Rogue Creamery {+ 24 Delicious Blue Cheese Recipes}

In my last post, I introduced you to the Southern Oregon Artisan Corridor, a small alliance of artisan culinary shops in Central Point, Oregon, and shared our experiences at Lillie Belle Farms with Jeff Shepherd and his amazing chocolates. Today, it’s all about the Cheese.

Specifically, Blue Cheese…

… creamy, salty, savory, delicious, handcrafted, award-winning, internationally-acclaimed Rogue Creamery Blue Cheese.

For many years, I erroneously thought that blue cheese, Roquetfort, Gorgonzola and the like were distinctly different cheeses. And they are… but they aren’t. Like Swiss- and cheddar-style cheeses, there are a wide variety of blue cheeses, each with its own unique flavor and textures, but they can ofttimes be used interchangeably in recipes. So before we go any farther, let’s take a moment to discuss what blue cheese is.

Blue Cheese Basics

Blue cheese is most often made from cow, sheep, or goat milk.
Blue cheese is made by culturing milk with Penicillium, a type of mold.
Different blue cheeses are cultured in various ways, using unique strains of Penicullium, giving them their distinct flavor, texture, and aroma.
In the European Union, many blue cheeses (e.g., Roquefort, Gorgonzola and Stilton) are protected, and can bear their name only if they have been made in a particular region.

Some Popular Varieties of Blue Cheese

Cabrales – Traditionally made from mixing goat and sheep’s milk together, Cabrales has a strong, spicy flavor.
Danish Blue – This strong blue cheese is creamy, with a semi-soft texture.
Dorset Blue Vinney – This English blue cheese is made with unpasteurized, skimmed cow’s milk, and has a hard texture, a crusty outer layer, and a strong aroma and taste.
Gorgonzola – Made with either cow or goat’s milk (sometimes both), Gorgonzola is a firm, creamy cheese with a salty and often slightly sweet taste.
Roquefort – Famously green-veined, Roquefort has a tangy, salty flavor with sweet undertones.
Stilton – This semi-soft cheese is made from unpasteurized cow’s milk, and has a strong aroma and outstanding flavor.

A Trip Back in Time: Rogue Creamery {Est. 1933}

There’s something comforting and wonderful about the rustic feel of a real, honest-to-goodness (emphasis on the goodness!) cheese shop, and the Rogue Creamery is about as honest a cheese shop as they come. Founded in 1933 at the height of the depression, Rogue Creamery began producing blue cheese in 1954. Today, they continue to draw both inspiration and resources from Southern Oregon’s Rogue River Valley, and offer award-winning varieties of outstanding handcrafted blue cheese, cheddar cheese, and TouVelle.

Step inside to sample cheeses to your heart’s content. Hungry travelers can order one of their crazy-good panini-style grilled cheese sandwiches, prepared with more than a generous amount of cheese. A great place to pack a perfect picnic, Rogue Creamery also offers a carefully curated selection of deli items, crackers, fruit, beer, and wine, as well as local artisan jams, jellies and sauces. The staff at the shop is helpful and knowledgeable, and will be more than happy to help you with your selections.

PRO TIP: There are always samples available, but if something you want to try isn’t out, all you need to do it ask.

The poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese. {Gilbert K. Chesterton} Click To Tweet

Rogue Creamery Notes:

Smokey Blue: Referred to in-house as “Beginner Blue,” this smooth, smokey blue packs in all of the flavor (and then some) without the harsh, bitey quality of some blue cheeses. This classic Roquefort-style blue cheese is cold smoked sixteen hours with Oregon Hazelnut shells, resulting in a sweet, creamy, smoky flavor. It crumbles well, and is “easy to eat” as blue cheese goes, and pairs well with well-rounded “food” wines that are on the fruity side and lighter on tannins and acidity.
LaDiDa Lavender Cheddar: I know – it sounds weird, but Mr B and I both love this uniquely floral cheese. LaDiDa would be perfect on a dessert tray with chocolate or scones, and paired with a light dessert wine.
Caveman Blue: Full-bodied, buttery, and AMAZING! Rogue Creamery uses a unique aging environment to create this golden-hued blue that tastes of sweet, fresh buttermilk with hints of tropical fruit. Caveman’s earthy undertones pair well with a wide range of beverages, from bold reds to sweeter desert wines to full-flavored Stouts.
Blue Heaven (Powdered Cheese): Blue Heaven is a proprietary blend of Oregon Blue, Oregonzola, Crater Lake Blue and special reserve blue cheeses. Perfect for sprinkling on salads, breads, popcorn, nuts, and anything else you can think of.

