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Tag Archives: cheese


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Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese

Ok, so this recipe was a total accident. A wonderful, delicious accident. You see, last weekend we went shopping and bought four types of cheese. Yes, four. I was supposed to buy cheddar, cheddar jack, mozzarella, and smoked gouda. But instead of buying smoked gouda, I accidentally bought buffalo jack. So, we went back to the store and got smoked gouda. So we ended up buying five types of cheese this weekend. They are now sitting happily with 3 other types of cheese in our fridge. I guess we really, really like cheese or something.

I had plans for four of the cheeses that we purchased, but since I wasn’t planning on buying a buffalo cheese, I obviously didn’t have anything to do with it. Yet. As I was making barbecue sauce it suddenly dawned on me – buffalo chicken mac & cheese. Bingo.

I encourage you to make this delicious, messy goodness. I definitely do not encourage you to calculate the nutritional info for this. It will make you cry. If you can’t find buffalo jack cheese, feel free to sub in a sharp cheddar.

Welcome to Wisconsin, folks.

buffalo chicken mac & cheese | doughseedough.net

Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese
adapted from Food Network

1 pound whole wheat macaroni
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 pound cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, shredded
3/4 cup Frank’s Red Hot or hot sauce of choice, divided
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced, divided
1 jalapeño, minced
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 teaspoons dry mustard
2 cups skim milk
2 cups shredded buffalo jack cheese, divided
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly coat a 9×13″ baking dish with olive oil. Set aside.
  2. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain.
  3. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in celery and onion and cook until soft, about 3 – 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and chicken and cook until garlic is fragrant, about 2 more minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup of the hot sauce and 3/4 of the sliced green onions.
  4. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a small pan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and mustard until smooth. Whisk in milk and remaining hot sauce and cook, stirring frequently, until thick, about 3 – 5 minutes. Whisk in 1 1/2 cups of buffalo jack cheese and 3/4 cup of the cheddar cheese until smooth.
  5. Spread half the pasta into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with half the chicken mixture and half the cheese sauce. Repeat with the remaining pasta, chicken, and cheese sauce.
  6. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a small dish and toss with panko to combine. Toss with remaining 1/2 cup buffalo jack cheese and 1/4 cup cheddar cheese. Sprinkle panko cheese crumbs on top of casserole.
  7. Bake in preheated oven until bubbly, 30 – 40 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with remaining green onions before serving.


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Baked Sweet Potato Chili Cheese Fries

I. love. fries. Like, really love fries. I like to pretend that I’m not fully aware of how bad they are for you and always get fries at restaurants. Well, not always… more like 90% of the time. The last time I turned down fries was a couple months ago at a German restaurant. I opted for liver dumpling soup instead :-P. The last time I was out and had an option, Mike and I were in Milwaukee. I could choose between cottage cheese, fruit, or fries. I actually asked about the fruit first, but it had cantaloupe in it and I found out about a year ago that whenever I eat cantaloupe my throat and ears get really itchy. So… that wasn’t going to happen again. Long story short, I chose fries. 

I could have fries with every meal and be happy. In fact, I could have fries as  my meal and be happy. 

Yup. 

That’s what I did. I made a meal out of these and I don’t regret it one bit. 

baked sweet potato chili cheese fries | doughseedough.net

Baked Sweet Potato Chili Cheese Fries
adapted from Joy the Baker

2 pounds sweet potatoes, scrubbed clean
1/4 cup corn starch
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon Mexican chili powder
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chipotle chile pepper powder
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon grill seasoning
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 fresh jalapeño, thinly sliced
2 green onions, sliced

  1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425°F. Lightly grease two large baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. 
  2. Cut sweet potato into 1/4-inch slices. Stack slices and then slice lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips. Repeat with remaining sweet potatoes to cut fries. 
  3. In a  medium bowl, whisk together corn starch, chili powders, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, ground cumin, and chipotle chile pepper powder. 
  4. In a medium bowl, toss fries with olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, and grill seasoning. Sprinkle cornstarch mixture over fries and toss to combine. 
  5. Divide potatoes between the two prepared baking sheets. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping every 10 minutes, until fries are crispy. Sprinkle with cheese and return to oven for about 2 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and place fries onto serving platter. Sprinkle with jalapeño slices and green onions and serve hot. 


