Tips: Cheese

SOFT CHEESES
Cover is light mold.
Mozzarella, provalone, or fontina cheese are fairly interchangeable

HARD CHEESES
Rind will be hard. It is actually not bad for you and can pack lots of flavor.  Use the crust of parmesan cheese rind to flavor and thicken your pasta sauce.  Remove it before serving.  Cheese is squeezed and compressed. Nutrition is about 14
times more than the milk used to make it.

Parmesean Cheese – Grate your own, don’t use the round green box either.

Eg: Cheddar, machengo, parmesean, gruyere

Lower fat content means stringier cheese.
Lower fat content means stringier cheese.

KEEP AND CARE OF CHEESE
Likes cool moist environment, but not COLD and not WET
Likes to breathe
Soft and medium in plastic container with a slice of apple.
Hard cheeses lightly wrapped in waxed paper secured with rubber band or aluminum foil.

MEDIUM CHEESES
Reddish or brown rind is more natural
Milk is pasturized at 145 degrees for 30 mintues
At 160 degrees for 15 seconds kills everything. Applies to most cheeses.
You can use dental floss to cut soft cheeses

FREEZING CHEESE
You can wrap cheese in Saran Wrap and then put it into a zipper lock bag. This will keep it for about three months.

GOOEY CHEESE
The melty stringy cheeses are those with a lower fat content.  That’s why low moisture, low fat mozzarella cheese is so great for pizza.  Mozzarella, provalone, or fontina cheese are fairly interchangeable

Blintz – Good for breakfast, brunch or snacks

4 crepes (see recipe – link below) leftovers work great

STRAWBERRY FILLING

  • 1/2 C plus 1/2 C fresh strawberries or other fruit
  • 1 TBL sour cream
  • 2 TBL powdered sugar
  1. Coarsely mix and mash above
  2. Add in other 1/2 C strawberries
  3. Let rest 30 minutes

BLUEBERRY FILLING

  • 1/2 C blueberries, plus 1/2 C blueberries
  • Zest and juice from one lemon
  • 2 TBL honey
  • 1/4 C sugar
  • pinch of cardamom
  1. Coarsely mix and mash above
  2. Add in other 1/2 C blueberries
  3. Let rest 30 minutes

CHEESE FILLING

  • 1/2 CU cottage cheese
  • 1/2 CU softened cream cheese (softened)
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla
  • 1 TBL sugar
  • 1 TBL butter (softened)
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

RICOTTA FILLING

  • 1 egg
  • 3 TBL honey
  • Lemon and zest from one lemon
  • 1 block softened cream cheese
  • Salt, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, almond extract
    (mix above)
  • Fold in 1 C ricotta and cool at least 30 minutes

STEP BY STEP

  1. Prepare FILLING
  2. Lay CREPE flat (slightly warm)
  3. Put 1/3 C filling a little off-center and fold over one third, then fold the ends in, then fold over the other third placing the folded end on the bottom
  4. Put into the fridge for about 60 minutes to cool internally, then move to the cooking phase.
    • OVEN:  Bake on lightly greased parchment paper on high (450 F) until well-browned or for up to 10-12 minutes
    • MICROWAVE:  Heat in microwave 2 minutes during cook-time
    • SKILLET:  Brown in 1 TBL butter and 1 TBL canola oil 2 minutes per side
  5. Top with fresh hot fruit and sour cream (or below topping)
  6. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or Turbinado sugar

Crepes

Simple Crepe Batter Recipe

  • 1 C milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/4 C AP sifted cake flour or other fine flour
  • 2 TBL powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • zest and juice from one lemon
  1. Mix ingredients above and let rest in refrigerator for 60 minutes (or overnight)
  2. Put 1/4 C of batter into hot non-stick skillet for 2 minutes
  3. If you make them REALLY thin, you don’t even have to cook the other side.
    It will fully cook when they are finished in the oven.

