French toast is a breakfast staple for the ages. It has a long history and is eaten in many forms all over the world. It is often enjoyed much like we usually serve it, but many countries give it a local twist. In India, savory French toast with spices, green chili, chopped onions, and salt is popular. Scottish French toast is often served with sausage between two slices like a sandwich. In Hong Kong, French toast doubles as a decadent peanut butter sandwich. New Zealand French toast is enjoyed with bananas, bacon, cinnamon, and maple syrup. Creole French toast kicks it up a notch — the milk and egg soaking mixture is spiked with alcohol, often whiskey.
When you hear the word ‘cornbread,’ what comes to mind? The next question is ‘have you ever tried cornbread French toast’? Over the years I’ve made a lot of different versions of French toast and cornbread, but I’ve never combined the two. Although cornbread might be considered simple and dated, it is the cornerstone of soul food. I’ve always been a cornbread fan. Undeniably, I love it! The smell and taste of fresh cornbread are definitely nostalgic for me.
Traditional cornbread is a quick bread leavened with baking powder, but this loaf is leavened with yeast. It works like all other yeast breads, mixed and kneaded by hand or a stand mixer, and left to rise and ferment before being shaped and eventually baked.
Unlike traditional quick bread, this yeast-based version rises beautifully, creating a light yet sturdy loaf with a golden crust.
Using cornbread for making French toast today, turned out to be amazing! There’s something so comforting about thick slices of egg-soaked bread cooked on a hot griddle, making the outside golden and crispy while its custard-like inside stays soft and rich.
Whether you’re in the mood for a simple slice of toast or a sandwich loaded with your favorite meats and vegetables, this bread will elevate your meal, believe me.
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Cornbread French Toast
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Instructions
Cornbread
In a small saucepan, combine milk, 1 tablespoons butter & salt. Over medium heat, bring to a simmer. It's ok if the butter does not completely melt. Remove from heat. Slowly whisk in cornmeal, stirring until smooth. Stir in honey. Set this cornmeal mixture aside to cool.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine brown sugar & yeast in water. Stir to dissolve. Let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes. Add eggs, cooled cornmeal mixture & 1/2- 3/4 cup flour. Beat at medium speed for about 2 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. As soon as the dough pulls away from the pan, stop adding flour.
Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough 8 to 10 minutes or until smooth & elastic. Place dough in greased bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover with a slightly damp towel. Let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
When risen, punch down dough; knead 30 seconds. Grease a 9”x5” loaf pan. Sprinkle 1 1/2 tsp cornmeal over bottom and sides of each pan. Shape dough into a loaf & place in prepared pan. Allow to rise 30 to 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 375 F. Slash top of loaf as desired. Brush with melted butter; sprinkle with remaining cornmeal. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when tapped on bottom. Remove loaf from pan. Cool on a wire rack.
French Toast
In a small bowl, combine the milk, eggs, cinnamon & brown sugar. Whisk until well combined. Slice cornbread
Heat a non-stick griddle to a medium-low heat. Lightly butter the griddle. Carefully dip the cornbread into the egg mixture, gently shake off the excess & place on griddle. Don't allow the cornbread to soak in the mixture - just a quick dip.
Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, adjusting the temperature to keep it from burning. Repeat until all cornbread has been cooked, adding additional butter if necessary. Hold the other pieces in a warm oven to keep them warm.
Serve with bacon & poached eggs or maple syrup, fresh berries & a sprinkling of powdered sugar.
It always amazes me how some simple foods can taste so incredible. Focaccia is one of those foods, it has few ingredients, yet it’s almost magical how great it tastes! Focaccia is not pizza and is about 2000 years older, a sort of missing link between traditional flat bread and pizza. Above all it is distinctly Italian. Focaccia has undergone many upgrades and evolutions; however, the basic recipe has remained unchanged.
