Peach Salsa With Fresh Veggies From The Garden of The Man
September 6, 2011
Normally, we only post recipes that include cheese, but this fresh salsa came out so good, we served it with a small cheese plate and deemed it qualified for inclusion… of course, as master of this small universe in the Pacific Northwest, I can pretty much deem whatever I choose…
As you know, The Man has been gardening in earnest this year, starting with his small greenhouse and moving to the great outdoors when the weather permitted. We feared the weather would not deliver bounty but the last few weeks have brought us lots of veggies and herbs for The Lady to use when she cooks.
Today she made a salsa with a peach, not grown in The Garden of The Man, but the rest of the ingredients were “home-grown”:
Ingredients:
1 Large, Ripe Peach, Chopped
2 Small Red Tomatoes, Chopped
Handful of Yellow Grape Tomatoes, Chopped
1 Green Bell Pepper, Chopped
1 Jalapeno Pepper, Chopped – Kitchen Tip: Do NOT scrape the seeds out with your nail; it leaves a lingering burn… just saying…
Fresh Parsley, Chopped
Fresh Mint, Chopped
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground Pepper, to taste
Truvia, to taste
Preparations:
Pick fresh veggies and fruit from garden. Rinse under cold water.
Chop everything and toss together in a bowl.
Sprinkle with salt and truvia – The Lady used ½ tsp of salt and about 1 tsp. of Truvia.
Grind fresh pepper to taste.
Toss again.
Marinate in fridge for an hour before serving.
Risotto with Chicken, Mushrooms and Lemon
September 5, 2011
Risotto with Chicken, Mushrooms and Lemon
Adapted from a recipe at KitchenNoob.blogspot.com
Last night The Lady delighted The Man and moi to risotto, a dish that requires about 20-30 minutes of constant stirring… this is no wham, bam, thank you mam recipe to make…
She found this recipe at TheKitchenNoob.blogspot.com and recommends you check out the site.
Risotto is not a difficult dish to make but it takes constant stirring and that can be annoying to those who seek instant gratification from their rice dishes…
The Lady boiled two whole Foster Farms chickens to make her stock. She used the meat to make this dish and chicken pot pies which she froze for the future eating pleasure for The Man while she is in Italy next week. I gotta tell you leaving me here to wrangle The Man is getting old… what happened to the good ole days??? But I digress…
Ingredients:
EVOO
Boneless chicken, 2 Cups, chopped coarsely – The Lady prefers thigh meat when she has a choice (here she used the meat from the boiled chickens). If you aren’t making stock, you’ll want to sauté your raw chicken until cooked through and lightly browned.
Salt to taste
Small jar of Marinated Artichoke Hearts, drained (The original recipe called for 9 ounces of frozen artichokes; The Lady used what she had on hand, but more would have been better – the artichokes got lost in the recipe)
5-7 Cups of Chicken Stock, with a couple small Parm-Reg rinds thrown in for extra flavor
2 Small Onions from The Garden of The Man, chopped – The Lady used the tops as well
Sauteing the Risotto
2 Garlic Cloves, chopped
4 Large White Mushrooms, sliced
12 ounces Arborio Rice
Zest of one Lemon
1 Tbsp. Fresh Lemon Juice
¼ Cup Fresh Parsley, Chopped (also from The Garden of The Man)
¼ Cup Pecorino Romano, grated (Parm-Reg would also work, The Lady used what she had on hand)
Freshly Ground Pepper to taste
Preparations:
Because The Lady used chicken she had cooked while making the stock, she skipped the first step. If you are using raw chicken, obviously you will need to sauté it in olive oil until fully cooked and lightly browned. The Lady prefers boneless/skinless thighs as they have more flavor but use what you like.
Chop the artichoke hearts. If using frozen, sauté in a little olive oil until brown. Set aside.
Bring stock to a boil. The Lady threw in a couple Parm/Reg rinds to add more flavor. Reduce and keep at a simmer.
Add a little EVOO to a large sauce pan and sauté the onions, garlic and mushrooms on medium. Add the rice and cook until the rice begins to turn translucent.
Here’s where the fun begins…
Add one cup of broth to the rice and stir until the stock is absorbed. Continue to add stock ½ cup at a time; constantly stirring and when absorbed, add more stock until the rice is just tender. This will take about 20-30 minutes depending on your heat level.
When the rice is tender stir in the chicken, artichokes, lemon zest and lemon juice and a little of the remaining stock.
Add the parsley and cheese; plate. Grind fresh pepper over the dish and serve.
Have The Man clean up the kitchen.
