Cucumber Noodles   August 20, 2008

Ingredients:
2 -3 large cucumbers cut I half and seeded
One medium onion cut in half
3 Tbs. rice wine vinegar
1 Tsp. sugar
1 tsp. cracked black pepper

Method:
1. Use a mandolin and cut thin noodles (small grating blade) of cucumbers
2. Use same blade and slice onion
3. Mix vinegar, sugar and pepper
4. Make sure sugar dissolves and mix with vegetables
5. Toss gently and allow to marinate for one hour
6. Strain away excess liquid

Note: This is an excellent accompaniment for salmon

back to top

back to Cynthia's Kitchen Corner Recipe Index

Eggplant Caviar   August 13, 2008

Ingredients:
3 large eggplant, peeled and cubed
6 shallot,s minced
1 Tbs. minced garlic
4 Tbs. olive oil
2 ounces fresh thyme
2 ounces fresh oregano
¼ cup of red wine vinegar
1 Tbs. salt
2 tsp. pepper
¼ cup fresh parsley

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Toss eggplant and shallots in 2 Tbs. olive oil
3. Roast in oven 12-15 minutes
4. Mash eggplant with spoon, texture should be chunky
5. Add herbs, garlic, salt and pepper
6. Mix in remaining olive oil and vinegar
7. Add parsley and toss gently.

Note: Excellent with toast points or pita chips.

back to top

back to Cynthia's Kitchen Corner Recipe Index

Southern Chicken Q   August 6, 2008

Ingredients:
2 small whole chickens
8 medium onions sliced thin
6 Tbs. cracked black pepper
4 ½ cups water
2 cups vinegar
2 cups banana pepper rings with brine
2 cups your favorite BBQ sauce
1 cup spicy brown mustard
Hot dog buns

Method:
1. Steam half the onions with the chicken in the 3 cups of water
2. Lift from water, strain and keep onions
3. Cool chicken and then pick from bone
4. Shred chicken and add steamed onions
5. Add vinegar and 3 Tbs. cracked black pepper
6. Marinate in refrigerator over night
7. Steam remaining onions and banana peppers, including brine in 1 ½ cups of water
8. Stir in remaining cracked black pepper
9. Set aside and keep warm
10. Mix BBQ sauce and mustard in bowl
11. Stir sauce into marinating chicken and return to service temperature
12. Serve on hot dog bun (or your favorite style bread)
13. Top with banana peppers and onions

Note: Great with coleslaw and cold beer.

back to top

back to Cynthia's Kitchen Corner Recipe Index

Grilled Chicken Breast with White BBQ Sauce   July 30, 2008

Ingredients:
4 three ounce boneless chicken breasts pounded out thin (Busch’s, Luken’s, Charles Bare, Macke Meats, Heist)
2 yellow onions cut into thin julienne slices
4 Tbs., ¼ cracked black pepper (Herbs and Spice & Everything Nice)
3 Tsp. mustard powder
1 cup white wine vinegar
1/3 cup good olive oil

Method:
1. Mix onions, spices, oil and vinegar in bowl.
2. Pierce chicken breasts with sharp knife several times
3. Add chicken breasts to mixture
4. Smother with onions
5. Cover and let marinate over night in refrigerator or two hours at room temperature.

White BBQ Sauce Ingredients:
2 cups mayonnaise
Juice of two lemons
4 Tbs. fresh ground horseradish
¼ cup water
2 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. ¼ cracked black pepper

Method:
1. Mix lemon juice and mayonnaise together
2. Add horseradish, salt and pepper
3. Mix well.
4. Whisk in water a little at a time until smooth and potable

