Greek Flatbread Pizza

Tags

asiago, cheese, flatbread, food, greek, kalamata, main dishes, parmesan, pizza, prosciutto, quick

Working late the past couple of weeks has really put a crimp in my cooking style. I can’t stand just eating fast food or frozen junk. This pizza is super quick and very tasty. Thank goodness for flatbreads. You can just throw on your toppings and bake. Poof! Tasty meal in less than 30 minutes. Really.

Greek Flatbread Pizza

• 1 flatbread pizza crust
• Your favorite sauce or pesto
• 3/4 cup shredded Asiago cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 10 kalamata olives, halved
• 3 to 4 thinly sliced slices of prosciutto
• 1 jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and halved
• 5 mushrooms, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the flatbread on your pizza pan (I used a pampered chef stone. LOVE IT!). Top the crust with the desired amount of sauce or pesto. Add the olives, artichoke hearts, and mushrooms. Evenly sprinkle the cheese over the veggies. Scatter the prosciutto over the cheese. Bake the pizza until the cheese is melty and the edges of the proscuitto is lightly browning on the edges. Serves 3.

 

Savory Parmesan Bread Pudding with Bacon and Kale

Tags

asiago, bacon, bread, cheese, kale, main dish, parmesan, pudding, savory, side dish

I just love the photo below. I don’t mean to brag. It just looks so inviting, comforting, nourishing. Like home. This dish was very tasty. The only change I would make is to add about 8 ounces of sauteed mushrooms. And maybe some onions. It could be a main dish with a small salad or a side dish. I reheated the leftovers and served it with Easter morning’s Eggs Benedict.

Savory Parmesan Bread Pudding with Bacon and Kale (inspired by this recipe)

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 slices of thick cut bacon, cut into 1/2 inch strips
• 5 oz kale, large ribs and stems removed, cut into 1 inch pieces
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 6 large eggs
• 1 3/4 cup milk
• 8 cups of good crusty bread, cut into 1 inch pieces (I used sourdough)
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup shredded asiago cheese
• 2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a cast iron skillet, heat the oil. Add the bacon and cook until getting a touch crispy. Add the kale, salt and pepper. Toss to coat the kale in the grease and allow to wilt.

In a large bowl, whisk together red pepper flakes, eggs, milk, pepper to taste, and the rosemary. Add the bread cubes; toss to evenly coat. Add the kale, bacon, 1/2 cup of parmesan, and 1/3 cup of asiago.  Toss again and be sure everything is even distributed. Transfer the contents of the bowl into the cast iron skillet. Spread out evenly. Top with the remaining parmesan and more salt/pepper if you desire. Bake for 40 minutes until the top layer of bread is beginning to brown and the egg is set. Top with additional parmesan.  Serves 6 to 8.

Jarlesburg, Asiago, and Cheddar Mac and Cheese

Tags

asiago, cheddar, cheese, food, jarlesburg, macaroni, side dish

In previous posts, I have spoken passionately about my family’s recipe for Macaroni Pie. I have claimed it is the best out there (and it is!) but recently I have been branching out a bit, trying new versions of my old favorite – like this Beer and Bacon Mac and Cheese and the less traditional version Chive and Parmesan Orzo. So far I have yet to come across a recipe that is as awesome as our family recipe; however, each recipe has it’s merits. I love the mild but cheesy flavor of this mac and cheese. The Jarlsburg adds a nice background flavor while the Asiago and cheddar crust pack a punch.

Jarlesburg, Asiago, and Cheddar Mac and Cheese (a version of this recipe)

• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 tsp melted butter
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 1/2 cups milk 
• 1/4 tsp dry mustard
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• Dash of nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 1/4 cups shredded Jarlsberg cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded Asiago cheese
• 1/2 pound of pasta  

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the panko bread crumbs and butter in a small baking dish. Brown in the oven for about 10 minutes. Cook the pasta to al dente. Drain and keep warm until sauce (prepared below) is ready.

In a large saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat until melted, then stir in the flour. Stir until the mixture is blended and smooth. Remove from the heat and slowly whisk in the milk. Add the dry mustard, white and cayenne pepper, nutmeg, salt and bay leaf. Return to heat and stir until mixture begins to boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until thickened. Remove the bay leaf.

Stir in 1/2 of the cheddar and all the Gruyère until melted. Pour the sauce over the cooked macaroni in a large bowl, stirring until all of the macaroni is coated. Pour the macaroni into a well-buttered 8 x 8 inch glass casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup cheddar cheese, all the asiago cheese, then the toasted bread crumbs.

Cover the casserole with aluminum foil. Bake 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered an additional 10 minutes. Put under a preheated broiler for 5 minutes.