Here in Wisconsin, we like to take advantage of any opportunity to celebrate our dairy industry, so with June being National Dairy Month, we're all over that. What better way to celebrate Dairy Month than by supporting Wisconsin dairy farmers and enjoying tasty recipes? Read on for some of our favorites:
Savory Cherry Crostini
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups halved pitted sweet cherries - bonus points if they're Door County cherries.
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 baguette slices, toasted
Bifrost Farms Chevre
Heat oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over high. Add cherries and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned in spots and softened but not falling apart, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Spread baguette slices with goat cheese and top with a spoonful of cherries. Recipe courtesy of BonApetit.com.
Wisconsin product: Located in Boyceville, Bifrost Farms Creamery raises a herd of mini-Nubian dairy goats who produce the high-butterfat rich milk for artisanal cheese: Bifrost Farms Chevre, Farmstead Salzkase Feta and seasonal yogurt cheese; and decadent Cajeta, as well as soaps and lotions. Next on their list? Gelato.
Beer Cheese Soup
Ingredients:
4 ounces bacon
2 cups Hook's One Year Sharp Cheddar, shredded
2 cups Hook's Marble Jack, shredded
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups beer
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
6 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
Fry bacon until crisp, drain on paper towels and dice. Set aside.
Combine cheeses, milk, beer, Worcestershire sauce and garlic in a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until cheese melts. Combine flour and water and add to cheese mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for 10 minutes or until soup is thick.
Sprinkle with chives and diced bacon pieces. Recipe courtesy of EatWisconsinCheese.com.
Wisconsin product: Hook's Cheese Company has been making cheese for more than 45 years and won local, national and international awards. Its 50 varieties of cheese can be found on site, in restaurants and retailers and at the Dane County Farmers' Market.
Sour Cream-Raisin Pie
Ingredients:
1 refrigerated pie crust, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups Westby's Grade-A cultured sour cream
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 dashes ground nutmeg
3 egg yolks
1 cup raisins
4 egg whites, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Make pie crust as directed on box. Bake 10-12 minutes or until light brown. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
In large microwavable bowl, blend filling ingredients. Microwave uncovered on high 5 to 7 minutes or until thickened.
In large bowl, beat meringue ingredients with electric mixer on high speed about 2 minutes or until stiff peaks form.
Pour hot filling into baked pie shell. Spoon meringue onto hot filling; spread to edge of crust.
Place pie on middle oven rack; place sheet of foil on rack below pie in case of spill-over. Bake at 350 degrees 9 to 11 minutes or until meringue is lightly browned. Cool completely, about 3 hours. Cover and refrigerate any remaining pie. Recipe courtesy of Pillsbury.com.
Wisconsin product: Westby Cooperative Creamery is located in the heart of Dairy Country and has been producing cheese and dairy goods since 1903. It prides itself in raising animals free of hormone injections, allowing them to produce more milk and the best quality cheeses, sour creams, dips and yogurts.
Fusilli with Spinach and Asiago Cheese
Ingredients:
1 pound fusilli pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 9-ounce bag fresh spinach, roughly chopped
8 ounces, or 1/2 pint, cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup grated Saxon Creamery Asiago Fresca cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.
Meanwhile, warm olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the spinach and tomatoes and cook until the spinach wilts, about 2 more minutes. Add the cooked pasta and toss. Add the cheeses, salt, pepper and the pasta cooking liquid and stir to combine. Recipe courtesy of FoodNetwork.com.
Wisconsin product: Saxon Creamery partners with Saxon Homestead Farm to handcraft award-winning, intensely flavored cheeses. Choose from their Asiago Fresca with Rosemary, Big Ed's Gouda with Serrano Peppers, Garlic and Pimento Gouda, Aged Cheddar Cheese Spread and many more.
Ice Cream Cookie Dessert
Ingredients:
1 package Oreo cookies, crushed, divided
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 gallon Sassy Cow vanilla ice cream, softened
1 16-ounce jar hot fudge ice cream topping, warmed
1 8-ounce carton frozen whipped topping, thawed
In a large bowl, combine 3 3/4 cups cookie crumbs and butter. Press into a greased 13x9-inch dish. Spread with ice cream; cover and freeze until set.
