Asparagus Quiche

FOUND IT: At Cooks.com

MODIFIED IT: A fair amount.

I'm on a quiche kick lately and had some asparagus to use up. This must have been ok: Four of us ate all but one slice in one sitting.

Ingredients:

Six eggs

1/2 lb fresh asparagus cut in 1 inch pieces (I used closer to 3/4 lb.)

1 cup shredded cheese, divided (recipe called for Swiss, I used cheddar jack)

1 unbaked premade pie crust*

1 cup milk

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tbsp onion powder (I substituted Penzey's Fox Point Seasoning)

1/2 tsp salt

Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

* - I've tried several recipes for making my own pie crust. Homemade pie crust is fine but in the end I've decided it's one of those things that's just not worth the time. A premade pie crust is quick, easy and the difference isn't huge.

Preheat oven to 375, with a cookie sheet in it.

Cook asparagus via your preferred method. (Original recipe called for boiling, but I steamed instead.) Arrange asparagus and half the cheese in the bottom of the pie crust. Combine eggs, milk, sour cream, onion powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl, then pour over asparagus and cheese.

Put the quiche on the cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes. Then, sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and continue baking until quiche is set in the middle, roughly 5-10 minutes more.

Hot Brats

FOUND IT: My wife's cousin Erik brought it to a party at my house, and it was an immediate hit. He was kind enough to share the recipe.

This is the perfect party food: They're small, so everyone can try one. They've got a great flavor, with just enough spiciness. And they're addictive. The recipe does require you to get started a day ahead, but it's well worth the time.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 pounds bratwurst, in casings
• 1 onion, sliced thin
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cans or bottles of beer
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• Either 1 cup of horseradish mustard or 3/4 cup brown mustard and 1/4 cup creamy horseradish
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 5-8 dashes of hot sauce

Grill brats until browned outside but not cooked all the way through. Allow to cool for 15 minutes or more, then cut into quarters.

Saute the onions (in a soup pot or dutch oven) in the olive oil, then add the beer and the brats. Heat to boiling, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Combine the remaining ingredients and add that to the brat mixture. Simmer for another half hour.

Remove from heat, cool and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, reheat the mixture over low heat until warmed through, then transfer to a slow cooker. At this point you can check the flavor and add ingredients to taste. Cook on low for 4 hours.

Brazilian Cheese Bread

FOUND IT: At Simply Recipes

I had seen Brazilian Cheese Bread before (at the farmers' market in Appleton), but never tried making it myself before finding this recipe. The hardest part of the recipe was finding tapioca flour (my local bulk food store had it). Beyond that, this is a simple recipe and the hardest parts can be done well in advance.

Ingredients:

• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups tapioca flour
• 1/2 cup grated cheese (I used pepper jack with good results)
• 1 tsp salt

Pour all the ingredients into a blender and pulse until smooth. You might have to scrape down the sides a couple of times. At this point, the batter can be refrigerated for up to a week.

Pour the batter into a lightly greased mini-muffin tin, and bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes. They won't really get all that brown, they just puff up like little balloons. They'll be chewy when they're done.

Cornmeal Pancakes

FOUND IT: On the lid of a container of Dannon Light & Fit Yogurt.

These pancakes were made by request, and will likely be requested again. They're light, fluffy and have a great flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup raisins, plumped (I omitted this)
• 1 1/2 cups Dannon Light & Fit Yogurt, Vanilla or Strawberry*
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup canola oil

* - Normally I don't mention specific brands in my recipes, but in this case I think it might be important. The Light & Fit Yogurt has a more liquidy texture to it that probably helps here...the batter will be thick, so you'll need all the liquid you can get.

Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt, then stir in raisins (if using). In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, eggs and oil. Combine the two, stirring until blended.

Heat a skilled or griddle to roughly medium heat, and grease lightly. Scoop pancake batter onto griddle in roughly 1/4 cup increments. Cook roughly 3 minutes on one side, then flip and cook a minute or so on the other.

I served them with maple syrup and fresh strawberries, you can serve them with whatever your heart desires.

Raspberry Clafoutis

FOUND IT: At Stacey Snacks, my new favorite site for finding new recipes to try.

This is a great, easy pastry. Once raspberries are in season, I plan on making this one a lot.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup sugar, 2 tbsp
• Pinch of salt
• 3 eggs
• 3 tbsp melted unsalted butter
• zest of a lemon
• 1/4 cup milk + 2 tbsp
• 1 pint raspberries
• powdered sugar

Combine flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in eggs, butter and lemon zest, whisking until combined. Add milk and whisk until smooth, a minute or two.