On the Grill:
1. Remove chicken from marinade
2. Place on hot grill and turn quickly to mark both sides
3. Finish grilling
4. Dip hot chicken breast in BBQ sauce, coating well
5. Serve on a bun

back to top

back to Cynthia's Kitchen Corner Recipe Index

Easy Summer Cassoulet   July 23, 2008

Ingredients:
Cassoulet Starter from Claddagh Farms (crushed tomatoes, fresh garlic, rosemary, thyme and basil)
2 chicken leg quarters (Busch’s Country Corner, Luken’s, Charles Bare Meats, Heist, Macke Meats)
4 of your favorite sausage links from Kroeger Meats
2 cups cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups carrots cut into pennies
2 ribs of celery, fine diced
1 large sweet onion, fine diced
¼ cup red wine
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Rinse chicken well and pierce thighs and legs with sharp knife
2. Cut sausage into  three pieces
3. Mix red wine into cassoulet starter
4. Place all ingredients in a crock pot with lid
5. Cook on high for four hours or on low for eight hours
6. Take lid off crock pot and turn to high for one hour to drive off excess liquid

Note: Serve with salad, crusty bread and red wine.

back to top

back to Cynthia's Kitchen Corner Recipe Index

Summer Vegetable and Pasta Toss   July 9, 2008

Ingredients:
1 pound of your favorite pasta prepared according to package
2 diced tomatoes
1 minced onion
1 red pepper cut in thin julienne strips
1 green pepper cut in thin julienne strips
1 small zucchini cut into thin half moons
1 small yellow squash cut into thin half moons
2 cloves of garlic minced fine
¼ cup fresh basil chiffonade (ribbons)
4 Tbs. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup of your favorite Italian cheese

Method:
1. In a large skillet, sauté all ingredients except basil, garlic, tomatoes and cheese for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add tomatoes, garlic. Heat for 2 minutes.
3. Toss ingredients with pasta.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Top with basil and cheese.

Note: Add chicken if you wish. Serve with crisp, cold Chardonnay.

back to top

back to Cynthia's Kitchen Corner Recipe Index

BBQ Turkey Steaks   July 2, 2008

Ingredients:
2 boneless turkey breasts (Busch’s Country Corner)
½ cup white wine vinegar (Dean’s Mediterranean Imports)
1 cup olive oil (Dean’s Mediterranean Imports)
3 knob onions sliced thin (Bauer Farm, Thistlehair Farm, and Turner Farm)
4 cloves of garlic crushed (Claddagh Farm, Thistlehair farm, Shady Grove Farm, Turner Farm)
3 Tbs. cracked black pepper (Herbs and Spice and Everything Nice)
2 cups of your favorite BBQ sauce

Method:
1. Mix all ingredients except turkey breast
2. Let stand covered for 2 hours
3. Marinate turkey breasts 2 hours or overnight in refrigerator
4. Slice marinated breasts into 4-6 ounce steaks
5. Place on grill
6. Brush on BBQ sauce
7. Turn and brush on more sauce
8. Save some sauce for dinner

back to top

back to Cynthia's Kitchen Corner Recipe Index

Pickled Cucumber and Onion Salad   June 25, 2008

Ingredients:
2 large cucumbers, seeded and into thin ribbons on a mandolin
1 large red onion sliced into thin ribbons on a mandolin
1 cup rice wine vinegar
4 tsp. sugar
Minced chives for garnish

Method:
1. Mix vinegar and sugar in a bowl
2. Marinate onions and cucumber in mixture for two hours
3. Strain and serve.

Note: This is an excellent garnish for poached seafood or over mixed micro greens as a salad.

back to top

back to Cynthia's Kitchen Corner Recipe Index

Spring Garlic Consommé  June 18, 2008

Ingredients:
6-8 cups chicken stock
1 cup shredded carrots
1 white onion minced fine
2 cups minced garlic scapes, separate and hold the bloom pods aside
¼ cup fresh minced parsley
2 tsp. whole celery seed
6 sorrel leaves cut chiffonade
2 Tbs. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. In a stock pot, sweat garlic scapes, onion and carrots in olive oil over medium heat for 7-8 minutes.
2. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil.
3. Add spices and simmer for 40 minutes.
4. Strain vegetables from stock.
5. Stir in halved garlic bloom pods and sorrel.
6. Turn off heat and cover 5-7 minutes to steam.
7. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Note: This is a great light soup for summer. Serve with fresh sliced tomatoes and a hearty wheat bread and fresh melon for dessert.

back to top

back to Cynthia's Kitchen Corner Recipe Index

Orzo Pasta Salad with Shrimp and Sorrel  June 11, 2008

Ingredients:
One pound cooked orzo, chilled
Three Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 Tbs. minced garlic
One pound of shrimp, steamed and chilled and diced
¼ cup fresh sorrel chiffonade
¼ cup minced chives
¼ cup olive oil
Juice of one lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Mix all ingredients except olive oil and lemon juice in a bowl.
2. Chill for one hour.
3. Toss ingredeitns with olive oil and lemon juice.
4. Serve.

