Cheesy Herb and Garlic bread

I saw this recipe on Our Best Bites and thought it would be an awesome thing to make using my recipe for Boule Artisan Bread.  It incorporates some of my favorite things:  bread, garlic, and cheese!  You can use the links in the post to view the original recipes/pictures. Yum.

Cheesy Garlic-Herb Bread

Yields 1 loaf

1 loaf (16-24-oz.) crusty bread (we recommend sourdough)

8 oz. mozzarella*

1 of the following toppings:

–1/2 c. pesto

–1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil mixed with 3-4 cloves pressed garlic (allow to stand for at least an hour before brushing onto the bread)

–1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil mixed with 3-4 cloves pressed garlic and 3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

–1/2 c. butter mixed with 3 tablespoons Garlic Bread Seasoning

–1/2 c. butter mixed with 2 cloves pressed garlic, 1 tablespoon each fresh, chopped basil, rosemary, and parsley

*If you want to lighten things up a little, you can leave out the cheese and sprinkle to top of the bread with kosher salt and a little freshly ground black pepper.

Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Slice bread into 1 1/2″ slices, not cutting through to the bottom. Rotate the loaf 90 degrees and slice the bread again every 1 1/2″ so you have 1 1/2″ pieces that are still attached to the bottom of the bread.

Place the loaf on the prepared baking sheet. Gently spread the desired filling into the cracks. Gently stuff the cheese into the cracks (you can just put the cheese going in one direction rather than on all four sides of each piece). Brush a little of the remaining filling on top of the loaf and sprinkle with a little remaining cheese.  Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until the bread is toasted on top and the cheese is melted. Allow to stand a few minutes before serving.

Queso Fundito

I was thumbing through magazines yesterday while waiting for my allergy tests to finish, and I came across this yummy recipe for Queso Fundito - aka cheese dip!!

Queso Fundito

Yields 4 servings

1 (12 oz) jar of roasted red peppers - or you can roast your own

1/2 cup heavy cream - you could also substitute half-and-half if you want a slightly lower fat option

2 cups (8 oz) shredded Jack cheese

3 T. thinly sliced sun-dried tomatoes

1 pickled jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced - I suppose you could use a raw pepper as well, or even substitute with canned peppers

Thinly slice 2/3 cup of the roasted red peppers, reserving the remaining for other uses.

Pour cream in an 8" cast-iron skillet.  Add peppers and shredded cheese to skillet.

Broil 6 inches from the heat for 8 to 10 minutes, or until cheese melts and is golden brown.  Sprinkle with sun-dried tomatoes and jalapeno peppers.

Serve immediately with tortilla chips.

This would also be delicious with some chorizo sausage mixed into the dip.  If you don't have a cast-iron skillet  (like me), I would think you could also do this in any oven-safe dish.  I've even got a little mini-crockpot that might work well.

Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake

I made this for Aiden's blessing tonight... thought it turned out pretty darned tasty!

Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake - www.marthastewart.com

Ingredients

For The Topping
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
Coarse salt
For The Cake
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for buttering pan
1 pound rhubarb, trimmed and cut on a very sharp diagonal about 1/2 inch thick (I just sliced mine with a mandolin on a slight angle)
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest plus 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the topping: Stir together butter, flour, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until moist and crumbly.

Make the cake: Butter a 9-inch round cake pan (2 inches deep). Dot with 4 tablespoons butter (cut into pieces). Toss rhubarb with 3/4 cup sugar; let stand for 2 minutes. Toss again, and spread in pan.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Beat remaining stick butter and cup sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in zest and juice. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream, until smooth. Spread evenly over rhubarb. Crumble topping evenly over batter.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and top springs back when touched, about 1 hour. Let cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake, and invert onto a wire rack. Let cool completely.

Cook's Note

Let the cake cool for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan. The rhubarb will be too hot to handle safely right after baking. But if the cake sits much longer, it may stick.

Farewell, oh blessed butter

Ah, butter.  Sweet, creamy, delicious butter.  How I have enjoyed our relationship over the years.  But alas, you are not good for me, or my waistline.  So I bid you a fond farewell.  Well, more like a "see you later."  It's time to get serious.  Time for a 7-day cleanse - more like a jump-start to a healthier me.  Some of you may scoff at the idea of a cleanse, but this isn't your typical drink-nothing-but-lemonade/maple syrup/cayenne pepper-cleanse.  This is a vitamin-packed, fiber-rich, lean, 1500 calories/day plan.  

Sure, I'll be a little gassier than normal.  Sure, cutting out all of the butter will be difficult.  But let's face it folks, the cruise countdown is 69 days.  That is motivation enough for me to kick it into high gear.  So family, I forewarn you and give you a preemptive "I'm sorry."  I will be cranky.  I will want to indulge in foods that I shouldn't.  I won't want to exercise.  But this I promise...I WILL remember to turn on the bathroom fan.  Bless you all.

Black Beans and Vinaigrette

Happy Mother's Day! Here are the recipes you requested, Mom. (from Our Best Bites Cookbook)

Black Beans

1 Tbsp olive oil
2/3 cup diced onion
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2 (15 oz) cans b lack beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Juice from one lime
Shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute the onions for about 3 minutes or until they just start to become translucent. Add garlic and saute for about 30 seconds more. Add beans, broth, and remaining seasonings and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the beans are done cooking, remove from heat and add in the juice of one lime. Using the back of a spoon or spatula, mash about 1/4-1/2 of the beans to thicken the consistency. If you want a soupier consistency, just add a little more broth. To serve, sprinkle each serving with shredded cheese as desired.


Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup white wine or rice vinegar
4-5 cloves garlic
2 tsp sugar
1 cup canola oil
1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro, stems removed

In your blender, combine lime juice, vinegar, garlic, salt, and sugar. Blend until ingredients are completely combined. With the blender running, add the oil in a steady stream. Add cilantro and blend until the cilantro has broken down but still maintains some of its texture. If possible, refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.

Rhonda's Rainbow Citrus Cake

This is the cake Rhonda made for Ruth's baby shower. It was delicious!!

rainbow citrus cake

cake:
3 1/2 c. flour
5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3/4 c. shortening
2 1/4 c. sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c milk
2 tsp lemon zest, grated
2 drops yellow food coloring
2 tsp orange zest, grated
2 drops orange food coloring
2 tsp lime zest, grated
2 drops green food coloring

lemon curd filling:
3 eggs
1 c sugar
1/2 c fresh lemon juice
1/4 c. butter or margarine, melted
1 Tbsp lemon peel, grated

orange cream frosting:
2/3 c. butter, softened
3 Tbsp orange zest
2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp salt
2 egg yolks
8 c. powdered sugar
2 Tbsp orange juice
4 tsp lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 3 9-in cake pans. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream the shortening and sugar unmtil light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk. Divide equal amounts of batter into 3 bowls. Stir in lemon, orange, and lime zest with food coloring in the separate bowls and pour into pans. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool in pan 5 minutes, then turn out on wire racks and cool completely.

Lemon curd: In the top of double boiler, beat eggs and sugar. Stir in lemon juice, butter, and peel. Cook over simmering water for 15 minutes or unt9il thickened. Let cool.

Frosting: Cream butter, orange and lemon zest, and salt. Add egg yolks and mix well. Add sugar alternately with orange and lemon juices, beating well after each addition.

Put layers together with lemon curd filling and frost with orange cream frosting. Refrigerate until served.