Now I have to share with you that when I purchased my cottage cheese, I did not realize that I had bought cottage cheese with chives.  “Oops” is what I said when I took it out of the refrigerator….there was nothing I could do, I was not going back down to the store.  My sister and I both agreed you could barely taste the chives, and I believe it really complimented the whole pancake.  So I guess it was meant to be, my version of these cottage cheese pancakes now include chives.  The optional ingredients that include sugar and lemon juice, indicated a more cake like taste.  I have not tried this, if you do, please let me know what your thoughts are. 

Important note: make sure you let the batter rest for about 10 minutes, allowing it to thicken.  Please enjoy!

For more pancake recipes, check out this link here, to a website dedicated to just making pancakes.   

• 2 cups cottage cheese, small curd
• ½ cup flour
• 6 tbsp. corn oil
• 6 eggs
• ¼ tsp. salt
• More oil for grilling

Optional:

•  1 tbsp. sugar and ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (taste more like cake)

In a large bowl mix all ingredients with an electric mixer until completely blended.  Let your batter rest for at least 10 minutes before you make your pancakes.  On a griddle or a large non-stick pan, add a small amount of oil, and heat to medium.  With a large ladle, spoon your batter onto your pan and cook on each side for about 3 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve with warm maple syrup.

Makes about 12 medium size pancakes.

Total time: 30 minutes

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1. Martha Stewart’s Old Farmhouse Chutney Cheese Ball

For more appetizer recipes with nuts, click here.

• 3 tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp. ground cumin
• Pinch of clove
• 1 large egg white
• ½ lb. walnut halves (1/2 cup)
• ½ lb. pecan halves (1/2 cup)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly oil a four sided pan, I like to use a 9×11 aluminum disposable pan.  Pour spices, along with ¾ tsp. salt into a small bowl.  Mix completely with a spoon.  Whisk egg whites in a separate bowl until frothy, stir in nuts, coating completely.  Add the spices, stirring again to coat completely.  Spread mixture evenly into your pan.  Bake stirring once or twice until dry and well toasted, about 30 minutes (depending on your oven it may take longer).  Loosen nuts from pan then cool completely.  These nuts will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

Makes: 4 cups

Total time: 60 minutes

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Now then in searching through my local grocery stores I observed the different types of chutney available, and I was not able to find anything that came close to the ingredients, in the Old Farmhouse Chutney brand that this cheese ball calls for.  Old Farmhouse Chutney is made by Stone Wall kitchens, a leading producer of up scale gourmet foods, gifts etc.,  and can be purchased at Draeger’s or other fine gourmet shops.  My source for this cheese ball, is of course in the name of this wonderful recipe, Martha Stewart.  Please enjoy!

For more cheese ball recipes click here.

• 16 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• ½ cup Old farmhouse Chutney
• ¼ cup finely chopped scallions, white and pale green parts
• 1 medium clove garlic, minced
• ½ cup shredded Colby cheese
• 1/3 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, chutney, scallions and garlic.  Stir until well blended.  Add Colby and jack cheeses and stir to combine; season with salt and pepper.  Form into a ball and roll the ball into chopped pecans/or nuts of your own choice.  Garnish with a thinly sliced Granny Smith apple and serve with crackers or baguette.

Serves:  12 to 20

Total time:  30 minutes

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Spiceing these walnuts up with pepper added a unique twist to the commonly sugared nut.  Few foods are as nutritiously complete and good for the human body as walnuts, they are indentified as one of the 14 “super foods”, because of their high omega-3 content, according to this very informative walnuts.org website. Hear what Dr. Oz has to say about the nutrional value of walnuts by clicking here.

My source for these spiced pepper walnuts was a cookbook that I bought while wine tasting in the Sonoma valley at the Alderbrook Winery.  The cookbook is titled “Cooking at the Winery with Jim May“.  Please enjoy!

For more recipes on how to spice up your walnuts click here. 

• 1 egg white
• 2 cups shelled walnut halves
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Whip egg white in large bowl frothy and barley stiff.  Toss in walnuts and coat thoroughly.  Combine sugar, black pepper, cinnamon and salt, and sprinkle over walnuts, coating evenly.  Spread out on cookie sheet in a single layer and roast in oven until toasted, about 10 minutes.  (Watch to make sure that they do not burn.)

Remove and cool.  Store in air-tight container for up to 3 months in freezer.  Use as an appetizer, “bits” in salads, with cheese, or as a garnish on a chocolate dessert.

