Next time, we’ll probably prepare them this way by cooking them in a baking dish or a small sheet pan so that it is easier to cut into squares for pan-frying.
Beautiful spring season. The iris are in full bloom. What a joy!
Showing posts with label Cheese. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cheese. Show all posts
Saturday, May 2, 2026
Pan-fried Grits Cake フライパンで焼いたグリッツケーキ
This is an off-shoot of the “Cheese grits casserole” my wife made. Realizing these grits cakes were basically the same texture as traditional cheese grits just shaped differently she got the idea they could be removed from the ramekins they were cooked in, cut into pieces and pan fried. Initially I had doubts the process she suggested would be possible but as shown in picture #1 we managed it. They were firm enough for her to remove them from the ramekins. Then she asked me to slice the cakes into rounds. Using a thin long fillet knife coated with oil, I was able to slice them (picture #2). To pan fry the rounds, I first dusted both sides with flour and then fried them. This added a nice crunchy crust and they were better than the original form. We had this as a light lunch with a salad made of baby arugula, green beans (pre-steamed), skinned Campari tomato topped with home made cheese curd my wife made, dressed with honey-mustard dressing.
Next time, we’ll probably prepare them this way by cooking them in a baking dish or a small sheet pan so that it is easier to cut into squares for pan-frying.
Beautiful spring season. The iris are in full bloom. What a joy!
Next time, we’ll probably prepare them this way by cooking them in a baking dish or a small sheet pan so that it is easier to cut into squares for pan-frying.
Beautiful spring season. The iris are in full bloom. What a joy!
Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Mini Cheese Grits Casserole ミニグリッツキャセロール
Recently we purchased a box of grits to make a dish of shrimp and grits. But the quantity of grits we used to make that dish didn’t make a dent in the large amount of dried grits remaining in the box. So my wife took it upon herself to find a way to use up some of it. She found this recipe at Southern Living web site. The original recipe was for a make-ahead breakfast dish for a large crowd. The idea was to basically put the dish together the day before so the next morning all that had to be done was to cook it in the oven. After looking at the quantity of ingredients called for in the recipe we decided that we were definitely not feeding a crowd that big so we significantly reduced the the size of the recipe. Also, since we were not going to be eating it for breakfast we saw no need to make it up a day ahead and store it in the fridge overnight. We had it as a lunch with salad which included my wife’s home-made mango chutney seasoned cheese curd. This turned out to be a variation of standard cheese grits but in a more elegant individual presentation. It was quite good although next time we thought we could reduced the amount of cheese a bit.
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups broth
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups broth
3/4 cup uncooked quick-cooking grits
1 teaspoons salt, (divided, 1/2 in the grits, 1/2 in the egg mixture)
1/2 cup half-and-half (or buttermilk)
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1 large egg
4-6 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
several teaspoons of sauteed shallots and mushrooms.
Directions
Bring broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over high. Add grits and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until grits are thickened and tender, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk together half-and-half, mustard, pepper, eggs, egg yolk, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Stir in grits and cheese until cheese is melted. Divide mixture evenly among the ramekins. (We used 4 small and 3 medium sized ramekins as shown in pic #2). Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake in preheated oven until puffed and edges are set, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes.
These were quite good. Lots of rich flavor with the cheese and shallot mushroom mixture adding a lot of depth. The cayenne pepper added a nice bright note. My wife noted that next time she would just make it in a baking dish and then cut it into square pieces for serving. What ever the presentation this makes a mighty fine “side” for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
1 teaspoons salt, (divided, 1/2 in the grits, 1/2 in the egg mixture)
1/2 cup half-and-half (or buttermilk)
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1 large egg
4-6 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
several teaspoons of sauteed shallots and mushrooms.
Directions
Bring broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over high. Add grits and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until grits are thickened and tender, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk together half-and-half, mustard, pepper, eggs, egg yolk, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Stir in grits and cheese until cheese is melted. Divide mixture evenly among the ramekins. (We used 4 small and 3 medium sized ramekins as shown in pic #2). Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake in preheated oven until puffed and edges are set, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes.
Monday, April 20, 2026
Strawberry Cream Cheese Cupcakes 苺とクリームチーズのカップケーキ
When we went to Whole Foods the other day. my wife picked up a package of fresh strawberries. After coming home, I asked why she got the strawberry. Her answer was, “To make Strawberry Cream Cheese Cupcakes”. She saw the recipe on the King Arthur Baking site. She showed me the recipe and my one thought was ‘this is a very long and complicated recipe’. Of course she significantly deviated from the original. The appearance of the cupcakes is not as pretty as in the picture of the original recipe but this tasted pretty good. We had it as a part of our breakfast.
Ingredients
Strawberry reduction 1 pound (454g) of fresh strawberries
3 tablespoons sugar, (2 tablespoons to use when first cooking the strawberries. You can use more or less depending on how sweet the strawberries are.) (The remaining 1 tablespoon is used for the strawberries when they are thickened with the cornstarch.)
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch (1/2 teaspoon Instant Clearjel ) My wife used cornstarch
2 teaspoons lemon juice (optional)
There will be about 1 cup of strawberry reduction after it is cooked
Strawberry cake
1 1/2 cups (180g) cake flour
1 cup (198g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon table salt
6 tablespoons (85g) butter, at room temperature
1 large egg
1 large egg white
3 tablespoons (43g) water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup (130g) strawberry reduction, from above. (This will leave about 1/2 cup of the reduction to use for other dishes)
Filling and frosting
These cupcakes were very different from anything we’ve made before. They have a lovely pervasive strawberry taste and the texture is very moist. The cheese filling adds a different texture and a contrasting slightly sweet flavor (from the honey) and a richness (from the cheese). In general cream cheese doesn’t melt but contracts and becomes firmer when cooked. As you can see from the pictures this is what happened with these cupcakes. The cream cheese filling lost moisture during the cooking and contracted into the divot it filled in the batter making hole in the center of the cupcake. Nonetheless the cheese added a very good taste dimension to the muffin. As an aside, the strawberry reduction was very good in its own right and can be a very versatile sauce to use for many other purposes.
Ingredients
Strawberry reduction 1 pound (454g) of fresh strawberries
3 tablespoons sugar, (2 tablespoons to use when first cooking the strawberries. You can use more or less depending on how sweet the strawberries are.) (The remaining 1 tablespoon is used for the strawberries when they are thickened with the cornstarch.)
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch (1/2 teaspoon Instant Clearjel ) My wife used cornstarch
2 teaspoons lemon juice (optional)
There will be about 1 cup of strawberry reduction after it is cooked
Strawberry cake
1 1/2 cups (180g) cake flour
1 cup (198g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon table salt
6 tablespoons (85g) butter, at room temperature
1 large egg
1 large egg white
3 tablespoons (43g) water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup (130g) strawberry reduction, from above. (This will leave about 1/2 cup of the reduction to use for other dishes)
Filling and frosting
One 8-ounce package cream cheese
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 egg yolk from the separated egg above
1 Tbs. honey (or to taste)
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of table salt
Directions:
To make the strawberry reduction: Rinse the strawberries, remove their leaves and stems, then dice; you should have approximately 3 cups (about 400g) of strawberries at this point. Transfer the strawberries to a medium pot and add 2 tablespoons (25g) sugar; mix to combine. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries have released their juices and softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
Using an immersion blender, purée the strawberry mixture off the heat, and then return it to the stove. You should have approximately 1 1/2 cups (about 370g) of strawberry liquid. Bring the mixture to a low boil over medium heat and continue to stir for 6 to 8 minutes. The mixture will become foamy, slightly thick, and darker in color.
In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 1 tablespoon (12g) sugar and cornstarch (or Instant ClearJel.) Add to the strawberry mixture, followed by the lemon juice (if you are using it) and continue stirring at a low boil for 1 minute. The mixture should thicken.
Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature. You should have approximately 1 cup (about 275g) of strawberry reduction at this point. The strawberry reduction can be made up to 5 days in advance. If making in advance, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
To make the filling
In the bowl of a stand mixer with a flat beater add the cream cheese and ricotta. Mix until completely blended and smooth. Add the honey, egg yolk, vanilla and salt and mix until fully incorporated. Set aside.
To make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a muffin tin with baking cups. In a cuisine art blender fitted with a blade combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter and mix at low speed until the mixture looks sandy. (Similar to making biscuit dough). Beat in the egg, the extra egg white, water, and vanilla, then mix until no dry spots of flour remain. Stop the mixer and scrape the bowl and beater attachment(s) as needed; the mixture will be thick.
Add 1/2 cup of the strawberry reduction (this will leave a remaining 1/2 cup to use for something else). Continue to mix on low speed until the batter is smooth. Stop to scrape the bowl and then mix again at low speed for 30 seconds. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins. Make a small divot in the batter and fill it with a scoop of the cream cheese filling. (There may be cream cheese filling in excess. Just add it to a mini cupcake pan lined with paper cups and cook them along with the assembled cupcakes to make little sweet cheese bites.)
