Goat Cheese and Chive Souffle



I'm always looking for good breakfast food.  For two reasons.  1) If we've heard it once, we've heard it a thousand times.  Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  2) On Wednesday nights, my husband and I are at church until 8:00, so it's become a weekly tradition to eat breakfast on Wednesday nights primarily because it's usually quick to prepare.  After eggs and sausage so many weeks in a row, however, breakfast for supper (or brupper as I called it growing up) can get old.  Enter the below.  Goat cheese and chive souffle.  I found this recipe while I was sitting in a judge's office waiting to meet with her about a case my office had settled.  I shamelessly asked her secretary if I could borrow the magazine to make a copy of the recipe.  So glad I did.  Goat cheese and eggs are a hard combination to beat.  Add to that the airy texture of a souffle and it's even better, which I didn't think was possible.  I've heard people say souffles are hard to make.  This recipe, in spite of several steps, is actually pretty easy.  And it's perfect when you're tired of the same ol' scrambled eggs.


Ingredients

3 egg yolks
3/4 cup whole milk
3 T butter
3 T white whole wheat flour
2 3-of logs soft goat cheese, crumbled
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (I used Asiago because I didn't have Parmesan on hand)
1/3 cup chopped fresh chives
1/2 t salt
1/2 t ground black pepper
5 egg whites

Directions

Preheat oven to 375.  Butter five 1-cup souffle dishes.  Whisk yolks and milk in large bowl.  Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add flour and stir 1 minute.  Gradually whisk milk mixture into butter mixture.  Continue whisking over medium heat until thick, about 2 minutes.  Return mixture to mixing bowl.  Cool souffle base slightly.

Set aside 1/4 cup goat cheese.  Whisk remaining goat cheese, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, chives, salt, and pepper into souffle base.  Beat egg whites in another bowl until stiff but not dry.  Fold whites into lukewarm souffle base in 3 parts.  Divide mixture among prepared dishes.  Top with remaining goat cheese and Parmesan cheese, dividing equally.  Bake until puffed and golden, about 25 minutes.  Set souffle dishes on plates and serve.





(Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit, January 2003)

Whole Wheat Molasses Bread

Who doesn't love bread?  I actually own a bread maker so I always have homemade bread at my fingertips without the hassle of kneading the dough, waiting for it to rise, kneading it again, etc.  It's one of my favorite kitchen appliances.  Of course, not everyone has a bread maker.  This recipe is perfect for the person who doesn't have a bread maker but still wants a quick and easy recipe. The molasses gives this bread a twinge of sweetness.  But just a twinge.  It's certainly not a dessert bread, but it's sweet enough to satisfy my sweet tooth without making me feel guilty.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 2/3 cups buttermilk or plain yogurt
2 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup molasses

Directions

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Grease and flour an 8 x 4 or 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, salt and baking soda.

In a small bowl whisk together buttermilk or yogurt and molasses.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold to combine.  The batter will be slightly thick, but not dry.  

Spoon batter into prepared pan and place in the oven. Bake loaf for 45 minutes to an hour.  Depending on how evenly your oven bakes, you might want to rotate the loaf in the middle of baking.  Be careful though.  Don’t manhandle it too hard or it might deflate.  When a skewer inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, remove the loaf from the oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes in the loaf pan.  Run a butter knife along the sides of the pan and carefully invert onto a wire rack.


Loaf will keep, well wrapped at room temperature for up to 4 days.

This bread is the perfect combination of sweet and savory.  I enjoyed mine with almond butter spread on top.  I also made grilled cheese sandwiches on this bread.  It would be fantastic with honey and cinnamon.




(Recipe adapted from www.joythebaker.com)