my favorite cheeses

during college, i used to work at la brea bakery as a bakery girl.  in addition to selling amazing breads, pastries and paninis, i became a total cheesemonger!  this week, i want to share a list of my favorite cheeses with everyone instead of a cooking recipe.  hope you learn a thing or two...and please go to your nearest cheese store and try some of these delicious cheeses!

#1 old amsterdam gouda

cows milk, netherlands

a hard, dry, aged gouda that has this amazing, buttery flavor.  my favorite thing about this cheese is its crunchy crystals interspersed throughout.  

#2 st. agur

cows milk, france

a delicious strong yet creamy blue cheese with a velvety texture. this cheese has olive green mold veins throughout, leaving a subtle mild spicy taste that develops as it ages.  delicious with red wine, bread and/or fruit paste.

#3 humboldt fog

goats milk, california

a very unique cheese with a creamy and luscious texture with a subtle tangy flavor.  with a center layer and outer covering of vegetable ash, and a creamy texture under the rind and firm in the center, this beautiful cheese is a mild and amazing.

#4 epoisses

cows milk, france

this cheese was known to have been a favorite of napoleon.  super stinky with a complex combination of rich, salty and sweet flavors, this cheese melts in your mouth.

#5 nevat

sheeps milk, spain

"nevat" the catalan word for "snow" is a perfect name for this airy cheese.  this unique cheese has a smooth and creamy texture at the edges, and a chalkier center.

#6 sottocenare al tartufo

cows milk, italy

a firm cheese with black truffle bits scattered throughout.  the rind is made of ash a variety of spices (like cinnamon, nutmeg, fennel and coriander).

#7 brie de meaux

cows milk, france

the very first brie ever made!  a super pungent and creamy cheese, this brie dates back to the 1700s.  super soft and intense in flavor, this cheese is delicious with fresh grapes, figs and apple slices.

#8 red hawk

cows milk, california

a triple-cream, washed-rind, fully-flavored chese.  although it's super stinky, the flavor is earthy and mild.  delicious with a sweet dessert wine. ps - if you want something a little more mild, try mt. tam.

#9 st andre

cows milk, france

probably one of my first favorite cheeses, i remember using st andre to make yummy snacks for me and arthur growing up.  a simple, rich triple-cream cheese, st andre is perfect as an appetizer, ingredient for recipes, and as dessert.

#10 piave

cows milk, italy

i like to use piave instead of parmesan due to its beautiful, nutty, caramely flavor.  made from the milk from the cow's by the piave river in italy, this cheese is a must-try!

hope you enjoyed learning about my favorite cheese!  let me know if you want to learn more about wine pairings and accompaniments.

xoxo, 

kara

cioppino seafood stew

i love seafood, especially when it's served raw (sushi, ceviche, poke) or in velvety stews (cioppino, bouillabaisse, chilpachole).  since it's still super cold everywhere else in the country, i thought i would share another cold-weather recipe this week (and one of my personal faves), my amazingly delicious cioppino.  although purchasing all the ingredients might be a bit pricey, trust me, this recipe is well worth it!

ingredients:

- 1/2 cup butter

- 2 tablespoons olive oil

- 1 large onion, chopped

- 2 shallots, chopped

- 4 cloves garlic, minced

- 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

- 1 bunch fresh flat parsley, chopped

- 1 small bunch basil, chopped

- 1 32oz can diced or crushed tomatoes in juice

- 4 cups of organic chicken broth (a box)

- 2 cups dry white wine

- 2 bay leaves

- 1 pound clams, scrubbed

- 1 pound mussels, cleaned and debearded

- 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined

- 1 1/2 pounds scallops

- 2 pounds cod, sea bass or halibut fillets, cut into 1-inch cubes

- 1 sourdough baguette, cut into thick slices and toasted

- s&p

directions:

- melt butter and olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat

- add onion and shallots. saute slowly, stirring until both are soft and translucent, about 10 minutes

- add garlic and red pepper flakes, stir gently for 3 minutes

- add parsley, basil, can of tomatoes with juice, chicken stock, white wine and bay leaves; stir well

- cover pot and simmer for 30 minutes

- add clams and mussels, and cook for 5 minutes until they slightly open

- then gently stir in shrimp, scallops and fish; cook for an additional 5-8 minutes until shrimp and fish are just cooked through (shrimp should be pale pink; fish should be slightly firm)

- remove bay leaves and any clams or mussels that have not opened yet (just in case!)