PRO TIP: Not a fan of dry, tannin-rich red wines? Me either. But next time you have the chance, try some with a bite of blue cheese. You may be pleasantly surprised (as I was) to discover that the pairing opens up whole new venues to you. Tannins literally bind to the cheese’s protein and fat, measurably softening the astringent qualities of the tannins, and making the entire tasting experience smoother in the process.

BLUE CHEESE RECIPE ROUND-UP

Blue Cheese is an amazingly versatile cheese; equally perfect on a fruit and cheese plate or as a stand-out ingredient in your next meal. Here’s a little Blue Inspiration 😉 from some of my favorite bloggers.

** Recipes are pictured in order, clockwise from the top left corner of each image.

Disclosure: My first trip to the Southern Oregon Artisan Corridor was as part of the #TrailsToFeast Travel Oregon press trip. As always, all opinions and photos are my own.

My Favorite Cookbook: Kathy Gates {Guest Blogger Series}

December 7 By Mr. B 7 Comments

My Favorite Cookbook is an ongoing Guest Blogger series on The Good Hearted Woman. If you are interested in writing a post for this series, you can find submission guidelines here.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

My favourite cookbook came to me as a gift, of sorts, from a colleague. Jim was a producer at the radio station where I was the marketing manager. He saw me eyeing off one of the books in his publicity stack and offered it to me. I soon discovered that Dear Francesca by Mary Contini is both a cookbook and a love letter to the role food plays at the heart of family life.

Mary Contini’s world revolves around food: she is the director of one of Edinburgh’s biggest delicatessens, Valvona & Crolla, she has written a food column for The Scotsman, and has co-presented food programs on television.

Dear Francesca is a very personal offering, almost a love letter to the role that food plays at the center of family life. Contini’s Italian heritage informs every page, and the family stories she shares are as delicious as her recipes. Sprinkled throughout is advice for her daughter, the Francesca of the title.

For example, she counsels Francesca, “When it comes down to it, your own sense of taste is the most valuable tool when cooking. Taste. Taste. Taste. It is a great pleasure to sip the food as it’s cooking and adjust the amount of ingredients as you go along. ‘Adjust seasoning’ is the key to every recipe. Your taste is your best guide.”

For as long as I can remember I’ve loved cooking. But that love was not passed down to me from my mother. Though she was a dedicated homemaker, my mother detested cooking. Perhaps it was the daily grind of having to churn out meals for her large family — I’m one of ten. Or perhaps it was because, early in their marriage, my father fondly, and constantly, reminisced about his own mother’s brilliant cooking. Whichever, my mother embraced the concept of convenience food with a vengeance.

Rice-a-Riso, Deb Mash Potato and Continental Chicken Noodle Soup – just add water and stir – were three of her staples. I hate to think of the salt and chemicals we ingested as children. After the wooden spoon, the can opener was her most-used kitchen tool. I still remember my surprise, and delight, when I discovered spaghetti didn’t always come in cans.

At least she never overcooked any of her ‘staples’. On the rare occasions when she cooked from scratch, she always managed to eliminate both flavour and goodness. One early standout was her mushy, over-salted peas to which bicarbonate of soda was added, “to keep the colour”.

My first tentative steps were via packet-mix cakes because there were instructions to follow. I was happy to be left alone in the kitchen, and even happier when I received cookbooks as birthday and Christmas gifts.

Until Dear Francesca, I never felt I’d missed out on anything. But to me this book was a bitter-sweet read. How wonderful to have been guided in such a loving way. There is an Italian saying, “dalla nonna alla mamma” – “from the grandmother to the mother”. This speaks of the way recipes, food advice, and by extension, life skills, are handed down through generations like a precious gift.

Whenever I dip into Dear Francesca, I feel like Contini is speaking directly to me, offering me her valuable advice. Early in the book there is a comprehensive list of equipment every kitchen needs. At another point she gives detailed information about how to introduce children to different tastes, and why it’s important to do so.

Interesting facts are mixed with advice, recipes and stories. The origin of the word ‘companionship’ is one example. Contini explains that it is derived from the Latin, con pane, meaning ‘with bread’, “To break bread together and eat with companions or family, gives fundamental nourishment to body and soul.”

