Lemon Ricotta Pancakes, Again?

When Food Wishes was first getting started, and funds were scarce, I did some freelance video production for various outlets, and apparently lemon ricotta pancakes was one such recipe. I know this because I got a request for ricotta pancakes recently, and when I tried to refer them to the blog link, I realized there wasn�t one.

I�m looking at you, About.com. Anyway, as it turns out, this is a new and possibly improved recipe, featuring�water? Yes, I tried this recipe once, with water instead of milk, and I actually liked it more. Or I thought I did, which is really all that matters.

Most lemon ricotta pancake recipes call for the eggs to be separated, and the whites whipped to give the pancakes more �lift.� Feel free, but if these pancakes were any lighter, they�d float off the plate. Speaking of lightness, I prefer using self-rising flour for this, but if you can�t, I�ve explained below how to make your own. Either way, I really do hope you give these delicious lemon ricotta pancakes a try soon. Enjoy!

Makes 2 large or 4 small portions:

3/4 cold water, or milk

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1 tablespoon lemon zest (just the yellow part of the skin)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon sugar

1 large egg

2 tablespoon melted butter

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons *self-rising flour, or as needed to achieve very thick batter

* To make your own self-rising flour (2 cups worth): Sift together 2 cups all-purpose flour, with 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1 teaspoon fine salt.

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Irish Cheddar Spring Onion Biscuits - They Only Sound Irish

I�ve received many food wishes for cheddar biscuits over the years, which I used to think was odd, until I learned about a certain version served in America�s most famous chain of lobster restaurants. I eventually got to try this casual dining delicacy, and while it really wasn�t that bad, it wasn�t great either, and I pledged to take the idea, and create a new and improved cheddar biscuit. That was like five years ago.

So, why all of a sudden the newfound interest? Two simple reasons. First, I had some gorgeous Irish cheddar in the fridge. Secondly, it�s almost St. Patrick�s Day, and the search engines demand something Irish, or at least something that sounds Irish. So, I combined those two facts, and decided it was time to make cheddar biscuits that would rival those at the aforementioned crustacean sensation. I know, a very high bar.

All kidding aside, these really did come out quite well, and I think that�s because we didn�t just mix the cheese into the dough. By layering and folding the cheese in, a la puff pastry, we get all the cheesy flavor, without making the biscuit too dense. Sure takes a few extra minutes, but I thought it was worth the effort. So, whether you�re going to make these for St. Patrick�s Day, or not, I really do hope you give them a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 12 Irish Cheddar Spring Onion Biscuits:

*2 cups self-rising flour, plus more if needed

1/4 teaspoon baking soda
7 tablespoons very cold butter

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup shredded Irish cheddar, or other sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 cup sliced green onions (I used mostly the tender, light green parts)

-Bake at 400 F. for about 20 minutes

* To make your own self-rising flour for this recipe, sift together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1 teaspoon fine salt.

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Baked Cauliflower Fries � How Not to Make Baked Cauliflower Fries

I won�t add insult to injury writing a long blog post about how disappointing this recipe was. The video pretty much says it all. And while I can�t honestly say I hope you try this yourself, a small part of me secretly hopes you do.

Not that I want you to experience the misery that was this recipe, but rather because maybe you�ll think of a way to actually pull this off. The taste was fine. Maybe even better than fine, but the texture was a huge letdown. You can�t win them all. Enjoy?

Ingredients for about 24 crappy cauliflower �fries:�

2 head cauliflower (about 5 pounds total), cut into florets

1 tablespoon kosher salt

- You should end up with about 3 1/2 cups of cooked, squeezed-dry cauliflower

To the cauliflower add�

2 large eggs

4 ounce (about 1 cup) shredded cheddar cheese

1 ounce (1/4 cup packed) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

4 cloves peeled garlic, crushed fine

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1 tablespoon olive oil

more cheese to dust top

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Sloppy Dip � G.I. Joe (Generally Inspired-By)

Don�t let the catchy name fool you; this sloppy Joe-inspired dip really shouldn�t cause that big a mess at your Super Bowl party, just as long as your guests aren�t too sloppy themselves. You can test them by having them pronounce, �sloppy dip.� If they say it more like, �shloppy dip,� cut them off.

For me this checks all the boxes for a hot party dip. It�s relatively cheap, and easy to make, but maybe more importantly, it�s great hot, warm, or room temp. It�s also incredibly versatile, and I can think of about two-dozen things off the top of my head that would be great in this.

