Rosemary Cheese Crackers

I've often wondered why anyone would bother making crackers at home. I figured the homemade taste must be superior, but it didn't seem worth the fuss. I have happily discovered there is no fuss, and the crackers truly are superior. If you can make chocolate chip cookies, you can make these crackers. You don't even need a rolling pin!

These don't have the snap of Cheez-Its or Ritz -- rather, think savory shortbread. Softened butter and shredded cheese are beaten together with flour and a few other ingredients. You roughly roll the dough into a log and chill it until firm, then slice and bake. That's it! The crackers are flavored with rosemary, cheddar, cayenne, and red pepper flakes. They're not too hot, but I reduced the pepper and pepper flakes on my second try because I didn't want that much heat and mouth-tingle.

The chilled log of dough is sliced into crackers; for a fancier touch, use a fluted cutter;

use a fork to poke holes in the crackers before baking.

The crackers also remind me of some blue cheese crackers I had during afternoon tea at Upstairs on the Square.  And that makes me think of ways to play around with this recipe, including substituting blue cheese for the cheddar.  Swap in a different herb, or sesame or poppy seeds.  How will you play with it?

Flour's Country Ham, Cheddar and Tomato Quiche

This quiche is good, really good.  And not just for breakfast -- I'd happily have this with a salad for lunch or dinner.  The crust is buttery, sandy, and crumbly, and the freshness of the tomatoes nicely contrasts with the creamy filling, even after being baked.  I haven't had quiche in so long, I was imagining a big omelet in crust.  But this is a smooth, savory custard.  The amount of ham and cheese isn't over the top, and despite the richness of the dish it feels light on your stomach.  I wanted to photograph individual slices too, but there weren't any left!

The recipe for the filling looked very rich, so I subbed the heavy cream with more half and half.  Still not exactly healthy, I know, but I was afraid it might not set up if I used just milk.  I also correctly guessed there would be more filling than a standard tart pan would hold, so I opted for an 8-inch springform pan instead, making it narrower but taller.  If you do the same, just note that this will add 30 minutes to the cooking time.

My last few tips.  If you use a springform pan, wrap the outside in foil since my second try sprung a leak despite no visible crust cracks.  And like the recipe says, make your crust taller than necessary to account for some inevitable shrinkage -- mine originally came up to the rim of the pan.  An industrial-sized paper coffee filter is handy for holding pie weights during blind baking.  Also, save that leftover dough!  Any pieces of crust that break off or holes that appear after blind baking can be patched up with dough and then baked with the filling.

Update: This post made the daily Foodbuzz Top 9!

Bacon Cheddar Chive Scones

I'm resurrecting this oldie but goodie from my archives.  It's cold-weather comfort food, even if the temperatures have been remarkably high for the Boston area in February.  When I last posted this a couple years ago, they were a warming treat after a bout of shoveling in some snowstorm.  This year I haven't shoveled once (yay!), but these scones are just as enjoyable.

A food processor makes quick work of blending butter into the flour.  Crispy bacon and diced cheddar are stirred in, and the chives give the scones a nice bite.

It helps to give the scones a stint in the freezer or fridge while the oven is preheating, since cold ingredients are the key to tall and flaky scones or biscuits.  Brush with cream, bake, put the kettle on to boil, and grab a good book.

Bacon Cheddar Chive Scones

These scones were SO good after shoveling snow up to my knees outside, with flakes still falling everywhere.  I trudged back in, chilly and worn out, and baked these up.  They were delicious warm out of the oven, flaky but slightly gooey with the cheese.  I've only eaten sweet scones before, but this savory recipe has won me over.  Salty bacon, sharp cheddar, and fresh chives make the perfect wintry breakfast.

Buttermilk Biscuits with Cheese & Chives

Forget that recipe I blogged over the summer. These are easier and more flavorful. They're delicious served warm, especially in the winter. Here I substituted Monterey Jack for white cheddar because it's what I had in the fridge again, and added chives because . . . well, why not?

Buttermilk Biscuits from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tbs plus 1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
1¾ cups buttermilk, plus more for brushing

Preheat the oven to 375°. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Using a pastry blender (I used a food processor), cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few larger clumps remaining.

Pour in the buttermilk; using a rubber spatula, fold buttermilk into the dough, working in all directions and incorporating crumbs at the bottom of the bowl, until the dough just comes together. The dough will be slightly sticky; do not overmix.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. With floured fingers, gently pat the dough into a round about 1 inch thick, pressing in any loose bits. Do not overwork the dough. Use a floured 2¼-inch round biscuit cutter to cut out the biscuits as close together as possible. (Use one cut edge as the edge for the next biscuit.)

Place the biscuits about 1½ inches apart on an unlined baking sheet. Generously brush the tops of the biscuits with buttermilk. Bake, rotating the sheet halfway through, until the biscuits are golden and flecked with brown spots, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer the biscuits to a wire rack to cool.


Cheddar Biscuits Variation. Add 3 cups (9 ounces) grated sharp cheddar cheese to the flour mixture after the butter has been cut in. Proceed with the recipe.

The Best Mac and Cheese

That's how people describe this dish when they taste it. My personal touch is a topping of homemade breadcrumbs for extra flavor and some crunch. If you must use storebought breadcrumbs, at least buy Panko so you get large-textured crumbs.

I sometimes substitute the cheddar for Monterey Jack, which tastes similar but doesn't exude as much oil as cheddar. And feel free to cut the amount of cheese by a cup -- it'll still be incredibly cheesy.

White Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese from Tyler Florence's Real Kitchen
1 pound elbow macaroni (I use shells, which hold the cheese nicely)
3 tbs unsalted butter
3 tbs all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
4 cups shredded sharp white Cheddar cheese, plus 1 cup for the top
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook the macaroni in lightly salted boiling water for about 10 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain well and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a deep skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour to make a roux and cook, stirring constantly, to remove any lumps. Pour in the milk and cook until the mixture is thick and smooth, still stirring all the while. Stir in 4 cups of the Cheddar and continue to cook and stir until the cheese melts. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cooked macaroni and fold to incorporate. Transfer the mixture to a 3-quart baking dish. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cup of shredded cheese. (Here I sprinkle the homemade breadcrumbs on top.) Bake for 30 minutes, until hot and bubbly.

Homemade Breadcrumbs
I tear up two slices of white bread and put the chunks in the food processor. Pulse until you have large crumbs. Empty them into a bowl and drizzle with a teaspoon of olive oil, then toss immediately. The oil will help the crumbs brown nicely.

Moosewood's Cheesy Potato Soup

My friend Jill made this soup for my birthday last year, and I had to ask for the recipe. It's hearty and just what you want as the weather gets chilly. I like to puree a little over half of the soup, so you get that creamy texture but still have some good chunks. It's easy to make, and can come together in under half an hour.

Moosewood's Cheesy Potato Soup
3 tbs butter
2 cups chopped onions
1 garlic clove, minced
2 large potatoes, peeled in large dice
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped into chunks
3 cups vegetable stock or water
2 tbs fresh dill
4 oz. cream cheese
1½ cups milk
1 cup grated cheddar (3 oz.)
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, saute the garlic and onions in the butter until translucent. Add potatoes and carrots and saute 5 minutes longer. Add the stock and dill and simmer until vegetables are tender (expect 15 to 20 minutes). Stir in the cream cheese and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cheddar and cook until just melted.

I throw chunks of cheddar in the food processor to shred, and then ladle about half of the soup in to puree.

Then return the velvety mixture to the pot, stir to combine, and add the cream cheese and milk.