CHEESE CURDS

 CHEESE CURDS

2 pounds cheese curds

1 ½ cups buttermilk

1 ½ cups (187.5 g) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons garlic salt

1 large egg, room temperature

1 ½ quarts canola oil, or more depending on the size of your pan

1. Heat oil to 375 °F. Use a thermometer to continually monitor the heat of the oil.

2. Whisk together buttermilk, flour, baking soda, garlic salt, and egg until smooth.

3. Coat 8-10 cheese curds with batter.

4. One at a time, add the batter covered cheese curds into the oil. Cook for several seconds, until golden brown and then remove and drain on a paper towel. Repeat with remaining cheese curds.

Notes

Make sure to use enough oil to completely cover the cheese curds.

Do not overcrowd the cheese curds in the pan.  Ideally, fry 8-10 cheese curds at a time depending on how big your pan is.

Overcrowding the pan will result in undesirable oil temperatures.  Make sure to keep an eye on the oil temperature at all times and adjust the heat if the oil starts to get too hot or too cold.

HOMEMADE VANILLA BEAN ICE CREAM

 HOMEMADE VANILLA BEAN ICE CREAM

1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

1 Vanilla Bean Pod

2 Cups Heavy Cream

2 Cups Whole Milk

3/4 Cup Sugar

Step 1: Scrape Vanilla Bean Pod Using a paring knife, split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Hold down the tip of the vanilla bean, and using a butter knife, scrape out the tiny seeds.

Step 2: Combine Ingredients In a large blender, combine the milk, heavy cream, vanilla extract and seeds from vanilla beans along with the sugar. Blend for 3o seconds to allow the sugar to dissolve into the milk.

Step 3: Pour Mixture and Churn Pour the ice cream mixture into the ice cream maker container. Follow the manufacturer’s directions for churning. Within 20-30 minutes, delicious soft serve ice cream should be ready to put in the freezer.

Step 4: Freeze Scoop ice cream directly into an airtight freezer-safe container. Freeze for at least 6 hours and serve!

PIZZA DOUGH

 PIZZA DOUGH

Servings: One 16-inch medium-crust pizza or two 12-inch-crust pizzas or four 9-inch thin-crust pizzas

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1 cup warm 105-115 degrees

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon honey

¼ teaspoon salt

3 to 4 cups all-purpose flour or half all-purpose flour and half whole wheat

1.Mix the yeast and water in a small bowl, cover, and let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.

2. Mix the oil, honey, salt , and yeast mixture in a large mixing bowl. If using a food processor, add 1 cup of flour at a time, up to 3 cups, mixing well after each addition. You may have to stir in the third cup of flour by hand depending on your machine. Or mix in all 3 cups of flour by hand with a wooden spoon.

3. If the dough seems too wet, mix in more flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough is soft. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead in more flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough is moderately stiff and somewhat firm to the touch, about 6 minutes.

4. Lightly grease pizza pan(s) or a cookie sheet (s) with oil. If you are making two or more thin-crust pizzas, divide the dough. With a rolling pin, roll out the dough on a floured surface. Gently stretch the dough to fill the pan(s).

5. Let the dough rise (it will not rise very much) while you make sauce and continue with the pizza recipe/toppings of your choice.

6. Note: I like this pizza crust best with half all-purpose flour and half whole wheat. 

RANCH DIPPING SAUCE

 RANCH DIPPING SAUCE

1 cup mayonnaise

½ cup sour cream

½ teaspoon dried chives

½ teaspoon dried parsley

½ teaspoon dried dill weed

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon onion powder

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, chives, parsley, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.   OPTIONAL: Add milk, one tablespoon at a time, to make it thinner and more easily pourable.

BUTTERY FLOUR TORTILLAS

 4 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 sticks of melted butter 
1 1/4 cups of hot water 

Mix dry ingredients.  Add wet ingredients. Mix until combined. Let set in refrigerator for 10 -15 minutes. Divide into small balls (approx 2 tablespoons each). Press/roll dough into thin tortillas. Cook on hot griddle with oil until crispy and bubbly on both sides.

EASY BAKLAVA

1 (16 ounce) package Phyllo Dough thawed, I use Athens brand
1 lb finely chopped pecans or walnuts
1 cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup honey

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Add the nuts and cinnamon to a medium bowl and mix together, set aside.

3. Unroll both tubes of phyllo dough on a clean surface, cover loosely with saran wrap and a damp dishcloth so the dough doesn’t try out. 

4. Melt the butter in the microwave on 30-second intervals. Use a pastry brush to brush butter onto the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch baking pan. Line the dough up with the length of the pan and feel free to cut off any excess at the end, usually, there’s an extra inch or so that can be removed.

5. Add two sheets of phyllo dough to the buttered pan, and use the pastry brush to brush melted butter over the entire surface area of the dough, repeat until you have 8 layered sheets total.

6. Evenly sprinkle the top of the buttered 8th sheet with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the nut mixture.

7. Lay another two sheets on top and brush with butter and then add more nuts. Repeat the dough, butter, nuts layers every 2 sheets until you have just 8 sheets left, adding those two at a time and only brushing with butter. 

8. Using a really sharp knife, cut 4 rows down the length of the pan and then cut diagonally all the way down and across the pan for a traditional baklava prep. You may also cut into squares.

9. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until the baklava is golden and crisp on top.

10. With 30 minutes left to bake, begin making the syrup by adding the water and sugar to a small pot and bringing to a boil over medium-high heat until sugar is dissolved.

11. Add the vanilla and honey and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

12. Remove the baklava from the oven and immediately pour the sauce over the entire pan, let set and cool.

CHEWY PUMPKIN COOKIES WITH BROWN BUTTER & MAPLE

 CHEWY PUMPKIN COOKIES WITH BROWN BUTTER & MAPLE

1 cup (220g) unsalted butter

1 ½ cups (280g) dark brown sugar, packed

1 large egg yolk

3 tbsp pure maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup (80g) pumpkin puree

2 ¼ cups (280g) all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice

½ tsp cinnamon

Coating:

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp granulated sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Brown the butter. Melt butter over medium heat, continuing to stir until it reaches a rich amber color. Place in the refrigerator to chill for about 20 minutes. Don’t let it solidify. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and cooled brown butter. It should look like clumpy wet sand. Whisk in the egg yolk, maple syrup, vanilla, and pumpkin until smooth.  Add in all of the dry ingredients and use a rubber spatula to fold into the dough. *If your dough feels too thin (it should hold its shape when scooped), chill the dough for about 15 minutes until thickened. Mix together the coating ingredients in a small dish. Use a large cookie scoop (2oz) or ¼ measuring cup and scoop out the dough. Drop into the cinnamon sugar mixture and toss to coat. The dough will be very soft but not sticky. Place onto the baking sheet, spaced about 3 inches apart from each other. You should be able to bake 4-5 cookies at a time. Leave the rest of the dough out at room temperature. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are darkened and the center looks puffed and slightly underdone. Allow them to rest on the baking sheet for a couple minutes, then transfer to cooling rack.