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Grilled Kimcheese Sandwich

Is there such thing as too much kimchi? I don’t think so. Or at least I haven’t reached that point yet. Today I have yet another kimchi dish. This time, in sandwich form. Yeah, you read the title right. It’s a grilled cheese sandwich with kimchi. Grilled kimcheese. See what I did there?

So, this dish doesn’t really need a recipe because nothing is easier to cook than grilled cheese, but… why not? I just  had to. Imagine it: ooey, gooey cheese with crunchy, tangy, spicy kimchi.

grilled kimcheese sandwich | doughseedough.net

Grilled Kimcheese Sandwich
makes 2 sandwiches

1/4 cup unsalted butter
4 slices sourdough bread
1/2 cup kimchi, chopped
4 ounces havarti cheese, sliced

  1. Heat a large pan over medium heat. 
  2. Butter bread slices with butter on one side and place 2 of  them in the pan butter side down.
  3. Distribute the 1/4 of the cheese onto each bread slice in the pan. Top with 1/4 cup kimchi, remaining cheese, and the remaining 2 slices of sourdough bread, butter side up.
  4. Cook for 1 minute or until golden brown and cheese has started to melt. With a spatula, flip sandwiches and cook until other side is golden brown and cheese is completely melted. Serve immediately.


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Creamy Lemon Orzo

I often find myself with a pantry and fridge  full of random items. In this instance it was a pathetically small  amount of orzo and some goat cheese. The perfect solution – a creamy orzo side dish! I loved this so much. I wish I had been able to make more of it so I could eat it as an entree and not a side dish. I honestly cannot even remember what I served it with. Chicken of some sort? Hmm…

In all honesty, I will most likely make a huge pot of this and eat it as a main entree next time.

creamy lemon orzo

Creamy Lemon Orzo

1 cup whole wheat orzo
1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1 lemon, zested and juiced
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup cooked peas
2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

  1. Cook orzo according to package directions. 
  2. Meanwhile, whisk together yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper.
  3. Drain orzo and return to pot. Stir in yogurt sauce and crumbled goat cheese and stir until cheese is melted.
  4. Garnish with lemon zest and serve warm.


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Spicy Cheese Bread

cheese bread

Nothing says “Madison Farmer’s Market” like Stella’s spicy cheese bread. If you’ve never had the chance to shove handfuls of this deliciousness into you’re mouth, you are missing out. In the summer, Capitol Square is packed full of people cradling delicious, warm bags of cheesy, doughy goodness.

I might go so far to say that this bread was the highlight of my college career.

Being in the real world means I can’t drop everything and jet off to Madison to get this bread whenever I feel like it. And I’m just not willing to shell out $8 + $9 shipping per loaf for it. Fortunately, a pretty tasty replica can be created in your own kitchen.

cheese bread

Spicy Cheese Bread

1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
8 ounces jalapeño cheese, cut into 1/4″ cubes
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

  1. Mix together the yeast and water and let it sit for 5 minutes. Add sugar, garlic powder, pepper, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper. Mix in the butter and olive oil.
  2. Knead in flour a little at a time by hand or with a stand mixer fit with a dough hook. Add the salt and knead for 10 minutes, or until dough is smooth. Knead in jalapeno cheese.
  3. Grease a large bowl and place dough inside. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise for two hours, or until doubled in size.
  4. Grease a round cake pan and place dough inside. Gently press dough to pan edges. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
  5. Preheat oven to 400°F. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes on bread. Bake for 30 minutes until bread is golden brown. Serve warm.

