Grate. Pair. Share. Holiday 2015

Holiday 2015

cooking & entertaining with wisconsin cheese

White Chocolate Tiramisu Cake

Spirits to pair with Cheese

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Make-ahead dinner party menu

Contributors

Tieghan Gerard Half Baked Harvest

Annie Marshall Annie's Eats

Molly Maciejewski MSCo Patisserie

Jonathan Melendez The Candid Appetite

MacKenzie Smith Grilled Cheese Social

Editorial Team Patrick Geoghegan, Heather Porter Engwall, Abby Despins, Troy Giesegh, Joanna Miller, Megan Bykowski-Giesegh Special thanks to Mark Ambrose at Radlund Photography, Johanna Lowe and Marilyn Wilkinson

Grate. Pair. Share. is a publication of the Dairy Farm Families of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.

For more information about Wisconsin cheese, visit EatWisconsinCheese.com.

The holidays bring with them their own set of rules, or lack thereof. Throughout most of the year, dessert usually comes last, but between Thanksgiving and New Year’s all bets are off. Go ahead and grab that cookie before dinner. Mom’s famous holiday candy for lunch? Why not? For breakfast, we recommend a generous slice of our Sugar Plum Tart, filled with glazed plums, sweetened Wisconsin ricotta cheese and almond custard.

(Warning: visions of a second slice may indeed dance in your head throughout the day.)

Oh, and that rule about not playing with your food? Forget it. Our “Cracker Creations” cheese board is all about playful combinations. You’ll have so much fun building your own bite-size cheese and cracker masterpieces, and the kids will too. They’ll also love creating their own snowy scenes with Wisconsin cheese and fresh veggies.

Our holiday dinner menu eschews any notion that entertaining for a special occasion needs to be fussy or stressful. Recipes like Creamy Fontina Crab Lasagna and Burrata-Stuffed Meatballs with Gremolata are both comforting and sophisticated. Best of all? They can be prepped in advance, leaving you with plenty of time to enjoy time with friends and family.

Happy Holidays!

–

Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board The Dairy Farm Families of Wisconsin

In This Issue

Sugar Plum Tart

Game Changer

A buttery tart filled with glazed plums, almond custard and sweetened Wisconsin ricotta cheese.

Take your hot chocolate to the next level with a topping of salted mascarpone.

Let it Snow

A Toast to Cheese

Kids will love making their own snowy scene snacks with Wisconsin provolone and parmesan.

Ring in the New Year with decadent appetizers and bold cheese pairings.

Cozy and Bright

Impress Your Guests

Our holiday menu is both comforting and elegant. Follow this stress-free schedule and make most of it in advance!

Three unique cheese boards to help you entertain all season long.

Sugar Plum Tart

By Madison Sourdough Patisserie

Servings: Makes 1 tart

Ingredients: For Tart Shell Dough: 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 cup almond flour 2/3 cup powdered sugar 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 1 egg yolk 2 tablespoons ice water For Almond Custard: 3/4 cup almond flour 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature 2/3 cup powdered sugar 2 eggs

For Sweetened Ricotta Cheese: 1/2 cup (4 ounces) Wisconsin ricotta cheese, room temperature 1 egg yolk 2 tablespoons honey To Assemble Tart: 4-5 medium ripe plums*, halved and seeded 1/4 cup honey for glazing tart

Directions: For Tart Shell Dough: In food processor, pulse to combine flours and sugar. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse sand, roughly 15 seconds. In separate bowl, whisk egg yolk; add ice water; whisk. With food processor running, add egg mixture in slow stream through feed tube. Pulse until dough holds together without being overly wet. Do not process more than 30 seconds. To test, squeeze a little dough in your hand. If crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Form dough into ball. Flatten into disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

For Almond Custard: Sift almond flour into bowl; add all-purpose flour and whisk. In bowl of stand mixer, beat butter and powdered sugar until fluffy. Add flour mixture in 2 additions, mixing after each until just combined. Add eggs; mix until smooth. If storing** almond custard, press plastic wrap directly onto surface of custard.

For Sweetened Ricotta Cheese: Whip ricotta with egg yolk and honey until combined.

