Did you know National Cheese Day is June 4? Well, that's okay. We've got you covered with 12 recipes.
I never understood how my son and daughter-in-law could sit for hours watching videos on their cellphones. And then I downloaded TikTok ... and I no longer have a life.
I downloaded it after seeing the baked feta pasta that went viral last year during the pandemic. When confronted with the categories of videos I could choose to watch, my intention was to just click on Cooking & Recipes. Then greed took over, and my index finger stabbed Entertainment, Dance, Pranks, Home Reno/DIY, Life Hacks, Advice & Wellness, Pets and Oddly Satisfying (which oddly it is).
Cute kids, cute animals, recipes and cringe-worthy pranks all at the touch of a finger and an upward swipe. Best of all, I can do it anywhere — sitting in the living room, on the deck, in a doctor's waiting room ... the possibilities are endless.
But it's the recipes that intrigue me because of their simplicity and uniqueness — after all they are confined to a very short video. The latest one to catch my eye is for Baked Buffalo Mac and Cheese. True confession: I have mixed cooked pasta with leftover Buffalo Chicken Dip before and the recipes are pretty close.
The mac and cheese is easy to assemble — more or less dump all the ingredients in a baking dish and throw it in the oven. After trying this dish, I have some cautionary notes. After baking the dish for 50 minutes, check the doneness of the pasta. If it has a firm bite to it and a white center, it needs a few more minutes in the oven. But don't leave it in the oven too much longer; overcooked noodles turn to mush — as I found out.
The most important thing is to remove any clear, excess liquid trapped beneath the pasta, using a serving spoon, instead of mixing it in with the cheeses. This will ensure the mac and cheese is gooey, and not runny and watery.
BAKED BUFFALO MAC AND CHEESE
(TikTok user @thehungerdiaries)
INGREDIENTS:
One 8-ounce square feta cheese
One 8-ounce block cream cheese
1 pound elbow macaroni
2 to 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
6 cups milk
3 tablespoons minced garlic
A few really good pinches of salt
1/2 cup hot sauce
Fresh-cracked black pepper
1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Add a block of feta and a block of cream cheese (feta on the bottom, topped by cream cheese) to the center of a deep baking dish.
Pour raw macaroni, shredded cheese and milk around the cheese in the center, along the perimeter of the dish.
Add garlic and a generous portion of salt.
Gently stir along the perimeter of the dish to mix the pasta, milk and shredded cheese.
Pour hot sauce evenly throughout the dish.
Sprinkle with pepper.
Place in the oven, and bake for 50 minutes.
Remove from the oven, and stir to combine until the cheeses from the center are evenly incorporated throughout the mac and cheese. Season to taste.
Add shredded chicken, and stir.
Serve and garnish with additional shredded cheese and a drizzle of hot sauce.
I'm doing my best as a New Englander right now not to complain about the snow. Instead, I'm choosing to wear my Muck boots and L.L.Bean pom-pom hat with pride, while shoveling away my cabin fever.
Seeing who can shovel the sidewalk first has become somewhat of an Olympic sport between myself and our new neighbors, who have graciously shoveled our sidewalk a time or two "just for fun" when I wasn't looking. Now, I find myself hustling out there, shovel in hand, trying to out-neighbor them and do the front of their walk first. Only in New England can we turn being neighborly into a competitive sport, right?
"I'll show them," I mutter to myself, sweating, throwing up a mitten wave to my nice neighbor peeking out her window at the crazed woman on her property.
In between all this shoveling — and really, just figuring out where to put the darn snow once it's shoveled — I've been keeping myself warm at lunch with quick, hearty soups that can simmer in my Dutch oven until my husband comes home for his quick 15-minute lunch break.
For lunch, I'm normally a PB&J, tuna fish sandwich or salad kind of girl. Nothing fussy; it's about eating up what's in the fridge and leaving enough room in the belly for whatever is for dinner. But all this shoveling calls for something a bit more substantial, don't you think?
A friend of mine recommended this recipe for a Loaded Baked Potato Soup. Now, I often find that any recipe that says it's going to taste like another recipe, usually isn't that good. It's more likely something created to be clickbait than an actual meal that tastes like the thing it says it tastes like. But one creamy spoonful of this soup and my brain immediately thinks "baked potato bar!"
Even my boys, who are fussy about soups served as anything other than a dipping option for a sandwich, gobble this soup up. Sorry to my non-dairy peeps on this one and those counting calories — this beauty isn't for whatever plans you've got to fit into pants with a zipper, (overrated, I say!) but it will be a crowd pleaser on any cold, winter night. And besides, after all that shoveling, don't we all deserve a bowl of creamy, starchy, cheesy goodness?
LOADED BAKED POTATO SOUP
(Recipe courtesy of "The I Heart Naptime Cookbook," by Jamielyn Nye)
Ingredients:
4 potatoes, scrubbed
8 bacon slices, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup yellow onion
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups low fat milk
1 cup half-and-half
2 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup mild cheddar cheese
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
fresh chives, for garnish
Directions:
Pierce the potatoes with a fork, then microwave them for 12 to 15 minutes, or until tender. (Or, you can bake these in the oven ahead of time at 400 F for an hour. I have also saved the inside of the potatoes when making potato skins for this recipe.) Carefully halve the potatoes and let cool. Once cool enough to handle, remove the skins, and cut into chunks.
Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool. Reserve up to 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat from the pan.
In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the reserved bacon fat, garlic and onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the onion is tender. Slowly whisk the flour into the pan and stir for 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk and half-and-half. Keep whisking until smooth. Gradually add the chicken stock. Bring to a light simmer and whisk in the kosher salt, garlic salt and pepper. Keep at a light simmer until the mixture has thickened, 5 to 7 minutes.
If you'd like to use cheeses and bacon as a garnish, reserve 1/4 cup of each. Stir in the remaining cheeses, bacon, and the sour cream. Remove the pot from the heat. Scoop potato chunks into the pot, breaking them into small pieces or leaving them chunky, depending on how you like it. Serve hot, topped with garnishes, like cheese, bacon and chives.
- By America's Test Kitchen
These nachos are a cinch to make and can turn after-school snack time for a few kids into something of a fiesta. Or double the recipe and use a 13-by-9-inch baking dish, and you'll have enough nachos to really get the party started!
If you like your nachos spicy, layer in some drained pickled jalapeno chiles along with the scallions. Monterey Jack cheese melts well and is the classic choice for nachos, but cheddar works, too. Follow this recipe with your kids.
Nachos
Servings: 4-6
Start to finish: 35 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans
4 ounces tortilla chips
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 scallions, sliced thin
1 cup tomato salsa
Greek yogurt or sour cream
Cooking equipment:
Colander
Can opener
1/2 cup dry measuring cup
8-by-8-inch square baking dish
Oven mitts
Cooling rack
Spoon
DIRECTIONS:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 F. Set colander in sink. Open can of pinto beans and pour into colander. Rinse beans with cold water and shake colander to drain well. Measure out 1/2 cup beans; refrigerate remaining beans for another use.
Spread half of chips in even layer in 8-by-8-inch square baking dish. Sprinkle chips evenly with half of cheese.
Sprinkle beans over cheese, then sprinkle half of scallions on top. Repeat with remaining chips, cheese, and scallions.
Place baking dish in oven and bake until cheese is melted, 7 to 10 minutes. Use oven mitts to remove nachos from oven (ask an adult for help). Place baking dish on cooling rack. Let cool for 2 minutes.
Spoon half of salsa over top of nachos. Serve with remaining salsa and yogurt.
Nutrition information per serving: 237 calories; 100 calories from fat; 11 g fat ( 4 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 18 mg cholesterol; 596 mg sodium; 25 g carbohydrate; 5 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 10 g protein.
For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit https://www.americastestkitchen.com. Find more recipes like Nachos in "Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs ."
- By Berkshire Eagle staff
According to cheese.com, the average American consumes about 31 pounds of cheese each year.
Cheese may be made from milk from cows, goats, sheep and even buffalo, reindeer and camels. There are more than 900 cheese types, classified by taste and texture. The primary classifications and some examples are: fresh cheese (ricotta); soft cheese (feta); semi-soft cheese (fontina); semi-hard cheese (Gouda); hard cheese (Cheddar); double or triple creme cheese (Brillat-Savarin); blue cheese (Gorgonzola); washed rind cheese (Limburger); and bloomy rind cheese (Brie).
Pick up your favorite artisan cheese and cook a cheesy dish for dinner . Matt Rubiner of Rubiner's Cheesemongers & Grocers in Great Barrington has shared two of his favorite recipes with the Eagle.