    • (when filling, fill with the uncooked side up)
  4. Stack them between sheets of parchment or waxed paper

Professional Crepe Recipes

Wholly Crepes

Celery Salad

6 stalks of celery hearts (white part, not the green)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
3 sweet peppers or Pepperoncinis
10 Kalamata olives (pitted)
2 TBL red wine vinegar
2 TBL extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp minced garlic
3 anchovies
2 TBL red onion (julienned)

Instructions
1. Wash celery, rinse olives
2. Cut celery into 1/2 inch pieces
3. Slice peppers very thin
4. Add olives and peppers
5. (optional: Add cubed salami)
6. Slice anchovies thin
7. Chop fresh parsley
8. Add anchovies, parsley and red onion
9. Add vinegar and olive oil
10. Toss together gently
11. Serve immediately, although best if it can marinate for at least a few hours

Carrot Chips

3 large carrots
hot oil
favorite dipping sauce

Instructions
1. Cut carrot in the center on a very sharp angle
2. Using a slicer, slice thin pieces
3. Fry for about 15 seconds or until they turn brown
4. Remove and drain

Carmelized Cauliflower and Onion Soup

1/2 head cauliflower (pieces, stem removed)
1 med sized onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (grated)
1 stalk celery (chopped)
bayh leaf, rosemary, thyme
salt and pepper to taste

STOVE TOP OR OVEN TO CARMELIZE EVERYTHING

sweat onion in EVOO
add garlic
stainless steel bar to remove garlic and onion smell
add stalk of celery
add everything else
cook for over an hour
remove bay leaf
Put into food processor with a bit of stock
Put back onto stove
Add chicken stock to consistency you prefer
Let heat through
Add a bit of whole milk or cream to add some sweetness the last minute
Top with croutons or thin toasted slices of bread with grated gorgonzola cheese
If on slices of bread put back in oven to melt cheese
Put into bowl and float bread on top

Caponata

imageINGREDIENTS

  • 1 eggplant
  • 1 zucchini
  • 2 C cubed winter squash
  • 1 Vidalia onion
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 stalk celery
  • 1/2 CU green olive
  • 1/2 CU black olive
  • 1/2 C golden raisins
  • 1 can diced tomatoes (drained)
  • 2 TBL capers
  • 1/4 C apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 C white balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp salt

STEP BY STEP

  1. Toss your cubed squash in 1 TBL EVOO and 1 tsp salt
  2. Bake at 350º for 30 minutes
    While this cooks
  3. Cut up onion and mince the garlic – Set aside
  4. Peel the eggplant, leaving just a little bit of purple to make it pretty.
  5. Cut up the eggplant in 1/2 inch cubes – Set aside
  6. Put drained tomato into a third bowl
  7. Cut celery into thin crescents – Add to tomato
  8. Quarter olives – Add to tomato
  9. Add capers, raisins and salt to tomato
  10. Heat up a skillet, add EVOO and saute onions
  11. When the start to soften, add the garlic and celery
  12. As soon as this is all combined, add the eggplant and combine gently
  13. Add tomato mixture to the eggplant
  14. Mix very gently, and continue heating 5 minutes.
  15. Mix gently, and continue to heat another 5 minutes
  16. Add vinegars, stir to combine and heat for another few minutes.
  17. Stir in cooked squash
  18. Can be served hot, but it is great chilled for at least several hours, and served cold.

VARIATIONS

Add any of the following ingredients for twists:

  • Julienne strips from 1/2 carrot
  • Chopped fresh parsley, cilantro or basil
  • Fresh quartered cherry tomatoes
  • Pitted calamata olives
  • Pimiento stuffed olives
  • Add 1/2 tsp red pepper chili flakes to kick it up a notch
  • Substitute Red Wine vinegar for Apple Cider
  • Add tomato sauce to create more of a cold summer soup

NOTES

  • You can serve this hot when you make it, and refrigerate the left-overs. They will keep well in the refrigerator for days, and you can haul it out at any time and just eat it without any to-do.
  • Vinegar is the secret ingredient. It gives it a unique taste and acts as a preservative.