October Marks the First American Cheese Month
August 20, 2011
The American Cheese Society has named October “American Cheese Month” – all American cheeses… not that rubbery stuff… The Lady is attending a meeting next Monday afternoon at the Denver Headquarters of the American Cheese Society to help kick off this first ever American Cheese Month… stay tuned… we will post events as they unfold and are scheduled… woohoo!!!
Sartori Gorgonzola Dolcino Chicken Penne
August 17, 2011
The Man and I love The Lady on vacation… she cooks; she bakes; in general she spoils the two of us…
Last week she met Jim Tassielli, Northwest Sales Merchandiser for Sartori Foods and he graciously sent along a few cheese wedges for moi, your humble Feline Foodie, to taste and share with The Man and The Lady. One of the wedges was Gorgonola Dolcino and The Lady immediately whipped up a tangy salad dressing using it and serving it on lettuce wedges and chopped veggies from The Garden of The Man.
Yesterday, she decided to use the rest to make a pasta dish inspired by “Blue Cheese Chicken Pasta Lauren”. Here’s how The Lady adapted the recipe:
Ingredients:
1 Pound Pasta – The Lady likes penne best, but you use whatever you like or have in the cupboard
4 Tbsp. White Truffle Butter, divided
2 Tbsp. EVOO, divided
2 Tbsp. Bacon Grease, divided
Splash of Chardonnay
3 Red Onions, thinly sliced (Fresh from The Garden of The Man)
2 Tbsp. Sugar
6-8 Fresh Button Mushrooms, sliced
6 Boneless Chicken Thighs, salted and peppered to taste – The Lady only uses Foster Farms
Fresh Herbs from The garden of The Man, chopped – The Lady used oregano, thyme, rosemary, parsley
4 Ounces Sartori Gorgonzola Dolcino, crumbled
1 Cup Freshly Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Preparation:
Boil water for pasta – The Lady adds chicken bouillon rather than salt.
In a large saucepan add half of each of the butter, EVOO and Bacon grease. Melt on medium heat. Add the onions, sugar and chardonnay. Cut for about 30 minutes to caramelize, stirring every five minutes until they turn deep caramel color. Add the mushrooms for the last five minutes. The sugar adds sweetness.
In another saucepan, melt the other halves of butter, EVOO and bacon grease on medium heat. Saute the chicken thighs until cooked through and a little brown on each side. Set aside; when slightly cooled, slice into strips and toss with chopped herbs.
When the pasta is done, drain but do not rinse. Place in serving bowl and immediately add the gorgonzola and parm/reg. Mix and allow the cheeses to melt.
Add the chicken and caramelized onions to the pasta.
Toss and serve.
Get The Man to clean the kitchen… he’s really good about that…
For dessert The Lady made and served Le Gateau Nantaise… The Man and I have died and gone to culinary heaven with The Lady home and cooking. God Bless vacation…
FTC Full Disclosure – The cheesemaker/manufacturer sent me their product, hoping I would review the product/cheese.
Sartori Gorgonzola Dolcino Dressing
August 17, 2011
4 – 4 oz. Sartori Gorgonzola Dolcino
1/2 cup Low-fat mayonnaise
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. hot sauce, The Lady used Tapatio
Fresh Ground Pepper, to taste
1 small red onion from The garden of The Man, finely chopped
Crumble Sartori Gorgonzola Dolcino.
Add all ingredients to small mixing bowl. Mix together with spatula or large spoon.
Marinate in fridge for an hour before using.
The Lady served this dressing on Iceberg Lettuce wedges with fresh-picked veggies, tomatoes and herbs from The Garden of The Man.
FTC Full Disclosure – The cheesemaker/manufacturer sent me their product, hoping I would review the product/cheese.
Rocking W Garlic Chive Monterey Jack Quesadilla with Garden of The Man Pico de Gallo
August 15, 2011
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As mentioned over at cheesemonger weblog, The Lady brought home three flavored Monterey Jacks cheeses made by Rocking W Dairy in Olathe, Colorado. We enjoyed the cheeses as a snack last night and this morning I awoke to the smell of bacon sizzling in the kitchen. Naturally I was interested and made my way to discover The Lady making quesadillas using the Rocking W Garlic Chives Monterey. She picked herbs from her herb garden, which is maintained by The Man along with tomatoes, onions, bell peppers and jalapenos from The Man’s garden. She suggested I share the recipe with you, my loyal readers. I also took pictures with her new Droid phone… no easy “feet” for a feline who lacks an opposable thumb…
Here’s what she did…
The lady's Herb Garden
Ingredients
Ingredients:
½ pound of bacon, fried to crisp but not burned
Fresh Herbs; The Lady used parsley, oregano, rosemary, chives and thyme
Bell Pepper, chopped
Jalapeno, half, chopped
Purple Onion, small, chopped
6 ounces Rocking W Garlic Chive Monterey Jack, shredded
4 Flour Tortillas
4 Eggs
Salt and Pepper to taste
Olive Oil
While the bacon fried and I rubbed The Lady’s legs to make sure she knew I was interested, she chopped the veggies and the herbs. Then she shredded the cheese and whisked the eggs.
