Holiday Cheese Plate

I was totally excited this week when I received a question from a reader about cheese plates!  Not only was I so happy to hear from someone who reads the blog, but she asked me about my one of my favorite subjects cheese.  The question was, "What cheese would you serve for a pre-dinner appetizer to be served with holiday cocktails?"  Now to take this one step further there are going to be many family members from each side who have never met before.  Here is what the hip hostess has to say.

The following cheeses are rated the top 4 in the U.S. according to the 2013 American Cheese Society (How do we get that job?)  So, not only are you providing the best 4 cheeses for a plate: a creamy mild goat cheese, a bloomy-rind sheep's milk cheese, a blue-cheddar hybrid and an American original.  But you are also providing a beautiful tray and conversation piece.  I would type out and print a 5x7 menu that goes with your theme or decor to go beside the cheese that allows everyone to know what they are eating. It always makes tasting new foods that much more fun when you know they are the best of the best.  It will be a little more trouble than picking up cheese at the grocery store, you will more than likely have to order them online.  But it I think the holiday's are worth a little more work to make something extra special.  Plus getting everyone chatting and talking about their favorites is a terrific ice breaker.

For accouterments, I would serve them with grapes, nuts and dried fruit.  As a side note, Savory Spoon also won an award for a Wisconsin cinnamon-spiced panforte cake enriched with honey, spices, dried fruit, citrus and nuts which would make a great addition as well.

Here are the 4 cheeses:

1. Bermuda Triangle
Origin: Arcara, California
Milk: Pasteurized goat's milk
Notes: Hints of peppery flavor and an eclectic triangular shape.  For a treat, drizzle a slice with balsamic vinegar. Also, from the maker's of the ever popular Humboldt Fog

2. Dirt Lover
Origin: Weston, Missouri
Milk: Pasteurized sheep's milk
Notes: Made from the milk of the farm's 100 percent grassfed sheep, the cheese tastes of cream with a citrus finish.

3. Red Rock
Origin: Shullsburg, Wisonsin
Milk: Pasteurized cow's milk
Notes: Natural rind, vibrant-orange cheese that is a cheddar but with slight blue veining which adds muted blue flavors.

4. Bear Hill
Origin: Grafton, Vermont
Milk: Raw sheep's milk
Notes: One of just a few hard cheeses from sheep's milk.  Milky, fruity and nutty.  This one won gold at the 2013 International Cheese Awards.

Thanks for writing to hip hostess and don't forget to let me know how it goes.  Good luck and happy holidays.

Banh Mi

The hubby and I stopped by Bunker in Brooklyn to get our Banh Mi fix on Saturday.  Now the strange thing is that I could easily eat my weight in pate if you set a cheese and charcuterie tray in front of me.  However, I do not care for the pate part of the Banh Mi which is why I always order the vegetarian version.  Some people would say that is then not a true Banh Mi. But the truth is that I am really just eating the sandwich because of the delicious crusty bread and those pickled vegetables.  I find myself thinking about the Banh Mi quite a bit which means I should give it a try at home.  Mainly because Bunker is a pretty small place and my stopping by daily might lead to a restraining order.  I think I'm going to give this recipe a go.  Let me know if anyone out there has anything tried and true.

p.s. Yes, that is a homemade keffir limeade in the background!

Can a cracker change your life?

Awhile back hip hostess hosted some summer events for a popular health publication.  I was asked specifically to bring an extra vessel for some crackers that their office was crazy about.  They wanted to share the healthy experience.  Those crackers are Lots of Everything! from van's natural foods and are completely awesome!  Not only are they healthy but they taste kind of like the chicken in a biscuit from the old days.  Only difference is that I don't believe you could call those healthy.

The Crackers are loaded with oats, brown rice, millet, quinoa and amaranth – 16g of delicious, crispy, crunchy whole grains.  I'm not usually one who gets excited about a cracker BUT this is an exception.

Spiral Cut Hot Dogs

The 4th of July is just a few days away which means grills will be firing up everywhere.  Perfect timing to try this new way of spiral cutting your dogs for ultimate hot doggedness and of course party conversation.  Here are the top five reasons why a plain hot dog just doesn't cut it anymore.

