Tag Archives: cheese

“I’m afraid I just blue myself” Blueberry and Brie Waffles

Four days until Arrested Development, yo!

If you need to get up to speed, SugarHero and I have been, in true obsessive-fan fashion, bringing you Arrested Development-inspired recipes this week.  So far we’ve had an elderflower Collins with a side of toast, frozen bananas because there’s always money in the banana stand, hot ham water (or ham and spring vegetable soup, if you will) and brownie ice cream sandwiches worthy of a love affair.  When people say something has a “cult following,” this is the kind of thing they talk about.

I must confess that I wasn’t an “early adopter” of Arrested Development fandom.  When it debuted, I was still in high school, actually–can I use that as an excuse, since we all know that high schoolers are decades away from good taste?  (Which is why I should probably worry that my taste in music and books is oddly similar to what it was 10 years ago.  Whatever.)

The point I am clumsily rambling toward is this: even then, before I was a fan of the show, I knew of and recognized Tobias Funke as “the guy from Arrested Development.”  Of all the incredible characters on the show, I would argue he’s the most iconic of all.  The never-nude (that’s a real thing by the way, affecting more people than just two members of the German parliament), world’s first analrapist (that’s analyst+therapist), Blue Man Group understudy, aspiring actor with catlike reflexes, and “Frightened Inmate #2.”  Also, most definitely gay, which is obvious to everyone but him:

I don’t know about you, but if this man made it into the Blue Man Group, he would definitely be my favorite.

These waffles are for him, and for you, and for me.  Just like Tobias, they are a little…  Off, in a good way.  As in, I put cheese in them and I’m not sorry.  So,  BLUE ME, WORLD.  (Line of inspirational posters coming soon.)

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Pasta with Peas, Lemon and Mint

Sometimes I forget about the joys of pure, unadulterated, simple carbs.  No talk of protein, fiber, the glycemic index, or–even worse–gluten, just starchy goodness.  I love wholesome, hearty brown grains as much as humanly possible (pretty sure), but there’s no substitute.  You know what I’m talking about–apples are good, oranges are good, but they’re not the same.  Let’s stop pretending.

Also, it’s spring.  It’s time to reawaken those taste buds with bright, delicate flavors like lemon, and peas, and what’s that–fresh mint?

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Gorgonzola and Chive Gougeres (French cheese puffs)

Mes chers amis!  (All the French I know comes from what I picked up from Julia Child’s autobiography.)

Today we’re going to be a wee bit fancy.  I mean it–there aren’t even any yoga pants in sight around here.  Just the little luxuries that are sandalwood candles, fresh laundry, an awesome soundtrack and cheesy snacks.

That last thing…  It might be my very favorite thing.

Gougeres are just one of many uses of the eggy wonder that is choux pastry.  It’s the same dough we use for profiteroles/cream puffs, except that instead of baking, then filling them, we add cheese and herbs right in, pipe them smaller, and let them get all puffy and wonderful.  In fact, if you’ve ever wanted to give cream puffs a try, this would be a good practice run.  An opportunity to test the waters. (And the butters, and the flours–hey-o!)

The end result? Bite-size puffs with a chewy, airy, eggy middle, dotted with salty, pungent (in the good way) gorgonzola cheese that oozes out onto the surface to leave those heavenly, brown, crunchy melted-and-cooled-cheese spots.  The chives are there for a touch of oniony greenery.  I think it’s nice.

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Orange-Ricotta Pop Tarts

Holy crap, I am obsessed with Weeds. These things tend to happen in the winter: Netflix streaming and dark evenings somehow make me extraordinarily motivated…  To sit on my couch and catch up on pop culture.  Watch all the things!  Yes!

I’m not doing so hot; Weeds premiered in 2005, you know?  I would have an easier time forgetting just how late I am to the party if it weren’t for the cell phones.  Old-school flip phones with that familiar greenish-grey/black display.  Shows about drug dealers feature phones A LOT.

On this schedule, I’ll be ready to discuss Girls and Downton Abbey in 2021.  Let’s make it a date, okay?

I’ll bring homemade pop tarts.

This has been on my to-do list for a while.  First thanks to the ever-brilliant and inspiring Deb from Smitten Kitchen. Then I had this killer homemade sweet potato pop tart at Dottie’s True Blue in San Francisco.  I guess I tend to get around to baking projects slightly more quickly than I catch up to cool TV shows.  Slightly.

And so, here they are!  And they’re beauties.  Tender,  buttery pastry crust, and zesty, slightly sweet, citrusy, creamy-dreamy-cheesy, slightly vanilla-scented filling.  A swirl of powdered-sugar icing on top.  Pop tarts!  Made from real food!

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French Onion Soup

Pop quiz!  You know what’s wack?

Right now, it’s 37 degrees in Juneau.  Here? 19.  I don’t know what is going on, but my guess is that Alaska is some kind of witch.  I’m onto you, Alaska.  If I weren’t so busy staying very still under this pile of blankets, I’d getcha good.

Yeah…  It’s cold.  Really cold.

In other news, I am such a big baby.  What’s wack in YOUR world?  I want to know, because complaining about the weather is majorly boring and I’m being majorly boring.  So, tell me.  We can all be in this together…  And then we should eat soup.

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Apple, Cheddar and Prosciutto Waffles

If my coworkers ever see me limping into the office on crutches, they should probably not assume I was kickboxing.  Let’s not be ridiculous…

If they knew me at all, they would probably bring up this Office classic:

Except that it would be more accurate to replace “Foreman grill” with “waffle iron.”

I’m clumsy, but that’s neither here nor there–what I’m saying is, I’ve been making a LOT of waffles lately.  And if I did have a kitchen appliance in my bedroom a la Michael Scott…  It would be a Belgian waffle iron.

Anyway.  The appliances will stay where they are for now, but still–no slowing down with the waffles!  Inspired by these pear-gorgonzola beauties, I forge ahead.  This time, there are cured pork products too.

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