She let the bacon drain on paper towels and then she crushed it up. At that point, I made my intentions clear and was rewarded with my own share of bacon… ahh… I love it when a plan comes together…
Using a bit of olive oil, The Lady scrambled the eggs easy and lightly sautéed the veggies and herb. Then she built the quesadilla inside the sauté pans. She browned them on one side and flipped them to brown the other side. She served them with a Pico de Gallo she made from The Man’s garden bounty (recipe follows) and guacamole from the salsa bar at the Hawthorne Fred Meyer.
Garden of The Man Pico de Gallo:
Ingredients (all veggies and herbs from The Garden of The Man):
Tomatoes; both heirloom and cherry
Jalapeno
Bell Pepper
Chives
Purple Onion
Oregano
Rosemary
Thyme
Taco Seasoning
Chop everything and toss together.
Add the Taco Seasoning to taste.
Refrigerate for an hour to allow flavors to blend.
Famous Dave’s Mac n Cheese Recipe
August 12, 2011
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| Posted: Tuesday, August 9, 2011 7:00 am |
This recipe sounds yummy – The Lady on vacation next week and you can bet she’ll be making it for The Man and moi.
Famous Dave’s Mac ’n’ Cheese
Servings: 8 to 12
- 2 tablespoons butter, plus ¼ cup (½ stick), divided
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups milk
- ¾ cup half-and-half
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons barbecue sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
- 4 ounces aged white cheddar cheese, shredded
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1½ cups sweet corn niblets
- 2 jalapenos, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 pound jumbo elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, cubed
- 8 ounces Colby cheese, cubed
- ½ cup cracker crumbs
- ½ cup panko (Japanese-style) bread crumbs
- ¼ cup unseasoned bread crumbs
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large, heavy-bottom pot over medium heat. Whisk the flour into the butter until thoroughly combined to form a roux. Slowly whisk in the milk, then the half-and-half. Whisk in the mustard, barbecue sauce, salt and pepper.
Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook, whisking constantly, 8 to 10 minutes to develop the flavors. Whisk in the white cheddar and Parmesan cheeses. Stir in the corn, jalapenos and parsley, then remove from heat.
Stir in the macaroni, then the cubed sharp cheddar and Colby cheeses. Spoon the macaroni and cheese into a buttered 13-by-9-inch baking dish.
Melt the remaining one-quarter cup of butter in a small sauce pan.
In a medium bowl, combine the cracker, panko and unseasoned bread crumbs with the melted butter. Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the macaroni and cheese.
Bake the mac ’n’ cheese until bubbly and browned on top, about 40 minutes.
Pasta Marcella
June 11, 2011
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The Lady loves to use ingredients she has on hand to construct meals. She calls it “The Kitchen Sink” approach to cooking. Having just returned from Dallas the night before, she feared the cupboard would be bare when breakfast rolled around. But to the delight of The Man and moi, your feeling-humble today Feline Foodie, she found enough items to make an omelette for The Man and a pasta dish for the two of us.
Ingredients:
Bacon – 4 strips
Bowtie Pasta (Any pasta you would use for mac n cheese would do – bowtie was what she had on hand)
1 Parmigiana Reggiano Rind
EVOO
Golden Glen Creamery’s Farmstead Butter
Tillamook 2-Year Vintage White Extra Sharp Cheddar (our “everyday” cheddar)
6 Eggs (3 for the omelette and 3 for the pasta
Fresh Herbs from the deck (She snipped Italian Parsley, Curly Parsley, Chives, Rosemary and Thyme)
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Tomato, chopped.
Preparation:
Fry bacon in pan you will later use to assemble and cook your eggs and cooked pasta. Put aside and leave bacon drippings in pan.
Boil water for pasta. Add the Parm rind to the water. Cook pasta. Drain; do not rinse. Toss rind.
While bacon and pasta are cooking, grate cheese, chop herbs and whisk your eggs.
Add salt and pepper to taste to the whisked eggs.
