Posts Tagged ‘cheese’
happy halloween! (pumpkin cheese ball, bacon-wrapped squash bites, dark and stormy punch)
**sings** It’s the most… wonderful time… of the yeaaar!
Okaaay I know that’s actually a Christmas song but it’s far more appropriate for me to sing it during Halloween. This weekend/day fills me with more joy than almost anything else and I decided to celebrate this year with a nice little shindig in my apt. Not as much of a production as my Oscar party, but still just as fun. I wanted to keep the food simple, seasonal, and a little on the playful side, so I whipped up a delicious cheese ball and some finger foods (not literally), and a deliciously spicy and sinful punch. Everything was pretty easy and left plenty of time to focus on my costume… which was one of the most ambitious things I’ve ever done.
I’m a Lichtenstein painting!
Happy Halloween, everyone!
buttermilk cheddar biscuits
These are biscuits that will drag your tush out of bed on a Sunday morning.
Ok, maybe not on a Sunday morning (more like an afternoon for me), but still, they’re pretty damn tasty. Homemade biscuits are just one of those wonderful things that uses all cold ingredients (no waiting for butter to come to room temp) and comes together so quickly, you should always make them fresh. As much as I love plain buttermilk biscuits, throwing in a few handfuls of shredded sharp cheddar cheese only makes them better. So grab some buttermilk at the store in the next few days and whip these up on Sunday… whenever you manage to get out of bed.
spinach manicotti
This is my lazy way of sating my lasagna craving. I can rarely resist a cheesy-red sauce pasta desire but the idea of making a whole lasagna just for me made me groan in laziness, so I decided to take the easy way out. You still get the ricotta and parmesan flavors, the red sauce, the thick noodles, and there’s even the added health bonus of some chopped spinach, except it all comes together in about an hour.
Since the ingredients list is so small be sure to use the best of the best here. Freshly grated parm, quality ricotta, etc. I bought my marinara from a local gourmet grocer that does it fresh on site for their pizza making kits. Also, bee sure to season your cheese filling liberally – don’t be shy with the salt shaker!
crostini with ricotta & goat cheese spread
I love having guests. Whether it be for an evening or a weekend, taking care of those temporarily staying at my place has always been a favorite past time. During high school my nickname was “The Hostess with the Mostest” for my love of party-throwing and general affection to having people stay at my house. In college I found myself cooking for our newspaper’s fellow staff workers and making dinners every weekend at my friends’ apartments. Now, being the grownup I am (/sarcasm), I get to entertain guests staying at my apartment!
My oldest sister D visited me last weekend for a little overnight getaway and I had this delicious and light appetizer waiting for when she arrived. Creamy ricotta mixed with pungent goat cheese and lemon zest spread on garlic toasts. Something great to nosh on while she freshened up after her car ride but not too filling with the knowledge we’d be going out to dinner in a few hours. Not too fancy but the perfect thing to make your guest feel special.
cheddar crackers
Well, hey there! Long time, no real post. I am finally back up and running, however, so here we go!
My new job is amazing and everything I wanted it to be, but one of the side effects of testing and developing recipes is, well, being full from eating all day. I don’t eat real dinners or bake for the office too often now, but I do like to snack, and these fit that craving just perfectly. They’re also great to set out for munchies during any kind of gathering, which I did for a mini housewarming soiree this weekend.
These cheddar crackers are akin to Cheez-Its, Cheese Nips, Goldfish Crackers, etc, etc, but far yummier and more fun to make. You can really add anything to change up the flavor profile once you get the basic dough down, such as sprinkling them with sesame seeds, using other cheeses, or adding fresh herbs. They’re addictive and easy and oh-so-delicious, even after a day of eating, I’ll still eat them by the handful.