Pour into a nine inch pie plate, then distribute raspberries on top. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, or until it's set in the middle and browning around the edges. It usually takes a little longer than that in my oven - sometimes as much as ten minutes.

Let cool a little, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

Vanilla Mousse Cheesecake

FOUND IT: In an ad my wife tore out of a magazine. We think it was Real Simple, but we're not sure.

Ingredients:

• 40 Nilla Wafers, crushed (We used organic lemon cookies instead).
• 3 tbsp butter, melted
• 4 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar, separated
• 1 tbsp and 1 tsp vanilla, separated
• 3 eggs
• 1 tub cool whip

Combine crumbs and butter and press into the bottom of a springform pan.

Beat 3 packages cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar and 1 tbsp vanilla, mixing until well blended. Add eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed until well blended. Pour over crust. Bake at 325 for 50 to 55 minutes or until set. Allow to cool completely in pan.

Beat remaining cream cheese, cool whip and vanilla in a large bowl until blended. Spread over cheesecake.

Refrigerate for four hours before serving. Garnish with berries if desired.

Foodie meme

I'm having a creativity lapse today, so I hope you'll excuse me as I take a moment to see if I can jumpstart it with this food meme I found at A Serving Of Life.

What cooking shows do you watch?

If it's on Food Network I've probably seen it, but the only Food Network show I think is consistently good is Good Eats.

Your must-have kitchen accessory is:
My immersion blender, good knives and silicon spatulas.

What is your go-to ingredient?
Sharp cheddar, pumpkin, hot sauce, Brady St. cheese sprinkle

How many courses should a meal have?
As a somewhat picky eater, I don't really do "courses." I hate being the one sitting around while everyone else eats a salad or soup I'm not interested in. I guess I serve dessert separately, so two courses.

What’s your favorite course?
Disc golf.

What nationality of food do you like the best?
Hmmm...I like mac and cheese, so I guess American?

What’s your favorite meal of the day to prepare?
Dinner is typically the only one where I actually have time to go all out.

Where do you find inspiration when creating a new dish?
TV, magazines, existing recipes that could be a little better, other blogs, restaurant experiences I'm trying to duplicate...

What is your favorite comfort food?
Mac and cheese

Do you ever eat fast food? If so, what?
Does Noodles and Company count? I used to also eat at Quiznos a fair amount, but have been disappointed by the quality the last few times I've been there.

What restaurant do you want to eat at that you haven’t yet?
I'm looking for good barbecue in the Fox Cities.

What’s your favorite dessert?
Red velvet cake. Anything with cream cheese. Boston Cream Pie. Anything chocolatey.

Are there wines or liquors that you cook with?
I hate cooking with wine. I typically attempt to replace it with beer.

How much time do you spend cooking a meal just for yourself?
Very little. If I'm by myself, I'm usually putting in the minimum possible effort, reheating leftovers, making something quick, or eating something my wife doesn't like.

What scent in the kitchen do you love?
Pot roast.

What ingredient(s) do you avoid/dislike?
I will throw away a recipe if I see it uses ketchup. I also don't like green bell peppers.

What’s your secret splurge at the grocery store?
Good cheese. Hard cider. Good bread. Candy.

What’s your favorite midnight snack?
I don't snack much at night. If Laura's having it, I might have some ice cream or popcorn.

Beer Cheese Mac and Cheese

FOUND IT: This one is my own creation - concocted from a combination of a mac and cheese recipe from my mom and my Beer Cheese Soup recipe.

I recently realized somewhat suddenly that I've included a fair number of recipes here, but not my original mac and cheese recipe, the one that started my fascination with homemade mac and cheese. It's also the filling in my Mac and Cheese stuffed meatloaf. And now, it's going to be the 50th recipe on this site. That seems fitting, somehow.

Ingredients:

1 lb sharp cheddar, shredded
1 cup milk
1/2 cup beer
6 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons of butter, cut into small chunks
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
salt and pepper
Your favorite pasta - I use Dreamwell's elbows, as they're a little healthier.

Warm the milk and beer over medium heat until they're just threatening to boil. While you're waiting for that to warm up, boil your pasta in a large pot. Once it's tender, drain it and set it aside.

