Brazilian Cheese Bread

You can play around with this recipe to make it how you like it. Add different types of cheeses (Parmesan is a must though), slightly more or less tapioca flour, etc.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup and roughly 3 TBS milk
1 tsp salt
2 cups tapioca starch/flour
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup (6 oz) grated cheese (Mexican style blend, mozzarella, etc)
2/3 cup Parmesan cheese

Mix together oil, milk and salt. Boil until white foam appears (on stove or in microwave). Add hot mixture to tapioca flour in large bowl. Mix with wooden spoon and let rest until it cools down. (Let it cool down or else it will be too thin). Mix in eggs and cheeses. You will get a gooey, sticky mass.

To form balls, cover hands with oil and roll into ball shape as best you can. Each ball should be about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Bake on lightly greased cookie sheet. Another option is to bake in greased mini muffin tins.

Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until tops begin to brown.

Notes: Tapioca starch/flour can be found at international food markets, whole foods, etc. The brand Hodgson Mills sells it.

(This is what the package looks like if you  just make the "package" kind. I think you just add eggs and water.)

Nucato

3 cups honey
2 1/4 lbs almonds or walnuts
2 tsp ground ginger
2 shakes black pepper
2 rounded tsp cinnamon
2/3 tsp cloves
1/2 lemon for spreading mixture (although it works ok without this)

Bring honey to a boil, skimming off impurities that rise to surface. Mix spices together in a bowl. Coarsely chop nuts. Add nuts to honey mixture along with 1 tsp spice mixture. Now it's time to turn on Downton Abby or 30 Rock because you've got a whole lot of waiting and stirring! Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 30-40 minutes. It is done when the nuts start to pop (this has never happened for me so I just cook for 40 minutes). Stir in the remaining spice mixture and pour it all out onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper (you may want to spray the wax paper with pam). Spread it into an even layer with the cut surface of a halved lemon or spatula. Cool. Cut and serve.

potato gorgonzola gratin

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• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 2 1/2 cups fat-free milk $
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled Gorgonzola or other blue cheese
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices $
• Cooking spray $
• 1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour, and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk. Stir in the thyme. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk; cook over medium heat until slightly thick (about 3 minutes), stirring constantly. Stir in the Gorgonzola; cook 3 minutes or until cheese melts, stirring constantly. Stir in salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
3. Arrange one-fourth of potatoes in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray; spoon about 3/4 cup sauce over potatoes. Repeat layers twice; arrange remaining potatoes over sauce. Sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano. Cover and bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Basic Yellow Cupcakes

3 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
2/3 cup butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla
1 1/4 cups milk


Makes about 12 cupcakes (or a few more)

Oven 350. Grease pans. Mix flour, baking powder and salt. Separately cream sugar and butter until light. Add eggs and vanilla to creamed mixture and beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Continue beating one minute. Pour into prepared pans. Bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Butternut Squash Soup

5 T. olive oil

1 lg. onion, small dice

3 lg. butternut squash, halved

3 c. chicken stock

1 ½ c. heavy whipping cream (fat free half & half works too)

½ c. brown sugar

fresh ground nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste

Rub squash halves with 2 T. of olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 ½ hours, until very tender. Scoop out all of the flesh and reserve. Heat oil in a medium large soup pot. Add onions and cook over moderately low heat until completely translucent. Add squash and allow to warm to a simmer. Add chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and allow to simmer for 15 minutes to allow for interchange of flavors. Add whipping cream and brown sugar. Blend to desired consistency in a food processor or blender, small batches at a time (or use an immersion blender). Return to stock pot. Adjust seasoning with freshly ground nutmeg, salt and pepper. Makes 1 gallon.

OR (above recipe is apparently adjusted from this one?)

3 T Vegetable Oil

2 T Vegetable Oil
2 Medium onions, small dice
3 medium-sized Butternut Squash, cut in half and seeded
3 C. Chicken Stock
1.5 C Heavy Whipping Cream
1 T Salt
1 T Pepper
2 T nutmeg
2 T fresh ground mace

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil butternut squash with 2 T. oil and 
place on baking sheet. Roast the squash uncovered until tender, approximately 30 minutes. Remove 
from heat and allow to cool slightly. Using a spoon, remove the flesh from 
the squash and set aside in utility bowl. Heat oil in a large soup pot Add onions and cook over moderately low heat until completely translucent Add cooked squash to onions Add chicken Stock Bring to a simmer and allow to cook for 15 minutes to allow for interchange of flavors. Add whipping cream and blend to desired consistency in a blender. The smoother the better! Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, nutmeg and mace.

from Kent Anderson, previous head chef, Chef's Table

Mushroom Soup

1 ounce dried mushrooms, such as shitake or porcini, or a variety
2 cups hot water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic
1 stalk celery, diced (about 1 cup)
16 ounces fresh cremini/baby bella mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups light colored vegetable broth
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/4 cup cream

Soak the dry mushrooms in hot water for about 30 minutes. Remove rehydrated mushrooms and dice.

Heat oil in a large stockpot to medium high heat. Cook onion, garlic and celery until; soft, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add fresh mushrooms and salt and cook until mushrooms are softened and most of liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Turn heat to high and add rehydrated mushrooms, mushroom liquid, broth and vinegar. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.

Simmer 30 minutes, then stir in cream and blend to a smooth consistency with a immersion or regular blender. Serve with a drizzle of herb oil, if desired

from apronstrings

Tuscan Tomato Soup

3 TBSP olive oil

1 lg onion, diced

5 cups diced, peeled and seeded fresh tomatoes (or 3 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes w/o liquid)

1 sm. can tomato paste (optional)

3 c. chicken stock (may only use 2 cups)

1 ½ c. heavy whipping cream (fat free ½ & ½ works too)

1 cup basil pesto (I use Costco & freeze the rest)

salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a medium large soup pot. Add onions and cook over moderately low heat until completely translucent. Add tomatoes and allow to warm to a simmer. Add chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and allow to simmer for 15 minutes to allow for interchange of flavors. Add whipping cream. Add pesto. Blend to desired consistency in a food processor or blender, small batches at a time (or use an immersion blender). Return to stock pot. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Makes 1 gallon.

recipe from Kent Anderson, past head chef at Chef's Table Restaurant

Potato Flake Rolls

Mix the following ingredients in the order listed:

2 cups warm water 

2/3 cup dry milk                     

½ cup soft butter                    

1 Tbsp dry yeast                                 

½ cup sugar

1 ½ cup instant dried potato flakes (not potato pearls)

1 ½ tsp. salt

2 eggs

 5 cups flour to make a soft dough (sometimes a little more or less)

Knead for 8 minutes. Let it raise one hour.  Punch down.  Turn out on a floured board.  Divide in half. Roll each half into a 10-12 inch circle.  Brush with melted butter.  Use pizza cutter and cut like a pizza into 16 pieces. Start at the wide end of each wedge and roll up in crescent roll fashion.  Place all 32 rolls on a greased baking sheet with points on the bottom.  Butter the tops again. Let raise 20-30 minutes.  Bake 375° for 15 minutes or until golden brown.