All Together: Beer, Bacon and Cheese

 

As in all together in a dip! Chef Jimmy Kennedy stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about Cabot Creamery's Warm Cheddar, Ale and Bacon Dip. He says not only is this dip a match made in heaven for tortilla chips, it's also a lot of fun to serve at football gatherings. He told Tonia that the tip is very easy to make, with your favorite Amber Ale, two kinds of Cabot Cheese and a dash of dijon mustard. He says this dip has similarities to Beer Cheddar Soup, but with enough thickness to allow for easy scooping from the chips you use. Any way you like it, this dip's a winner! Go team!

Ingredients

• 4 slices smoky bacon, finely diced

• 3 tablespoons King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

• 1 (12-ounce) bottle amber ale
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

• 4 ounces Cabot Cream Cheese, cut into pieces

• 16 ounces Cabot Sharp Cheddar, Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar or Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar, grated (about 4 cups)
• ½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce, or to taste
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste

• Food Should Taste Good The Works or Blue Corn Tortilla Chips

Directions

1. COOK bacon in large saucepan over medium heat until browned and crispy; transfer with slotted spoon to paper towels, leaving fat behind in pan.
2. STIR flour into bacon fat and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
3. WHISK in ale; continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until mixture is simmering and thickened. Whisk in mustard.
4. REDUCE heat to low. Stir in cream cheese. Add cheddar a handful at a time and stir until cheeses are melted and dip is hot.
5. ADD Tabasco, bacon, and season with salt and pepper to taste. (Dip can be made several days ahead and re-warmed.)
6. SERVE warm in crock, surrounded with tortilla chips.

Keep The Husk Stuffed

 

This one's a thinking chef's recipe. And that's because this chef really loves to think about traditional recipes and how to mixup them up a little. Chef Jimmy from Cabot Cheese's test kitchen stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about his ideas on grilled corn husks with fish and cheddar. The inspiration comes from both grilled corn and fish tacos, with a cheesy twist. Chef Jimmy told Tonia the addition of Cabot Cheddar here really brings out the flavor!

• 2 - 4 dried corn husks

• 2-4 Grilled Fish Fillets

• 8 ounces of Cabot Pepper Jack cheese

• 8 ounces of Cabot Garlic Herb Cheddar

• 8 ounces of Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar

1. START with a package of dried corn husks, the kind used to make Mexican tamales, available at the grocery or craft store. For each bowl, soak about three husks in hot water for a couple of minutes until more pliable.

2. PLACE two husks together, wide ends overlapping by a couple of inches, to form a boat shape. Tear four strips from the third husk to use for tying.

3. FOLD or roll down the edges, on one side, where they overlap to make them even, then poke a small slit with the tip of a paring knife. Thread the narrow tip of one of the ties through the slit and tie. Repeat on the other side.
4. PINCH together the husk on each end, and tie with another strip.

5. STUFF the “boat” shape with some paper towel to hold the shape you want,and let stand until dry or overnight. Make a few boats to fill with different flavors of cheddar. Arrange them on a platter with dried corn cobs, to serve alone or accompanied with fresh pears or apples, dried fruits, roasted nuts or favorite crackers. Top with the Cabot cheese and grilled fish.

A Husky Stuffing

  

This one's a thinking chef's recipe. And that's because this chef really loves to think about traditional recipes and how to mixup them up a little. Chef Jimmy from Cabot Cheese's test kitchen stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about his ideas on grilled corn husks with fish and cheddar. The inspiration comes from both grilled corn and fish tacos, with a cheesy twist. Chef Jimmy told Tonia the addition of Cabot Cheddar here really brings out the flavor!

• 2 - 4 dried corn husks

• 2-4 Grilled Fish Fillets

• 8 ounces of Cabot Pepper Jack cheese

• 8 ounces of Cabot Garlic Herb Cheddar

• 8 ounces of Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar

1. START with a package of dried corn husks, the kind used to make Mexican tamales, available at the grocery or craft store. For each bowl, soak about three husks in hot water for a couple of minutes until more pliable.

2. PLACE two husks together, wide ends overlapping by a couple of inches, to form a boat shape. Tear four strips from the third husk to use for tying.

3. FOLD or roll down the edges, on one side, where they overlap to make them even, then poke a small slit with the tip of a paring knife. Thread the narrow tip of one of the ties through the slit and tie. Repeat on the other side.
4. PINCH together the husk on each end, and tie with another strip.

5. STUFF the “boat” shape with some paper towel to hold the shape you want,and let stand until dry or overnight. Make a few boats to fill with different flavors of cheddar. Arrange them on a platter with dried corn cobs, to serve alone or accompanied with fresh pears or apples, dried fruits, roasted nuts or favorite crackers. Top with the Cabot cheese and grilled fish.