Drizzle fudge topping over ice cream; cover and freeze until set. Spread with whipped topping; sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs. Cover and freeze 2 hours or until firm. Remove from the freezer 10 minutes before serving. Recipe courtesy of TasteOfHome.com.
Wisconsin product: A Wisconsin favorite, Sassy Cow Creamery is a result of two farms that are owned and operated by two brothers and their families - the third generation to farm on the land. Its products use milk from both organic and traditional dairy herds, creating some of the best ice cream, milk and other dairy products.
Greek Nachos
Top pita chips with hummus, diced cucumber, tomatoes, Weyauwega Star Dairy Crumbled Feta Cheese, red onion, Kalamata olives, tzatziki sauce and oregano. Recipe courtesy of FoodNetwork.com.
Wisconsin product: Weyauwega Star Dairy takes pride in being "Wisconsin's Finest." The fourth-generation family business crafts a variety of Wisconsin products, from cheeses to meats to gift basket assortments.
Nutella Pie
Ingredients:
Chocolate cookie crust for one 9-inch pie
2 cups Nutella
1 1/2 cups Crave Brothers Farmstead Mascarpone Cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pat the crust into a 9-inch pie plate. Bake it for 10 minutes, then let it cool completely.
In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, beat together the Nutella, mascarpone and salt until light and fluffy. Spread the filling into the pie shell, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
Top the pie with the chopped nuts, slice the pie and serve. Recipe courtesy of epicurious.com.
Wisconsin product: Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese is made up of four brothers who were raised on a 40-cow dairy farm near Beloit and began farming together in 1978, eventually purchasing their Waterloo dairy farm in 1980. Check out their Mascarpone and Fresh Mozzarella.
Smoked Gouda and Roasted Red Pepper Grilled Cheese
Ingredients:
8 1/3- to 1/2-inch thick slices Pullman bread
4 ounces Marieke Gouda Smoked, very thinly sliced with a cheese slicer
4 slices Muenster cheese, about 4 ounces
1 medium jar roasted red pepper, drained, dried and thinly sliced
2 cups baby arugula
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Lay out 4 slices of the bread on a work surface. Layer each with some of the smoked Gouda, 1 slice of the Muenster, a thin layer of sliced red pepper, 1/2 cup of the baby arugula and another layer of smoked Gouda. Close the sandwiches with the remaining bread. Thinly and evenly spread the butter on both sides of the bread using about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter for each sandwich.
Place 2 sandwiches into a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook until the bread is evenly golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip, cover again and cook until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is visibly melted, about 2 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches. Recipe courtesy of FoodNetwork.com.
Wisconsin product: Holland's Family Cheese LLC derives its inspiration from the Netherlands dairy farm its owners grew up on. Marieke and Rolf emigrated to Thorp and missed the cheese from back home - inspiring Marieke to get her Wisconsin cheesemaking license and learn how to make authentic Dutch Gouda cheese. Today, they have a state-of-the-art facility and offer a wide variety of Gouda cheese, including jalapeno, bacon, black mustard and onion garlic.
Banana Nut Buttermilk Waffles
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 large eggs, separated
2 cups Dean's buttermilk
8 tablespoons, or 1 stick, unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 very ripe bananas
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
Preheat a waffle iron. Into a large bowl, sift together flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, buttermilk, butter and vanilla. Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients; stir until just combined.
In a separate bowl, coarsely mash bananas and lemon juice; stir into a batter along with the walnuts.
In a medium bowl, beat egg whites with a hand mixer until stiff but not dry. Fold into the batter.
Ladle about 1/3 cup batter onto each section of the waffle grid; spread batter almost to the edges.
Close lid; bake until no steam emerges from waffle iron, 5 to 6 minutes.