Like I said in the video, you don�t have to present this as a baked dip. You can just leave it on the stove, on low, for guests to dip into. People are always hanging out in that area anyway. Otherwise, you can broil it in any oven-safe casserole dish, or do it in a sauce pan like I did, which can also be kept on low heat after browning the cheese. No matter how you serve it, I hope you give this great, and sloppy dip a try soon. Enjoy!

Makes 12 portions of Sloppy Dip:  

2 pound extra lean ground beef

1 onion, diced

2 diced green bell pepper (1 cup)

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons brown sugar

cayenne to taste

1 cup ketchup

2 cups chicken broth or water

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided

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Tarte Flamb�e � Alsatian Bacon & Onion Pizza (Not Pizza)

The hardest thing about this amazing tarte flamb�e recipe isn�t the prep, or finding some exotic ingredient, it�s actually trying to explain to your guests why it�s not called pizza. I�m reminded of that old saying, �If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, and looks like a duck, sometimes it�s a trout.�

That�s right, while this is a pizza almost everywhere else, in certain places on the German/French border, it goes by the totally dessert-sounding name of tarte flamb�e. Just tell people the name comes from the fact it used to be cooked in a fire, and then trail off.

Once your crust is pre-browned and topped, you have several options for bringing this to a successful, and hopefully crispy conclusion. Since the bottom is already browned, I usually just broil it on high, about 8 inches from the flame, for about 5 minutes, or until the top is looking just right.

The other method would be to pop it in a 500 F. oven, for about 7-10 minutes, or until you�re completely happy. Or, you can actually do both � start in a hot oven, and then give it a minute under the broiler to seal the deal. Either way, I really hope you give this tarte flamb�e a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 tarte flamb�e:

4 balls prepared pizza dough (about 5 ounces each) Note: Wolfgang Puck pizza dough recipe would would perfectly

12 ounces bacon, sliced

1 large yellow onion, sliced, cooked with salt, until soft, but not caramelized

For the cheese mixture:

1 cup formage blanc

1/4 cup cr�me fraiche

pinch of nutmeg

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

cayenne to taste

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Roman-Style Gnocchi � No Potatoes Were Harmed During the Making of This Video

Gnocchi alla Romana are as delicious, as they are virtually unknown. I feel like I�ve eaten a fair amount of Italian food, and I�ve been to Rome, but it wasn�t until late in life that I discovered these wonderful, baked semolina dumplings.

Above and beyond their exquisite texture, and great taste, I love their versatility. They�re a world-class side dish as is, but can be paired with your favorite pasta sauce, and served as an appetizer, or entr�e. Rave reviews should come your way; along with lots of �But, why are these called gnocchi, again?�

For a great winter twist, you can place some sage leaves in between the gnocchi before baking them, and they�d be perfect at any holiday feast. In fact, now I�m upset I didn�t do that this time. I�m going to have to make another batch. Anyway, I really do hope you give these a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 16 Roman-Style Gnocchi:

Note: I used a 2.75-inch cutter

3 cups milk

1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

1 1/4 cup semolina

1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (only about 1.25 ounces by weight, but if you grate it on a microplane, it will easily fill a cup)

2 large egg yolks

3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

3 tablespoons melted butter for the top

more grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for the top

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The Parmelet � Turning the Late-Night Omelet Inside Out

Like most late night, post-saloon culinary experiments, I wasn�t expecting too much as I attempted this crispy, inside-out parmesan omelet, so I was fairly thrilled with how it turned out. The caramelized cheese had formed a thin, but protective layer, and since the eggs had never directly touched the pan, they were moist and tender. It might have been the cocktails talking, but I started to think I had stumbled on to some sort of omelet hack, which improves both the texture of the surface, and diminishes the chance of dry, bitter, overcooked eggs. 

I also tried this with cheddar, and it works pretty much the same. There is one catch, in that you need a nonstick pan for this to work, but other than that, not much can go wrong, and so much can go right. Like what to stuff in the middle. As long as you heat it first, a reasonable amount of any classic omelet filling would shine.