Cantonese Pork

1 ½ LB pork cut into strips
2 TBS oil
1 large onion, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
4 oz canned mushrooms, drained
8 oz tomato sauce
2 TBS vinegar
3 TBS brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 TBS Worcestershire sauce

Instructions
1. Brown pork in oil
2. Put into crock pot and add remaining ingredients
3. Cook 6-8 hours on low
4. Serve over rice

Calvados Sauce for Pork Cutlets

2 3/4- to 1-pound pork tenderloins
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 shallots, chopped
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup canned low-salt chicken broth
2 tablespoons Calvados (apple brandy) or brandy

Instructions

  1. Cut pork crosswise into 1-inch-thick medallions; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  2. Melt butter and oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.
  3. Working in batches, add pork and sauté until brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.
  4. Transfer pork to plate; tent with foil to keep warm.
  5. Add shallots to skillet and stir 1 minute.
  6. Add cream, broth and Calvados; boil until sauce thickens enough to coat spoon, stirring up browned bits, about 5 minutes.
  7. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Divide medallions among 6 plates.
  8. Top with sauce; serve with compote.

Sauce should be deep, creamy with mushrooms

California Sandwich

2 Kaiser rolls
2 TBL salad dressing
2 slices of cheddar cheese
2 slices of mozzerela cheese
12 think slices deli meat of choice
1 tomato sliced thinly
4 leafs romaine lettuce
1/4 CU green pepper strips and shredded carrots

Instructions
1. Spread dressing on bun
2. Separate meat and cheese onto two plates
3. Heat in microwave for 30-40 seconds each (Until cheese starts to melt)
4. Place meat and cheese on bun
5. Top with green peppers, carrots, lettuce and tomato

Cabbage Leaves, Stuffed

1/4 CU onions
8 large cabbage leaves
1 TBL carrot (julienne strips or grated)
2 TBL celery (chopped)
1 TBL Parmesean (grated)
1 TBL Rougella (grated)
1/2 LB hamburger
1/2 CU brown rice
1/4 CU vegetable or meat stock

1. Saute onions till transluscent
2. Add hamburger and scramble, continuing to cook until hamburger starts to brown.
3. Drop cabbage leaves into large pot of boiling water
4. Add celery and carrots and cook 4 minutes more
5. During Step 4 (after Step 3 has boiled for about 2 minutes) remove cabbage leaves and place in bowl of ice water
6. Remove cooked onions, burger and veggies to a glass bowl, and set aside
7. Start Rice cooking
8. While rice cooks, remove the cabbage leaves from the ice water and pat dry
9. Slice leaves into wide strips, and place leaves in bottom of rounded bowl, fanning out in four directions.
10. Finish cooking rice (slightly al-dente) then mix together with cooked vegetables and hamburger
11. Use ice cream scoop or 1/4 CU measuring cup to place compressed mix into center of cabbage leaves
12. Fold over leaves making the bundle as tight as possible and place (folded edges down) into baking dish
13. Top with your choice of red sauce and sprinkle with cheese of your choice (reserving some for dressing the plate)
14. Bake @ 325 degrees for 15 minutes
15. Put on plate and garnish around the edges with red sauce and cheese from step 13.

Meat and Veggie Stock

INGREDIENTS

  • Left-over chicken parts from a whole chicken
    Keep out breast, thighs and wings for eating
    Use left over rib bones, spine, chicken hearts, liver, etc.
  • 1 onion – quartered
  • 3 stalks celery – chopped
  • 4 carrots – chopped
  • 2 large leeks – rough chopped and then cleaned in standing water
  • 3 QT distilled or filtered water
  • 8-10 black peppercorns
  • 3 bay leaves
  • finger full of dried mushrooms

You always want to use filtered water, because as the steam escapes, the impurities concentrate.  This is usually a bad thing.  For veggie stock add more of your favorite vegetables, and eliminate the animal bones

