Game Day Queso

Today is game day and one of the items on our menu is my absolute favorite! I actually dream about queso. Ya it's that bad. Here is my take on this cheesy dip. I hope you all are having a fun day. Go Packers!!

Ingredients

1 Tbs. Canola oil

1/2 white onion, finely chopped

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped

12 oz extra sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

4 oz monterey jack cheese

4 oz Velveeta American cheese, cut into cubes

2/3 cup of milk

1 tomato, seeded and diced

Directions

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over med/high heat. Add diced onion and jalapeno to the pan and cook. Cook until onion is translucent. Reduce heat to med/low, add all of your cheese and your milk. Whisk until cheese is completely melted. Mix in the tomato, reserving a few cubes to garnish. If your queso is to thick add additional milk until it reaches the desired consistency. Serve Immediately.

Enjoy!

Garlic Knots

These little garlic knots are heavenly. You have to be a garlic lover though and I totally am. You can never have too much garlic! These knots are easy to make especially if you cheat and use Whole Foods pre made pizza dough. I love Whole Foods dough it is the perfect elasticity, chewy and full of flavor.

Ingredients

1 lb. of prepared pizza dough, thawed (Whole Foods) or you can use my dough recipe, pizza dough

8 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup, plus 2 Tbs. olive oil

1 tsp. dried parsley

Kosher salt to taste

A dash of garlic salt

1 Tbs. of freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 425˙. Lightly grease a muffin tin. I use olive oil or soft butter for this. Cut pizza dough into 12 pieces, roll gently with the palms of your hands to create a slight ball and place one ball in each muffin tin. Divide all but 3-4 cloves of garlic among the pieces of dough, pressing the garlic into the centers of the dough. Drizzle with 1/4 cup olive oil and bake in the oven until golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes. While the dough bakes, heat remaining oil, garlic, and parsley over low heat in a small pan. Do not simmer. Toss your baked garlic knots in prepared garlic oil, in large bowl. Season with kosher salt and a dash of garlic salt. Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan. Serve hot!

Enjoy!

Bruschetta

This recipe is one of my Spring favorites! I could easily be a herbivore. I love the pungent fresh flavors this appetizer offers. The smell of ripe tomatoes is the best, I wish I could bottle this divine smell. I often serve bruschetta for a light dinner, along side a good red wine, a perfect combonation.

Ingredients

1 loaf of fresh french bread, sliced thick

3 to 4 ripe red tomatoes, chopped

1 bunch of fresh basil, chopped

1 large ball of fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced

good olive oil

good balsamic vinegar

2 whole garlics, roasted

sea salt and fresh cracked pepper

Directions

Roast your garlic, set aside to cool. •Roasted Garlic Recipe• Slice your french bread into thick slices and place on cookie sheet. Place in oven on broil and brown both sides of your bread. Be careful your bread will burn quickly on broil. Take you bread out of the oven and set aside. Chop your tomatoes, basil, and slice your cheese. On a big platter assemble your bread slices in one single layer. Once your roasted garlic has cooled take all the caramelized cloves out of the garlic paper. Lightly smear the roasted garlic gloves onto the toasted bread without crushing your bread. Lay a slice of cheese over each slice of bread. Top with your tomatoes and fresh basil. Drizzle generously with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

Dinner Rolls

I have come to the realization that bread making is an art. But, with lots and lots of practice light fluffy melt in your mouth bread can be achieved, and nothing is better than it's homemade goodness! Here is a great recipe that makes any meal complete.

Ingredients

1 package of active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water

1 cup of whole milk

2 Tbs. sugar

2 lrg. eggs at room temperature

plus one egg beaten

6 Tbs. unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 1/2 cups of all purpose flour, plus extra for kneading

2 tsp. salt

Directions

In a stand mixer dissolve the yeast in warm water and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the milk and sugar, 2 eggs, butter, flour and salt. Make sure you are using a dough hook on your mixer. Knead on low speed. Add a little more flour only if the dough is sticking to the sides of your mixer. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. 5 to 7 minutes. The dough should be soft but not sticky. Remove the dough from the mixer bowl. Form the dough into a ball, transfer to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size. 1 to 2 hours. Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a clean work surface. Cut the dough in half with a sharp knife. Cut each half into eight equal pieces. Roll each piece against the work surface into a round ball. Place each ball into your prepared pan. Cover dough with a damp kitchen towel and let them rise until puffy and pillow soft when gently squeezed. 30 to 40 minutes. Preheat oven to 400˙position oven rack to the lower third of the oven. Brush the rolls lightly with the beaten egg. Bake until puffed and golden brown20 to 25 minutes. Serve hot!

Enjoy!

Blackberries & Brie

This is one of my daughters favorite appetizers, she gets all excited when I make this. The warm Brie and sweet preserves makes a perfect contrasting combo. Served warm or cold this cheese is mild and pleasing. Perfect for your holiday parties.

Ingredients

1 large round of Aloutte Brie Cheese

3 Tbs. of Blackberry jam

Fresh blackberries

Crackers

Directions

Carefully slice the top rind off your round of cheese, without wasting to much cheese. Although the rind itself is edible, I do this so the cheese can ooze and bubble up and melt together with the jam. Place round in the center of a pie plate. Dollop 3 tablespoons of blackberry jam in the center of your cheese round. sprinkle fresh blackberries on the top.

Bake at 400˙until cheese is bubbly and brown on top. Serve with crackers.

Enjoy!

Fall Roasted Almonds

Fall is my favorite time of year. Warm sweaters and crisp jeans are a must. Nothing quite tops the fragrant smell of roasted almonds on a cool fall day.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 Tbsp. water
1/4 tsp. cumin, ground
1/4 tsp. cayenne, ground
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups raw with skin whole almonds

Directions

Roast almonds dry in a nonstick skillet until fragrant. Remove nuts from skillet to a bowl. In a separate bowl combine seasonings w/ brown sugar, water and melted butter, mix. Add mixture to to med heated pan cook stirring constantly to a caramelization. Add nuts to pan stir to coat the nuts evenly. Remove nuts from pan to a lined cookie sheet to cool.

Enjoy!

Roasted Garlic Ⓥ

I thought I would start thing off with a simple yet so delectable recipe. Garlic is a staple in my home, I use it in a lot of my cooking. I love the rich robust flavor.

Roasted Garlic is a classic with many versatile uses like, spreading on toasted bread, using in pasta dishes or a great pizza topping. Roasted garlic also has homeopathic purposes.

Ingredients

• 1 whole garlic

• good olive oil

• tin foil

Directions

Trim the tippy top off the whole garlic, place on a sheet of tin foil. Curl tin foil around garlic. Pour a good olive oil over the top. Place in a baking dish and bake at 375˙ for 1 hour or until caramelized. Let cool and peel paper from your cloves. Garlic should be pasty and spreadable.

Enjoy!