RUBINER'S FONDUE
A couple years back, we competed in a fondue competition,— a fonduel, if you will — against several notable East Coast cheesemongers. We lost. Or at least we didn't win, despite our ringer, the great Erhard Wendt, late of the Williamsville Inn, who is German, which is sort of like Swiss. The judges seem to favor elaborate "fondues" loaded with meats, peppers, vegetables and all sorts of non-traditional cheeses, over our purist sensibilities. For us, fondue is one or another Alpine cheese, melted with wine and spirits. All else is nacho topping.
Our fondue recipe (the insides of Rubi's fondue sandwich) calls for the three classic fondue cheeses: Emmentaler, Gruyere and Appenzeller, Generally, we use none of these. We rarely have any Emmentaler, our old Gruy re melts too stringy, and there are other pungent, Appenzeller-like cheeses we prefer. Pick one or more not too hard, bendy-textured Alpine style cheeses. Consult your cheesemonger, or other trained fondue specialist.
Use whatever leftover dry white wine you have. The alcohol cooks off, so teetotalers needn't fear. For the spirit (and don't skip the spirit!) we like Slivovitz, a fiery clear plum brandy from one or another of the pieces of former Yugoslavia. Recipes will often call for a cherry brandy called Kirsch. But don't use cheap Kirsch or your fondue will taste like maraschino cherries, which in a Manhattan is delicious, but in cheese is gross.
Anyway, here's the recipe:
Serves 5 to 6 as appetizers.
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/4 pounds Emmenthaler, Gruyere and Appenzeller, or other combination of not-too-hard Alpine-style cheeses, totaling 1 1/4 pounds
1 large clove Garlic
1 1/2 cup dry white wine
6 tablespoons Slivovitz (plum brandy) or clear fruit-based eau-de-vie of your choice
2 teaspoons Flour
Freshly ground white pepper and nutmeg to taste (optional; I really don't know why it's here)
DIRECTIONS:
Heat the wine and garlic in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. When the wine is hot, remove the garlic. Add cheese. Skip the white pepper and nutmeg unless you insist. Stir over medium heat until the cheese melts. Whisk the flour and brandy together and add to the cheese mixture. Boil gently, stirring for a few minutes. Transfer saucepan to a candle warmer or fondue stand. Serve with cubes of good slightly stale or oven-dried bread.
RUBINER'S WELSH RAREBIT
It's pronounced rabbit. Not sure why they spelled rabbit like that. Nor is anyone else. Even Wikipedia is vague on the matter. The name does appear to have some rabbity origins, however. Some say the Welsh — notorious cheese lovers and incompetent rabbit hunters — had to substitute cheese for rabbit meat lest they grow peckish after a failed hunt. Another source claims that Welsh peasants were not allowed to eat rabbits hunted on the estates of the local nobles, so they had to make do with melted cheese (see Crocker, Betty). As for me, I'll take bubbling, melting cheese over rabbit any day, especially after the loss of poor Amy (don't ask).
Makes around 8 rarebits.
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound Cheddar, Lancashire, Cheshire, Wensleydale, Red Leicester or similar cheese, coarsely grated.
1 cup beer (we use one or another slightly bitter ale)
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 tablespoons dry mustard powder
Black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
Melt the butter in a double boiler or bain-marie. Whisk in the flour until it forms a a smooth paste. Add beer and whisk until the mixture has slightly thickened. Add cheese and whisk until melted. Whisk in seasonings. (There's an awful lot of whisking in this recipe.)
At this point, most people would pour the rarebit over toasted bread and set under the broiler until the cheese is browned and bubbling. At the cafe, we let it congeal overnight, then spread it on two pieces of way-too-buttered bread, sandwich style, wrap the sandwich in parchment and grill it for 5 minutes. You can try this at home in a frying pan, without the parchment, but it will be gloriously messy.
- By Melissa d'Arabian, The Associated Press
Years ago, I was attempting to reverse my daughter Valentine's disdain for cauliflower. She was always my veggie-loving kiddo, so I was stumped by her dislike of one my favorites. Who doesn't love roasted cauliflower florets, with those crispy caramelized golden edges?
She loved artichoke — pulling apart the leaves and scraping them on her teeth. So, why not create a pull-apart version of cauliflower? I roasted it whole on a lower temperature (about 350 F) for nearly an hour, and then pumped up the heat to 400 F for some browning. I then seasoned the whole head of cauliflower with a little lemon butter or cheese. The idea worked: all four of my kids had fun pulling apart the cauliflower, eating little florets like finger food.
Over the years, cauliflower morphed from dinner table favorite to movie night snack food, right alongside popcorn. The recipe has changed a little: I've found that steaming the cauliflower a few minutes first cuts the cook-time in half and the florets are easier to pull apart.
And, I've upped my seasoning, for example slathering on a garlicky cheese mixture spiked with just a touch of hot sauce to remind me of the buffalo wings of my college days, when I thought nothing of downing a half-dozen fried wings, skin and all.
With today's recipe for cheesy pull-apart whole cauliflower, the high-cal buttery and cheesy coating packs a garlic punch, even though each serving has relatively little of it, so healthy eating goals stay on track. And while we're enjoying movie-time or game-time nibbles, it's nice to know that we're actually getting a little nutrition in our bodies, too.
Cheesy pull-apart whole cauliflower
Servings: 8
Start to finish: 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
1 medium head of cauliflower (about 1 1/2 pounds), trimmed of leaves
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4 cup grated parmesan
2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
1 tablespoon hot sauce or buffalo sauce
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 400 F.
Turn the cauliflower upside down and gently cut out the bulk of the core, leaving a triangle-shaped indentation at the bottom of the cauliflower. Add an inch of salted water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Place the cauliflower right side up in the pot and cover the pot to steam the cauliflower until tender, but still firm (not mushy), about 7-10 minutes, depending on the size and age of the cauliflower. Test with a slim sharp knife.
Once the cauliflower is done, remove it from the pot and place on paper towels to cool. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the butter, mayonnaise, parmesan cheese, garlic and hot sauce. Blot the cooled cauliflower with paper towels. Coat the outside of the cauliflower with the cheesy mixture, using your hands to coat the whole head. Place the cauliflower on a baking tray lined with foil or parchment. Bake until the cauliflower is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool a few minutes before serving. Serve with forks or as finger food.
Nutrition information per serving: 67 calories; 42 calories from fat; 5 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 7 mg cholesterol; 136 mg sodium; 4 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 2 g sugar; 2 g protein.
Food Network star Melissa d'Arabian is an expert on healthy eating on a budget. She is the author of the cookbook, "Supermarket Healthy."
___
Online: http://www.melissadarabian.net
- By America's Test Kitchen
Macaroni and cheese has always been on my "must-explore" list. It's just eaten too often in this country for us to ignore it. Kids in particular say yes to macaroni and cheese when they turn up their noses at everything else. Unfortunately, it's the boxed version, complete with orange cheese powder, that's made most often.
There are two distinct styles of macaroni and cheese: bechamel-based, in which macaroni is blanketed with a cheesy white sauce, usually topped with crumbs, and baked. The other variety, the kind my mother always made, is custard-based. In this style, a mixture of egg and milk is poured over layers of grated cheese and noodles. As the dish bakes, the eggs, milk and cheese set into a custard. It can also be topped with bread crumbs, although my mom always sprinkled crushed saltine crackers over hers.
We preferred the cheesier-flavored custard version and decided to experiment. To our surprise, highly processed cheeses, such as American, performed quite well in this dish. Much like evaporated milk, the more processing, the more stable the cheese and the more creamy the dish. For flavor, use cheddar; for texture, buy American. You can skip the bread crumbs and sprinkle the dish with crumbled common crackers or saltines, if desired.
Stovetop macaroni and cheese
Servings: 4
Start to finish: 45 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
Bread crumbs:
3 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into quarters
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Salt
Macaroni and cheese:
2 large eggs
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 teaspoon dry mustard, dissolved in 1 teaspoon water
Salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
8 ounces elbow macaroni (2 cups)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 ounces sharp cheddar, American, or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (3 cups)
DIRECTIONS:
For the bread crumbs: Pulse bread in food processor to coarse crumbs, about 10 pulses. Melt butter in 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add bread crumbs and cook, stirring often, until beginning to brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Season with salt to taste; set aside.
For the macaroni and cheese: Mix eggs, 1 cup evaporated milk, mustard mixture, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper, and hot sauce in bowl.
