Pretty Edible - Cauliflower with Cheese

 

This is so easy to make. Simply cook your cauliflower whole. Make sure it will sit flat by checking it on the counter/bench. Trim the stem if necessary. Place in a pan big enough to hold it without crowding it in tightly. Add enough water to come up about half way. Add salt to taste.

After it is cooked, carefully remove it to a bowl where it will look pretty and immediately sprinkle generously with grated cheese. You may also sprinkle it with paprika or black pepper if desired. Serve hot. 

This is obviously a great side dish for a meal, but it could also be a meal for a few by itself with maybe some crackers or chips to accompany it.

Loaded Chips and Cheese

You can make chips and cheese into a fully balanced meal! This is one of the great things about it – that and melted cheese. What cheese lover can resist that? :-)  (Note of our foreign friends – the kind of chips used for this are corn tortilla chips, just in case you don’t know that.)

To make the loaded chips and cheese pictured above I fully cooked some chicken breast strips and seasoned them with Mexican type seasoning (garlic, onion, red pepper, cumin, oregano) and salt.

Then, after spreading the corn chips on a baking sheet, I added the chicken, sliced black olives and grated cheese.  I added some more spices to make the entire batch more flavorful. I baked it in the oven (350F-375F)  just till the cheese melted and then sprinkled it with fresh, diced tomatoes before serving it. Supper in one pan! :-)

Pinto or black beans from a can or precooked (rinsed and well drained) could be used here in place of the chicken meat, or added to it to “stretch” it. You could also use cooked, drained ground beef.

Other toppings you could use to make a complete meal of it:

- mozzarella; pepperoni; fully cooked, crumbled sausage (drained and patted dry with paper towel); mushrooms; olives and other pizza toppings (use the sauce for dip if you want it, or sprinkle basil, garlic and oregano on top of the cheese before baking).

- good melting cheese of your choice, thin sliced steak (fully cooked); chopped, canned artichoke hearts (well drained and patted dry); and sautéed garlic cloves (drained). Add fresh chopped tomatoes after removing it from the oven. Season with herbs of your choice – maybe fresh, chopped basil? Mmmm.

- fully cooked, drained ground beef (drain on paper towel); garbanzo beans; pitted kalamata olives; lightly sautéed garlic; crumbled feta cheese.  (You could use mozzarella with this as well.)  Top this with fresh, shredded lettuce, chopped cucumber, and/or tomatoes.  You could also spray the top lightly with olive oil before to add flavor.

- cheddar cheese; cooked, drained ground beef; and finely chopped dill pickles. Add chopped, diced tomatoes; shredded lettuce; and diced onion or chopped green onions after it is finished baking. "Sprinkle" ketchup and mustard over it. (This is for a cheese burger type taste.) :-)

Notes:

Obviously all the cheese needs to be grated, or in the case of feta crumbled, before use.

You could use leftover meat for this such as shredded chicken, turkey, beef, or pork.

Anything you want fresh needs to be added after removing from the oven.

I have not tried all these toppings. I’m just thinking these through as I write. Be adventuresome and think up some of your own that sound good to you. Just remember not to use anything very wet or oily or the chips may get soggy.

Also, using safe cheese and other ingredients, this recipe can be made gluten free.

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First published here 1/2011. Edited.

Easy Cheesy Crackers

 

Here’s a simple Hors d'oeuvres to make for a special meal or just for a snack.  They present very nicely on a special occasion but are easy enough to make for a family movie night or even lunch.  They would also be nice for tea.

Triscuits (or other cracker of choice)
Cheese (I think used something like Jarlsburg or Edam, but many types would work fine with this as long as they don’t melt into a goopy mess.)
Sun dried tomatoes in flavored oil
Garlic powder (optional)

Lay the Triscuits or crackers out on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  (You can skip the paper if you don’t mind the clean up. In either case, I recommend you use a cookie sheet with sides to keep them from sliding off when you’re moving the trays.)

Cut cheese into slices in a size that will fit on the crackers and add.

Using kitchen scissors, snip sun dried tomatoes into small strips putting 2-3 strips on each cracker.

You may sprinkle lightly with garlic powder if you wish.

Bake at 450F just till the cheese melts to your preferred point.  Keep a close eye on it!  I think mine was a little overdone.

You can make this in any size batch.  I suppose you could heat them in the microwave, but pay close attention so that your cheese isn’t ruined.

Cheesy Baked Portabellas

 

Some time back I made this simple, but elegant side for a dinner I was giving for family.  It is a little more expensive than some things, but really easy to make!

You will need:

whole portabella mushrooms
round cheese, sliced
seasonings of choice
salt to taste

Remove the stems and wash off dirt from portabella mushroom tops.  Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil (optional) and lightly grease/oil it.  Lay the portabellas top side down on the sheet.  Bake at about 350F till they are approximately halfway done – a little of the juices should be coming out (see photo above).  (Keep an eye on it as it doesn’t take terribly long.  Sorry, I can’t give an exact time.)

