cheese

How to Put Together a Cheese Plate (and Other Summer Picnic Recipes)

Check out 13 Breezy Summer Picnic Recipes

by Julie Ruble at Foodie.com

Thanks, Foodie, for sponsoring this post.

How to Put Together a Cheese Plate

3. Splurge a bit. I’m a pretty cheap foodie: I usually skip the most expensive cheeses. But this time around, since cheese was the main part of our meal (and since I figured I’d use leftovers in other recipes), I let myself grab a few blocks of the expensive stuff. When it’s the primary flavor of your meal, it’s worth it!

4. Make it pretty. Again, we’re maximizing easiness, here, so I don’t mean make it fancy. Just pretty. I threw a table runner on our patio table, put the cheeses on a platter with grape bunches as a buffer, and poured the snacks into nice jars and ramekins. Things just taste better when they look good. Thankfully, it’s not hard to make a plate of cheese look fantastic.

Any other tips, veteran cheese platers?

Don’t miss these fancier Willow Bird picnics: The Secret Garden Party, A Heartfelt Birthday Do-Over, and School’s IN for Summer

Fresh Summer Pasta with Plugra Ricotta Sauce

Fresh Summer Pasta with Plugra Ricotta Sauce - Willow Bird Baking

Fresh Summer Pasta with Plugra Ricotta Sauce



Recipe by: Adapted from Chef Kevin Kidd
Yield: 4 servings

Start with super fresh ingredients to create this simple, fresh pasta dish! I love how quick and easy this recipe is.

Ingredients:
28 ounces fresh OR 19 ounces dried tagliatelle or fettucine
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 shallot, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, sliced diagonally
1/4 cup white wine
2 ounces unsalted Plugrá European-Style Butter, sliced into 1/2-inch slices
8 spears asparagus, sliced into 2-inch chunks
8 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
1/4 bunch fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, rough chopped
12 fresh basil leaves, rough chopped
lemon juice, salt, freshly ground pepper, Parmigiana Reggiano as needed

Directions:
Prepare an ice water bath in a medium bowl. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil over high heat and blanch the asparagus for 2-3 minutes before plunging them into the ice water to stop cooking. Drain the asparagus and set it aside.

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a rolling boil over high heat and add fresh or dried pasta. Cook 3 minutes (fresh pasta) or according to package directions (dried pasta). Going to Italy made me realize I’d been overcooking my pasta my whole life: al dente means your pasta should have a definite toothiness to it when bitten. Be careful not to overcook! Drain the finished pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water for the sauce later.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add shallots and cook for a minute before adding garlic and sautéing for close to a minute or until lightly caramelized but not burnt. Add white wine to deglaze the pan. Whisk in Plugrá butter until it’s melted and blended into the sauce. Add the green onions and asparagus and stir to heat them briefly before reducing the heat to low and adding chunks of ricotta cheese. Salt this to taste — for me, this meant a LOT of salt, because it has to salt all the pasta as well. So don’t be shy.

Add the pasta into the pan (and a little of the pasta water if you need it) and toss it in the sauce over low heat. Add most of the parsley and all of the basil and toss. Drizzle the rest of the olive oil over the top. Now comes the adjusting: taste your pasta and add salt, more olive oil, a healthy grating of Parmigiana Reggiano, freshly ground pepper, a spritz of lemon juice, etc., as needed to balance the flavors. You should end up with a bright, flavorful, fresh tasting pasta.

Open-Faced Sausage Sliders on Rosemary Waffles

Open-Faced Sausage Sliders on Rosemary Waffles

Open-Faced Sausage Sliders on Rosemary Waffles



Recipe by: Willow Bird Baking
Yield: 4 servings

Waffles aren’t just for breakfast anymore. These meatball slider-style waffles were sophisticated and delicious, but quick and easy to prepare. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes (I use San Marzano)
2 heaping tablespoons julienned sundried tomatoes in oil
1 tablespoon red wine
3 basil leaves, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 links hot Italian sausage
4 frozen Homestyle Eggo waffles
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
4-8 slices provolone cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and chili flakes and cook for around 30 seconds. Add in canned and sundried tomatoes and red wine. Raise the heat to high to bring the pot to a simmer before lowering it back to medium. Stir occasionally as it simmers for 30 minutes.

In the meantime, brown the sausage in a separate skillet over medium-high heat and then add it into the sauce. After the sauce has simmered for around 30 minutes, add in the basil and stir to combine.

Mix softened butter and rosemary in a bowl until combined. Prepare 4 waffles by smearing each with equal amounts of rosemary butter. Bake the waffles on prepared baking sheet for about 10 minutes, adding a slice of provolone to each for the last minute. Remove them from the oven and top each waffle with a heaping ladle of sausage and tomato sauce. Serve sprinkled with basil or with more provolone on top.

