a little of each

A family's cookbook

Feta Dip November 10, 2013

Filed under: Appetizers — alittlemoreofeach @ 8:47 pm
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If you love feta cheese like I love feta cheese – truly, madly, deeply, having once wondered if it could be made into a palatable ice cream flavor – this recipe is for you.  Garlic, salty, cheesey goodness that is balanced by fresh vegetables for dipping.  I am not exaggerating when I say that this dip had offers of dates and intimate bathing experiences when it was  recently served.  You’ve been warned.  And you can thank me later.

Ingredients

4 oz block of feta cheese

1-2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 Tbl Greek seasoning

1/3 cup sour cream, more or less to taste

3 Tbl mayonnaise

Directions

Chop feta into smallish crumbles. Blend with the rest of the ingredients.  Serve with pita crackers, or cucumber, red pepper, zucchini crudites. It’s probably best served after chilling for an hour, allowing the flavors to blend.

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(But I Don’t Like) Pimento Cheese May 15, 2013

Filed under: Appetizers,Sandwiches — alittlemoreofeach @ 2:23 pm
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Adapted from a recipe from the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina.

Ingredients

8 oz block white cheddar, shredded
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 – 4 oz chopped pimento (depending how much you like or dislike the red stuff)
1 – 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Mix all the ingredients together, by hand or with a mixer.  Chill.  bring to room temp before serving.  Serve on thinly sliced pieces of sour dough bread, toasted if desired.  Can also be used as a sandwich spread, with crackers, on top of a hamburger, in grilled cheese, and as a facial masque.  (Just kidding about the last one.)

 

Biltmore Macaroni and Cheese

Filed under: Main Dishes,Pasta and Grains — alittlemoreofeach @ 2:18 pm
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While Stephanie is not a big fan of macaroni and cheese, she does like this rich version adapted from a Biltmore recipe.

Ingredients

2 cups elbow macaroni, cooked
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup shredded Gouda cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs

Directions

Place cooked macaroni into a baking dish.  In a sauce pan, heat cream and add Gouda and half of the Parmesan.  Whisk vigorously over low heat, making sure the bottom does not scorch.  When cheese is melted into cream, pour mixture over macaroni.  Sprinkle Panko and rest of Parmesan cheese on top and bake at 350 for 20 minutes until golden brown.  Serves four.

 

Creamy Baked Chicken Breasts April 8, 2013

Filed under: Main Dishes — alittlemoreofeach @ 7:57 pm
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Ingredients

 

4 whole chicken breasts, boned

8 slices swiss cheese

1 can cream of chicken condensed soup

¼ cup dry white wine

1 cup herb seasoned stuffing mix, crushed

1 cup butter, melted

 

Directions

Arrange chicken in a lightly greased 9” x 13” baking dish. Top with the cheese. Combine soup and wine, stirring well; spoon over the chicken, then sprinkle with stuffing. Drizzle with butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes

 

Pineapple Cheese Casserole March 29, 2013

Filed under: Fruits and Vegetables — alittlemoreofeach @ 3:00 pm
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Ingredients

4 Tbl flour

4 Tbl pineapple juice

4 (8 oz) cans pineapple, drained for one hour

1 ½ cups cheddar cheese, grated

¾ cup brown sugar

1 roll Ritz crackers, crushed

1 stick butter, melted

 

Directions

Add pineapple juice to the flour and make a paste. Add to pineapple. Add the sugar and cheese. Put in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Combine the crackers and the butter to make the topping. Put on top of the mixture in the baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 to 90 minutes or until golden brown.

 

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Filed under: Pasta and Grains — alittlemoreofeach @ 2:22 pm
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Traditionally, stewed tomatoes would be served alongside this dish.

 

Ingredients

1 ½ cups dry elbow macaroni

2 Tbl butter

4 ½ Tbl flour

¼ tsp dry mustard

salt and pepper

2 cups milk

¾ tsp Worcestershire sauce

½ small onion, grated

8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

3 Tbl breadcrumbs

1 ½ Tbl butter, melted

 

Directions

Cook macaroni according to directions on package. Drain and put in a greased 2-quart casserole. Melt butter and blend in flour, dry mustard, salt and pepper. Remove from heat and add milk gradually. Cool until thickened, stirring constantly. Add Worcestershire sauce, onion and cheese. Stir until cheese melts and pour over macaroni. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs mixed with melted butter. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

 

Quick and Easy Alfredo Sauce

Filed under: Pasta and Grains — alittlemoreofeach @ 2:20 pm
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A true Alfredo recipe calls for heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Jennifer finds that the sauce sticks better to the noodles if they are a little dry and not just straight out of the colander.

 

Ingredients

1 stick butter

1 cup half and half

1 cup grated Asiago cheese

Cooked pasta

 

Ingredients

Melt the butter in a pan at medium heat. Add the half and half and stir until it increases in volume. Slowly add the cheese and stir until completely melted and blended. Add ground pepper if desired. Serve immediately.

 

Welsh Rarebit

Filed under: Breads — alittlemoreofeach @ 1:39 pm
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Ingredients

½ cup beer

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp dry mustard

½ tsp paprika

dash of cayenne pepper

1 pound Cheddar cheese, shredded

1 egg, slightly beaten

toast or English crackers

 

Directions

Combine the first five ingredients in a double boiler. Heat over simmering water until warm. Add cheese, stirring constantly until cheese is melted. Add small amount of the hot cheese mixture to the beaten egg, then stir into the mixture in the double broiler; stir until smooth and hot. Serve on toast or English crackers.

 

English Fondue

Filed under: Breads — alittlemoreofeach @ 1:36 pm
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Adam, Jenn, Ken, and I broke in our fondue pot, a wedding gift, with this fondue and a chocolate one for dessert.

 

Ingredients

½ pint beer

½ pound grated cheddar cheese

1 clove garlic, minced

2 Tbl butter

½ tsp dry mustard

2 Tbl cornstarch

a little extra beer

 

Directions

Put beer, cheese, and garlic into fondue pot. Stir over low heat until the cheese is melted. Stir in butter. In a separate bowl, mix dry mustard and cornstarch with a little extra beer until smooth. Stir into fondue. Stir until the mixture is thick and creamy. Serve with French bread chunks and crisp-tender vegetables.

 

Traditional Swiss Fondue

Filed under: Breads — alittlemoreofeach @ 11:58 am
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Adam and Jenn rang in 2005 with the English Cheddar Fondue, a chocolate fondue, and this yummy and stringy one.

 

Ingredients

8 oz Gruyere, finely shredded

8 oz Emmentaler, finely shredded

1 cup dry white wine

1 Tbl fresh lemon juice

½ – 1 clove garlic, to taste

1 Tbl cornstarch

1 Tbl Kirsch or vodka

salt and pepper to taste

good fresh bread, cubed

assorted fresh vegetables

 

Directions

In a fondue pot, heat white wine over medium heat (do not allow to boil). Then add cheeses. Stir until melted. Add lemon juice and garlic. Stir until completely blended. In a separate bowl, blend Kirsch or vodka and cornstarch together until smooth. Add cornstarch mixture to pot. Increase heat until mixture comes to a slow bubble. Allow to heat and bubble for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Lower heat and serve with fresh breads and vegetables.