Bake the cupcakes for 20 to 24 minutes, or until the cake springs back when lightly touched. Remove the cupcakes from the oven, and as soon as you can handle them, remove them from the pan and transfer them to a rack to cool.
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 egg yolk from the separated egg above
1 Tbs. honey (or to taste)
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of table salt
Directions:
To make the strawberry reduction: Rinse the strawberries, remove their leaves and stems, then dice; you should have approximately 3 cups (about 400g) of strawberries at this point. Transfer the strawberries to a medium pot and add 2 tablespoons (25g) sugar; mix to combine. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries have released their juices and softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
Using an immersion blender, purée the strawberry mixture off the heat, and then return it to the stove. You should have approximately 1 1/2 cups (about 370g) of strawberry liquid. Bring the mixture to a low boil over medium heat and continue to stir for 6 to 8 minutes. The mixture will become foamy, slightly thick, and darker in color.
In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 1 tablespoon (12g) sugar and cornstarch (or Instant ClearJel.) Add to the strawberry mixture, followed by the lemon juice (if you are using it) and continue stirring at a low boil for 1 minute. The mixture should thicken.
Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature. You should have approximately 1 cup (about 275g) of strawberry reduction at this point. The strawberry reduction can be made up to 5 days in advance. If making in advance, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
To make the filling
In the bowl of a stand mixer with a flat beater add the cream cheese and ricotta. Mix until completely blended and smooth. Add the honey, egg yolk, vanilla and salt and mix until fully incorporated. Set aside.
To make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a muffin tin with baking cups. In a cuisine art blender fitted with a blade combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter and mix at low speed until the mixture looks sandy. (Similar to making biscuit dough). Beat in the egg, the extra egg white, water, and vanilla, then mix until no dry spots of flour remain. Stop the mixer and scrape the bowl and beater attachment(s) as needed; the mixture will be thick.
Add 1/2 cup of the strawberry reduction (this will leave a remaining 1/2 cup to use for something else). Continue to mix on low speed until the batter is smooth. Stop to scrape the bowl and then mix again at low speed for 30 seconds. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins. Make a small divot in the batter and fill it with a scoop of the cream cheese filling. (There may be cream cheese filling in excess. Just add it to a mini cupcake pan lined with paper cups and cook them along with the assembled cupcakes to make little sweet cheese bites.)
Bake the cupcakes for 20 to 24 minutes, or until the cake springs back when lightly touched. Remove the cupcakes from the oven, and as soon as you can handle them, remove them from the pan and transfer them to a rack to cool.
These cupcakes were very different from anything we’ve made before. They have a lovely pervasive strawberry taste and the texture is very moist. The cheese filling adds a different texture and a contrasting slightly sweet flavor (from the honey) and a richness (from the cheese). In general cream cheese doesn’t melt but contracts and becomes firmer when cooked. As you can see from the pictures this is what happened with these cupcakes. The cream cheese filling lost moisture during the cooking and contracted into the divot it filled in the batter making hole in the center of the cupcake. Nonetheless the cheese added a very good taste dimension to the muffin. As an aside, the strawberry reduction was very good in its own right and can be a very versatile sauce to use for many other purposes.
Addendum: My wife made these cupcakes again and this time she did not fill them as shown in the next picture. They were extremely good this way. The bright strawberry flavor really shown through. They had a very light texture and the strawberry flavor lingered on the tongue. These are definitely a “favorite”.
Wednesday, April 8, 2026
Baked Spaghetti (angle hair) Cup with meatballs オーブン焼きスパゲッティカップ
My wife saw the original recipe for this dish on the Washington Post website but she made substantial changes. She really was sold on the idea of making pasta cups and stuffing them with something. We usually do not keep spaghetti on hand but we do keep angel hair pasta in the pantry. I had just made pork meatballs with ricotta cheese as well as some marinara sauce to use on pizza. So my wife came up with the idea of taking the angel hair pasta we had, tossing it with the marinara sauce I just made and using it to make “spaghetti” cups. Then since we already had the meat balls, using them to stuff the spaghetti cups and topping them with cheese. (In the original recipe, the pasta cups are made with spaghetti are stuffed with ground turkey and broccoli). In any case, her idea worked well. We were expecting the pasta cups to be crispy outside but it did not happen and they tasted like regular pasta with marinara sauce. This was basically pasta with meatballs in marinara sauce in compact basket form. I served this with chicken wing simmered in black vinegar (I happened to make this dish for other reasons) and small green salad with cucumber and Campari tomato. I ask my wife to continue.
Ingredients:
6 ounces cooked angle hair pasta
1 1/2 cups marinara sauce, (or to taste)
12 meat balls cut in half (if cooking in mini muffin tins that make 24 small muffins or 24 if using whole meatballs).
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 cup (3/4 ounce) grated parmesan cheese (or more to taste)
various cheeses to top the pasta cups (we used smoked gouda and sharp cheddar
Salt to taste
Directions:
Cook the angle hair pasta according to package instructions. After it is drained toss it with the homemade marinara sauce. Add the egg and toss until the egg is incorporated. Add the grated parmesan cheese and toss until fully mixed with the pasta.
When ready to make the spaghetti cups, position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees. Put the paper liners in the small bite muffin tin. Distribute the pasta into the wells of the muffin tin, creating a divot in the center of each to hold the meatball (#1). Distribute the meatballs among the spaghetti cups (it’s okay if it comes above the top of the wells) (#2). Cover the meatballs with the gouda/cheddar cheeses (#3). Bake until nicely browned, 20 to 30 minutes (#4). Let cool for 5 minutes then serve.
These make very nice bite-sized appetizers. They taste very savory and satisfying. This was a great variation on the theme of spaghetti and meatballs.
Ingredients:
6 ounces cooked angle hair pasta
1 1/2 cups marinara sauce, (or to taste)
12 meat balls cut in half (if cooking in mini muffin tins that make 24 small muffins or 24 if using whole meatballs).
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 cup (3/4 ounce) grated parmesan cheese (or more to taste)
various cheeses to top the pasta cups (we used smoked gouda and sharp cheddar
Salt to taste
Directions:
Cook the angle hair pasta according to package instructions. After it is drained toss it with the homemade marinara sauce. Add the egg and toss until the egg is incorporated. Add the grated parmesan cheese and toss until fully mixed with the pasta.
When ready to make the spaghetti cups, position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees. Put the paper liners in the small bite muffin tin. Distribute the pasta into the wells of the muffin tin, creating a divot in the center of each to hold the meatball (#1). Distribute the meatballs among the spaghetti cups (it’s okay if it comes above the top of the wells) (#2). Cover the meatballs with the gouda/cheddar cheeses (#3). Bake until nicely browned, 20 to 30 minutes (#4). Let cool for 5 minutes then serve.
These make very nice bite-sized appetizers. They taste very savory and satisfying. This was a great variation on the theme of spaghetti and meatballs.
Monday, March 9, 2026
Cream Cheese Biscuits クリームチーズビスケット
This is one of my wife’s baking projects. She saw a recipe for biscuits made with cream cheese and decided to try it. She used to make biscuits quite often but not recently. As usual, I ask my wife to take over.
The original recipe my wife saw on-line.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 ounces cold cream cheese, cut into 1/2” cubes, and placed in a freezer for 30 minutes.
4 ounces cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2” cubes, and placed in a freezer for 30 minutes.
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Position oven rack in the middle position. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Combine the cake flour, all purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Using a cuisine art with the sharp blade, add some of the flour mixture, the butter and cream cheese. Process until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the rest of the flour and process it again until everything is mixed and resembles coarse crumbs. (This is done in two steps to make sure all the frozen cheese and butter gets broken up by the blade.) Add the buttermilk and mix just until the mixture comes together and transfer to a floured working surface. Mixture will be slightly dry. Knead dough for about one minute until it comes together. Using a rolling pin, roll dough into a 6″ x 8″ rectangle, about 3/4″ in thickness. Use a bench scraper and cut the dough into 12 equal 2″ squares. Place on prepared pan and bake for 12 to 15 minutes until biscuits are light brown.
These turned out to be very good biscuits. I am not sure I could taste the cream cheese, however, but it had a nice crunchy exterior and buttery flaky interior. Perfect for breakfast and dinner.
The original recipe my wife saw on-line.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 ounces cold cream cheese, cut into 1/2” cubes, and placed in a freezer for 30 minutes.
4 ounces cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2” cubes, and placed in a freezer for 30 minutes.
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Position oven rack in the middle position. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Combine the cake flour, all purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Using a cuisine art with the sharp blade, add some of the flour mixture, the butter and cream cheese. Process until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the rest of the flour and process it again until everything is mixed and resembles coarse crumbs. (This is done in two steps to make sure all the frozen cheese and butter gets broken up by the blade.) Add the buttermilk and mix just until the mixture comes together and transfer to a floured working surface. Mixture will be slightly dry. Knead dough for about one minute until it comes together. Using a rolling pin, roll dough into a 6″ x 8″ rectangle, about 3/4″ in thickness. Use a bench scraper and cut the dough into 12 equal 2″ squares. Place on prepared pan and bake for 12 to 15 minutes until biscuits are light brown.
