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Peas, Cheese and Grits

Ingredients
4 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 cup corn grits
1­7oz block Sincerely Brigitte Parsley and Chive cheese, shredded
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
12 cherry or grape Tomatoes
1 cup fresh or thawed frozen peas
Salt and pepper to taste
4­6 Eggs (optional)
Instructions
1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil
2. Add 1 tsp salt
3. Slowly add corn grits, stirring constantly and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes
4. Add shredded cheese, reduce temperature to low and keep cooking for another 15 minutes. Cover the pot
and let the grits sit
5. In the meantime heat olive oil in a skillet. Add peas and tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste and cook for 4­5
minutes over medium heat
6. Prepare eggs sunny side up (one per person, cooked to desired doneness )
7. Serve grits on individual bowls, topped with tomatoes, peas and egg (serve immediately)

Pesto Pear Pizza

Homemade Pizza with Pesto Sauce, Blue Marble Cheese and Caramelized Pears

Quick and Easy Pizza Dough:

2 teaspoon dry yeast
1 tsp. sugar
3/4 c. very warm water (120-130 degrees)
2 cups. flour
1 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Soak yeast in warm water and sugar for 5 minutes to rise. Add flour, then add salt. Continue to knead for 2-3 minutes until flour is well blended and a dough ball forms. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 15 minutes. Roll dough to fit a 12-inch disposable pizza pan sprayed with cooking spray or rubbed with olive oil.

Pizza Toppings:

Caramelized Pears (see recipe below)
¼ cup store bought pesto
3 cups baby spinach
1 cup grated blue marble cheese by Sincerely Brigitte

Caramelized Pears:

4 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
3-4 red Anjou pears, cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges (or 1/4-inch-thick wedges if pears are firm)

Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat until melted. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Add pears cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and just golden, 12 to 20 minutes.

Pizza Assembly:

Once the dough is fitted into the pan, spread pesto sauce over the dough, leaving a border around the circumference of the dough. Place the spinach around the center of the dough. Sprinkle grated Blue Cheese, scatter the pear pieces around the pie.
Bake for 15 minutes at 400 or until cheese melts.

Corn Fritters

Corn Cheesy Fritters
yields 10
1 1/2 cups corn flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill brand)*
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup low fat milk
1/4 cup shredded Jalapeno Cilantro by Natural Kosher Cheese
¼ cup shredded Mozzarella by Natural Kosher Cheese
2 tablespoon honey
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 egg yolks
3 egg whites
Canola oil
Whisk together the corn flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
In a small bowl, mix the butter, milk and honey.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in the cheese, milk mixture, 2 egg yolks, and corn. Set aside.
In a clean, dry bowl, beat the 3 egg whites until stiff and they hold their shape, then fold them into the corn mixture.
Heat some canola oil in a non-stick skillet or griddle. When hot, spoon batter in mounds into the skillet, spaced apart – making as many as will comfortably fit in the pan. I used ¼ cup measure per fritter.
Let the corn cakes cook until browned on the bottom then flip the corn cakes with a spatula and cook on the other side for about a minute, until lightly browned on the reverse side.
* Note: corn flour is not the same as cornmeal; it’s very finely ground corn.

Chipotle Beer Soup

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups vegetable stock
1 12-ounce beer (I used a belgian wheat ale)
1 cup half and half
12 ounces Sincerely, Brigitte™ chipotle cheddar cheese, grated
salt, to taste
another red bell pepper, chopped (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. add the onion, garlic, bell pepper, and smoked paprika, and cook, stirring often, until all of the veggies are soft (about 5-8 minutes).
add the butter. when the butter has melted, add the flour. continue to cook, still stirring often, for another 3 minutes.
add the vegetable stock and beer. turn the heat down to medium-low and let the soup simmer for 15 minutes.
add the half and half, followed by the cheese. add the cheese in handfuls, making sure each one has melted completely before adding the next one. add salt to taste.
puree the soup in a blender (or with an immersion blender) until it is completely smooth. if you want some extra crunch, add the second chopped red bell pepper. serve immediately.

