Wisconsin Apple Pie

The dessert on our Thanksgiving table this year was Wisconsin Apple Pie. Wisconsinites love cheese and will put it into any dish that will tolerate it. For some reason apples and cheddar cheese like each other. No really. Try a slice with an apple wedge. So why not cheddar cheese in your apple pie. Cheddar baked unto the crust and in the topping add an amazing crunch to this awesome apple pie.

[For Crust]

1 c flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 c butter flavored shortening

1 to 4 Tbsp. water

1/2 c (2oz.) finely shredded cheddar cheese

[For Filling]

5 cups apples (2 granny smith and 3 MacIntosh), peeled and thinly sliced

1/2 c sugar

1/4 c flour

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 Tbsp lemon juice

[For Topping]

3/4 c sugar

3/4 c flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 c butter

1/2 c (2oz) finely shredded cheddar cheese

Stir together the flour and salt. Cut in the shortening to the size of small peas. Stir in the cheese. Sprinkle one Tbsp. or water over the mixture and toss with a fork. Repeat until all is moistened, add up to 4 Tbsp of water if necessary. Form into a disk and allow to chill at least 1 hour.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to form a 12 in. circle. Roll out onto the rolling pin the roll out into a nine inch pie plate. Trim to 1/2in beyond the edge of the plate and fold under the pastry. Finish the edge and do not prick. Cover the edges with foil.

Prepare topping by combining the sugar, flour, and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in one cup of cheese. Preheat the oven to 375F.

Combine the apples, lemon juice, salt, cinnamon, flour, and sugar.*

Place in pie crust and the sprinkle with topping. Bake for 25 min then remove the foil and bake another 20 – 25 minutes until the top is golden and the fruit is tender.

*If using GF pie crust: cook and cover the apples and sugar spice mix on gentle simmer stirring often until apples are tender about 15-20 min. Allow apples to cool about 30 min then drain.

Spinach Gnudi

These little dumplings taste so rich.  You don’t need to eat too many to feel satisfied. 

1 1/2 lbs. frozen spinach
2 large egg yolks
3/4 c low fat ricotta or cottage cheese, drained for 30 min. in a fine sieve
salt and ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 c flour
3/4 c finely grated parmigano-reggiano cheese

Press and squeeze the spinach to remove as much liquid as possible. Transfer to a food processor and puree until smooth (you should have about 1 cup)

Stir together the spinach puree, egg yolks, cheeses, 2 Tbsp. of flour, nutmeg, 1 tsp. salt and black pepper. Using floured hands gently shape 1 tablespoon of dough into a ball, drop it into flour to lightly coat it, then boil in water. Stir them gently to prevent them from sticking . They are finished when they rise to the surface. Plate and pour melted butter over the top.

NY Cheesecake

This is a delicious creamy cheesecake.  I substituted the 2 tsp. lemon juice for almond extract.  We had it with strawberry sauce but it’s also good with raspberry or chocolate sauce. I used Kinnikinnick brand GF graham cracker crumbs.

4 oz graham crackers
6 tbsp of butter, melted
2 tbsp of sugar
2 1/2 lbs. (5 packages) of cream cheese, softened to room temp.
1/8 tsp of salt
1 1/2 cups of sugar
2 teaspoons of real vanilla extract
2 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup of sour cream
6 eggs
2 egg yolks

Line a nine inch spring form pan with foil.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Finely crush the sleeve of graham crackers.
I used a rolling pin and resealable bag method, or you can use a food processor.
Mix with the sugar and 5 1/2 tbsp of the butter with a fork until crumbly. (reserve the remaining butter for brushing the springform pan)
Press the crumbs in the bottom of the prepared pan, bake for 13 minutes, remove to rack to cool while you prepare the filling.
Brush sides of spring form pan with remaining melted butter generously after the crust has cooled.
(Cook’s Illustrated used a stand mixer with paddle attachment; I have a portable mixer, so I used it)
Turn oven up to 500 degrees
In a large bowl, Beat the cream cheese for about 2 minutes, to get out most of the big lumps with the salt, add the sugar in thirds, beat after each addition. Scrape down the sides. About one minute each addition.
Add the sour cream, lemon juice and vanilla. Mix well.
Add the eggs two at a time, beating well after each addition, including the two extra egg yolks.
Pour into cooled crust and place on a lipped baking sheet in case there is spillover.
Bake at 500 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 200 degrees.
DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR.
Bake 90 minutes.
Remove from oven, cool for five minutes on wire rack.
Run knife around the outer edge of the cake.
Allow to cool for 3 hours at room temp..
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
Best served 30 minutes out of the refrigerator.