This will also work whether you use one or three eggs, depending on the texture you�re going for. Using a single egg is kind of a cool trick, since the cheese layer is almost as thick, and you can really appreciate the crispness even more. I hope you give this great new omelet technique a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for one Parmelet:

8-inch non-stick pan

1 teaspoon olive oil

25 grams (just shy of 1-ounce) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1,2, or 3 large eggs, beaten

1/8 teaspoon water per egg

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

pinch of cayenne

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Basil Ricotta Gnocchi � The Other (Better?) Gnocchi

One of these days, I�ll do a proper potato-based gnocchi video, but it�s hard for me, since I enjoy this style so much more. Sure, once in a while, with the help of perfectly cooked potatoes, and trusty ricer, you�ll nail the classic technique, and achieve beautifully light, tender dumplings; but, that�s how these come out every time. Besides, I�m pretty sure since these don�t use potato, or as much flour, we get to call these �low-carb,� which is nice. 

Anyway, the point is these are easy to pull off, and great for a dinner party, since you can shape/boil your gnocchi ahead of time, and then simply brown them up in some butter when you�re ready to serve.

I tend to keep the plating fairly basic for these, but any of your favorite pasta sauces should work. They're great as a main course, especially if you accessorize with some seasonal vegetables, but "as is," they also make for a stellar side dish, or first course. I really hope you give this basil ricotta gnocchi recipe a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 Portions Basil Ricotta Gnocchi:

12-ounce container whole milk ricotta cheese (1 1/2 cups), *drained well

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup packed fresh basil leaves, blanched in boiling water

1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste

1 1/2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan (about 1 not-packed cup)

pinch of cayenne pepper

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

 unsalted butter for optional browning

Note: Cook a test piece of dough in salted water, and check for seasoning. Add more salt if needed

*My fancy basket ricotta tends to be low-moisture, so if you�re using the much wetter supermarket brands, be sure to drain in a strainer in the fridge for a few

hours to allow the excess water to drip out.

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�Gazpacho Verde� with Burrata Cheese � Swampy, in a Good Way

I�m not crazy about the name for this recipe, but I honestly didn�t know what else to call it, and I blame Twitter for that. Allow me to explain. I saw a photo on there of what I thought was a burrata sitting in a pool of green gazpacho soup, but after a closer look, it turned out to be salsa verde.

That does sound pretty good, but due to the mistaken identity, I was now fixated on the idea of serving this fresh, extra-creamy mozzarella in a bowl of ice cold, cucumber and herb-based gazpacho.

Except, I wanted the cheese to be the star of the dish, with the soup acting almost as a sauce. I thought of calling it something like, �Burrata in a Swamp,� but that didn�t pass the wife test, so long story short, I went with the search engine friendly name you see at the top of the post.

I really wanted a thin, light texture to play off the gooey cheese, so I didn�t add any bread, and also strained it through a fine sieve. The gazpacho seems colder, and more intense this way, and in my opinion works better than a thicker version would. So, whether you�re going to do this with the cheese or not, I really hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredient for 4 portions �Gazpacho Verde� with Burrata:

8 ounces burrata cheese (1/4 cup per serving)

3 cups sliced English cucumber (about one large)

2 cloves garlic, sliced

2 tablespoons picked fresh oregano leaves

1 cup packed picked basil leaves

1/4 to 1/3 cup seasoned *rice vinegar, to taste

1/4 cup olive oil

pinch cayenne pepper

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup water, plus more as needed

*If using regular rice vinegar, season to taste with salt and sugar. You can also use white wine or sherry vinegar, and do the same.

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New & Improved Chicken Parmesan � This is No April Fools Joke!

On those rare occasions I find myself dining in one of America�s casual restaurant chains, chicken parm is one of my go-to meals. I love chicken parm, especially when it�s made with fresh mozzarella, which it almost never is. 

It usually features the same bland, rubbery stuff you find on cheap pizza, and even though I know this going in, I�ll order it anyway.That�s how much I love chicken parm. Of course, at home we can use the real stuff, which is much more flavorful, and significantly less rubbery, but it can be pricey, and not everyone has access, so I decided to try something new. Instead of mozzarella, I made a cheese spread using ricotta, fortified with sharp cheddar.

The creamy ricotta made a great base into which you could add any melting cheese. I really enjoyed the cheddar, but I�d like to try this with other options, such as provolone, fontina, or even gruyere. And of course, if you prefer the tender meat of baby cows, this technique will work just the same with veal.

So, if you love chicken parm as much as I do, but aren�t crazy about the typical bland-but-bouncy mozzeralla topping, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Also, this is my last video, as I�m retiring at the end of the day. Thanks for everything, and as always, enjoy!

