Dallas neighborhoods (Knox/Henderson) – Hector’s on Henderson.  They served the watermelon salad with red onion, feta cheese and basil.  And from the first bite, I was hooked!  I must’ve made the salad weekly for the entirety of the summer.
Here is my version of the salad with Southwestern flavors.  I use Mexican fresh cheese – Queso Fresco and cilantro.  Balsamic glaze does a nice job of offsetting the sweetness from watermelon.  If you prefer, you can use lime juice instead.

Watermelon & Queso Fresco Salad with Cilantro

Ingredients

1 smalls seedless watermelon, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
3 ounces Queso Fresco, crumbled
2 tablespoons Balsamic Glaze
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Ground black pepper

Directions

1.  In a large bowl, gently combine watermelon, onion and cheese. Drizzle with Balsamic Glaze and garnish with cilantro.  Season with coarsely ground black pepper. Eat immediately.  You don’t want this salad to sit around.  
If you are sensitive to onions, soak sliced onion in iced water.  This will make them milder and more crisp at the same time.
Have a favorite way to eat watermelon?  Please share!
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Guest Blogger Post: Beet & Cherry Salad with Goat Cheese & Champagne Vinegar

27 Monday Jun 2011

Posted by snackingkitchen in Beets, Cheese, cherries, Farmers Market, guest blogger, Recipe, Salad

≈ 8 Comments

I wanted to share new culinary perspectives with you and thought that one way to do so was to host a guest blogger. Alex of Yumsandloves replied and here we are! Hope you enjoy her post – I love beets and am always looking for a new recipe for this sweet, earthy root vegetable!  If you want to be the next guest blogger here at Snacking in the Kitchen, please let me know!



* * *

Hi, I’m Alex and I blog at yumsandloves.com.  My blog is just that… yummy food and things I love. Although Anna and I have never met, I can tell we have a lot in common.  The number one commonality…our love of food!  I have been following Anna’s recipes and restaurant reviews and I’m happy to share mine with her.  I told her one of my ideas was to make something from ingredients at one of our local farmers’ markets!  Thanks Anna for giving me the chance to be a guest writer on your blog!  

Farmers’ Market Salad: Roasted Beets, Rainier Cherries & Goat Cheese

On a Sunday morning, darling hubby, our French Bulldog, and myself  headed to Ballard for the Farmers’ Market.  I was leaning towards making a salad!  When I saw beets, I knew that would be the base of my salad.  We both love roasted beets and enjoy eating them in our meals.  While walking, we brainstormed some ideas and then…Rainier cherries.  Yum!  I grabbed about a 1/2 pound of cherries and had to resist eating the entire bag right there!  Next item: goat cheese – a nice container from a farm up in Lynden, WA. 

Ingredients

8 Small Beets
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
10 Rainier Cherries
Goat Cheese
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon honey

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 375.  Wash beets and remove leafy part.  Put beets in a foil pack and drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast beets for about an hour, or until easily pierced with a knife.  
Once cooled, peel and dice the beets.

2.  Cut cherries in half and remove pit. Arrange beets on a serving dish and sprinkle with cherries.

4.  Whisk  together vinegar, olive oil and honey.  Add more honey if desired. Drizzle the dressing over beets and cherries. I tried to get some of the dressing inside the cherries to add extra sweetness.

5.  Top the salad with a generous dollop of goat cheese and dig in!

 
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Sour Cherry Crustless Cheesecake Cupcakes with Sour Cherry Glaze

26 Thursday May 2011

Posted by snackingkitchen in Cheese, Cooking, Dessert, Fruit, Recipe

≈ 25 Comments

“Will you make cheesecake for your grandmother’s birthday?” was the voicemail from my mom – short and sweet (kind of like the dessert I ended up making).  I couldn’t quite remember the last time I baked a cheesecake.  Perhaps it was back at the Culinary Institute of America.  I consulted the cookbook from the CIA but the recipe in the book was for 8 cheesecakes.  Rather than doing the math and deal with scaling ingredients, I decided to go for something simpler.

Then, I realized that I don’t own a spring form pan, nor do I have a proper mixer.  This could be difficult.  Rather than heading out to a local bakery to purchase a cheesecake, I decided to improvise and use my cupcake pan (inspired by so much love from you all for the Sausage & Broccoli Egg Cupcakes) and the whisk attachment from the immersion blender.