Meanwhile, bring 2 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven. Add pasta and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Drain pasta and return to pot over low heat. Add butter and toss to melt.
Add egg mixture and three-quarters of cheese to pasta and toss until thoroughly combined and cheese starts to melt. Gradually add remaining evaporated milk and remaining cheese, stirring constantly, until mixture is hot and creamy, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately, sprinkling individual portions with toasted bread crumbs.
Variation:
"Baked" macaroni and cheese: Add 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese to toasted bread crumbs. Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Transfer macaroni and cheese mixture to a 13-by-9-inch broiler-safe baking dish and sprinkle with bread-crumb mixture. Broil until topping turns deep golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Let casserole cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition information per serving: 880 calories; 463 calories from fat; 52 g fat (32 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 249 mg cholesterol; 1063 mg sodium; 65 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 11 g sugar; 36 g protein.
For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit https://www.americastestkitchen.com. Find more recipes like Macaroni and Cheese in "Revolutionary Recipes ."
- By Francesca Olsen, Eagle correspondent
Most nights, as many people do, my partner and I discuss dinner options. We have some different opinions about what's tasty, and we sometimes have to meet in the middle.
"What about a pasta bake with, like, a bechamel sauce instead of red?" I asked. He rolled his eyes; he hates creamy sauce.
"Why can't we just use red sauce?" he asked.
"Red sauce takes too long. It's already 5:30," I said.
So, no bechamel, no red sauce, but plenty of sausage in the fridge. What to do? Compromise.
This recipe is an altered version of a casserole I often prep in advance and store in the freezer for a desperate weeknight, but it can be made pretty simply as a regular dinner. Because it lacks sauce of any kind, but doesn't lack on cheese, the binding liquid is a simple pan sauce made with sherry vinegar and some starchy, salty pasta water.
That liquid commingles with the sausage and veggies, then slicks itself over the nearly al dente pasta, creating just enough moisture to allow it to fully cook in the oven, and enough moisture for the cheese to do its job, which is to create a creamy and crunchy assemblage of delicious edible textures. The bread crumbs call back to more creamy/traditional casseroles, which are often heavy on dairy.
This got the vote of approval from Mr. No Creamy Sauces — and from me. It's drier than it would be with a bechamel, but it's lovely, and it hits all the high points — a little spicy and fatty from the sausage, nice and starchy, perfect for a cool rainy night. However, next time he's away for dinnertime, I'll be making myself the creamiest mac and cheese I can as an act of protest.
NOT-SAUCY PASTA AND SAUSAGE BAKE
INGREDIENTS:
6 sausages or 1 pound ground sausage (I used a sweet/hot combo — highly recommend!)
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon dried sage
Salt and pepper
1 pound bag of spinach
1 pound pasta
2 tablespoons butter
Sherry vinegar
1/4 cup reserved pasta water
3 cups shredded cheese, mozzarella, Parmesan and Gouda (or whatever other shredded cheese you would like to use)
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 425 F. Heat large saucepan to high. Remove sausage from casings and mash into small bits, allowing sausage to fully cook and brown (skip the casings part if you're using ground sausage). Remove sausage and set aside. Turn heat to medium low.
Chop onion and garlic and add onion to pan, cooking 3 to 5 minutes until soft and beginning to brown. Add sage, spinach and garlic, and cook about five minutes longer.
Salt and boil a large pot of water, then cook pasta about 5 to 6 minutes until just approaching al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water, then drain pasta.
Add sausage, sherry vinegar and pasta water to the pan with onions and spinach. Adjust heat to medium and simmer until liquid is reduced by half. Add pasta and stir until well combined. Add half the cheese and stir, then once cheese is incorporated well, add the rest to the top and top with bread crumbs. Bake 30 minutes or until cheese on top is brown. Wait at least 10 minutes before serving.
- By America's Test Kitchen
These delicate, crumbly, cheesy, buttery spiced crackers are popular in the South, but should be required snacking everywhere.
And while they're mostly about the cheese, the crackers would have one-note richness without the added pizazz of some back-up spices: sweet, peppery paprika and cayenne.
These give the cracker interest, back up the extra-sharp cheddar's bold flavor, and add pleasant heat. To make a version that mimicked cheese straws' signature decorative stripes without using a cookie press, we rolled out the dough into a square and made lines with the tines of a fork before cutting the dough into strips and baking.
Using a food processor to buzz the grated cheese, chilled butter, flour, and baking powder together resulted in crackers with a short, extra-tender texture. A variation pairs nutty Parmesan and black pepper for a slightly more refined straw with the perfect salt and pepper balance.
SOUTHERN CHEESE STRAWS
Servings: 48
Start to finish: 1 hour, 5 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)
1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces and chilled
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons ice water
DIRECTIONS:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Process cheddar, flour, butter, salt, paprika, baking powder, and cayenne in food processor until mixture resembles wet sand, about 20 seconds. Add ice water and process until dough ball starts to form, about 25 seconds.
Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and knead by hand to form smooth, round ball, about 30 seconds. Using your hands, pat dough into rough 4 inch square. Roll dough into 10 inch square, about 1/4 inch thick, flouring counter and dough as needed to prevent sticking.
Position dough so one side is parallel to counter edge. Using rounded side of fork, drag tines across entire surface of dough to make decorative lines. Using pizza cutter or chef's knife, trim away and discard outer 1/2 inch of dough to make neat square. Cut dough into 3 equal pieces perpendicular to lines. Working with 1 section of dough at a time, cut into 1/2 inch-wide strips in direction of lines.
Evenly space cheese straws on prepared sheet, about 1/2 inch apart. Bake until edges of straws are light golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let straws cool completely on sheet. Serve. (Straws can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 week.)
Variation: Parmesan-black pepper cheese straws: Reduce extra-sharp cheddar to 6 ounces (1 1/2 cups). Add 1 cup grated Parmesan to food processor with flour. Substitute 1 teaspoon pepper for cayenne.
Nutrition information per serving: 52 calories; 33 calories from fat; 4 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 10 mg cholesterol; 73 mg sodium; 3 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 0 g sugar; 1 g protein.
For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit https://www.americastestkitchen.com . Find more recipes like Southern Cheese Straws in "Spiced ."
- By America's Test Kitchen
We love a simple cheese quesadilla, but add a filling of succulent shrimp spiked with tequila and lime zest and you turn Mexico's griddled cheese sandwich into a party.
To make them substantial enough for a meal, we started with 10-inch flour tortillas. To make four at once, we turned to the oven. By placing the quesadillas on an oiled baking sheet and then brushing their tops with oil, we were able to brown and crisp them on both sides without having to cook each individually.
To keep the quesadillas from getting soggy while ensuring juicy shrimp, we par-cooked the shrimp slightly on the stovetop with aromatics and tequila; this gave them a head start while evaporating most of the liquid. It was essential to cut the shrimp in half so that they released most of their moisture into the pan.
Cilantro, scallion greens, and lime zest provided welcome freshness, and Monterey Jack cheese offered melty richness.
TEQUILA-LIME SHRIMP QUESADILLAS
Servings: 4
Start to finish: 1 hour
INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
12 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (3 cups)
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
2 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin
1 1/2 pounds medium-large shrimp (31 to 40 per pound), peeled, deveined, tails removed, and halved lengthwise
Salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1/3 cup tequila
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
4 (10 inch) flour tortillas
DIRECTIONS:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 F. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and brush with 1 tablespoon oil. Toss Monterey Jack with cilantro and scallion greens.
Pat shrimp dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12 inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add scallion whites, garlic, chipotle, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add tequila and simmer until tequila has evaporated and pan is dry, about 5 minutes.
Add shrimp and cook, stirring often, until cooked through and opaque throughout, about 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl, stir in zest, and let cool for 5 minutes; drain well.
Lay tortillas on counter. Sprinkle half of cheese mixture over half of each tortilla, leaving 1/2 inch border around edge. Arrange shrimp on top in single layer, then sprinkle with remaining cheese mixture. Fold other half of each tortilla over top and press firmly to compact.
Arrange quesadillas in single layer on prepared sheet with rounded edges facing center of sheet. Brush with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Bake until quesadillas begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Flip quesadillas over and press gently with spatula to compact. Continue to bake until crisp and golden brown on second side, about 5 minutes. Let quesadillas cool on wire rack for 5 minutes, then slice each into 4 wedges and serve.
Nutrition information per serving: 789 calories; 375 calories from fat; 42 g fat (18 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 290 mg cholesterol; 2145 mg sodium; 41 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 50 g protein.
