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YumTV: How to Make Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

partysugar — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 08:00:27 -0800

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!

Fast & Easy Dinner: Arugula Salad With Mushrooms

partysugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:30:05 -0700

Do you eat enough salads? I don't, that's why I'm making a conscious effort to have a huge, hearty salad for dinner at least once a week. I'm starting with this arugula, mushroom, walnut, and goat cheese salad. The recipe calls for one pound of mixed mushrooms, so use whatever mushroom type you enjoy and can afford.

Although it may seem like a lot of steps to flash-marinate and broil mushrooms for salad, it adds a necessary depth to the dish. Also, when serving salad as a main course, it's nice to have a variety of textures, flavors, and temperatures. If desired, serve with a slice of toasted bread. To look at the recipe, read more.

Arugula Salad With Grilled Mushrooms
From Food & Wine

Ingredients

1/2 cup dry white vermouth
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound mixed mushrooms- oyster, shiitake, portobello and cremini
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon very finely chopped shallot
4 ounces baby arugula
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 1/2 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled (scant 1/4 cup)

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk the vermouth with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Trim the root ends of the oyster mushrooms, leaving them attached in small bunches. Discard the shiitake stems and leave the caps whole. Stem the portobellos. Wipe off the cremini. Add all of the mushrooms to the vermouth marinade, then toss and let stand for 20 minutes, stirring them occasionally.
Light a grill or preheat a broiler. Drain the mushrooms; reserve 1 tablespoon of the marinade. Grill the mushrooms or broil them over high heat until browned and tender, about 15 minutes. Thickly slice the grilled mushrooms.
Add the vinegar and shallot to the large bowl and whisk in the reserved marinade to taste. Add the arugula and walnuts, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat.
Transfer the arugula salad to plates, top with the grilled mushrooms and crumbled goat cheese and serve.

Serves 4.

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Mac Attack! Goat Cheese and Pesto

YumSugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:15:41 -0700

You love pesto, I love pesto! I have to admit I was giddy when I found a recipe that combines the comfort of mac and cheese with pesto. It also uses another one of my favorites, goat cheese. Since I had already eaten a lot of elbow macaroni, I picked up a box of orecchiette. They are said to be shaped like small ears, but I think they look more like little bowls; a perfect vessel to fill with sauce!

The combination of goat cheese, Parmesan, and pesto is insanely creamy. For a great crunch and texture, the mac and cheese is topped with panko. Rather than make a big pan, I cooked it in easy-to-serve individual ramekins. With a little planning this recipe won't take much longer than a box of Kraft - except it's a million times more rewarding. If you want to wow your friends and family with scrumptious mac and cheese, keep reading!

Fast & Easy Dinner: Beet Salad With Goat Cheese and Walnuts

partysugar — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 07:50:53 -0700

On the weekends, I like to treat myself and eat whatever I feel like eating, be it an oversize serving of macaroni and cheese or a decadently fudgey brownie. However, that means during the week I stock up on tons of vegetables and fruits. One way to do this is to enjoy salads for dinner. The key to a satisfying salad is to select elements that have different textures. There has to be something creamy, crispy, chewy, and tangy. With its beets, goat cheese, walnuts, and balsamic vinaigrette, this recipe is just the sort of salad I'm talking about.

The ingredient list calls for bottled balsamic dressing, but I prefer to quickly whisk my own. To serve up this salad, get the recipe and read more.

Beet Salad With Goat Cheese and Walnuts
From Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients

2 small cooked beets or one 8-1/4-ounce can tiny whole beets, chilled
1 tablespoon snipped fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons bottled reduced-fat or fat-free balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing
4 cups mixed baby salad greens
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
1 ounce semisoft goat cheese (chevre), crumbled

Directions

Slice beets into bite-sized wedges.
In a medium bowl, combine cut-up beets, basil, and pepper. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the salad dressing; toss to coat.
Arrange greens on 2 salad plates; sprinkle with remaining dressing.
Top with beet mixture, walnuts, and goat cheese.

Serves 2.

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Come Party With Me: Harvest Party - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 07:50:24 -0700

In wine making, the harvest is one of the most crucial times of year. It's when the vintners pick the grapes and usually occurs between August and October. Since the harvest is such an important season, many wineries celebrate with a lunch or dinner.

I think the tradition is the perfect excuse to plan a party! Just because you don't live in wine country doesn't mean you can't commemorate the harvest. Invite friends over for a meal that honors the wonderful world of wine. Every dish on the menu has wine on the ingredient list.

Start by displaying an assortment of charcuterie, olives, crackers, and goat cheese mousse with red-wine caramel. For the main course, offer chicken braised in white wine with shallots, pancetta, and fennel. Plate the chicken with a simple risotto alla Milanese - made with white wine and Parmesan cheese. These recipes are welcome at any dinner party, be it harvest-themed or a special birthday. To check them out, keep reading.

Killer App: Figs in Blanket

YumSugar — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:15:55 -0700

Figs are one of my favorite late Summer, early Fall fruits. Thus, after making bacon-wrapped dates, I looked for a similar recipe that used fresh figs. To my delight, I came across this Sandra Lee recipe that combines figs, goat cheese, and prosciutto. Inspired by her recipe but wanting to keep it simple, I came up with my take on her killer app. Rather than heat up the house, I decided to throw these tasty little bites on the barbecue.Although any variety of fig will work, I used Calimyrna and found that the easiest way to remove the flesh is with a melon baller. This delicious appetizer is perfect for a party because it can be prepped ahead of time and only requires a few minutes on the grill, so you won't miss any of the fun. With the salty prosciutto, sweet fig, and tangy goat cheese center, these nibbles are full of flavor and texture. If you want to impress your guests with figs in a blanket, keep reading.

