Cheesy What's-its

I  am not sure how we named these rolls but it has stuck in our family. Genna claims she came up with it since she couldn't remember what they were called and  she was the first one to make these.

I like to make the dough in my bread machine, it's a pizza dough recipe or you can buy some at the store already made. Either way these will make you very popular at your next potluck or family dinner.

Cheesy What's-its


If you are making  the dough in your bread machine, I like to do the 1 1/2 pound dough, it makes a 9 by 13 inch  pan of rolls, 1 pound of dough makes a 8 by 8 inch pan.
 The Dough:
Into the bread machine on the dough setting:
1 cup water
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Or as mentioned above you can buy the dough already made.

Inside the roll ingredients:
4 tablespoons melted butter
2-4 cloves chopped garlic
2 1/2 cups grated cheese, cheddar, mozzarella, Parmesan, Swiss, Monterey Jack...
2-4  teaspoons chopped fresh herbs

I melt the butter with the garlic and fresh herbs. Roll out the dough into a rectangle on a floured board or marble slab. Brush with your melted garlic, herb butter.

Sprinkle 2 cups of cheese evenly over the dough. Save the last 1/2 cup of cheese for the top.

 Roll the dough carefully up into a long log, pinching the top flap to seal it closed.

Cut into equal size rounds and place in a greased baking pan.
Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 30 to 60 minutes.

 Preheat the oven to 350.
Just before you put them in the oven, sprinkle the top with the last 1/2 cup of grated cheese.

 Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, until golden brown.

 These are great with a simple salad or soup for dinner !!

Cheesecake tart, the crowd roared!!

Here is what is left of the cheesecake tart with lime curd that we made for dessert last night.
While I have posted this recipe, I think it got buried under the pumpkin spice version.
Everyone at the party raved about this cheesecake with the lime curd topping Genna made. It was lighter than other tarts made with the same recipe. I think it may have been because of the cream cheese I used. Normally I just use the bricks of cream cheese from Trader Joe's, this time I went to the closest store: New Leaf (think local Whole Foods). All they had was Nancy's brand, I used to buy her yogurt all the time, I think she makes superior cream cheese too.

My dear friend Mita, the famous food blogger :  The Clumsy Cook, requested I post it again. Here you go, Mita :-)

Basic Cheesecake Tart.

Crust:

        6 graham crackers ( or 14 gingersnaps)

      1/3 cup almond meal

      1/4 cups sugar

      4 tablespoons melted butter

Filling:

    2 bars (8 ounces each) cream cheese, room temperature

    1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt

    1 large egg

    1/2 cup sugar

    1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

    a pinch of salt

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

1. Make crust: In a food processor, grind graham crackers or gingersnaps, almond meal, and 1/4 cup sugar until finely ground; add melted butter, and process until moistened.

 

Transfer to a 9-inch removable-bottom tart pan. Using the base of a dry measuring cup, press mixture firmly into the bottom and up sides of pan. 

Freeze at least 15 minutes.

   2. Make filling: Carefully wipe processor blade and bowl clean. Place cream cheese, sour cream or yogurt, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 egg, vanilla, and salt in food processor; blend just until smooth. 

 

Place tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet; fill with cheesecake mixture. 

Bake until filling is just set, 30 to 35 minutes. 

Transfer tart pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

 

Cover with your chosen topping and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.

To make it lemon, add lemon zest and extract to the filling and top with lemon curd or lemon glaze.

To make it fruity, top with fresh fruit or jam of your choice.

Stollen, just a little late.

Stollen has become our traditional Christmas morning breakfast bread. I had hoped to post this before Christmas but life got in the way ;-) 

It would make a great item for New Year's Day brunch, we also love to take a loaf up skiing with us. We were first introduced to stollen by our friend Kristina.

 Even if you have no desire to make this scrumptious loaf, the photo essay is fun !! Next year I'll post it sooner in December so you can give it a try.

Stollen 

( modified from an old edition The Joy of Cooking) 

Allow yourself several hours for the whole process, it's a good thing to make while wrapping presents, writing thank you notes, doing laundry or watching football. Traditionally it is made with raisins and candied citrus peel, we prefer it with other dried fruits.

Ingredients:

Have all ingredients at room temperature. This recipe yield 2 large loaves or 4 smaller ones.

6-8 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoon yeast

1 ½ cups milk, scalded and cooled to 110F
½ cup dried cranberries or raisins
1 cup mixed dried fruit, apricots, strawberries, pears, whatever you like
2 cups chopped
 nuts:  a mix of walnuts, almonds, pecans
¾ cup sugar

1 ½ cups butter,
3 eggs
¾ teaspoon salt
grated rind
 from an orange or lemon
2 tablespoons rum or brandy (optional)
2 packages of baking marzipan (almond paste).