For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit https://www.americastestkitchen.com . Find more recipes like Shrimp Quesadillas in "New Essentials ."
- By America's Test Kitchen
In Mexico, vendors sell this messy, cheesy, utterly delicious grilled corn from carts. To bring this street food to the home kitchen, we broiled the corn on the cob instead of heading out to the grill, first brushing it with oil to keep it from drying out.
Mayonnaise makes a good substitute for Mexican crema, especially when it's dressed up with cilantro, garlic, lime, and chili powder.
Hard-to-find traditional Cotija cheese is great, but salty, crumbly feta is just as good. To keep it from crumbling right off the corn, we mixed it in with the mayonnaise before slathering the mixture all over the charred corn and broiling it for another few minutes.
MEXICAN STREET CORN
Servings: 6
Start to finish: 35 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
6 ears corn, husks and silk removed, stalks left intact
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 ounce feta cheese, crumbled (1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
Salt and pepper
DIRECTIONS:
Adjust oven rack 5 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Brush corn all over with oil and transfer to prepared sheet. Broil corn until well browned on 1 side, about 10 minutes. Flip corn and broil until well browned on opposite side, about 10 minutes longer.
Meanwhile, whisk mayonnaise, feta, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, chili powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt together in bowl until incorporated.
Remove corn from oven and brush evenly on all sides with mayonnaise mixture. (Reserve any extra mayonnaise mixture for serving.) Return corn to oven and broil, rotating frequently, until coating is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve corn with lime wedges and any extra reserved mayonnaise mixture.
Nutrition information per serving: 253 calories; 178 calories from fat; 20 g fat (3 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 13 mg cholesterol; 285 mg sodium; 19 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 5 g protein.
- By America's Test Kitchen
Earthy spinach and nutty cheese star in this brunch-worthy strata.
Ideally, this savory make-ahead bread pudding should be rich enough to satisfy without being overindulgent. And, since strata is such a great make-ahead dish, it should also be straightforward to put together. Unfortunately, too many recipes for strata are soggy and laden with excessive custard and filling ingredients.
Looking to create a go-to breakfast or brunch casserole, we first considered the bread. Whole dried bread slices had the best texture and appearance, and buttering them added richness. Spinach, shallot, and Gruyere complemented each other perfectly for the filling, and we sauteed the vegetables to remove excess moisture and prevent the casserole from becoming waterlogged.
Weighting down the assembled strata overnight improved its texture; we found that two 1 pound boxes of brown or confectioners' sugar, laid side by side over the plastic wrap, made ideal weights.
One hour is minimum, but you could do it overnight to bake the strata the following morning. The recipe can be doubled and assembled in a greased 13-by 9-inch baking dish; increase the baking time to 1 hour and 20 minutes. Substitute any semisoft melting cheese, such as Havarti, sharp cheddar, or Colby for the Gruyere.
BREAKFAST STRATA WITH SPINACH AND GRUYERE
Servings: 4-6
Start to finish: 2 hours 15 minutes (plus 1 hour refrigeration time)
INGREDIENTS:
8-10 (1/2 inch-thick) slices French or Italian bread
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
4 shallots, minced
Salt and pepper
10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/2 cup dry white wine
6 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups)
6 large eggs
1 3/4 cups half-and-half
DIRECTIONS:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 225 F. Arrange bread in single layer on rimmed baking sheet and bake until dry and crisp, about 40 minutes, flipping slices halfway through baking. Let bread cool slightly, then spread 2 tablespoons butter evenly over 1 side of bread slices.
Meanwhile, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and pinch salt and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in spinach and cook until warmed through, about 2 minutes; transfer to bowl. Add wine to now-empty skillet and simmer over medium-high heat until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 3 minutes; set aside to cool.
Grease 8-inch square baking dish. Arrange half of bread slices, buttered side up, in single layer in dish. Sprinkle half of spinach mixture and 1/2 cup Gruyere over top. Repeat with remaining bread, remaining spinach mixture, and 1/2 cup Gruyere to make second layer.
Whisk eggs, reduced wine, half-and-half, 1 teaspoon salt, and pinch pepper together in bowl, then pour evenly over top of bread and cheese in dish. Cover dish tightly with plastic wrap, pressing it flush to surface. Weight down strata and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 F. Meanwhile, let strata sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Unwrap strata and top with remaining 1/2 cup Gruyere. Bake until edges and center are puffed and edges have pulled away slightly from sides of dish, 50 to 55 minutes. Let casserole cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition information per serving: 547 calories; 276 calories from fat; 31 g fat (17 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 292 mg cholesterol; 930 mg sodium; 40 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 8 g sugar; 24 g protein.
For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit https://www.americastestkitchen.com . Find more recipes like Breakfast Strata with Spinach and Gruyere in "Vegetables Illustrated ."
- By America's Test Kitchen
Making pizza at home is gratifying, and it almost always tastes better than what you can get from delivery. But achieving a pizza with a crisp crust in the home oven can also be a real challenge.
You need to stretch the dough carefully, preheat a heavy baking stone, and then swiftly slide the topped dough round into a hot oven, making sure the pizza maintains its shape.
In searching for a foolproof method for cooking pizza whenever the mood struck, we found that making truly great pizza is a breeze in a skillet. Our dough came together quickly in the food processor; after we let it rise, we rolled it thin and then transferred it to a cool oiled skillet, where we topped it with a fast no-cook sauce and slices of fresh mozzarella cheese.
We placed the skillet over a hot burner to get it good and hot and to set the bottom of the crust. Once the crust began to brown, we simply slid the skillet into a 500-F oven. In the oven, the hot skillet functioned like a pizza stone, crisping up our crust in just minutes and melting the cheese.
We've featured a Margherita pizza topping here, adorning the sauce and cheese with just a sprinkle of basil. But if you'd like a more substantial topping for your pizza, feel free to sprinkle pepperoni, sauteed mushrooms, or browned sausage over the cheese before baking; just be sure to keep the toppings light or they may weigh down the thin crust and make it soggy.
The sauce will yield more than is needed in the recipe; extra sauce can be refrigerated for up to one week or frozen for up to one month.
SKILLET PIZZA
Servings: 8 (Makes two 11-inch pizzas)
Start to finish: 2 3/4 to 3 1/4 hours (Rising time: 1 1/2 to 2 hours)
INGREDIENTS:
Dough:
2 cups (11 ounces) plus 2 tablespoons bread flour
1 1/8 teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup (6 ounces) ice water
Sauce and Toppings:
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained with juice reserved
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced 1/4 inch thick and patted dry with paper towels
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
DIRECTIONS:
For the dough: Pulse flour, yeast, and salt in food processor until combined, about 5 pulses. With processor running, add oil, then water, and process until rough ball forms, 30 to 40 seconds. Let dough rest for 2 minutes, then process for 30 seconds longer.
Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and knead by hand to form smooth, round ball, about 30 seconds. Place dough seam side down in lightly greased large bowl or container, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. (Unrisen dough can be refrigerated for at least 8 hours or up to 16 hours; let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before shaping)
For the sauce and toppings: Process tomatoes, 1 tablespoon oil, garlic, vinegar, oregano, salt, and pepper in clean, dry workbowl until smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer mixture to 2-cup liquid measuring cup and add reserved tomato juice until sauce measures 2 cups. Reserve 1 cup sauce; set aside remaining sauce for another use.
Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 500 F. Grease 12-inch oven-safe skillet with 2 tablespoons oil.
Transfer dough to lightly floured counter, divide in half, and cover loosely with greased plastic. Press and roll 1 piece of dough (keep remaining piece covered) into 11-inch round of even thickness.
Transfer dough to prepared skillet and reshape as needed. Spread 1/2 cup sauce over dough, leaving 1/2-inch border around edge. Top with half of mozzarella.
Set skillet over high heat and cook until outside edge of dough is set, pizza is lightly puffed, and bottom of crust looks spotty brown when gently lifted with spatula, about 3 minutes.
Transfer skillet to oven and bake pizza until edges are brown and cheese is melted and spotty brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Using potholders, remove skillet from oven and slide pizza onto wire rack; let cool slightly. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon basil, cut into wedges, and serve. Being careful of hot skillet, repeat with remaining oil, dough, 1/2 cup sauce, remaining mozzarella, and basil.
Nutrition information per serving: 322 calories; 152 calories from fat; 17 g fat (5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 20 mg cholesterol; 657 mg sodium; 30 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 10 g protein.
For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit https://www.americastestkitchen.com. Find more recipes like Skillet Pizza in "Bread Illustrated ."
