Tag Archives: cheese

Soups and Stews

Sopa de Tortilla

  • 4 corn tortillas, cut in strips and crisped in hot oil
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 2 T tomato paste
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 chiles anchos, dried, whole
  • 1/2 t cumin
  • Cooked beans
  • Sliced avocado
  • Grated cheese
  • Chopped onion
  • Chopped fresh cilantro

Combine broth, tomato paste, garlic, bay, cumin and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Place 1 chile ancho and some of the fried tortillas and beans in each of four soup bowls. Pour broth on top. Top with grated cheese.

Serve with avocado, onion, cilantro, and extra cheese and beans on the side.

Cat by Kati
Cat by Kati
Vegetables and Salads

Hungarian Stuffed Potatoes

Hungarian Stuffed Potatoes (Töltött burgonya)

Recipe from Az Ìnyesmester Szakácskônyve (The Expert’s Cookbook)

Ingredients for Hungarian Stuffed Potatoes

  • 12-14 large potatoes
  • 3-4 oz. ground bacon
  • Salt
  • 4 oz. grated cheese
  • Breadcrumbs
  • Butter

Bake the potatoes. Cut in half and scoop out the pulp. Mix the potato pulp with the ground bacon. Season with salt and add grated cheese. Stuff the potatoes with this mixture.

Sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake in a hot oven until golden.

Vegetables and Salads

Caesar Salad (Ensalada Cesar)

The classic Caesar salad as we know it: romaine lettuce tossed with oil, eggs, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and other seasonings. Anchovies are optional.

Ingredients for Caesar Salad

  • 2 T olive oil
  • 1 clove chopped garlic
  • 8 leaves romaine lettuce
  • 1/4 cup croutons
  • 3 T Parmesan cheese
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 2 T red wine vinegar
  • 1 T Worcestershire sauce
  • dash Tabasco sauce
  • 2 T capers (optional)
  • 1 T lemon juice
  • black pepper
  • anchovy fillets to taste (optional)

Crush garlic and oil together. Add anchovies and capers and mash together well. Add egg yolks, then Worcestershire, lemon, Tabasco, vinegar. Mix well and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Toss with lettuce. Top with croutons and Parmesan. Serves 2

The Caesar Salad is said to have been created by Caesar Cardini (or his staff) in his Tijuana restaurant in 1924.

According to Rosa Cardini, the original Caesar salad […] did not contain pieces of anchovy; the slight anchovy flavor comes from the Worcestershire sauce. Cardini was opposed to using anchovies in his salad

Wikipedia contributors. “Caesar salad.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 15 Apr. 2016. Web. 15 Apr. 2016.

Meatless Main Dishes

Eggplant Casserole

  • 1 large eggplant
  • 1 bunch spinach
  • 3-4 Italian tomatoes
  • 1/2 container cottage cheese
  • 1 cup grated mozzarella
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan
  • 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 1 slice onion, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 green pepper, thinly sliced
  • Olive oil
  • Oregano, fresh basil
  • Salt and pepper
  • Breadcrumbs
  • Parsley, chopped

Slice eggplant and salt. Let drain on paper towels for 15 to 30 minutes. Press to remove excess moisture.

Cook spinach for 5 minutes in salted water and drain. Sauté mushrooms, onion, garlic and green pepper lightly in olive oil. In ovenproof dish, layer eggplant, tomatoes, mushroom mix, cottage cheese and 3/4 cup of the mozzarella. Sprinkle basil and oregano on each layer. Season to taste. May add 1/4 cup thick white sauce if desired. Top with breadcrumbs, remainder of mozzarella and Parmesan. Place in 350ºF oven for about 20 minutes.

Meat and Poultry

Chicken Spaghetti

This is Loretta’s Chicken Spaghetti recipe. I’d neither heard of nor eaten Chicken Spaghetti before knowing Loretta.  She brought it into the family and it stayed. Chicken Spaghetti also brought Velveeta processed cheese into focus, as it seems Chicken Spaghetti is nigh on impossible to make without it.

I no longer eat chicken or cheese or any dairy products, much less “processed cheese.” By extension, Chicken Spaghetti no longer forms part of my diet. However, the recipe does remain!