Mediterranean Baked Ziti

INGREDIENTS
16 ounces ziti
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic
1 large onion, chopped
1 large zucchini, chopped
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 15-ounce cans tomato sauce
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried parsley
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 cup olives, roughly chopped
1 cup ricotta cheese
14 ounces Sincerely, Brigitte™ tomato olive cheese, grated
INSTRUCTIONS
bring a large pot of water to a boil, and cook the ziti in it until it is just shy of al dente. drain the pasta and set it aside.
heat the olive oil in a very large skillet over medium heat. add the garlic, onion, and zucchini and cook, stirring, until all the veggies are soft – about 5 minutes.
add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, spices, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives. stir everything together, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let the sauce simmer for about 20 minutes. taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking.
meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
add the ricotta cheese to the sauce and stir it until it melts and becomes incorporated. add the pasta to the pan and toss to coat.
pour half the sauce-covered pasta into a 9×13-inch baking dish or casserole pan. take ⅓ of the grated cheese and spread it over the pasta. then add the rest of the pasta and top it with the rest of the grated cheese.
bake the ziti in the oven for 30 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and starting to turn brown. serve immediately.
NOTES
if you’re short on time, you can use your favorite jarred pasta sauce instead of making one from scratch, as described here. during step 3, skip the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and spices, and instead add two jars of prepared sauce. keep everything else the same, except you can now simmer the sauce for 5 minutes instead of 20.

Garlic Basil Scalloped Potatoes

INGREDIENTS
1½ cups half and half
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed with the back of a knife
1 bay leaf
1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and sliced very thin (use a mandolin slicer if you’ve got one)
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil, chopped
salt and pepper
7 ounces Sincerely, Brigitte™ garlic basil cheese, grated
INSTRUCTIONS
over medium heat, heat the half and half, garlic, and bay leaf in a medium pot. add a pinch of salt and pepper, lower the heat to low, and let the pot simmer for 5 minutes. use a slotted spoon to remove the bay leaf and garlic cloves.
spray an 8×8-inch baking pan with nonstick spray and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
pour about ¼ cup of the cream into the bottom of the dish. next, put down a layer of potato slices (slightly overlapping), then about 2 tablespoons of chopped basil. top the basil with about 2 tablespoons of the grated cheese, and sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper over everything. repeat this layering process–cream, potatoes, basil, cheese, salt, and pepper–at least two more times, until you have used up all of the potatoes. you should be left with at least a couple tablespoons of cheese, which you should save for broiling later.
put the baking dish into the oven and bake it for 35-40 minutes, until the potatoes are completely cooked through and the top is golden. put the rest of your cheese over the top, then put the dish under the broiler for another 5 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and brown.
serve immediately with more fresh basil over the top.

Tarragon Ginger Bread Pudding

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, sliced
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 pound wild mushrooms (i used a mixture of shiitake, cremini, maitake, and oyster), sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
1 loaf sourdough bread (day-old bread works best)
4 large eggs
1½ cups half and half
1½ cups whole milk
salt and pepper
1 cup grated Sincerely, Brigitte™ tarragon ginger cheese
INSTRUCTIONS
heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. add the shallots and ginger, and cook, stirring, until the shallots are translucent (about 3 minutes). add the mushrooms and tarragon, followed by a pinch of salt and pepper. cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are completely soft (about 10 minutes).
spray a pie dish or a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
cut the bread into cubes and in a large bowl, mix together the bread cubes and mushroom mixture. pour the mixture into the prepared pie dish.
in a medium bowl, lightly beat the eggs. add the half and half and whole milk and whisk to combine. add a pinch of salt and pepper and whisk to incorporate everything.
pour the custard over the bread mixture in the pie dish. cover the whole thing with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for at least an hour.
when the bread pudding is almost done chilling, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
take the pudding out of the fridge, remove the plastic wrap, and cover the top of it with the grated cheese. bake it all in the oven for an hour, until the custard is puffed and golden, and the cheese is brown and bubbly.
serve immediately.