More like this...
I never understood how my son and daughter-in-law could sit for hours watching videos on their cellphones. And then I downloaded TikTok ... and I no longer have a life.
I downloaded it after seeing the baked feta pasta that went viral last year during the pandemic. When confronted with the categories of videos I could choose to watch, my intention was to just click on Cooking & Recipes. Then greed took over, and my index finger stabbed Entertainment, Dance, Pranks, Home Reno/DIY, Life Hacks, Advice & Wellness, Pets and Oddly Satisfying (which oddly it is).
Cute kids, cute animals, recipes and cringe-worthy pranks all at the touch of a finger and an upward swipe. Best of all, I can do it anywhere — sitting in the living room, on the deck, in a doctor's waiting room ... the possibilities are endless.
But it's the recipes that intrigue me because of their simplicity and uniqueness — after all they are confined to a very short video. The latest one to catch my eye is for Baked Buffalo Mac and Cheese. True confession: I have mixed cooked pasta with leftover Buffalo Chicken Dip before and the recipes are pretty close.
The mac and cheese is easy to assemble — more or less dump all the ingredients in a baking dish and throw it in the oven. After trying this dish, I have some cautionary notes. After baking the dish for 50 minutes, check the doneness of the pasta. If it has a firm bite to it and a white center, it needs a few more minutes in the oven. But don't leave it in the oven too much longer; overcooked noodles turn to mush — as I found out.
The most important thing is to remove any clear, excess liquid trapped beneath the pasta, using a serving spoon, instead of mixing it in with the cheeses. This will ensure the mac and cheese is gooey, and not runny and watery.
BAKED BUFFALO MAC AND CHEESE
(TikTok user @thehungerdiaries)
INGREDIENTS:
One 8-ounce square feta cheese
One 8-ounce block cream cheese
1 pound elbow macaroni
2 to 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
6 cups milk
3 tablespoons minced garlic
A few really good pinches of salt
1/2 cup hot sauce
Fresh-cracked black pepper
1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Add a block of feta and a block of cream cheese (feta on the bottom, topped by cream cheese) to the center of a deep baking dish.
Pour raw macaroni, shredded cheese and milk around the cheese in the center, along the perimeter of the dish.
Add garlic and a generous portion of salt.
Gently stir along the perimeter of the dish to mix the pasta, milk and shredded cheese.
Pour hot sauce evenly throughout the dish.
Sprinkle with pepper.
Place in the oven, and bake for 50 minutes.
Remove from the oven, and stir to combine until the cheeses from the center are evenly incorporated throughout the mac and cheese. Season to taste.
Add shredded chicken, and stir.
Serve and garnish with additional shredded cheese and a drizzle of hot sauce.
I'm doing my best as a New Englander right now not to complain about the snow. Instead, I'm choosing to wear my Muck boots and L.L.Bean pom-pom hat with pride, while shoveling away my cabin fever.
Seeing who can shovel the sidewalk first has become somewhat of an Olympic sport between myself and our new neighbors, who have graciously shoveled our sidewalk a time or two "just for fun" when I wasn't looking. Now, I find myself hustling out there, shovel in hand, trying to out-neighbor them and do the front of their walk first. Only in New England can we turn being neighborly into a competitive sport, right?
"I'll show them," I mutter to myself, sweating, throwing up a mitten wave to my nice neighbor peeking out her window at the crazed woman on her property.
In between all this shoveling — and really, just figuring out where to put the darn snow once it's shoveled — I've been keeping myself warm at lunch with quick, hearty soups that can simmer in my Dutch oven until my husband comes home for his quick 15-minute lunch break.
For lunch, I'm normally a PB&J, tuna fish sandwich or salad kind of girl. Nothing fussy; it's about eating up what's in the fridge and leaving enough room in the belly for whatever is for dinner. But all this shoveling calls for something a bit more substantial, don't you think?
A friend of mine recommended this recipe for a Loaded Baked Potato Soup. Now, I often find that any recipe that says it's going to taste like another recipe, usually isn't that good. It's more likely something created to be clickbait than an actual meal that tastes like the thing it says it tastes like. But one creamy spoonful of this soup and my brain immediately thinks "baked potato bar!"
Even my boys, who are fussy about soups served as anything other than a dipping option for a sandwich, gobble this soup up. Sorry to my non-dairy peeps on this one and those counting calories — this beauty isn't for whatever plans you've got to fit into pants with a zipper, (overrated, I say!) but it will be a crowd pleaser on any cold, winter night. And besides, after all that shoveling, don't we all deserve a bowl of creamy, starchy, cheesy goodness?
LOADED BAKED POTATO SOUP
(Recipe courtesy of "The I Heart Naptime Cookbook," by Jamielyn Nye)
Ingredients:
4 potatoes, scrubbed
8 bacon slices, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup yellow onion
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups low fat milk
1 cup half-and-half
2 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup mild cheddar cheese
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
fresh chives, for garnish
Directions:
Pierce the potatoes with a fork, then microwave them for 12 to 15 minutes, or until tender. (Or, you can bake these in the oven ahead of time at 400 F for an hour. I have also saved the inside of the potatoes when making potato skins for this recipe.) Carefully halve the potatoes and let cool. Once cool enough to handle, remove the skins, and cut into chunks.
Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool. Reserve up to 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat from the pan.
In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the reserved bacon fat, garlic and onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the onion is tender. Slowly whisk the flour into the pan and stir for 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk and half-and-half. Keep whisking until smooth. Gradually add the chicken stock. Bring to a light simmer and whisk in the kosher salt, garlic salt and pepper. Keep at a light simmer until the mixture has thickened, 5 to 7 minutes.
If you'd like to use cheeses and bacon as a garnish, reserve 1/4 cup of each. Stir in the remaining cheeses, bacon, and the sour cream. Remove the pot from the heat. Scoop potato chunks into the pot, breaking them into small pieces or leaving them chunky, depending on how you like it. Serve hot, topped with garnishes, like cheese, bacon and chives.
- By America's Test Kitchen
These nachos are a cinch to make and can turn after-school snack time for a few kids into something of a fiesta. Or double the recipe and use a 13-by-9-inch baking dish, and you'll have enough nachos to really get the party started!
If you like your nachos spicy, layer in some drained pickled jalapeno chiles along with the scallions. Monterey Jack cheese melts well and is the classic choice for nachos, but cheddar works, too. Follow this recipe with your kids.
Nachos
Servings: 4-6
Start to finish: 35 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans
4 ounces tortilla chips
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 scallions, sliced thin
1 cup tomato salsa
Greek yogurt or sour cream
Cooking equipment:
Colander
Can opener
1/2 cup dry measuring cup
8-by-8-inch square baking dish
Oven mitts
Cooling rack
Spoon
DIRECTIONS:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 F. Set colander in sink. Open can of pinto beans and pour into colander. Rinse beans with cold water and shake colander to drain well. Measure out 1/2 cup beans; refrigerate remaining beans for another use.
Spread half of chips in even layer in 8-by-8-inch square baking dish. Sprinkle chips evenly with half of cheese.
Sprinkle beans over cheese, then sprinkle half of scallions on top. Repeat with remaining chips, cheese, and scallions.
Place baking dish in oven and bake until cheese is melted, 7 to 10 minutes. Use oven mitts to remove nachos from oven (ask an adult for help). Place baking dish on cooling rack. Let cool for 2 minutes.
Spoon half of salsa over top of nachos. Serve with remaining salsa and yogurt.
Nutrition information per serving: 237 calories; 100 calories from fat; 11 g fat ( 4 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 18 mg cholesterol; 596 mg sodium; 25 g carbohydrate; 5 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 10 g protein.
For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit https://www.americastestkitchen.com. Find more recipes like Nachos in "Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs ."
- By Berkshire Eagle staff
According to cheese.com, the average American consumes about 31 pounds of cheese each year.
Cheese may be made from milk from cows, goats, sheep and even buffalo, reindeer and camels. There are more than 900 cheese types, classified by taste and texture. The primary classifications and some examples are: fresh cheese (ricotta); soft cheese (feta); semi-soft cheese (fontina); semi-hard cheese (Gouda); hard cheese (Cheddar); double or triple creme cheese (Brillat-Savarin); blue cheese (Gorgonzola); washed rind cheese (Limburger); and bloomy rind cheese (Brie).
Pick up your favorite artisan cheese and cook a cheesy dish for dinner . Matt Rubiner of Rubiner's Cheesemongers & Grocers in Great Barrington has shared two of his favorite recipes with the Eagle.