Remove from oven.  Sprinkle lightly with salt and lay slices of a round cheese on top.  You can use whatever you like: Provolone, etc.  I used a Mexican melting cheese.  I had to cut the slices in half to get them to fit nicely on top. 

Then sprinkle with whatever seasoning, herbs or toppings you want.  Use your imagination.  I used French’s onion crisps and parsley here.  You could also use a number if different fresh or dried herbs, caramelized onions, seasoning blends, fully cooked bacon bits or sun dried tomatoes.  You could even make them into miniature pizzas and serve as a main dish!  Yum!  (Note: Adding more toppings may require longer cooking time, so take the portabella tops out sooner so they don’t get overdone.)

Return to the oven and finish baking just till the cheese is melted.  Serve whole, or cut in half.

Quick Meals – Hearty Pizza Quesadillas

 

Here is a simple and quick meal to make.  If you make your own tortillas and meat fillings you will need to have them cooked ahead of time.  If you store pre-cooked meat or tortillas in the freezer you need to have them thawed as well.

First heat the tortilla in a frying pan with a little oil or butter.  Spread some Italian/pizza sauce on the top.  (This is our homemade sauce, by the way.) :-)

To one half of the tortilla add some grated mozzarella, your favorite fully cooked pizza meat, and sliced black olive and mushrooms if desired.  Fold the tortilla over on the fillings and cook, turning once, till the cheese is melted and the other ingredients are hot.  That’s it!  Serve with a salad if desired.

Random Recipe Links

 

I’ve been working on scheduling blog posts for the upcoming week at least, and since I’m still sick at the time of this writing, I’m making it easier on myself by using items that were previously written or that require less work. In this post I’m giving you a smattering of links that I saved for the blog or that I stumbled across. :-)

Enjoy!

These chocolate waffles were made by my husband. Here’s the recipe, only he made some changes, and we ate them with real whipped cream, peanut butter and real maple syrup (among other things).  YUM!  Our family breakfasts….words fail me. :-)

Handheld Blackberry Pies – (Gotta love the pun, people!)

Fresh Ricotta – Someday I want to try this, really….I think…maybe…

Chocolate Molten Cakes – I do want to try this one!

Chocolate-Coconut Angel Cupcakes – These sound really good too.

Flourless Chocolate Cookies – With special regard to my grain-free and gluten free friends. :-)

Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies – And another.

Runnemede Remembered Recipes – from my friend Judi.

Boudin Meat Balls – “Boudin, the king of Cajun food...”  I’ve heard this is really good and would like to try it sometime, but it’s probably not something I would make. 

And just to throw in something really odd for you all to ponder, in the category of strange ingredients we have -

Corn Smut – not your usual fungus.

Quick Meals – BLT Quesadillas

 

Here is a quick meal that does required a few precooked items.  You can use your own, previously cooked ingredients.  The amount of what you will need will vary depending on how many you are cooking for, the size of your tortillas and how much you like bacon. ;-) 

You will need:

Cooked flour tortillas  (We actually buy raw flour tortillas at Costco and I cook them at home because they have the fewest ingredients of all the store bought tortillas, they don’t bother my “attentive stomach”, and they taste and smell incredibly better this way.  See more info below)

You will need:

Cooked bacon – Plan ahead: Cook extra when you’re cooking bacon anyway, and reserve what you need to make this meal later (pre-cooked bacon can be frozen for later use).

You will need:

Fresh tomatoes
Lettuce
Cheese, sliced
Mustard and/or mayonnaise if desired
Garlic powder, optional

Fold the tortillas in half.  Spread the inside with mustard or mayo and sprinkle lightly with garlic powder, if using.  Add sliced cheese and bacon inside the tortilla.  Cook on a hot griddle or in a frying pan.  It should be fine to do this in a dry pan, but if the pan tends to stick at all wipe it with some oil first.

Cook, turning at least once, till the cheese is melted and all the layers are heated through.

Just before serving open one side and add the tomato slices and lettuce.

These would be great with guacamole on the side.

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Regarding the tortillas: The raw flour tortillas that we purchase from Costco come in a large quantity. (NOTE: We Do Not Recommend the corn tortillas.  We had a bad experience with those, but never with the flour ones so far)  To deal with this quantity, we take them out of the packages; separate the tortillas, putting a small square of waxed paper between each one; place them in freezer bags; date them and put them in the freezer.  The reason we go to all the trouble of inserting waxed paper between each tortilla is that we found they stuck together after they thawed if we didn’t do this.  With this method we’ve had little trouble with that and they keep well in the freezer for several months.