To Assemble Tart: Heat oven to 350째F. Line sheet pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Place tart pan on sheet pan. Remove tart dough from refrigerator. Roll out, transferring to tart pan. Fill tart shell 3/4 full of almond custard. Slice plums into 1/8-inch wedges. Arrange plums over tart dough. Bake 25 minutes. Remove tart from oven; dollop sweetened ricotta over top. Return to oven; bake additional 20 minutes. When crust is brown, filling is set and plums are soft and juicy, remove from oven. Heat honey in microwave 10 seconds at a time; drizzle over tart. Cool to room temperature. Remove from pan and slice to serve. * If fresh plums aren't available, you may substitute dried plums (prunes) or apricots. Cover dried fruit with water in sauce pan and simmer 10 minutes. Drain, cool and proceed as directed. ** Almond custard may be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 4 days.

The first step to a memorable holiday gift basket: Start with Wisconsin cheese. But don’t stop there.

America’s Dairyland is home to a wonderfully diverse community of craft distillers, butchers, chocolatiers, bakers and other food artisans. This holiday season, we’ve curated three collections of Wisconsin-made products—all selected to enhance the gift of cheese.

Spirited Gifts

Craft spirits and cocktails make excellent pairings for artisan cheese.

Create a memorable gift basket with a selection of Wisconsin cheese & small-batch spirits.

1

Charred Oak Rye This rye whiskey has a vanilla and toffee aroma and a spiced caramel finish, great for sipping neat or mixed into a Rye Manhattan or Old Fashioned. Pair with alpine-style, parmesan or pepato cheese.

2

Cane & Abe Rum Distilled from domestically grown dark brown cane sugar, this small-batch rum is aged in American Oak barrels to develop its smooth, robust flavor. Try it paired with gouda or aged cheddar cheese.

3

Death’s Door Vodka This smooth, rich vodka is double distilled from Washington Island wheat and malted barley from Chilton, Wisconsin. It has a finish with subtle notes of vanilla. Try it mixed into a Caipiroska cocktail served with GranQueso cheese and quince paste.

4

Bittercube Bitters These uniquely flavored bitters are slow-crafted in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and gaining fans across the country. Enhance your homemade cocktails with a dash of Bolivar, Cherry Bark Vanilla or Blackstrap.

5

Tactile Craftworks Flask Sip your spirits in style with laser etched leather flasks from Milwaukee-based Tactile Craftworks.

The company also offers leather-encased glass travel mugs, journals and handbags.

Find your perfect cheese and beverage pairing at CheeseCupid.com.

Wisconsin-Crafted Pairings

With so many wonderful Wisconsin-made products, it’s easy to create a cheese gift basket that highlights all the best flavors the state has to offer.

1

Wisconsin Natural Acres Honey This Chilton, Wisconsin-based company is one of many operations giving Wisconsin a reputation for producing some of the finest honey in the United States. Drizzle over Wisconsin blue cheese for a classic pairing that never goes out of style.

2

Potter’s Crackers These organic artisan crackers highlight the flavors of Wisconsin and are excellent for snacking or serving on a cheese board. Try flavors like Wisconsin Rye, Caramelized Onion and Applewood Smoked.

3

Quince & Apple Preserves Handcrafted in Madison, Wisconsin, Quince & Apple preserves are made from local ingredients at the peak of freshness. Try cheese-friendly flavors like Apples and Cranberry, Fig and Black Tea, and Pear with Honey and Ginger.

4

Wilson’s Mustard Pretzel Dip Made in small batches with no artificial flavors or preservatives, Wilson’s Mustard Pretzel Dip is a sweet and tangy complement to a casual cheese board with pretzels and cheese. Available in mild and “with a kick.”

5

Door County Cherries The tart Montmorency cherries that grow on the peninsula of Door County in northeast Wisconsin are renowned throughout the Midwest. The dried cherries add a burst of tart sweetness and color to a cheese board and pair well with a wide variety of cheeses.

6

Gail Ambrosius Truffles Wisconsin chocolatier Gail Ambrosius creates delicately flavored truffles with the finest single-origin chocolate and fresh ingredients. They make a decadent pairing for a dessert cheese course.

7

Savory Spoon Panforte Dating back to the 15th century, this Italian-style fruit and nut torte can be sliced for a beautiful presentation on a cheese board.