RUBINER'S FONDUE
A couple years back, we competed in a fondue competition,— a fonduel, if you will — against several notable East Coast cheesemongers. We lost. Or at least we didn't win, despite our ringer, the great Erhard Wendt, late of the Williamsville Inn, who is German, which is sort of like Swiss. The judges seem to favor elaborate "fondues" loaded with meats, peppers, vegetables and all sorts of non-traditional cheeses, over our purist sensibilities. For us, fondue is one or another Alpine cheese, melted with wine and spirits. All else is nacho topping.
Our fondue recipe (the insides of Rubi's fondue sandwich) calls for the three classic fondue cheeses: Emmentaler, Gruyere and Appenzeller, Generally, we use none of these. We rarely have any Emmentaler, our old Gruy re melts too stringy, and there are other pungent, Appenzeller-like cheeses we prefer. Pick one or more not too hard, bendy-textured Alpine style cheeses. Consult your cheesemonger, or other trained fondue specialist.
Use whatever leftover dry white wine you have. The alcohol cooks off, so teetotalers needn't fear. For the spirit (and don't skip the spirit!) we like Slivovitz, a fiery clear plum brandy from one or another of the pieces of former Yugoslavia. Recipes will often call for a cherry brandy called Kirsch. But don't use cheap Kirsch or your fondue will taste like maraschino cherries, which in a Manhattan is delicious, but in cheese is gross.
Anyway, here's the recipe:
Serves 5 to 6 as appetizers.
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/4 pounds Emmenthaler, Gruyere and Appenzeller, or other combination of not-too-hard Alpine-style cheeses, totaling 1 1/4 pounds
1 large clove Garlic
1 1/2 cup dry white wine
6 tablespoons Slivovitz (plum brandy) or clear fruit-based eau-de-vie of your choice
2 teaspoons Flour
Freshly ground white pepper and nutmeg to taste (optional; I really don't know why it's here)
DIRECTIONS:
Heat the wine and garlic in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. When the wine is hot, remove the garlic. Add cheese. Skip the white pepper and nutmeg unless you insist. Stir over medium heat until the cheese melts. Whisk the flour and brandy together and add to the cheese mixture. Boil gently, stirring for a few minutes. Transfer saucepan to a candle warmer or fondue stand. Serve with cubes of good slightly stale or oven-dried bread.
RUBINER'S WELSH RAREBIT
It's pronounced rabbit. Not sure why they spelled rabbit like that. Nor is anyone else. Even Wikipedia is vague on the matter. The name does appear to have some rabbity origins, however. Some say the Welsh — notorious cheese lovers and incompetent rabbit hunters — had to substitute cheese for rabbit meat lest they grow peckish after a failed hunt. Another source claims that Welsh peasants were not allowed to eat rabbits hunted on the estates of the local nobles, so they had to make do with melted cheese (see Crocker, Betty). As for me, I'll take bubbling, melting cheese over rabbit any day, especially after the loss of poor Amy (don't ask).
Makes around 8 rarebits.
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound Cheddar, Lancashire, Cheshire, Wensleydale, Red Leicester or similar cheese, coarsely grated.
1 cup beer (we use one or another slightly bitter ale)
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 tablespoons dry mustard powder
Black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
Melt the butter in a double boiler or bain-marie. Whisk in the flour until it forms a a smooth paste. Add beer and whisk until the mixture has slightly thickened. Add cheese and whisk until melted. Whisk in seasonings. (There's an awful lot of whisking in this recipe.)
At this point, most people would pour the rarebit over toasted bread and set under the broiler until the cheese is browned and bubbling. At the cafe, we let it congeal overnight, then spread it on two pieces of way-too-buttered bread, sandwich style, wrap the sandwich in parchment and grill it for 5 minutes. You can try this at home in a frying pan, without the parchment, but it will be gloriously messy.
- By Melissa d'Arabian, The Associated Press
Years ago, I was attempting to reverse my daughter Valentine's disdain for cauliflower. She was always my veggie-loving kiddo, so I was stumped by her dislike of one my favorites. Who doesn't love roasted cauliflower florets, with those crispy caramelized golden edges?
She loved artichoke — pulling apart the leaves and scraping them on her teeth. So, why not create a pull-apart version of cauliflower? I roasted it whole on a lower temperature (about 350 F) for nearly an hour, and then pumped up the heat to 400 F for some browning. I then seasoned the whole head of cauliflower with a little lemon butter or cheese. The idea worked: all four of my kids had fun pulling apart the cauliflower, eating little florets like finger food.
Over the years, cauliflower morphed from dinner table favorite to movie night snack food, right alongside popcorn. The recipe has changed a little: I've found that steaming the cauliflower a few minutes first cuts the cook-time in half and the florets are easier to pull apart.
And, I've upped my seasoning, for example slathering on a garlicky cheese mixture spiked with just a touch of hot sauce to remind me of the buffalo wings of my college days, when I thought nothing of downing a half-dozen fried wings, skin and all.
With today's recipe for cheesy pull-apart whole cauliflower, the high-cal buttery and cheesy coating packs a garlic punch, even though each serving has relatively little of it, so healthy eating goals stay on track. And while we're enjoying movie-time or game-time nibbles, it's nice to know that we're actually getting a little nutrition in our bodies, too.
Cheesy pull-apart whole cauliflower
Servings: 8
Start to finish: 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
1 medium head of cauliflower (about 1 1/2 pounds), trimmed of leaves
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4 cup grated parmesan
2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
1 tablespoon hot sauce or buffalo sauce
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 400 F.
Turn the cauliflower upside down and gently cut out the bulk of the core, leaving a triangle-shaped indentation at the bottom of the cauliflower. Add an inch of salted water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Place the cauliflower right side up in the pot and cover the pot to steam the cauliflower until tender, but still firm (not mushy), about 7-10 minutes, depending on the size and age of the cauliflower. Test with a slim sharp knife.
Once the cauliflower is done, remove it from the pot and place on paper towels to cool. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the butter, mayonnaise, parmesan cheese, garlic and hot sauce. Blot the cooled cauliflower with paper towels. Coat the outside of the cauliflower with the cheesy mixture, using your hands to coat the whole head. Place the cauliflower on a baking tray lined with foil or parchment. Bake until the cauliflower is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool a few minutes before serving. Serve with forks or as finger food.
Nutrition information per serving: 67 calories; 42 calories from fat; 5 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 7 mg cholesterol; 136 mg sodium; 4 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 2 g sugar; 2 g protein.
Food Network star Melissa d'Arabian is an expert on healthy eating on a budget. She is the author of the cookbook, "Supermarket Healthy."
___
Online: http://www.melissadarabian.net
- By America's Test Kitchen
Macaroni and cheese has always been on my "must-explore" list. It's just eaten too often in this country for us to ignore it. Kids in particular say yes to macaroni and cheese when they turn up their noses at everything else. Unfortunately, it's the boxed version, complete with orange cheese powder, that's made most often.
There are two distinct styles of macaroni and cheese: bechamel-based, in which macaroni is blanketed with a cheesy white sauce, usually topped with crumbs, and baked. The other variety, the kind my mother always made, is custard-based. In this style, a mixture of egg and milk is poured over layers of grated cheese and noodles. As the dish bakes, the eggs, milk and cheese set into a custard. It can also be topped with bread crumbs, although my mom always sprinkled crushed saltine crackers over hers.
We preferred the cheesier-flavored custard version and decided to experiment. To our surprise, highly processed cheeses, such as American, performed quite well in this dish. Much like evaporated milk, the more processing, the more stable the cheese and the more creamy the dish. For flavor, use cheddar; for texture, buy American. You can skip the bread crumbs and sprinkle the dish with crumbled common crackers or saltines, if desired.
Stovetop macaroni and cheese
Servings: 4
Start to finish: 45 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
Bread crumbs:
3 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into quarters
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Salt
Macaroni and cheese:
2 large eggs
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 teaspoon dry mustard, dissolved in 1 teaspoon water
Salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
8 ounces elbow macaroni (2 cups)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 ounces sharp cheddar, American, or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (3 cups)
DIRECTIONS:
For the bread crumbs: Pulse bread in food processor to coarse crumbs, about 10 pulses. Melt butter in 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add bread crumbs and cook, stirring often, until beginning to brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Season with salt to taste; set aside.
For the macaroni and cheese: Mix eggs, 1 cup evaporated milk, mustard mixture, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper, and hot sauce in bowl.
Meanwhile, bring 2 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven. Add pasta and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Drain pasta and return to pot over low heat. Add butter and toss to melt.
