cheese tidbits

These cheese tidbits are a recipe I got from my college roommate, Lauren.  I remember that she would get packages of these and never share!  I finally wheedled one out of her - I had to find out what all the fuss was about.  They are buttery, cheesy, and peppery - a great and addictive combo.


Cheese Tidbits

• 2 sticks margarine or butter (1 cup)
• 2 cups flour
• 8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 cups rice crispies
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/2 t. cayenne pepper

Soften butter and mix with softened grated cheese.  Add flour, salt, and cayenne.  When well-mixed, fold in rice crispies.  Roll into balls.  Place on greased cookie sheet and press down with a fork.  Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes.

homemade butter

 As you may have noticed, I just love making homemade bread!  And nothing goes better with bread than plain old butter.  

Making your own butter is easy to do and so much fun.  The flavor is pure and wonderful, and it's easy to mix in honey, herbs, or other extras to give it that special kick.  I'm sure you already know how to do it thanks to Pinterest, but I thought I'd post my own tutorial just in case.

Here's the step-by-step for how I make fresh butter at home...

First, grab a container with a tight sealing lid.  I like to use a freezer canning container.  You could also use a protein drink shaker, a Mason jar, or even just plain old Tupperware.  Anything will work, just make sure the lid fits on tight.

Next, find a small (clean) object to put into your container.  Marbles work well, but I like using a corn-on-the-cob holder.  It's small, and I know it's already clean.

 

Fill your container up with cream.  I recommend only filling it 1/2 to 3/4 of the way full.

Start shaking!  The best way to do it is to hold it at one end and flick your wrist down.  Not only does it help agitate it better, but it also is easier on your arm muscles.

After a few minutes of shaking, your cream should be incredibly thick.  You may have even stopped hearing your little object hit the sides of your container.  If you open it up, it will look rich and creamy, almost like melted ice cream.

Keep shaking!  After a few more minutes, it will begin feeling a bit different.  It will probably sound a bit like you are shaking a slushy.  If you open the lid, you'll notice that it has started to separate.

Keep shaking!  After just a few more minutes (or less!) you will hear that unmistakable sound of "thud" against the sides of your container.  When it feels like there's just one solid block of matter moving around in there, you are through!  Open up the lid, and you'll see that a blog of butter has collected around your little object.  You'll also find a thinner liquid surrounding your butter.  I've heard mixed reports on this thinner liquid - some say it's skim milk, some say it's whey, some say it's buttermilk.  Either way, it's also edible, so feel free to use it in recipes.

Pour out the thinner liquid and move the butter to its own dish.  Add seasonings or sweeteners, or just leave it plain - it will taste delicious!

niles coffee cake

Let me tell you a story about coffee cake.

About five years ago, I turned in what I hope is the final draft of my dissertation.  I had been working on that sucker for about 5 years in order to get my Ph.D. in America history.  The topic of my dissertation is political newspapers in early America.  It's pretty fascinating (trust me).  I talk about the role that newspaper editors played in the formation of America's first political parties.  It took me years of research, but I had finally submitted 246 pages of history to my dissertation committee. 

Oh yeah...so what does that have to do with coffee cake?

Well, one of the more prominent and memorable historical characters in my dissertation is a guy named Hezekiah Niles.  Few people today have heard of him, but he was really quite famous in his day.  He edited the most popular national news magazine of his time - the Weekly Register.  It was probably about as well known as the Wall Street Journal or New York Times is today.  Niles was so...shall we say, beloved...that he even had a few towns named after him!

So I'm flipping through my Gooseberry Patch cookbooks at the same time I was finishing up my dissertation, and I come across a recipe in Farmhouse Kitchen - it was called Niles Coffee Cake!  I thought, "no way!"  But sure enough, it's a recipe that originated at a church in Niles, Michigan - a town named for Hezekiah Niles!  Coincidence?  I think not!

I made this recipe to celebrate the completion of my dissertation.  It's an awful lot like monkey bread, so I know you are going to love it.  Join me in raising a glass of coffee - and a fork of coffee cake - to Hezekiah Niles!

Niles Coffee Cake
from Gooseberry Patch Farmhouse Kitchen

• 1 loaf frozen bread dough
• 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 1/2 cup cook & serve butterscotch pudding mix (3.5 oz. box)
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

The night before, let frozen bread dough stand at room temperature for one hour.  Cut dough into 16 pieces and roll into balls.  Spray Bundt pan with cooking spray; sprinkle nuts into bottom of pa.  Arrange dough balls in pan; sprinkle with pudding mix and set aside.  In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, melt butter and brown sugar together.  Pour hot mixture over dough balls.  Cover pan; let rise overnight at room temperature.  In the morning, bake at 325 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, until rolls are light golden.  Turn out onto a decorative plate; serve warm.  Serves 6 to 8.

spinach casserole

This is one of those dishes that I grew up loving...I mean, I couldn't get enough of it!  Then I found out what was in it and was thoroughly confused.  It's got such an odd ingredient list, but it's so good!