MMmm.  I think I need to make these again soon! :-)

Curried Cheese Ball

I invented this recipe for my dad’s birthday and he enjoyed it thoroughly. :-)  It was a combination of one or two other recipes and my own ideas.  It can be served with crackers and celery.  I didn’t actually roll it into a ball because it was rather soft.  If you wish to actually roll it into a ball, I suggest you chill it well first.
Curried Cheese Ball
14 oz. softened cream cheese
1/2 C. feta cheese crumbles
2 Tbl. butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp. curry powder (or to taste)
1/4 C. coconut cream concentrate
3 baby carrots, minced
1/3 C. dried cranberries
Scant 1/4 C. green onion tops, finely chopped
Chopped peanuts
Orange juice
Garnishes – dried cranberries and celery leaves (or parsley)
Place cranberries in a small dish and add just enough orange juice to cover.
In a mixing bowl combine cream cheese, butter, feta, coconut cream and curry powder till creamed.  Add carrots, green onions and cranberries with orange juice to the mixture and mix well.  Scoop into a bowl and form a rounded top.  Pat on chopped peanuts.  Cover and refrigerate till ready to serve.  Add garnishes if desired.

Random Links for A Cloudy, Rainy Day

My ham and lentil soup.

I haven’t done a link post for awhile, and since I’m a little behind on posts I thought I’d try to put one together today.  It’s a cloudy, dull November day here (though not cold yet), but we had a little rain which is always welcome here these days of drought!  Praise the Lord for every bit we get!

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Mommy’s Kitchen – Here is a neat cooking blog my mom discovered and declared useful.  I haven’t explored it much yet, but it looks like there are a lot of good “home cookin’” recipes here. :-)

Homemade Soup Recipes – Mmmm soooooup, that warm comfort food that makes a cold day seem a little less chilly.

Did someone say chili? A chili for every taste – more or less.

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches at TasteofHome.com – Did I mention that I’m getting hungry?  I think we need to have some grilled cheese sandwiches soon!  Until then they are  grilled cheese sandwishes. ;-)

More Grilled Cheese, Please!

Old Time Cooked Banana Pudding – I never met “banana puddin’” till my family moved to the South (Tennessee, to be exact).  I’ve only ever had the instant mix, pre-fabricated food type banana pudding and I was not impressed (my apologies to my Southern readers).  But, I have to say that this sounds like it would be quite good, plus it sounds like you could or should serve it warm, which seems more appealing to me.  I thought there was probably an old fashioned method for this. (Now if I could only find some good vanilla wafers that didn’t have stuff in them that we don’t like to eat.)

An assortment of Winter Dinners.

Apple pie dish – for a yummy winter treat, serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Garlic Spread

In rummaging through some recipes in my pile I ran across this recipe from a friend for Garlic Spread.  Garlic Day was the 19th of this month so it seemed appropriate to share it here.
Garlic Spread
8 oz. goat cheese (feta)
2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves
Process all in a blender or food processor till smooth.
Serve with pita bread, chips, or garlic toast bites.
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You may wish to add some fresh or dried herbs to this as well.  Basil or oregano would make a nice addition.  If you use dried herbs you may want to allow it to stand for 10 – 15 minutes before serving.

Just A Bite

I am a snacker first and last.  I get the munchies on a fairly regular basis.  Eating smaller meals and having a late morning and later afternoon snack can actually be beneficial, and is sometimes necessary for me, but eating healthy snacks is sometimes the challenge, especially with my sweet tooth.

I do not happen to eat a lot of bread.  I used to, but since our whole grain bread is heavy and carbohydrate rich, I like to get my carbs from things that I like better.  Because of this I don’t always get all the jam I’d like – especially our wonderful homemade jam.  When I have a craving for some jam, instead of spreading it on a cracker or piece of bread I will sometimes eat it on a slice of cheese. :-)  I probably get more jam than I should sometimes, but with some of our recent efforts at lower sugar jams this is not as much an issue as it once was.  Also, the freezer jams are more like eating fresh fruit spreads to me.

It’s not only tasty, it’s colorful too!  Yum!

Dairy Free Cashew Cheese

Ingredients:

1 cup Water

1/3 cup plus 1 rounded TBSP of Emes unflavored gelatin (do not use Agar)

1 1/4 cup boiling water

2 cups cashews

1/4 cup yeast flakes

1 TBSP salt

2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 pimento or 1 carrot grated or 2 tsp paprika

Directions:

Soak gelatin in the 1 cup of water in blender while assembling the other ingredients.  Pour the boiling water over soaked gelatin and whisk briefly to dissolve.  Cool slightly.  Add cashews and blend thoroughly while adding remaining ingredients.  Blend until mixture is the consistency of a cream sauce, with no pimento or carrot seen.  Pour into a quart mold, cool slightly.  Cover before refrigerating.  Refrigerate over night before serving.  After this firming period, it can be frozen.  This melts over hot dishes.  Leave out the gelatin for a fondue type of cheese. 

Makes one quart.

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This recipe came from my friend, Theresa.  She said that she couldn’t find the raw cashews that the recipe originally called for so she substituted roasted, salted ones.  She said it turned out fine and that her family liked it grated onto food in place of cheese.

I have not tried this recipe myself.  I am posting it for those who can’t have dairy products but like grated cheese on their food.  I hope it works out for you.  It’s worth a try.

As I mentioned, the original recipe called for raw cashews.  I changed this because I have heard that raw cashews are not safe to eat without a specific processing which was not included in this recipe.  If you wish to try them instead please find out the proper way to treat them before use so that they are safe to eat.