One more for the cheesy bit! The other day, I made these Smoked Gouda Mac + Cheese Poppers and I wasn’t sure that I was going to post about them, because they didn’t come out perfect (almost every one “leaked” some cheese whilst frying) but then I thought that that was stupid because not everything has to be perfect. And they were actually delicious, and the “leaky cheese” made them rustic anyway. I made them with smoked Gouda as a change of pace, but you could certainly make them with a sharp Gruyere or Cheddar as well. Dipping sauces are endless: this was a hot chili crisp, but a curry ketchup or spicy marinara or even an olive tapenade would be nice.
Appetizers/Starters
Cheddar Parmesan + Hot Red Pepper Linzer “Cookies”
These Cheddar Parmesan + Hot Red Pepper Linzer “Cookies” are actually great, except that they are pretty fragile and they fall apart easily. You can put them on a charcuterie platter, but can’t put them in a bag or box to mail. Delicious, but a little impractical. Oh well, guess I’ll just have to eat them myself.
Switching gears, the cabbage family. Big and diverse and super healthy, I decided to start off this week with a swiss chard, part of the cabbage family, taking center stage. This slab-style pie makes a great light lunch, a snack or even an appetizer. I personally also think it would be a great thing to bring to a picnic or a potluck as it can be enjoyed hot or at room temperature.
Sometimes, when it is cold like it has been this January and February — I mean, disproportionately cold! — you just want some hearty soup and this one fits the bill. Hearty, a little bit spicy (and easy to bump up the spice with additional jalapeños or hot sauce). It’s nutritious and kept me warm all evening.
Staying on my “Hand Pie” kick, here is a recipe for making a whole lot and freezing them. It’s a “from scratch” recipe — meaning first make your curry, then make your hand pies, but you can easily just make hand pies from any leftover curry that you might have. Just the other day, I purposefully saved some butter chicken to make some additional hand pies. Easy and always great to have in the freezer for a quick lunch.