The recipes included in Dear Francesca cover the gamut from antipasti to dessert, from everyday staples to traditional feasts. I’ve chosen a recipe that Contini’s mother made every week to observe the Catholic tradition of not eating meat on Friday. According to Contini, this was no hardship, “Pasta e patate is one of the most satisfying, comforting soups on the face of the earth.”

I totally agree!

Pasta e Patate [Pasta & Potato Soup]

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Italian

Author Mary Contini, Adapted from Dear Francesca

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of good olive oil
1 clove of garlic
1 piece of dried chilli or a few dried chilli flakes
1 medium-sized brown onion
400 g [14 oz.] can of plum tomatoes
1.75 litres [7 1/2 cups] of hot water
2 large potatoes I sometimes substitute sweet potato
½ teaspoon of sea salt flakes
1/3 cup of short pasta e.g. digitali rigate
Freshly grated cheese of your choice – mine is Grana Padana

Instructions

Peel garlic but leave whole.
Remove seeds from chilli, if necessary.
Heat oil in a large heavy based saucepan and add garlic and chilli to pan, cook for about thirty seconds then add peeled and finely chopped onion.
Toss to make sure onion is coated in oil, turn heat to low, cover and sweat the onion for about ten minutes.
The tomatoes should be smooth – I put them through my passatutto, or sieve, which also removes the seeds. But if seeds aren’t an issue you can either blend or mash with a fork.
Add tomatoes and 1 litre of the water to pan and bring to a high simmer.
Add peeled and diced potato and salt, give it a good stir, turn the heat down, cover and cook on a low simmer for about 30 minutes.
Remove garlic, add the remaining water, which has been heated to boiling, and the pasta, stir and cook, uncovered, until pasta is al dente.
Taste for seasoning and serve with shavings of cheese and crusty bread.

Recipe Notes

Recipe makes approximately two litres of soup.

About Kathy: Kathy lives in Hobart, the capital of Australia’s island state, Tasmania, which is a food lover’s paradise. In early 2015, Kathy took a redundancy and started a blog about her favourite things – reading, writing and travel. She has also written a novella, Juliet’s Journey, which was inspired by a visit to the northern Italian village of Baiardo. Kathy regularly contributes articles to Boomercafe.com and Amreading.com.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they will help us keep this site up and running – and (relatively) ad-free!! Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Picture Perfect Chicken Enchilada Pie {Recipe & Video}

January 22 By Renée ♥ 20 Comments

Chicken Enchilada Pie ~ all the best parts of enchilada casserole in a meal that’s pretty enough to serve to your mother-in-law.*

(Just don’t tell her how easy it is to make!)

I have to tell you that, besides fact that this is a wicked delicious recipe, the other thing that made me the so excited to share it was that it gave me the opportunity to make my first stop-motion foodie video!

The video below illustrates how to assemble the Chicken Enchilada Pie so much more effectively than a ton of text (although I did write it all up, because I know some folks like to print their recipes out). Anyway, when I finished putting together the video and watched it through for the first time, I felt like a kid who had just learned to ride a bike – a little wobbly, but still pretty proud of myself. It’s less than a minute long, so take a breather and enjoy!

The secret to making this dish taste fabulous really is in the sauce.

If at all possible, take the time to throw a batch of my Slow Cooker Enchilada Sauce together before you get started. (Yes, you can make it with canned sauce too, but then it will just be plain old run-of-the-mill yummy instead of Fabulously Delicious.)

Here are the nitty-gritty details:

NOTE: The assembly list looks long, but 20 minutes is a generous estimate of how long it will take to put together. (It takes me just over 10 minutes…unless I’m making a movie about it, of course. 🙂 )

Chicken Enchilada Pie

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Author Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

1 pound shredded chicken
8 ounces light sour cream
6 6- inch corn tortillas [large]
12 4- inch corn tortillas [small]
2 cups shredded cheese I use a mixture of cheddar and pepper jack
2 1/2 cups enchilada sauce
Oil for preparing pie dish Coconut oil works well.

Garnish

Sliced avocado
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup water
Light sour Cream
2 tablespoons chopped cilanro
2 tablespoons chopped green onion

Instructions

Mix shredded chicken and light sour cream in a medium bowl until well combined. Set aside.
Prepare the tortillas: Cut 4 of the small tortillas in half, leaving the other 8 whole. Cut 3 of the large tortillas in half, leaving the other 3 whole.

Make the mini enchiladas for the top:

Wrap the 8 whole small tortillas in paper towels and microwave for about 30 seconds to softened.
Put about two tablespoons of the chicken and sour cream mixture in the middle of one small tortilla and fold in half. Repeat with the remaining whole small tortillas. Set aside.