These turned out to be very good biscuits. I am not sure I could taste the cream cheese, however, but it had a nice crunchy exterior and buttery flaky interior. Perfect for breakfast and dinner.
Wednesday, February 25, 2026
Crispy Cheese Rice Puffs チーズライスパフ
I am not sure how my wife decided to make this. (Note from wifey: I decided to make this particular dish because by mistake we bought a box of rice krispies to make rice krispies treats at Christmas - for nostalgic reasons; they were one of my favorites as a kid - that was humongous. It had much more rice krispies than were needed for the treats. So, I was looking for other recipes to use up some of the excess.) (Note from Hubbie: Oh! I never had a rice Krispies treat before.) In any case, using the rice krispies cereal, she came up with this dish which is more suitable for a snack with a drink of wine than a dessert. The original recipe was called “crispy cheese wafers” came from Southern Living website. She made two versions; one using a muffin tin (left in picture #1) and the other flattened into a cookie or wafer-shape (right in picture #1). This is a nice cheesy bite. She warmed them up in the toaster oven which made them crispy and warm. I ask my wife to contenue.
Ingredients:
2 cups (8 ounces) freshly grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese (I used a combination of smoked gouda, sharp cheddar and parmesan cheese
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. ground cayenne pepper or to taste
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup crisp rice cereal
Directions
Mix together the cheeses, butter, flour, red pepper, Worcestershire and salt in a large bowl until mixture forms a ball that lightly sticks together and pulls in all the flour. (Hands worked best for this). Gently fold the rice cereal into the dough. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls using medium sized ice cream scoop. The original recipe called for placing the balls about 1 inch apart on a baking sheet and flattening each ball with a fork, making a crisscross pattern. I made several like that (#2) but I was afraid they would fall apart when cooked so I made some in mini cup cake tins lined with paper cups. I gently pushed the dough into the cups with my fingers (#3) Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or until firm. Cool on pan on wire rack.
These made very satisfying savory bites. As you can see from the pictures the ones made free standing on the cookie sheet did not fall apart when cooked. They just spread out. The krispies in the dough formed a nice light crunchy crust and the interior texture was very tender and tasted richly cheesy. These got much better with time as the flavors melded together. They also toasted up nicely in the toaster oven.
Ingredients:
2 cups (8 ounces) freshly grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese (I used a combination of smoked gouda, sharp cheddar and parmesan cheese
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. ground cayenne pepper or to taste
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup crisp rice cereal
Directions
Mix together the cheeses, butter, flour, red pepper, Worcestershire and salt in a large bowl until mixture forms a ball that lightly sticks together and pulls in all the flour. (Hands worked best for this). Gently fold the rice cereal into the dough. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls using medium sized ice cream scoop. The original recipe called for placing the balls about 1 inch apart on a baking sheet and flattening each ball with a fork, making a crisscross pattern. I made several like that (#2) but I was afraid they would fall apart when cooked so I made some in mini cup cake tins lined with paper cups. I gently pushed the dough into the cups with my fingers (#3) Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or until firm. Cool on pan on wire rack.
Sunday, February 22, 2026
Valentine’s day cake バレンタインデイケーキ
Although my wife has previously made this cake, Ricotta-filled Valentine's day "Wacky" cake, some years ago for Valentine’s day, this year she wanted to make the same cake in small individual bite-sized heart-shapes. Problem was we didn’t have any heart shaped pans that were small enough. This led to an internet search which resulted in the purchase of two red silicone heart shaped muffin sheets. Although my wife only filled the muffin cups half full the little cakes rose above the edge of the cups and came out looking round like the one in picture #1 with the cherry on top. The bottoms of the cakes appeared heart shaped as shown by the upside down one on the left in the pic. Bummer! If they were going to come out looking round we didn’t need to buy heart shaped “tins”. Our existing mini muffin tins would have done the trick. Nonetheless, regardless of their shape, they tasted very good.
Ingredients:
For the cake
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tbs. vinegar
1/3 cup oil
1 cup water
For the ricotta filling
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/8 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
Directions:
Mix all the ingredients for the ricotta filling until smooth and set aside. Mix the dry ingredients from the flour thru the cocoa powder in a bowl. Mix the wet ingredients in another bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients until smooth. Fill the heart shaped “tins” with the cake mixture and top them with a scoop of the ricotta filling and half a maraschino cherry (#2). (Nicely heart-shaped). Cook at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes until the ricotta topping firms up and a skewer comes out clean. (My wife noticed that the silicone pan did not conduct heat the same way a metal muffin tins would so it took about 10 minutes longer for the cakes to cook.)
Although the final product was not heart-shaped these little cakes were a perfect bite-sized treat to celebrate the end of the Valentine’s dinner. PA Dutch Wacky cake topped with ricotta cheese icing is a Valentine’s Day classic (at least for us).
Ingredients:
For the cake
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tbs. vinegar
1/3 cup oil
1 cup water
For the ricotta filling
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/8 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
Directions:
Mix all the ingredients for the ricotta filling until smooth and set aside. Mix the dry ingredients from the flour thru the cocoa powder in a bowl. Mix the wet ingredients in another bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients until smooth. Fill the heart shaped “tins” with the cake mixture and top them with a scoop of the ricotta filling and half a maraschino cherry (#2). (Nicely heart-shaped). Cook at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes until the ricotta topping firms up and a skewer comes out clean. (My wife noticed that the silicone pan did not conduct heat the same way a metal muffin tins would so it took about 10 minutes longer for the cakes to cook.)
Although the final product was not heart-shaped these little cakes were a perfect bite-sized treat to celebrate the end of the Valentine’s dinner. PA Dutch Wacky cake topped with ricotta cheese icing is a Valentine’s Day classic (at least for us).
Wednesday, December 17, 2025
Chili Crisp Cottage Cheese Flatbread カッテージチーズフラットブッレドと食べるラー油
My wife is always looking for new baking projects. She came across a flatbread recipe using cottage cheese. In addition, this recipe included “chili crisp*”. We are usually not interested in “very spicy” food. In our household, we keep “Tabasco” and “Sriracha” and use them sparingly or as part of a marinade. We used to have a Japanese version of chili infused oil or ra-yu ラー油 but since we used it rarely, it oxidized by the next time we wanted to use it. Since my wife asked for “chili crisp” for this recipe, I looked into it. The Chinese version appeared to be too spicy for us and we do not particularly like tongue numbing Sichuan pepper which many Chinese brands may include. So I settled for a Japanese mild version of chili crisp from ‘Momoya 桃屋**”.
*Spicy chili infused oil “辣油” is a traditional condiment in Chinese cuisine. In Japan, it is known as “ra-yu ラー油”. Chili crisp or chili crunch is a variation chili oil in which bits of chili, garlic and other solids are included. This became very popular during the COVID time (2020 on) in the U.S. and many brands (including some U.S. brands) became readily available. In Japan, this was known as “eating ra-yu or 食べるラー油”.
**Japanese condiment maker “Momoya 桃屋” started selling a Japanese version of chili crips which was dubbed as “Looks spicy but not too spicy ra-yu 辛そうで辛くない 少し辛いラー油” in 2009 which was a big hit in Japan.
So my wife started making the bread but at the last moment her friend called and I was left to do the final preparation; making the dough balls, let them rest. Preheating the cast iron skillet. Pressing and stretching the dough balls in to 7 - 8 inch disks without making holes and cooking them in the cast iron skillet. The picture #1 is the result. I included the Japanese chili crisp in the picture (on the side).
This is how we enjoyed it (picture #2). Just dip the bread in the chili crisp. (We subsequently found that spreading the chili crisp directly on the bread works very well too.) The bread and chili crisps were wonderful. The fried garlic adds a nice crunch and the oil is flavorful but not hot; just a bit of buzz which suits us just fine. The bread on its own also has nice flavors.
Ingredients
3/4 cup (170g) cottage cheese, whole milk preferred
1/2 cup (114g) water, warm
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons table salt
1 cup (14g) cilantro, leaves and tender stems*
2 1/4 cups (270g) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
1 tablespoon (22g) chili crisp, plus more for brushing
vegetable oil, for brushing or greasing
*Or substitute with dill, parsley, or a mix
Directions:
To make the dough: In a food processor, process the cottage cheese, water, yeast, sugar, and salt until smooth, 20 to 30 seconds. Add the cilantro, flour, and 1 tablespoon (22g) chili crisp, in that order, and process in about 8 to 10 second-long pulses, until the dough comes together and starts to gather around the blade.
