cheese galore

• If you plan to bake this right away, preheat oven to 375-degrees. Butter or spray a 9×9 baking dish.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt and macaroni. Cook until al dente. Drain the water and return the macaroni to the pot. Add butter and stir until it has melted.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together evaporated milk and egg. Add seasoned salt, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
• Place about 1/3 of the macaroni in an even layer in the bottom of prepared baking dish. This should be just enough to cover the bottom. Cover with 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat twice more with remaining macaroni and cheese.
• Pour the milk and seasonings mixture evenly over the contents of the baking dish. At this point, you can stash the dish in the fridge overnight or during the day until it’s meal time.
• When you’re ready to bake, make sure the oven is preheated. Sprinkle the top of the macaroni with paprika and bread crumbs.
• Bake until top layer is lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes; note that if the dish is cold, bake time will likely need to be extended to closer to 40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
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• Preheat oven at 425-degrees.
• In the container of a blender, place milk, eggs, 1 tablespoon melted butter, flour, and salt; process just until smooth. Let rest for 10 minutes.
• In a small bowl, toss together grated cheese and chives.
• Place a 12-cup muffin pan in oven for 5 minutes to preheat.
• Remove muffin pan from oven, and quickly spoon the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter into the 6 muffin cups that are being used. Return pan to oven for 2 minutes.
• Remove pan from oven. Working fast, spoon or pour batter into buttered muffin cups, dividing as evenly as possible. Top each with a spoonful of cheese mixture.
• Bake until puffed and golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Garnish with more chives, if desired. Serve immediately. Yorkshires are best fresh as they deflate after baking.

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• Grate the butter using a hand grater or a grater attachment on a food processor. In a large bowl, use a pastry blender to cut in the cheese, which will be crumbly. Add the flour, followed by the yolks and water. Knead the dough until it comes together in a cohesive mass.
• Form the dough into a disc and encase it in plastic wrap to chill for anywhere from an hour to several days.
• When it’s cookie time, preheat oven at 375-degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a small amount of water in a saucer or bowl. Measure the white sugar into a deep bowl.
• Prepare a clean work surface with a dusting of flour. Break off some of the dough and roll it into a thin layer, like for a pie crust. Use the cutter to slice out 3-inch rounds; place the leftover and unused dough to chill in the fridge while cookies are shaped.
• Dampen fingers in the prepared water. Brush wet fingers over one side of a dough round. Dip moist dough into the sugar to coat it. Fold in half with the sugared portion on the inside. Dampen fingers and stroke another folded side of the dough, and dip that in sugar. Fold a final time with the sugared section on the inside. Use wet fingers on outside of cookie and coat that in sugar, too. Gently press the pleats together to prevent them from unfolding during baking. Place formed cookie on sheet and repeat process with remaining rounds.
• Bring together dough scraps, using a little water if needed, to roll out again. Use rest of dough to form cookies.
• Bake in batches for 19 to 22 minutes, until puffed and set with a golden base. Store in a sealed container at room temperature.

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• Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Line an 8×8 or 9×9-inch square pan with aluminum foil and apply nonstick spray or butter.
• Mix goat cheese swirl ingredients. Set aside.
• Make the brownie base by whisking together the cocoa, sugars, salt, flour, and chips in a big mixing bowl. Add the eggs, oil, and water and vanilla extract until everything is just combined.
• Spoon half the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Dollop the cheese mixture atop it, then add the remaining brownie batter into the open spots. Use a knife to swirl the two layers together while still keeping them a bit distinct.
• Bake the brownies for 35 to 45 minutes, depending on the pan size. Use the toothpick test to check for doneness. The center should be set with the consistency still moist and fudgy. Cool to room temperature, then place in fridge to chill an hour or two prior to cutting.
• Use foil to lift brownies onto cutting board for easy slicing. Store in a sealed container in fridge, with parchment or waxed paper between the layers.
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• Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Line a 13×9-inch pan with aluminum foil. Apply nonstick spray.
• In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugars until fluffy. Add the molasses, mixing until no streaks remain. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping the bottom of the bowl on occasion.
• In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, ground ginger, salt, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet. Fold in the candied ginger.
• Measure out 2 cups of the dough and set it aside.
• Press the remainder of the dough into the pan, forming an even layer.
• Time to make the cheesecake layer. Beat the cream cheese until creamy. Add the sugar and flour. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla. The mixture should be fairly consistent in color and texture, but it’s okay if there are some small lumps.
• Use an uneven spatula to spread the cheesecake into an even layer. Crumble the reserved topping over it.
• Bake for 50 to 60 minutes; the middle should not look jiggly and should pass the toothpick test. If the top is browning too much, cover with foil.
• Cool at room temperature for about an hour, then place in fridge to completely chill for a few hours. Use foil to lift onto cutting board to slice into small pieces. Store in fridge in a sealed container.

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• Preheat oven to 475-degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Set the goat cheese in the freezer for just a few minutes as the dough is being prepared.
• In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter and mash it until it is pea-sized. Pour in the buttermilk or soured milk.
• The chilled goat cheese will be easier to dice into small pieces without being a sticky mess. Fold those chunks into the dough.
• Sprinkle flour onto a clean work surface. Knead the dough to make sure it is cohesive, but don’t overwork. Pat into a thick round. Use a 2-inch cutter to cut out shapes. Set them on cookie sheet, then reform leftovers to cut out more biscuits.
• Once all of the scrap dough is used, pour a dab of milk or half & half into a saucer. Use a pastry brush to brush a thin layer of milk onto the top of each biscuit; this will create a nice golden crust.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until nicely golden. Serve immediately. Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave or wrapped in foil and set in the oven to briefly bake.

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