Game Day Smoked Gouda & Ale Dip 2 TBSP unsalted butter 3 TBSP flour ¼ CUP milk 3/4 CUP ale A pinch of paprika Smoked Gouda & Beer Cheese Spread, 8 oz Diced pimentos for garnish Pretzels, grissini or crostini for dipping Directions: 1. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk and beer, increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a simmer. Add the paprika, whisking occasionally, until the mixture begins to thicken, 3 to 5 minutes. 2. Add in the cheese spread and stir until its thoroughly mixed. Pour into a serving bowl and garnish with pimentos or a dash of paprika.
Enjoy the warm smoky cheese with your favorite game day snack. This will even travel well. Take it to a friends house and simply warm it up in the oven until its ooey gooey again.
Fig & Pinot Stuffed Chicken Breasts
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
Fig & Pinot Grigio Cheese Spread, 4 ounces
½ CUP shredded mozzarella cheese
6 slices of prosciutto
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Butterfly each breast into two pieces of equal thickness. Using a meat tenderizer, pound the chicken to 1/4 inch thick. Pat them dry and liberally season it with salt and pepper on both sides.
3. Place a heaping spoonful of cheese spread on one end of each piece, top with a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese, then roll it all up tightly. Wrap the chicken with a slice of prosciutto and place in the baking dish seam-side down, so the prosciutto doesn't unravel.
4. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear when pierced with a fork or knife.
The cheese will most certainly ooze out from the chicken, but that's alright! The cheese and the meat juices make a wonderful sauce. When you serve your chicken make sure to add a scoop of cheesy sauce on top! All the flavors balance wonderfully in these little rollups
Panettone “Italian” Toast with Whipped Fig Cheese
1/2 DB Signature Panettone
3 eggs
1 CUP milk
1/2 CUP fresh orange juice
1/4 TSP ground cinnamon
1/4 TSP ground nutmeg
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Whipped Fig & Pinot Grigio Cheese Spread
Directions:
1. Cut the panettone into 6 vertical slices, about an inch thick.
2. Prep the whipped cheese spread by putting about 4 ounces into a bowl and vigorously whipping with a fork. This will aerate the cheese spread and allow it to come to room temperature. Transfer it into a sealed plastic bag. Cut off a very small piece of the corner for a makeshift pastry bag.
3. In a bowl, whisk the eggs until just blended, then whisk in the milk, orange juice, cinnamon and nutmeg.
4. Pour the egg mixture into a large, shallow baking dish and add the bread slices. Soak, turning once, about 10 seconds per side. Be careful not to allow them to sit in the egg mixture! The Panettone is far more delicate than regular bread and can fall apart quickly.
5. Heat a griddle on medium heat and brush with butter. When the butter foams, add a few of the bread slices (do not overcrowd). Cook, turning once, until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Turn the slices over again and cook for a few minutes more per side until browned to your taste.
6. Now it's time to dress up your "Italian" toast. Using your pastry bag, squeeze out rosettes of cheese spread on top of a mountain of toast. Dust with confectioners sugar for extra pizzazz.
This recipe falls under the category of special weekend brunch. But it's totally worth the effort! Sweet fluffy panettone combined with the figgy cheesy goodness creates a breakfast reverie. Accompany with Prosecco Mimosas for a finishing touch.
Cheesy Fig & Walnut Turnovers
Crushed raw English walnuts
Puff Pastry
1 beaten egg
4 TBSP Fig & Acacia Honey Jam
Fig & Pinot Grigio Cheese Spread, 4 ounces
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Line a baking sheet with some parchment or a silpat. Unravel the puff pastry and cut into six equal squares. No need to get out the ruler and straight edge, eyeball them as best you can.
3. On each square place a dollop of cheese, fig jam and a sprinkling of walnuts.
4. Beat an egg and using your finger coat the edges of the squares. Fold them in half and match the edges as best you can. The egg will help seal up the pastry so your delicious filling says on the inside. Use the tines of a fork to pinch around the sealed edge. Your goal is to squish both sides of the pastry together - no holes!
5. Lastly, use the remaining egg to brush the tops of the turnovers to give them a shiny golden finish.
6. Pop them in the oven for about 15 - 20 minutes until they are sufficiently puffed and golden.
These are fantastic bites for entertaining. Portable, finger food that packs a delightful flavor - both sweet and savory with a bit of crunch.
Smoked Gouda Mac & Cheese
½ CUP butter
½ CUP flour
4 CUPS whole milk
Salt and pepper to taste
1 TSP Dijon mustard
1 TSP paprika
Smoked Gouda & Beer Cheese Spread, 16 oz
1 box cooked pasta
Buttered breadcrumbs
Directions:
1. Begin with cooking your pasta of choice. Here we used radiatori, they have tons of nooks and crannies for cheese to hide in.
2. Next you make a basic bechamel sauce. In a medium saucepan melt the butter and allow it to brown and bubble and bit before you sprinkle in the flour a little at a time. Vigorously whisk together until its all smooth.
3. Add the milk 1 cup at a time, stirring until the sauce thickens each time. After the milk is all mixed in you should have a sauce that clings to the back of a spoon. Then it's time to mix in the salt, pepper, mustard and paprika. Lastly, stir in the cheese spread until you have a smooth homogeneous sauce.
4. Combine the cooked pasta into the sauce slowly. Reserve about a cup or two of pasta for a creamiest final consistency.
5. Preheat to oven to 350°F. Pour the cheesy pasta into a baking dish. Melt a TBSP of butter and pour over about a half cup of breadcrumbs. Stir until they are all coated. Top the Mac n' Cheese with the breadcrumbs and a sprinkling of Parmigiano Reggiano for an extra crunchy topping.
6. Bake uncovered for about a half hour, until bubbling and the top is golden.
This Mac n' Cheese is the definitive in comfort food. The inside is creamy and, oh, so cheesy. The exterior has a magnificent crunch. Eat it by the bowlful and relive your childhood.
Smoked Gouda Turkey BLT Club
4 pieces hearty bread of your choice
Sliced roast turkey
4 pieces of thick cut bacon
Smoked Gouda & Beer Cheese Spread
Lettuce
Tomato
Gherkins & Olives for flair
Directions:
1. Lightly toast three slices of bread.
2. Let the sandwich assembly begin! Generously spread the cheese on all three slices of bread. Starting with the bottom layer tomato, lettuce, turkey, bread, turkey, lettuce, tomato, bacon, bread. Got all that?
This beast of a sandwich could use a set of sturdy toothpicks garnished with olives and gherkins. You can even cut it up into fourths for a fun finger food. Although, all ten fingers will be required to eat this!