Scrape the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rise until increased in volume by about 1 1/2 times, 30 to 45 minutes.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead it gently, sprinkling with additional flour as necessary, until it's smooth, springy, and less sticky, 30 to 60 seconds. (The dough was extremely, wet and sticky and required the addition of a fair amount of flour to make it workable.)
Divide the dough into 4 pieces (about 150g each) and shape each into a tight ball. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside until puffy and relaxed, 15 to 30 minutes.
Toward the end of the rise time, preheat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Working with one dough ball at a time, stretch or roll into a 7" to 8" round. Brush the top with vegetable oil, then place, oil-side down, in the skillet. Cook until brown underneath and bubbled on top, 1 to 2 minutes. Brush the other side with oil then flip the dough and cook until brown on the second side, 1 to 2 minutes.
While one flatbread is cooking, shape the next.
For an extra spicy finish, brush the warm flatbreads with chili crisp before serving.
*Spicy chili infused oil “辣油” is a traditional condiment in Chinese cuisine. In Japan, it is known as “ra-yu ラー油”. Chili crisp or chili crunch is a variation chili oil in which bits of chili, garlic and other solids are included. This became very popular during the COVID time (2020 on) in the U.S. and many brands (including some U.S. brands) became readily available. In Japan, this was known as “eating ra-yu or 食べるラー油”.
**Japanese condiment maker “Momoya 桃屋” started selling a Japanese version of chili crips which was dubbed as “Looks spicy but not too spicy ra-yu 辛そうで辛くない 少し辛いラー油” in 2009 which was a big hit in Japan.
So my wife started making the bread but at the last moment her friend called and I was left to do the final preparation; making the dough balls, let them rest. Preheating the cast iron skillet. Pressing and stretching the dough balls in to 7 - 8 inch disks without making holes and cooking them in the cast iron skillet. The picture #1 is the result. I included the Japanese chili crisp in the picture (on the side).
This is how we enjoyed it (picture #2). Just dip the bread in the chili crisp. (We subsequently found that spreading the chili crisp directly on the bread works very well too.) The bread and chili crisps were wonderful. The fried garlic adds a nice crunch and the oil is flavorful but not hot; just a bit of buzz which suits us just fine. The bread on its own also has nice flavors.
Ingredients
3/4 cup (170g) cottage cheese, whole milk preferred
1/2 cup (114g) water, warm
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons table salt
1 cup (14g) cilantro, leaves and tender stems*
2 1/4 cups (270g) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
1 tablespoon (22g) chili crisp, plus more for brushing
vegetable oil, for brushing or greasing
*Or substitute with dill, parsley, or a mix
Directions:
To make the dough: In a food processor, process the cottage cheese, water, yeast, sugar, and salt until smooth, 20 to 30 seconds. Add the cilantro, flour, and 1 tablespoon (22g) chili crisp, in that order, and process in about 8 to 10 second-long pulses, until the dough comes together and starts to gather around the blade.
Scrape the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rise until increased in volume by about 1 1/2 times, 30 to 45 minutes.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead it gently, sprinkling with additional flour as necessary, until it's smooth, springy, and less sticky, 30 to 60 seconds. (The dough was extremely, wet and sticky and required the addition of a fair amount of flour to make it workable.)
Divide the dough into 4 pieces (about 150g each) and shape each into a tight ball. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside until puffy and relaxed, 15 to 30 minutes.
Toward the end of the rise time, preheat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Working with one dough ball at a time, stretch or roll into a 7" to 8" round. Brush the top with vegetable oil, then place, oil-side down, in the skillet. Cook until brown underneath and bubbled on top, 1 to 2 minutes. Brush the other side with oil then flip the dough and cook until brown on the second side, 1 to 2 minutes.
While one flatbread is cooking, shape the next.
For an extra spicy finish, brush the warm flatbreads with chili crisp before serving.
Tuesday, December 2, 2025
Nutmeat Pate 木の実のパテ
This is a very interesting pâté recipe from “Frog Commissary Cookbook” my wife found. This is a pâté made of white beans and nuts. The color is a bit drab but it almost tastes like a meat pate (#1). After a few days, the flavor and texture got better. This is a perfect appetizer for vegetarian friends but the omnivore will also enjoy it. I will ask my wife to take over.
Ingredients: Makes 3 small loaves.
One can of white navy beans whizzed until smooth in a food processor
Directions:
Toast the walnuts and pecans. Grind them separately in a food processor and set aside. Grind the white beans in a food processor to form a “bean paste”. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well (#2) Preheat the oven to 350°. Fill the three small silicon bread pans with the pâté mixture and cover it tightly with tin foil (#4). Set in a larger baking pan filled with hot water half way up the sides of the baking pans.
Bake in the toaster oven for 1 hour. Let cool 10 minutes and then invert the baking pan onto a serving plate and unmold the pâte. The pâté can be served either hot or cold (#4).
As stated before this pâté tastes remarkably like it was made with meat. It is very savory and makes a nice appetizer with a glass of red wine.
Ingredients: Makes 3 small loaves.
One can of white navy beans whizzed until smooth in a food processor
2 cups walnuts (½ pound), lightly toasted and finely ground
2 cups pecans (½ pound), light toasted and finely ground
1 cup grated Gruyère cheese (¼ pound)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
⅓ cup minced scallion
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried thyme (I used fresh from our garden)
½ teaspoon crumbled dried rosemary (I used fresh from our garden)
1¾ teaspoons salt
¾ teaspoon pepper
⅓ cup heavy cream
1½ teaspoons minced garlic
6 tablespoons butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tablespoon brandy
1 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms, reconstituted in warm water, drained and minced
(These are other herbs called for in the recipe but I didn’t use)
2 cups pecans (½ pound), light toasted and finely ground
1 cup grated Gruyère cheese (¼ pound)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
⅓ cup minced scallion
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried thyme (I used fresh from our garden)
½ teaspoon crumbled dried rosemary (I used fresh from our garden)
1¾ teaspoons salt
¾ teaspoon pepper
⅓ cup heavy cream
1½ teaspoons minced garlic
6 tablespoons butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tablespoon brandy
1 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms, reconstituted in warm water, drained and minced
(These are other herbs called for in the recipe but I didn’t use)
⅓ cup minced parsley
½ teaspoon dried marjoram
½ teaspoon dried marjoram
Directions:
Toast the walnuts and pecans. Grind them separately in a food processor and set aside. Grind the white beans in a food processor to form a “bean paste”. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well (#2) Preheat the oven to 350°. Fill the three small silicon bread pans with the pâté mixture and cover it tightly with tin foil (#4). Set in a larger baking pan filled with hot water half way up the sides of the baking pans.
Bake in the toaster oven for 1 hour. Let cool 10 minutes and then invert the baking pan onto a serving plate and unmold the pâte. The pâté can be served either hot or cold (#4).
Sunday, November 23, 2025
White Pizza “Pizza Bianca” 白いピザ
We tried “pizza bianca” a few times before but we did not particularly like it. So we tried again with different cheeses; roasted garlic seasoned Ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan cheese. We topped it with baby arugula dressed in honey mustard dressing (#1). We really like the creamy texture of the cheese toppings and pepper taste of arugula, however, despite used a liberal amount of garlic infused oil, we felt we need a bit more assertive flavor (maybe more garlic or slight “picante” flavor?). So we decided on the this batch to add the roasted garlic. This was about a whole head of garlic, cloves separated and cooked in small bowl of heated chicken broth in the toaster oven at 350 for 30 minutes. We added the roasted garlic to the ricotta cheese and left it in the fridge overnight for the flavors to meld. They became much stronger and this was a much better pizza.
The picture 2 is before the arugula topping.
Ingredients:
1/2 Ricotta cheese
About a head of roasted garlic (or to taste)
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
(mix the above well)
10 or more thin slices of mozzarella cheese enough to cover the pizza leaving the rim
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup olive oil with crushed garlic
Pizza dough
Baby arugula
Honey mustard dressing
Directions:
Form pizza dough
Paint the dough with garlic infused oil including some crushed garlic in the oil
Cover the center of the pizza with the mozzarella cheese
Spread the seasoned Ricotta
Sprinkle half of the parmesan cheese
Bake in the pizza oven at 700F (Neapolitan-style setting in “Pizzaiolo” pizza oven) for 2 minutes (#2)
Brush the rim with the garlic infused oil and sprinkle the reaming parmesan cheese
Top it with the dressed baby arugula (#10)
This a definitely better pizza bianca we made.
Ingredients:
1/2 Ricotta cheese
About a head of roasted garlic (or to taste)
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
(mix the above well)
10 or more thin slices of mozzarella cheese enough to cover the pizza leaving the rim
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup olive oil with crushed garlic
Pizza dough
Baby arugula
Honey mustard dressing
Directions:
Form pizza dough
Paint the dough with garlic infused oil including some crushed garlic in the oil
Cover the center of the pizza with the mozzarella cheese
Spread the seasoned Ricotta
Sprinkle half of the parmesan cheese
Bake in the pizza oven at 700F (Neapolitan-style setting in “Pizzaiolo” pizza oven) for 2 minutes (#2)
Brush the rim with the garlic infused oil and sprinkle the reaming parmesan cheese
Top it with the dressed baby arugula (#10)
This a definitely better pizza bianca we made.