Meanwhile, whisk the flour into the milk mixture, then add all the other ingredients except the cheese. Once the butter melts, stir the mixture until it starts to thicken (if you can drag a silicon spatula across the bottom of the pan and see the bottom before liquid fills in, you're there), then add cheese. Stir until the sauce is thick and all the cheese has melted, then set it aside.

Combine the pasta with the cheese sauce, and enjoy.

Spicy Macaroni and Cheese

FOUND IT: At the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board's 30 Days 30 Ways blog.
MODIFIED IT: To replace a couple of ingredients I didn't have.

This recipe isn't as spicy as I expected it to be, although using the Pepper Jack cheese the recipe calls for would almost certainly rectify that problem.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups pasta noodles, such as cavatappi (a 1 lb box should be sufficient)
• 4 1/2 tablespoons butter, divided
• Half a medium onion, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup roasted red pepper (jarred or home roasted), finely chopped
• 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely minced (I made a half recipe but still used 2 jalapenos. For a full one, I'd use more.)
  

(Instead of attempting to finely chop these three ingredients, I pureed them all in a food processor.)

• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 8 ounces Colby Jack Cheese, shredded
• 4 ounces Pepper Jack Cheese, shredded
• 4 ounces Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded (I didn't have the Pepper Jack, so I doubled up on this)
• Bread crumbs, to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add pasta and cook according to the package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.

Meanwhile, melt 1/2 tablespoon butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, red pepper and jalapeño pepper, cook, stirring occasionally until fragrant and tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Once the butter is completely melted, whisk in the flour. Cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until it turns a light golden brown color, 1-2 minutes. Whisk in the milk until well blended. Cook the mixture, whisking or stirring frequently, until it begins to bubble and thicken, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Whisk in cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add the cheeses to the mixture and whisk until completely melted and well incorporated. Remove from heat.

Grease a 2-quart casserole dish. Return the drained pasta to a large pot. Add in the sautéed vegetables and cheese sauce; mix until well blended. Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish. Cover with bread crumbs if desired.

Bake at 375 for 25 minutes, then allow to cool for at least five minutes before serving.

Round Steak Pinwheels

FOUND IT: I think the initial idea came from a 30 Minute Meals episode. I didn't write down a recipe, I just used the concept to create my own spin on it.

We don't eat a lot of steak in my house, for a couple of reasons: it's expensive, and my wife isn't a big fan. I like this recipe, though, and round steak isn't usually terribly expensive, so I make it from time to time.

Ingredients:

• 1 round steak, pounded thin and either quartered or cut into six longish strips, depending on whether you want large or small servings.
• Fresh spinach (roughly half of the bag of it you can get at the store)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
  
• Sliced cheese (pick a favorite here. I've used cheddar, co-jack, swiss, muenster...all work)
• Salt and pepper (or your favorite steak seasonings)
• Soy sauce, to taste

In a medium skillet, heat the oil and add the spinach, sauteing until wilted. It won't take long.

Then, lay your steaks out on a work surface, and season as desired. Place half a slice of cheese on the steak, then a layer of spinach. Roll up the steak and secure with a toothpick. Place the finished rollups in an 8x8 baking dish, and add a little soy sauce to them.

Bake at 550 (yes, 550) for 20 minutes or until they've hit your desired level of doneness. Let them rest for a few minutes before cutting into them.

Deli-style Muenster Mac & Cheese

FOUND IT: At the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board's 30 Days 30 Ways blog.

I modified this one a fair amount, because I liked the concept but not necessarily their execution of it. If you'd like to see it done a different way, follow the link over to their site.

With that said, my wife really liked the way this turned out, and was especially happy with the muenster and bread crumb topping. This recipe makes a lot, though, so cut it in half if you're only serving two people.

Ingredients:

• Bread crumbs for topping (Follow the link for a recipe to make them - I just used some I had on hand.)
  
• 2 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 8 ounces (about 2 cups grated) sharp white cheddar
  
• 2 tbsp brown mustard
  
• 1/2 cup gherkin pickles, drained and chopped (I omit this)
  
• 8 slices Muenster Cheese

In a large pot of boiling water, cook elbow macaroni until just al dente (about 6 minutes). Do not drain yet, but turn off heat and let pasta sit in the hot water while you prepare the cheese sauce.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Sprinkle flour over butter and stir continuously with a spoon as the mixture forms a paste and begins to brown a little, roughly 2 minutes. Then add milk a little at a time, stirring with a whisk after each addition. The paste will be lumpy at first, but will smooth and blend eventually.