Crispy Stuffed Chicken Breasts

I made these delicious chicken breasts tonight.  To reduce the prep time you could buy some soft cheese with the garlic and herbs already mixed in.  I used the biggest chicken breasts I could find and started making the incision with a butcher knife on the wide end then switched to a boning knife to get down to the skinny tip.  

• 1/8 tsp pepper, black, freshly ground
• 2-3 sun-dried tomatoes, diced
• 2 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp fresh parsley
• 75 g low-fat cream cheese
• 3 skinless chicken breasts
• 1 medium egg
• 75 g fresh breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a bowl, mix together the garlic, tomatoes, black pepper, and parsley with the cheese. Cut a deep pocket in each chicken breast, taking care not to cut right through, then stuff the soft cheese mixture inside, closing the flesh around the stuffing as far as possible.

Beat the egg with some water in a shallow dish, and spread the breadcrumbs out on a plate.

Dip each chicken breast first in the egg mixture and then in crumbs to coat all over. Place on a non stick-baking tray and bake for 20-25 minutes until crisp and cooked through.

Two Bean Tacos

We made these tasty protein rich tacos last night from a recipe I adapted from my friend and fellow food blogger Nicola.  I added a red pepper sauce with ground nuts that added some extra spice and protein. They were excellent and the feta added the perfect amount of salt.   

Two Bean Tacos

80 g dried green lentils 
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 small onion, chopped
1 tsp cumin
1 can black beans, drained
100 g baby spinach
salt and pepper
1 small tin chopped fire roasted tomatoes
corn tortillas
feta cheese

Rise the lentils then put them into a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and cook until soft enough that you can smoosh them (about and hour).

In a large frying pan, heat a little oil and saute the onion, garlic, and 1/2 tsp cumin on a medium-high heat for about 7-8 mins.

Reduce the heat and add the cooked lentils, chopped tomatoes, spinach, black beans, and the rest of the cumin. Season and cook for 10 mins, stirring occasionally. Spoon into tortillas and top with feta.

Red Pepper Pecan Sauce

I got this from an article on NPR by Claire Adas

1/2 cup roasted red peppers
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup vegetable broth (or water)
1/4 teaspoon (or to taste) chipotle purée (I buy a small can of chipotle peppers packed in adobe sauce, purée it and keep it in the refrigerator)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and plenty of freshly ground pepper

You can roast peppers on your burners or broil them in the oven until their skins are blackened, and then put them in a bowl with a plate on top. After 5 or 10 minutes, peel off most of their skin, and trim the stem and seeds away. One pepper is about half a cup. In the winter I sometimes use roasted red peppers in a jar, packed in brine.
Combine everything in a processor or blender, and process until fairly smooth. You can serve this warmed in a saucepan or at room temperature.

Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake

This is a super simple cheesecake.  You can skip the step of grinding the nuts with the crust if you want. For the crust we usually just use my homemade chocolate cookies instead of the graham crackers.  I’ve also easily made this into a Chocolate Peanut butter  Cheesecake by replacing the Nutella with Chocolate Peanut butter spread. 

• 8 ounces graham crackers (about 2 cups crumbs)
• 5 tablespoons soft unsalted butter
• 1 13-ounce jar Nutella or equivalent chocolate hazelnut spread, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts
• 1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 9 -inch springform cake pan

1. Break the crackers into the bowl of a food processor, then add the butter and 1 tablespoon of Nutella and blitz until the mixture starts to clump. Add 3 tablespoons of the toasted hazelnuts, and continue to pulse until you have a damp, sandy mixture.
2. Tip this into your springform pan and press it into the base, using either your hands or the back of a spoon. Place in the refrigerator to chill while you get on with the filling.
3. Beat together the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar until smooth and soft, then scrape the rest of the Nutella out of its jar and into the cream cheese mixture and continue beating until combined.
4. Take the springform pan out of the refrigerator. Scrape and smooth the Nutella mixture over the cracker crumb base and scatter the remaining chopped hazelnuts on top to cover. Place the pan in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
5. Serve straight from the refrigerator for best results, unspringing the cake from the pan, still on its base, just before you eat. To cut it, dip a sharp knife in cold water, wiping it and dipping again between each cut. And don’t worry: It may look disappointingly flat when whole, but when sliced, its dark depths are revealed.