Thursday, November 20, 2025
Caramelized onion pizza 飴色玉ねぎピザ
After we got the electric pizza oven “Pizzaiolo”, we have been making home-made Neapolitan-style pizzas regularly. We usually make two kinds of pizza; one is the classic Margherita another is marinated baby artichokes with olives. Since we do not finish two pizzas in one meal, we have left-overs and enjoy one piece each as an appetizer in subsequent days. The left-over pizza heats up nicely in the toaster oven. Interestingly, when freshly made, the crust is Neapolitan-style. It is chewy but not “crispy”. After being re-heated in the toaster oven, the crust becomes very crispy like a New York-style pizza.
We decided that we should get out of our pizza rut and make some other kinds of pizza. We used to make caramelized onion pizza キャラメライズドオニオンピザ in the oven long before we got the ‘Pizzaiolo’. But we have not made it recently. So we settled on making that pizza as one of the two we made recently one evening. This is a really tasty pizza. Creamy goat cheese and pine nuts added nice texture and taste. The caramelized onions added nice sweetness. The Neapolitan-style crust goes well with this topping.
Ingredients (for one 9 inch pizza)
For caramelized onion
1 large onion, halved and sliced
2 tbs olive oil
2 tsp sugar
For crust (makes enough dough for four 9 inch pizzas)
3 1/2 cups “00” flour (I used 00 flour I got from King-Arthur’s) or bread flour
1 cup warm water (more or less)
2 tsp active years
2 tsp salt
2 tbs olive oil (optional)
For topping (amounts are arbitrary)
10 thinly sliced pieces of mozzarella cheese (enough to cover the crust leaving the rim)
1/4 to 1/2 cup grated reggiano parmiziano
1 inch log of fresh goat cheese crumbled
1/4 cup roasted pine nuts
Garlic-infused olive oil to brush on the pizza crust. (I make this oil with 4 cloves of crushed garlic in 1/4 cup olive oil. I brush some this oil on whatever pizza I am making that night)
salt and pepper
Directions:
Preheat the pizza oven to “Neapolitan-pizza” temperature (about 750F)
For caramelized onions
Coat the onion slices with the sugar (to facilitate caramelization),
Add the oil in a large skillet or frying pan. Sauté until nicely browned (do not constantly stir, leave for a few minutes until the bottom browns and then stir)
Set aside
For crust
Add all ingredients except for the water and oil to the food processor fitted with a dough blade. Turn on low speed to mix dry ingredients. If using oil, stream it in. Add the water in a thin stream until a dough ball forms above the blade without any dry ingredients left on the bottom. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Turn the food processor on low speed for a few minutes for a second kneading. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and hand knead it briefly shaping it into a ball. In a large enough mixing bowl, add a small amount of olive oil, add the dough ball and turn to coat all its surface. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let it rise for 1 hour or until doubled (I use a "Brod & Taylor Collapsible electric bread proofer“ set at 85 degrees).
Turn the dough onto the kneading board. Deflate and divide the dough into 4 pieces. (I weigh the dough to make sure the pieces are equal in size). Knead the dough to make a tight ball. Coat the surface of the each dough ball with olive oil and place in a small Ziploc bag. Squeeze out any excess air, seal the bag and refrigerate overnight. (It can be refrigerated up to a few days. If I haven’t used it by then I freeze it.)
Take out the dough one hour before baking. Form the dough into a 9 inch pizza-shape (by stretching it using two fists under the dough leaving the rim intact)
Assembly
On a wooden pizza peel, sparingly spread cornmeal. (The cornmeal acts like a layer of ball bearings under the pizza dough making it easier to slide the pizza dough off the peel onto the baking stone)
Place the prepared pizza dough on the peel over the cornmeal. Paint the surface of the dough with the garlic infused oil along with some of the crushed garlic in the oil. Use the mozzarella cheese to cover the dough except for the rim. Spread half of the Parmesan over the mozzarella, then spread on the onion. Add the pine nuts. Sprinkle on the rest of the Parmesan, and distribute the small chunks of goat cheese.
To bake
Slide the pizza onto the pizza stone, close the door and press the timer (2 minutes)
When done take it out and paint the rim with the garlic infused olive oil.
The pizza oven creates perfect leopard spots on the bottom of the crust and nice charred rim on the top. The caramelized onion gives a nice sweet flavor. The creamy texture of the goat cheese is wonderful. We really like this pizza.
We decided that we should get out of our pizza rut and make some other kinds of pizza. We used to make caramelized onion pizza キャラメライズドオニオンピザ in the oven long before we got the ‘Pizzaiolo’. But we have not made it recently. So we settled on making that pizza as one of the two we made recently one evening. This is a really tasty pizza. Creamy goat cheese and pine nuts added nice texture and taste. The caramelized onions added nice sweetness. The Neapolitan-style crust goes well with this topping.
Ingredients (for one 9 inch pizza)
For caramelized onion
1 large onion, halved and sliced
2 tbs olive oil
2 tsp sugar
For crust (makes enough dough for four 9 inch pizzas)
3 1/2 cups “00” flour (I used 00 flour I got from King-Arthur’s) or bread flour
1 cup warm water (more or less)
2 tsp active years
2 tsp salt
2 tbs olive oil (optional)
For topping (amounts are arbitrary)
10 thinly sliced pieces of mozzarella cheese (enough to cover the crust leaving the rim)
1/4 to 1/2 cup grated reggiano parmiziano
1 inch log of fresh goat cheese crumbled
1/4 cup roasted pine nuts
Garlic-infused olive oil to brush on the pizza crust. (I make this oil with 4 cloves of crushed garlic in 1/4 cup olive oil. I brush some this oil on whatever pizza I am making that night)
salt and pepper
Directions:
Preheat the pizza oven to “Neapolitan-pizza” temperature (about 750F)
For caramelized onions
Coat the onion slices with the sugar (to facilitate caramelization),
Add the oil in a large skillet or frying pan. Sauté until nicely browned (do not constantly stir, leave for a few minutes until the bottom browns and then stir)
Set aside
For crust
Add all ingredients except for the water and oil to the food processor fitted with a dough blade. Turn on low speed to mix dry ingredients. If using oil, stream it in. Add the water in a thin stream until a dough ball forms above the blade without any dry ingredients left on the bottom. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Turn the food processor on low speed for a few minutes for a second kneading. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and hand knead it briefly shaping it into a ball. In a large enough mixing bowl, add a small amount of olive oil, add the dough ball and turn to coat all its surface. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let it rise for 1 hour or until doubled (I use a "Brod & Taylor Collapsible electric bread proofer“ set at 85 degrees).
Turn the dough onto the kneading board. Deflate and divide the dough into 4 pieces. (I weigh the dough to make sure the pieces are equal in size). Knead the dough to make a tight ball. Coat the surface of the each dough ball with olive oil and place in a small Ziploc bag. Squeeze out any excess air, seal the bag and refrigerate overnight. (It can be refrigerated up to a few days. If I haven’t used it by then I freeze it.)
Take out the dough one hour before baking. Form the dough into a 9 inch pizza-shape (by stretching it using two fists under the dough leaving the rim intact)
Assembly
On a wooden pizza peel, sparingly spread cornmeal. (The cornmeal acts like a layer of ball bearings under the pizza dough making it easier to slide the pizza dough off the peel onto the baking stone)
Place the prepared pizza dough on the peel over the cornmeal. Paint the surface of the dough with the garlic infused oil along with some of the crushed garlic in the oil. Use the mozzarella cheese to cover the dough except for the rim. Spread half of the Parmesan over the mozzarella, then spread on the onion. Add the pine nuts. Sprinkle on the rest of the Parmesan, and distribute the small chunks of goat cheese.
To bake
Slide the pizza onto the pizza stone, close the door and press the timer (2 minutes)
When done take it out and paint the rim with the garlic infused olive oil.
The pizza oven creates perfect leopard spots on the bottom of the crust and nice charred rim on the top. The caramelized onion gives a nice sweet flavor. The creamy texture of the goat cheese is wonderful. We really like this pizza.
Wednesday, November 5, 2025
Cheese Pennies チーズ (ペニー) バタークッキー
This is one of my wife’s appetizer projects. This is a savory and cheesy butter biscuit. The recipe came from the King Arthur.
Ingredients
2 cups (227g) sharp cheddar cheese, grated (Or any combination or cheese that may be available. We used sharp cheddar, smoked gouda, and parmesan.)