To assemble:

Generously oil a large deep-dish pie dish. Preheat oven to 350° F.
Tortillas: Line the side of the dish with the small half-tortillas, with the flat side facing the bottom of the dish.
Line the bottom of the dish with 1 large whole and 2 large half tortillas.
Chicken: Spread one-half of the remaining chicken and sour cream over the tortillas in the bottom of the pan. (Don't worry if a little of the pan is peeking through.)
Cheese: Top with 1/3 of the shredded cheese.
Tortillas: Add another layer of 1 whole large and 2 large half tortillas.
Sauce: Spread 1 cup of enchilada sauce over the top of the tortillas.
Chicken: Spread the remaining chicken mixture over the top of the sauce. (It may mix a little - not to worry.)
Cheese: Top with 1/3 of the shredded cheese.
Tortillas: Add a final layer of tortillas, 1 whole large and 2 half large.
Sauce: Spread 1 cup of enchilada Sauce over the tortillas.
Mini Enchiladas: In a circle radiating from the center (like wheel spokes), place the prepared mini enchiladas.
Sauce: Top with 1/2 cup enchilada sauce and spread around so that all the mini enchiladas have a thin layer on them.
Cheese: Sprinkle the final 1/3 of the cheese over the top.
Bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 15 minutes.

Garnish:

Pour 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1/4 cup water in a small bowl.
Slice avocado and put the slices in the lemon water for a few seconds.
Place avocado slices around top of enchilada pie between the mini enchiladas, radiating from the center.
Pipe or spoon sour cream into the "seed hole" in each avocado slice, and into the center of the pie.
Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and green onions and serve.

*Just for the record, both my mothers-in-law – past and present – are awesome and love my cooking. (At least that’s what they tell me 😉 )

Note: The cast iron pie dish used here is one of my all-time favorite kitchen purchases. I bought it after I saw this recipe on my friends’ Tiffany and Andrews blog, Thyme of Taste. It took me exactly no time to get one for myself, and I’ve never been happier with a kitchen item. If you’re interested, you can order one here. {← This is an affiliate link. Don’t be scared – it won’t bite.}

*Just for the record, both my mothers-in-law – past and present – are awesome and love my cooking. (At least that’s what they tell me 😉 )

Easy Cheesy Zucchini & Tomato Casserole

October 5 By Renée ♥ 12 Comments

Enjoy the bounty of the season with this easy, family-pleasing 3-cheese Zucchini & Tomato Casserole.

This 3-Cheese Zucchini & Tomato Casserole is fast becoming a favorite on our weekday family menu. It’s one of those meals I fondly call the Easy-Uglies. You know – the meals you can throw together at the last minute with your eyes closed: chili mac, goulash, hash, casserole, frittata, and stir fry all come to mind. They aren’t always pretty, but they come through every time, and even though you don’t usually serve them to company, you probably should because they are some of the best stuff that comes out of your kitchen.

If your garden is anything like mine, it’s been going crazy these last few weeks as the summer growing season comes to an end. Just today, I counted ten new blossoms on my (single giant) zucchini plant and at least a couple hundred cherry tomatoes on the vine, not to mention the thirty-something larger-variety green tomatoes waiting to be stored for winter or fried up fresh. I’ve been struggling to keep up, and in the process, and a few weeks ago, I managed to throw together what turned out to be a delicious 3-Cheese Zucchini and Tomato Casserole. A cross between a crustless quiche and a hearty fritatta, this goes together in just 15 minutes and makes a truly savory and satisfying weeknight meal, and a real contender for my Easy-Ugly Top 10.

Easy Cheesy Zucchini & Tomato Casserole

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Seasonal

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Servings 8 servings

Calories 250 kcal

Author Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

Follow The Good Hearted Woman on Pinterest for more great recipes!

1 large onion chopped
2 large cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons butter
1 lb. zuchinni chopped or sliced
1/2 lb. tomatoes cherry or chopped
4 eggs beaten
2 oz. marcarpone or cream cheese room temperature
1 cup crumbled feta
1/4 grated Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
Pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375° F. Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
In a medium skillet over medium-low heat, caramelize onions & garlic.
Using a whisk, beat marscarpone (or cream cheese) into eggs. (It's fine if there are small lumps.)
Stir feta, Parmesan, and garlic salt into egg mixture.
Fold in zucchini, tomatoes, and caramelized onions and garlic.
Pour into prepared casserole dish and bake at 375 for 45 minutes.
Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Everyone has a few Easy-Ugly meals. What’s at the top of your list?