Sour Cherry Crustless Cheesecake Cupcakes with Sour Cherry Glaze
(adapted from Cooking for Engineers)

Ingredients
1 pound cream cheese
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 can sour cherries, in water or juice
Directions
1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line the cupcake pan with foil and paper liners.  Drain the cherries and reserve the water or juice for later use in the recipe.  Place 5 cherries in the bottom of each liner.  
2. Place cream cheese and 1/2 cup of sugar in a bowl.  Beat with a whisk until light and fluffy.  You should not be seeing any sugar granules by this point.  Use a spatula to help you scrape the edges of the bowl.  You must make sure that all ingredients are at room temperature.  Take your time and allow your ingredients to sit on the counter for at least 30 minutes.  Having everything at room temperature will make creaming and combining ingredients easier and you’ll have a lighter, lump-free batter.

3.  Add eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating into the cream cheese and sugar mixture.
4.  Add a teaspoon of vanilla (no imitation stuff here, please) and whisk.  Once the batter is finished, bang the bowl on top of the counter to release any air bubbles – you don’t want any holes in your cheesecake, do you?
5.  Use a cookie or ice scream scoop to divide the cream cheese batter evenly among the 12 cupcakes (you might have a bit of batter left at the end).  Using a scoop is less messy, and will give you even distribution of batter.

6.  Top each cheesecake with a cherry.  Tap the cupcake baking pan gently to release extra air bubbles and place in the oven.  Place a dish with hot water right underneath the cupcake baking pan.  The water will keep the cheesecake moist while baking.  Bake the cheesecake cupcakes for 15 minutes.  Turn off the oven and allow the cupcakes to stay in the oven for 30 minutes.
 
7.  Remove the cheesecake cupcakes from the oven and allow to cool completely on the wire rack.  Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.
8.  Before serving, combine cherry water or juice with 2 tablespoons of sugar in a small sauce pan.  Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat and simmer until syrupy.  Cool slightly and pour over cheesecake cupcakes.  Eat up!
I have to admit, these turned out better than I expected – maybe I didn’t have high expectations.  The recipe could be made richer by adding sour cream and heavy cream.  I’m already dreaming of more variations.  Perhaps raspberry, white chocolate and lemon.
What’s your favorite cheesecake flavor?
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My Weekly Kitchen Obsession: Cheese, Crackers & Marmalade

24 Tuesday May 2011

Posted by snackingkitchen in Bread, Cheese, Cooking, Fruit, Product Review, Seattle, Snacks

≈ 2 Comments

Have you seen Andy Cohen on Bravo TV?  One of his shows is Watch What Happens: Live, where Andy hosts one or few guests from the popular Bravo reality show.  What does this have to do with my blog?  Well…patience!  One of the segments on the show is Andy’s list of things he has been obsessed with during the week – it can be an outfit, a particular word, or an incident on one of the shows.  So I thought – why not share my weekly obsessions with you?  Here we go!

While going through a stash of papers, I found a gift certificate to ChefShop that I received last year as a gift from Queen Anne Farmers Market.  At the time, I was working at Kaspars, and Chef Kaspar and I did a demonstration at the market, grilling pizzas – vegetable and rhubarb.  Fastforward a year later, the certificate was to expire the next day, and I had some shopping to do.

I received great service from ChefShop and was opening a box packed with goodies just a few days later.

This weekend I had the perfect occasion to try some of the goodies from the ChefShop box.  A good friend from Dallas was visiting me in Seattle, and as if we weren’t already eating and drinking enough, we thought that a cheese and cracker platter would be a lovely snack. 
And now we are getting to my weekly obsession: Yuzu Marmalade, La Panzanella Garlic Flavored Mini Croccantini and Extra Sharp White Tillamook Cheddar (ok, the cheddar came from QFC, but the other two components were from ChefShop).



photo from ChefShop



Yuzu is a Japanese citrus fruit that is said to taste similar to a cross between tangerine and lemon.  Depends on your taste buds, you might pick up different notes.  This Yuzu marmalade has only three ingredients – yuzu, sugar, and honey.  To me, the marmalade taste a bit like orange marmalade, but more floral, with a bit touch of bitterness.  But oh, so delicious!
The La Panzanella Mini Croccantini might be more addicting than potato chips.  They are dry and superbly crisp, with a slight hint of garlic.  Try one, and you’ll have a hard time stopping.
photo from ChefShop

The choice of cheese was easy.  I wanted something local, thus Oregon Tillamook, and delicious – Extra Sharp Cheddar.  Creamy and smooth, the sliced Cheddar made a perfect topping for the La Panzanella Croccantini spread with Yuzu Marmalade.

photo from Tillamook

To round up our fruit and cheese platter, we added slices of fuji apple and some Wheat Thins (to be perfectly honest, I couldn’t be bothered with Wheat Thins and concentrated completely on La Panzanella crackers).



