New Flavour For Broccoli

Wow! If you are looking for another way to serve Broccoli to family and friends, this just may be the one.

  • 3 cups broccoli florets, fresh not frozen
  • 3 tbsp. butter
  • 3 tbsp. flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 – 3 oz. package of cream cheese
  • 1/4 – 1/3 cup  blue cheese, crumbled (depends how much you love blue cheese)
  • 1/2 cup panko crumbs
  • 1-2 tbsp. melted butter

Steam the broccoli for about 5-8 minutes, just until tender and set aside.

In a skillet, make a roux by melting the butter and slowly whisking in the flour and, stirring constantly, slowly add the milk. ( you may need to add about 1/4 cup milk more to make a consistent roux. Add the cream cheese and blue cheese.

Stir in the broccoli and pour into a buttered casserole. Top with the panko crumbs and drizzle over with the melted butter.

Bake for 35 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

 

 

Potato Salad With Buttermilk And Blue Cheese

I seem to be on  ‘southern style’ recipes these last couple of days. Here is one to keep for the Easter Brunch/Dinner or just for the summer. Keep it handy,  you will like it.

 

  • 5 large red skinned potatoes
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1/4-1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp. grainy mustard
  • generous pinch of salt
  • 1 tbsp. vinegar
  • pinch of ground pepper
  • 2 celery stalks, peeled
  • 1 green onion (optional)
  • 1 each green and yellow pepper

Do not peel the potatoes, but cut in half and boil until fork tender (15-16 minutes).

In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, mayonnaise, mustard and vinegar. Add the salt and pepper. Thinly slice the celery, core and seed and chop the peppers. Stir into the dressing. (if using onion, add now).

Drain the potatoes and cut into chunks. Add to the dressing, add the crumbled cheese and stir to combine. You can eat it now or at room temperature as both are delicious.

Add a meat dish….barbecued ribs, chicken, or steak. This will go with anything.

Yummy!

 

Pasta Salad With Prosciutto

This makes a refreshing salad to present to family and friends. Not everyone has had this one before, so here’s another “damn I can do this” dish.

 

  • 3/4 lb. uncooked orzo pasta
  • 1/3 cup fresh peas
  • 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
  • 100 grams prosciutto, cooked and diced
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh white button mushrooms
  • 1 lemon zest and juice
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup slivered fresh basil
  • pinch of salt and pepper
  • 1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled

Bring water to the boil; and cook the orzo according to package instructions. Strain and let cool.

In a mixing bowl, add the peas, tomatoes, mushrooms and prosciutto. Stir in the olive oil and lemon. Add the basil, cheese, salt and pepper. Toss well to coat.

Serve with a Chardonnay.

Blue Cheese Toasties

This is a great hors d’oeuvre or accompaniment to soup. It makes 12 toasties.

  • 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
  • 2 tbsp. butter
  • 12  1/2inch thick rounds of a sourdough baguette
  • brown sugar

Preheat broiler. Mix the chese and butter in a small bowl and spread over the bread rounds equally.

Sprinkle each one lightly with sugar. Broil until the topping is just brown and the cheese softens. This will take 1 – 1  1/2 minutes.

Serve on a plate or by the soup bowl, if using.

Blue Cheese Cookies with Pistachios

This cookie would be great at your Wine and Cheese Party this season. The Blue Cheese gives it the tangy bite needed to pair with wine.

 

  • 1 cup crumbled blue cheese, chilled
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • pinch of  black pepper
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup chopped pistachios, toasted
  • 20 dried cranberries, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the cheese, butter and pepper in a bowl and beat until well combined, but still showing large bits of blue cheese.

With a wooden spoon gently combine  the flour into the cheese mixture and add the toasted pistachios and cranberries.

Roll into 1 inch balls and place 1 inch apart on a parchment lined cookie sheet. With your hand, gently flatten until 1/4 inch thick.

Bake about 20-25 minutes until lightly golden on the bottom and edges. Cool on a rack and store in an airtight tin in the refrigerator.

Really quite yummy.

 

 

 

Quick and Easy Cheese Sauce

For the Blue Cheese Lover….this is for you.  This is absolutely delicious over broccoli.  Any leftovers can be reheated with no harm done.

 

  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
  • 3 – 4 tbsp. cream
  • dash of tabasco
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 tbsp thinly sliced green onions

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until the onion is finely chopped.

Heat through but do not boil.  This makes 1  1/4 cups.

Summer Appetizers

We are now into summer and that means a lot of bbq’s, family picnics and visits with family, friends and neighbors.  Today I will showcase a couple of new ideas to get you started AND excited to show off your new found recipe skills.

Firstly:  Fresh Figs with Proscuitto and Blue Cheese

Note-the combination of flavours can’t be beat but your figs must be perfect. Ripe but not too soft. Use both green and purple figs for variety.

  • 1/2 cup Blue Cheese
  • 6 medium figs, cut into quarters
  • 2 tbsp. of exceptional balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • pinch of mediterranean salt
  • light pinch of pepper
  • 1/2 lb. thinly sliced proscuitto, cut into strips.

Place 1/2 tsp. of the cheese on each quarter, gently pressing into the bottom of each fig piece. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Mix the vinegar, oil, salt and pepper together using a whisk and brush each fig.

To assemble, wrap the bottom half of each fig with a strip of proscuitto.  Do not refrigerate.

Secondly: Pecan, Brie and Grape Salsa Tarts.

 To get the results of this recipe you should have a high quality Brie. This means it should be soft when cut into but never runny.  If you make a mistake and buy an under-ripe wheel of Brie, you should be aware that it will not ripen further.

  • 1 cup seedless grapes, cut in half
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tsps. olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp. each of fresh rosemary aned minced garlic.
  • pinch of pepper
  • 48 prepared tart shells (you could make your own pastry)
  • 1/2 cup roasted and chopped pecans
  • 8 oz. Brie, rind removed

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place grapes and salt in a processer and chop until coarse in texture. Transfer to a strainer and let stand for about 10 minutes. Mix together all the ingredients up to and including pepper. Fold in the grapes.

With a fork, fill the tartlets. This will avoid picking up any of the liquid. Bake until the cheese starts to melt (about 5 minutes). Do not over-bake. Serve immediately.

You have now become the queen of the appetizers for any occasion that crops up.