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Posts Tagged ‘Cheddar cheese’

Corn-Cheese Mighty Muffins

Posted in About me, In The Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 7, 2015| Leave a Comment »

n-Cheese Mighty Muffins Sometimes in life, bigger is better. Imagine a muffin that’s larger than a teacup. That translates to more crunchy muffin top to enjoy and more tender muffin to savor. This recipe won’t disappoint. It’s big, versatile, and beautiful. And if you’re on the go, wrap one up and take it with you. Nothing’s better than a freshly-baked muffin to munch on while you’re in transit.

Corn-Cheese Mighty Muffins
Sunset Magazine, October 1986

INGREDIENTS
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup sugar
3½ teaspoons baking powder
1 cup (4 oz.) firmly packed shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup milk
1 large egg
1/4 cup (1/8 lb.) butter or margarine, melted

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl, mix flour, cornmeal, sugar, and baking powder.

2. Reserve 2 tablespoons of cheese: stir remaining cheese into flour mixture.

3. Form a well in center of flour mixture.

4. In a small bowl, beat to blend milk, egg, and butter; pour into well in flour mixture. Stir just until lightly blended; batter should be lumpy.

5. Spoon batter equally into 4 greased 6-ounce custard cups (set cups at least 2 inches apart on a shallow baking pan) or 6 greased muffin cups 2½ to 2¾ inches in diameter (fill alternate muffin cups); cups will be heaping full.

6. Sprinkle reserved cheese evenly over muffins.

7. Bake filled custard cups in a 375°F oven, filled muffin cups in a 400° oven, until browned and a slender wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes for custard cup-size muffins, 25 to 30 minutes for smaller ones.

8. Let cool about 5 minutes. Remove muffins from cups or pans and serve hot or warm.

Makes 4 mighty or 6 large muffins.

LINNELL’S NOTES
1. The sprinkling of cheddar cheese on top gives these muffins an extra nice crunch.

2. I added some finely minced ham (leftover from Easter) into the batter just after adding the liquid components. This is a versatile recipe: you could also add corn kernels, chopped green chilies, or even bacon. Take some creative liberty!

3. Do not over-stir the batter. It’s okay for the batter to have lumps. Too much stirring overdevelops the gluten in the flour which can result in tough and rubbery muffins.

4. Grease the top rims of the custard cups or muffin tins. This will help the muffins release more easily from the cups, especially as they rise and bake over the edges.

5. All ovens vary in temperature and heat distribution. Be careful not to over bake muffins or else they will be dry.

Enjoy!

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Cheddar and Poppy Seed Bread Sticks

Posted in About me, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 17, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Cheddar and Poppy Seed Bread Sticks “Dessert, Ma’am?” the waiter asked. “Oh, no thanks. I already had it,” I replied. Noticing his puzzled look, I explained how I used up my dessert calories by eating three of the most addicting bread sticks I’d ever eaten in my life. Smiling knowingly, he looked at me and said, “I understand.” Let me explain: there are bread sticks and then there are THESE bread sticks. Cheesy, buttery, crunchy, and with just a slight amount of kick these bread sticks make a perfect accompaniment for a salad or a bowl of soup.

Cheddar and Poppy Seed Bread Sticks
Cooking With Cafe Pasqual’s

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
1 large organic egg
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1-1/8 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1/2 teaspoon medium-hot chile powder

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Put the butter and cheese into the bowl of an electric mixer. Use the paddle attachment to combine. When well incorporated, scrape the paddle attachment and replace with the dough hook attachment.

3. Add the egg and mix, then add the heavy cream and mix again to combine all.

4. With the machine running on low, slowly add the flour, then the poppy seeds and chile powder. Leave the mixture on for 15 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

5. Remove the dough from the mixer and knead by hand on a floured surface for one minute. Re-flour the work surface and roll the dough into a log shape, then flatten the log.

6. Flour the work surface again. Use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough into a large rectangle 12 by 16 inches by 1/4-inch thick. Trim the edges with a pizza cutter to make them straight, then cut strips lengthwise 1/2-inch thick in width.

7. Place parchment paper on 3 baking sheets and carefully transfer the bread sticks, 12 to each pan. Bake for 20 minutes, until the sticks are just lightly browned.