Once all milk is added, stir in chili powder, salt and ground pepper. Increase heat to medium, and continue stirring until sauce starts to thicken, about 8 minutes*. Reduce heat to low. Add the cheddar and stir until fully melted. Add the mustard and remove the cheese sauce from the heat.

* - I define "starts to thicken" in this case as the point where you can drag a silicon spatula along the bottom of the pan and see the bottom of the pan before the liquid fills in.

Drain the macaroni in a large colander and rinse under hot water to remove extra starch. Drain well and return to pot. Stir hot cheese sauce thoroughly, then pour it over hot macaroni. Toss the pasta to coat evenly. Pour this mixture into a 8x8 square or 9 inch round baking dish. Cover the top with slices of Muenster, then a thin layer of bread crumbs.

Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes. If the cheese on top isn't browning at this point, turn on the broiler and finish it off that way. Let it rest for a few minutes to cool, then serve.

Caprese Mac & Cheese

FOUND IT: At the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board's 30 days 30 ways with Mac & Cheese blog.

Here's an interesting take on mac and cheese. It's very un-traditional, but if you choose a good mozzarella the cheese flavor really comes through, and it also has an intriguingly strong lemony flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1 pint grape tomatoes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1 1/2 tsp salt, divided
• 1 1/2 tsp pepper, divided
• 1 pound pasta (medium shells are the recommendation)
  
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 tbsp butter
• 8 ounces Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
• 1 8-ounce ball Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, sliced

In a baking dish, combine grape tomatoes, olive oil, basil, lemon zest, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Toss to coat and bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Remove and let stand.

At the same time bring water to boil over high heat in a soup pot (recipe calls for a medium saucepan, I wanted more room); add pasta and cook until tender. Drain, rinse with cold water, and let stand in a separate bowl.

In the same sauce pan, combine milk, butter, shredded Mozzarella Cheese, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring continually, over low heat until the cheese melts into a thick sauce, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the drained pasta back into pan and toss to coat.

Pour the pasta and cheese mixture into an 10×14-inch oven-safe dish (I used a nine inch round) and top with baked grape tomatoes. You can use the juice from the bottom of the tomato pan as a marinade for the fresh mozzarella, if desired.

Place the seasoned Fresh Mozzarella on top of the pasta and tomatoes. Broil on high for five minutes or until cheese is melted and browning.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

FOUND IT: At Cooks.com

My wife needed a dish to pass for a work Super Bowl party, and requested these. I still have a ton of pumpkin in my freezer, so I was more than happy to use a little bit of it for this. The recipe could still use a little tweaking - the filling is a little plain.

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
5 tbsp butter, softened
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (I ran mine through the food processor)
1 (8 oz.) pkg. softened cream cheese (I use the 1/3 less fat version)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup pumpkin
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp nutmeg

Combine flour and brown sugar in medium bowl, then add butter to make a crumb mixture. Stir in nuts. Set aside 3/4 cup of this mixture for topping.

Press remaining mixture into bottom of 8 x 8 x 1 1/2 inch basking pan. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Put it in the fridge to cool while you make the filling. Don't remove it until you can handle it without burning yourself.

Combine cream cheese, sugar, pumpkin, eggs, cinnamon, allspice, vanilla and nutmeg in large mixer bowl. Blend until smooth. Pour over baked crust. Sprinkle with reserved topping. Bake an additional 30-35 minutes. Allow to cool before cutting into bars.

Harvest Loaf

FOUND IT: This is a family recipe, from a book of them given to me as a wedding gift.

This is a good, relatively traditional pumpkin bread recipe. There's a glaze to add at the end if you want it to be more like a cake, but I skipped it.

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs*
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree, canned or homemade
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips
  
• 3/4 cup walnuts, chopped (I skipped them)

* - About halfway through, the recipe calls for eggs. But it doesn't mention how many, and they don't appear on the ingredient list. I guessed 3, and everything worked out. Two would probably make the dough a little too dry, but four might add some needed moisture.

Spray a loaf pan. In a medium bowl, combine flour, soda, salt and spices. In another medium bowl, cream the butter, then gradually add the sugar, then the eggs. Beat well. At this point, I put the mixer away and do the rest by hand.

