Baked Fontina

Ooey, gooey cheesy goodness. Perfect for a party or for a romantic evening around the fireplace. Or the way we had it, clustered around the oven, dipping out gobs of cheese while trying not to get burned!

Baked Fontina
Recipe from Made in Melissa's Kitchen

1 1/2 pounds Italian Fontina, cut into 1-inch dice
1/4 cup olive oil
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 Tbs minced fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 crusty French baguette

Preheat the broiler and adjust the oven rack to 5-6 inches from the heat source.

Scatter the Fontina cubes evenly in a 12-inch skillet or cast-iron pan.  Drizzle with the olive oil.

Combine the garlic, thyme, and rosemary, and sprinkle evenly over the cheese.  Sprinkle with the salt and pepper.

Place the pan under the broiler for 5-6 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and starting to brown.

Serve family-style:  right out of the oven with crusty chunks of bread for dipping.

Fried Mozzarella Bites with Homemade Tomato Sauce

 As luck would have it, I noticed a container of fresh mozzarella balls marked down while I was at the grocery store the other day. I didn't really need them but since our stores rarely carry fresh mozz, I had to buy it. A quick Google and Sharon's recipe for Fried mozzarella Bites with Homemade Tomato Sauce was the perfect solution. Crispy on the outside. Warm and gooey on the inside. Mmmmmm.

Fried Mozzarella Bites with Homemade Tomato Sauce

Recipe from Culinary Adventures of a New Wife

1 8 oz container of mozzarella balls

2 large eggs

1/4 cup of milk
1 cup of plain flour
2 cups of panko
1 tablespoon of dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
salt and pepper
canola oil for frying
 (you'll end up with a lot of excess flour, breading, etc.  Halve the breading if you prefer, but having the excess makes dunking easier! Or, you can double the amount of cheese)

1.  Drain the cheese and dry on paper towels. Prepare your breading station by having 3 bowls ready. Put flour in one, season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix the eggs with the milk and pour into the second bowl. Add the breadcrumbs with the dried oregano and garlic salt to the last bowl and mix well.

2. Dip each piece of cheese in the flour, then in the egg mixture and lastly in the breadcrumbs, shaking off excess after each step. Repeat the breading process again and place cheese balls on a flat plate.

3.  Heat about oil up to minimum line in Fry Daddy or in a medium sauce pan to 350 degrees. Carefully lower cheese balls, a few of a time and cook until they are golden, about a minute or so. Remove and drain in paper towels. Repeat with the remaining cheese making sure oil comes up to temperature before adding more cheese.

Tomato Sauce:
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 14.5 oz can of fire roasted diced tomatoes (try Muir Glen)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper

1. Heat the oil over medium-heat and add the onions. cook until translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, cook for a minute more and add the diced tomatoes.

2. Fill half of the tomato can with water and add to the pot. Add spices and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, until sauce is thickened (this process took awhile for me.  I let simmer until very thick b/c I like thick sauce). Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Craving Goat Cheese: Eggplant and Goat Cheese Sandwiches with Tomato Tarragon Sauce

Apparently I'm craving goat cheese. I sat down to pick out some recipes for dinner this evening. It's my oldest son's first day home from college for Spring Break so I thought I'd do something a little special. I looked over my recipes and saw that three of the four included goat cheese. Great by me but oldest son doesn't really like goat cheese!

I've been thinking about these Eggplant and Goat Cheese Sandwiches with Tomato Tarragon Sauce a lot lately. I've made them several times so far and each time I think I like them even more! I made these with zucchini instead and they were equally as delicious and cute because they were so tiny. Perfect as an appetizer.

These yummy little bites of warm, gooey goodness from What Did You Eat? are my contribution to Saturday Blog Show case this week

The Saturday Blog Showcase is being hosted by Thibeault's Table this week. Head on over to check out what everyone else made. Be warned though, you might want to avoid it if you're on a diet. I think I gained 5 pounds just drooling over the pictures of the Hot Fudge Sauce that Anne contributed this week!

Eggplant and Goat Cheese Sandwiches with Tomato Tarragon Sauce
Recipe from What Did You Eat?

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 cups fresh or canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree (one 28-ounce can)
1 teaspoon fresh tarragon
1- 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 eggplants, peeled and cut to make sixteen 1/2-inch-thick slices in all
4 eggs, beaten to mix
Cooking oil, for frying
1/2 pound mild goat cheese, such as Montrachet, cut into 8 rounds

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tarragon, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, and the sugar and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper.
Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350°. In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Dip each slice of eggplant in the eggs and then in the bread-crumb mixture, coating well. In a large frying pan, heat about half an inch of cooking oil over moderate heat until very hot. Fry the eggplant in the hot oil, in batches, turning once, until golden and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
Arrange half of the eggplant slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Put a slice of goat cheese on top of each and then top with the remaining eggplant slices. Bake until the cheese melts, about 10 minutes. Put the sauce on plates and top with the eggplant.

December Dinner Party!

I put together a cheese board for our most recent dinner party and it was definitely my young nephew's favorite. He has quite the gourmet palette for a 2 year old. I guess that comes from having a foodie for a dad. Don't even think about offering him a slice of cheese pizza. This boy prefers the works. Bland, boring food? Never. He needs flavor!

A cheese board is a great addition to any party, or even to a romantic night at home. Select a few cheeses, add some fruit or some Kalamata olives, a great wine and there you go! While cheer and mozzarella can be great, this is a great opportunity to expand your horizons and try something new. Here are a few that I've tried recently:



Dylan's Favorite! Did you think it was going to be mild cheddar? No way! His favorite was the Black Peppercorn Gouda.







The Dill Havarti was a favorite.







The Cahill's Porter, an Irish cheese made with Porter Ale, looked amazing and tasted great.








Brie is always a good choice.