8. Remove and let cool completely before carefully transferring the sticks to a serving container.

Makes 3 dozen bread sticks

LINNELL’S NOTES
1. Cafe Pasqual’s uses a multi-wheel cutter which makes it easy to cut the bread sticks evenly. Not having one of those cutters, I washed and floured my metal yardstick. Pressing against the yardstick, I was able to cut straight lines in the dough with my pizza cutter. Cheddar and Poppy Seed Bread Sticks

2. I got 18 bread sticks and a dozen 2-inch crackers out of one recipe. Next time I will double the recipe.

3. The author states, “The dough may be made a day in advance of baking, if it is tightly wrapped with plastic wrap for storage in the refrigerator.”

Enjoy!

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Bacon and Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese

Posted in About me, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 29, 2013| 1 Comment »

Bacon and Cheddar Macaroni & CheeseSometimes in life you have to color outside the lines, tell little white lies, or bend rules. It’s near impossible to toe the line all of the time. I experienced a moment like this, just the other day. Feeling cold and a little blue, I made Bacon and Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese for dinner. Without regret, I devoured a bowl of corkscrew pasta and crispy bits of bacon gliding in a sinfully rich and creamy cheese sauce. My house smelled incredible and my stomach bulged with happiness. So, yes, sometimes in life you have to choose comfort food over healthy food!

Bacon and Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese
Mother’s Best: Comfort Food That Takes You Home Again by Lisa Schroeder and Danielle Centoni

INGREDIENTS
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for salting the pasta water
1 pound fusilli (corkscrew) or other pasta
3/4 pound bacon, diced (about 1 cup cooked)
3 cups heavy cream
2 cups firmly packed shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (about 1/2 pound)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup sour cream, for garnish
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions, (white and green parts), for garnish

DIRECTIONS
1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Salt it generously (it should taste like the sea). Stir in the pasta and cook according to the package directions. Drain (but don’t rinse, or you’ll rinse away starches that will help thicken the sauce) and return to the empty pot.

2. Meanwhile, place a large sauté pan over high heat for several minutes. When hot, add the bacon and sauté until browned and crispy (lower the heat to medium-high if necessary to prevent scorching), about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and, using a slotted spoon or spatula, remove the bacon from the pan and drain on paper towels.

3. Pour off the fat from the pan (into a metal can or heatproof cup) and return the pan to medium-high heat. Add the heavy cream and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat to medium and continue to simmer until the cream is reduced slightly, about 3 minutes.

4. Add the Cheddar cheese and bacon. Stir well and cook over medium-high heat, stirring now and then, until the cheese has melted and the mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper.

5. Stir the sauce into the cooked and drained pasta in the pot. Place over medium heat and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes to thicken the sauce and allow the pasta to absorb the flavors, stirring now and then.

6. Serve in individual bowls topped with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of sliced scallions.

Serves 4 to 6 servings

LINNELL’S NOTES
1. I used Rotini pasta.

2. Although the bacon starts off crispy, it does not stay that way after soaking in the sauce. It does, however, lend a nice chewy texture to the dish.

3. I did not add the 1 teaspoon of salt as stated in the recipe. I waited until after the dish was completed, to see if any additional salt was necessary. Whether you add additional salt or not will depend on the saltiness of the bacon you use.

4. This dish did not fare well as a leftover, due to separation of the fat.

5. Thinking this recipe was plenty rich, I did not serve it with the optional sour cream garnish.

6. The authors of the cookbook offer this variation:
Lorraine Mac & Cheese
You can easily change up this recipe by using the classic flavors of a quiche Lorraine for inspiration. You just have to add caramelized onions and substitute Swiss cheese for the Cheddar.

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons grease from the cooked bacon. Add 2 cups of finely sliced yellow onions and sauté over medium heat until soft, brown and caramelized, about 20 minutes. Pour in 3 cups of cream and continue with the recipe (step 3), substituting firmly packed shredded Gruyère or Swiss cheese for the Cheddar.

If you have cooked, crumbled bacon and caramelized onions on hand, the recipe is even easier. When stirring the cheese into the reduced cream, just add 1 cup bacon crumbles and 1/2 cup caramelized onions, too. Then proceed with the recipe.

ENJOY!

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