8

Treat Spiced Pecans Treat Bake Shop makes its popular spiced pecans with the best ingredients.

Pair them with an aged gouda or cheddar. Also available in candied pecans and candied walnuts.

Meaty Selections

Whether on a cheese board, sandwich or pizza, meat and cheese are timeless companions.

These Wisconsin-crafted products make great holiday gifts, or can be served on hearty cheese boards throughout the season.

1

Gilbert’s Craft Sausages Gilbert’s is building on Wisconsin’s great sausage tradition with fresh new flavors like Beef & Bleu; Chipotle, Mozzarella & Lime; and Beef & Cheddar.

2

Usinger’s Braunschweiger Usinger’s has been making its braunschweiger liver sausage using the same Old World recipe since 1880. Serve it sliced with cheese on rye or mix it into a classic-style cheeseball.

3

Nueske’s Landjaeger This traditional German-style snack stick is made with pork and beef and plenty of fresh cracked black pepper. Great for snacking or on a hearty cheese board with Wisconsin brick cheese, pickles and mustard.

4

Underground Meats ‘Nduja This spicy Calabrian-style spreadable salami truly brings the heat with ancho chilies and ghost peppers. Spread it onto hearty crackers and top with Wisconsin fresh mozzarella cheese.

Impress Your Guests ’Tis the season for cocktail parties, gift exchanges and impromptu get togethers. We’ve got you covered for any entertaining occasion with three new easy-to-assemble cheese boards.

Sugar & Spice This dreamy winter cheese board is filled with everything nice—savory Wisconsin cheese paired with warmly spiced holiday sweets. Putting it together couldn’t be easier. Arrange wedges of Wisconsin bandaged cheddar, blue cheese and gouda with gingersnap cookies, spiced caramels and candied spiced nuts. You’ll find candied spiced nuts at your local cheese shop or supermarket bulk section, or for a special homemade touch, follow our easy recipe for Cardamom Spiced Cashews.

Christmas Market Inspired by the German-style holiday market tradition that is celebrated throughout Wisconsin and other parts of the U.S., this casual cheese board is a mix of Old World and new. Wisconsin raclette cheese is melted and topped with chopped pickled vegetables (no need for a special raclette machine—just pop it under the broiler in a heatproof dish). Pair that with hearty pretzels, Wisconsin brick cheese spread, stone ground mustard and sliced landjaeger or summer sausage. Wash it down with a glass of glßwein (or mulled wine) or Christmas ale. Prost!

Cracker Creations Who says cheese boards have to be fancy and formal? Add a dose of fun with these playful cracker topping combinations by MacKenzie Smith of Grilled Cheese Social. They’re perfect for kids of all ages. (See following page for recipes.)

PBJ&Curd

Colby Jack Ham Twist

Spread a layer of peanut butter on a cracker.

Top with a dollop of your favorite jelly and a fresh Wisconsin cheese curd.

Place a square slice of Wisconsin Colby-jack on a cracker. Top with a sweet pickle slice and deli ham, rolled up and thinly sliced.

Santa Brie-by

Candy Cane Crush

Spread chocolate hazelnut spread over a cracker and top with a piece of Wisconsin brie and sliced strawberry.

Top a cracker with Wisconsin mascarpone and a generous sprinkle of crushed candy cane pieces.

Elvis Jr.

Rainbow Whip

Spread Wisconsin mascarpone over a cracker and top with sliced banana, crushed salted peanuts and a drizzle of honey.

Mix 1 cup Wisconsin ricotta with 1 tablespoon powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.

Spread on cracker and cover with sprinkles.

Candy Apple Camembert

So Gouda

Spread apple butter on a cracker and top with a slice of Wisconsin camembert and red hot candies.

Top a cracker with a slice of smoked gouda, a small square of dark chocolate and dried pineapple.

Coz� � B�ight This holiday season, welcome friends and family with a

comforting menu full of bright,

sophisticated flavors. Better yet?

Get most of the work done in advance so you can actually enjoy the day. Wouldn’t that be lovely?

Our meal plan is your guide to stress-free hosting with a menu that’s sure to impress.

There’s creamy crab lasagna, burrata-stuffed meatballs topped with a fresh gremolata, and a showstopping white chocolate tiramisu layer cake with creamy mascarpone frosting. We’ve even got you covered for breakfast the next morning with a make-ahead French toast casserole that's topped with leftover cake frosting.

