Grilled Romaine Hearts

Yummy!  I was in Laramie in May for work and had dinner at an Italian restaurant.  They were a bit stingy with the asparagus but their grilled Caesar salad was delicious.

So, back at the Wild O Ranch, I tried to grill lettuce too.

After removing the outer leaves and washing the inner ones, spray the romaine with olive oil to prevent sticking.  Salt and pepper both sides to taste.  Grill over hot charcoals until grill marks show.

I used ranch dressing with sunflower seeds.  Lambrusco's in Laramie shaved parmesan cheese on top, then added croutons and drizzled Caesar dressing.

The combination texture of wilted/crisp lettuce combined with mild smokiness was tastey.

Cheese Souffle

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/cheese-souffle-recipe.html

Thanks to Alton Brown.  Yummy.

Ingredients

• Butter, room temperature, for greasing the souffle
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• 1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/3 cups milk, hot
• 4 large egg yolks (2 1/2 ounces by weight)
• 6 ounces sharp Cheddar
• 5 egg whites plus 1 tablespoon water (5 1/2 ounces by weight plus 1/2 ounce water)
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Directions

Use room temperature butter to grease an 8-inch souffle mold. Add the grated Parmesan and roll around the mold to cover the sides. Cover with plastic wrap and place into the freezer for 5 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a small saucepan, heat the butter. Allow all of the water to cook out.
In a separate bowl combine the flour, dry mustard, garlic powder, and kosher salt. Whisk this mixture into the melted butter. Cook for 2 minutes.
Whisk in the hot milk and turn the heat to high. Once the mixture reaches a boil, remove from the heat.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks to a creamy consistency. Temper the yolks into the milk mixture, constantly whisking. Remove from the heat and add the cheese. Whisk until incorporated.
In a separate bowl, using a hand mixer, whip the egg whites and cream of tartar until glossy and firm. Add 1/4 of the mixture to the base. Continue to add the whites by thirds, folding very gently.
Pour the mixture into the souffle. Fill the souffle to 1/2-inch from the top. Place on an aluminum pie pan. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes.

Kish! haha

Quiche is a savory, open-faced pastry crust with a filling of savory custard with cheese, meat, seafood, or vegetables. Quiche can be served hot or cold.  (Wikipedia)

Back at Furman, Pammy showed me how to make Quiche.  I have modified the recipe a bit - but the credit should go to my roomie.

 

Buy frozen pie crusts.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. 

Pre-bake crust for 5 to 8 minutes (starting to bake but not browned).

 

Each pie needs (custard mix):

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 t salt

1/4 t freshly ground nutmeg

onion powder - 1/4 t

garlic powder - 1/8 t

red pepper flakes - to taste

Mix these ingredients well and set aside

 

Version 1 (for Ivy and Alaina)

1/3 c pork sausage, cooked and crumbled

1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese

1/8 c parmesan cheese, grated

 

Version 2 (for Steve and Cathy)

1/4 c bacon, cooked and crumbled

1/2 to 1 cup raw greens (spinach, kale, mix), roughly chopped

1/4 c sautéed mushrooms (without juice)

1/4 c pepper jack cheese, shredded

1/8 c parmesan cheese, grated

 

Pour custard mix over each pie.

Bake on a cookie sheet for 30-40 minutes until set, puffed and slightly golden.

Serve with a side salad.

 

Note: you can use whatever type of cheese you like, just not to much or "creamy" will turn to "stringy" (not that stringy cheese is bad....).