Checkerboard Vegetable Squares Food

CHECKERBOARD SANDWICH

Steps:

• Spread wheat bread with cream cheese spread; top with turkey, tomatoes and white bread.
• Cut sandwich into 3 horizontal strips, then 3 vertical strips to make 9 squares. Turn 4 or 5 of the squares upside down.
• Arrange squares on plate, alternating colors as needed to resemble a checkerboard.

CHECKERBOARD VEGETABLE SQUARES

Steps:

• Combine first 3 ingredients (cottage cheese, saltines and fine herbs) in mixing bowl and set aside.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add squash slices, and saute 5 minutes. Spoon into a lightly greased 8 inch square baking dish.
• Spread half of cheese mixture evenly over squash slices.
• Place spinach in skillet and saute 3 minutes, adding 1 tablespoon butter if necessary to prevent sticking. Spoon spinach evenly over cheese mixture.
• Spread the remaining cheese mixture evenly over spinach layer.
• Slice tomatoes into 9 equal pieces. Saute, just enough to soften slightly. Layer them on top of the second cheese mixture.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
• Arrange mozzarella cheese strips on top to resemble checkerboard, and bake 10 more minutes.
• Remove from oven, and let stand 10 minutes: cut into squares. Serve immediatly.

VEGETABLE APPETIZER SQUARES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Make sure your zucchini is well drained, I put it in a clean tea towel and squeeze it dry.
• Grease bottom and sides of rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches.
• In a medium bowl, mix eggs, parmesan cheese, pepper sauce, parsley and vegetables. Set aside
• Combine dry ingredients and stir into liquid mixture.
• Stir in melted butter.
• Spread mixture evenly into the baking dish.
• Sprinkle grated cheddar cheese over top.
• Bake about 30 - 35 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool slightly, cut into tiny 1" squares, serve warm or cold, I prefer these at room temperature.

HARTWELL FARM CORN PUDDING

Steps:

• 1. Combine corn, bread crumbs, milk, green pepper, salt, and pepper.
• 2. Pour into 10x6x2 baking dish.
• 3. Arrange alternate pieces of cheese and bacon across top in checkerboard fashion.
• 4. NOTE: I find the easiest way to cut the bacon is with scissors -- You can cut through the whole 3-stack at precise intervals which makes it speedy, neat, and easy. Using a knife seems to distort the bacon.
• 5. Bake 325 F for 1 to 1 1/4 hours

CHECKERBOARD COOKIES

Steps:

• Make dough in a food processor: Combine the sugars, salt, and 1 1/2 cups (195 grams) of the flour in the work bowl. Add cold, diced butter and mix or pulse until it disappears, then keep running the machine until it just begins to clump. Add egg yolk (save the egg white for later) and vanilla and pulse until combined, then keep running the machine until one large or a few smaller smooth masses form. Make dough in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer: Combine butter, sugars, and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer and beat until creamy. If you began with cold butter in a stand mixer, this will take a couple minutes and require you to scrape down the bowl a few times. Once mixture is thoroughly combined, add egg yolk (save the egg white for later) and vanilla and beat until combined. Add 1 1/2 cups (195 grams) of the flour and beat until it disappears into a smooth dough. Both methods: Divide dough in half. [Each half will weigh 270 to 275 grams.] Leave one half in the mixing bowl or food processor. Add 1/4 cup (35 grams) remaining flour to it and pulse/mix until just combined. Scrape out the mixing bowl or food processor and scoop out this vanilla dough, setting it aside. Add the second half of the dough to the mixing bowl or food process and add the cocoa powder. Mix until evenly combined. This is now your chocolate dough. Heat oven: To 350°F (176°C) To checkerboard the doughs:Place each dough half between two pieces of parchment paper and roll each into (approximately) 4 to 5×10-inch (10 to 13×25-cm) rectangles that are 1/4-inch (6mm) thick. Slide both slabs of dough onto a cutting board or tray and freeze for 10 to 15 minutes, until firm like cold butter but not quite frozen solid.Remove the top piece of parchment from each slab (you can use these to line your baking sheet) and stack the chocolate and vanilla dough layers, pressing them gently together. Cut the slab in half the long way (i.e. forming two approximately 2×10-inch rectangles) and stack the halves, forming one long, striped slab. Press the layers gently, to adhere them, and return this to the freezer for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until it's very firm but not fully frozen.Remove this long slab from the freezer and, using your sharpest knife and steadiest hand, cut it the long way into eight 1/4-inch-wide slices. Arrange the first four into a checkerboarded log, flipping two of the slices over so the opposite flavor is on top. Repeat with second four into a second checkerboarded log. Wrap each in a piece of parchment paper and press it firmly into a long, squared-off log, adhering the layers. Return to the freezer for one last 10-minute stint, until solid to the touch. To finish cookies: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, or discarded parchment from your cookie slabs. Beat reserved egg white until just loosened. Gather your sanding sugar(s). Unwrap first checkerboarded log. Brush log with a thin coat of egg white and roll or sprinkle in sanding sugar. [Normal people choose one color per log. I cut each log into quarters and did each quarter in a different color.] Slice sugar-coated log into 1/4-inch-thick cookies, and arrange on prepared baking sheet with 1-inch space between them (they expand slightly). Repeat with second log, creating more cookies. Bake cookies: For 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown underneath. Let cookies rest on tray for 5 minutes, so they firm up a little, before transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling and crisping up. Do ahead: Baked, cooled cookies keep for 3 weeks in a tin at room temperature. To spiral the doughs: Roll your chocolate and vanilla dough slabs each to 1/8-inch thick and stack them, patting them gently together. Chill in the freezer for just 5 to 10 minutes, until cold but not hard. Divide dough into two long, equal widths. With the vanilla dough underneath/forming the outer ring, roll each half of dough into a tight spiral. [I forgot and did the opposite, but always think it looks better with vanilla on the outside.] Wrap each spiral in parchment, pressing the dough into a firm log. Chill in freezer for 15 minutes, until solid but not frozen hard. Continue from "To finish cookies:" instructions above. To marble the doughs: Roll your chocolate and vanilla dough slabs each to 1/8-inch thick and stack them, patting them gently together. Cut into two stacked sections and squeeze each into a rough log, fold it over, and mash the log, kneading it once or twice. Press kneaded mounds together and form them back into a long log shape. Wrap tightly with parchment, pressing the dough into a firm log. Chill in freezer for 15 minutes, until solid but not frozen hard. Continue from "To finish cookies:" instructions above.

CHECKERBOARD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray pans with vegetable oil.
• In a large bowl cream butter and sugar with electric mixer. until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and vanilla mix well.
• Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture alternately with milk, mix well after each addition. Continue beating 1 minute. Divide batter in half. Stir melted chocolate into half the batter. MIX WELL.
• Place Dividing Batter Ring into one prepared pan. Follow instructions for filling sections. ( For convenient filling, place batter in 2 disposable decorating bags )one for yellow and one for chocolate.
• Bake layers 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely
• Assemble cake following directions. Ice entire cake with chocolate icing. Serves 20
• NOTE: If you don't have a set of checkerboard cake pans. You can get them at ( www.wilton.com )