I remember whipping up this dish when I lived in the dorms in college.  My friends saw me put spinach, cottage cheese, and cornbread mix into a bowl and thought I'd gone nuts.  A few vowed that they'd never try it.  And then they smelled it baking... :)

They tried it.  They loved it.  Just like I knew they would.

Spinach Casserole

• 1/2 cup butter
• 10 oz. box frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed
• 8.5 oz. box corn muffin mix
• 6 oz. cottage cheese
• 1/2 T. salt
• 4 eggs
• 1 small onion, chopped

Melt butter in a 2-quart casserole dish.  Mix all other ingredients in a separate bowl.  Pour melted butter into batter; mix and pour back into casserole dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes or until brown and inserted toothpick comes out clean.

blueberry tossed salad

I am usually pretty horrible at making salads.  Salads just haven't been my thing.  It seems so silly that I could make something so simple go so wrong, but I do it.  I think it may be my hidden super power.


A few years ago, though, I found one that I finally could make...and it was a HUGE success!  This is seriously the best salad that we have ever had.  It's simple, but it's amazing.  I tend to make it for company or potlucks, and I almost always get asked for the recipe. 

The salad is quite simple - a beautiful collection of greens, nuts, cheese, and blueberries tossed in a homemade sweet poppy seed dressing.  Trust me...you will love it. :)

Blueberry Tossed Salad
from The Taste of Home Entertaining Cookbook

• 8 cups torn mixed salad greens
• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• 1/2 cup sunflower kernels, toasted
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 3 T. red wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 t. ground mustard
• 1 1/2 t. poppy seeds

Layer the first five ingredients in a salad bowl.  Combine the remaining ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid; shake to mix well.  Pour dressing over salad and toss.  Serves 8-12.

whoopie pies

Okay, is that not just about the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?!  

These are from Taste of Home's "Best-Loved Cookies and Candies" magazine.  Although it does take some effort, this recipe is neither difficult nor time-consuming.  I will say, though, that you'll need more than your elbow and a whisk.  This requires the biggest mixing bowl you've got and an electric mixer.  I used my small hand-held mixer, and I sure was wishing I had used my Kitchen-Aid by the time I was through!

But oh my word, are these worth every bit of effort.  Sooooooo good!  I make them about once a year.  They were the dessert for my daughter's first birthday party, and every year around that time I get a craving.  Fortunately, they freeze very well when individually wrapped, so I have no excuse not to make them!

Whoopie Pies
from Taste of Home's "Best-Loved Cookies and Candies"

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 t. vanilla extract
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup baking cocoa
• 2 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup buttermilk

FILLING:

• 2 cups confectioner's sugar
• 2 cups marshmallow creme
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 t. vanilla extract

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with water and buttermilk, beating well after each addition.

Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets.  Bake at 375 degrees for 5-7 minutes or until set.  Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

In a small bowl, beat filling ingredients until fluffy.  Spread on the bottoms of half of the cookies; top with remaining cookies.

creamy corn pudding

We first tried this recipe when reviewing Gooseberry Patch's Slow Cooking All Year Round.  It has four chapters - one for every season!  You'll find breakfasts, mains, sides, desserts, and even a snack mix.  And of course, there's always those amazing Gooseberry Patch tips at the bottom of each page.  Since many of the tips are slow cooker related, you are bound to learn something new.  I sure did.  For instance, did you know that if there's too much liquid in your slow cooker after you're done cooking your meal, all you need to do is tilt the lid and turn it on to the high setting.  Soon, the liquid will evaporate!  Awesome tip, compliments of page 200. :)

My family really loves cornbread, so it was no surprise that we loved this corn pudding.  However, I couldn't get over just how good it was.  The ingredient list includes cream cheese and nutmeg, both of which added a delightful complexity to the flavor.  This would make the perfect accompaniment to just about any meal - I'm sure we'll be having it pretty often around here.

Creamy Corn Pudding
from Gooseberry Patch's Slow Cooking All Year Round

• 8oz. package cream cheese, softened
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 8 1/2 oz. package corn muffin mix
• 2 1/2 cups frozen corn
• 16 oz. can creamed corn
• 1 cup milk
• 2 T. butter, melted
• 1 t. seasoned salt
• 1/4 t. nutmeg

Lightly grease a slow cooker.  In a bowl, blend cream cheese, eggs, and sugar.  Stir in dry muffin mix and remaining ingredients; mix well.  Transfer mixture to a slow cooker.  Cover and cook on high setting for 3 to 4 hours.  Serves 8.