Fast & Easy Dinner: Rosemary Chicken Pizza

partysugar — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 06:50:37 -0700

By now, you may know that I love pizza. Not only do I serve it as an appetizer and use leftovers as toppings, but I make it when I'm in need of a quick pick-me-up. After a long day, there's nothing quite as comforting as a crisp crust oozing with melted cheese.

Assembling a pizza also allows me to get creative in the kitchen without having to waste a ton of time prepping ingredients. This simple recipe combines a crunchy dough with rotisserie chicken, goat cheese, rosemary, and Parmesan cheese.

It's a filling meal on its own, but for additional balance I'll enjoy it with mixed greens. To look at the recipe, read more.

Rosemary Chicken Pizza
From Every Day With Rachael Ray

Ingredients

Pizza dough
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing and drizzling
Freshly grated parmesan cheese, for sprinkling
Coarse salt
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
5 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
½ tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (about 1 sprig)

Directions

Invert a large baking sheet and place it on a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat the oven to 500°.
Invert a second baking sheet on a work surface and cover it with a sheet of parchment paper. Stretch the pizza dough to fit the parchment paper.
Brush the dough generously with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with parmesan and salt. Scatter the chicken, goat cheese and rosemary on top.
Slide the pizza and the parchment from the cool baking sheet to the hot baking sheet in the oven. Bake until the crust is golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Drizzle with more olive oil and top with more parmesan. Cut into pieces.

Serves 8.

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Say Cheese! Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts

partysugar — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:55:37 -0700

Earlier today I teased your tastebuds with a goat cheese quiz, so it's only fair to share my current favorite goat cheese recipe: tomato and goat cheese tarts. Goat's milk has a high amount of fatty acids (much more than cow's milk) that provide the cheese with its characteristic tart flavor.

Goat cheese most commonly comes in a soft, spreadable, crumbly form, although there are hard aged varieties that have a consistency more like feta. Since goats are hardy animals that can survive in areas where cows cannot - parts of the Middle East, Africa, and the Mediterranean - goat cheese is the world's most widely consumed cheese.

I love the salty and creamy flavor of goat cheese and almost always have it in my refrigerator. To see how I paired the tangy cheese with ripe tomatoes to make this easy tart, read more.

I'm a huge fan of Barefoot Contessa's recipes, and this is another winner! The tart dough is simply puff pastry, but she adds layers of flavor with caramelized onions, Parmesan cheese, and chopped basil. I've served this tart many times, both as a main course and a side dish, in individual portions and as a slab. Sliced into smaller pieces it could even work as an appetizer.

Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts
From Ina Garten

Ingredients

1 package (17.3 ounces/2 sheets) puff pastry, defrosted
Good olive oil
4 cups thinly sliced yellow onions (2 large onions)
3 large garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons dry white wine
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, plus 2 ounces shaved with a vegetable peeler
4 ounces garlic-and-herb goat cheese (recommended: Montrachet)
1 large tomato, cut into 4 (1/4-inch-thick) slices
3 tablespoons julienned basil leaves

Directions

Unfold a sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll it lightly to an 11 by 11-inch square. Using a 6-inch wide saucer or other round object as a guide, cut 2 circles from the sheet of puff pastry, discarding the scraps. Repeat with the second pastry sheet to make 4 circles in all. Place the pastry circles on 2 sheet pans lined with parchment paper and refrigerate until ready to use.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium to low heat and add the onions and garlic. Saute for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are limp and there is almost no moisture remaining in the skillet.
Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the wine, and thyme and continue to cook for another 10 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned. Remove from the heat.
Using a sharp paring knife, score a 1/4-inch-wide border around each pastry circle. Prick the pastry inside the score lines with the tines of a fork and sprinkle a tablespoon of grated Parmesan on each round, staying inside the scored border.
Place 1/4 of the onion mixture on each circle, again staying within the scored edge.
Crumble 1 ounce of goat cheese on top of the onions.
Place a slice of tomato in the center of each tart. Brush the tomato lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with basil, salt, and pepper. Finally, scatter 4 or 5 shards of Parmesan on each tart.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. The bottom sheet pan may need an extra few minutes in the oven. Serve hot or warm.

Makes 4 individual tarts.

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What Do You Know About Goat Cheese?

partysugar — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 06:50:24 -0700

While reading Gourmet on the bus yesterday, I came across an article about National Goat Cheese month. It happens to be now, August, so naturally I thought it would be the perfect time to test your knowledge on creamy, smooth, and tangy goat cheese. Although goat cheese has been around for a long time, it only became a widely known popular ingredient in America in the late 1970s. Do you know why? Find out now and take the quiz.

Take the quiz

'Wich of the Week: Goat Cheese With Avocado and Celery

YumSugar — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:30:47 -0700

After enjoying my fair share of sandwiches at 'Wichcraft, I brought the yumminess home by whipping up one of the recipes from Tom Colicchio and Sisha Ortuzar's 'Wichcraft cookbook. Inspired by a salad popular in Ortuzar's native Chile, this celery, avocado, and goat cheese concoction looked easy, summery, and delicious. Plus, it's not on 'Wichcraft's menu, and I was intrigued by the use of celery in a sandwich. See how it turned out and get the easy recipe.