A Vermont Twist On a Classic Sandwich

  



It's called the VER-MONTE Cristo (see what we did there?)Today we travel north to Vermont, to learn about an artisan cheesemaker take on a breakfast classic, French Toast.  But now we add the element of creamy cheddar cheese.  Chef Jimmy Kennedy with the Cabot Cheese Creamery of Vermont came by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about his recipe for the Ver-monte Cristo.  Essentially, its French Toast with sharp cheddar cheese, sautéed onions or shallots, brought together in a sandwich, topped with maple syrup and maybe served with sausage or ham.  It's both sweet and deliciously salty, quite the combination!

• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 4 slices favorite local bread, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons Cabot Unsalted Butter, divided
• 1 Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced
• 1 whole shallot or very small onion, julienned or thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 4 ounces Cabot Sharp Cheddar, grated (about 1 cup)
• 2 large cooked sausage patties or thick slices ham

Directions

1. In medium bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half and vanilla. Add bread slices, turning to coat with mixture, and set aside to soak.
2. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in small skillet over medium-high heat; add apple slices and shallot or onion and cook until tender. Add vinegar and cook for one minute longer. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Melt remaining butter in large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Remove bread slices from egg mixture (discard remaining egg mixture) and cook in skillet for about two minutes on each side.
4. Layer cheese, sausage or ham and apple mixture evenly over two of bread slices. Top with remaining two bread slices.
5. Cook for one minute or until golden on underside. Turn sandwiches over and cook for one minute longer, or until sandwich is golden on second side and cheese is melted. Cut in half and serve warm.

A Healthy Alternative to The Chicken Wing

 

But it really tastes good! Some people even prefer it to the actual wing. Chef Jimmy Kennedy, who's with Cabot Creamery, stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about his, nutritious, easy to make Cauliflower wings. Jimmy told Tonia that the way he makes them, a lot of people tell him these "wings" are just as good, if not better than real chicken wings. Jimmy says he came up with the idea when trying to cater for vegetarians. He noted that instead of Blue Cheese or Ranch, try Cabot Greek Yogurt as the base for a dipping sauce. 

Ingredients

• 1 head of cauliflower
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• Salt

Buffalo Yogurt Dip

• 1 cup Cabot Plain Greek Yogurt
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons Franks Hot Sauce or your favorite brand
• ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½  teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon granulated garlic

Directions

1. PREHEAT oven to 425°F.
2. CUT or break the cauliflower florets off the core leaving as much of the stem on as possible. They should resemble little trees or drumsticks. Place the florets in a large bowl and toss gently with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and salt.  Lightly oil a roasting pan or sheet pan with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and spread the cauliflower in a single layer in or on the pan and place in the oven.
3. ROAST for 25 to 30 minutes or until the cauliflower just starts to get tender and the edges start to turn nice and brown.
4. MIX all of the dip ingredients in a medium size bowl until well blended.
5. ARRANGE the roasted cauliflower on a serving platter with a bowl of the dip on the side. Enjoy!

Bacon, Beer and Cheese...All Together!

As in all together in a dip! Chef Jimmy Kennedy stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about Cabot Creamery's Warm Cheddar, Ale and Bacon Dip. He says not only is this dip a match made in heaven for tortilla chips, it's also a lot of fun to serve at football gatherings. He told Tonia that the tip is very easy to make, with your favorite Amber Ale, two kinds of Cabot Cheese and a dash of dijon mustard. He says this dip has similarities to Beer Cheddar Soup, but with enough thickness to allow for easy scooping from the chips you use. Any way you like it, this dip's a winner! Go team!

Ingredients

• 4 slices smoky bacon, finely diced

• 3 tablespoons King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

• 1 (12-ounce) bottle amber ale
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

• 4 ounces Cabot Cream Cheese, cut into pieces

• 16 ounces Cabot Sharp Cheddar, Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar or Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar, grated (about 4 cups)
• ½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce, or to taste
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste

• Food Should Taste Good The Works or Blue Corn Tortilla Chips

Directions

1. COOK bacon in large saucepan over medium heat until browned and crispy; transfer with slotted spoon to paper towels, leaving fat behind in pan.
2. STIR flour into bacon fat and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
3. WHISK in ale; continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until mixture is simmering and thickened. Whisk in mustard.
4. REDUCE heat to low. Stir in cream cheese. Add cheddar a handful at a time and stir until cheeses are melted and dip is hot.
5. ADD Tabasco, bacon, and season with salt and pepper to taste. (Dip can be made several days ahead and re-warmed.)
6. SERVE warm in crock, surrounded with tortilla chips.