For 2 portions New & Improved Chicken Parmesan:

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup flour

1 beaten egg

3/4 cup plain bread crumbs

olive oil for frying

For the cheese spread:

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup shredded sharp white cheddar

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

pinch of cayenne

1/2 teaspoon olive oil

2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano for the top

- Serve with hot marinara sauce, and chopped Italian parsley.

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Pancetta-Wrapped Leek Gratin � Simply Amazing

I�m all about simply prepared vegetables, but every once in a while I need to cover them in caramelized pork and cheese, and this stunningly delicious pancetta-wrapped leek gratin was one of those times. I love those times.

This �umami bomb� is so flavorful and satisfying, it almost seems disrespectful to serve it as a side dish. Pair this with a slice of buttered bread, hedge your bets with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, and enjoy a truly special lunch.

For extra credit, after you finish your meal, call your best French friend and describe what you had. They will love and hate you for it. So, whether you make this for lunch, or use it to upstage a steak or grilled piece of salmon, I hope you give this great leek gratin a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 2 portions:

3 large leeks

about 4 oz pancetta

2 tsp olive oil

salt, pepper and cayenne to taste

1/4 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup drinkable white wine

1/3 cup heavy cream

finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese as needed
chives to garnish

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Kentucky Beer Cheese � Love at Third Bite

Very few love Kentucky Beer Cheese at first bite. As you crunch your first taste, the palette quickly identifies a sharp cheddar cheese spread, but then stale beer fills the nose, and you instantly think, �I should have gone clam dip.�

But after three or four bites, you stop thinking about your college dorm room carpet, and your palette adjusts to the unusual flavor profile, and this humble cheese spread becomes as addicting as any I�ve ever had. In a way, it�s sort of analogous to drinking your first beer, but that�s a whole other post.

The texture is much smoother and creamier than it looks, and that little hint of raw alcohol provides a fermented funkiness in the background that is the key to the recipe. Well done, Bluegrass State. Well done. By the way, you can upgrade the beer if you wish, but then you will not be eating real Kentucky Beer Cheese.

People around those parts may argue about the amount of pepper, or if you should throw in a chunk of cream cheese or not, but everyone agrees that this spread requires a cheap, domestic beer. Preferably from a can.

So, if you�re looking for something a little different for your Super Bowl party, I hope you give this Kentucky Beer Cheese recipe a try. If it�s a big hit, you can bring it back for your Kentucky Derby party. I�m sure it�s fabulous with mint juleps. Enjoy!

Ingredients for  about 3 cups Kentucky Beer Cheese:
16 ounces of cheese

2 cloves garlic, minced fine

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp cayenne powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp Tabasco sauce

1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 cup flat beer

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Chicken & Mushroom Chimichanga � A Thingamajig of Beauty

As legend has it, many years ago in Tucson, AZ, a woman accidentally dropped a burrito into a deep fryer. She started to blurt out a common Spanish swear word, but remembering her kids were in the kitchen, yelled out �chimichanga!� instead. She let it fry golden and crisp, and the rest is culinary history.

If you�re wondering, Chimichanga translates to �thingamajig,� which is fitting, since that�s kind of what this is. A thingamajig stuffed with whatever. In this case, whatever was a very tasty mixture of chicken, mushrooms, poblano chilies, and pepper Jack cheese.

While that particular combination is highly recommended, this is more of a technique video, so when it comes to the filling, I encourage wild experimentation. We used raw chicken here, but Chimichangas are also great for using up leftover, cooked meats. Just cube it up, toss it in when the vegetables are done, and proceed as shown.

And don't feel like you have to stay in the Tex-Mex zone. This versatile, folded and fried tortilla could make a fantastic delivery system for all kinds of ethnic foods. Anyway, no matter what kind of filling is used, or how it�s seasoned, I think everyone will agree that it�s never a good idea to curse in front of children. I hope you give this delicious son-of-a-gun a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions:

(exact measurements are not critical, as you can stuff these with anything that fits)

For the filling:

1 tbsp vegetable oil, divided (half for veggies, half to cook chicken)

1/2 cup diced onions

1/2 cup diced poblano peppers

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

12 oz boneless skinless chicken breast meat, cut in 1/2-inch cubes

salt, freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper to taste

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp chipotle, smoked paprika, or other hot or mild ground chili pepper

pinch dried Mexican oregano
1 or 2 tbsp cold water to deglaze pan once chicken is browned

4 ounces grated pepper Jack cheese

Also:

4 large flour tortilla (at least 10-inch wide)

1 egg white

2 tbsp vegetable oil for pan-frying

sour cream, guacamole, and salsa to garnish, optional

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Gorgonzola Cream Sauce � Now with Cream!

