Cheese and Shrimp-Stuffed Poblanos

• 1  red bell pepper
• 8  poblano peppers
• 2  tablespoons  olive oil
• 1  pound  peeled and deveined medium shrimp, chopped
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt, divided
• 5  garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2  tablespoons  all-purpose flour
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground red pepper
• 1/2  cup  half-and-half
• 3/4  cup  fat-free milk, divided
• 3/4  cup  (3 ounces) shredded Chihuahua cheese
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh cilantro
• 2  tablespoons  fresh lime juice

Preparation

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Cut bell pepper in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place bell pepper halves, skin sides up, and whole poblanos on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil 10 minutes or until blackened, turning poblanos to blacken all sides. Place peppers in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 10 minutes. Peel. Finely chop bell peppers. Cut tops crosswise from poblanos; remove seeds.

3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Sprinkle shrimp with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add shrimp to pan; cook 3 minutes or until done. Remove from pan.

4. Add garlic to pan; sauté 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Sprinkle with flour and ground red pepper; cook 1 minute. Slowly add half-and-half, stirring with a whisk. Stir in 1/2 cup milk; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; let stand 2 minutes. Add cheese and 1/4 teaspoon salt, stirring until smooth. Place 1/3 cup cheese mixture in a large bowl; reserve remaining cheese mixture. Add bell pepper, shrimp mixture, cilantro, and juice to 1/3 cup cheese mixture in bowl; toss to coat. Stir 1/4 cup fat-free milk into reserved cheese mixture. Spoon 3 tablespoons cheese sauce onto each of 4 plates. Spoon 6 tablespoons shrimp mixture into each poblano. Place 2 stuffed poblanos and two tops on each plate.

Cooking Light, January 2010

This is one of my all-time favorites.  It is incredibly spicy, definitely not for the weak in tongue (or stomach).  I recommend serving over a plate of my Spanish Rice recipe.  The grains of the rice combined with the dairy in the shrimp/cheese blend tame the heat a little.  You could also serve as an appetizer for a special occasion (or no occasion at all – the best time for indulging).   This was the first recipe I made since I got back from California and an awesome way to jump back into cooking after a little reprieve.  It combines my favorite spanish flavors, reminding me of chile rellenos and ceviche all rolled up in one.  Note that the roasting and peeling of the peppers takes a little time and effort, but it is worth the wait.  I made it on a weeknight after work and went to a show after so it’s not too bad.  I recommend serving with a lighter ale (such as Floyd’s Gumball Head or Pride and Joy) or a dry white wine.  Great for company!

Mushroom-Asparagus Strata

• 8 oz.  asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
  
• 5 cups  French bread cubes
• 2 cups  shredded Gruyére or white cheddar cheese, (8 oz.)
• 1/2 cup  chopped onion
• 1/4 cup  chopped chives or green onions
• 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
• 10 eggs
• 1-1/2 cups  milk

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boiling. Add asparagus; cook 5 minutes or until bright green.

2. In a greased 3-quart baking dish spread half the bread cubes. Top with cheese, onion, chives and half the mushrooms and asparagus. Top with remaining bread.

3. In a bowl whisk together four of the eggs and the milk. Evenly pour over layers in dish. Press down bread pieces into the egg milk mixture with the back of a spoon. Top with remaining mushrooms and asparagus. Cover; refrigerate until ready to bake.

4. Bake, uncovered, in a 325 degrees F oven 30 minutes. With the back of a wooden spoon, press 6 indentations in top of strata. Pour a whole egg into each indentation. Bake 20 to 25 minutes more or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in center of strata registers 170 degrees F and eggs are set. Let stand 15 minutes.

5. Cut into squares to serve. If desired, drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and cracked black pepper. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Better Homes & Gardens, December 2010

This was originally a Ham-Asparagus Strata, but I substituted mushrooms for ham since I personally don’t eat much of the stuff.  If you like meat in your breakfast, use 8 oz. ham instead of the 8 oz. mushrooms.  I made this to celebrate the new year – mixed it up last night and popped it in the oven this morning.  The pictures say it all.  Perfect way to start the holiday.

Happy New Year!

Ricotta, Gorgonzola and Honey Spread

1 15-oz. carton whole milk ricotta cheese

6 oz. Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

1/2 tsp. snipped fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp. dried thyme, crushed

1/4 tsp. snipped fresh rosemary or 1/8 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed

1 Tbsp. honey

36 toasted baguette slices

Sliced apples, fresh thyme, and/or toasted chopped walnuts

Honey

1. Place ricotta in a large mixing bowl.  beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Stir in Gorgonzola, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon rosemary until combined.  Fold in 1 tablespoon honey until just combined.  Spoon mixture into a serving bowl.  Cover and chill 1 to 24 hours.

