Shel_B

There's a Cauliflower with Gruyere Sauce recipe that I've modified to use with pepperjack and a very cheesy frittata that has been discussed in another thread http://forums.egullet.org/topic/149975-oven-times-for-different-size-baking-dishes/

Satisfied isn't pleased. I believe I can do better. The shredded cheese I'm using has additives that effect the texture and perhaps the taste. This concern was raised in the Pimento cheese thread, and I recently found out why the problem exists, so I'd like to improve my results. It was you who brought the issue to my attention when you wrote "Pre-grated cheese is never as good as grating your own, as pre-grated cheese tends to break down too much when you mix everything together. It's also usually dusted in starch or cellulose to keep it from clumping together in the bag."

There are a couple of recipes I make using pepper jack. They both require shredded or grated cheese. I've been buying a pre-shredded pepper jack from TJ's, but some comments I read suggest grating/shredding the cheese yourself. I've not been pleased with the various pepper jack cheeses I've tried, although I am satisfied with TJ's shredded cheese. I can, however, find numerous, excellent plain jack cheeses. My thought was to use one of these cheeses and then finely dice or mince whatever peppers I want in whatever proportions that will give me the heat and flavor I want. The idea is to take the diced peppers and mix them with the liquid items in my recipe, which will then be mixed into the dry ingredients before the dish is popped into the oven. Does this sound like a good way to get that pepper jack taste into my baked dishes, or am I missing something?

Will do in a couple of days ... away from my recipes now.

I looked at the ingredient list on the bottle I bought and discovered that the sauce contains sucralose. It's way down at the bottom of the list of ingredients, in fact, the last ingredient. I didn't notice that when I checked the label at the time of purchase. Searching the net, there seems to be some health concerns about the ingredient, although it is used a lot by diabetics and others wishing to restrict their sugar intake. I need to research some more, but I think I'd prefer a low sugar sauce rather than a sucralose sauce.

This frittata is unlike any that I've seen mentioned on the net (3/4-lbs of cheese, more than 2-lbs of spinach, not many eggs, thick, soft, and cheesy), although I'm sure that somewhere something similar can be found. I don't know if the internal temp of a more typical frittata would be appropriate for this puppy. I'd be happy to post the recipe should you, or anyone, be interested. In any case, I know what it should look like, so I can nail it pretty well every time by observation. Plus, the thing is quite forgiving. Thanks for your suggestion.

Last week I found a sugar-free sauce. Haven't tried it yet - waiting to use the balance of a bottle in the fridge. http://www.cutthewheat.com/2014/04/review-g-hughes-guys-sugar-free-gluten.html http://www.guysbbq.com/bbq-sauce/taste-difference

Good idea, although I've never determined what the internal temp of the dish should be, so there's no point of reference. I've always made the dish and determined doneness by what it looks like.

Thanks all. Just knowing that the baking time needs to be adjusted is a big help. The frittata is in the oven now and - whoops! the timer just went off @ 28-minutes ... looks pretty good, so I'll remove from the oven and let it cool. Thanks again to everyone.

This afternoon I'm making a cheese and spinach frittata. It's usually made in an 8x8 dish, but this time I want to make it in a larger dish, which is about 10x10. The dishes are of the same material, vintage Corningware baking dishes. I am sticking with the same recipe, so the volume will be the same for each dish. Of course, the thickness of the frittata will be less in the larger dish. With that in mind, should I reduce the baking time? It's usually about 350-deg for 40-minutes in the 8x8 dish.

I never said anything about preventing skin ... just wanted to know why it happens and what contributes to it. I like the skin.

I just made a batch of chocolate pudding, and, as usual, a nice skin formed on the top. Recently, Toots made a batch of chocolate pudding using a mix, and no skin formed over the pudding. She did use non-fat milk and I used reduced-fat (2%) milk. Might the lack of skin on Toots' pudding be a result of her using non-fat milk? Or might there be some additive or ingredient in the mix that prevents the skin from forming? And, why does a skin form in the first place?