STEP BY STEP

  1. Chop or break bones into smaller pieces if necessary
  2. Add whatever veggies you have available
    – onion, garlic, celery, carrot, turnip, ginger, bay leaves, peppercorns, broccoli stems
  3. Start with ROOM TEMPERATURE WATER, then bring to a boil
  4. Reduce heat and simmer for 4-8 hours to about 1-2 QT water
    – or until reduced to about 1/4 of original size
  5. STRAIN:  First through a colander, secondly through a strainer lined with cheese cloth.
  6. You can prolong its refrigerator life by ladling it directly into canning jars through a sieve
  7. Make sure all your equipment is clean
    PLEASE NOTE:  THIS IS NOT CANNING.  This does not prolong the broth for as long as pressure canning, but it will allow it last for up to two weeks in your refrigerator.
  8. If you will be freezing the broth, strain liquid into metal bowl
  9. Ladle into canning jars leaving a full inch of headroom
  10. Let cool on the counter or in an ice bath, then place in refrigerator overnight.
  11. The next day, place into freezer.
  12. The jars will keep a week in the refrigerator, or up to six months in the freezer.
  13. Use the chicken pieces for shredded chicken soup

VARIATIONS

  • Use any bones: ribs, t-Bone, turkey, etc.
  • The more scrap veggies you put in, the better it will be.
  • This makes a GREAT GRAVY
  • This is nearly a requirement when you make my SCRATCH MARINARA.

Gravy is one of the dishes covered in my book Condiments and Sauces

Chicken Paprikash

½ can Swanson Chicken broth
¼ CU All Purpose Flour
2 tsp Paprika
2 boneless chicken breasts
1 medium onion – sliced
a bit of olive oil for sauté pan
¼ CU plain yogurt
a few dashes of salt
1 TBL corn starch dissolved in ¼ CU water
2 CU hot cooked egg noodles

Instructions
1. Cook chicken in oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes
2. Mix broth, flour, paprika and salt
3. Saute onion in olive oil till starts to crisp
4. Add (cooked) chicken and fry for 5 minutes per side
5. Pour in flour-mixture and cook until mixture boils
6. Add corn starch and water it was dissolved in
7. Simmer until it thickens
8. Remove from heat and mix in yogurt
9. Pour on top of noodles, and place cooked chicken in the center
10. Sprinkle with a bit of paprika for garnish

Chicken or Veal Piccatta

2 chicken breasts or veal cutlet
flour
2 TBL EVOO
4 TBL butter
salt and pepper to taste

3 shallots
1/2 CU white wine
2 TBL butter
1 lemon (juiced)

1. Flatten your chicken breasts using a meat pounder or similar
2. Dip flattened meat into egg, then flour
3. Cook in very hot shallow fry pan in EVOO and melted butter for not more than 30 seconds per side
4. Saute shallots in cutlet remains in pan
5. Add wine and juice from 1 lemon
6. Stir until smooth
7. Remove from heat and allow to cool a few minutes
8. Add 2 TBL butter and stir to combine
9. Plate cutlet, pouring sauce over top

1. When flattening, use heavy duty plastic wrap sprayed lightly with water to allow the meat and pounder to slide, rather than tear.
2. Using plastic wrap can also help you get a tighly rolled kiev

Chicken Noodle Soup

Chick Broth (see Recipe)
Onion
Celery
Carrot
Chicken meat
2 CU egg noodles

Instructions
1. Sautee onions in bottom of sauce pan
2. Brown meat in same pan
3. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes
4. Add broth
5. Add finely diced celery, and carrot shavings
6. Simmer 15 minutes
7. Cube chicken or tear
8. Add chicken and 2 CU egg noodles and cook 8-10 minutes
9. Add fresh parsley right at the end and serve

Chicken Kiev

2 chicken breasts
1/2 CU butter
Bread crumbs (not part of Dry Ingredients)

DRY INGREDIENTS:
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Instructions
1. Flatten your chicken breasts using a meat pounder or similar
2. Combine all dry ingredients
3. Soften butter (not melted) and combine with dry ingredients
4. Spread over top of flattened chicken breasts
5. Roll, then chill in refrigerator for 2 hours
6. Roll in 2 beaten eggs, then in finely crushed bread crumbs
7. Cook in 1/2 inch vegetable oil for 4-5 minutes per side
8. Place on rack for juices to redistribute and for oil to drain.
9. Garnish with sprigs of parsley

Special Steps
1. When flattening, use heavy duty plastic wrap sprayed lightly with water to allow the meat and pounder to slide, rather than tear.
2. Using plastic wrap can also help you get a tighly rolled kiev

Alton Brown states that this was originally French, not Russian as most commonly thought.