8 tablespoons (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups (180g) All-Purpose Flour
3/4 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
paprika, optional
Directions:
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients to make a cohesive dough, sprinkling in a tablespoon or so of water if the dough doesn't seem to want to come together. As soon as the dough starts to come together, turn off the mixer and gather it into a rough ball. Transfer it to a lightly floured work surface, and roll it into a 16" log about 1 1/2" in diameter (#1). Wrap the log in waxed paper or plastic wrap, and chill it in the freezer for 30 minutes. Using a serrated knife, slice the log crosswise into 1/8" rounds (#2). Place them on an ungreased or parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving only about 1/2" between them; they won't spread much as they bake. Sprinkle them with a bit of paprika. Bake the cheese pennies in a preheated 400°F oven for 11 to 13 minutes, or until they're just beginning to brown (#3). Remove them from the oven, and allow them to cool on the pan for several minutes before transferring them to racks to cool completely.
These are cheesy, slightly salty with hits of spices from mustard and cayenne pepper. This is a good appetizer that goes well with red wine but it is not a dessert. We really like it.
Ingredients
2 cups (227g) sharp cheddar cheese, grated (Or any combination or cheese that may be available. We used sharp cheddar, smoked gouda, and parmesan.)
8 tablespoons (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups (180g) All-Purpose Flour
3/4 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
paprika, optional
Directions:
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients to make a cohesive dough, sprinkling in a tablespoon or so of water if the dough doesn't seem to want to come together. As soon as the dough starts to come together, turn off the mixer and gather it into a rough ball. Transfer it to a lightly floured work surface, and roll it into a 16" log about 1 1/2" in diameter (#1). Wrap the log in waxed paper or plastic wrap, and chill it in the freezer for 30 minutes. Using a serrated knife, slice the log crosswise into 1/8" rounds (#2). Place them on an ungreased or parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving only about 1/2" between them; they won't spread much as they bake. Sprinkle them with a bit of paprika. Bake the cheese pennies in a preheated 400°F oven for 11 to 13 minutes, or until they're just beginning to brown (#3). Remove them from the oven, and allow them to cool on the pan for several minutes before transferring them to racks to cool completely.
These are cheesy, slightly salty with hits of spices from mustard and cayenne pepper. This is a good appetizer that goes well with red wine but it is not a dessert. We really like it.
Tuesday, October 21, 2025
Scallion Cheese Pinwheels ねぎとチーズの渦巻き
This is another one of my wife’s baking projects. This could be eaten as a part of breakfast or appetizer. Nice slightly sweet biscuits with layers of cheese and scallion is a good combination. (#1) The picture below shows a sliced cross section of the of the pinwheel (on the left and in the middle) and the whole baked pinwheel (on the right).
Ingredients:
Ingredients for the cream biscuits dough
1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour
1 cup (130 grams) cake flour
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoons fine salt, divided
1 1/2 cups (340 grams) heavy cream
Ingredients for the pinwheels
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 1/2 cups (165 grams) coarsely grated sharp cheddar cheese (or any combination of cheese you like)
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives, plus more for garnish (We used chopped scallions.)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (We used 1/8th tsp of cayenne instead )
1 large egg, 1/8 teaspoon fine salt for glaze.
Directions:
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees.
Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Directions for Biscuit dough:
In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, baking powder and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Add the cream and stir with a flexible spatula until no loose flour remains. (If the dough is too loose to work add more flour until a smooth dough is formed.)
Directions for pinwheels:
Transfer the biscuit dough to a generously floured work surface and knead it a few times until it comes together and is smooth.
With a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a rough 14-by-10-inch rectangle with the long side facing you, and spread the mayonnaise over the dough, leaving a 1/2- to 1-inch border at the edges.
Evenly sprinkle the cheese, chives and pepper over the mayonnaise, pressing down lightly with your hands to help it adhere.
Starting from the long edge of the rectangle closest to you, begin tightly rolling up the dough, until a 12-inch long log is formed. Pinch the dough with your fingers to seal the seam and the ends. (#2)
Using a serrated knife, cut the dough into 16 equal pieces (each about 3/4 inch long) — the dough will be sticky — and place them on the prepared baking sheet. (#3) Transfer to the freezer for 20 minutes. (I didn’t do this and it didn’t seem to make a difference.)
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and salt until combined. Using a pastry brush, brush each pinwheel with the egg wash and transfer to the oven.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the tops and bottoms of the wheels are lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. (#4)
These pinwheels are very good. The dough is very soft and almost has the texture of a dough made with yeast. The mayonnaise makes the filling very rich. The flavor of the cheese and scallions comes through very nicely. This is a great appetizer to go with a glass of red wine.
Ingredients:
Ingredients for the cream biscuits dough
1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour
1 cup (130 grams) cake flour
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoons fine salt, divided
1 1/2 cups (340 grams) heavy cream
Ingredients for the pinwheels
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 1/2 cups (165 grams) coarsely grated sharp cheddar cheese (or any combination of cheese you like)
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives, plus more for garnish (We used chopped scallions.)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (We used 1/8th tsp of cayenne instead )
1 large egg, 1/8 teaspoon fine salt for glaze.
Directions:
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees.
Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Directions for Biscuit dough:
In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, baking powder and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Add the cream and stir with a flexible spatula until no loose flour remains. (If the dough is too loose to work add more flour until a smooth dough is formed.)
Directions for pinwheels:
Transfer the biscuit dough to a generously floured work surface and knead it a few times until it comes together and is smooth.
With a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a rough 14-by-10-inch rectangle with the long side facing you, and spread the mayonnaise over the dough, leaving a 1/2- to 1-inch border at the edges.
Evenly sprinkle the cheese, chives and pepper over the mayonnaise, pressing down lightly with your hands to help it adhere.
Starting from the long edge of the rectangle closest to you, begin tightly rolling up the dough, until a 12-inch long log is formed. Pinch the dough with your fingers to seal the seam and the ends. (#2)
Using a serrated knife, cut the dough into 16 equal pieces (each about 3/4 inch long) — the dough will be sticky — and place them on the prepared baking sheet. (#3) Transfer to the freezer for 20 minutes. (I didn’t do this and it didn’t seem to make a difference.)
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and salt until combined. Using a pastry brush, brush each pinwheel with the egg wash and transfer to the oven.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the tops and bottoms of the wheels are lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. (#4)
These pinwheels are very good. The dough is very soft and almost has the texture of a dough made with yeast. The mayonnaise makes the filling very rich. The flavor of the cheese and scallions comes through very nicely. This is a great appetizer to go with a glass of red wine.
Tuesday, September 16, 2025
Cheese Straws チーズツイスト
We like small snack-y foods that go well with wine or sake. My wife, for some reason, decided to make these “Cheese straws” which are based on a recipe she found on the web. When she took out the frozen puff pastry sheets, however, she saw they were significantly past the BUD (best-used-by-date). After pondering a while and looking at what condition the puff pastry was in, she decided to take a chance and make this dish. She needed to modify the recipe mainly because of the cheeses on hand. She used smoked gouda and sharp cheddar. Despite the “passed BUD” puff pastry, this was quite good. Light, crispy and airy with cheesy flavors.
Ingredients:
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. light brown sugar
1 frozen puff pastry sheet
All-purpose flour, for rolling
4 oz. smoked cheddar cheese, finely shredded (about 11/2 cups), divided
1 large egg, beaten
Directions
Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Stir together the smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and sugar in a small bowl until combined. Unfold the thawed puff pastry sheet on a floured work surface. Roll the pastry into a 16-by-12-inch rectangle, with long side parallel to edge of counter. Sprinkle about half of smoked paprika mixture over the surface of pastry. Sprinkle half the cheese over half of the rectangle lengthwise. Carefully fold the rectangle in half lengthwise over the cheese. Press the edges together to seal. Gently roll the folded pastry into a 16-by-10-inch rectangle (about 1/8 inch thick). Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the pastry into 16 (1-inch-wide) strips. Transfer the strips to the prepared baking sheets. Twist the ends in opposite directions to form spiraled sticks. Press the ends of the strips into the parchment paper, if needed, to help them hold their shape.
Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. (Cover with plastic wrap if refrigerating for more than 1 hour.). After removing from refrigerator sprinkle with the rest of the cheese and remaining smoked paprika mixture. Bake in 375 degree oven until cheese straws are golden brown and puffed, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating trays and moving between top and bottom racks halfway through.
Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Despite the fact the puff pastry was past the BUB date these were perfectly OK; spicy crunchy and flavorful. Perfect to have with a glass of wine.
Ingredients:
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. light brown sugar
1 frozen puff pastry sheet
All-purpose flour, for rolling
4 oz. smoked cheddar cheese, finely shredded (about 11/2 cups), divided
1 large egg, beaten
Directions
Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Stir together the smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and sugar in a small bowl until combined. Unfold the thawed puff pastry sheet on a floured work surface. Roll the pastry into a 16-by-12-inch rectangle, with long side parallel to edge of counter. Sprinkle about half of smoked paprika mixture over the surface of pastry. Sprinkle half the cheese over half of the rectangle lengthwise. Carefully fold the rectangle in half lengthwise over the cheese. Press the edges together to seal. Gently roll the folded pastry into a 16-by-10-inch rectangle (about 1/8 inch thick). Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the pastry into 16 (1-inch-wide) strips. Transfer the strips to the prepared baking sheets. Twist the ends in opposite directions to form spiraled sticks. Press the ends of the strips into the parchment paper, if needed, to help them hold their shape.
Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. (Cover with plastic wrap if refrigerating for more than 1 hour.). After removing from refrigerator sprinkle with the rest of the cheese and remaining smoked paprika mixture. Bake in 375 degree oven until cheese straws are golden brown and puffed, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating trays and moving between top and bottom racks halfway through.
Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Despite the fact the puff pastry was past the BUB date these were perfectly OK; spicy crunchy and flavorful. Perfect to have with a glass of wine.
Monday, September 1, 2025
Savory Breakfast Mini Cheesecakes ミニチーズケーキ
This is another one of my wife’s baking projects. This time it was small cheesy bites called “Savory Breakfast Mini Cheesecakes” which she found on-line. She made quite a few modifications using her CCK (Common Culinary Knowledge). For example just looking at the list of ingredients for the crusts listed in the recipe on the web she knew there was no way they would be enough to form crusts on 24 full sized muffin tins. She doubled the amount of ingredients and it was still not enough to fill all the mini muffin tin. Also the three 8 ounce packages of cream cheese (a total of 24 oz.) seemed a bit excessive so she significantly reduced the amount she used. (She wonders if sometimes the people who publish some of the recipes on the web have actually made them). The list of ingredients listed below includes all the specific alterations my wife made. Despite the numerous alterations in ingredients the cheese bites certainly turned out pretty well. They had a nice crunchy crust and cheesy center which cannot go wrong. But with the amount of eggs, cheese and butter that went in, this has to be more spectacular to be repeated.
Ingredients:
1 cup dry bread crumbs (I used Panko)
2/3 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese (I used parmesan)
1/4 cup melted butter
3/4 package (8 oz.) cream cheese (or 1/2 package cream cheese plus1/4 chive and onion cream cheese)
2 large eggs
1 cup shredded cheese (gruyere, cheddar, smoked gouda)
2 pieces cooked bacon crumbled
1/4 teaspoon salt
other items could include cooked shallots, green onions, red peppers).
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray 24 mini muffin tin cups with cooking spray or use paper liners.
Mix bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and melted butter together in a small bowl. Spoon about 1 teaspoon mixture into each of the prepared muffin cups. Using your fingers press down the bread crumbs to form a crust for the cheese filling. (This procedure is the very definition of tedious).
Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time until combined. Stir in the cheeses, bacon and any other additions you might be using. Scoop the cheese mixture into the bread crumb crusts. (I used the smallest ice cream scoop).
Bake in the preheated oven until cheesecakes are firm to the touch and lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in muffin tins for 10 minutes.
These were not bad. The crust was crispy because it was essentially oven fried. The cheesy filling was smooth and very pleasant. The bacon somehow didn’t stand out as much as we would have liked. It also made a nice cheese bite to go with wine. Subsequent note: These actually got better with time. Somehow the flavors stood out more and the crust actually was a good addition.
Ingredients:
1 cup dry bread crumbs (I used Panko)
2/3 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese (I used parmesan)
1/4 cup melted butter
3/4 package (8 oz.) cream cheese (or 1/2 package cream cheese plus1/4 chive and onion cream cheese)
2 large eggs
1 cup shredded cheese (gruyere, cheddar, smoked gouda)
2 pieces cooked bacon crumbled
1/4 teaspoon salt
other items could include cooked shallots, green onions, red peppers).
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray 24 mini muffin tin cups with cooking spray or use paper liners.
Mix bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and melted butter together in a small bowl. Spoon about 1 teaspoon mixture into each of the prepared muffin cups. Using your fingers press down the bread crumbs to form a crust for the cheese filling. (This procedure is the very definition of tedious).
Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time until combined. Stir in the cheeses, bacon and any other additions you might be using. Scoop the cheese mixture into the bread crumb crusts. (I used the smallest ice cream scoop).
Bake in the preheated oven until cheesecakes are firm to the touch and lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in muffin tins for 10 minutes.
These were not bad. The crust was crispy because it was essentially oven fried. The cheesy filling was smooth and very pleasant. The bacon somehow didn’t stand out as much as we would have liked. It also made a nice cheese bite to go with wine. Subsequent note: These actually got better with time. Somehow the flavors stood out more and the crust actually was a good addition.
Monday, July 21, 2025
Pea, Ricotta ad Mint Gazpacho えんどう豆、リコッタチーズとミントのガスパッチョ
We are having very hot and humid weather with customary severe thunderstorms in the afternoon. When my wife saw the recipe for nice fresh green pea gazpacho on the Washington Post website, she had to make it. We happened to have mint growing in our herb garden. We also had all the other ingredients except parsley so we made this without the parsley. This is a refreshing rich gazpacho with the peas (we used frozen baby peas) imparting a somewhat grassy taste which was not unpleasant. We topped it with our favorite Spanish extra-version olive oil. (Shown as the darker green in the pic).
Ingredients:
4 mini-cucumbers, seeds removed and cut into cubes (14 ounces total)
Flesh of 1 ripe avocado, cut into chunks
2 cups frozen baby green peas
1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
1/2 cup chopped scallions (white and green parts)
1/4 cup water (we used chicken broth)
(We omitted parsely)
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
1 clove garlic
Fine salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil, for serving
Directions:
Prepare the peas. Since they were frozen we simply thawed them in a bowl with some hot water. In a Vitamix, combine the cucumber, avocado, peas, ricotta, scallions, water, chopped mint, lemon juice and garlic and puree until smooth. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and blend again, just to incorporate. Taste, and add more lemon juice, as needed.
We served this in a small bowl. The puree had a thick consistency which made us think of a pea smoothy. We made it a bit more soup-like with the addition of milk (or cream) and a drizzle of oil. The pea and avocado flavors dominated. As mentioned the overall flavor was a bit grassy but it tasted more fresh than unpleasant. A great way to eat your veggies in the hot humid summer.
Ingredients:
4 mini-cucumbers, seeds removed and cut into cubes (14 ounces total)
Flesh of 1 ripe avocado, cut into chunks
2 cups frozen baby green peas
1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
1/2 cup chopped scallions (white and green parts)
1/4 cup water (we used chicken broth)
(We omitted parsely)
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
1 clove garlic
Fine salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil, for serving
Directions:
Prepare the peas. Since they were frozen we simply thawed them in a bowl with some hot water. In a Vitamix, combine the cucumber, avocado, peas, ricotta, scallions, water, chopped mint, lemon juice and garlic and puree until smooth. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and blend again, just to incorporate. Taste, and add more lemon juice, as needed.
We served this in a small bowl. The puree had a thick consistency which made us think of a pea smoothy. We made it a bit more soup-like with the addition of milk (or cream) and a drizzle of oil. The pea and avocado flavors dominated. As mentioned the overall flavor was a bit grassy but it tasted more fresh than unpleasant. A great way to eat your veggies in the hot humid summer.
Sunday, June 15, 2025
Cream Cheese with Pickled Daikon クリームチーズ 沢庵入り
While we were in Japan, we had cream cheese with “iburi-gakko いぶりがっこ” at one of izakayas we visited. “ Iburi-gakko” is a local food peculiar to the northern part of the main land Japan (Tohoku region 東北地方). It is made by hanging daikon radish over the hearth (old farm houses had open fire hearths) which dried and also smoked the daikon. It was then cured (not with vinegar but with salt and rice bran mixture). This produced “iburi-gakko”. It is crunchy with a slightly salty and smoky flavors. The combination of cream cheese and iburi-gakko was really great. Although we did not have “iburi-gakko”, I made a similar dish using the pickled daikon I made. I served it with cucumber and nappa cabbage “asazuke” (picture #1).
This was a part of small “otsumami おつまみ” dishes (picture #2). From left to right, baby artichoke hearts and olives dressed with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, renkon in sweet vinegar or “Subasu 酢蓮” (subject described in a separate post) with salt-broth soaked snap peas スナップ豌豆の塩びたし and cream cheese with pickled daikon. These are just nice small dishes that go with cold sake in the evening.
Ingredients:
1/3 block of cream cheese, warmed up to room temperature
1 inch home made picked daikon, cut into small dice
Directions:
In a bowl, add the daikon and cream cheese and mix.
On the plastic wrap, make a log about 1 inch in diameter, roll and wrap it tightly (picture #3)
Refregerator at least one hour before slicing
Although, it lacks the smoky flavor of “iburi-gakko”, the salty and sweet crunchy daikon, really worked with the cream cheese. I will be making this again for sure.
This was a part of small “otsumami おつまみ” dishes (picture #2). From left to right, baby artichoke hearts and olives dressed with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, renkon in sweet vinegar or “Subasu 酢蓮” (subject described in a separate post) with salt-broth soaked snap peas スナップ豌豆の塩びたし and cream cheese with pickled daikon. These are just nice small dishes that go with cold sake in the evening.