In a large bowl, combine warm milk and yeast.  Add 1 cup of the sifted flour and mix to form a sponge. Let sit in a warm place until doubled.

 

While that is raising, I like to toast the nuts.

And get the dried fruit ready.

I chop the apricots and strawberries.

The 2 cups chopped nuts and 1 1/2 cups dried fruit go into a bowl with 1/2 cup flour.
Mix together well, this keeps them from clumping together in the dough.

In a mixing bowl, cream 1 1/2 cups softened butter. Beat in sugar and blend until light and creamy.

Add eggs one at a time, followed by the salt, orange or lemon rind and brandy or rum.
Mix well. Mix in the fruit and nuts.

I like to add this mixture into the sponge which is in a very large metal mixing bowl.

The recipe calls for 6 to 8 cups flour, I find it closer to 8 cups but add them slowly, mixing until it can be kneaded.

Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if too sticky.
Cover dough with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk.

To shape dough, toss it onto a floured board and divide in two or three or four.

I like to make one big loaf for Christmas morning, and two smaller ones.

 

The original recipe from Joy of Cooking does not call for the marzipan in the center but that's the way our friend Kristina made it all those years ago and we love it that way. When you toast a slice you can spread the warm marzipan on your slice like butter.
I have found the best place to buy marzipan is at Cost Plus World Market in early December, it's less expensive and fresher than what I have found in the grocery store.
I usually buy four or five packages so I have some for the King's Cake or Galette de Rois that I make in January for Twelfth Night/Epiphany.

Pat dough into a rough oval and roll the marzipan into a long log, place it in the center of the dough.

Fold the dough over the marzipan and pinch to seal.

Place seam side down on parchment paper covered baking sheet and let rise again.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Some people like to brush the loaves with butter before baking. Since I always dust them with powdered once they are out of the oven I don't bother with the butter.
Bake for 40 minutes until they are golden brown.

Move to a cooling rack and dust with powdered sugar.

Allow to cool.
Stollen will keep for several weeks in the fridge or you can wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze.
Serve toasted.

Some thoughts about holiday dinners...

 ...that I hope will make your holidays just a little bit easier :-)

• Don't invite more people than your dining table can hold.
• Keep it simple, especially if you have a large group.
• Choose a menu that doesn't require you to stand in the kitchen for hours while your guests are there.
• Do as much prep ahead of time as you can, use your freezer if need be.
• Don't feel like you have to make everything from scratch.
  
• When people offer to bring part of the meal, accept with joy !!
• If you need help, ask for it and be specific, if it's part of the meal or washing the dishes.
• Don't try new recipes unless you are very sure of yourself. If possible make a practice run. Or use your old favorites.
  
• Delegate,delegate, delegate !! Food and jobs, like appetizers or drinks, setting the table or washing dishes.
• Remember you too should enjoy this meal !!!

Bob after too many loads of dishes last year.

As for us, this year we are going out to eat ;-)

Stuffed Baked Squash

I love to look into the fridge and see what needs to be used and what I can create with those leftovers. That is how this dish came to be.
I had two beautiful Heart of Gold winter squash from a friend's garden. They are very similar to an acorn squash. I had some leftover brown Basmati rice and carrots and cabbage that needed using.
Here is what I came up with !! Bob and I were amazed at how tasty this dish turned out.

Stuffed Baked Squash.
Cut open two squash and scoop the seed. Bake on a foil lined cookie sheet at 400 F for 30 to 40 minutes. You can use Acorn squash or any winter squash that has a big enough cavity to stuff.

Filling:
1 cup grated carrots
1/2 finely chopped cabbage
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 onion chopped
1- 2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp.fresh herbs: rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano finely chopped. This really made the dish. You can use dried as well.
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. sunflower seeds
1 tbsp. bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese ( optional)

Saute the onion in the olive oil, as it begins to soften add the carrots, cabbage and fresh herbs. Cook until the cabbage is soft and wilted.

In a bowl mix together the sauteed vegetables, brown rice, sunflower seeds, bread crumbs and salt.

Spoon the filling into the pre-baked squash.

Cover with foil and bake for 30 to 40 minutes at 375 F. Remove the foil and add the grated cheese, bake another 5 minutes. Serve !!