Chicken Spaghetti Ingredients

  • 1 4-lb. chicken
  • 2 boxes spaghetti
  • 1 can chicken broth plus water
  • 1/2 lb. butter
  • 1 chopped green pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • Salt, pepper, paprika,
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 chopped onion
  • 1 large can tomatoes
  • 1 can mushroom soup
  • 6 sliced pitted black olives
  • 1 lb. process cheese
  • 1/4 cup split almonds
  • 3 T Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup chicken broth

Cook chicken. Skim fat, bone and chop the meat. Cook spaghetti in broth with extra water. Set aside. Saute green pepper, garlic, salt, pepper, paprika and onion in butter. Add to spaghetti. Add tomatoes, mushroom soup and Worcestershire. Add chicken and simmer for a few minutes.

Remove from fire and chill overnight. Place in a baking dish, layered with process cheese and olives. Top with almonds and Parmesan. Pour on extra broth and bake until hot and crusty on top

Vegetables and Salads

Elote con Queso

A Mexican corn and cheese casserole with a zing of fresh green chiles.

Elote Con Queso Ingredients

2-1/2 cups corn kernels (from about 5 ears)
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 lb Manchego cheese, cubed or grated
1/4 lb. cheddar cheese, cubed or grated
4 fresh green chiles (serranos, for example), seeded and chopped
3 tbsp sugar
9 eggs
3 cups heavy cream
1 tbsp salt

Heat oven to 250º F. Butter an ovenproof 3-quart baking dish.

In a blender, break down corn kernels slightly. Mix with cheese, chiles, sugar, and baking powder.

Whisk together eggs and cream. Add to corn mixture with salt.

Pour into baking dish. Bake until just set, 45-55 minutes. Serve immediately. 12 servings.

Corn cobs

 

Eggs and Cheese

Fried Cheese

Cut any hard white cheese, or Gouda, Gruyere, or cheddar, into cubes. Roll cubes in flour. Fry cheese cubes in very hot oil or butter. Serve with a squeeze of lemon on top, and with bread.

Variation: Fried eggs and cheese

Dip 1 thick slice of cheese in flour. Fry in hot butter or oil. When it begins to bubble, break 1 egg over it and continue to cook until white is set. Season with salt and pepper.

Meatless Main Dishes

Pesto Tortellini with Chard

Lighten up your pesto tortellini by combining it with a bed of lightly steamed Swiss chard.

  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves
  • 1/4 cup parsley
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 T toasted pine nuts
  • 2 large cloves garlic
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 T Parmesan cheese
  • 1 package fresh tortellini
  • 1 bunch Swiss chard
  • Parmesan cheese

Blend together basil, parsley, oil, 2 T Pine nuts, garlic and 1 T Parmesan to make the pesto sauce.

Chop chard slightly and steam till tender. Drain.

Cook tortellini in hot water until al dente and toss with pesto sauce.

Spread chard on plates, mound the pesto-dressed tortellini on top and sprinkle with the remaining pine nuts.

Serve with extra Parmesan on the side.

Tortellini

Meatless Main Dishes

Basque Spinach

  • 1-1/3 cups grated Swiss cheese
  • 3 cups spinach braised in stock
  • 1 lb. potatoes
  • 1 T anchovy paste mixed with 4 tbsp. softened butter and 1/8 tsp. pepper
  • 3 T dried bread crumbs
  • 2 T melted butter

Mix 1/2 cup cheese with spinach. Peel potatoes and cut into 1/8″ thick slices. Boil in salted water 5-6 minutes. Drain. Spread half of the potatoes in bottom of baking dish, cover with 1/2 of anchovy mix. Spread half of the spinach over the potatoes. Repeat layers. Spread 1/3 cup grated cheese mixed with bread crumbs over top and pour on melted butter. Bake 30 minutes at 375ºF until browned.

Basque Spinach
The anchovies make the difference.
Meatless Main Dishes

Zucchini and Eggs

Calabacitas con huevo

  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 2 cups chopped zucchini or summer squash
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 1 cup fresh grated Parmesan, Gruyere or Manchego cheese

Heat butter, add zucchini, cover and cook 10 minutes. Drain. Season with salt and pepper. Place in a skillet. Beat eggs with water and combine with cheese. Pour over the zucchini, mix gently, and cook until eggs are set. This can also be done in the oven.