I may have misspoken .... Upon reflection, I believe he said that he has 66 pans, so it's possible that he didn't do all of them using the oven method. I'll have to watch the video again. However, I'm comfortable with the idea he's done quite a few using that method.

You're quite welcome. So pleased that the technique worked for you. I've only done one skillet this way, and it turned out perfectly. I've a newer (20+ yo) Lodge that I plan to treat after the holidays.

The guy that made the video has done something like 66 skillets using the method. He issued no caveats about warping or cracking. Where did you get your information? I'd like to check it out.

I posted the panna cotta recipe in Recipe Gullet ... feel free to ask any questions.

Shel’s Simple Meyer Lemon Panna Cotta I like to use a shallow rustic ceramic bowl for this dish so that people can help themselves, or serve in individual dishes. Ingredients 1 envelope unflavored gelatin 1 cup sugar, scant (see notes) 1 cup water, divided 1 cup whipping cream 1 cup Meyer lemon juice (4-6 Meyer lemons) 1 - 2 Tbs finely grated Meyer lemon zest (optional, see notes) 1 cup nonfat Greek-style yogurt (use one without additives and fillers) 1 tsp - 1½ tsp vanilla extract Instructions　 Sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water in a small ramekin; let it soften for 5 minutes or until no dry spots remain. Combine sugar and 1/2 cup warm water in a saucepan; bring to a simmer and stir until sugar dissolves. Turn off the heat and add the gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin dissolves. Add cream, lemon juice and lemon zest. Let cool slightly. Put yogurt in a mixing bowl and whisk to loosen it up. Add the cream mixture, little by little, gently stirring after each addition to break up any lumps of yogurt before adding more cream. Do not over stir, which will avoid air bubbles. Pour mixture into a 5-cup bowl or mold. Tap the bowl on the counter to remove air bubbles. Cover and chill until set, 6 hours to overnight. Notes: Ideally, use heavy whipping cream, but even half-and-half will work. When using whipping cream, use a good, unadulterated cream. Many store creams have additives and fillers – read the labels! Trader Joe’s whipping cream (in my area) is excellent, as is Clover – made in the same plant. Manufacturer's cream is heavier and may also be a good choice. For a somewhat tangier result, mix Meyer lemon with regular, Eureka lemons – maybe as much as about 50-50, but I prefer no more than about 20% of regular lemon juice. You can use a mixture of zest as well. Experiment to find the lemon intensity you prefer. Sometimes I want it heavy, other times more subtle. A scant cup of sugar seems to be just fine, but depending on your taste and the intensity of the lemons, a little more, or less, may also work. I’ve gone as low as ¾ cup sugar when using all Meyer lemons, a bit more when adding Eureka lemon juice. You can use somewhat less gelatin for a "looser" texture, or more if you prefer a firmer dessert. I like the results from a standard packet. I’ve never used super fine sugar, just fine. I let the sugar sit in warmed water for a bit before turning on the heat and stirring. Vanilla sugar may be great, but I’ve not yet tried it

http://www.sfgate.com/food/article/STOCK-TIPS-3237449.php

My pleasure. Will do so after the weekend, when I get home.

I make a wonderful Meyer lemon panna cotta and also use Meyers when I make lemon curd. If interested, I'll post or send you the recipes.

Porthos, this worked for me .... much simpler than other methods, and it can be done at home very conveniently. Nice find! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6Tz3HnnCFs

I like it, but it's not a good fit for the family because of the cheese component and Toots is not a fungi fan.

Toots and I discussed the situation and have decided to go with a Brussels sprouts dish. Thanks so much for all the suggestions.

We have it here as well, although not sure if it's the right season for it now.

We (We means that I make it) have been requested to bring a "green vegetable side dish" to Thanksgiving dinner. I can't think of anything creative that will stand up to traveling or that will be good eaten at room temp or would work well being reheated. Any suggestions? PS: Green Bean Casserole - been there, done that. Thanks!