- season with some s&p, ladle into soup bowls, and enjoy with some toasted sourdough bread

xoxo, 

kara

meatballs & spaghetti

although i'm not the biggest fan of meatballs nor spaghetti, rob loves pasta...so as a great wife that i am (ha!) i make spaghetti and meatballs for rob whenever he wants.  after some trial and error, i have put together a pretty amazing spaghetti & meatball recipe that's super easy to make...it's easier than buying frozen meatballs from trader joe's, i promise!  enjoy :)

ingredients:

- 1/2 pound ground beef

- 1/2 pound ground pork

- 1 clove garlic, minced

- 1 egg

- 1/2 cup freshly grated romano cheese

- 1 teaspoon salt

- 1 teaspoon black pepper

- 1/2 cup bread crumbs and 1/2 cup panko (or just 1 cup of bread crumbs...but i personally like to do a combo for flavor and texture)

- 2/3 cup lukewarm chicken broth

- 1 cup olive oil

- spaghetti

- jar of annalise's homemade tomato sauce (or any simple tomato sauce :) )

- a handful of cherry tomatoes, optional

directions:

- in a large bowl, combine beef and pork

- add garlic, egg, cheese, s&p to the bowl and mix 

- add bread crumbs and mix until combined

- add 1/3 cup of chicken broth, gently mix, then add another 1/3 cup and mix

- shape into 1-1.5 inch meatballs

- heat olive oil in a large, cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat

- fry meatballs in small batches; turn just a couple times until brown then place on some paper towels to rest

- while cooking the rest of the meatballs, boil some water and cook spaghetti until al dente; drain

- once meatballs are all done, remove all but a couple teaspoons of olive oil from skillet, reduce heat, add tomato sauce and simmer for a couple minutes

- add spaghetti, cherry tomatoes, and meatballs back into the skillet; toss until everything is coated

- serve with a sprinkle of romano cheese on top and enjoy with some red wine!

xoxo,

kara

classic and delicious lasagna

i'm not a big lasagna person, but boy is this recipe out of this world!  just use my bolognese sauce recipe and follow the easy steps below!  you and your family are going to love this ultimate, super comforting and delicious lasagna dish! 

ingredients:

- 2.5 cups milk

- 4 tablespoons butter

- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

- 4 oz parmesan cheese, grated

- 4 oz mozzarella cheese (fresh or grated.  if fresh, tear into small pieces)

- 1 bolognese sauce 

- lasagna noodles (the no-boil kind)

- s&p

directions:

- preheat oven to 350 degrees

- to make the cheese sauce, put the milk, butter and flour into a medium saucepan

- place the saucepan over medium heat and whisk for 5 minutes until it comes to a boil and is thick and smooth

- add two-thirds of the parmesan cheese and nutmeg to the sauce and stir.  season with s&p

- grab a large ceramic or glass dish and add a layer of the bolognese sauce to the bottom

- spoon a little of the cheese sauce over it

- add a layer of lasagna noodles, snapping the sheets to fit the dish if needed

- continue to build the layers...bolognese sauce, then the cheese sauce, followed by lasagna noodles.  the final layer should be the cheese sauce

- cover the top with the remaining parmesan and mozzarella

- bake for 45 minutes.  let the lasagna rest for 10 minutes before serving.  enjoy!

xoxo, 

kara

bolognese sauce

rob LOVES italian food, and he constantly wants to eat pastas and pizzas.  bolognese sauce is the backbone to so many italian dishes...so here's an amazing recipe you can use as the main ingredient for things like lasagna, pasta, etc.  fyi - i recommend making this on a saturday or sunday, when you have a couple extra hours to cook.  enjoy!

ingredients:

- 1 tablespoon olive oil

- 1 pound lean ground beef

- 2 medium onion, roughly chopped

- 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped

- 1 carrot, roughly chopped

- 2 cloves of garlic

- 8 strips of thick cut bacon (not the flavored stuff though!), cut into 1/2-inch pieces

- 1 handful of fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces

- 2 tablespoons tomato paste

- 1 bay leaf

- 2/3 cup white wine

- 2/3 cup milk

- 2 (14.5 oz) cans chopped tomatoes

- 1/2 cup chicken or beef broth

- red pepper flakes

- s&p

directions:

- heat a large casserole (like a le creuset) or frying pan over high heat and add olive oil

- after about 30 seconds, add the ground beef (the meat should sizzle).  break up the meat with a wood spoon and cook for about 10 minutes until brown.  transfer the meat to a bowl.

- add the chopped bacon into the pan and fry for 10 minutes, until crisp and golden and the fat has run out of the meat

- meanwhile, put the onion, celery, carrot and garlic gloves into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped (note: if you don't have a food processor, just finely chop the vegetables by hand)

- add the vegetable medley to the bacon and turn down the heat to low-medium.  stir and cook for 10 minutes

- return the ground beef to the pan and add basil leaves

- stir in tomato paste, white wine and bay leaf; simmer for 2 minutes

- add the milk, canned tomatoes an water; stir carefully

- season with s&p, and if you want it a little spicy, adds some red pepper flakes

- partially cover the pan, then simmer for 1.5 hours until the meat is tender and the sauce is thick

- remove the bay leaf and season again with s&p if needed

- to make bolognese pasta, just add some cooked pasta to the sauce, toss and serve with some parmesan cheese!

xoxo, 

kara

ps- you can totally keep this sauce in the fridge for up to 4 days or so...perfect for easy weeknight pasta dinners!