It’s not quite Lag B’Omer, but we’re still in the homestretch to my favorite holiday: Shavuot! What do I love so much about Shavuot? Well, of course I could say it’s the spiritual power of recalling Matan Torah, but … yeah, honestly? It’s the CHEESE.
If you’ve ever read one of my menu plans, you know we do a lot of dairy anyway – including on the occasional Shabbat. But a whole holiday dedicated to eating ice cream and cheesecake and lasagna? Hello, love!
Imagine my total delight when the good folks at Anderson International, makers of the creamy, handmade kosher cheese Les Petites Fermieres (find them on Twitter at @Sincerely Brigit or on Facebook) asked if they could send me some samples of their farm-fresh cheese. And that they wanted me to give away a GORGEOUS basket of cheeses to one of my readers.
Yes, please!
The founder of Les Petites Fermieres grew up in France – which explains the mouth-watering creaminess of their cheeses. From Mozzarella to Gouda and fiery Pepper Jack, Les Petites Fermieres offers an abundances of choices – over 40 different kinds.
My personal favorite are the goat cheese varieties. Have you ever had warm goat cheese salad? Or berry goat cheese salad? Either would be a perfect starter for your Shavuot meals – esepcially for the more sophisticated palettes among your guests. Of course, my kiddos most appreciate the cheddar and mozzarella cheese sticks (what is it about kids and cheese sticks?).
Tonight’s pizza dinner featured Les Petites Fermieres’ Chef’s Pizza Blend. It was *perfectly* shredded and meltingly delicious. Fortunately there is a bit left over that I plan to use for some potato skins. (Yes, I’m indulging! A care package of cheese does that to me!)
My only disappointment is that among the 15 cheeses we were able to sample, we didn’t get to try their Camembert, which I hear is absolutely top-notch as well!
We have ordered Les Petites Fermieres from our local kosher co-op, and I know that you can find it at many grocery stores that carry kosher cheeses.
All Les Petites Fermieres cheeses are kosher certified by the OK, although it is not chalav yisrael.
Would you like to win your own generous basket of more than a dozen varieties of Les Petites Fermieres cheeses – which will arrive just in time for Shavuot? Cheddar, Mozzarella, Pepper Jack, a variety of mouth-watering goat cheese, Monteray Jack, Meunster, Gouda… and if you’re lucky, you might even get to enjoy some Camembert.
To enter this giveaway, just leave a comment with your favorite dairy dish for Shavuot. If you have a recipe – leave that, too. Recipes aren’t required, but this dairy-fiend will surely appreciate them.
If you are looking for some menu inspiration, please check out their blog, Sincerely Brigitte, for a host of mouth-watering recipes, including this unique Mexican Strata.
The contest will be open until next Friday, May 27. If you can still comment, you can still enter. The winner will be announced on Sunday, May 29 – and your package will be sent out the following week, so the winner will be sure to receive it in time for Shavuot.
Contest open only to U.S. residents 18 and older.
My favorite dairy dish…. There are so many! As a vegetarian my whole kitchen is dairy. I especially , love quiche though I don’t make it often. My favoite is one I figured out on my own with fresh veggies from my garden and leftover vegetarian sausage. Sautee swiss chard with garlic until chard is softened and reduced down. I sometimes add red pepper flakes depending on the spicy likes of who’s eating. Then I cube small the Lightlife vegetarian Italian sausages and sautee in a seoarate pan untill all sides are browned. I also shredd or small cube mozerella cheese- the marinated in pepper kind if I can find it kosher- then i would omit the red pepper flakes from the chard. Combine all with the egg/milk mixture and salt and pepper in the pie crusts and bake. Super yummy.
Oh abd add some fresh tomatoes to that. I forgot the tomatoes.
Eggplant Parmesan is my favorite. I add a little hot sauce, diced onions and red or yellow peppers and it gives it a lot of extra flavor
simple and good – homemade pizza!
My very favorite dish is cheesecake — and a few years ago, I found this easy Hershey’s recipe that trumps my NY style cheesecake.