Since we�re heading into rich and creamy sauce season, I thought I�d use a nice hunk of Gorgonzola as an excuse to post a tutorial for a classic �cream sauce.� 

Unlike what�s passed off as the real stuff at casual dining chains, a true cream sauce contains nothing but heavy cream, and is on another level when it comes to taste and texture. A regular diet of cream sauce isn�t recommended, but once in a while, it�s nice to take a break from the old 2%, and the technique is dead simple. Simmer cream in a saucepan until it reduces and thickens slightly, flavor it however, and toss in some hot (hopefully stuffed) pasta. Done and done.

I went with a fairly mild, crumbly Gorgonzola this time, but no matter which you choose, be careful not to �cook� the cheese. You just want to stir it in on low, until it�s almost gone, and then turn off the heat. Otherwise the cheese will �break,� and you�ll have a greasy mess.

Since my mini-ravioli delivery system featured a squash filling, I decided to finish with diced apples and toasted walnuts. It was perfect with the rich sauce, and I recommend it if you�re using a similar pasta. Since the sauce itself is so easy, as in one ingredient easy, you can spend all that extra brainpower thinking of things you can add to it. I hope you give this great sauce technique a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 2 large or 4 smaller portions:

1 cup heavy whipping cream (36% fat)

salt and pepper to taste

cayenne to taste

3 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley

finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, optional

6 ounces dry mini-ravioli (double to 12-oz if using fresh ravioli or tortellini)

1/2 apple, diced

1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts

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�Local� Roasted Beets with Goat Cheese and Walnuts � Kill Once, Cook Twice

They say if you video blog long enough, you�ll eventually post a snuff film. Okay, so no one says that, but that�s what this roasted beets with goat cheese and walnuts kind of felt like, as I harvested my homegrown, and completely defenseless beet.

I was obviously kidding about vegetables being able to sense pain, but the more I think about it, who knows? Anyway, until I find out otherwise, I�ll assume the bloody root didn�t suffer for my pleasure, and just enjoy its incredible goodness. It�s the same assumption I use when eating chicken wings.

There are very few things that pair as perfectly as roasted beets and goat cheese. Simply a match made in occasional-vegetarian heaven. When you toss in some crunchy walnuts, foraged greens, and a simple walnut oil/vinegar dressing, you have something that�s way beyond the sum of the parts. 

I really can�t think of a more perfect fall lunch. By the way, in addition to making a great mid-day meal, this would also work nicely as a fancy side dish come holiday time, and you have plenty of time to practice. I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 2 portions:

1 or 2 tbsp walnut oil

1 roasted beet (*about 8 oz)

2 oz goat cheese

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup roasted chopped walnuts

2 tbsp champagne or sherry vinegar

thinly sliced beet greens and fresh chives to top

toasted walnut bread to serve with

*Note: Since beets come in all sorts of sizes, you�ll just have to go by feel. Roast a beet or two, slice it up, see how much you have, pick a baking dish that large enough for one layer, cover the bottom with walnut oil, toss in the beets, fill in between with goat cheese, season, bake and dress as you see fit.

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Apple & Cheddar Cheese Souffl�s � Great for People Who Stink at Folding Egg Whites

After doing such a great job folding the egg whites into this apple and cheddar souffl� batter, I celebrated by dropping a measuring cup into the bowl. By the time I fished it out, cleaned the sides of the bowl, and shook my fist at the heavens, I�d lost a lot of micro-bubbles.

I pressed on, and despite my tragic encounter with gravity, the resulting souffl�s were simply fabulous, which just goes to show that maybe we need to relax about this whole folding thing. Sure, more bubbles would make it go a little higher, but if you�ve never made a souffl� before, I hope this gives you some new-found courage.

By the way, I don�t know why most similar recipes call for extra egg whites. Actually, I do know; it�s to make them more visually impressive, but I think this dilutes the flavor. I use about half the egg whites normally called for, and these are still light as a feather.