And if you couldn’t tell by now, I’m also obsessed with orange and turquoise colors, and often put the two together.

Now that I’ve shared my weekly obsession with you, won’t you share yours?  Let’s try to keep it to the kitchen theme 🙂

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Mushroom & Dill Risotto Recipe

14 Saturday May 2011

Posted by snackingkitchen in Cheese, Cooking, Mother's Day, Mushrooms, Recipe, Rice, Risotto

≈ 3 Comments

“I’m going to make risotto for mom!” I told my sister.  It was Mother’s Day, and I wanted to make dinner.  “Risotto?  Mom thinks it’s like a rice porridge.” she said.  “Really?  Well, I bet she just didn’t have a good risotto yet.  Perhaps I can change her mind.”  I was ready for a challenge!

I’m not sure if I changed her mind, but she did enjoy the risotto, and my dad went for seconds.
I’m not sure if I changed her mind, but she did enjoy the risotto, and my dad went for seconds.

Ingredients
 1 tablespoon olive oil + extra if needed
1 small onion or 2 shallots, diced
1 cup shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
1 cup button mushrooms, quartered
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine (I used Lone Birch – the name reminded me of Russia where birches grow free and wild)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped dill

Directions



1. Heat olive oil in a medium size heavy-bottom pot, over medium high heat. Add onion, mushrooms and saute for 7-10 minutes until the onions are soft and mushrooms have browned. Remove from the pan, and set aside.

2. Bring chicken broth to a boil, lower to the heat, and keep the broth at a low simmer.

3. Add rice to the medium size pot (where you cooked onions and mushrooms). If needed, add more olive oil. Toast rice in oil for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the wine and cook until the wine evaporates.

4. Time to add the hot broth! (You really do want it hot – that will help the risotto to cook more evenly and quicker). Add only about 1 cup of broth at a time, waiting until the liquid almost evaporates before the next addition.

5. Test the rice – taste it. You want it to remain its bite, but not be crunchy. Don’t feel like you have to use all of the broth.

6. Once you are happy with the risotto consistency, add the mushrooms, cheese and dill. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately!

What are your favorite risotto stir-ins?
 
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Brunch Time – Southwestern Quiche with Cornbread Crust and Linguica

27 Wednesday Apr 2011

Posted by snackingkitchen in Brunch, Cheese, Cooking, Eggs, Mexican, Peppers, Pork, Recipe

≈ 5 Comments

Hungry for brunch?  Tired of the same old quiche, fritata, or poached eggs?  Boy (or girl!) do I have a recipe for you!  My sister and I were hosting brunch at her place in Washington DC.  We decided on potluck and promised to provide eggs and potatoes – THE staples of brunch.  I chose to do the eggs.  After some brainstorming, compromising (creative culinary back and forth), and debating, I settled on a Southwestern Quiche.  Honestly, I wasn’t sure how it was going to come out, but having developed and tested quite a few recipes, I thought this one (my original creation) was worth a try.

Southwestern Quiche with Cornbread Crust and Linguica


Ingredients
1 cornbread mix
1 large red onion, diced, divided
1 bunch cilantro, chopped, divided
1 teaspoon of sugar
dash of hot pepper mix
2 poblano peppers
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 Linguica links
6 eggs
1/2 cup milk (or Half & Half if you are feeling extra decadent)
salt and pepper to taste
8 ounces Pepper Jack cheese, shredded


Directions
1.  Pour cornbread mix into a large bowl.  Add 1/4 onion, 1/4 cilantro, teaspoon of sugar and hot pepper mix.  Follow directions on the package, adding milk and egg.  Whisk together and pour into a spring form pan.  Bake according to directions, cutting the baking time by 1/3.

 

2.  If you are lucky enough to have a gas stove, use it to roast poblano peppers.  Place the peppers directly over medium-high heat, and continue to roast until the skin is black and blistered.  Use a pair of long tongs to rotate the peppers while roasting, to ensure even cooking.  Once done, place the peppers into a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap.  Why? you might ask.  Covering the peppers with plastic will create steam inside the bowl, separating the skin of the peppers from the flesh and making them very easy to peel.  Do not rinse your peppers – along with the water, you will wash away all the delicious flavor you just worked so hard to create!  Instead, pull the skin off the peppers using a paper towel.  Seed the peppers and roughly chop.

 

3. Remove the skin from linguica links and dice into 1/4″ pieces.  Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add linguica and the rest of the red pepper.  Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often.  Add diced poblano peppers and cook for another 3-5 minutes.