Egg & Cheese Rolls: The Weirdest Food Your Whole Family Will Love

April 22 By Renée ♥ 8 Comments

If you have a large family (particularly one with a variety of eating styles) you know how hard it is to find meals that everyone enjoys. Egg & Cheese Rolls consistently comes up in the top five among our kids, and is one of the most requested meals by our older kids when they return home for a visit.

It is also one of the weirdest meals we make.

We were introduced to Egg and Cheese Rolls many years ago when we went to dinner at my kids’ Uncle Lucky and Aunt Brenda’s house. It is an easy, inexpensive meal that comes together in minutes, can be prepared ahead of time, and works great as leftovers. The only hurdle you really need to get over (maybe it’s just me) is buying the Velveeta. (If you can’t bring yourself to do it, give this Homemade Velveeta a try.)

Egg & Cheese Rolls

Course Main Course

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 8

Author Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

1 dozen eggs hardboiled & chopped
1 lb Velveeta Light
8 oz tomato sauce
4 cloves garlic minced
1/2 can chopped olives
18 hard rolls

Instructions

Melt cheese over low heat. Add tomato sauce and stir to blend. Add garlic, olives and eggs.
Hollow out rolls and fill with egg mixture. Replace top, wrap in aluminum foil.
Bake at 350* for 20 minutes.

Egg & Cheese Rolls - The Weirdest Food Your Whole Family Will Love | The Good Hearted Woman

That’s our new chicken coop in the background!

What is the weirdest meal that your family loves?

And the Winner is… Irish Apple Pie Twice-Grilled Cheese Sandwich

April 14 By Renée ♥ 24 Comments

You may now refer to Mr. B and me as Portland’s reigning King & Queen of Grilled Cheese. (In fact, we would be absolutely tickled if you did!)

Me & Mr. B in Franz Grilled Cheese Contest | The Good Hearted Woman

Thanks to Aaron Cohen of Selfless Enterprise for sharing this great picture with us!

Mr. B and I had so much fun taking part in Franz Bakery’s Grilled Cheese Day contest over the weekend.

When we were growing up, there were two memorable field trips that every single Portland school kid took, and Franz Bakery was one of them. The Bakery was just a few miles down Sandy Boulevard from where I lived, and the rich, mesmerizing scent of fresh Franz bread right out of the oven was as familiar to me as my mother’s peanut butter cookies. I remember going to the Bakery in first grade like it was yesterday: at the end of the tour, you got an official Bakery hat (very stylish!), and a lovely, warm, child-size loaf of bread that smelled like all things good and right with the world.

When I decided to enter Franz’ first ever Grilled Cheese Contest a couple of weeks ago, I did it on a whim. I had no idea that it would culminate in making over a hundred sandwiches for an amazingly patient, nearly endless line of Portlanders drawn by early spring sunshine and the promise of a free lunch.

Mr. B jumped on board the second I asked him to be my “sous-chef.” He couldn’t have been more enthusiastic or helpful, and the day would have been a complete bust without him. He chopped cheese, assembled sandwiches, and kept the flow going – even when we had ten sandwiches down, another ten stacked and ready to grill, and ten ready to plate.

Our youngest, Em, came with us for moral support, and ended up being our primary gofer, photographer and inspiration. She’s pretty awesome.

When Missy Maki was getting ready to announce the winner, I put my game-face on and got totally prepared to graciously congratulate the winner, so when she called my name, it literally took me a couple of beats to realize that she meant me!

Franz awarded all the finalists with a generous swag bag full of delicious goodies, including a variety of fresh breads, bagels, and their recently repackaged frosted animal cookies. As winner, I also received a beautiful All-Clad barbecue set and a year’s worth of Franz products. And a ribbon. (Which is so cool, I cannot even tell you.)

Franz Grilled Cheese Contest | The Good Hearted Woman

The field of competition included [from far right] Portland bloggers Lindsay Strannigan of Rosemarried, Rebekah Hubbard of PDX Food Love and (soon to be blogger!) Christina Johnson.

