Tag: Cheese

Chicken and Mushroom Puff Pastry Bites

These make a great appetizer or meal full of savory flavors.

Chicken and Mushroom Puff Pastry Bites

Ingredients

  • 3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
  • 1/4 c. garlic, minced
  • 1/2 c. shallots, minced
  • 2 c. button mushrooms, minced
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 tsp. black pepper
  • 2 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
  • 1/2 tsp. mustard powder
  • 1 tsp. hot sauce
  • 1/2 c. salted butter, divided use
  • 2 tbs. all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 c. vegetable stock
  • 2 c. half and half
  • 1/4 c. fresh parsley, minced
  • 1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
  • Two 17.3 oz. Boxes prepared Puff pastry
  • 1 tbs. dried parsley
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder

Yields Approximately 2 Dozen Bites

Sauteed Vegetables

Melt 2 oz. of butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Season the chicken with the salt, pepper, rosemary, mustard powder, and hot sauce. Saute the chicken until cooked through. Set chicken aside. Melt an additional 1 oz. of butter in the skillet and saute the garlic, shallots, and mushrooms until tender and fragrant. Stir vegetables and chicken together and set aside.

Melt 2 oz. of butter in the skillet. Add the flour and stir to form roux. Cook roux until toasted and smells nutty. Add the vegetable stock and stir the roux into it. Add the half-and-half and cook the sauce until thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Add the fresh parsley and the parmesan cheese. Remove from heat. Mix the sauce with the chicken. Set aside.

Sauce

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease muffin tins. Melt the remaining butter and mix with the dried parsley and garlic powder. Break each box of Puff pastry into 12 rectangles. Place each rectangle of puff pastry into each cavity. Spoon filling into each cavity and pinch the puff pastry to seal the bite. Brush each bite with the melted butter mixture.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until the puff pastry is cooked through and golden brown.

Baked Raclette Mac+Cheese

This mac and cheese is topped with delicious, melty raclette cheese.

Baked Raclette Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. macaroni noodles, cooked and drained
  • 1 tbs. reserved pasta water
  • 1 tbs. salted butter
  • 1 tbs. minced garlic
  • 1 tbs. all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp. crushed rosemary
  • 1 tsp. mustard powder
  • 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp. hot sauce
  • 1/4 tsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 1 1/2 c. whole milk
  • 1/4 c. pecorino romano cheese, grated
  • 1 c. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 7 oz. raclette cheese, sliced

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place cooked noodles into a greased 9×13 baking pan. Set aside.

In a sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant and tender. Add the flour and stir to form roux. Cook the roux until lightly browned. Add the pasta water, salt, black pepper, rosemary, mustard powder, nutmeg, paprika, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, and milk. Cook the sauce, stirring frequently, until the sauc is reduced and will coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat.

Baked Raclette Mac and Cheese Sauce

Stir the sauce, pecorino romano cheese, and cheddar cheese with the macaroni noodles. Place the raclette cheese slices on top of the noodles.

Bake for 10-15 minutes until everything is warm and bubbly and the cheese is starting to brown.

Grandpa’s Tomato Zucchini Casserole

This is my grandpa’s recipe, it’s delicious and cheesy. The sauce is also great over pasta.

Grandpa’s Tomato Zucchini Casserole

Ingredients

  • 2 tbs. salted butter
  • 2 tbs. olive oil
  • 1 c. diced white onion
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. dried basil
  • 8 oz. tomato sauce
  • 1 large zucchini, sliced into 1/3 in. thick slices
  • 2 large tomatoes, sliced into 1/3 in. thick slices
  • 1 lb. mozzarella cheese, sliced into 1/4 in. thick slices
  • 4 tbs. grated parmesan cheese

Yields Approximately 8 servings

In a large saucepan, place zucchini and 1/2 c. of water. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered. Cook zucchini until tender but not mushy. Drain zucchini and set aside.

In a saucepan, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Cook the onion and garlic until golden. Add salt, pepper, basil, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 10 inch casserole dish.

Spoon half the tomato sauce into the casserole dish. Arrange the zucchini, tomato, and mozzarella slices in the dish, overlapping is fine. Spoon remaining sauce over the top. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese. Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Ham+Apple Quick Bread

These can be baked in loaf pans or in cupcake liners.

Ham+Apple Quick Bread Mini-Loaves

Ingredients

  • 1/2 c. canola oil
  • 1/4 c. light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 3/4 c. sour cream
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. dill
  • 1/4 tsp. crushed rosemary
  • 1/4 tsp. ground thyme
  • 1/4 tsp. dried parsley
  • 2 c. bread flour
  • 1 c. diced ham
  • 1 c. diced apple
  • 1/2 c. shredded Colby-Jack cheese
  • cupcake liners if making muffins
Ham+Apple Quick Bread Muffins

Yields Approximately 12 mini loaves or 1 1/2 dozen muffins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine canola oil, eggs, and brown sugar. Add sour cream and mix until mixture lighter in color and fluffy. In a bowl, stir together the baking powder, salt, spices, and flour. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Add the ham, apple, and cheese and mix to combine.

Place dough into greased mini-loaf pans or into cupcake-wrapper-lined muffin tin. Bake mini loaves for 23-25 minutes until lightly browned and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Bake muffins for 20-22 minutes until lightly browned and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Queso Dip

This is a quick and easy queso dip that also freezes really well.

Queso Dip

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1 tsp. Kosher salt
  • 1 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. chipotle chile powder
  • 1 tsp. ancho chile powder
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 1 tsp. hot sauce
  • 4 oz. can diced green chiles
  • 16 oz. can salsa
  • 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
  • Two 14 oz. cans of chili con carne chili
  • 8 oz. cream cheese, cut into smaller pieces c. shredded medium cheddar cheese
  • 1 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 c. shredded pepper jack cheese

Brown the ground beef with the kosher salt, black pepper, chipotle chile powder, ancho chile powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and hot sauce. Drain excess fat and set aside.

In a stock pot, mix together the green chiles, diced tomatoes, salsa, and chili over medium heat. Allow mixture to warm up, then add add the cream cheese, stirring to combine. Add the shredded cheeses, stirring to melt and combine. Add the ground beef and allow mixture to bubble slightly before serving. Be sure to stir frequently as the queso can stick and burn.

This can also be made in a slow-cooker, combining the ingredients over low heat and allowing the cream cheese and shredded cheese to melt fully after each addition.