Frosting for breakfast? Why not?

It’s the holidays.

Stress-F�ee Schedule 1 Day Ahead

• Assemble the crab lasagna, cover and refrigerate.

• Make the meatballs, place on baking sheets, cover and refrigerate.

• Bake cake. Drizzle layers with coffee liqueur. Wrap well with plastic wrap.

Morning Of

• Make frosting and assemble cake.

• Prep breakfast casserole for the next morning.

2 Hours Before

• Assemble relish tray.

• Wash and trim broccoli and cauliflower. Toast breadcrumbs.

1 Hour Before

• Make salad.

• Make gremolata for meatballs.

• Preheat oven for lasagna and meatballs.

• Bake lasagna.

30 Minutes Before

When Guests Arrive*

• Bake meatballs.

• Steam broccoli and cauliflower 10 minutes before serving. * Or 30 minutes before you´re ready to eat.

Fresh Start

A relish and cheese tray is a simple, no-fuss way to start your holiday meal.

Just a few little bites to feed hungry guests before dinner is served while still keeping them hungry for more. Incorporate fresh and pickled vegetables, along with a few varieties of cheese for snacking.

A glass filled with crunchy breadsticks adds some height to the display.

Cheese

Fresh mozzarella – sliced for easy snacking Peperoncino – a semi-hard, slightly crumbly Italian-style cheese with spicy red peppers Peppercorn cheddar– white cheddar studded with black peppercorns

Vegetables Endive leaves Green onions

Pickled cherry peppers Cornichons Cucumber and red onion, thinly sliced and tossed in a splash of red wine vinegar, a pinch of sugar, salt and red chile flakes Garlic-stuffed olives Roasted red peppers Olives tossed in olive oil, orange zest and fresh rosemary

Radicchio, Fennel ďż˝ Citrus Salad ďż˝ Parmesan Ingredients:

Servings: 6-8

1 shallot, minced 1/4 cup lemon juice 2 tablespoons honey 1/2 cup olive oil Salt and pepper 2 heads radicchio, roughly chopped 2 fennel bulbs, cores removed and thinly sliced 1 grapefruit, supremed* 1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted and chopped 4 ounces Wisconsin parmesan cheese, shaved

Directions:

In small bowl, whisk shallot, lemon juice and honey.

Stream in olive oil, whisking constantly, until well incorporated. Season with salt and pepper.

In large bowl, combine radicchio and fennel. Toss with dressing. Place on serving platter. Top with grapefruit segments, chopped hazelnuts and parmesan. * To supreme grapefruit segments, use a sharp knife to slice off the top and bottom of grapefruit, then cut off remaining skin. Carefully cut out each segment between skin, removing any seeds.

Burrata-Stuffed Meatballs � G�emolata

Ingredients:

Servings: 16 meatballs

1 pound ground beef 1 pound ground pork 3 ounces sliced prosciutto, finely chopped 1 egg, beaten 3/4 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon red chile flakes 1 cup (4 ounces) Wisconsin asiago cheese, shredded 16 ounces Wisconsin burrata cheese (1 16-ounce ball or 2 8-ounce balls) 2 cups flat leaf parsley 2 cloves garlic 1 tablespoon lemon zest 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, combine beef, pork, prosciutto, egg, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, chile flakes and asiago. Mix well to combine.

Cut burrata into 16 pieces. Scoop meat mixture into 3 tablespoon-sized pieces; form into balls. Flatten each ball; place piece of burrata in center. Wrap meat mixture around burrata so cheese is completely enclosed. Place meatballs on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare gremolata: finely chop parsley and garlic. Combine with lemon zest and olive oil in small bowl. Season with salt.

Top warm meatballs with gremolata and serve.

B�occoli � Cauliflower � B�eadcrumbs � Romano Ingredients:

Servings: 6-8

4 tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 4 tablespoons butter 1 cup panko breadcrumbs Salt and pepper 1 head broccoli, cut into florets 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets 1 cup (4 ounces) Wisconsin romano cheese, shredded

Directions:

Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and simmer just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour garlic and oil into bowl; set aside.

Return skillet to medium heat; melt butter. Add breadcrumbs and pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until lightly toasted. Remove from heat and set aside.