Pizza Crust

I usually add some crushed rosemary to the crust to give it more flavor.

• 1 c tapioca flour/starch
• 1/2 c sorghum flour
• 1/4 c brown rice flour
• 1/4 c millet flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. xanthan gum
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 c warm water
• 1/2 tsp brown sugar
• 1 1/8 tsp yeast
• 1/8 c egg whites
• 1/4 tsp rice vinegar
• 1/4 c olive oil

Combine the dry ingredients. Combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Grease a 12 in. pizza pan and dust with masa or cornmeal. Once foamy add yeast to the dry ingredients. Combine the olive oil, eggs, and vinegar and add to the bowl and combine until creamy smooth. Divide the dough in quarters and place near the center of the pan. Spread dough in an even layer to the pan’s edges. Allow it to rise 15min. to 1 hour. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake at 400F for 7-10min. until golden brown. Switch the oven to broil, top with your pizza toppings and bake until the cheese melts (about 3 min.)

Hummus

• 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
• 1 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced, or more to taste
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp. Salt or to taste

1. Drain the beans, reserving some of the water to use later. Reserve a small handful of the whole beans for a garnish. Transfer the rest to food processor and blend until smooth. You may have to do this in batches.
2. Gradually drizzle in the 1/2 cup oil. Add some of the reserved water if needed to help it blend. Add the tlemon juice. Blend in the garlic, cumin and salt.
3. Note: Hummus has a tendency to thicken up as it cools, and water can be added later if desired. This hummus freezes very well and tastes fresh when defrosted.

Variations:
Spinach and Feta:
basic hummus
1 teaspoon roasted garlic (see note)
½ cup freshly chopped spinach
3 to 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Note: To roast garlic, place garlic heads in a baking pan and drizzle with olive oil. Use your fingers to make sure the garlic head is well coated. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in preheated 400 degree oven 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cloves feel soft when pressed. Remove from oven, let cool enough to handle then remove skin with a small knife and squeeze out garlic.
In a food processor, combine beans, tahini, spinach, roasted garlic, olive oil and lemon juice. Blend well. Add cheese and red pepper flakes and blend to a smooth and creamy dip. Serve cold with pita bread, pita chips or fresh veggies. Also can be served hot.

Sun Dried Tomato and Cheese:
basic hummus
4 ounces crumbled tangy white cheese such as feta (optional)
3 tablespoons chopped sun dried tomatoes in oil
2 teaspoons chopped parsley
In a food processor, combine all ingredients and process until smooth and creamy. If too thick, add 1 tablespoon water at a time from garbanzo beans until desired consistency.

Hamburgers

This makes about 6 burgers so I usually freeze some for later use. 

• 1 medium garlic clove, minced (about 1 tsp.)
• 2 teaspoons steak or BBQ sauce
• 3/4 teaspoons table salt
• 1 1/2 lbs. 80-85% lean ground chuck
• 3/4 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1. Break up beef into small pieces and stir in the pepper, garlic, and steak sauce. Using fork or hands, lightly mix together until mixture forms cohesive mass. Divide meat into equal portions about 5.25oz. each. (for juicy lucy’s about 2.5oz. each). Gently toss 1 portion of meat back and forth between hands to form loose ball. Gently flatten into 3/4-inch-thick patty that measures about 4 1/2 inches in diameter. Press center of patty down with fingertips until it is about 1/2 inch thick, creating slight depression in patty. Repeat with remaining portions of meat. For Juicy Lucy’s place thin slices or shredded cheese (cheddar, montery jack, pepperjack, or blue are good) in the center of the burger. You can also add finely chopped bacon. Place another patty on top and press together. Sprinkle the patties with even amounts of the salt.
2. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
3. Heat vegetable oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium to high heat until just beginning to smoke. Add meat patties, indentation side up, and cook until well-browned, about 2minutes per side.
4. Transfer the burgers to a small rimmed baking sheet and top with cheese if desired. Bake in the oven for 3 – 5 minutes (until internal burger temps is 125 degrees). Let them rest on a different plate for about 5 minutes before eating. Top with mushrooms, sauces, tomatoes, lettuce, and any of your other favorite things.