If you decide to give these a whirl, please promise me you'll use a great cheddar. I used a sharp and creamy Cabot, but any other quality, aged cheddar will work. These apple cheddar souffl�s are very versatile, and would make a great appetizer, a special holiday brunch starter, or deliciously different dessert. I hope you give them a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4  (I used Le Creuset 4 3/4-ounce size):

For the apples:

1 tbsp butter, heated until edges start to turn brown

1 apple, cubed

1 tbsp sugar

For the batter:

2 tbsp flour

2 tbsp butter

1 cup milk

1/2 tsp salt

pinch freshly ground black pepper

pinch cayenne
pinch nutmeg

3 oz sharp white cheddar, or almost 1 cup grated

2 eggs, separated

Bake at 400 degrees F.  for about 22 minutes

*Assuming you don�t drop a measuring cup into your folded egg white fluffed batter, you should have about 2 cups of batter. You can divide each 1/2 cup portion into whatever sized ramekin you have, but a 4 3/4 to 5 oz size is ideal. Basically, when it�s fully puffed and browned, it�s done. And for goodness sake, serve very warm, but not piping hot!

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Homemade Cream Cheese � The Labneh Way

This recipe video is inspired by a Lebanese yogurt cheese spread called Labneh, but I decided to call it homemade cream cheese because my sources deep inside Google tell me that �cream cheese� is searched for more often than �labneh.� In fairness, and with apologies to my Lebanese fans, it really is almost identical in texture and mouthfeel.

Like I say in the video, the taste is a bit bolder and tangier than that stuff from Philly, but when is that ever a bad thing? Michele found some amazing sheep�s milk yogurt at a local farmer�s market, and it was incredible in this, but I've used regular yogurt and it works wonderfully as well.

You can use it as you would any commercial cream cheese, but the honey and pistachio variation I tacked on to the end would make for a memorable holiday brunch addition. On the savory side, you can�t beat simply drizzling over some olive oil and eating as a spread with crispy bread or pita chips.

Most recipes for this say you can eat it after one day, but I really think the two-day �aging� and pressing process does great things. The taste mellows out a bit, and the texture gets even denser and richer feeling. Besides, if you don�t press it, you won�t get those signature, and ultra sexy cheesecloth fabric marks! I hope you give this homemade cream cheese a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about two heaping cups of cream cheese:

1 quart yogurt, try to get something really nice from a dairy, or use Greek-style

1 tsp kosher salt or to taste

cheesecloth
*If needed, use a paper towel to blot off any additional moisture that come to the top during the 2-day pressing in the fridge.

Note: I�ve only made this one way, so I�m not sure what happens if you deviate from the recipe and use low-fat yogurt, etc. Let me know if you try something different!

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Cheesy Crackers � The Simple Joy of Homemade Crackers

Making homemade cheese crackers has never been very high on my must-do baking list, but with entertaining season rapidly approaching, I decided to give it a try to see just how vastly superior they are to their store-bought cousins.

I�m happy to report that they are better anything I�ve ever had out of a factory-sealed package. They have a much better texture with more crunch, and way more real, cheesy flavor. The only thing they have less of is ingredients; like by 45 to 5.

By the way, these cheesy crackers are based on a recipe I found on my friend, Joy the Baker�s blog. If you�re not familiar with her fine work, I encourage you to go check her out. She�s one of my favorites!

As far as the cheese goes, I went with three parts sharp cheddar to one part Parmigiano-Reggiano. I�m giving the cheese measurements below in weight, as the proportions to the rest of the ingredients are critical, and as you�ll see in the clip, measuring by cup is highly inaccurate. Since I used a fine grater on the very dry, hard cheese, it looks like well over a half-cup of cheese, but in fact was only one ounce.

This is why when recipes call for a cup of Parmesan cheese, some people will be adding 2-oz of cheese, and others 4-oz, simply depending on how they grated the cheese and packed the cup. But, when portioning cheese by weight, one ounce is always one ounce. 

Okay, I feel better. I hope you give these delicious homemade cheese crackers a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 36 crackers:

(Note: This is a half recipe, you should double to make enough for a party)

Based on this recipe from Joy the Baker

2 tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter

3 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated (about 3/4 cup lightly packed)

1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated (about 1/3 cup lightly packed)

1/2 tsp paprika

pinch of cayenne

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup all-purpose flour (2.25 oz by weight)

1 tablespoon cold water

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