How to Cooking Tips

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Fried Mozzarrella Cheese Sticks

Mozzarella sticks are elongated pieces of battered or breaded mozzarella. In US, the deep-fried snack is often served at restaurants as an appetizer. These cheese sticks may be served with tomato or marinara sauce, as well as plum sauce, jalapeño jelly, barbecue sauce, honey mustard sauce, and ranch dressing. Cheeses other than mozzarella are also fried, including provolone, cheddar, and American. (Wikipedia)

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 block of mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup cornmeal
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon tabasco
  • 1 medium egg
  • 1/2 cup finely grated cheese
  • Buttermilk
Steps:
  • Place cheese in freezer for one half hour. Remove cheese and cut into 1″ thick strips just before cooking.
  • Mix batter; add corn meal and flour, salt, tabasco, egg and add buttermilk until at a consistency slightly thinner than toothpaste.
  • Dip cheese sticks into batter (use toothpicks to handle them) carefully place in a pan of hot oil making sure that oil covers good, do not put in to many at once or they will stick together.
  • When browned evenly remove and immediately roll in grated cheese.

 

Submitted by: Dusty Rhodes

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Tomato Mozzarella Tart

This appetizer looks and tastes like a gourmet delicacy. Surprisingly, whipping this up is quite quick and easy. With just a fresh bunch of tomatoes, mozzarella and some pastries on hand, then you are good to go. Other than that, these mozzarella cheese tarts are healthy to the body.

Trivia: The Lycopene that we get from the tomatoes have antioxidant properties. These  prevent us from cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, and even male infertility. (Wikipedia)

 

Ingredients:

  • olive oil
  • 1/2  pkg frozen puff pastry sheets — thawed
  • 8 ozs mozzarella cheese — grated
  • 1 1/2 lbs plum tomatoes
  • 1/2 c Parmesan cheese freshly grated
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp chopped thyme or 1 t. dried — crumbled

 

Steps:

  • Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375 degrees. Brush 9×13 baking sheet lightly with olive oil. Roll out pastry sheet on lightly floured surface to 16×12″ rectangle.
  • Transfer pastry to prepared pan and gently press into place. Trim edges of pastry, leaving 1/2″ overhang. Crimp edges. Pierce crust all over with fork.
  • Bake until golden brown, piercing with fork every 5 min to deflate if necessary, about 15 min. Sprinkle crust with mozzarella and set aside.  (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead.  Let stand at room temperature.) Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees.
  • Blanch tomatoes in large pot of boiling water 20 seconds. Drain and cool slightly.  Peel and core tomatoes. Cut into thin rounds. Place rounds on double thickness of paper towels; pat dry.
  • Arrange tomatoes on crust in slightly overlapping rows, covering completely. Season generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle Parmesan, 1 T olive oil and thyme over.
  • Bake tart until tomatoes are heated through and cheeses melt, about 9 min. Cut tart into large squares.

 

 

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Ricotta Cheese and Basil Lasagna

Lasagna is an Italian dish that has satisfied the taste of many. This meal is the perfect harmony of flat pasta, meat sauces, and fresh herbs, baked well in an oven. Try this ricotta cheese and basil lasagna recipe. For sure, it will awaken your senses and appease your cravings. (Wikipedia)

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound fresh lasagna noodles
  • 4 tablespoons   butter
  • 2 tablespoons   flour — sifted salt and white pepper
  • pinch of nutmeg
  • 2 cups milk — warmed
  • 1 1/2  tablespoons   fresh basil — finely chopped
  • 1/2  cup ricotta cheese
  • 1/2  cup Parmesan cheese — grated
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh basil — chopped

 

Steps:

  • Cook the lasagna sheets in boiling salted water, a few at a time, until al dente.  Remove carefully and drain between dish towels. Melt butter in a saucepan and stir in flour.
  • Add a little salt, pepper and nutmeg and cook over a gentle heat until flour begins to change color. Slowly whisk in warm milk until sauce is smooth and thickened.
  • Remove from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon basil, the ricotta and half the Parmesan. Check seasonings. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a greased baking dish, or lasagna pan, place a sheet of pasta, followed by a thin layer of ricotta mixture.
  • Sprinkle this with some Parmesan and extra basil. Continue to layer in this order, finishing with the last of the sauce and Parmesan. Bake for just 20 minutes and serve hot.

Serving Ideas : Serve as an appetizer or luncheon entree.

 

 

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Cheese-Spinach Appetizers

 

Spanakopita or spinach pie is a Greek savory pastry. It has a filling of chopped spinach, feta cheese (sometimes in combination with ricotta cheese, as it is less expensive, and adds creaminess), onions or scallions, egg, and seasoning. The pastry is golden in color when baked, the color often enhanced by butter and egg yolk. (Wikipedia)

 

 

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 eggs
  • 6 tablespoons   whole-grain wheat flour
  • 1 1/2  cups feta/ricotta/cheddar cheese — shredded
  • 10 ounces frozen spinach — thawed, drained
  • 2 cups cottage cheese
  • 1 pinch ground nutmeg
  • 1 dash black pepper — fresh ground
  • 1 dash cayenne pepper
  • 3 tablespoons   wheat germ

 

Steps:

1. In a large bowl, beat eggs (or egg substitute) with flour until smooth.

2. Squeeze spinach to dry then add to egg mixture along with cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, pepper, cayenne, and nutmeg. Mix well.

3. Pour into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle with wheat germ and bake in preheated 350-degree oven for about 45 minutes.

4. Let stand 10 minutes then cut into 1-1/2 inch squares.

 

Yield: 48 squares.

 

 

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Appetizer Cheese Ball

Goat Cheese Balls

 

Cheese balls are spherical masses of cheese or cream cheese. These are often served as an hors d'oeuvre or finger food, usually with bread or crackers. In the United States, these ball-shaped appetizers are usually served around Christmas. In Italy, cheese in the shape of a ball are called Bocconcini. (Wikipedia)

Ingredients:

  •    8 ounces Cream Cheese — Room Temp.
  •    4 ounces Blue Cheese — Crumbled
  •    4 ounces Cheddar Cheese — Shredded
  •    2 teaspoons Mustard — Dijon-style
  •    1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
  •   1/8  teaspoon Garlic Powder
  •   1/4  teaspoon Salt
  •   1/2  cup Pecans — Finely Chopped
  •   2/3  cup Currants
  •   3/4  cup Parsley — Chopped

 

Steps:

  • Place the cream cheese, blue cheese, cheddar cheese, mustard,
  • Worcestershire, garlic powder, and salt in a mixer bowl and beat at low speed just until well mixed. Stir in the pecans and currants.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning.  Refrigerate the cheese mixture for 30 minutes or until slightly firm, then shape into a ball. Roll in the chopped parsley to coat well.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. Let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. Place on a platter surrounded with crackers and apple wedges.