Steam broccoli and cauliflower until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.

Drain and return to pan. Pour garlic oil over and gently toss to coat.

Add breadcrumbs and romano; gently mix and serve.

Creamy Fontina Crab Lasagna Ingredients:

2 cups (16 ounces) Wisconsin ricotta cheese 1 egg Salt Black pepper 1/4 teaspoon chile flakes 1 bunch (about 2 cups) Lacinato kale, stems removed and cut into thin strips 1/4 cup basil leaves, chopped 1 cup (4 ounces) Wisconsin parmesan cheese, shredded

Directions:

Servings: 6-8

4 cups (16 ounces) Wisconsin fontina cheese, shredded, divided 1 1/2 pounds lump crab meat 6 tablespoons butter, plus additional for pan 1 garlic clove, minced 6 tablespoons flour 4 cups whole milk 16 sheets (9 ounces) no-boil lasagna noodles

Heat oven to 375째F. To prepare filling, in large bowl, combine ricotta, egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and red chile flakes. Mix well. Add kale, basil, parmesan and 2 cups fontina; mix well. Set aside.

Place crab in separate medium bowl. Pick through to remove any pieces of shell.

Season crab with additional salt and pepper. Set aside.

To prepare sauce, in large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Whisk in flour; cook 1 minute. Whisk in milk and increase heat to medium-high, stirring constantly until sauce is thick enough to coat back of spoon. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Generously butter 9x13-inch casserole dish. Spread 1/2 cup sauce over bottom of pan. Top with 4 lasagna noodles. Spread 1/3 ricotta mixture over noodles. Top with 1/3 of crab meat and about 3/4 cup sauce. Repeat layers two times. Finish with additional layer of noodles (4 total) and top with remaining sauce and remaining 2 cups fontina*. Bake lasagna 1 hour.

Remove from oven; set aside at least 10 minutes before serving. * Lasagna may be assembled 1 day ahead and refrigerated until ready to bake.

White Chocolate Tiramisu Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter plus additional for buttering pans, softened 2 cups sugar 1 cup milk 2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract 3 cups cake flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 6 egg whites 3/4 cup coffee liqueur 4 cups prepared White Chocolate Mascarpone Frosting (see recipe) For Garnish (optional): Candied orange peel* White chocolate chips

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°F. Place round of parchment paper over bottoms of three 8-inch cake pans.

Butter pan sides and bottom parchment paper liners.

Servings: 1 cake

White Chocolate Mascarpone Frosting This recipe makes a double batch of frosting (about 8 cups). Use half of it on your tiramisu cake, and save other half to serve with Cranberry French Toast Casserole the next morning (recipe on next page). If you want to make only enough for the cake, cut frosting ingredients in half.

Ingredients: 1 4 ounces white chocolate 2 cups (4 sticks) butter, softened 6 cups powdered sugar 2 cups (16 ounces) Wisconsin mascarpone cheese

Directions: Melt white chocolate over low heat, being careful not to burn. Remove from heat; set aside to cool to room temperature. In bowl of stand mixer, beat butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Add cooled white chocolate to butter mixture; mix until just incorporated.

Add mascarpone, mix until just incorporated (don’t over mix).

In bowl of stand mixer, beat butter until creamy.

Add sugar; beat until light and fluffy. In small bowl, combine milk and vanilla extract. In medium bowl, combine cake flour and baking powder.

Slowly alternate adding flour and milk mixtures to butter, mixing on low after each addition to just incorporate the ingredients. Do not over mix. Set mixture aside.

In separate bowl of stand mixture, add egg whites; beat on medium-high until stiff peaks form.

Gently fold egg whites into cake batter. Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Bake 20 minutes or until cake is set. Cool layers 5 minutes in pans before removing from pans and transferring to wire rack to cool completely.

To assemble cake: Place 1 cake layer on cake stand top-side-down. Use toothpick to poke holes in cake layer. Drizzle about 1/4 cup coffee liqueur over top of layer. Spread 1/3 of frosting over layer top. Repeat with remaining 2 cake layers. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with candied orange peel and white chocolate chips if desired. * Candied orange peel can be purchased in baking section of supermarkets. Or, make a quick homemade version by peeling long strips of peel from orange with vegetable peeler or zester and simmering in mixture of 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water 20 minutes, draining, tossing strips in sugar and drying on paper towels.