Today, focaccia is a flat oven-baked Italian bread similar in style and texture to pizza. The interesting part, however, is that Focaccia started out as a side dish but over time it became part of the main dish as sandwich bread. If we go further back in time, focaccia was the only star of the show and was originally the prototype of early pizza.
A few years ago, Brion & I got ‘hooked’ on focaccia bread. I experimented with various recipes until I landed on the sweet potato focaccia. Experiment no more! For our liking this was the ultimate focaccia. Of course, I couldn’t just leave it at bread. My next thought was to make it into handheld stuffed focaccia pockets for picnics or lunch on the go.
Today, I’d like to share my newly ‘developed’ focaccia pocket. It consists of sweet potato focaccia filled with roast turkey, bacon & stuffing served with cranberry sauce on the side. We just loved this ‘next level’ of focaccia bread.
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Turkey w/ Bacon & Stuffing Focaccia Pockets
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Instructions
Filling
In a skillet, cook bacon until just crisp, then remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain; chop when cooled. Remove all but 1 Tbsp of the bacon drippings from skillet.
Add butter to the skillet, sauté onions, garlic & mushrooms with herbs & spices, scraping up any brown bits, until the onions have softened & mushrooms have lost most of their size & moisture. Stir in the bacon & shredded cooked turkey, taste for seasoning. Cook for another minute or two, then remove from heat & set aside.
Dough
In a large bowl, combine yeast, 1/2 cup flour & 1/2 cup lukewarm water. Allow to sit for about 20 minutes until frothy.
Cook & mash sweet potato; add it along with the remaining 3/4 cup lukewarm water, 3 Tbsp olive oil, 1 1/2 tsp salt & 4 cups flour. When dough forms, knead for about 7-8 minutes until the dough is soft & satiny. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap & allow to rise in a draft fee place until doubled in size, about an hour.
Boursin Sauce
In a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Stir in the spices. Add the milk and adjust heat to steaming -- do not simmer or boil. Add Boursin to the milk mixture, break it up into pieces with the side of a large spoon and stir until Boursin has melted into the mixture. Remove from heat. Add to turkey/veg mixture.
Assembly/Baking
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Spread work surface with olive oil. Place risen dough on it & cut into 12 equal pieces. Form each piece into a ball. Roll out each ball into a 6-inch circle. Divide the filling between the 12 circles of dough. Top each one with about a 1/4 cup stuffing. Fold to form a turnover & pinch edges to seal in filling.
On 2 parchment lined baking sheets, place filled focaccia. Sprinkle with dried rosemary & coarse sea salt if using.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until slightly browned. Remove from oven & cool on wire racks. Serve with cranberry sauce on the side if desired.
Onion rings are a North American classic so why not kick it up a notch? Instead of just rings, use half an onion, tender roasted with bacon wrapped around it in a tasty creamy asiago sauce!
Asiago Cheese has been one of my personal favorite kinds of cheese for many years. Coupled with a rich history and unique flavor profile, asiago cheese is incredibly versatile and ranges from smooth and silky to crumbly and brittle.
Asiago cheese has a characteristically sweet and mildly nutty taste. However, the flavors develop as it ages, getting sharper, more intense, and piquant. As it matures, the cheese develops a slightly acidic and tangy undertone and a fruity appeal. The scent of the cheese is aromatic, with a floral smell that gets deeper with maturity.
A semi-hard cow’s milk cheese, asiago originated in Italy and takes its name from the famous plateau located in the north-eastern part of the peninsula.
Because this cheese features so much variety the everyday cheese lover might know they like asiago but not really be able to describe exactly what it tastes like. Asiago is actually considered one of the best cheeses to use for cooking due to its mild but noticeable flavor.
Onions are used in so many recipes as a seasoning or base flavor that I think we forget that they can be a side dish such as something to stuff, roast or bake with cheese on top.
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Creamy Asiago Bacon Wrapped Roasted Onions
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Instructions
Pre-cook the bacon until until it’s starting to get cooked but it’s still soft & pliable. Set aside on paper towels to cool.