2. To serve, spread on baguette slice and top with apple slices, thyme and/or walnuts.  Drizzle with honey.

Makes 36 appetizer servings.

Better Homes and Gardens, December 2010

I made this one for Christmas and it was perfect for just such an occasion.  Rosemary and Thyme have both always reminded me of the smell of pine trees and everyone kept saying they tasted just like Christmas.  Perfect!  The honey works to soften up the otherwise coarse cheeses and helped create a creamy finish.  Total genius.

Butternut Squash Bisque

1 2-3 lb butternut square or 3 12-oz pkgs. frozen winter squash, thawed

1/4 cup butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, coarsely chopped

1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 large Braeburn or Gala apples, peeled, cored and chopped

1 48-0z box reduced sodium chicken broth

1 cup apple cider or apple juice

2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup sour cream

3 oz. smoked Gouda or smoked cheddar cheese finely shredded

Crumbled cooked bacon, celery leaves and/or shaved gouda cheese (optional)

1. Peel, seed and cube butternut squash.  In a 6 qt. Dutch oven, melt butter over medium high heat.  Add fresh squash (if using frozen squash add with apples and broth), onion, carrot, celery and garlic.  Cook, stirring frequently, 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Add apples, broth, cider and chipotle peppers.  Bring to boiling; reduce heat.  Cover; simmer 25 minutes or until vegetables and apples are tender.  Remove from heat; cool slightly.

2. When slightly cooled, puree in pot using an immersion blender (or puree in batches in a blend; return soup to sauce-pan.)  Bled in sour cream.  Heat through.  Remove from heat; stir in shredded Gouda until melted.  Top with bacon, celery leaves and/or Gouda cheese.

Servings: 8

Better Homes & Gardens

This is one of my all-time favorites.  The chipotle and Gouda creates a nice smoky flavor and the chipotle also makes the bisque perfectly spicy.  You can use vegetable broth to keep this dish vegetarian-friendly.  I always use fresh squash and apple cider, both of which keep the bisque incredibly flavorful.  Perfect for a fall or winter day.

Creamy Potato Soup

2 cups thinly sliced onions or leeks

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups milk

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced

4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

8 oz. Swiss-style cheese such as Gruyere or baby Swiss, shredded

Fresh snipped herbs

2 oz baby Swiss cheese, thinly sliced

1. In a 4-quart Dutch oven cook onions in hot oil over medium heat for 5-10 minutes or until tender.  Whisk together milk and flour; add to onions.  Cook and stir 5 minutes.

2. Add potatoes and chicken broth.  Bring to boiling; reduce heat.  Cover and cook for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Remove from heat; cool slightly.

3. Puree soup, half at a time, in blender.  Return to Dutch oven; add shredded cheese.  Cook and stir over medium heat just until cheese is melted.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle with fresh herbs; garnish with sliced cheese.  Serve at once.

Yield: 8 (1-cup) servings

Better Homes and Gardens, December 2009

I made this soup during the devastating Bears-Patriots game and didn’t miss a single play.  If you cut the veggies and shred the cheese ahead of time, you could easily whip this up for a get-together without missing a thing.  I love the subtle flavors of a good potato soup recipe.  This one is both light and hearty at the same time and makes a great snack, appetizer or meal.  I used organic vegetable broth instead of the chicken broth, onions instead of leeks (because I had so many in the house) and Trader Joe’s Gruyère.  I also used green onions as my fresh snipped herb.  And, of course, I used my trusty immersion blender rather than a blender.  So much easier!

Date, Walnut, and Blue Cheese Ball

1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled blue cheese

8 ounces light cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon lowfat buttermilk

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup minced parsley

2 1/2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

3 tablespoons minced dates

1 minced shallot

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Place first 3 ingredients in large bowl.  Beat with mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes or until smooth and creamy.  Add dates, shallots, lemon rind, salt and pepper.  Beat at medium speed until well blended.

2. Spoon cheese mixture onto a large sheet of plastic wrap.  Form into a ball using spatula.  Wrap in plastic wrap and chill overnight.

3. Combine parsley and walnuts in a shallow dish.  Unwrap and gently roll the cheese ball in nut mixture,  Place on serving plate.  Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving.

Yield: 14 servings

Cooking Light, November 2010

I made this one for a Thanksgiving appetizer and everyone loved it.  The dates add a nice holiday flavor and the nuts give it a nice texture.  The cream cheese and dates cut the funkiness of the blue cheese for a well-rounded flavor.