Cranberry F�ench Toast Casserole � White Chocolate Mascarpone Ingredients:

Servings: 6-8

6 eggs 2 cups milk 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon orange zest 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup dried cranberries 1 (1-pound) loaf brioche bread, sliced into 1-inch slices* 1 tablespoon butter, plus additional, softened, for buttering pan 1/2 cup walnut pieces 2 cups White Chocolate Mascarpone Frosting (reserved from White Chocolate Tiramisu Cake)

Directions:

Butter 9x13-inch baking dish. Set aside.

In large bowl, beat eggs. Add milk, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla, orange zest, cinnamon and salt.

Mix well, thoroughly combining ingredients for batter.

Working in layers, dip each bread slice in batter; place 1 layer of slices in prepared baking dish.

Sprinkle a few cranberries over each slice before adding next layer. Pour remaining batter over and top with remaining cranberries. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight, or at least 2 hours.

Heat oven to 375°F. Bake, foil-covered, 25 minutes. Uncover and bake additional 25 minutes, or until lightly browned and cooked through.

While casserole is baking, melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Add walnut pieces and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly toasted and fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside.

Top each casserole serving with a dollop of white chocolate mascarpone frosting and toasted walnuts. * You may substitute store bought croissants (about 12 from bakery) cut into 2-inch pieces.

Let it Snow

By Annie Marshall of Annie’s Eats

Keep snack time fun and fresh this winter. Let the kids create their own snowy wonderlands with Wisconsin cheese and a few other simple ingredients.

You will need: Flour tortillas Hummus Wisconsin provolone cheese, cut into circles of various sizes Wisconsin parmesan cheese, shredded Carrots, some shredded and some shaved into long pieces Red bell pepper, sliced into strips Broccoli or broccolini, cut into long florets Raisins

To Assemble: Spread a layer of hummus over each tortilla. Create snowman shapes with circles of provolone. Add raisins for eyes and buttons, shredded carrots for noses and shaved carrot or red bell pepper strips for scarves. Add broccoli florets to create trees. Sprinkle with shredded parmesan to create “snow.�

To eat, roll up, or cut into pieces.

Ne w Y e a r’s Che e se Recipes & photos by Tieghan Gerard of Half Baked Harvest We like to celebrate the New Year with a spread that’s elegant with a bit of drama, mixing bright colors with dark and creating flavorful cheesy bites that are equally striking. This festive spread includes dazzling appetizers, bold Wisconsin cheese selections, thoughtful accompaniments and, of course, plenty of bubbly.

The Recipes A Trio of Cheese Balls Parmesan, Truffle Butter and Sage Popcorn Sparkling Cheddar Bacon Twists

The Cheese Cheddar Blue Smoked Gouda

Merlot BellaVitano Sharp Cheddar

The Accompaniments Fresh Figs Grapes Persimmons Pomegranates

Pretzels Crackers Toasted Bread Prosciutto

The Refreshments Champagne or Prosecco

T rio of Che e se B a l l s Pomegranate Blue Cheese Ball

Pistachio Feta Cheese Ball

Pineapple Toasted Coconut Cheese Ball

Servings: 1 cheese ball

Servings: 1 cheese ball

Servings: 1 cheese ball

Ingredients:

Ingredients:

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter

3/4 cup (6 ounces) Wisconsin cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups (10 ounces) Wisconsin mascarpone cheese

1 cup (6 ounces) Wisconsin feta cheese, crumbled

1 cup (6 ounces) Wisconsin feta or blue cheese, crumbled

1/3 cup toasted pistachios, chopped plus 1 cup for rolling

1/3 cup fresh cored pineapple, diced

1 tablespoon basil

1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes, toasted

1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped 1/3 cup walnut pieces, chopped 3/4 cup (6 ounces) Wisconsin cream cheese, softened 1 cup (6 ounces) Wisconsin blue cheese, crumbled 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper

2 teaspoons oregano

Arils (seeds) from 1 pomegranate (about 1 cup)

1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:

Directions:

Melt butter in skillet over medium heat.

Add sage and walnuts. Cook 3 to 4 minutes or until walnuts are toasted. Remove from heat; set aside.