So here’s (what I hope) you’ve been waiting for – our winning recipe:

For the contest, we were limited to five ingredients, and ours came in at one under (unless you count the butter to grill it with). Each item was carefully chosen to complement the whole: Aged Irish Dubliner Cheese for its marriage of sweet undertones, slight nuttiness and just a bit of a bite; apple butter for that spiced apple-pie sweetness; Granny Smith’s for crunch and tartness; and Franz Bainbridge Island Cinnamon Swirl Bread, acting as the “crust” in this apple pie, to bring it all together. The Dubliner also works very well when making cheese crisps, which are one of my favorite parts of this sandwich.

Irish Apple Pie Twice-Grilled Cheese - The winning sandwich in Franz Grilled Cheese Contest | The Good Hearted Woman

5 from 2 votes

Irish Apple Pie Twice-Grilled Cheese Sandwich

1st Place Winner! Franz Bakery 2015 Grilled Cheese Contest, Portland, Oregon

Course Sandwich

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Author Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

For each sandwich, you will need

2 slices Franz Bainbridge Island Cinnamon Swirl Bread
2 thin slices. Kerrygold Dubliner Aged Cheese
1/8 cup grated or finely chopped Kerrygold Dubliner Aged Cheese
1 Tbls Apple butter homemade or Smuckers
3-4 thin slices Granny Smith Apple
Butter for grilling sandwich

Instructions

Layer sandwich in this order:

Slice of Bread
Slice of cheese
Apple-butter
Apple slices
Slice of cheese
Slice of bread

Grill Sandwich slowly!

In a non-stick pan over medium low heat (or an electric grill heated to about 310 degrees), spread butter on surface of the grill. (I do this by just holding the stick of butter and rubbing it over the hot surface.)
Put prepared sandwiches onto grill. Dubliner cheese has a higher melt-point than many cheeses, so it is very important that you allow your sandwich to grill slowly. Flip over when golden: about 4-5 minutes. Grill equally on the other side.

Make the cheese crisp:

Sprinkle grated cheese on non-stick surface and allow to cook until golden onthe bottom. Using a spatula, carefully peel the crisp cheese off the grilling surface and allow to cool. You can shape it if you want before it cools, but if you do so, be extremely careful as the cheese will be very hot! You can make small cheese crisps to use as garnish, or a large one to serve over the entire sandwich.

Recipe Notes

The key to any good grilled cheese sandwich is patience. Don't rush the process, or you will just have a handful of toasted bread with cheese slices inside.

Even though I keep telling her to take a break, the little cook in my head is already thinking up new creations for next year’s sandwich. I’d love to hear your ideas: what’s your favorite grilled cheese sandwich combo?

Garlic-Almond Spaghetti Squash

March 13 By Renée ♥ 15 Comments

Jarlsberg, almonds, and garlic combine to bring crunch and rich, nutty depth to this versatile, crowd-pleasing dish.

Ever wonder where food bloggers get their inspiration? Seven times out of ten, it’s from other food bloggers! (Totally made that statistic up, btw! But you get the point.)

Last fall I found a recipe for Garlic Spaghetti Squash with Herbs on one of my favorite food blogs, Pinch of Yum by Lindsay. It looked so uniquely tasty that I pinned it with the actual intention of trying to make it. (As opposed to pinning it even though I know I will never, ever make it myself.) (Oh, C’mon – don’t even try to tell me that I am the only one who pins things they know they will never make/do/need/have.) (i.e., Cupcakes… that I will never make. Tattoos… that I will never get.) But I digress…

Anyway, when I finally got around to putting it on the menu a few weeks ago, as I was throwing it together – after a very long day of teaching that followed a very short night of sleep – I realized that it called for a few things I didn’t have on hand; moreover, no way was I ponying up for pine nuts at the end of the month. So I made a few changes.

The results were amazing, and this one is definitely a keeper. Everyone in our family ate it – and liked it! (Unanimous appreciation of a new food = Tier I Miracle!) I love the almond and garlic combination and the rich crunch of texture that the nuts give to the dish. The Jarlesberg, with its inherent nutty flavor, only enhances the flavor profile. Overall, my reaction was a lot like Lindsay’s as she commented of her version – I literally could have eaten the whole plate!

I have now served this with every meal of the day, including breakfast. (It pairs very well with Eggs Provençal.) For an easy workday dinner, I like to top it off with a little stir-fried mixture of spicy Isernio Hot Italian Sausage, sliced mushrooms, and sweet onions. (Just mushrooms & onions for our vegetarian, of course!). Serve with a spinach salad and a light vinaigrette, and you’re set.

5 from 1 vote

Garlic-Almond Spaghetti Squash

Jarlsberg, almonds, and garlic combine to bring crunch and rich, nutty depth to this versatile, crowd-pleasing dish.