 

Photos in this post were taken by Rebecca Li


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Eggplant Parmesan

I had said yesterday that I’ve only made one meal in the last week. I now have to admit that the only reason I made this was because I had signed up for a vegetarian recipe swap and the reveal is today. If it weren’t for this, I probably would’ve survived on random junk in my fridge and Sour Patch Kids. So, thank goodness for this tasty meal because it fed us for a really long time!

The recipe I was assigned was Eggplant Parmesan from Tasty Treats by Tina. The last time I had made eggplant parm was just over 3 years ago. Holy smokes! I love how Tina’s version is unbreaded. It cuts down on the prep and I think that her recipe is to die for!

Eggplant Parmesan
recipe very slightly adapted from Tasty Treats by Tina

1 large eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
4 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces fat free ricotta cheese
6 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup basil, chopped
4 cups tomato sauce (recipe follows)

  1.  Sprinkle both sides of the eggplant slices with salt. Place slices in a colander, and place a dish underneath the colander to capture liquid that will sweat out of the eggplant. Allow to sit for 30 minutes – 1 hour.
  2. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
  3. In a medium bowl, mix the ricotta, mozzarella, and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Mix in egg and basil.
  4. Rinse the eggplant in cold water until all salt is removed. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Place one layer of eggplant in the pan, brown each side. Repeat with remaining eggplant slices, using additional oil if necessary.
  5. In a 9×13 inch baking dish, evenly spread 1 1/2 cups of pasta sauce. Arrange a single layer of eggplant slices on top of the sauce. Top the eggplant with 1/2 of the cheese mixture. Repeat layering process until all the eggplant and cheese mixture is used. Pour remaining sauce on top of layers, and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.
  6. Bake 30 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until sauce is bubbly.

Basic Tomato Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 medium onion, diced
4-8 ounce cans low sodium tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried cilantro
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

  1. In a medium saucepan, heat  olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook until until is translucent.
  2. Add tomato sauce and seasonings and bring to a boil, stirring often.
  3. Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes.


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Prosciutto T.B.M. Sandwich

It’s swap time again! This is my third swap and I’m officially addicted. The other two times I have participated it was Blogger’s Choice and I got to choose whatever I wanted from the assigned blog. It was kind of nice having a dish just given to me – it means I don’t have to spend hours deciding what dish to make!

This time, I got the Prosciutto TBM Sandwich from Does Not Cook Well With Others (DNCWWO). She was inspired by the TBM sandwich at Cosi, a sandwich chain that originated out east. Lucky for me, there was one in Madison, WI as well so I have had the opportunity to eat there. I don’t recall ever ordering the TBM, but next time I’m in Madison I will put it on my must-try list!

Apologies in advance for the picture – I rushed through this so I could get the sandwich from the plate and into my mouth as quickly as possible. It was late, and I was hungry 🙂

Prosciutto TBM Sandwich
very slightly adapted from DNCWWO

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
1 loaf sourdough bread
3 ounces prosciutto
1 pound mozzarella, sliced 1/4-inch thick
3 vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced about 1/4-inch thick
15 basil leaves

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil and red wine vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper
  2. Slice the loaf of sourdough bread into 6 – 1/2  inch slices. Brush one side of each slice of bread with vinaigrette with a pastry brush.
  3. On three slices of bread, layer on prosciutto, mozzarella, tomato, and basil. Place second slice of bread on top.
  4. Slice sandwich in half and serve immediately.


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Mushroom & Feta Tart

This was so fun to make! I’m convinced that this is pretty impossible to mess up. After I had assembled the tarts, they looked like the work of a 2 year old. I was a bit horrified and slightly disappointed. I thought I had completely ruined a dish that was filled with delicious, tangy feta and beloved CSA mushrooms.

Then, they miraculously transformed in the oven into beautiful, perfectly puffed tarts. It’s magic, folks.