Ingredients:
1/3 block of cream cheese, warmed up to room temperature
1 inch home made picked daikon, cut into small dice
Directions:
In a bowl, add the daikon and cream cheese and mix.
On the plastic wrap, make a log about 1 inch in diameter, roll and wrap it tightly (picture #3)
Refregerator at least one hour before slicing
Although, it lacks the smoky flavor of “iburi-gakko”, the salty and sweet crunchy daikon, really worked with the cream cheese. I will be making this again for sure.
Monday, February 24, 2025
Quesadilla with Mini-corn Tortilla and Browned Cheese
My wife really liked the mini corn tortilla we got from Whole Foods (#1 in the composite picture). Using this tortilla, last time we made something resembling “taco carnitas”. This time, we made something resembling quesadilla with a bit of a twist. This was inspired by a Youtube episode in which melted and browned cheese was transferred to tortillas which were made into quesadilla. Since we made a mochi and mushroom dishes using the melted and brown cheese, it was not too difficult to transfer the browed cheese to the tortillas (#2 in the composite picture) to make our quesadilla. I added more cheese and small dices of roasted/Bbqed pork we had. I served this with guacamole I made a quick salsa (the first picture). This was a bit messy to eat. We ended up using folk and knife. This was very good the tortilla has nice corn flavor. The browned cheese layers made it better.
This is not a recipe but just a note for ourselves to remember.
Ingredients (for two mini-quesadillas)
Two mini corn tortillas (#1 in composite)
Two slices of low-moisture mozzarella cheese
Three slices each of sharp cheddar and smoke gouda cheese, cut int small dice
3-4 slices of roasted pork, cut into small dice
Guacamole
Salsa, sour cream (optional)
Directions:
In a dry no-stick frying pan in low flame, add the slice of the mozzarella cheese.
The cheese will melt and bubble and edges start browning after a few minutes
Place the tortilla on the top of the melting cheese and let it cook for one more minute (the cheese needed to be uniformly browned but it is not easy to judge)
Flip it over and the brown crispy layer of the cheese is attached (#2 in the composite picture)
Place on half of pork and cheeses (#3 in the composite picture)
When the cheeses start melting, fold the tortilla with a small spatula and press and hold (#4)
After one more minute, carefully flip over and cook other side for one more minute.
Top it with the guac (and sour cream if using) and the side of salsa. This was perfect lunch for us.
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
Ricotta Lemon Cookie リコッタチーズ レモンクッキー
I just made meat balls with Ricotta and parmesan cheeses using ground chicken instead of pork. I used only 2 tbs. from the container of ricotta. I mentioned to my wife that not only was that container open and mostly full but we were getting a back log of other ricotta cheese containers in the fridge, although luckily they hadn’t been opened. (Apparently, for some reason, every week we bought another container from the grocery store). I suggested to my wife that we should push using ricotta cheese for a while. Then, she saw the recipe of Ricotta cookies at King Arthur site. This was just what we needed and decided to make some. The original recipe used a glaze but we both agreed we did not need one. The original recipe also called for something called “ Fiori di Sicilia” which we didn’t have. But the recipe suggested micro-grated lemon zest and vanilla could be substituted for the “fiori di Sicilia” which is what she did. This turned out to be a great and not-too-sweet cookie. It has a soft consistency almost cake like rather than cookie. We had this as a part of morning breads (#1). We really liked it.
Ingredients X1
1 1/4 cups (150g) Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/4 cup (41g) Semolina Flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup (149g) granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 cup (227g) ricotta cheese, whole milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Lemon zest from one lemon (micro-grated) or 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia*
Ingredients (X2)
2 1/2 cups (300g) Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup (82g) Semolina Flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
12 tablespoons (170g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cup (298g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups (454g) ricotta cheese, whole milk
2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 Lemon zest (micro-grated) or 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia*
Instructions
To make the dough: Weigh your flours; or measure them by gently spooning them into a cup, then sweeping off any excess.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater attachment, combine the butter and sugar. Beat on medium speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. (The mixture will not be lightened in color or fluffy in texture.)
Add the egg and mix until fully combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat briefly. Add the ricotta, vanilla, and Fiori di Sicilia. Briefly mix to fully combine.
Add the dry ingredients to the ricotta mixture all at once. Mix slowly until no dry floury streaks remain. Cover the bowl or transfer the dough to an airtight container and chill for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight.
When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
Scoop the chilled dough into generous tablespoon portions.
Place the dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them evenly apart (about 12 dough balls per baking sheet)
Bake the ricotta cookies for 15 to 17 minutes, until the edges of the cookies just start to turn light brown.
This was a very nice cookie. It had a soft cake like texture and the lemon flavor really came through nicely giving it a light slightly sweet flavor. It went very well with our morning coffee. That excess of ricotta cheese won’t be around for long now that we have discovered these cookies.
P.S. Out of curiosity we bought some “fiori di sicilia” flavoring and tried it out in another batch of cookies. While the resulting cookies were very different in flavor from the ones make with just the lemon zest and vanilla, they were still very good. The flavor was much less lemon but had an intriguing somewhat floral after taste. The texture of the cookie was still moist and soft like the previous batch. Next time I may add more of the flavoring to see if I can make it a bit stronger.
Ingredients X1
1 1/4 cups (150g) Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/4 cup (41g) Semolina Flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup (149g) granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 cup (227g) ricotta cheese, whole milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Lemon zest from one lemon (micro-grated) or 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia*
Ingredients (X2)
2 1/2 cups (300g) Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup (82g) Semolina Flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
12 tablespoons (170g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cup (298g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups (454g) ricotta cheese, whole milk
2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 Lemon zest (micro-grated) or 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia*
Instructions
To make the dough: Weigh your flours; or measure them by gently spooning them into a cup, then sweeping off any excess.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater attachment, combine the butter and sugar. Beat on medium speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. (The mixture will not be lightened in color or fluffy in texture.)
Add the egg and mix until fully combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat briefly. Add the ricotta, vanilla, and Fiori di Sicilia. Briefly mix to fully combine.
Add the dry ingredients to the ricotta mixture all at once. Mix slowly until no dry floury streaks remain. Cover the bowl or transfer the dough to an airtight container and chill for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight.
When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
Scoop the chilled dough into generous tablespoon portions.
Place the dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them evenly apart (about 12 dough balls per baking sheet)
Bake the ricotta cookies for 15 to 17 minutes, until the edges of the cookies just start to turn light brown.
This was a very nice cookie. It had a soft cake like texture and the lemon flavor really came through nicely giving it a light slightly sweet flavor. It went very well with our morning coffee. That excess of ricotta cheese won’t be around for long now that we have discovered these cookies.
P.S. Out of curiosity we bought some “fiori di sicilia” flavoring and tried it out in another batch of cookies. While the resulting cookies were very different in flavor from the ones make with just the lemon zest and vanilla, they were still very good. The flavor was much less lemon but had an intriguing somewhat floral after taste. The texture of the cookie was still moist and soft like the previous batch. Next time I may add more of the flavoring to see if I can make it a bit stronger.
Thursday, October 10, 2024
Hen-of-the-Woods Grilled Cheese 舞茸のチーズ焼き
We like “hen of the woods” or maitake 舞茸 mushrooms. They have a nice firm meat-like texture and flavor. We cooked maitke many different ways and posted them in the past. Currently, maitake cooked in sage brown butter seems to be our favorite. Recently I saw, this simple but very good recipe on YouTube (in Japanese) and tried it. I forgot to take a serving picture but picture #1 shows how it looks when serving. The idea is very similar to “cheese mochi rice cake”. We really like this dish. It is easy to make with crispy cheese and mushrooms. We thought we really do not need any kind of sauce.
Ingredients:
One package (85grams) of hen of the woods “maitake”, torn and separated into small fronds
5-6 slices of low-moisture Mozzarella cheese
Directions:
In a non-stick frying pan on medium-low flame add a few slices of cheese and place the maitake on it (I made two as seen in picture #2)
As the cheese melts and the bottom browns for a few minutes, flip it over using a silicon spatula (picture #3) and brown the other side for a few more minutes (picture #1).
This is a really good dish. We will add this to our regular maitake dishes. It is full of umami and almost feels like eating a piece of meat.
Ingredients:
One package (85grams) of hen of the woods “maitake”, torn and separated into small fronds
5-6 slices of low-moisture Mozzarella cheese
Directions:
In a non-stick frying pan on medium-low flame add a few slices of cheese and place the maitake on it (I made two as seen in picture #2)
As the cheese melts and the bottom browns for a few minutes, flip it over using a silicon spatula (picture #3) and brown the other side for a few more minutes (picture #1).
This is a really good dish. We will add this to our regular maitake dishes. It is full of umami and almost feels like eating a piece of meat.
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