Course Main dish or side

Cuisine Vegetarian

Author Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

1 medium spaghetti squash halved and seeded
Olive oil
Kosher salt
2 cloves garlic minced
½ cup chopped almonds toasted
¼ cup minced fresh basil
½ cup shredded Jarlesberg
Fresh ground black pepper

Instructions

Prep the Squash

Preheat the oven to 375°. Sprinkle squash with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the cut side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 25-35 minutes, or until tender.
Allow cooked squash to cool for about 10 minutes, and then use a fork to scrape out the insides and separate strands.

Put it all together

In a large skillet, heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and almonds and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Stir in spaghetti squash and basil.
Continue to sauté for about 2 more minutes, until almonds and garlic are distributed evenly and squash is heated through.
Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Salt and pepper to taste.

Roasted Butternut with Bacon, Leeks & Goat Cheese {Recipe}

February 25 By Renée ♥ 8 Comments

Oh, you are going to thank me for this one! On our Valentine’s weekend, Mr. B and I took a hike in the Gorge and then popped into Solstice down by the Hood River waterfront, where we had what may very well be the best wood-fired pizza either one of us has ever had.

Ever.

Anyway, maybe it was the sunshine, or maybe the hiker’s high (which I doubt, mostly because we went on the easiest hike ever), but whatever it was, we were absolutely swept away by their BLBB [butternut, leek, bacon & blue cheese] pizza. (In fact, it was so amazing that I forgot to take a picture of it until it was too late.) I just wanted to wrap myself up in a piece of that pie and never come out.

In an effort to capture all that savory, slightly sweet goodness and keep that memory alive, I decided to create a roasted squash dish using the same palette of flavors, but with a little more flexibility in the delivery system.

Needless to say, if there are any leftovers, you’re set for another meal. Just throw some in an omelet, or over rice, or into pasta, or under a poached egg – or even make a pizza with it! Any way you serve this, it is going to be delicious!

Roasted Butternut with Bacon, Leeks & Goat Cheese

Course Main Dish, Side Dish

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 4 -6 servings

Author Renée ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

1 medium butternut squash peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4 inch cubes
2 large leeks washed, trimmed, and cut into 3/4 inch pieces
3 stripes thick-cut bacon cut into 1/2" pieces
1 tablespoon coconut oil or butter
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Sriracha optional
1 1/2 ounces goat cheese crumbled (feta or bleu will work too!)
Salt and Pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°.
Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat..
In a large cast iron skillet, cook bacon pieces over medium heat until crispy.
Remove bacon and reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings. Set bacon aside.
Add coconut oil (or butter), honey and sriracha to reserved drippings in pan and stir to combine.
Add butternut squash to pan and toss to coat. (I like to brown it a little before going on, but this isn't necessary.)
Add leeks and toss again. (I like to save a little piece of leek and cut it into slivers for garnish.) Salt and pepper thoroughly. Remove from heat.
Pour the veggies out into a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet.
Roast in preheated oven until vegetables are tender and edges of butternut start to darken, about 20 to 25 minutes. Stir halfway through.
Remove into serving dish and sprinkle with cooked bacon and goat cheese.
Garnish with reserve leek slivers.

Optional Prep for Mixed tables:

In a small skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crispy. Drain and set aside.
Use a little additional butter or refined coconut oil in place of bacon grease for rest of prep.
Split dish for veggies before adding bacon.

Bird in a {Grilled Cheese} Nest

January 9 By Renée ♥ 16 Comments

Portlandia’s answer to “Toad in a Hole“

This recipe falls into the “Why didn’t I think of that!?!?” category. By conservative estimates, I’ve probably made at least 5000 grilled cheese sandwiches in my twenty-something years as a mom, and at least a quarter that many Toad’s in a Hole.* So imagine the forehead slap involved when I stumbled over this brilliant mash-up while reviewing The Portlandia Cookbook {Cook Like a Local}.

Like any real Portlandian, I had change up the original recipe and put my own spin on it. (Mostly I just simplified it.) In the process, I omitted the need for (among other things) a broiler, mayonnaise (blech) and “truffle salt.”