To make this dish vegan leave off the cheese, to make it gluten free forget the bread crumbs. No sunflower seeds on hand use whatever nuts or seeds you do have. Make it Asian by adding sesame oil, and soy sauce, make it Indian by adding some curry in place of the fresh herbs and add 1/2 raisins or currants. Instead of the brown rice, try quinoa or couscous. The possibilities are endless ;-)

Gift idea # 7 Chocolate Syrups and Caramel Sauce.

Yum, yum, that's what I have to say about these toppings. The caramel sauce is taken from a ginger cake recipe, you are supposed to pour it over the cake when it is warm. I found the sauce to be great by itself so I always made more than the recipe called for. People would lick their plates when I served it. It is simple to make and great to use on ice cream, or cake or on a spoon. This recipe yields a little less that 2 cups, feel free to double it.

Caramel Sauce
.    1 cup brown sugar, packed
.    1/2  butter
.    1/2 cup whipping cream
.    1/2  teaspoon sea salt

In a small saucepan, stir brown sugar, butter, whipping cream and salt over medium-high heat until mixture comes to a boil. 

Reduce heat to medium-low and stir until smooth, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
I like to use glass jars so that the sauce is easy to heat. It does need to be kept in the fridge, but it usually doesn't last very long !!


Chocolate Syrups !!

Here are two recipes for chocolate syrup. These syrups are very fun to serve on ice cream, to dress up a cake or in milk , coffee drinks or hot cocoa.

Chocolate Syrup # 1

This first one is from Alton Brown. It makes about 4 cups and is slightly more liquid than the second one. He calls for corn syrup but I am finding that agave works just as well.

Ingredients
    •    1 1/2 cups water
    •    3 cups sugar
    •    1 1/2 cups Dutch-processed cocoa
    •    1 tablespoon vanilla extract
    •    1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
    •    2 tablespoons light corn syrup( or agave)
Directions
In a medium size pot, bring water and sugar to a boil and whisk in cocoa, vanilla, salt, and corn or agave syrup.

Whisk until all of the solids have dissolved. Reduce sauce until slightly thickened.
Strain and cool to room temperature.

Chocolate Syrup # 2
This recipe is from David Lebovitz who writes about food and especially sweet from Paris.
I made this one first, it tends to be slightly thicker but when I tried Alton's I liked things about it too. This recipe makes about 2 cups.


Ingredients.
1 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup, agave nectar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the water, sugar, corn syrup or agave, and cocoa powder.

 

2. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Once it’s just begun to simmer and boil, remove from heat and stir in the chopped chocolate until melted.

 

Strain and cool to room temperature.

Pour into squeeze bottles. I used the agave and corn syrup bottles I had been saving. I used calendar images and plastic contact paper to cover them. You could also use glass bottles or jars.

Gift idea #6 Infused Vinegars and Oils

This is so simple it's almost embarrassing but people love these infused vinegars and oils.

This year I am making three different vinegars. I like to make fruit infused vinegars, they are light in flavor and make great salad dressings, the more common herb infused vinegars tend to a bit heavy or strong in flavor. You will notice that I don't put the fruit into the bottle, you can but it reduces the amount of vinegar and shortens the shelf life.

I find fun bottles online at Sunburst Bottles, local stores or use recycled ones, add a handmade label attached with raffia, voila, a great useful, easy and tasty gift !!


Cranberry Orange Vinegar

Ingredients:
1 cup fresh chopped cranberries
1 organic orange, sliced
1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar
4 cups of white wine vinegar

Place all the ingredients into a saucepan.

Bring to a boil, stir and reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit until cooled. Strain and bottle. Store in the fridge until you want to give it as a gift.

Strawberry Pineapple Guava Vinegar
I used my frozen strawberries and my fresh pineapple guavas. You can use frozen fruit from the store and pair it with something else if you like. I used apple cider vinegar in this recipe for a slightly mellower taste.

Ingredients:
1 cup frozen strawberries
2 sliced pineapple guavas
3 cups apple cider vinegar

Place all the ingredients into a saucepan.

Bring to a boil, stir, reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit until cooled. Strain and bottle. Store in the fridge until you want to give it as a gift.

Boysenberry Balsamic Vinegar
My sister was kind enough to share the frozen boysenberries from her summer harvest.
Pairing them with the balsamic vinegar should be great. You can use blackberries, olallieberries or even blueberries in this recipe. I had great success using dried pears one time.

Ingredients:
2 cups frozen boysenberries
3 cups balsamic vinegar

Place all the ingredients into a saucepan.
Bring to a boil,stir, reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit until cooled. Strain and bottle. Store in the fridge until you want to give it as a gift.

Infused olive oils are just as easy. My sister  loves the one I make with garlic, rosemary and lemon. I love the lime infused oil on greens or in salad dressing.