In bowl of electric mixer, beat cream cheese, feta, 1/3 cup pistachios, basil, oregano, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper until combined.

In bowl of electric mixer, beat cream cheese, blue cheese, salt and pepper until combined. Fold in walnut/sage mixture.

Place large sheet of plastic wrap on countertop; scoop cheese mixture onto plastic sheet; wrap, forming ball, and refrigerate 1 hour. Remove from refrigerator; reshape into ball. Place remaining 1 cup pistachios in shallow bowl; roll ball in pistachios, using your hands to gently push nuts into cheese ball to adhere. Add additional pistachios, if necessary, to complete rolling. Place on serving plate. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 1 day.

Place large sheet of plastic wrap on countertop; scoop cheese mixture onto plastic sheet; wrap, forming ball and refrigerate 1 hour. Remove cheese from refrigerator and reshape into ball. Place pomegranate arils in shallow bowl; roll cheese ball in arils, using your hands to gently push arils into cheese ball to adhere. Place on serving plate. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 1 day.

1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper

Directions: In bowl of electric mixer, beat mascarpone cheese, feta (or blue cheese), pineapple, salt and pepper until well combined.

Place large sheet of plastic wrap on countertop; scoop cheese mixture onto plastic sheet; wrap, forming ball and refrigerate 1 hour. Remove from refrigerator; reshape into ball. Place toasted coconut flakes in shallow bowl; roll ball in coconut, using your hands to gently push coconut into cheese ball to adhere. Place on serving plate. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 1 day.

Parmesan, Truffle Butter & Sage Popcorn Servings: Makes 4-5 cups Ingredients: 4 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped 1 tablespoon white truffle oil Salt and black pepper, to taste 4-5 cups air-popped popcorn 1 cup (about 3 ounces) Wisconsin parmesan cheese, grated

Directions: Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Add sage, cook 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until fragrant. Remove from heat and stir in truffle oil.

Place popcorn in large bowl; drizzle butter/truffle oil mixture over. Toss well to coat popcorn. Add parmesan and toss. Serve immediately.

Sparkling Cheddar Bacon T wists Servings: Makes 26 twists Ingredients: 1 (11-ounce) package frozen puff pastry 6 tablespoons butter, melted 1 cup (4 ounces) Wisconsin sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded 4 slices thick-cut bacon, fried and crumbled 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Directions: Heat oven to 350째F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Open 1 sheet of puff pastry on cutting board. Brush surface lightly with melted butter. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheddar to evenly cover entire surface. Sprinkle half of crumbled bacon over. Use your hands, pressing into puff pastry to adhere.

Cut pastry lengthwise into 1/2-inchwide strips. Gently twist each strip several times. Repeat steps with remaining puff pastry sheet. Place twists on prepared baking sheets.

Mix sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Brush twists with melted butter; sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar.

Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until puff pastry is golden. Do not over bake.

Sweet Endings

Hot Chocolate with Salted Whipped Mascarpone

By Tieghan Gerard of Half Baked Harvest

Servings: 2

Ingredients: Salted Whipped Mascarpone:

For Hot Chocolate:

3/4 cup (6 ounces) Wisconsin mascarpone cheese, at room temperature

2

tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2

tablespoons sugar

1

cup cold heavy cream

1/2-1 tablespoon instant coffee, to taste

2

tablespoons honey

1

teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups milk

Flaky sea salt

3/4 cup heavy cream

Pinch of kosher salt

2-4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped 1

teaspoon vanilla extract or seeds from 1 vanilla bean

Directions: Prepare Whipped Mascarpone: Add mascarpone and heavy cream to a mixing bowl. With electric mixer, beat on high speed until soft peaks form. Beat in honey, vanilla and salt until just combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Prepare Hot Chocolate: In small bowl, mix together cocoa powder, sugar, instant coffee and salt. Heat large saucepan over medium heat. Add milk and heavy cream. Bring to simmer, stirring every few minutes. Sprinkle dry chocolate mixture over hot milk, turning heat down to low. Whisk continuously until smooth (do not let it boil), then whisk in chopped chocolate and vanilla extract.

Pour hot chocolate into mugs and top with whipped mascarpone.

Š 2015 Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Inc.

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