Note: Serve with extra dry chardonnay and bread with sweet butter.

back to top

back to Cynthia's Kitchen Corner Recipe Index

Smoked Turkey Salad with Lemon Chipotle Mayonnaise 
June 4, 2008

Ingredients:
1 pound of smoked turnkey breast sliced thin as for sandwiches
2 ribs of celery diced fine
1 red onion julienne cut fine
Juice of two lemons
2 tsp. chipotle powder
1 tsp. granulated garlic
1/3 cup mayonnaise
Mixed salad greens to line plates

Method:
1. Cut turkey into thin ribbons about 1 inch long
2. Mix vegetables with turkey and marinate in half the lemon juice
3. Place in a refrigerator for one hour
4. In a bowl combine spices, mayonnaise and remaining lemon juice
5. Chill mayonnaise mixture for one hour.
6. Strain turkey and vegetables
7. Toss in mayonnaise mixture
8. Line plates with lettuce
9. Top with equal portions of turkey salad

Note: Serve with crusty bread and a blush wine.

back to top

back to Cynthia's Kitchen Corner Recipe Index

Arugula Pesto and Tomato Bruschetta  May 28, 2008

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh arugula (Thistlehair Farm)
6 tomatoes, quartered (Neltner Farm has green house tomatoes ripe now!)
3 cloves garlic
½ cup roasted and salted cashews (Dean’s Mediterranean Imports)
½ cup olive oil plus 3 Tbs.
1 ½ cups spring mix (Thistlehair Farm, Greensleeves Farm)
¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese (Krause’s, Silverglade’s Gibbs, Angelina’s)
Salt and pepper to taste for tomatoes
Country bread cut into thin slices
¼ cup balsamic vinaigrette

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Toss tomato quarters in olive oil
3. Arrange on baking dish and salt and pepper to tastes
4. Bake tomatoes for 15-20 minutes
5. Mix arugula and garlic in a food processor.
6. Add cashews and process 15-20 seconds
7. Add cheese and process 15-20 seconds
8. Blend in olive oil ¼ cup at a time until smooth
9. Arrange spring mix on plates
10. Spread bread slices with pesto
11. Top with tomatoes
12. Arrange 2 bread slices on small bead on spring mix
13. Drizzle with vinaigrette

Note: This is a great summer appetizer or a light lunch served with a cup of your favorite soup.

back to top

back to Cynthia's Kitchen Corner Recipe Index

Roasted Grouper with Radish and Spinach Slaw  May 21, 2008

Ingredients:
4 grouper fillets (available at Luken’s Seafood and Heist Seafood
¼ cup of flour
1 Tbsp Chef’s Seasoning Plus (Herbs and Spice and Everything Nice)
3 Tbs. olive oil
2 cups of radishes shredded (Atwood Village Family Farm)
2 cups fresh spinach chiffonade-ribbons (Thistlehair Farm)
¼ cup green onions thinly cut on deep French bias (Thistlehair Farm, IMPACT)
¼ cup of fresh minced parsley
3 Tbs. Red Pepper Garlic Vinegar (Herbs and Spice and Everything Nice)
6 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

Method:
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees
2. Mix flour and chef’s seasoning in a shallow bowl
3. Dredge fish in flour mixture
4. Heat sauté pan and coat with olive oil
5. Sear fish on both sides until it is a light golden brown
6. Place in oven and roast 7 minutes
7. In a bowl mix radishes, spinach, and onions
8. Toss in vinegar
9. Toss in olive oil
10. Place 1 cup of mixture on plate and center fish fillet
11. Garnish with sprinkle of fresh parsley

Note: Serve with a buttery Seyval and crisp bread.