Transfer cooked waffles to a baking sheet; place in an oven set to low heat, about 200 degrees, while using remaining batter. Recipe courtesy of DeanDairy.com.
Wisconsin product: Dean Foods Morning Glory Dairy has provided some of the freshest, most wholesome products for more than 75 years. Choose from their white milk, flavored milk, creams and cottage cheeses.
Buffalo Chicken Crescent Ring
Ingredients:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup hot sauce or red pepper sauce
2 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 cup shredded Omega Buffalo Monterey Jack cheese
2 cans refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
Heat oven to 375 degrees. In small bowl, mix cream cheese and hot sauce until smooth. Mix in chicken and shredded cheese just until combined.
Unroll both cans of dough; separate into 16 triangles. On ungreased large cookie sheet, arrange triangles in a ring so short sides of triangles form a 5-inch circle in center. Dough will overlap. Dough ring should look like a sun.
Spoon cream cheese mixture on the half of each triangle closest to center of ring. Top with blue cheese crumbles.
Bring each dough triangle up over filling, tucking dough under bottom layer of dough to secure it. Repeat around ring until entire filling is enclosed; some filling might show a little.
Bake 20-25 minutes or until dough is golden brown and thoroughly baked. Cool 5-10 minutes before cutting into serving slices. Recipe courtesy of Pillsbury.com.
Wisconsin product: Omega Valley Farmers LLC, located in the heart of America's Dairyland, has been noted as the national leader for milk volume produced per any county in the U.S. Farmers provide optimum care for their animals, which provides a high-quality product for families to enjoy.
Which recipes do you plan on trying? Share the finished product with us on social media using #DiscoverWisconsin.
Something Special from Wisconsin is a trademarked program administered by the Division of Agricultural Development at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection since 1983. Every dollar spent on Something Special from Wisconsin products and services supports local farmers, food processors, entrepreneurs, our communities and livelihood, as well as the Wisconsin way of life. Something Special from Wisconsin products are unique and of the highest quality, making them perfect for gift-giving, special occasions and every day.
- Kristen Finstad is a crew member of the nation's longest-running tourism TV show, "Discover Wisconsin." The column is published Tuesday on the Life page in the Times.
Savory Cherry Crostini
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups halved pitted sweet cherries - bonus points if they're Door County cherries.
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 baguette slices, toasted
Bifrost Farms Chevre
Heat oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over high. Add cherries and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned in spots and softened but not falling apart, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Spread baguette slices with goat cheese and top with a spoonful of cherries. Recipe courtesy of BonApetit.com.
Wisconsin product: Located in Boyceville, Bifrost Farms Creamery raises a herd of mini-Nubian dairy goats who produce the high-butterfat rich milk for artisanal cheese: Bifrost Farms Chevre, Farmstead Salzkase Feta and seasonal yogurt cheese; and decadent Cajeta, as well as soaps and lotions. Next on their list? Gelato.
Beer Cheese Soup
Ingredients:
4 ounces bacon
2 cups Hook's One Year Sharp Cheddar, shredded
2 cups Hook's Marble Jack, shredded
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups beer
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
6 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
Fry bacon until crisp, drain on paper towels and dice. Set aside.
Combine cheeses, milk, beer, Worcestershire sauce and garlic in a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until cheese melts. Combine flour and water and add to cheese mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for 10 minutes or until soup is thick.
Sprinkle with chives and diced bacon pieces. Recipe courtesy of EatWisconsinCheese.com.
Wisconsin product: Hook's Cheese Company has been making cheese for more than 45 years and won local, national and international awards. Its 50 varieties of cheese can be found on site, in restaurants and retailers and at the Dane County Farmers' Market.
Sour Cream-Raisin Pie
Ingredients:
1 refrigerated pie crust, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups Westby's Grade-A cultured sour cream
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 dashes ground nutmeg
3 egg yolks
1 cup raisins
4 egg whites, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Make pie crust as directed on box. Bake 10-12 minutes or until light brown. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
In large microwavable bowl, blend filling ingredients. Microwave uncovered on high 5 to 7 minutes or until thickened.