I did learn a lesson from my past week-ish of cooking – do not bake so many things during the summer! It is hot and uncomfortable, and it will inevitably lead to me being a crank. I’ll keep this important tidbit in mind as I plan out next week’s menu. Mike picks up our second CSA box this afternoon and I can’t wait to get my hands on it to see what goodies we have!

Now, on to the main event – the recipe!

Mushroom & Feta Tart
slightly adapted from Kitchen Wench

1 pound white button mushrooms
6 ounces feta cheese
6 ounces ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 large onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
2 sheets puff pastry
chopped chives, optional

  1.  Preheat oven to 400°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix together the feta cheese, ricotta cheese, egg, lemon zest, lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
  3. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat and add onion and garlic. Cook until onions are translucent and golden.
  4. Add onion and garlic to cheese mixture and stir well to combine.
  5. Lay out one sheet of puff pastry on each baking sheet. Spoon half of the mixture onto each sheet and spread out, leaving a 1 inch border around the edge.
  6. Evenly distribute mushrooms on top of the cheese mixture, then fold the edges up and brush with some olive oil.
  7. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed up and golden brown.
  8. Serve warm with a sprinkle of chives on top.


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Copy Cat Burrito Bowls

TGIF!! Even though I’m loving my rotation in school food service, I’m still so so so very happy that it’s Friday. So, here are my Friday Favorites for this week.

Favorite Fitness Must Have: Garmin Forerunner 910XT with HRM. Ok, calling this $450 fancy watch a “must have” is a bit of a stretch. Maybe I should say it’s a “Lust Have” instead. The watch is seriously awesome. The price is a little steep for a student budget, though. Eh, maybe when I get out of school and find a job I can reward myself with one of these babies with my first paycheck.

image from runningwarehouse.com

Favorite Cold Treat: Kemp’s Java Chip Ice Cream. Oh boy. I can’t even begin to tell you how much I love this stuff. A bowl full of this + some espresso chocolate chip cookies = the best dinner ever.

image from kemps.com

Favorite Make-Me-Smile Read: 10 Reasons Running Doesn’t Suck As Much As You Think on Hello Giggles. Part of me really wants to print this out and stick it on my fridge.

Favorite Restaurant Meal Copy Cat: Burrito Bowls! I made these on a night where I had a craving for burritos. They were so good that we made them again the next night with different toppings. The best part? They were SO easy to make! Seriously, we put them together in the time it would have taken us to drive across town, wait in line, and drive back home. It’s an added bonus that they were so cheap to make, too! Now that’s my kind of meal – delicious, quick, and cheap.

Copy Cat Burrito Bowl

3 cups brown rice
1 lime, zested and juiced
1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped, divided
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 red onion, diced
salt and pepper, to taste
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese, shredded

Other optional toppings:
Sour cream
Jalapeños
Avocado
Queso
Hot sauce

  1. Cook brown rice according to package directions. I use a rice cooker and use a 1 cup brown rice: 2 cups water ratio. When rice is cooked, mix with 1/4 cup cilantro, lime zest and lime juice.
  2. Meanwhile, mix chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, and oregano together and sprinkle generously over chicken breasts.
  3.  Heat olive oil in a medium-sized skillet over high heat. Cook chicken until cooked through. Remove to cutting board and chop.
  4. In a separate bowl, make the pico de gallo. Combine tomatoes, 1/4 cup cilantro, red onion, salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
  5. To assemble: place rice in bowl and top with black beans, chicken, pico de gallo, shredded cheese, and any other toppings you desire. Enjoy!

 


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Greek Salad

A quick, delicious way to use up your summer vegetables! Our garden is finally starting to produce some awesome tomatoes (heirloom, cherry, and grape) and I couldn’t be more excited.

Greek Salad

3 large tomatoes, chopped
2 cucumbers, peeled and chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled

  1. Combine all ingredients in a medium size bowl. Mix to distribute ingredients evenly. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.