back to top

back to Cynthia's Kitchen Corner Recipe Index

Asparagus and Goat Cheese Frittata  May 14, 2008

Ingredients:
1 pound of steamed asparagus (Thistlehair Farm, Scott Farm)
4 eggs and 2 egg yolks (Madison’s Gibbs, Busch’s Country Corner, and Back Acre Farm)
8 oz Capriole Goat Cheese (Silverglade’s Gibbs, Madison’s)
¼ cup fresh oregano (Claddagh Farm, Thistlehair Farm, and Shady Grove Farm)
¼ cup fresh chives (Claddagh Farm, Thistlehair Farm, and Shady Grove Farm)
½ cup scalded milk
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray oven safe dish with olive oil
3. Chill asparagus in ice water then cut into 1 inch pieces
4. Beat eggs, cheese and milk together on low speed 2-3 minutes
5. Stir in herbs and seasoning
6. Pour into prepared dish
7. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until eggs are firm when pierced with knife blade

Note: Serve with crisp salad, hearty bread and an oak heavy chardonnay.

back to top

back to Cynthia's Kitchen Corner Recipe Index

Spring Chicken Salad  May 8, 2008

Ingredients:
One whole 2-3 pound steamed chicken, cooled, boned and shredded
8 ounces of Capriole goat cheese (I prefer the pepper variety)—available at Gibbs, Silverglade’s and Madison’s
1 pound of asparagus cut into one inch pieces, lightly steamed and chilled
1 pound of your favorite lettuce or mix of lettuces
2 cups of red seedless grapes, washed and cut in half
Your favorite light vinaigrette (I do not recommend a red wine or balsamic based one here)
½ cup of fresh minced chives

Method:
1. prepare the chicken
2. Steam the asparagus
3. Cut the grapes
4. Line plates with lettuce
5. Top with chicken, asparagus and grapes
6. Crumble goat cheese over the plate
7. Garnish with chives
8. Finish with vinaigrette

Note: Serve with crusty wheat bread and crisp chardonnay.

back to top

back to Cynthia's Kitchen Corner Recipe Index

Herbed Goat Cheese Spread  April 30, 2008

Ingredients:
8 ounces of fresh goat cheese (Mediterranean Imports, Madison’s, Gibbs, and Silverglade’s)
Three green onions, rough chopped
¼ cup fresh flat leaf parsley, rough chopped
3 Tbs. minced garlic
Juice and zest of one lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. In a food processor, combine all the ingredients, one at a time.
2. Mix until smooth.
3. Add salt and pepper to taste
4. Place in serving dish and chill for one hour.
5. Serve with bread or pita chips.

Note: This is a great appetizer and goes quite well with a crisp white wine.

back to top

back to Cynthia's Kitchen Corner Recipe Index

Lemon Lavender Bread  April 23, 2008

Ingredients:
4 Tbs. lavender blooms (Herbs and Spice and Everything Nice)
Zest of three lemons
1 pkg. yeast
2 cups of lukewarm water
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 Tsp. honey
3 Tsp. salt
4-5 cups of unbleached white flour
3 Tbs. olive oil
1 cup of water in a shallow pan

Method:
1. Sprinkle yeast over water and let stand 5 minutes
2. Add honey to yeast mixture and stir. Let stand 5 minutes.
3. Pour mixture into a large bowl and whip in 1 cup wheat flour.
4. When combined, cover bowl and let stand for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
5. Uncover and add salt, half the lemon zest and all the lavender.
6. Combine well.
7. Use a dough whisk and combine flour 1 cup at a time, incorporating well.
8. Add fourth cup of flour, ½ cup at a time.
9. When dough has formed a ball, dust it and your hands with flour.
10. Gently knead** dough in the bowl. Use remaining flour as needed to keep dough fromsticking to your hands and the bowl.
** Kneading is folding the dough in half, making a quarter turn and pressing down with the heels of your palms. Repeat this process only until the dough is elastic and you can easily handle it. Do not overwork the dough.
11. Form dough into a ball and pour olive oil over it.
12. Gently roll ball in oil to coat.
13. Cover the dough for one hour
14. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
15. Uncover dough and gently place on oven stone of a lightly oiled baking sheet.
16. Shape dough into oblong loaf or leave as a round boule.
17. Score the top of the loaf with a sharp knife (for steam to escape)
18. Sprinkle remaining lemon zest on top of loaf.
19. Place pan of water under baking rack.
20. Bake bread for 45 minutes or until golden brown and the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
21. Allow to cool completely.