In large bowl, beat meringue ingredients with electric mixer on high speed about 2 minutes or until stiff peaks form.
Pour hot filling into baked pie shell. Spoon meringue onto hot filling; spread to edge of crust.
Place pie on middle oven rack; place sheet of foil on rack below pie in case of spill-over. Bake at 350 degrees 9 to 11 minutes or until meringue is lightly browned. Cool completely, about 3 hours. Cover and refrigerate any remaining pie. Recipe courtesy of Pillsbury.com.
Wisconsin product: Westby Cooperative Creamery is located in the heart of Dairy Country and has been producing cheese and dairy goods since 1903. It prides itself in raising animals free of hormone injections, allowing them to produce more milk and the best quality cheeses, sour creams, dips and yogurts.
Fusilli with Spinach and Asiago Cheese
Ingredients:
1 pound fusilli pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 9-ounce bag fresh spinach, roughly chopped
8 ounces, or 1/2 pint, cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup grated Saxon Creamery Asiago Fresca cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.
Meanwhile, warm olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the spinach and tomatoes and cook until the spinach wilts, about 2 more minutes. Add the cooked pasta and toss. Add the cheeses, salt, pepper and the pasta cooking liquid and stir to combine. Recipe courtesy of FoodNetwork.com.
Wisconsin product: Saxon Creamery partners with Saxon Homestead Farm to handcraft award-winning, intensely flavored cheeses. Choose from their Asiago Fresca with Rosemary, Big Ed's Gouda with Serrano Peppers, Garlic and Pimento Gouda, Aged Cheddar Cheese Spread and many more.
Ice Cream Cookie Dessert
Ingredients:
1 package Oreo cookies, crushed, divided
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 gallon Sassy Cow vanilla ice cream, softened
1 16-ounce jar hot fudge ice cream topping, warmed
1 8-ounce carton frozen whipped topping, thawed
In a large bowl, combine 3 3/4 cups cookie crumbs and butter. Press into a greased 13x9-inch dish. Spread with ice cream; cover and freeze until set.
Drizzle fudge topping over ice cream; cover and freeze until set. Spread with whipped topping; sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs. Cover and freeze 2 hours or until firm. Remove from the freezer 10 minutes before serving. Recipe courtesy of TasteOfHome.com.
Wisconsin product: A Wisconsin favorite, Sassy Cow Creamery is a result of two farms that are owned and operated by two brothers and their families - the third generation to farm on the land. Its products use milk from both organic and traditional dairy herds, creating some of the best ice cream, milk and other dairy products.
Greek Nachos
Top pita chips with hummus, diced cucumber, tomatoes, Weyauwega Star Dairy Crumbled Feta Cheese, red onion, Kalamata olives, tzatziki sauce and oregano. Recipe courtesy of FoodNetwork.com.
Wisconsin product: Weyauwega Star Dairy takes pride in being "Wisconsin's Finest." The fourth-generation family business crafts a variety of Wisconsin products, from cheeses to meats to gift basket assortments.
Nutella Pie
Ingredients:
Chocolate cookie crust for one 9-inch pie
2 cups Nutella
1 1/2 cups Crave Brothers Farmstead Mascarpone Cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pat the crust into a 9-inch pie plate. Bake it for 10 minutes, then let it cool completely.
In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, beat together the Nutella, mascarpone and salt until light and fluffy. Spread the filling into the pie shell, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
Top the pie with the chopped nuts, slice the pie and serve. Recipe courtesy of epicurious.com.
Wisconsin product: Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese is made up of four brothers who were raised on a 40-cow dairy farm near Beloit and began farming together in 1978, eventually purchasing their Waterloo dairy farm in 1980. Check out their Mascarpone and Fresh Mozzarella.
