Endive Boats filled with Goat Cheese
1 pound soft fresh goat cheese
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 lemon zested and squeezed
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
8 long slender heads of Belgian endive
Very small fresh cilantro sprigs (for garnish)
6 grape tomatoes, cut crosswise into very thin slices, slices halved (for garnish)
• Using on/off turns, blend goat cheese, olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and lemon peel in food processor just until smooth and creamy.
• Transfer mixture to medium bowl.
• Stir in chopped cilantro and chives.
• Season cheese mixture to taste with salt and pepper.
• Cover and refrigerate until cold.
• If desired, transfer cheese mixture to pastry bag fitted with small plain tip.
Cook’s Note: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.
• Cut off and discard root ends of endive.
• Separate leaves.
• Cut cores, with some smaller leaves still attached, crosswise into thin strips.
• Toss sliced endive with remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice in large bowl to coat. Arrange sliced endive on large platter.
• Pipe or spoon about 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese mixture at wide end of each endive leaf.
Place 1 very small sprig cilantro and tomato slice atop each.
Arrange leaves in concentric circles atop sliced endive.
Cook’s Note: Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill.
Yield: 60 pieces.
Brushcetta with Framer’s Cheese and Tomato
8 ounces fresh farmer’s cheese
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
1 teaspoon salt, plus more for bread
1/3 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, plus more for bread and garnish
8 slices French baguette, sliced 1/2-inch thick
Olive oil, for drizzling
6 whole cloves garlic
8 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1. Place cheese, basil, and lemon zest in a food processor and process until smooth.
2. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and pulse 2 times to incorporate.
3. Heat grill to high.
4. Brush bread with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and rub with garlic cloves.
5. Grill bread on each side for 1 minute or until slightly charred.
6. Spread each slice with some of the farmer’s cheese mixture and top with tomato and more cracked black pepper.
Serves 4
Cheesecake with Berries
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 1/2 pounds farmer cheese or neuchafel cheese
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
4 eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
Assorted berries
Powdered sugar
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Butter bottom and sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan.
3. Place cracker crumbs in pan.
4. Rotate pan to coat bottom and sides.
5. Blend cheese in processor until creamy.
6. Add sugar and butter and process until smooth.
7. Add eggs 1 at a time, processing until blended after each addition.
8. Add sour cream, vanilla, cornstarch and lemon peel; process until smooth.
9. Pour cheese mixture into graham cracker-lined pan.
10. Bake cheesecake until filling is set, about 1 hour 10 minutes.
11. Transfer to rack and cool completely. Chill 4 hours.
12. Cut around sides of pan to loosen cheesecake.
13. Remove pan sides.
14. Arrange berries over top of cheesecake.
15. Sift powdered sugar on top.
Makes: 10 servings.
Note: Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover; keep chilled.
Cheese Chili Bites
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon hot chili powder
1 lg pinch cayenne pepper
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup cheddar cheese — finely grate
1 egg — beaten
1 tablespoon water — cold
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Preheat oven to 400:. Sift flour, salt and spices into a bowl. Cut in butter finely until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add grated cheese and mix well. Mix egg with cold water. Add 2 tablespoons of egg mixture to cheese mixture and mix to form a fairly stiff dough. Knead gently on a lightly floured surface. Roll out dough to a 12×6″ rectangle. Trim edges. Cut in half lengthwise and transfer to a baking sheet. Brush each half with remaining egg mixture. Sprinkle 1 half with sesame seeds and the other half with poppy seeds. Cut each half in 10 triangles and separate slightly to prevent sticking. Bake in preheated oven 10-12 minutes or until light golden and cooked through. Cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.
Black and Blue Olives
6 ounces jumbo ripe olives — canned, pitted
3 ounces blue cheese
3 ounces cream cheese — softened
2 teaspoons minced parsley
2 tablespoons dry sherry
Drain olives. Using a fork, combine blue cheese, cream cheese, parsley and sherry into a smooth paste. Using a pastry bag or the tip of a small knife, fill the olives with the cheese mixture. Chill.
Serves 10 to 12
SPICY CHICKEN WINGS
1 lg. can Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. oregano
4 tbsp. parsley
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 stick margarine
4-5 lbs. chicken wings
Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Melt margarine in small pan. Cut up chicken wings. Discard tips. Mix all dry ingredients in bowl. Dunk chicken wings in margarine and roll in cheese mixture. Place on cookie sheet. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 1 hour. Serve warm.
Fruit and Cheese Pockets
1/2 cup cottage cheese, lowfat
1/2 c lowfat cheddar cheese — diced
1 Kiwi fruit — peeled and quartered
1/4 cup pineapple tidbits in juice — drained
1 tablespoon chives — snipped
lettuce leaves 1 Large pita bread — split in half
In a small bowl stir together cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, kiwifruit, pineapple tidbits and chives. To serve, place lettuce leaves in pita halves. Spoon the fruit and cheese mixture into pitas. Makes 2 servings.
