Cream Cheese

Bacon-Pimento Green Chile Cheese

/ More Time at the Table / Leave a comment

Jump to Recipe

I’m somewhat of a lazy appetizer maker. I readily concede it. I nearly always do make some something or other from scratch, pairing it with a bowl or two of nuts and maybe some high end potato chips. (My current chip crush is a Truffle one you can order on amazon. Shoot me if I’m wrong.) More often than not – scroll down to IF YOU LIKED THIS to prove my tale –I whip up a cheese spread of some sort. It’s easy; it holds if made ahead; it keeps and might even freeze if it’s leftover. Works out all around.

A party loaf you can still make today. (courtesy Betty Crocker)

Over the past several years, I’ve gotten friendly with the, by now, very famous Lee Brothers Pimento Cheese (google it). Born to a southern-bred mama, I’m no stranger to pimento cheese, especially layered into a party loaf for a baby shower. But I don’t think I’d ever made it myself as a young cook, so was glad to rediscover it. While I liked the basic batch lots, I quickly began to play with it, as is my wont — not a popular thing to do in the south, where Pimento Cheese is serious business. Nonetheless, play with it I did, going all southwest (I do live and love in Colorado) with the addition of roasted green chiles and later on even adding shrimp. Oh no!! Oh yes!! I loved them all but yesterday, when my good friend Jim White was coming to dinner, I had everything for a pimento cheese spread of some sort but also had leftover crisply-fried bacon. I know; who has leftover bacon? Well, you know what happened. And, I couldn’t help but think, “Bacon for breakfast, bacon for lunch!!” You do remember the movie “Grumpier Old Men,” right? (If not, time to watch that and its predecessor. You missed out.) This movie has prime bacon dialog. If you haven’t seen it, Grandpa Gustafson was played by Burgess Meredith and John (Johnny) Gustafson was played by Jack Lemmon. Here’s the dialog:

Continue reading →

FRIDAY FISH: Salmon, Leek, & Fennel Quiche

/ More Time at the Table / Leave a comment

Jump to Recipe

Springing up in our yard

There’s just something about eggs and cream together. A marriage, as they say, made in culinary heaven. The wide, wide world offers so many choice custard desserts (do you know natilla?); my hub and best sous Dave adores old school American custard pies, as does good friend and fine baker Ruth Lehmkuhl. I, myself, like nothing better than a little crème brûlée to tuck into at the end of a long, laughing dinner, along with a not-too-tiny Armagnac, of course. I also love plain old custard with nutmeg –the perfect sore throat fast food– baked in Pyrex custard dishes, so there. And next comes quiche, which is simply a savory custard pie no matter what shape it’s baked into or what kind of dish or pan or plate holds it. It’s all good fun to bake a few quiche (quiches?) for a brunch, having them ready when folks arrive so they can choose their favorite(s). While yummy when warm — they’re not good straight out of the oven as they need to set a spell before cutting to avoid a hot mess — they’re also stunning at room temperature or even cold sliced up into bites on an appetizer platter. I have to slip in here that they travel beautifully; we often have a slice or two in hotel rooms after long car rides. I’ll also attest you can make a quiche out of just about anything, which makes them exceptional dishes for using up leftovers — more on that later. Today’s SALMON, LEEK & FENNEL crustless quiche (no pastry worries here) was just such a fortunate pie in my kitchen. After making a Salmon Cheese Spread for a charcuterie platter demonstration, I had just a little salmon leftover…

Continue reading →

Peach Dream Cheesecake (Gluten-Free)

/ More Time at the Table / 3 Comments

Directions for a cake containing gluten included in the printed recipe.
Jump to Recipe

A few weeks ago, my friend Jeanne’s niece, Julianne and her family, came to visit Colorado from Florida. Why didn’t we come for a cookout? wondered Jeanne. We have a long-standing tradition of eating my cheesecake sometime around husband Dave’s birthday and the 4th of July, so it only made sense to offer to bring it. Jeanne was thrilled, but allowed that as Julianne followed a gluten-free diet, would I make some GF cookies, too? Of course I would.

Continue reading →