Bacon Cheddar Muffins

These Bacon Cheddar Muffins are cheesy and bacony and made with three types of grains, including wheat, corn, and rye. 

Bacon and cheddar cheese are pretty much a marriage made in heaven. In fact, one of my favorite sandwiches is bacon and grilled cheese. 

Cheesy Corn and Bacon Muffins

These cheesy corn and bacon muffins might just be my new favorite savory muffin.

These bacon and corn muffins are also loaded with cheddar cheese and chives. There is lots and lots of bacon in these muffins, along with fresh sweet corn.

Cheddar Bacon Chive Quick Bread

This cheddar bacon chive quick bread will have you doing back flips over its cheesy bacon-y goodness.

This Cheddar Bacon Chive Quick Bread is loaded with lots of chopped bacon, a cup of cheddar cheese, and a big handful of chopped chives.

Whole Wheat, Corn, Cheddar, and Green Chili Muffins

These whole wheat, corn, cheddar, and green chili muffins combine the flavors of corn, cheese, and chilies into a wonderfully savory treat. 

I'll never get tired of anything that includes corn, cheese, and chilies.

Spiralized Sweet Potato Macaroni and Cheese

Spiralized Sweet Potato Macaroni and Cheese with a tasty and crispy fried onion and sage topping. 

I fell completely in love with this spiralized sweet potato macaroni and cheese.

Bacon Scallion Corn Muffins

These bacon scallion corn muffins include whole grain cornmeal, bacon and scallions, and Vermont cheddar cheese. 

These bacon scallion corn muffins are wonderful as a portable breakfast. They also are fabulous for lunch with a green salad.

Jalapeño Cheddar Mini Muffin Appetizers

Jalapeño Cheddar Mini Muffins - fabulous as an easy appetizer, and delicious with a salad or a bowl of soup or chili for lunch or dinner.

These jalapeño cheddar mini muffins almost have the texture of gougères, those delicious little French poppable cheese puffs served at cocktail parties.

Broccoli-Cheese Nuggets

This recipe for these Broccoli-Cheese Nuggets is wonderful for cooking with your little chef. These cheesy nuggets may actually get your kiddo to eat broccoli.

Broccoli is a tough vegetable to get kids to eat. It has a strong aroma, and is very green. You know what that means when it comes to kids (at least the kids I know).

Jalapeño and Cheddar Bagels

These Jalapeño and Cheddar Bagels are so chewy and delicious, and the crust is super crispy and cheesy. These bagels are also filled with more cheese as well as chopped jalapeño chiles.

When it comes to bagels, I love trying new methods for creating chewy boiled New York style bagels.

Cheesy Zucchini Sandwich Bread

This cheesy zucchini sandwich bread is not your usual zucchini bread. First, it's a yeasted bread, and second, it's loaded with onions and cheddar cheese.

This zucchini bread makes amazing toast, and is the perfect bread for grilled cheese sandwiches and tuna melts.

Dill and White Cheddar Sourdough Bread

This dill and white cheddar sourdough bread combines two of my favorite flavors, herby fresh dill, and nutty, creamy white cheddar.

This dill and white cheddar bread is such a savory treat. We loved slicing and eating it without any adornment on the day it was baked. It's also excellent toasted and buttered the next day. It's also fabulous served with soup.

Cheddar Cheese and Black Pepper Bread

This cheddar cheese and black pepper bread might just be one of my new favorite loaves.

This cheddar and black pepper bread is loaded with cheddar cheese, both in the dough, and swirled throughout the loaf.

Cheesy Zucchini and Basil Muffins

These Cheesy Zucchini and Basil Muffins are savory and moist, and are perfect with a salad or soup for lunch or a light dinner. 

These zucchini, Parmesan, cheddar, and basil muffins are loaded with two kinds of cheese, zucchini, basil, and whole wheat flour. They are topped with a dash of cayenne pepper and a sprinkling of pine nuts.

Chorizo Macaroni and Cheese with Cheddar and Cotija

This Chorizo Macaroni and Cheese with Cheddar and Cotija takes the flavors of English and Mexican cheeses and combines them into about the best macaroni and cheese I've ever tried. 

This Chorizo Macaroni and Cheese with Cheddar and Cotija is so flavorful from the combination of the medium sharp white cheddar and the salty, hard, and grainy Cotija cheese. I also added a small amount of Monterey Jack cheese for creaminess.

Cheddar Muffins

These Cheddar Muffins could really be delicious cheesy bread masquerading as muffins... or maybe cheddar biscuits disguised as muffins. 

These cheddar muffins are loaded with cheese and flavored with shallots, just a bit of cornmeal, Dijon mustard, freshly ground black pepper, and Tabasco sauce. They have just the right amount of kick.

Mini Cheese Puff Crackers

These mini cheese puff crackers are made from a dough of equal parts flour, cheese, and butter. They are crumbly and cheesy, and are the perfect nibble with a glass of dry white wine. 

It's very hard to stop at just one. They are fabulous straight out of the oven, and pretty much melt in your mouth.

Cheddar Cheese Crackers

I'm pretty excited about these cheddar cheese crackers! They have such a wonderful savory flavor... and they came out crispy!

I've always had good luck making savory shortbread crackers, but have been challenged at times with creating a crispy yeasted cracker. Sometimes they can come out tough or chewy instead of crunchy.

Individual Potatoes au Gratin

I am now on the Potatoes au Gratin diet for the next week. These potatoes are so good that I figured I might as well go with it, and the leftovers reheat beautifully in the toaster oven.

One of my favorite cities to visit is Portland, Oregon. One of my favorite breakfast spots there is Mother's Bistro. We've been to Portland several times, and have always made sure to have breakfast at Mother's.

During our last visit, we decided to drop by for lunch. The food was amazing.

Guess what? There is now a Mother's Best cookbook! This book is filled with comfort food, and you will have a difficult time choosing what to make first.

I went with the Potatoes au Gratin. Potatoes au Gratin is the perfect comfort food, and this recipe is so easy. Plus, I have these adorable 8 ounce mini cast iron baking dishes that I have been meaning to use. How serendipitous is that?

Individual Potatoes au Gratin

Ingredients

3 C half and half

3 pounds russet potatoes

1 T minced garlic

Spray oil

2 tsp Kosher salt

3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Place the half and half into a 6 quart or larger sauce pan.
3. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1/4 inch slices. 
4. Place the potato slices into the half and half in the sauce pan.
5. Rub 12 individual 1 cup baking dishes or a 13 by 9 inch baking dish with the garlic and let the juices dry. Once the pans have dried, spray the pan/s with spray oil. 
6. Add the salt and pepper to the potatoes and half and half and bring the pan of potatoes to a boil. Once it is boiling, reduce the heat, and simmer for five minutes, stirring occasionally. 
7. Evenly divide the potatoes among the baking dishes. Pour the half and half mixture evenly over the potatoes and sprinkle with the cheddar cheese. 
8. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, until the tops are browned. 
9. Let the dishes rest for 10 minutes before serving.

This dish can be prepared in advanced and reheated in a regular or toaster oven. 

Disclosure: Mother's has no idea that I am in love with the cookbook or the restaurant.