Wrap the onion halves with bacon, optionally pinning it on with toothpicks. Place them in a baking dish before drizzling them with oil & seasoning with thyme, salt & pepper to taste.
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Pour the mixture of broth, cream, garlic & Worcestershire around the onions & roast until the onions are nice and tender, about 30-45 minutes depending on how thick they are. (You may need to cover with foil if the edges of the bacon start to get too dark to prevent burning.)
Sprinkle the cheese on top & bake just until it has melted.
PORK, stuffed with PORK and wrapped in PORK bacon = a total delight for meat lovers!
Pork tenderloin is a wonderful cut of pork that when cooked well, produces a tender meal full of flavor. Wrapping the pork in bacon simply enhances the flavor as, let’s face it – bacon makes everything taste great!!
Bacon wrapped sausage stuffed pork tenderloin is made with a lean pork tenderloin stuffed with spicy Italian pork sausages and herbs, wrapped in pieces of crispy bacon and a spicy pepper crust.
Although there were certain small differences in original Italian sausages, most consist of ground pork seasoned with some combination of fennel, anise, red bell peppers, paprika, garlic, and red pepper flakes. The red pepper flakes are what give the spicy varieties of Italian sausage their signature kick, while fennel is the hallmark flavor that makes Italian sausage distinct from other kinds of sausage.
This sausage typically comes as one of the following three kinds: hot, mild and sweet. The main difference between hot and mild is the addition of cayenne pepper or hot red pepper flakes. The difference between sweet and mild is the addition of sweet basil to the recipe.
All things considered, this combo should make a super good meal!
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Pork Tenderloin w/ Italian Sausage & Herb Stuffing
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Instructions
Butterfly pork tenderloin & pound flat with a meat mallet.
In a saucepan, heat oil & add onion & garlic. Sauté until aromatic. Add Italian seasoning, sage & sausage meat. Cook until browned then add panko crumbs & vegetable broth. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Remove from heat & allow to cool.
Place the sausage mixture on top of the pork tenderloin, leaving about 1-inch around the sides. Tightly wrap the tenderloin into a roll.
Starting at one side, wrap the bacon around the stuffed tenderloin. Overlap, using the bacon to secure the tenderloin from coming apart.
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In a skillet over medium heat, sear the pork tenderloin roll in a pan on the stove top on all sides.
Transfer bacon wrapped tenderloin into the oven & roast for about 25-30 minutes or until internal thermometer reads 145-150 F.
Allow meat to rest under foil for about 10 minutes before carving.
The smell of bacon alone drifting through the kitchen is enough to make your mouth water but throwing some tomatoes and Boursin cheese into the mix makes an incredible savory tart.
Bacon has been part of the fabric of the North American culture and diet for what seems like forever. It’s added a new level of savory smokiness to sandwiches. It’s been crumbled into bits and sprinkled on salads. It’s even got its own ‘religious’ following. Bacon and tomatoes are versatile ingredients that can be paired with a wide variety of foods to create delicious dishes. Both ingredients have a rich flavor profile that can complement and enhance the taste of other ingredients.
If you’ve never had Boursin, you are definitely missing out. Originating in Normandy, France, Boursin has quite an interesting history. Boursin is perfect for this tart because it has a naturally creamy texture, is relatively easy to spread, and packs a punch of flavor just by using this one ingredient.
Then there’s that convenient, frozen puff pastry… no fuss, no muss and ready when you need it. What’s not to love about golden brown flaky-crisp layers with a rich and buttery flavor?!
So, put it all together and what have you got … an amazingly good savory tart!
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Bacon & Tomato Boursin Cheese Tart
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Instructions
In a saucepan, fry bacon. Drain on paper towels & crumble.
In the same saucepan, add onion & sprinkle with some salt. Sauté until almost tender then add mushrooms & cook until moisture is released & evaporated.