Add egg mixture and three-quarters of cheese to pasta and toss until thoroughly combined and cheese starts to melt. Gradually add remaining evaporated milk and remaining cheese, stirring constantly, until mixture is hot and creamy, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately, sprinkling individual portions with toasted bread crumbs.
Variation:
"Baked" macaroni and cheese: Add 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese to toasted bread crumbs. Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Transfer macaroni and cheese mixture to a 13-by-9-inch broiler-safe baking dish and sprinkle with bread-crumb mixture. Broil until topping turns deep golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Let casserole cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition information per serving: 880 calories; 463 calories from fat; 52 g fat (32 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 249 mg cholesterol; 1063 mg sodium; 65 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 11 g sugar; 36 g protein.
For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit https://www.americastestkitchen.com. Find more recipes like Macaroni and Cheese in "Revolutionary Recipes ."
- By Francesca Olsen, Eagle correspondent
Most nights, as many people do, my partner and I discuss dinner options. We have some different opinions about what's tasty, and we sometimes have to meet in the middle.
"What about a pasta bake with, like, a bechamel sauce instead of red?" I asked. He rolled his eyes; he hates creamy sauce.
"Why can't we just use red sauce?" he asked.
"Red sauce takes too long. It's already 5:30," I said.
So, no bechamel, no red sauce, but plenty of sausage in the fridge. What to do? Compromise.
This recipe is an altered version of a casserole I often prep in advance and store in the freezer for a desperate weeknight, but it can be made pretty simply as a regular dinner. Because it lacks sauce of any kind, but doesn't lack on cheese, the binding liquid is a simple pan sauce made with sherry vinegar and some starchy, salty pasta water.
That liquid commingles with the sausage and veggies, then slicks itself over the nearly al dente pasta, creating just enough moisture to allow it to fully cook in the oven, and enough moisture for the cheese to do its job, which is to create a creamy and crunchy assemblage of delicious edible textures. The bread crumbs call back to more creamy/traditional casseroles, which are often heavy on dairy.
This got the vote of approval from Mr. No Creamy Sauces — and from me. It's drier than it would be with a bechamel, but it's lovely, and it hits all the high points — a little spicy and fatty from the sausage, nice and starchy, perfect for a cool rainy night. However, next time he's away for dinnertime, I'll be making myself the creamiest mac and cheese I can as an act of protest.
NOT-SAUCY PASTA AND SAUSAGE BAKE
INGREDIENTS:
6 sausages or 1 pound ground sausage (I used a sweet/hot combo — highly recommend!)
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon dried sage
Salt and pepper
1 pound bag of spinach
1 pound pasta
2 tablespoons butter
Sherry vinegar
1/4 cup reserved pasta water
3 cups shredded cheese, mozzarella, Parmesan and Gouda (or whatever other shredded cheese you would like to use)
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 425 F. Heat large saucepan to high. Remove sausage from casings and mash into small bits, allowing sausage to fully cook and brown (skip the casings part if you're using ground sausage). Remove sausage and set aside. Turn heat to medium low.
Chop onion and garlic and add onion to pan, cooking 3 to 5 minutes until soft and beginning to brown. Add sage, spinach and garlic, and cook about five minutes longer.
Salt and boil a large pot of water, then cook pasta about 5 to 6 minutes until just approaching al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water, then drain pasta.
Add sausage, sherry vinegar and pasta water to the pan with onions and spinach. Adjust heat to medium and simmer until liquid is reduced by half. Add pasta and stir until well combined. Add half the cheese and stir, then once cheese is incorporated well, add the rest to the top and top with bread crumbs. Bake 30 minutes or until cheese on top is brown. Wait at least 10 minutes before serving.
- By America's Test Kitchen
These delicate, crumbly, cheesy, buttery spiced crackers are popular in the South, but should be required snacking everywhere.
And while they're mostly about the cheese, the crackers would have one-note richness without the added pizazz of some back-up spices: sweet, peppery paprika and cayenne.
These give the cracker interest, back up the extra-sharp cheddar's bold flavor, and add pleasant heat. To make a version that mimicked cheese straws' signature decorative stripes without using a cookie press, we rolled out the dough into a square and made lines with the tines of a fork before cutting the dough into strips and baking.
Using a food processor to buzz the grated cheese, chilled butter, flour, and baking powder together resulted in crackers with a short, extra-tender texture. A variation pairs nutty Parmesan and black pepper for a slightly more refined straw with the perfect salt and pepper balance.
SOUTHERN CHEESE STRAWS
Servings: 48
Start to finish: 1 hour, 5 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)
1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces and chilled
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons ice water
DIRECTIONS:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Process cheddar, flour, butter, salt, paprika, baking powder, and cayenne in food processor until mixture resembles wet sand, about 20 seconds. Add ice water and process until dough ball starts to form, about 25 seconds.
Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and knead by hand to form smooth, round ball, about 30 seconds. Using your hands, pat dough into rough 4 inch square. Roll dough into 10 inch square, about 1/4 inch thick, flouring counter and dough as needed to prevent sticking.
Position dough so one side is parallel to counter edge. Using rounded side of fork, drag tines across entire surface of dough to make decorative lines. Using pizza cutter or chef's knife, trim away and discard outer 1/2 inch of dough to make neat square. Cut dough into 3 equal pieces perpendicular to lines. Working with 1 section of dough at a time, cut into 1/2 inch-wide strips in direction of lines.
Evenly space cheese straws on prepared sheet, about 1/2 inch apart. Bake until edges of straws are light golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let straws cool completely on sheet. Serve. (Straws can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 week.)
Variation: Parmesan-black pepper cheese straws: Reduce extra-sharp cheddar to 6 ounces (1 1/2 cups). Add 1 cup grated Parmesan to food processor with flour. Substitute 1 teaspoon pepper for cayenne.
Nutrition information per serving: 52 calories; 33 calories from fat; 4 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 10 mg cholesterol; 73 mg sodium; 3 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 0 g sugar; 1 g protein.
For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit https://www.americastestkitchen.com . Find more recipes like Southern Cheese Straws in "Spiced ."
- By America's Test Kitchen
We love a simple cheese quesadilla, but add a filling of succulent shrimp spiked with tequila and lime zest and you turn Mexico's griddled cheese sandwich into a party.
To make them substantial enough for a meal, we started with 10-inch flour tortillas. To make four at once, we turned to the oven. By placing the quesadillas on an oiled baking sheet and then brushing their tops with oil, we were able to brown and crisp them on both sides without having to cook each individually.
To keep the quesadillas from getting soggy while ensuring juicy shrimp, we par-cooked the shrimp slightly on the stovetop with aromatics and tequila; this gave them a head start while evaporating most of the liquid. It was essential to cut the shrimp in half so that they released most of their moisture into the pan.
Cilantro, scallion greens, and lime zest provided welcome freshness, and Monterey Jack cheese offered melty richness.
TEQUILA-LIME SHRIMP QUESADILLAS
Servings: 4
Start to finish: 1 hour
INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
12 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (3 cups)
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
2 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin
1 1/2 pounds medium-large shrimp (31 to 40 per pound), peeled, deveined, tails removed, and halved lengthwise
Salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1/3 cup tequila
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
4 (10 inch) flour tortillas
DIRECTIONS:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 F. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and brush with 1 tablespoon oil. Toss Monterey Jack with cilantro and scallion greens.
Pat shrimp dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12 inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add scallion whites, garlic, chipotle, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add tequila and simmer until tequila has evaporated and pan is dry, about 5 minutes.
Add shrimp and cook, stirring often, until cooked through and opaque throughout, about 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl, stir in zest, and let cool for 5 minutes; drain well.
Lay tortillas on counter. Sprinkle half of cheese mixture over half of each tortilla, leaving 1/2 inch border around edge. Arrange shrimp on top in single layer, then sprinkle with remaining cheese mixture. Fold other half of each tortilla over top and press firmly to compact.
Arrange quesadillas in single layer on prepared sheet with rounded edges facing center of sheet. Brush with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Bake until quesadillas begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Flip quesadillas over and press gently with spatula to compact. Continue to bake until crisp and golden brown on second side, about 5 minutes. Let quesadillas cool on wire rack for 5 minutes, then slice each into 4 wedges and serve.
Nutrition information per serving: 789 calories; 375 calories from fat; 42 g fat (18 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 290 mg cholesterol; 2145 mg sodium; 41 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 50 g protein.
For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit https://www.americastestkitchen.com . Find more recipes like Shrimp Quesadillas in "New Essentials ."