Chicken Chicheronis (little fat things)

2 CU chicken thighs (cut into strips)
1 TBL olive oil (very hot)
1 TBL chopped garlic
1 TBL diced onion
1 tsp ground corriander
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano
1/4 CU white wine vinegar

Instructions
1. Cook chicken strips in VERY hot oil till carmelized
2. Add onion and garlic – cook 5 minutes more
3. Add dry spices – cook 5 minutes more
4. Add wine vinegar to deglaze pan – cook 5 minutes more
5. Remove and serve with a fresh green veggie

Chicken and Dumplings

chick-dumpBefore we begin…

  • This recipe is pretty easy, and you can make it even easier by buying a pre-cooked chicken.
  • This particular recipe is shown a bit differently than the rest of our recipes.
  • You can even cut corners more by using Pillsbury crack and cook dinner rolls for your dumplings.
  • Read on…

Cooking the Chicken

  • 6 chicken thighs
  • 1/2 onion
  • 1 stalk celery
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 6 mushrooms
  • 1/2 tsp sage
  • 1/2 tsp thyme
  • 2 tomatoes or one can – diced
  • 4 C chicken stock
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 small can baby peas
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 2 TBL butter

Or buy a pre-cooked chicken and shred it

Brine thighs in salty/sweet water 4 hours
Season meat with salt and pepper
Brown pieces in cast-iron skillet
Add 1 stalk celery – chopped
Add 3 cloves garlic and 1/2 tsp ginger
Add 1/2 tsp sage and 1/2 tsp thyme
Add 4 C chicken stock to deglaze
Add 2 bay leaves
Simmer for 1 hour
Remove chicken and set aside to cool
Add 2 tomatoes (or one can) – diced
Add 6 mushrooms – quartered
Add 1/2 onion – slices
Meanwhile, shred the chicken and set aside
Simmer for 1 more hour
Add 1/2 C peas and 1 tsp lemon juice
Add chicken back in, add butter and simmer
At this point, you are ready to add dumplings, then cook 20 more minutes.  Do not over-stir

Cooking the dumplings

Prepare the dumplings
while the pot is
on the stove
with the chicken,
so they will be ready
to add when it is time.


  • 1 CU all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 CU whole milk
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

or buy Pillsbury crack and bake dinner rolls

  1. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
    – Repeat 3 times (this makes the dumplings very light).
  2. Mix all ingredients together quickly
    – Do not overmix of they will become tough
  3. Set aside for 10 minutes
  4. Roll dumplings flat and cut into noodles, into 1/2 inch balls and roll round, or wrap around pieces of cheese for “bags of gold”
  5. Chicken stock should be barely simmering, or dumplings will fall apart
  6. Cover and cook (maintaining a simmer) for 10 – 12 minutes

Alternate Dumpling Mixture

1 C Ricotta cheese
2 egg yolks
salt
Just enough flour to allow you to form small balls
Cook about 3 minutes each – or until they rise

Oh, one more thing…

  • Some areas of the US will call this Chicken and Sliders
  • In China this is called Chicken Won Ton
  • In Jewish culture, these are called matzah balls
  • Some chicken and dumplings are made with flat noodles, rather than balls.  This is called Chicken and Slicks
  • A kreplach is a dumpling filled with cooked meat
  • Grandma made bags of gold when she was a little girl, which is a small cube of cheese wrapped in dough

This is a recipe that has been created or modified by Robert (Grandpa) Andrews.
CLICK HERE for a free sample copies of Grandpa's Cookbooks. © 2016, 2017, 2018.

Chicken and Corn Chowder

Cooked and cubed chicken
16 OZ chicken broth
4 cloves garlic
1/2 CU onion
1 can corn
2 corn tortillas (torn up)
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 sm can green chilies
3 TBL sour cream
1/2 bunch chopped cilantro

Instructions
1. Mix all ingredients except chicken, green chilies, sour cream and cilantro
2. Bring everything else to a boil
3. Simmer 20 minutes
4. Add chicken and green chilies, simmer 10 more minutes
5. Serve hot and top with sour cream and cilantro

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