 

4.  In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, milk and the remaining cilantro.

 
5.  Spread the linguica and pepper mixture over cornbread.  Slowly pour the egg mixture over.  This is where things got a bit tricky.  The spring form began to leak.  Most of the eggs got absorbed into the cornbread.  At the end, it looked like the egg mixture was completely gone and all you could see was cilantro.  What to do?  Well, use foil on the bottom of the spring form to prevent any more leaking, and cover the food with shredded cheese!

6.  Bake the quiche in a hot, preheated oven (350-375) until the egg is settled and the cheese is completely melted.

7.  Allow the quiche to set for about 15 minutes.  Right before serving, pop the quiche back into the oven under the broiler for 1-2 minutes to bubble up the cheese.  Now you are ready to eat!  

Thoughts? Comments? Concerns?  Let me know!
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Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese, Avocado & Olives

02 Saturday Apr 2011

Posted by snackingkitchen in Avocado, Beets, Cheese, Cooking, Lunch, Recipe, Salad, Vegetarian

≈ 4 Comments

It would be an understatement to say that I love beets.  Perhaps it’s in my blood (being Russian and all).  I grew up eating beets.  I still remember washing dishes that held beets and how the color of the soap would turn a beautiful casis.  But that’s another story.  Most commonly my family would enjoy beets in a bowl of borcht, or shredded and mixed with mayonnaise, prunes, walnuts, and garlic (give this a try before you form an opinion).

Perhaps I would be exaggerating, but I feel sorry for people who don’t like beets.  My suspicion is that they only had beets out of a can – and sorry peeps, but those are not beets.  That would be like saying that a tube of cranberry-like jelly is cranberry sauce.

Regardless, my sister (aka MangoTomato girl) and I were shopping together at a grocery store and I saw beets.  I wanted beets.  She purchased them.  At that point I didn’t really know what was in store for these garnet roots and they hung out for a few days in the fridge.

Today was the day for them to face their destiny.  I scrubbed the beets and cut off the root end and the top, just enough to reveal their flesh.  The beets went onto an aluminum foil and I drizzled them with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper.

Next, tightly close the foil and place the beets into a hot oven (preheat to 400 degrees) for about 90 minutes or until the beets are tender.  If you have extra garlic laying around, go ahead and place it along with the beets.

Usually I would allow the beets to cool before peeling them (the skin is really thin and you can pretty much use your fingers – gloved or ungloved – to tug the skin off the beet).  This time, however, the clock was approaching 8:30pm and it was time for dinner.

For the salad, I sliced the beet into little planks (keeping the skin on).  The beets were joined by avocado, goat cheese, Peruvian olives, pecans and red onion.  Just a bit more olive oil, salt, and pepper over the top and it was time to eat!

For all you recipe lovers, here’s a recipe for 1 salad.

Ingredients
1 roasted beet, peeled (optional) and sliced
1/2 avocado, cubed
4 Peruvian olives, pitted and sliced
few thinly slices of red onion
1 hunk of goat cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon of chopped pecans, toasted
Olive oil, salt, pepper

Directions
1.  Arrange beets, avocado, olives, and onion on the plate.  Add goat cheese and pecans.  Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
2.  Eat.

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Random Friday Night Dinner: Cauliflower, Chorizo and Cojita Cheese

28 Monday Feb 2011

Posted by snackingkitchen in Cauliflower, Cheese, Cooking, Recipe

≈ 1 Comment

I feel like a contestant on Chopped, staring at the mystery basket in front of me, scratching my head, thinking: “How am I going to put these ingredients together in an edible matter?”  Except I am not on Chopped and Ted Allen is not here to count me down to the last second.  I’m in my kitchen, looking inside my refrigerator which happens to be quite empty, as embarrassing as it is to admit – but that’s another story.

It’s after 7pm and I’m starving.  This is not the time for grocery shopping, it’s time for mad magic in the kitchen.  And so it happens.  I pull out beef chorizo and a head of cauliflower. In just minutes a pot of water (salted) is coming to a boil, and chorizo (beef) is out of its casing, hitting the cast iron skillet.  What’s next?  I chop an onion and add it to chorizo, gently giving the two a stir with a wooden spoon.

Next, I break down the head of cauliflower into florets and submerge them into boiling water.  The lid follows to speed up the cooking and in less than 5 minutes the cauliflower florets are ready.  They look lonely and sad.  That’s when the unlikely friendship takes place.  The florets make their way into the skillet, joining the chorizo and onions.  The florets snuggle in, soaking up all the goodness and flavors that chorizo so generously gave out.  The dish is almost ready but it’s begging for one more thing – Cojita cheese.  Slightly salty, and resembling a gentler cousin of feta, Cojita is a perfect accompaniment.

Will you give this a try?  I’m not so sure, but I do encourage you to do so!

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