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On a sheet of parchment paper, lay out the 2 sheets of puff pastry slightly overlapping about 1/2-inch to form a 16 x 9-inch rectangle (cut off any excess pastry). Press the overlapped seam together with a fork. With a sharp knife, score pastry about 1/2-inch in from edges. With any excess pastry that is left over, cut into thin strips & place around the outside edge to help form a 'lip'.
Spread the Boursin cheese over pastry but NOT on the border. Sprinkle grated cheddar evenly on top.
Top the cheeses with the onion/mushroom mixture. Then add seeded tomato slices & sprinkle with minced garlic. Season with salt, pepper & Italian seasoning. Distribute crumbled bacon over tart evenly. Brush edges of pastry with a bit of egg wash.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until the tart is crisp & golden.
A Christmas brunch with friends is always a fun way to kick off the season and see everyone before diving into family festivities. This event is the spark that lights the holiday season, and it doesn’t have to be a big elaborate affair. Keep it simple and easy … a brunch menu needs just a few things.
- Something ‘homemade’ (such as egg/bacon filled pastry)
- Something fruity (purchased is great)
- Something to drink (mimosas/coffee)
Elevate your Christmas brunch with this easy-to-assemble savory pastry made simple with a tube of crescent rolls! Filled with scrambled eggs, crispy bacon and lots of melty cheese and served with a side of salsa. It’s kind of reminiscent of an egg croissant sandwich.
Pillsbury crescents are so versatile, you can make all kinds of things with them. Of course you could also make your own dough for this breakfast, but why slave in the kitchen when you don’t have to.
Customize this pull apart breakfast ring with your favorite ingredients. Eggs, bacon, peppers, hash browns, ham, different cheeses, spinach, artichokes, asparagus … your choice!
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Cheesy Egg & Bacon Breakfast Ring
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Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat about 4 minutes or until cooked but not crisp, turning once.
Set bacon aside; drain all except 2 teaspoons bacon drippings from skillet.
In a medium bowl, beat 1/3 cup of the milk, the eggs, salt & pepper with a whisk until well mixed. Stir in leeks or bell pepper (if using). Pour egg mixture into skillet. Cook 5 to 6 minutes or until eggs are scrambled and thickened throughout but still moist.
Unroll dough; separate into 8 triangles. On lined cookie sheet, arrange triangles with shortest sides toward center, overlapping in a star shape & leaving 4-inch round circle open in center. Crescent dough points may hang over edge of cookie sheet. Press overlapping dough to flatten.
Place a slice of bacon on each of the triangles. Sprinkle 1/3 cup of the cheese into widest part of the dough. Spoon eggs over the cheese. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup of the cheese. Pull points of triangles over eggs and cheese, and tuck under dough to form ring (filling will be visible). Carefully brush dough with remaining 1 Tbsp milk; sprinkle with remaining 1/3 cup of cheese.
Bake 20-25 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool slightly, cut into slices and serve with salsa.
Recipe Notes
- Pillsbury Crescent Rolls were introduced in 1965 and quickly became a household staple. The idea for these rolls came from a food technologist named Vic Mills, who also invented Tang, the powdered orange drink. The iconic crescent shape was actually created unintentionally by a Pillsbury engineer who was trying to design an easy-to-separate dough tube.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY!
The second Monday of October has been the day Canada has celebrated Thanksgiving since 1957. You might say it is synonymous with autumn & the harvest season. For us, it’s a time to be thankful for having the privilege of being Canadian and able to live in such a wonderful country.
I, for one, have always loved the changing seasons. That’s not to say that I like freezing cold and slippery roads but that I have come to understand the important role each one plays in the ‘big picture’. When Brion and I initially landscaped our property, careful consideration was given to what plants were planted. Over the years it has developed into a beautiful tapestry of color through our growing season.
Growing up on the farm, Fall was an especially busy time with the grain crops being harvested, garden vegetables being canned, frozen or just stored for use over the coming months. So much needed to be done before winter would set in. As a teenager it all just seemed like a lot of work. Even as hard as my parents worked at making a living from farming, I think they felt a real sense of satisfaction in what they were able to achieve. Now I realize that even without being aware of it the visual beauty of the farmland at harvest was imprinted on me forever.