Fudge Truffle Cheesecake
Chocolate Crumb Crust (recipe follows)
2 cups (12 oz package) Hershey’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
3 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1. Prepare Chocolate Crumb Crust (see below); set aside. Heat oven to 300.
2. Place chocolate chips in microwave safe bowl. Microwave at high 1 1/2 min., stir. If necessary, microwave at high an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, just until chips are melted when stirred.
3. Beat cream cheese in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Add melted chips, eggs and vanilla; mix well. Pour into prepared crust.
4. Bake 1 hour and 5 minutes or until center is set. Remove from oven to wire rack. With knife, loosen cake from side of pan. Cool completely; remove side of pan. Refrigerate several hours before serving. Garnish as desired. Cover.
Makes 10-12 servings
Chocolate Crumb Crust
Stir together 1 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crums, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/3 cup Hershey’s Cocoa and 1/3 cup melted butter or margarine in bowl. Press firmly onto botto of 9 in springform pan.
Anything with goat cheese/chevre. And of course ice cream or cheesecake!
Spinach, mushroom, and cheese lasagna!
Fresh spinach, fresh mushrooms, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, sauce, salt, pepper, garlic powder and of course lasagna!
My favorite: Fresh Berry Tart with Toasted Nut Crust http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/11045
Ahh… lovely cheese… spinach and cheese enchiladas are a big favorite around here. You can make the enchilada sauce or buy it (I think the Ortega brand is OK certified). Pour enough enchilada sauce to coat the bottom of a rectangular glass baking dish. Mix chopped spinach (defrost and squeeze out extra liquid if using frozen) and mix with shredded cheese (pepperjack is a nice addition to the standard cheddar/mozz mix), chopped purple onion (saute’ ahead of time for an extra treat), and chili powder (to taste). Spoon mixture into tortillas, roll up tortillas and place them seam side down in the enchilada sauce in the pan. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over top of the enchiladas and sprinkle on extra cheese. Bake at 350 for 20 min or until cheese is bubbly. Serve with sour cream, dirty rice, and a tex-mex salad of corn, black beans, peppers, and onions over romaine lettuce with a salad dressing made from mixing salsa and a bit of mayo (or yogurt). Crush some tortilla chips on top for extra fun. Enjoy! Betayavon!
Oh, I love love love cheesecake, but my friend is a pastry chef and his is so light and creamy it’s a wonder! So, I just go to their house rather than trying to pretend my standard Philly cheesecake is anything special 😉
chocolate cheesecake!
Well, I look forward to making cheesecake. Honey Ricotta to be exact. It’s lower fat, right?
I’ve tried some Les Petites Fermieres Cheese and loved it! Would love to try more flavors :).
I am a sucker for my grandmother’s blintzes!
The best part of having a dairy meal on Shavuos is the Dessert: Ice Cream Bar with all the topings.
The classic item I always linked with Shavuot is the cheese kugel topped with a chopped nuts and brown sugar. I can’t find the recipe right now, but I hope to find it sometime soon.
My most favorite cheese cake recipe, brought to you by Wilton. I just quarter the recipe, and for Shavuot served from start to end, have no problem getting it finished with guests. http://www.wilton.com/idea/3-Tier-Wedding-Cheesecake
A great Shavuot dish: spinach and mushroom quiche made with farmer cheese.
Cheese blintzes!!
cheesecake!!!!
love cheese cake and danishes: )
homeade blintzes… but also cheesecake – the recipe from Joan Nathan’s Low-Fat Kosher Cooking is AWESOME!
My family’s favorite on Shavuot is the unstuffed cheese blintz.
Mom’s homemade cheese blintzes with farmer cheese and Avis’ homemade apple sauce. The best!!!
WALNUT-SAGE POTATOES AU GRATIN
(Gluten-Free)
6 medium russet potatoes (2 lb.)
1/2 cup chopped onions
5 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsp walnut oil
4 Tbsp potato starch (for Passover) or arrowroot flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 1/2 cups 2% or whole milk
3 tablespoons snipped fresh sage
4 ounces Swiss gruyere cheese, shredded (1 cup)
1/3 cup broken walnut pieces
Fresh sage leaves (optional)
Peel potatoes and thinly slice. Use a knife or the thin slicing blade on the food processor. Slices should be no thicker than 1/4.” Place slices in a bowl, submered in cold water to keep from browning.
