Tag Archives: goat cheese

Be the Hostess with the Mostess: Grilled Pork Tenderloin and Goat Cheese Sandwiches Recipe

The more the merrier is my food philosophy. I love hosting and I really get my jollies by sharing dinner with as many friends and loved ones as I can. That, to me, is the soul in food.

I never like to serve the same thing twice. Who would ever want to come over when they know it’s Chicken Something again? But when the menu is always a little unexpected, it makes the invitation that much more enticing.

Pork tenderloin has been an easy go-to for my menu planning for some time now. It seems strange to say I’m obsessed with this tender cut of meat — but really, I am. I’ve grilled it and served as medallions, shredded for pulled pork sandwiches, sauteed with veggies for fajitas, cubed for pork and veggie stew, and so much more. The question is — what haven’t I used pork tenderloin for? (more…)

Posted on December 9, 2024 by Natalie K

To Die For Goat Cheese Black Bean Enchiladas for Summer Vegetarian Grilling

I’ve been craving goat cheese lately. I can’t get enough! If someone will put it on a salad, sandwich, or just scoop it directly in my mouth, I’m gonna eat it.

Goat cheese is such a great cheese for summer — light, sweet, and flowery. On those nights it’s just too hot to cook, it can be the center piece of a charcuterie and cheese board dinner alongside fresh berries, honey, olives, salami, and a really nice bread.

When a recent craving for Mexican was hard to ignore in the face of my on-going need for as much goat cheese as possible, these Goat Cheese Black Bean Enchiladas were born. I knew they’d be good, but OH MY!! I ooohed and ahhed through our entire meal. They were absolutely to die for!

I started by adding some great smokey flavor with the serrano pepper and corn tortillas. I fire toasted both of them over the open flame on my grill (this works over a gas stove burner too). Either way, be careful! The serrano blackened and sizzled in a couple of short minutes. I love this pepper because it’s warm with great flavor without torching your mouth, especially after removing the seeds. I typically put a couple in my homemade guacamole and even my toddler daughter isn’t alarmed by their presence. (more…)

Posted on July 28, 2024 by Natalie K

Work it Off: 3 Ways to Burn off a 481-Calorie Cheese Plate

More and more, when I talk to people about the one food they could never give up the answer is cheese. I don’t know if this is generation, geographical, or what, but the hard-to-break habit keeps coming up in conversation. People like their cheese, and I’m no different. I like a gooey triple cream brie on apple slices, a chunk of cheddar on crackers, and a thick dusting of parmesan on most pasta dishes. But mostly I like cheese with wine.

In the past I tabulated a Work it Off: Wine edition. Since we know exactly what it takes to burn off a couple of glasses (and 250 calories) I’m going to turn my attention to cheese. The cheese plate, to be exact, such as the two I helped take down this past week while sipping wine in the sun with various groups of friends. (This isn’t typical for me: The weather turned warm right as my birthday week hit, which led to a little extra indulgence!)

The cheese on a typical cheese plate adds up to around 481 calories, which no doubt explains why it tastes so good and goes down so easily.

How, exactly, could I have burned off these 481 extra calories? (more…)

Posted on May 18, 2024 by Jessica Cassity

Spring is the Time for Savory Asparagus Prosciutto Crepes with Balsamic Reduction Drizzle

The biggest draw of brunch is the possibility of creating that perfect marriage of savory and sweet, as breakfast tends to be sweeter and lunch much more savory. It’s also a perfectly good excuse to get a little fancy in the kitchen for no reason at all. All of that comes together in these crepes that are just as beautiful to admire as they are to devour!

My mother-in-law is somewhat of a crepe connoisseur. A self-proclaimed “Army brat,” she grew up in Europe where the world’s best crepes were a regular part of her family meals. I knew if I could win her over with these Mediterranean-inspired homemade crepes that we were on to something. It’s safe to say they got the MIL seal of approval!

We used a whole wheat flour and white flour mixture to give us the nutrition and the texture we wanted in these super-simple crepes. Then, we stuffed them full of some of the best ingredients we know: a handful of spring’s first asparagus, tender and salty prosciutto, creamy and sweet goat cheese, and a little bit of tart lemon zest. (more…)

Posted on April 28, 2024 by Natalie K

Food Blogger Spotlight: Megan from Take A Megabite

Megan is a pizza-lovin redhead who’s known for her unique recipes and food styling. Megan is not only a regular contributor to Betty Crocker, but her blog, Take A Megabite, has also been featured on CNN, Huff Post and Buzzfeed. I forgot to do a name-drop alert, there, but seriously, she’s hot stuff right now.

I was first introduced to this talented foodie when I wrote about my fave food blogger of the year, Billy from Wit & Vinegar.

More about Take A Megabite –

Why did you start your food blog? I started to realize that I wanted to bake, and talk about food with other people who also loved to talk about food. It also stems from growing up with a mom whose cookies were known as the best ever and coming home to homemade bread after school.

When I got older, and my parents moved away, I realized that I couldn’t count on my mom to set me up with homemade jam and bread. I had to make it myself! Food and entertaining has always been a big deal in my family, and now, I like to show my love with food too!

How would you describe your approach to eating/health? I would say my approach is all about balance. I can totally eat cake, but I need to eat plenty of salads and veggies too. If I’m making mac & cheese for dinner, I’ll do my best to pair it with a veggie-filled salad.

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Posted on December 8, 2024 by Dani Stone

Fall 2024 Tasty Movie Sneak Preview

I’m giddy. It’s time. The fall movie season is officially in full swing. In addition to caramel apples, pumpkin anything and apple cider mixed with Butterscotch Schnapps, movie-going is my favorite part of the season. To get you excited for all those new fall flicks, I’ve gathered up a few that I’m looking forward to and then paired them with healthy “themed” recipes you can eat afterward while you discuss the plot and shake off your buttery popcorn/candy hangover. Remember, no texting, talking or putting your feet on the seats in front of you. You ready? Raise the curtain. Let’s do this!

Fall 2024 Tasty Movie Sneak Preview

Hunger Games – Catching Fire

In the second installment of the series, based on the books by Suzanne Collins, Katniss and Peeta find themselves in trouble with the Capitol again when the districts of Panem begin to rebel. Before they go back to the arena for another battle, TO THE DEATH, they can’t resist the decadent and often outlandish food prepared by eclectic Capitol chefs.

Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart

The “colorful” citizens of District One sure do love their Goat Cheese Tarts but the odds are definitely in your favor that these are better for you. A simple savory dish that can be served for brunch, lunch or dinner.

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Posted on October 21, 2024 by Dani Stone

How to Cook with Goat Cheese

By now you’ve likely seen goat cheese on salads in fancy restaurants and in the dairy aisle at your local grocery store. But have you ever seen it in ice cream, pizza or on a tart? Perhaps you have, but these were little food discoveries that I was thrilled to stumble upon as I love the tangy flavor and creamy texture of this little-known cheese.

Health benefits: The health benefits of goat cheese are plenty, the first and most obvious being its calcium content. Health experts suspect that our body uses calcium to burn off fat after meals. And it’s well known that calcium helps maintain the strength and density of our bones. Calcium can play a role in various body functions such as muscle contraction and blood pressure regulation, and it’s even been linked to potentially preventing migraines.

Goat cheese is also high in phosphorus, vitamin B2, potassium and vitamin A. And according to Bellchevre, it contains 27 percent more of the antioxidant selenium than cow’s milk!

In addition, goat cheese is considered the ‘skinnier’ cheese as it’s much lower in fat and calories than other cheeses, such as brie and cheddar. (more…)

Posted on August 12, 2024 by Dana