Add roughly half the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and stir them in. Repeat the process with the pumpkin, then the other half of the dry ingredients. Stir in the chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of the walnuts. Spread into your loaf pan, and sprinkle the remaining walnuts on top. Bake at 350 65-75 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Once it's cool, you can add the spice glaze if so desired: stir together 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, 1/8 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tbsp cream, or enough to give it the desired consistency.

Pecan cranberry tart

FOUND IT: At Foodnetwork.com, where it was linked from a pecan pie recipe I've also mentioned recently.

I love pecan pie, and this is a great twist on it. The crust is a fair amount of work, but it's worth it as an alternative to a normal pie crust. You can also simplify a fair amount here. For example: The recipe calls for a tart pan, but I don't own one. A pie plate worked fine in its place.

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 3 tbsp water

Filling:

• 1 cup pecan halves, divided into two 1/2 cups
  
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg whites
• 1/3 cup light corn syrup
• 1 1/2 tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp butter, melted
• 2 tsp vanilla
• Pinch of salt
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
  

Coat a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom with nonstick spray.

To make crust: Spread oats in another pie pan and bake, stirring occasionally, until toasted, 6 to 12 minutes at 375. Let cool. (I didn't.) Place the oats in a food processor and process until coarsely ground. Leave the oven on and set at 375.

Stir together oats, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Drizzle oil onto dry ingredients and use a fork or your fingers to blend until crumbly. Using a fork, stir in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough just comes together.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead 7 to 8 times. Roll the dough out to an 11-inch circle, dusting with flour if necessary. Transfer the dough to prepared pan, pressing to fit. Trim edges. (If necessary, use scraps to patch any holes in crust.)

To make filling & bake: Spread 1/2 cup pecans on a baking sheet and bake until fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove and let cool.

Whisk brown sugar, eggs, egg whites, corn syrup, vinegar, butter, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl until smooth. By this point your pecans should be cool-ish, give them a coarse chop. Stir in dried cranberries and the chopped pecans. Spoon filling into crust. Arrange remaining 1/2 cup pecans on top of the filling.

Bake the tart until filling is set and crust is golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.

Cranberry Brie en Croute

FOUND IT: The cranberry part is from this recipe, and the en croute part is from this one.

I've tried my normal brie en croute recipe several ways now. This one is great for holiday gatherings when cranberries are in season. With that said, the cranberry sauce recipe below makes much more than you'll need for this, so cut it in half if you don't want extra.

This one must have been a hit: I made it for a holiday party at my house and had someone immediately request I make it again for a gathering at their house.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 of a 17.3 oz package of puff pastry sheets
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 13.2 ounce Brie cheese round

For the cranberry sauce:

• 1 cup orange juice
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 12 oz bag fresh or thawed frozen cranberries
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  

Leave a puff pastry sheet out around 40 minutes to defrost. If you can't wait that long, try putting it in the microwave on defrost, checking every 30 seconds.

In a medium saucepan, combine juice and sugar; bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves.

Add cranberries and continue simmering until cranberries pop and mixture has thickened; about 10-12 minutes. Stir in cinnamon. Transfer from the saucepan to a bowl, and let it cool and thicken for half an hour. Less time is probably ok, but it's easier to work with once it's cool.

Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface, and roll out to a 14 inch square (mine was about the right shape already). Spoon roughly half a cup of the cranberry sauce into the middle of the sheet, in a circle the size of your wheel of brie. Unwrap the brie and place it on top of that. Fold two sides of the pastry dough over the brie. Cut the remaining two sides to just fit over the cheese. Place the brie in a baking dish (I use a pie plate) seam side down.

Beat the egg and water together and brush this mixture onto the outside.

Bake 20-25 minutes at 400 until the pastry is "deep golden brown." Let it cool for 45 minutes before serving.

Tomato and Blue Cheese Soup

FOUND IT: My mother-in-law lent me The Soup Bible. I didn't end up making many recipes out of it, but this is a good one.

With that said, this is a somewhat thin soup when it's done. At the very least, you'll want to add some oyster crackers or something similar for texture. I went a step farther and added a 16 oz package of mini gnocchi.

Later, I also added a red bell pepper after seeing Sunny Anderson use it in a similar recipe on her show. I didn't notice a big difference, but my wife seemed to think it made the soup better.