Divide bacon drippings into two pans (one will be the one you used to fry bacon) and add a little EVOO and butter to each pan.
Divide eggs and put into two pans to cook. Use medium heat on both.
Add equal parts of cheese and herbs to each.
In bacon pan, add your drained pasta. Toss pasta to coat with eggs and cheese and let cook, stirring to avoid excessive sticking.
Cook omelette using normal methods and hope it comes out looking more like an omelette rather than scrambled eggs – either way it will taste great.
Serve everything when eggs are cooked.
Garnish with chopped tomato.
Eat.
Clean kitchen.
UPDATED 5/14/2011 – SEE BOTTOM FOR DETAILS
Ingredients:
Pasta
2 Chicken Breasts – pounded thin or sliced into thin pieces
Salt and pepper
Flour and your favorite seasonings/herbs/spices for coating chicken
Zipper bag for coating chicken
Olive Oil
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Zest of 1 large lemon – you want this sauce to be very “lemony”
Juice of 1 large lemon – about ¼ cup
½ teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup grated Cello Grated Romano**
Capers (optional)
Directions:
Set your water boiling for your pasta. Cook it to time up with when chicken and sauce are ready.
Prepare your chicken breasts either by pounding to make them thin or slice thin. We only use Foster Farms chicken around the manse.
Salt and pepper raw chicken pieces to taste.
Put flour and favorite seasonings in zipper bag. The Lady added a little dry chicken bouillon, celery seeds, paprika and chili powder.
Put chicken in zipper bag and toss to coat chicken pieces.
Heat olive oil in frying pan.
Add chicken and cook until nicely browned on both sides and cooked through. About 5-7 minutes each side.
Set chicken aside and cover to keep warm.
In same pan, add and heat cream until just about boiling. Add lemon zest, lemon juice and garlic to cream. (If you choose to use capers, add them here as well.)
Cook for a minute or so and stir constantly.
Add Cello Grated Romano and stir until incorporated.
Drain cooked pasta and put in pasta bowl. Place chicken on top. Ladle sauce over chicken and pasta.
Serve.
Enjoy… I know we did… The Man even swooned.
Serves 2 plus a cat.
** Cello Grated Romano (Vacchino – made from cow’s milk) is distributed by the Arthur Schuman Company.
Romano is a hard cheese generally used for grating on top of pasta and into salads and sauces. It has a lower water content and the Romano cheese made from cow’s milk is a little milder and less salty than the pecorino version.
Romano cheese is made by a special method called “rummaging curd” which involves draining the curd quickly after molding. The surface is then pierced slightly before the cheese is salted.
It is named after the city of Rome, Italy where it has been made for more than two thousand years.
The Lady and I are very impressed with Cello Romano and she plans to use it next on pizza and then in meatballs… The man and I are grateful she enjoys cooking so much… even though it should be duly noted that I am not thrilled with her “friendliness” toward the interloper who likes to lounge on my deck…
FTC Full Disclosure – The manufacturer/distributor sent me their product, hoping I would review the product/cheese.
Updated 5/14 – The Lady made this using Cello Riserva Parmesan and it, too, was a huge hit here at the manse. Read our review of Cello Riserva.
I have a new “playmate” and we are playing a new game, Cat and Mouse. Unfortunately, for the mouse, the end will be… well he won’t enjoy it as much as I. Currently he is hiding somewhere in the manse and I’ll have to continue my vigil until I find the little critter and at that time, The Lady and I will prepare our final grilled cheese to honor “April is grilled Cheese”.
Yesterday morning while the three of us were watching the Royal Wedding and about the time of the Royal Kiss, the critter made his debut in the living room. He looked liked a regular old house mouse, most likely he came in when The Lady had the sliding glass door off her office open, which she does a lot to enjoy fresh air. I tried to take him out then and there, but the critter eluded me and had me up all night trying to ferret out his hiding place… it’s just a matter of time before I get him… and then I’ll skin him and have The Lady fillet him and enjoy my final grilled cheese for this series… I only see one minor flaw in my plan… getting The Lady to fillet the little guy… but I can be quite persuasive when neccessary…
Ingredients:
Marbled Rye
Golden Glen Creamery Farmstead Butter
Mus musculus aka Mouse House – The Lady suggested chicken… boring…
Cole Slaw on the sandwich (drain any liquid first)
For simple instructions on how to assemble a perfect grilled cheese sandwich,please click here.
Also, please visit Golden Glen Creamery by clicking here.
My complete list of cheese and favorite tasty meats is available by clicking here.
Cheesemonger Recipes 
