Manchego

Whenever I have people over for a sit-down holiday dinner, I like to set the tone with a hunger-inducing salad as the first course. For my most recent dinner, I foreshadowed the Fall meal to come with a peppery medley of in-season produce.

This salad, with its salty, spicy, tangy, and sweet components, turned out to be the perfect way to get guests psyched for supper while still leaving plenty of room for the main course.

Toasted on the stove, pepitas, or hulled pumpkin seeds, impart a nutty flavor to the olive oil, which plays a crucial part in the aromatic dressing. Make this your Thanksgiving salad when you keep reading.

If you love grilled, roasted, or sautéed asparagus, why not try Spring's most beloved vegetable a new way? I'm talking about eating it raw. Although it may seem crazy at first, raw asparagus is actually quite delicious — especially when you shave it into paper-thin slices and toss it in a salad with peppery arugula and nutty manchego cheese. This salad is my new favorite! It's light and wonderful on its own, but pairs with everything from roasted fish to eggplant parmesan. Interested in the uncomplicated recipe? Read more.

Mashed potatoes may be a traditional Thanksgiving side, but they aren't the most practical for serving a large crowd. They're best freshly made, and although you can keep them warm over a pot of simmering water, who has time or stovetop space for that?

If you're attending a potluck and in charge of bringing a potato side, make this wildly delicious layered potato gratin. The half-and-half is infused with roasted garlic, rosemary, and thyme before being poured over the thinly sliced potato rounds. Instead of regular old cheddar or parmesan, the ingredient list calls for manchego and smoked gouda.

The resulting dish is insane! The top is crispy and cheesy, and the potatoes melt in your mouth. It really is a spectacular side that would be excellent paired with any roast like turkey, ham, or whole beef tenderloin. To check out the recipe, read more.

Reader Angelica uploaded this insane pile of manchego cheese-topped fries to the Savory Sights group in the YumSugar Community. Do you have an image of something delicious that you recently made or enjoyed? Upload it and it may be featured here!
From Dish in Mill Valley!

For years, I was one of those people who avoided mushroom quesadillas. I would often see them on menus or buffet tables, but mushrooms just didn't seem like an acceptable filling for quesadillas. Red peppers? Yes. Onions? Of course! But mushrooms? Nope. Until one day when I was starving and grabbed a mushroom quesadilla not realizing what it was. I was shocked to learn how good it was!


Mushrooms do work in a quesadilla, and when paired with the correct cheese (like manchego) and filling (think roasted jalapeños and fresh tomatillo salsa), they can be absolutely divine. Dollop with a little bit of sour cream and serve with a cold Mexican beer and I'm almost in heaven. To give mushroom quesadillas a try — you won't be disappointed, I promise! — read more

When I saw this recipe in a recent issue of Martha Stewart Living, I knew within two seconds of reading the title that I would be making it. I love crostini and I love avocado. The fact that it also involves crispy prosciutto and manchego cheese is just a plus. To make this delectable appetizer, you don't really need any cooking skills; you basically toast baguette slices, crisp the prosciutto, and layer it with mashed avocado and shaved cheese. Seriously, these crostini are incredibly easy, and the resulting bite is sure to be a hit with guests. It's also totally versatile: it would be equally delicious to start a Mexican, Spanish, or Italian menu. Learn the uncomplicated preparation after the jump.

This Thanksgiving, why not turn up the volume on your basic mashed potatoes? One way to do this is by adding cheese. Watch now to learn how!

I'm not much of a Monte Cristo fan. The classic sandwich straddles breakfast and lunch by placing ham, turkey, and cheese between two slices of French toast. The entire thing is topped with powdered sugar and jam resulting in a dish that to me, is messy and too sweet.

However, when I came across this Serrano ham and manchego cheese variation, my love for all things Spanish overcame me, and I decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did, this sandwich is wonderful!

The quince paste isn't as cloying as strawberry preserves and the addition of mustard provides a delightfully savory tang. Although the bread is dipped in egg before being placed in the saute pan, it tastes more like a really crispy grilled ham and cheese than French toast. To check out the recipe, read more

"The Sentinel has a sandwich with figs on it today!" a coworker alerted me on Tuesday morning. I love figs, and I love sandwiches, so I hightailed it over to the SF sandwich shop founded by local chef Dennis Leary.
This was my third time trying The Sentinel's expensive sandwiches, and though this was my favorite so far, I was still somewhat disappointed. Why? Because I expect a place whose menu changes seasonally to use seasonal ingredients, like figs, but this sandwich was sweetened with fig spread. The menu promised fresh figs! But now for the good news.