- By America's Test Kitchen
In Mexico, vendors sell this messy, cheesy, utterly delicious grilled corn from carts. To bring this street food to the home kitchen, we broiled the corn on the cob instead of heading out to the grill, first brushing it with oil to keep it from drying out.
Mayonnaise makes a good substitute for Mexican crema, especially when it's dressed up with cilantro, garlic, lime, and chili powder.
Hard-to-find traditional Cotija cheese is great, but salty, crumbly feta is just as good. To keep it from crumbling right off the corn, we mixed it in with the mayonnaise before slathering the mixture all over the charred corn and broiling it for another few minutes.
MEXICAN STREET CORN
Servings: 6
Start to finish: 35 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
6 ears corn, husks and silk removed, stalks left intact
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 ounce feta cheese, crumbled (1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
Salt and pepper
DIRECTIONS:
Adjust oven rack 5 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Brush corn all over with oil and transfer to prepared sheet. Broil corn until well browned on 1 side, about 10 minutes. Flip corn and broil until well browned on opposite side, about 10 minutes longer.
Meanwhile, whisk mayonnaise, feta, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, chili powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt together in bowl until incorporated.
Remove corn from oven and brush evenly on all sides with mayonnaise mixture. (Reserve any extra mayonnaise mixture for serving.) Return corn to oven and broil, rotating frequently, until coating is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve corn with lime wedges and any extra reserved mayonnaise mixture.
Nutrition information per serving: 253 calories; 178 calories from fat; 20 g fat (3 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 13 mg cholesterol; 285 mg sodium; 19 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 5 g protein.
- By America's Test Kitchen
Earthy spinach and nutty cheese star in this brunch-worthy strata.
Ideally, this savory make-ahead bread pudding should be rich enough to satisfy without being overindulgent. And, since strata is such a great make-ahead dish, it should also be straightforward to put together. Unfortunately, too many recipes for strata are soggy and laden with excessive custard and filling ingredients.
Looking to create a go-to breakfast or brunch casserole, we first considered the bread. Whole dried bread slices had the best texture and appearance, and buttering them added richness. Spinach, shallot, and Gruyere complemented each other perfectly for the filling, and we sauteed the vegetables to remove excess moisture and prevent the casserole from becoming waterlogged.
Weighting down the assembled strata overnight improved its texture; we found that two 1 pound boxes of brown or confectioners' sugar, laid side by side over the plastic wrap, made ideal weights.
One hour is minimum, but you could do it overnight to bake the strata the following morning. The recipe can be doubled and assembled in a greased 13-by 9-inch baking dish; increase the baking time to 1 hour and 20 minutes. Substitute any semisoft melting cheese, such as Havarti, sharp cheddar, or Colby for the Gruyere.
BREAKFAST STRATA WITH SPINACH AND GRUYERE
Servings: 4-6
Start to finish: 2 hours 15 minutes (plus 1 hour refrigeration time)
INGREDIENTS:
8-10 (1/2 inch-thick) slices French or Italian bread
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
4 shallots, minced
Salt and pepper
10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/2 cup dry white wine
6 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups)
6 large eggs
1 3/4 cups half-and-half
DIRECTIONS:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 225 F. Arrange bread in single layer on rimmed baking sheet and bake until dry and crisp, about 40 minutes, flipping slices halfway through baking. Let bread cool slightly, then spread 2 tablespoons butter evenly over 1 side of bread slices.
Meanwhile, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and pinch salt and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in spinach and cook until warmed through, about 2 minutes; transfer to bowl. Add wine to now-empty skillet and simmer over medium-high heat until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 3 minutes; set aside to cool.
Grease 8-inch square baking dish. Arrange half of bread slices, buttered side up, in single layer in dish. Sprinkle half of spinach mixture and 1/2 cup Gruyere over top. Repeat with remaining bread, remaining spinach mixture, and 1/2 cup Gruyere to make second layer.
Whisk eggs, reduced wine, half-and-half, 1 teaspoon salt, and pinch pepper together in bowl, then pour evenly over top of bread and cheese in dish. Cover dish tightly with plastic wrap, pressing it flush to surface. Weight down strata and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 F. Meanwhile, let strata sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Unwrap strata and top with remaining 1/2 cup Gruyere. Bake until edges and center are puffed and edges have pulled away slightly from sides of dish, 50 to 55 minutes. Let casserole cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition information per serving: 547 calories; 276 calories from fat; 31 g fat (17 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 292 mg cholesterol; 930 mg sodium; 40 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 8 g sugar; 24 g protein.
For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit https://www.americastestkitchen.com . Find more recipes like Breakfast Strata with Spinach and Gruyere in "Vegetables Illustrated ."
- By America's Test Kitchen
Making pizza at home is gratifying, and it almost always tastes better than what you can get from delivery. But achieving a pizza with a crisp crust in the home oven can also be a real challenge.
You need to stretch the dough carefully, preheat a heavy baking stone, and then swiftly slide the topped dough round into a hot oven, making sure the pizza maintains its shape.
In searching for a foolproof method for cooking pizza whenever the mood struck, we found that making truly great pizza is a breeze in a skillet. Our dough came together quickly in the food processor; after we let it rise, we rolled it thin and then transferred it to a cool oiled skillet, where we topped it with a fast no-cook sauce and slices of fresh mozzarella cheese.
We placed the skillet over a hot burner to get it good and hot and to set the bottom of the crust. Once the crust began to brown, we simply slid the skillet into a 500-F oven. In the oven, the hot skillet functioned like a pizza stone, crisping up our crust in just minutes and melting the cheese.
We've featured a Margherita pizza topping here, adorning the sauce and cheese with just a sprinkle of basil. But if you'd like a more substantial topping for your pizza, feel free to sprinkle pepperoni, sauteed mushrooms, or browned sausage over the cheese before baking; just be sure to keep the toppings light or they may weigh down the thin crust and make it soggy.
The sauce will yield more than is needed in the recipe; extra sauce can be refrigerated for up to one week or frozen for up to one month.
SKILLET PIZZA
Servings: 8 (Makes two 11-inch pizzas)
Start to finish: 2 3/4 to 3 1/4 hours (Rising time: 1 1/2 to 2 hours)
INGREDIENTS:
Dough:
2 cups (11 ounces) plus 2 tablespoons bread flour
1 1/8 teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup (6 ounces) ice water
Sauce and Toppings:
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained with juice reserved
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced 1/4 inch thick and patted dry with paper towels
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
DIRECTIONS:
For the dough: Pulse flour, yeast, and salt in food processor until combined, about 5 pulses. With processor running, add oil, then water, and process until rough ball forms, 30 to 40 seconds. Let dough rest for 2 minutes, then process for 30 seconds longer.
Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and knead by hand to form smooth, round ball, about 30 seconds. Place dough seam side down in lightly greased large bowl or container, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. (Unrisen dough can be refrigerated for at least 8 hours or up to 16 hours; let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before shaping)
For the sauce and toppings: Process tomatoes, 1 tablespoon oil, garlic, vinegar, oregano, salt, and pepper in clean, dry workbowl until smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer mixture to 2-cup liquid measuring cup and add reserved tomato juice until sauce measures 2 cups. Reserve 1 cup sauce; set aside remaining sauce for another use.
Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 500 F. Grease 12-inch oven-safe skillet with 2 tablespoons oil.
Transfer dough to lightly floured counter, divide in half, and cover loosely with greased plastic. Press and roll 1 piece of dough (keep remaining piece covered) into 11-inch round of even thickness.
Transfer dough to prepared skillet and reshape as needed. Spread 1/2 cup sauce over dough, leaving 1/2-inch border around edge. Top with half of mozzarella.
Set skillet over high heat and cook until outside edge of dough is set, pizza is lightly puffed, and bottom of crust looks spotty brown when gently lifted with spatula, about 3 minutes.
Transfer skillet to oven and bake pizza until edges are brown and cheese is melted and spotty brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Using potholders, remove skillet from oven and slide pizza onto wire rack; let cool slightly. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon basil, cut into wedges, and serve. Being careful of hot skillet, repeat with remaining oil, dough, 1/2 cup sauce, remaining mozzarella, and basil.
Nutrition information per serving: 322 calories; 152 calories from fat; 17 g fat (5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 20 mg cholesterol; 657 mg sodium; 30 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 10 g protein.
For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit https://www.americastestkitchen.com. Find more recipes like Skillet Pizza in "Bread Illustrated ."
More like this...
More information
These recipes are quick and easy to make, for all of our busy home cooks.