Makes 2 cups

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1. Sweet and Savory Spiced Nuts
2. Crab Paoli
3. Martha Stewart’s Old Farmhouse Chutney Cheese Ball

Jicama is a sweet root vegetable that adds a nice crunch to these quesadillas.  The Bay shrimp (baby shrimp), changes this quesadilla up from the traditional beef or chicken.  Served with guacamole, this is a perfect quick week night meal or appetizers for your next party!  Please enjoy!

My source for these wonderful quesadillas is the San Francisco chronicle’s friday wine section.

For more recipes with aioli click here.

The Aioli

• ½ tsp. minced garlic
• 1 to 2 tsp. chopped fresh tarragon
• Kosher salt, to taste
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ½ tsp. lemon juice

The quesadillas

• 1 ear corn
• 5 oz. Monterey jack cheese, grated
• 8 oz. bay shrimp
• ½ cup finely chopped jicama
• 2 green onions, green part finely chopped, about ¼ cup
• Zest from 1 lemon
• 8 flour tortillas, 8-inch diameter
• ½ cup guacamole, mildly spiced

For the aioli

Place garlic and tarragon in a mortar with a little salt to taste and blend together with pestle.  Stir in the mayonnaise and lemon juice then refrigerate until ready to use.  The aioli can be made ahead.

For the quesadillas

Shuck corn and remove silks.  Rinse then loosely wrap in parchment or place in a microwave-safe container.  Microwave 2-3 minutes until cooked but still slightly crisp.  When cool enough, cut kernels off and set aside.

Divide the corn, cheese, jicama and green onion among four tortillas, layering the ingredients.  Top with a sprinkle of lemon zest.  Spread the remaining tortillas with tarragon aioli and place, aioli-side down atop the filling.  If you have some aioli left, refrigerate for another use.

Heat a dry skillet over medium-low heat.  Place a quesadilla in the skillet and cook, flipping at least once, until the cheese has melted and tortillas are lightly browned.  Repeat with the remaining quesadillas.

Cut quesadillas into wedges and top with some of the guacamole, or offer it on the side.  Serve immediately.

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When shopping for your salami, make sure that you select genoa salami, it’s distinctive flavors of garlic, fennel, pepper corns and white wine are a key element in bringing all the flavors together in this again fun and snazzy appetizer.  Also in picking your grape tomatoes, try to pick a basket that has the smallest tomatoes (grape size) available.  The smaller the size, the easier to wrap your salami around it.  My source for this recipe came from my monthly Gourmet magazine back in August of 2003.  Please enjoy!

For more recipes using Boursin cheese click here.

• 1/3 cup Peppered Boursin cheese, softened
• ¼ cup finely chopped basil
• 18 very thin slices of large genoa salami
• 18 grape tomatoes
• 18 long fresh chives

Mix the boursin cheese and basil until combined well.  For each piece of salami you will place ½ tsp. boursin cheese onto center, then place tomato (stem side down) on top and carefully fold salami around tomato.  Take your chive and carefully tie it around your salami, making sure that the top of your tomato is exposed. 

Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill until you are ready to serve.  Let sit for 15 minutes at room temperature before serving.    

Serves:  6

Total time:  45 minutes

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3. Salsa di Parmigiano

• 8 oz. parmesan, cut into 1″ cubes
• 8 oz. asiago, cut into 1″ cubes
• 1 tbsp. chopped garlic
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp. chopped basil
• 2 tbsp. chopped scallions
• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1-1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse for about 10 seconds, to break the cheese into very small pieces. (Use a rubber spatula to scrape down and recombine between every couple of pulses.)

Transfer the salsa to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to a week. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Serves:  2 cups

Total time: 30 minutes

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1. Orecchiette with Sauteed Chicken Breasts and Salsa di Parmigiano
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This recipe is compliments of my friend Jenn Dean who actually I have the pleasure of working with.  I love avocado’s because there sodium and cholestrol free and have only 5 grams of fat per serving, and most of it is monounsaturated.  Please enjoy!

Fore more avocado recipes click here.

• 2 Large avocados
• 1/8th of a red onion, chopped finely
• 2 small to medium vine-ripened tomatoes, diced
• 2 large garlic cloves, chopped finely
• Sea salt and chunky ground pepper (to taste)
• Few dashes of Tabasco
• Squeeze of lemon so it doesn’t turn brown
• Cilantro to garnish

 

Mix all ingredients together enough to keep it chunky.
Serve with tortilla chips.

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