Pedrozo Dairy and Cheese Co.

How the Pedrozos do Grilled Cheese!
Tipsy Cow on Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Everyone has their own grilled cheese secret, but this is how we Pedrozos do grilled cheese. Try it in your panini maker, or, (gasp) the George Foreman! Of course you can’t go wrong with a hot skillet and a good spatula.

1/2 c. Tipsy Cow cheese, Grated
2 slices Cinnamon-Raisin Bread
1 tbsp. Salted Butter, Softened

1. Butter both sides of the bread.

2. Place one slice of bread, butter side down, in panini press.

3. Pile on the cheese!

4. Place other slice of bread, butter side up, onto cheese, press.

5. Wait for that tell-tale sound and smell of oozing cheese (about 3 – 5 minutes), remove sandwich from press.

Serve with fresh fruit and champagne for a quick brunch appetizer.

For more incredible grilled cheese recipes, check out Laura Werlin’s book, Great Grilled Cheese.
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Ham, Leek and Northern Gold Baked Egg Cups
This recipe was featured during our appearance on the Rachael Ray show!
A perfect spring brunch recipe!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 leeks, green and white parts cleaned and thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• 2 sprigs thyme, leaves removed
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 6 thin slices deli ham or prosciutto
• 1 cup Northern Gold cheese, shredded
• 6 eggs

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

In a medium-size skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the leeks, garlic and thyme to the pan, and sauté 5-6 minutes, until very soft.

Sprinkle the flour over the veggies and cook about a minute. Whisk in the stock and bring up to a bubble to thicken the mixture up. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and reserve.

While the leeks are cooking, spray the insides of a 6-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Line each cup with a slice of ham or prosciutto folded in half.

Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the cooked leeks into each lined cup and top with a little shredded cheese. Press the leeks and cheese down a little with your finger to make room, then crack an egg into each one, making sure it stays whole (if you’re worried about breaking the egg yolk, crack the egg into a small bowl first, then pour it in the muffin cup).

Season the tops of the eggs with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and place the muffin tin on a baking sheet. Transfer sheet to the oven and bake 15 minutes, until the eggs set.

Remove tin from the oven and allow the baked eggs to cool in the muffin cups for a couple of minutes before removing them from the pan. Serve a green salad alongside.
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Pedrozo Enchilada Chowder
(as seen at Zucchini and Vine, Chico CA)

This one is great for entertaining! It’s a super quick and easy recipe so you can spend more time with your guests. Set out the Chowder next to the toppings and utensils and let the party happen!

Ingredients (serves 6):

15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
3 cups diced tomatoes
1/2 chopped yellow onion
1/2 chopped sweet pepper
1 small chopped jalapeño, seeded if desired
10 oz whole kernel corn
19 oz enchilada sauce
11 oz condensed cream o’chicken soup
2 cups milk
1/2 – 1 lb shredded Pedrozo Northern Gold (1 lb had the best consistency)

Optional:
favorite hot sauce
cooked shredded chicken

Toppings:
sour cream
guacamole
broken tortilla chips

Directions:

1. Whisk milk, enchilada sauce and soup in a large bowl until smooth
2. Place beans, tomatoes, corn, onion, peppers, in large pot or slow cooker
3. Pour mixture from bowl into pot or slow cooker
4. Cook on high 3-4 hours, low 6-8
5. Stir in Northern Gold until melted.
6. Garnish. Serve. Eat!

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Twice-Baked Potatoes

These potatoes are overstuffed with cheesy goodness! Serve with a simple salad or as a side dish to a hearty steak.

Ingredients

4 large Idaho baking potatoes (about 1 pound each)
3-4 Yukon Gold or purple-flesh potato for filler (about 1 pound total)
olive oil
salt
freshly ground white pepper
5 strips bacon, chopped
1 cup each shredded Northern Gold Traditional and Northern Gold Garlic & Herb, mixed
1 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons chives

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400°. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Rub the potatoes with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Put the potatoes on the baking sheet and bake until fork-tender, about 1 hour.
Cook the bacon in a medium skillet over moderate heat (while the potatoes are cooling), stirring occasionally, until crisp, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
Peel filler potatoes completely, discarding the skin. Place the pulp in a large bowl. Cut the top quarter from each of the remaining 4 Idaho potatoes and discard. Using a spoon, scoop the pulp from the potatoes into the bowl, leaving a 1/4-inch layer of pulp on the skin. Return the potato shells to the baking sheet. Using a handheld masher, mash the potato pulp until smooth. Add 1 cup of the cheese, the sour cream, butter, bacon, chives, and 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper and mash until smooth. Spoon the potato mixture back into the potato shells, top with the remaining cheese and bake until hot and the cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. Serve hot.

To order Northern Gold for this recipe, click here.

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Apple Pear Cobbler with Cheese Biscuit Crust

A super simple dessert…or dare we say, breakfast?

Filling
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
4 pounds firm but ripe pears, peeled, cored, quartered, cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
4 pounds Pink Lady apples, peeled, cored, quartered, cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup apple juice

Topping
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup (packed) shredded Black Butte Reserve (about 1/4 pound)
2/3 cup whole milk
1 large egg

For filling: Preheat oven to 375°F. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add half of pears and half of apples. Sauté until fruit is soft, stirring occasionally, about 9 minutes. Transfer fruit to large bowl. Repeat with remaining 3 tablespoons butter and remaining pears and apples. Mix sugar, flour and ground cinnamon into fruit. Stir in whipping cream and apple juice. Transfer filling to 15×10x2-inch glass baking dish. (Filling can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bake filling at 375°F for 10 minutes before adding topping.)
For topping:
Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Add chilled butter and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in cheese. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover and chill.) Beat milk and egg in small bowl to blend. Mix into flour mixture with wooden spoon (dough will be stiff).
Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto filling, spacing evenly. Bake cobbler until filling is bubbling and tester inserted into topping comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Serve warm.

To order your Black Butte Reserve for this recipe, click here. ...............................................................................

Cheese and Beer Soup

This quick and tasty soup is a staple in our family on chilly days. We borrowed it from Lynn Alley’s Slow Cooker Volume II.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks with leaves, thinly sliced
1 large russet potato, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
6 cups chicken stock
1 cup full-bodied beer
1/4 tsp. Tabasco
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 c. Northern Gold, grated
1/4 c. chopped fresh chives, for garnish
1/4 c. creme fraiche or sour cream, for garnish (optional)

Directions:
Place a large saute pan over medium-high heat and add the butter. Add the onion and saute for about 10 minutes, until lightly browned.
Transfer the onion to the slow cooker and add the celery, potato, stock and beer. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, until the vegetables are tender. Add the Tabasco, mustard and Worcestershire sauce and stir well.
Using a potato masher, coarsely mash the potatoes until the soup is somewhat thickened but still lumpy. Add the cheese and stir until melted.
Ladle the soup into bowls and serve hot, garnished with the chives and a dollop of creme fraiche if desired. Pair with (what else?) your favorite Sierra Nevada brew.

You can order Northern Gold here.

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