Swiss Chard Mini Quiches

Mini-Quiches with Swiss Chard
Yield: 6 mini quiches
Flaky piecrust dough (½ recipe below) or packaged frozen mini-tartlet shells
½ bunch Swiss chard
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium or ½ large onion)
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 large eggs
¾ cup half & half
12 grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup grated Sincerely Brigitte Garlic & Basil cheese
Recommended equipment: 6 4½ -inch mini tart pans with removable bottoms
Directions:
If using flaky pie dough, divide into 6 balls. Using a lightly floured rolling pin and surface, roll each round out to approximately 6” diameter, about 1/8-1/4” thick. Transfer each round to a mini-tart pan and press the dough into the bottom and sides. Chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
To prepare Swiss chard: Clean and check leaves thoroughly. Cut off long stems from Swiss chard leaves. Chop stems; set aside. Chop leaves into 1-2 inch strips; set aside.
Heat butter in a large frying pan over medium high heat until butter is melted. Add reserved stems, onion, salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Sauté for about 5-7 minutes, until onions are translucent and soft. Add reserved chopped chard leaves and sauté until leaves are wilted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a small mixing bowl, combine eggs and half & half; whisk until well blended.
To assemble quiches, divide grated Sincerely Brigitte Garlic & Basil cheese amongst prepared tart shells, spreading an even covering over the bottoms. Then spoon a few tablespoons of the Swiss chard mixture evenly over the cheese. Add egg mixture to cover in each tart. Arrange 3-4 tomato halves cut-side up in each tart decoratively. Place mini-quiches on prepared baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes or until the center is completely set. Remove from oven, cool slightly, unmold, and serve.
FLAKY PASTRY DOUGH
Yield: Makes enough for a double-crusted 9” pie or two 9” pie shells.
2 cups flour
2 sticks butter, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 tsp. vinegar
Pinch Salt
Iced water
If making the dough by hand: place flour and sugar in a large bowl. Mix to blend. Add the butter and cut it into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Drizzle in the vinegar and iced water 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork and stirring just until large crumbs form and the dough mounds thickly on the fork. Knead for a 1-2 minutes or until dough comes together into a smooth ball.
OR
If using a food processor with a dough blade: place butter, flour and sugar in processor and pulse a few times until the butter is cut into smaller pieces (like pea size). Pulsing rapidly, gradually pour the vinegar and 1 tbsp. of iced water through the feeding tube in a thin stream. Watch closely, adding more iced water 1 tbsp. at a time until the dough forms several large clumps and almost gathers into a ball.
Divide the dough in half. Wrap each half of the dough in plastic wrap. Gently press into a 1-inch-thick disk. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour (can be made up to 3 days ahead). Roll out dough as needed for pies, tarts, or quiches on a lightly floured surface.

Jalapeno Cheese Pretzels

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 package active dry yeast
4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Oil, for brushing
10 cups water
2/3 cup baking soda
Sincerely, Brigitte Jalapeño Cilantro Cheese
Instructions
1
In a large bowl, combine the water, sugar and kosher salt. Next sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes or until it begins to foam.
2
Add the flour and butter and mix until it’s well combined. Then knead on a lightly floured surface, until the dough is smooth, about 4 to 5 minutes.
3
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it sit in a warm place for an hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
4
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper.
5
Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in a large pot.
6
In the meantime, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 2 foot rope.
7
Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place them onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.
8
Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula and place on your baking sheet.
9
Grate the Sincerely, Brigitte Jalapeno Cilantro Cheese on top of the pretzels. You can put as much or as little as you would like.
10
Bake for 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Oozy Garlic Basil Cheese Sticks

Garlic Basil Fried Cheese Sticks
Prep Time:15 Min Cook Time:5 Min Total Time:20 Min
Yields 12
Ingredients
1 cup flour
2 cups panko bread crumbs
2 eggs
¼ cup whole milk
2 bags (6 Sticks) Sincerely, Brigitte Garlic Basil Cheese Sticks
oil, for frying
Instructions
1
Preheat oil in a heavy bottomed pot to 400 degrees F.
2
Place the flour, breadcrumbs, and eggs into three separate shallow bowls. Beat eggs till combines with milk.
3
Take all the cheese sticks out of the individual wrappers. Dip cheese sticks into the flour, then the egg mixture, then the breadcrumbs, and then back into the egg mixture. Finally, dip the covered cheese sticks into the breadcrumbs again.
4
Once you have covered all the cheese sticks, fry them in the oil for 30 seconds or until browned.