Open Faced Chili Grilled Cheese with a Runny Egg (The Perfect Grilled Cheese)

The Perfect Grilled Cheese
Open Faced Chili Grilled Cheese with a Runny Egg (The Perfect Grilled Cheese)

Open Faced Chili Grilled Cheese with a Runny Egg (The Perfect Grilled Cheese)



Recipe by: Willow Bird Baking, with chili recipe adapted from Cooks’ Illustrated, as found on Brown Eyed Baker. Sandwich inspired by BS’ in the Kitchen.
Yield: 4 servings

This meal was insaaane. Turns out, the perfect grilled cheese requires the perfect homemade chili. You can use any leftover chili for this sandwich, but it’s so worth it to make the chili linked below; it’s the best I’ve ever had, hands down. It looks complicated, but it’s actually a cinch to prepare and can be made a few days ahead and refrigerated until you’re ready to assemble your sandwiches. The recipe below makes about three times the amount of chili you need, but I make the whole batch because I know I’ll want to freeze some for other uses.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
lots of butter (around 1/2 cup), softened to room temperature, plus more butter for cooking
2 slices of a sourdough bread boule (about 1 inch thick and 8 inches long)
about 3 cups homemade chili from this recipe
sharp cheddar cheese, sliced thin
2 eggs
salt and pepper
2 green onions, chopped
cilantro, chopped
optional serving suggestions: guacamole, sour cream, avocados, salsa

Directions:
Preheat broiler. Mix softened butter and mayonnaise in a small bowl and spread a good layer on both sides of each slice of bread.

Heat a heavy, oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Toast one side of the bread in the hot skillet until golden. Flip the bread and pile on the chili. Top with cheese strips and place the skillet immediately under the broiler to melt for 2-3 minutes, watching closely. Pull the skillet out of the oven when the cheese is melty and remove the sandwiches to a plate.

Melt another tablespoon of butter in the skillet over medium heat and break two eggs into it. Cook the eggs just until you can flip them, cooking them only slightly on the other side. Remove the over-easy eggs to the tops of the waiting sandwiches and top with salt, pepper, cilantro, and green onions. Serve with sour cream, guacamole, and salsa if desired.

8 Cinco de Mayo Recipes from Willow Bird Baking


Thanks, Foodie, for sponsoring this post, 8 Cinco de Mayo Recipes from Willow Bird Baking!

Mexican and Tex-Mex food is my all-time favorite. I love Thai, Indian, Japanese, Greek, French, Cuban — I could eat my way through just about every country — but Mexican is the cuisine I always crave. Want to celebrate Cinco de Mayo this year with a Tex-Mex feast? Above are some of my favorite recipes from around the webz, and below are 8 of my own Tex-Mex creations! Enjoy!

Easy Taco Grilled Mini Pizzas
Easy Taco Grilled Mini Pizzas

This is the quick and easy way to get Tex-Mex deliciousness on your table. Difficulty level: Easy.



Sweet Tater & Chorizo Hand Tarts
Sweet Tater & Chorizo Hand Tarts

Tender pie pastry with a delicious sweet potato and chorizo filling! Difficulty level: Intermediate (includes a quick and easy adaptation using ready-made crescent rolls!)



Creamy Chicken and Green Chile Enchiladas
Creamy Chicken and Green Chile Enchiladas

I made this recipe a LONG time ago before I took very good photos, but trust me: these things are so good! A ready-made rotisserie chicken makes this a quick and easy choice. Difficulty level: Easy.



Naked Vegan Tacos with Corn Relish and Cilantro-Lime Slaw
Naked Vegan Tacos with Corn Relish and Cilantro-Lime Slaw

Bright, healthy, and so delicious! Difficulty level: Easy.



Taco Stuffed Crescent Rolls
Taco Stuffed Crescent Rolls

Again, don’t let the old photo fool you. This is one of the BEST recipes on Willow Bird Baking! So quick, easy, and incredibly delicious! Difficulty level: Easy.



Cheap and Simple Taco Pockets
Cheap and Simple Taco Pockets

Want some taco pockets, but don’t want to use ready made dough? Here’s an all-homemade version! Difficulty level: Intermediate.



Savory Sweet Potato & Chorizo “Cinnamon Rolls”
Savory Sweet Potato & Chorizo 'Cinnamon Rolls'

These savory cinnamon rolls are so delectable with dinner! Difficulty level: Intermediate.



Sausage & Corn Chile Con Queso Taco Ring
Sausage & Corn Chile Con Queso Taco Ring

My all-time favorite Willow Bird Baking Tex-Mex recipe! The filling in this baby is INSANE. The ring itself also looks impressive but is so easy to make! Difficulty level: Easy



Tres Leches Coconut Cake Trifle
Tres Leches Coconut Cake Trifle

Don’t forget dessert! If you love coconut cake and tres leches cake, you’re gonna want to throw yourself face first into this. Difficulty level: Intermediate.



Flan Tres Leches Cake
Flan Tres Leches Cake

Can’t decide between flan and tres leches cake? I got ya covered! Difficulty level: Intermediate.


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