1. The spiral cut hot dog fits the bun perfectly
2. The condiments get in between the spiral cuts giving you the perfect bite
3. The spiral dog cooks straight
4. Able to achieve perfect char
5. More crispy caramelized meat goodness

Perfect Little Pies

Food. 

 Let's face it. Everything looks cute in a mini version. From baby/toddler clothing to cupcakes, if you see a small scale version of an original, you instantly like it a bit more.

 One of my favorite minis is mini pies. A big pie makes me feel guilty, a mini pie makes me feel like I'm eating a "diet" version :)

 There are lots of ways to make mini pies using cupcake pans or pre-made crusts/tins, but I kind of like this version from Sur la Table.

With this version, it has nice fluted edges and a cutout top to give a a more finished look.  And so you can take your little pie out without destroying it, the bottom lifts out for easy release.  Genius!!  

I see a cherry or blueberry mini pie in my very near future.

Mini Upside Down Cakes

Recipe.

Every kind of food is more appealing as a mini.  Mini burgers.  Mini cupcakes.  Mini tacos.  And why didn't I think of making mini pineapple upside-down cakes?  How adorable!

photo courtesy of little_lily84

In this month's RedBook Magazine, they have a few different variations of these (traditional, blueberry orange, and raspberry-rhubarb).  And the gist of all of the recipes, is that you take your basic recipe and do them exactly like a traditional full sized cake...only in a muffin tin.  How easy is that?

Smash!!!

Food treat.

A couple of weeks ago a friend brought over a bag of treats that he picked up in Norway, Smash! OMG. Where has this chocolaty treat been all of my life?



Essentially a Bugle covered in milk chocolate, Smash! has got the salty/sweet thing nailed. It is so addictive that I can't stop sneaking one or two here and there. The only problem? You can only find these in Norway.

Norway?!?!?! Surely this can't be true. Has anyone seen these elsewhere? I need to stockpile them and need some help.

Hangover Pizza

Can’t quite figure out the ingredients on this pizza? That’s because it is a special breakfast hangover pizza made with scrambled eggs, sausage crumbles, tater tots and red peppers. BUT, I’ve saved the best for last…they replaced the tomato sauce with white gravy.

This is the perfect reason to knock back a few.

Crudite Centerpiece

Decor and Food.

I just spied these pretty vegetable displays on Lovelyish and am kind of smitten. I love the idea of using bright colored veggies as not only part of the menu, but as a centerpiece (we did something similar recently for a kids party even!)

I also think that fruit makes a lovely centerpiece on it's own or mixed in with flowers too. It's unconventional and very beautiful.

Which makes me wonder...do you have any unconventional items that you use in your table centerpieces?

Banana Bread Beauty

Food.

Banana bread is one of those comfort foods that all people seem to love. And I find that most families have their own secret recipe to which they will stay quiet loyal. But honestly...there is little difference between most. Maybe you add chocolate chips or walnuts or even peanut butter, but the key is very ripe bananas to create a moist and delicious loaf that will make your home smell like heaven when baking.



But I recently tried the Ultimate Banana Bread recipe from my Cook's Illustrated cookbook and learned a couple new tricks that add flavor and a little beauty to the basic banana bread.

First, their recipe upped the banana count by two from my normal recipes to a total of 5. You microwave the peeled bananas for 5 minutes, and then place the bananas in a strainer over a bowl for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Afterwards, you take the reserved juices and cook over medium heat until reduced to a banana syrup. Then proceed by adding the bananas and syrup to your normal recipe. This trick really deepens the banana flavor.



But my favorite trick to their recipe is shingling banana slices atop the bread (like above). You take one extra banana and slice it on a diagonal. Place along the long edges of the bread and then sprinkle with 2 tsp of sugar. When it bakes off, you have a caramelized banana topping that adds a bit of beauty to the humble loaf.



Then all that is left is to slice off a portion of two and grab a big glass of milk. Enjoy!

Peanut-less Noodles

Food.

With so many people having severe nut allergies, it is very important to have some good recipes in your back pocket that are safe for our peanut-challenged friends.

Recently, we had a client request an Asian-inspired menu with a noodle salad...but absolutely no nuts could be in the mix. That can be a tough one, because most Asian Noodle salads call for at least a bit peanut butter. Luckily, I was able to find this recipe in a 2001 issue of Epicurious that was absolutely perfect. On-theme and absolutely nut free **. And pretty tasty too!!