In a medium saucepan on medium to medium-high heat, cook the onion and garlic in walnut oil until tender but not browned. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper, then quickly add all of the milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat; stir in snipped sage.
Grease a 2-quart round casserole (with glass cover) or a deep 2-quart baking dish. Layer half of the potatoes in casserole. Cover with half the sauce. Sprinkle with half the cheese. Repeat layering with the potatoes and sauce. Cover with lid or tented tinfoil.
Bake uncovered at 350 F for 40 minutes, then uncover and bake 25-40 minutes more or until potatoes are tender. Sprinkle remaining cheese and all of the chopped walnuts over top. Bake, uncovered, 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with remaining sage leaves.
Can you post this on the RE, too, Tovah? Wow – this looks heavenly!
My wife makes great Oreo Cheesecake!
Yum!
Anything with spinach and cheese. …and cheesecake, of course!
In the south I love to do tradition recipes like Tomato Pie…its basically the best parts of a pizza without actually being one…
Take crushed ritz crackers and mix well with melted butter. layer on the bottom of a baking tin or lasagna tin.
Mix together tomato paste, mayo, cayenne pepper, garlic, basic, onions, and salt and pepper and slather on top (liberally) of the ritz crust.
layer on sliced tomatoes, then mozzarella and chedder cheese.
Then repeat all of these steps over and over until you reach the top layer where you can mix the cheese, ritz crackers and fresh basil leaves on top for the most delicious southern yummies you’ve ever had 🙂
Enjoy Ya’ll!
whoops! I forgot… 350 degrees for 30mins! If cooking covered, its more like 45
My mouth is watering just thinking of cheesecake!
Kims2312@verizon.net
We love Les Petites cheese. Grab some of their reduced fat cheddar slices and some triscuits, and walla, a delicious and nutritious snack. My favorite shavuos food would have to be my white chocolate cheesecake. You can really use any cheesecake recipe and then add a bar of Ghirardelli white baking chocolate. For extra pizazz, shave off some chocolate with a peeler and add it to the top of the cheesecake as decoration.
My favorite dish is cream cheese noodle kugel with craisins (instead of raisins). Ummmm….good!
“OHHHH! yummy yummy yummy! If I had all that cheese, I would want to eat it all in one day!” My adorable 7 year old’s comment, while licking his lips, after I told him about the giveaway. We love cheese!
My favorite Shavuot foods….
blintz souffle, vege lasagna, cheesecake- the creamier–the better!
1/2 stick butter
6 blintzes- frozen works well
3 eggs beaten
1c sour cream
2Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1tsp vanilla
2Tbsp orange juice
1tsp orange zest (optional)
Melt butter in baking dish large enough to fit the blintzes in one layer.
Mix remaining ingredients together and pour over blintzes. Bake 350 for 35-40 min. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with preserves or a fruit sauce. serves 6
Chag Sameach!!
Love him!
Blintz Souffle. I keep forgetting to bring the recipe over to the computer, but basically take (frozen) blintzes and set them in a baking dish. Pour beaten egg, orange juice, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla over the blintzes and then bake. I always use the commercial packaged ones, but I suppose you could make your own and use them too.
I take my standard broccoli kugel recipe and add a TON of cheese. Delicious!
My favorite dish on Shavous is something my mother-in-law’s parents used to make – a recipe that is part of their Ladino culture from the Isle of Rhodes. It’s a delicious soft and flaky pocket filled with a warm cheese center that’s not too gooey, but just enough to make it addictive.
Good luck everyone on the giveaway!
Basya – I’m gonna need a recipe! That sounds amazing. (You can leave it on the recipe exchange if you’d rather.)
My favorite foods for Shavuot are blintzes and cheesecake – time to indulge!
I love being able to add cheese to salads
I love cheese in just about any form. So deep dish pizza is a good one, I would say my husband’s favorite is cheesecake.