Note: Enjoy this bread with a crisp salad and potato soup or with fresh goat cheese and a white wine. (Or with sweet creamy butter.)

back to top

back to Cynthia's Kitchen Corner Recipe Index

Smoked Zydeco Chicken Salad  April 16, 2008

Ingredients:
One 2-3 pound chicken, steamed, cooled, boned and shredded (available at Luken’s, Heist, Macke Meats, Eckerlin Meats, Charles Bare Meats and Busch’s Country Corner)
2 celery ribs fine diced
1 red onion fine diced
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped fine
1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. smoked paprika (available at herbs and Spice)
½ cup Zydeco Mustard (available at Madison’s and Herbs and Spice)
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Toss shredded chicken in smoked paprika
2. Let stand for one hour
3. Mix vegetables, parsley and mustard together
4. Toss chicken in vegetable and mustard mixture
5. Salt and pepper to taste

Note: This is a great appetizer with crackers or crostini.

back to top

back to Cynthia's Kitchen Corner Recipe Index

Seared Chicken with Moroccan Spices and Lemon  April 9, 2008

Ingredients:
Four bone-in chicken breasts, skinned and trimmed
Juice and zest of two lemons
2 Tbs. Moroccan Spice blend (Herbs and Spice)
2 Tbs. olive oil (Dean’s Mediterranean Imports)
½ cup flour
¼ cup water
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Marinate chicken in lemon juice and half the zest for two hours
2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
3. Heat pan with live oil
4. Coat chicken breast show side with spice blend
5. Lightly dust show side with flour
6. Salt and pepper show side
7. Place chicken, show side down in hot skillet
8. Cook on medium high heat until show side is golden
9. Turn chicken breast over and cook 5 minutes.
10. Add the remaining lemon zest
11. Add water to pan and finish chicken in the oven, 20 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165 degrees.

Note: Serve with wilted chard and oven roasted potatoes.
A big oaky chardonnay goes well with this meal.

back to top

back to Cynthia's Kitchen Corner Recipe Index

Buffalo/Turkey Meatloaf   April 2, 2008

Ingredients:
1 pound of ground buffalo (available at Eckerlin’s)
1 pound of ground turkey (available at Busch’s Country Corner and Eckerlin’s)
2 yellow onions, minced and sautéed
3 Tbs. minced garlic
2 cups of seasoned bread crumbs
1 whole egg
1 Tsp. fresh ground horseradish
2 Tbs. smoked paprika (available at Herbs and Spice and Everything Nice)
¼ cup dry red wine

Method:

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mix meats together thoroughly
3. Add eggs and wine
4. Mix in spices and bread crumbs
5. Place in loaf pan and pack down firmly
6. Bake in oven 1 hour or until fluid when pierced runs clear.
7. Remove from pan and let set up 15 minutes.

Gravy:

1. Use pan drippings from meatloaf.
2. Add 3 Tbs. red wine
3. Make slurry with 3 Tbs. cornstarch and ¼ cup warm water.
4. Stir into drippings in a skillet over medium heat.
5. Add 2 Tbs. garlic.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Cook down to desired thickness.

back to top

back to Cynthia's Kitchen Corner Recipe Index

Two Simple Ideas for Proscuitto   March 26, 2008

Proscuitto-Wrapped Monkfish
Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds of monkfish cut into 1 inch square pieces (available at Lukens)
¾ pound proscuitto (Available at Angelina’s Silverglade’s and Krause’s)

Method:
 1. Wrap each piece of monkfish in a slice of proscuitto.
 2. Place on broiler pan
 3. Cook under broiler for 7-10 minutes, until proscuitto edges are caramelized.

Note: Serve with wilted greens and hearty bread.

