I felt like I just had to cook something for dinner for Valentines Day. I had seen Ina Garten on the Barefoot Contessa make a salad with warn goat cheese, and I had been meaning to try it. I didn’t use her salad recipe because I love to pair fresh goat cheese with strawberries and balsamic vinegar. It was really delicious, and I made just made it again for dinner.
1 log of goat cheese
1 egg white with a splash of water
½ cup Japanese Panko Bread crumbs (they are crunchier and flakier)
Slice the goat cheese into ½ rounds, dip in the egg and water, press into the panko. Chill the rounds for a few minutes.Heat olive oil and 1 tbs of butter over medium high heat. Cook the goat cheese until each side is lightly brown.For the salad I used a field green mix and tossed it in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add the strawberries, goat cheese and finish with a pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper.
This is not something that I would normally cook but I saw a variation of this recipe posted on a message board. I changed pretty much everything about the original recipe but the idea of a dip that tasted like buffalo wings inspired me. The original recipe called for both blue cheese dressing and extra blue cheese. Since my H doesn’t like blue cheese, and I didn’t think I could eat the whole thing, I left it out. I served this with toasted tortillas and celery sticks.
2 1/2 chicken breast shredded (I poached them in water with garlic salt)
1 8oz package nuefchatel cheese (Lowfat Cream Cheese)
about 1/4 to a 1/2 cup Frank’s Hot Sauce
1/4 tsp garlic powder
fresh ground pepper and salt to taste
1/4 cup Vermont extra sharp cheddar cheese
Stir the ingredients together and leave some extra cheese for the top. Place in ovenproof dish or skillet and bake covered with foil on 350 until bubbly. I wanted this to be a little brown on top and put the oven on broil for the last two minutes with it uncovered.