Asian Noodle Salad

Serves 6

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar

1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes

1 garlic clove, minced

2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger

3/4 lb thin linguine

1 cup coarsely shredded carrot

3 scallions, cut crosswise into thirds and thinly sliced lengthwise

2 tablespoons black sesame seeds

6 radishes, halved and thinly sliced

Stir together soy sauce, vinegar, oil, red pepper flakes, garlic, and ginger.

Cook linguine in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, then drain in a colander and rinse under cold water until cool. Toss with dressing, carrot, scallions, sesame seeds, and radishes in a large bowl.

** It is rare, but some people with nut allergies have sensitivity to sesame as well. Be sure to ask before serving.

Junami Apples

There is a new apple in town called the Junami. It originates from Switzerland and is only available in late January and early February. I’m told it looks amazing, because it is a bold red and very round. But basically tastes like a really good apple but a little juicier. The truth is that I need every excuse I can get to add more fresh fruit into my diet and a brand new product taste test is just the incentive that can get it done! I’ll be visiting Chelsea Market today and leaving with a bag of Jumani’s.

Dessert for Breakfast

Food.

So recently I was opining about the benefits of juice cleanses and diets, but sometimes a bad case of the Mondays calls for a little intervention. That is when I whip up a batch of Nutella Oatmeal.

photo courtesy of saving the world with one bite

Nutella is really my fix for any bad mood. Add it to just about anything and you can't help but be happier.

But my favorite is to add a tablespoon or so to my morning oatmeal. It tastes like a giant no-bake cookie. Then add some bananas and an ice cold glass of milk to drink (or even almond milk) and you have a mood elevator. And because it's oatmeal it must be healthy, right? ;)

Hearts Galore

Valentines Day.

Three days after Christmas, the Duane Reade on my block started taking down the end caps of Christmas treats and putting up Valentines Day candy. What?!? I protest.



Except...now all of the pretty Christmas trees and wreaths in our homes and local restaurants are down and I'm having holiday withdrawal. Twinkle lights and the excitement of upcoming holidays make the grey days of winter more tolerable.

So I was pretty happy to receive my most recent Fancy Flours baking supply catalogue, because it full of cute things for our Valentines Day. Here's a small sampling of what you will find on their site.


Vintage Valentine Wafer Papers that would make adorable edible sugar cookie valentines.


Paper straws with lots of love.


Speaking of Love...what a great cookie cutter.

And send your honey a message with his morning coffee...

Food Lover's Cleanse

Food and Dieting.

I love the holidays so much...but I don't love the results of countless glasses of champagne and 1000 cheese platters. And my bathroom scale has actually hidden from me because it's afraid. Bad sign.

I've taken to doing juice cleanses to inject my life with a bit of nutrition. But what do you do after you're done? Go back to meat, potatoes, cheese? That kind of defeats the purpose.

Which is why I am psyched about Bon Appetit's Food Lover's Cleanse.



BA is featuring 2 weeks of recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacking and dessert. All of the choices look and sound delicious...and not at all like taste deprivation.




Maybe my scale will come out of hiding if I give this program a try...

Benton Bacon

I’ve tried my fair share of bacon and why wouldn’t I…it’s delicious. I’ve eaten low sodium, artisanal, thick cut, maple, you name it I’ve enjoyed them all. But I had really kind of gotten to the point where I believed bacon is bacon. All good all the time.

However, over the holidays I enjoyed a wedge salad adorned with Benton’s Bacon and I had to literally eat my words. This bacon is different. It’s amazingly hickory smoked to the point that you would swear that John Wayne just rambled in off the prairie to personally bring you bacon straight off the campfire. There is no mistaking the strong smoky flavor. I read on one of the reviews where someone said, “This bacon was not good it had an incredible smoky flavor that is overpowering.” Yep, that’s the point.

Where I am going with this is it makes a simple and easy dish such as a wedge salad into something memorable. My wedge salad was covered with bacon, candied pecans, slivers of sundried tomato and a white balsamic vinaigrette. It was the bacon that layered in that extra flavor that pulled it all together and took it over the top.

It is a great tool to have stashed in your freezer for entertaining. It makes an easy wedge salad come to life and I can’t even begin to think what it would do to some homemade macaroni and cheese. Not often can one ingredient on its own make a dish memorable.