1/2 cup strawberries may be subsituted for the kiwi fruit and green onion may be subsituted for the chives.
Deviled Walleye Fillets
1 sm Onion, very finely diced
1 1/2 tb Dijon mustard
3 tb Lemon juice
1 ts Soy sauce
1/2 sm Green pepper, chopped Salt and pepper
1/2 c Bread crumbs
1 pn Cayenne or dash of
1/4 lb Butter (1 stick) Tabasco
1/2 c Grated provolone
2 lb Walleye fillets
Saute the onion and green pepper in the butter until soft, then add mustard, soy sauce, cayenne, and lemon juice. Stir in crumbs and cheese. Salt and pepper the fillets, lay them on foil broiler liner, and broil for 5 minutes about 4 inches from the flame. Turn the fish, cover evenly with the bread-vegetable-cheese mixture, and broil another 6-8 minutes. Serve.
Tiramisu
Serving Size: 8
Preparation Time: 0:11
2/3 cup sifted powdered sugar
8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese (1 package)
1 1/2 cups frozen reduced-calorie whipped topping thawed and divided
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
3 egg whites
1/2 cup hot water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon instant espresso coffee granules
2 tablespoons Kahlua or other coffee-flavored liqueur
20 ladyfingers
1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa
Combine powdered sugar and cream cheese in a bowl, and beat at high speed of a mixer until well-blended. Gently fold 1 cup whipped topping into the cheese mixture.
Combine 1/2 cup sugar and next 2 ingredients in the top of a double boiler; place over simmering water. Beat at high speed of a mixer until stiff peaks form. Gently stir one-fourth of egg white mixture into cheese mixture. Gently fold in remaining egg white mixture; set aside.
Combine hot water and next 3 ingredients; stir well. Split the ladyfingers in half lengthwise. Arrange 20 ladyfinger halves, cut sides up, in the bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish. Drizzle half of the espresso mixture over ladyfinger halves. Spread half of cheese mixture over ladyfinger halves; repeat procedure with the remaining ladyfinger halves, espresso mixture, and cheese mixture. Spread remaining 1/2 cup whipped topping evenly over cheese mixture; sprinkle with cocoa.
Place one toothpick in each corner and in center of Tiramisu to prevent plastic wrap from sticking to whipped topping; cover with plastic wrap. Chill 2 hours. Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 [4 x 2-inch] piece).
Notes: Try freezing Tiramisu for two hours before serving so it will cut cleanly.
Per serving: 411 Calories; 21g Fat (47% calories from fat); 8g Protein; 46g Carbohydrate; 166mg Cholesterol; 162mg Sodium
Cheese And Artichoke Fondue
1−1/2 cups diced processed American cheese
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon all−purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1−1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/4 cup roasted red peppers, drained and diced
Mix American cheese, milk, Worcestershire sauce, flour and mustard in a 3−quart saucepan. Cook over medium−low heat, stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted. Stir in Cheddar cheese until melted. Stir in artichoke hearts and bell peppers. Transfer cheese mixture to fondue pot. Keep warm over low flame. Serve with dippers.
Cheesy Broiled Flounder
Ingredients
2 pounds flounder, or white fish
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup parmesian cheese
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 each green onions, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 dash red pepper sauce, aka Tabasco®
Directions:
Place fillets in a single layer on a greased, shallow oven-to-table type broiler pan; brush with lemon juice.
Combine next 6 ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Broil fillets 4 to 6 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
Remove from oven; spread with cheese mixture. Broil an additional 30 seconds or until cheese is lightly browned and bubbly.
Garnish with lemon twists and parsley if desired.
Appetizer Cheese Ball
8ounces Cream Cheese — Room Temp.
4ounces Blue Cheese — Crumbled
4ounces Cheddar Cheese — Shredded
2teaspoons Mustard — Dijon-style
1teaspoonWorcestershire Sauce
1/8 teaspoonGarlic Powder
1/4 teaspoonSalt
1/2 cup Pecans — Finely Chopped
2/3 cup Currants
3/4 cup Parsley – Chopped
—–DIPPERS—–
Assorted Crackers
Apple Wedges
Place the cream cheese, blue cheese, cheddar cheese, mustard, Worcestershire, garlic powder, and salt in a mixer bowl and beat at low speed just until well mixed. Stir in the pecans and currants.
Taste and adjust seasoning. Refrigerate the cheese mixture for 30 minutes or until slightly firm, then shape into a ball. Roll in the chopped parsley to coat well.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. Let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. Place on a platter surrounded with crackers and apple wedges.