Bird in a {Grilled Cheese} Nest

Ingredients

4 slices sandwich bread
2 tablespoons softened butter
2 ounces thinly sliced cheese Suggestions: Tillamook Medium Cheddar, Gouda, Jarlsberg
2 large eggs

Instructions

(This first part is just like making a standard grilled cheese sandwich.) Layer sliced cheese between two pieces of bread. Generously butter the outside of each piece of bread. In a medium non-stick skillet over medium-low heat, grill sandwiches on one side until golden brown.
Remove the half-cook sandwiches onto a plate or cutting board. Using a round biscuit-cutter or the rim of a drinking glass, cut a hole out of the middle of the sandwich.
Flip everything over and put it back into the pan, including the sandwich middles.
Crack an egg into each sandwich hole. Continue to grill until sandwiches are golden brown and eggs are done to your liking.

PROFESSIONAL TIP: Do not, under any circumstances, try to clean your kitchen, do the dishes, cycle the laundry and check your Instagram while the sandwiches are grilling.

*While in some far-off places, a Toad-in-a-Hole may involve sausages and such, here in Oregon the term most often refers to an egg fried inside a piece of toast that has had a hole cut out the middle of it.

Raspberry-Almond Baked Brie {Recipe}

December 8 By Renée ♥ 8 Comments

Raspberry-Almond Baked Brie is one of my favorite holiday party go-tos. It’s easy to make, holds up well if it needs to be transported, and brings just the right amount of “fancy” to practically any occasion. Serve it with apple slices or crisp crackers. (Try Lesley Stowes Cranberry-Hazelnut Raincoast Crisps. Yum!)

Raspberry-Almond Baked Brie

Ingredients

1 wheel of brie
1 sheet of puff pastry I use Pepperidge Farm
3 - 4 ounces of almond paste See Note
1/4 - 1/3 cup raspberry jam
1 egg white gently whisked

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°.
Defrost puff pastry according to direction. Lay one sheet evenly in the bottom of a glass pie plate.
Slice the brie wheel horizontally as shown. Separate the layers.
Roll the almond paste into a circle slightly larger than the brie wheel and about 1/8-inch thick.
Use the brie container to cut a round of almond paste. (Or just use the brie as a guide and cut around it with a knife.)
Layer the almond paste circle in between the two brie circles.
Spread the raspberry jam evenly on top.
Using a pastry brush, apply a thin layer of egg white wash to the inside edges of the puff pastry. This will help to seal it together when you gather the edges.
Gather the puff pastry together at the top of the brie wheel and twist gently to seal.
Carefully slice off the big knot of pastry on the top. Use the extra pastry to create decorative shapes for the top if you wish.
Apply an egg white wash to the entire pastry.
Bake in preheated oven for 40-50 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown.
Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Serve with crackers or sliced apples.

Recipe Notes

You can find almond paste in the baking section of your grocery store, usually near the canned pie fillings. You can also make it from scratch, but I'll save that for another time. 🙂

Blue Cheese Basics

A Trip Back in Time: Rogue Creamery {Est. 1933}

Rogue Creamery Notes:

BLUE CHEESE RECIPE ROUND-UP

Main Dishes

Salads

Sides

Baked Goods

Appetizers & Small Bites

Dressings, Sauces, Spreads & Dips

Pasta e Patate [Pasta & Potato Soup]

Ingredients

Instructions

Recipe Notes

Chicken Enchilada Pie ~ all the best parts of enchilada casserole in a meal that’s pretty enough to serve to your mother-in-law.*

The secret to making this dish taste fabulous really is in the sauce.

Chicken Enchilada Pie

Ingredients

Garnish

Instructions

Make the mini enchiladas for the top:

To assemble:

Garnish:

Enjoy the bounty of the season with this easy, family-pleasing 3-cheese Zucchini & Tomato Casserole.

Easy Cheesy Zucchini & Tomato Casserole

Ingredients

Follow The Good Hearted Woman on Pinterest for more great recipes!

Instructions

Egg & Cheese Rolls

Ingredients

Instructions

Irish Apple Pie Twice-Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients

For each sandwich, you will need

Instructions

Layer sandwich in this order:

Grill Sandwich slowly!

Make the cheese crisp:

Recipe Notes

Jarlsberg, almonds, and garlic combine to bring crunch and rich, nutty depth to this versatile, crowd-pleasing dish.

Garlic-Almond Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients

Instructions

Prep the Squash

Put it all together

Roasted Butternut with Bacon, Leeks & Goat Cheese

Ingredients

Instructions

Optional Prep for Mixed tables:

Portlandia’s answer to “Toad in a Hole“

Bird in a {Grilled Cheese} Nest

Ingredients

Instructions

Raspberry-Almond Baked Brie

Ingredients

Instructions

Recipe Notes