Smoked Gouda and Roasted Red Pepper Grilled Cheese
Ingredients:
8 1/3- to 1/2-inch thick slices Pullman bread
4 ounces Marieke Gouda Smoked, very thinly sliced with a cheese slicer
4 slices Muenster cheese, about 4 ounces
1 medium jar roasted red pepper, drained, dried and thinly sliced
2 cups baby arugula
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Lay out 4 slices of the bread on a work surface. Layer each with some of the smoked Gouda, 1 slice of the Muenster, a thin layer of sliced red pepper, 1/2 cup of the baby arugula and another layer of smoked Gouda. Close the sandwiches with the remaining bread. Thinly and evenly spread the butter on both sides of the bread using about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter for each sandwich.
Place 2 sandwiches into a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook until the bread is evenly golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip, cover again and cook until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is visibly melted, about 2 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches. Recipe courtesy of FoodNetwork.com.
Wisconsin product: Holland's Family Cheese LLC derives its inspiration from the Netherlands dairy farm its owners grew up on. Marieke and Rolf emigrated to Thorp and missed the cheese from back home - inspiring Marieke to get her Wisconsin cheesemaking license and learn how to make authentic Dutch Gouda cheese. Today, they have a state-of-the-art facility and offer a wide variety of Gouda cheese, including jalapeno, bacon, black mustard and onion garlic.
Banana Nut Buttermilk Waffles
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 large eggs, separated
2 cups Dean's buttermilk
8 tablespoons, or 1 stick, unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 very ripe bananas
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
Preheat a waffle iron. Into a large bowl, sift together flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, buttermilk, butter and vanilla. Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients; stir until just combined.
In a separate bowl, coarsely mash bananas and lemon juice; stir into a batter along with the walnuts.
In a medium bowl, beat egg whites with a hand mixer until stiff but not dry. Fold into the batter.
Ladle about 1/3 cup batter onto each section of the waffle grid; spread batter almost to the edges.
Close lid; bake until no steam emerges from waffle iron, 5 to 6 minutes.
Transfer cooked waffles to a baking sheet; place in an oven set to low heat, about 200 degrees, while using remaining batter. Recipe courtesy of DeanDairy.com.
Wisconsin product: Dean Foods Morning Glory Dairy has provided some of the freshest, most wholesome products for more than 75 years. Choose from their white milk, flavored milk, creams and cottage cheeses.
Buffalo Chicken Crescent Ring
Ingredients:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup hot sauce or red pepper sauce
2 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 cup shredded Omega Buffalo Monterey Jack cheese
2 cans refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
Heat oven to 375 degrees. In small bowl, mix cream cheese and hot sauce until smooth. Mix in chicken and shredded cheese just until combined.
Unroll both cans of dough; separate into 16 triangles. On ungreased large cookie sheet, arrange triangles in a ring so short sides of triangles form a 5-inch circle in center. Dough will overlap. Dough ring should look like a sun.
Spoon cream cheese mixture on the half of each triangle closest to center of ring. Top with blue cheese crumbles.
Bring each dough triangle up over filling, tucking dough under bottom layer of dough to secure it. Repeat around ring until entire filling is enclosed; some filling might show a little.
Bake 20-25 minutes or until dough is golden brown and thoroughly baked. Cool 5-10 minutes before cutting into serving slices. Recipe courtesy of Pillsbury.com.
Wisconsin product: Omega Valley Farmers LLC, located in the heart of America's Dairyland, has been noted as the national leader for milk volume produced per any county in the U.S. Farmers provide optimum care for their animals, which provides a high-quality product for families to enjoy.
Which recipes do you plan on trying? Share the finished product with us on social media using #DiscoverWisconsin.
Something Special from Wisconsin is a trademarked program administered by the Division of Agricultural Development at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection since 1983. Every dollar spent on Something Special from Wisconsin products and services supports local farmers, food processors, entrepreneurs, our communities and livelihood, as well as the Wisconsin way of life. Something Special from Wisconsin products are unique and of the highest quality, making them perfect for gift-giving, special occasions and every day.
- Kristen Finstad is a crew member of the nation's longest-running tourism TV show, "Discover Wisconsin." The column is published Tuesday on the Life page in the Times.