Asparagus Wrapped in Proscuitto
Ingredients:
1 pound of asparagus steamed and chilled
2 fresh lemons
3 Tbs. olive oil
¼ cup capers, rinsed and drained
½ pound thinly sliced proscuitto
Cracked black pepper

Method:

1. Wrap 2 asparagus spears in proscuitto
2. Arrange on large platter
3. Drizzle finished platter with olive oil
4. Sprinkle capers over platter
5. Squeeze ½ lemon over platter
6. Top with black pepper
7. Slice remaining lemon into thin wedges and garnish platter

Note: Serve with a very big, dry Chardonnay.

back to top

back to Cynthia's Kitchen Corner Recipe Index

Pasta Carbonara with sun dried tomatoes  
March 19, 2008

Ingredients:
1 pound of your favorite pasta cooked according to package
1 ½ cups parmesan cheese
2 cups heavy cream
2 egg yolks
½ pound bacon diced
1 large red onion diced
4 ounce jar of sun dried tomatoes, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Cook bacon and onion and drain grease.
2. Heat cream to scald point
3. Stir in ½ cup parmesan and reduce volume by one half on low heat, stirring constantly
4. Add ½ cup parmesan and reduce by half again.
5. Drain pasta.
6. Pour into bowl.
7. Top with bacon mixture and tomatoes.
8. Whisk egg yolks into cream mixture.
9. Pour over pasta.
10. Top with remaining parmesan.

Note: Serve with Caesar salad and hearty bread.

back to top

back to Cynthia's Kitchen Corner Recipe Index

Easy Potato Leek Soup March 12, 2008

Ingredients:
2 ½ pounds new potatoes, washed and quartered
3 leeks, sliced thin and washed
3 Tbs. olive oil
3 Tbs. garlic minced
6 cups chicken stock
2 cups heavy cream
3 tsp. corn starch
1/3 cup warm water
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Boil potatoes in 4 cups of chicken stock.
2. When potatoes are fork soft, roughly mash them in pot with stock.
3. Sauté leeks and garlic in olive oil until leeks are very soft
4. Pulse half the leeks in food processor with 1 cup of cream
5. Add the pulsed and sliced leeks, remaining chicken stock and cream to pot.
6. Stir and reduce heat to simmer.
7. Add salt and pepper to taste.
8. Make slurry with corn starch and water.
9. Stir into soup slowly until the desired thickness is reached.

Note: You may not require slurry at all.
Serve this soup with a buttery white wine such as a Seyval and a crisp salad.

back to top

back to Cynthia's Kitchen Corner Recipe Index

Easy Beef Stroganoff  March 5, 2008

Ingredients:
1 two pound beef roast
2 onions sliced julienne
16 ounces of beef stock
3 cups of sour cream
1 pound of your favorite egg noodles
2 cups of mushrooms sliced thin (optional)
2 Tbs. minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup fresh chopped parsley

Method:
1. Place beef, mushroom, onions, garlic and beef stock in crock pot on low.
2. Cook 4-6 hours
3. Cook noodles according to package
4. Remove beef and let stand 20 minutes
5. Slice beef as thin as possible.
6. Place stock with vegetables in a sauce pan.
7. Simmer and add sour cream.
8. Cook over low heat until thick.
9. Add beef to reheat.
10. Place noodles on large platter
11. Pour beef and sauce over the noodles.
12. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

Note: Serve with crisp salad and hearty bread. Excellent with a stout beer.

back to top

back to Cynthia's Kitchen Corner Recipe Index

Prsocuitto-Wrapped Figs with Fontina Cheese
February 27, 2008

Ingredients:
½ pound thinly sliced proscuitto (Available at Angelina’s, Silverglades and Krause’s)
1 pound of dried figs (Available at Dean’s Mediterranean Imports)
2 cups of boiling water
½ cup of your favorite brandy
½ pound Fontina cheese cut into very small cubes (Available at Angelina’s, Silverglades, and Krause’s)

Method:

1. Boil water and pour into a bowl
2. Soak figs in boiling water until they are soft and plump—about 15-20 minutes
3. Remove figs from boiling water and soak in brandy for about 2 hours
4. Cut small pockets into figs
5. Place Fontina cube inside pocket
6. Wrap the fig in a slice of proscuitto
7. Place in an oven preheated to 450 degrees for 7-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the proscuitto is crisp edged.