B-nut Cheese Pie and some Phyllo dough love too

I'm sharing a link here because I wish I could have been awesome enough to come up with this one, but Cooking Light did instead. It is one of my favorite recipes ever.

Butternut Cheese Pie
Serve with a big-ass salad.

I will add a bit on working with Phyllo dough. If you buy frozen, set it in the fridge overnight before working on it so it can thaw out. When ready to work with it, cut the package and set the phyllo dough in a clean long rectangular baking pan or on a clean countertop. Have a damp wet towel ready. Make sure the towel covers the phyllo dough. You want to make sure it covers the phyllo because it will dry out in about 1 minute or less if it sits there. So either work extremely fast, or work carefully, and have a towel at the ready. The towel just needs to be damp, not soaking. It if it soaking, it will make your phyllo a sticky mess.

Next - It shouldn't stick. Remember damp towel, not soaking. If working one sheet at time, pull off 1 sheet, cover, use, uncover, pull off, cover, use, then....yep.....cover, pull off, use, cover. Some of the edges may break, but the best thing about working with phyllo is that you are going to use more than one layer, so just move on.

You can spray sheets with cooking spray once they are at their destination, or wipe with butter or some other oil. This will keep it from breaking apart when cooking, and I think helps bring out the flavors of whatever you are cooking it with. So after laying down one sheet, spray, then continue layering. The oil also helps the phyllo from drying out once you have it in whatever recipe you are using.

If you don't go through all your phyllo, wrap well in plastic wrap and then cover with wax paper. It will stay in fridge about one week, or refreeze, if you aren't going to use it, and use up within 6 months. Wrap it really well (airtight) so that it won't get freezer burn.

Questions? Just ask, and I will repost.

Cheese Stuffed Pretzels

If bacon can be wrapped around shrimp and turkey can be stuffed with duck and chicken, why not cheese stuffed pretzels?
It's like a cross between cheese sticks and bread crust. If you remember Book-It clubs and personal pizzas from Pizza Hut, you probably also remember Stuffed-Crust pizza. A horribly awful artery clogging invention, but damn did it taste good in the 7th grade. If you crave cheese sticks with your beer...well you are all grown up.

This is made with ready made pizza crust, and then stuffed with shredded mozzarella.
Have on hand:
A pizza stone
Ready made pizza crust
some whole-wheat or all-purpose flour
Shredded mozzarella

Place pizza stone in oven, and preheat at 500. Roll out pizza dough on a floured surface to about 12" in length and about 2" wide. Place 3 T shredded mozzarella, more or less, in the inside and roll up, and shape like a pretzel.
Turn oven down to 425 and bake at 10-12 minutes. You can always make a pizza with the leftover crust.

Serve with heated marinara sauce.

Dudzo

Dudders! best. kitty. ever.

Spring Post - Seeds and Compost

First off, yay for the Obama Garden!

Got some seedlings out to start off the container garden this year. After reading through many gardening blogs and cooperative extension sites, I decided to dump out all the pots, mix in new potting soil, mix in some compost from my pile, and get started. Here's what I set out:

1. Spinach in a window box (from farmer's market)
   
2. Green oak lettuce and butter crunch lettuce (from farmer's market)

Seeds from packets:

1. Green onions - White Lisbon
2. Red onion - Italian Red of Florence
3. Mesclun mix
4. Arugula or Roquette
5. Radishes - Easter Egg Blend
6. Carrots- Touchon
7. Carrots - Purple Haze
8. Swiss Chard - Bright Lights
9. Beets - Early wonder
10. Cilantro

Orange County sells compost machines once per year at a discounted rate ($40). Picked one up since my garbage composter was compacting at the bottom. It's called an Earth Machine, and I think it will do much better than the makeshift garbage composter.

Started some herbs and flowers from seeds for other pots as well and will put these out in late May. Started Gazanias, Classic Zinnias, and some Blue Alpine Aster with various herbs that I had saved from last year.

Pictures coming soon...

Tortellini Pasta with tomatoes, feta and mushrooms

Tortellini Pasta with tomatoes, feta and mushrooms

In keeping with quick healthy meals here is a streamlined tortellini pasta that comes together in about 20 minutes. Buy tortellini in the refrigerated section at the grocery store.

1 package prepared tortellini, cooked according to package directions
1 cup grape tomatoes, washed and set aside
1 cup cremini mushrooms, washed and quartered
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1-2 tbsp basil, finely chopped
2 ounces feta cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Juice from 1/2 lemon

1. Heat 1 tsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil in skillet over medium heat.
2. Cook tortellini according to package directions.
3. When oil and butter shimmer add garlic and cook 2 minutes until golden brown.
4. Add mushrooms to pan and turn up heat to medium-high for 4 minutes then turn on low.
5. Add basil, feta, salt and pepper, and remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a large bowl.
6. Place grape tomatoes in the pan with the mushrooms and continue cooking on medium-low heat, about 2-3 minutes
7. Add in tortellini and tomato mushroom mixture to bowl.
8. Squeeze lemon juice into bowl and mix lightly to combine flavors

Adjust salt and pepper as necessary.