Cheese Straws

Cheese Straws

Like I said I goofed up big time when I forgot what my “Say Cheese” theme was. So here I am the day the post has to go up trying to meet the deadline. Struggling to make my stuff, write, click and all the background stuff we bloggers do.

So today I am making Cheese Straws! Since I had absolutely no planning I had no maida except 25 grms forget the self rising flour. No Cheddar other than the 50 grams the girls had forgotten about thank goodness Apeksha has not bothered to taste Gouda!

Next time I plan to make more, for  these are hardly anything.The girls know I am worked up so they have not come to check out the end product. They will wait, as one of them has said,” Let the camera eat first!”

Cheese Straws

Recipe Source:

Ingredients:

• 25 grams maida
• 25 grams whole wheat flour 
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 25 grams butter, softened
• 50 grams cheddar
• 50 grams Gouda cheese
• Pinch of red chilli powder/cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper
• Water

Method:

• Preheat oven at 180°C.
• With a whisk mix the flours. I also added the salt, pepper and chilli powder.
• Rub the butter into the flour mixture till it resembles a bread-crumb type mixture.
• Add in the finely-grated cheese.
• Add a tablespoon of water until it comes together as a dough. (I forgot about it so had to knead a lot still my dough was not as smooth as I would have liked it to be).
• I rolled out on a baking tray to about 5mm thick circle.
• Cut into thin strips.
• Bake for 10 minutes or till golden in colour.

Linking to PJ's event "Say Cheese" for Srivalli's Kid’s delight.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#49

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!

 

Mac n Cheese

Mac n Cheese

The girls were thrilled when I choose “Say cheese “as my theme.

Mac n Cheese has been on the demand list for ages and so I had promised the girls. Now in my rush of jobs I forgot the “say cheese” is a kid friendly theme and did not remember my promise. When I realised it I made this Mac n Cheese with processed cheese and cheddar.

The girls are not too happy with the resulting Mac n Cheese but there are in-roads in it. I have kept the original recipe as it is for I feel it will taste better and plan to make it for them when I go to Chennai this month!

Mac n Cheese

Recipe Source:  here 

Ingredients:

• 500 grms macaroni
• Salt to taste
• 1 tblspn oil
• 4 cups white sauce
•  4 cups/340 grms gruyere, grated 
• 2 cups/227 grms cheddar, grated 
• ½   tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 340 grms/6 med. tomatoes
• 2 tblspn/28 grms unsalted butter, divided
• 1 ½ cups bread crumbs

Mac n Cheese

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 190°C or 375° F.
• Add the oil into a large pot of boiling salted water.
• Add the macaroni and cook al dente. Drain and set aside.
• In the hot white sauce add the gruyere, cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper.
• Add the cooked macaroni and stir well.
• Pour into a 8 inch baking dish.
• Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top of the macaroni.
• Melt the butter mix well with the fresh bread crumbs and sprinkle on the top.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#49

Linking to PJ's event "Say Cheese" for Srivalli's Kid’s delight.

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!

 

Cheese Toast

Cheese Toast

Most morning Monday mornings I find myself in a fix.

What to pack for the kid for snack?

Actually I should be better prepared but most of the times I am not. Maybe because half my Sunday is spent in trying to play catch… catch up with pending jobs, from washing to marketing, on the move.

Where is the time to get down to planning, even if I have I have planned the girls have some requests.

Okay let’s quit no more excuses I am clueless… call it Monday morning blues, whatever…

Monday mornings I generally pack Cheese Toast for the girls and their father and grandfather are very happy to have them too. So come Mondays you will see Cheese Toast on the breakfast table.

So let’s get down to making Cheese Toasts which I make with eyes that are barely open. Between my many visits to wash my eyes open breakfast and Tiffin box is ready in time. Ahhh what an achievement!

Why this syndrome of “barely open eyes” catches up with me on Saturday and Monday mornings only I don’t know but I am thankful to Cheese Toast!

To make a Cheese Toast you will need ideally a toaster, a sandwich toaster either electric or gas friendly. In case you do not  have both, do not despair use the non-stick tava/skillet and a heavy object to weigh down the other slice of bread. Works fine!!

Cheese Toast

For 1 sandwich

Ingredients:

• 2 slices of brown bread
• 1 slice of cheese
• 1 tsp of tomato ketchup( optional)
• Some ghee for the toaster

Method:

• Apply the ghee to the toaster.
• On  bread slice lay the cheese slice.
• Apply the tomato sauce and close the sandwich with the second slice.
• Cook till browned on both the sides till browned.
• Serve.
• Tastes best hot with a cup of tea or coffee.

Cheese Toast

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#49

Linking to PJ's event "Say Cheese" for Srivalli's Kid’s delight.

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!

 

Ricotta Cheese-DIY

 

Ricotta Cheese

Cheese in used in all walks of life from Charles de Gaulle saying, “How can you govern a country which has 246 varieties of cheese?”  Or “Age is something that doesn’t matter unless you are a cheese.” Luis Bunuel!

Books like,” Who moved my cheese?”” I moved your cheese” then there are cheesy lines cute and flattering pickup lines and of course the most famous “say cheese”!

So what exactly is cheese?

Wikipedia again… :D

“Cheese is a food derived from milk that is produced in a wide range of flavours, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk, usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep. During production, the milk is usually acidified, and adding the enzyme rennet causes coagulation. The solids are separated and pressed into final form. Some cheeses have molds on the rind or throughout. Most cheeses melt at cooking temperature.”

There are apparently hundreds of cheese world around. The difference is produced by styles, textures, flavours, the animal’s diet, fat content, herbs used among many other things.

“In a few cheeses, the milk is curdled by adding acids such as vinegar or lemon juice. Most cheeses are acidified to a lesser degree by bacteria, which turn milk sugars into lactic acid, and then the addition of rennet completes the curdling. Vegetarian alternatives to rennet are available also.

Cheese is valued for its portability, long life, and high content of fat, protein, calcium, and phosphorus. Cheese is more compact and has a longer shelf life than milk, although how long a cheese will keep may depend on the type of cheese. Generally speaking, hard cheeses last longer than soft cheeses, such as Brie or goat's milk cheese. .”

Tempted to be a specialist in cheese? Well you will be called a cheesemonger and you need to train for it.

Cheese the origin of which is predates recorded history.

Wondering what is happening here? Then for  watch this space for 3 do it yourself cheeses.

Let’s start with ricotta cheese, which is a flexible cheese and can be used in appetizers, regular meal or a dessert and the bonus is it’s easy to make.

Since I forgot I had this cheese in the fridge it came out like a harder than anticipated ball, but tasted as yum.

Ricotta Cheese

Recipe Source: Foodiliciousnan
Ingredients: 

• 1 litre milk 
• ½ fresh cream or malai (you can use heavy cream) 
• ½ cup curds/ yogurt 
• 1 tsp vinegar 
• ½ tsp salt

Method:

• Mix all the ingredients in a large vessel and bring to a boil, till 
• the whey and curds separate.
• Line a sieve with muslin or cheese cloth pour contents in the sieve.
• The whey water drip for 15 minute and then strain any remaining liquid with your hands
• Ricotta cheese is ready!
• Stays good refrigerated for 3 days.

Linking to PJ's event "Say Cheese" for Srivalli's Kid’s delight.

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!