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs ripe roma tomatoes, quartered and seeded (recipe calls for them to be peeled, but I don't.)
• 2 red bell peppers, cut into quarters or so with seeds removed
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil or butter
• 1 leek, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 5 cups of chicken stock
• 4 oz blue cheese, crumbled (I double this)
• 3 tbsp heavy cream (I skip this if I don't have it on hand)
• Several large fresh basil leaves (dried works too)
• 6 oz cooked, crumbled bacon for garnish (More bacon will never draw a complaint)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 16 oz package of mini gnocchi

Spread the tomatoes and bell peppers in a 9x13 pan, then sprinkle them with the garlic and some salt and pepper. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes.

After they've been in for about 20 minutes, heat the butter or oil in a soup pot (I use my dutch oven for half batches). Add the leek and carrot, and some more salt and pepper. Cook over low heat until they're tender or the tomatoes are done.

Add the tomatoes and peppers and stock to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the blue cheese, cream (if using), and basil. Once the cheese has melted, you can either transfer it to a blender/food processor to puree, or use an immersion blender to puree in the pot. If you have to remove it from the pot to puree, return it to the pot to reheat to serving temperature.

(If you're using the gnocchi, add them here and let simmer for roughly 5-8 minutes or until gnocchi are done.)

Garnish with bacon and/or a sprig of fresh herbs.

Pecan pie

FOUND IT: At FoodNetwork.com.

Pecan pie is one of my favorite foods. Last winter I had a recipe that I made over and over again until my wife complained so I put it away for a while. This winter I wanted to make one again, but the recipe was gone. This one is also pretty good, so I'm filing it away before I lose it again.

Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 cups chopped toasted pecans
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 pre-baked pie crust (follow the link above for a recipe for that)
  

In a medium saucepan combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat and, stirring constantly, continue to boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the nuts and the vanilla. Set the mixture aside to cool slightly, about 5 minutes. (If the crust has cooled, return it to the oven for 5 minutes to warm through.) Whisk the beaten eggs into the filling until smooth. Put the pie shell on a sheet pan and pour the filling into the hot crust.

Bake on the lower oven rack at 400 until the edges are set but the center is still slightly loose, about 40 to 45 minutes. If the edges get very dark, cover them with aluminum foil half way during baking, or use a silicon cover for the edges, like I do.

Easy Enchiladas

FOUND IT: Trenni Kusnierek of MLB Network was kind enough to share it with me.

This is a great, flexible enchilada recipe with a quick, easy list of ingredients. It calls for chicken, but I replaced it with half ground venison/half black beans, and that seemed to work out well.

I also used hot picante sauce (and a little too much of it), and the result was a meal that I thought was great but made smoke come out of my wife's ears. If you're not a fan of spicy food, stick to mild/medium.

Ingredients:

• 1 10 3/4 oz of cream of chicken soup, preferably the fat-free kind
• 1/2 cup of sour cream
• 1 cup picante sauce
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 cup Monterrey jack cheese (I used a mexican blend)
• Additional cheese for on top, if desired
  
• 6-8 flour tortillas, warmed
• 2 cups of shredded chicken (or 1 cup of ground beef/venison and 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed)

Brown meat, if you haven't already.

In a bowl, combine the soup, sour cream, picante sauce and chili powder. Take one cup of this mixture, and combine it in another bowl with the cheese, meat and beans (if using).

Lightly grease a 9x9 baking dish (they'll fit tightly, but it should work). Spoon some filling into a tortilla, roll it up and place it seam-side-down in the dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Once all the tortillas are in the dish, pour the remaining soup mixture over the top.

Cover with foil and bake 40 minutes at 350. If you're adding cheese, remove the foil at this point, put the cheese on top and bake for another 5-7 minutes. Give them a few minutes to cool before serving.

Waffle Cookies...or "Wookies"

FOUND IT: I got the idea via Lifehacker, who directed me to a recipe at FineCooking.com.

This idea is genius. The cookies are easy, bake fast, have an interesting shape and pattern, and are delicious.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs. firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1-1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant)
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• Nonstick cooking spray

Heat the waffle iron according to the manufacturer's instructions.

In a large bowl, whisk the butter and brown sugar until smooth. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the oats and chocolate chips.

Coat the grids of the waffle iron with nonstick cooking spray. Use a spoon to place small spoonfuls of cookies on the grid. Close the iron and cook until set and beginning to brown, roughly a minute and a half (my waffle iron lights up when it's done). Use a fork to transfer the cooked cookies to a wire rack and repeat with the remaining dough, coating the grids with spray as necessary.