Our Thanksgiving meal today was inspired by the traditional Italian pork classic ‘porchetta’, a savory and moist boneless pork roast.
Porchetta is one of Italy’s most famous pork dishes. The term ‘porchetta’ traditionally refers to a whole boned and roasted young pig, specifically one which has been flavored with herbs, garlic and seasoning and cooked until the skin turns to golden crackling. The name of the dish stems from the word ‘porco’, meaning pork. It is a staple of numerous village festivals, fairs, markets, and concerts, when the streets of Rome are packed with food trucks selling this flavorful dish that is usually served on its own or as a filling for sandwiches. Italian immigrants brought the dish to North America in the early 20th century, where it is often referred to as Italian pulled pork.
The key elements of the finished dish are juicy meat, soft fat and crispy crust. In modern Umbrian kitchens, porchetta has expanded beyond pork, so that ‘porchetta-style’ has simply come to mean boneless meat, rolled round garlic and herbs, and roasted.
This ‘turchetta’ or roast turkey breast stuffed and rolled in the style of Tuscan porchetta makes a delicious alternative to ‘the same old Thanksgiving bird‘.
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Roasted Turkey Breast 'Porchetta Style
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Instructions
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In a large skillet, cook chopped bacon until golden & starting to crisp. Add butter, onion, celery & garlic. Sauté in bacon drippings until tender & golden.
Toss sautéed veggies with crispy bacon, bread cubes, sage, thyme, rosemary, salt, pepper & chicken broth. Set aside while you prepare chicken breast.
On a cutting board, place butterflied turkey breast & pound with a mallet so that the turkey is of even thickness throughout. Season with salt & pepper. Fill with stuffing, leaving a 1-inch border along the sides.
Starting at the end closest to you, roll the turkey into a tight log shape & tie with twine. Season with salt & pepper & drizzle with a touch of olive oil.
Roast for about 40-45 minutes until skin begins to crisp. On a piece of saran weave together a bacon 'mat'. Remove turkey from oven, cut twine & place turkey breast on the bacon mat. Using saran, turn roast over & tuck ends underneath the turkey breast. If necessary, use toothpicks to keep ends in place. Place in a roasting pan with a wire rack on the bottom to help drain away some of the drippings.
Raise oven temperature to 350 F.
Return turkey breast to oven & roast until turkey reaches an internal temperature of 160 F. & the bacon is crispy.
Allow turkey to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing & serving.
Asiago Cheese is one of my personal favorite kinds of cheese. Coupled with a rich history and unique flavor profile, asiago cheese is a deliciously versatile and ranges from smooth and silky to crumbly and brittle.
Asiago cheese has a characteristically sweet and mildly nutty taste. However, the flavors develop as it ages, getting sharper, more intense, and piquant. As it matures, the cheese develops a slightly acidic and tangy undertone and a fruity appeal. The scent of the cheese is aromatic, with a floral smell that gets deeper with maturity.
A semi-hard cow’s milk cheese, asiago originated in Italy and takes its name from the famous plateau located in the north-eastern part of the peninsula.
Because this cheese features so much variety the everyday cheese lover might know they like asiago but not really be able to describe exactly what it tastes like. Asiago is actually considered one of the best cheeses to use for cooking due to its mild but noticeable flavor.
These ‘asiago potato stacks’ are a nice change from your typical roasted potatoes. Sure, you can dump any kind of cheese on top of potatoes, and they’ll turn out tasty. But elevate those cheesy ‘taters with freshly grated asiago and a fresh burst of rosemary and they’re amazing!
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Asiago Potato Stacks
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Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 F. Using a mandolin, thinly slice potatoes & place in a large bowl.
Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil to skillet & mix to combine. Add shallots & garlic; sauté for 1 minute. Add thyme, salt & pepper & sauté for for 30 seconds. Remove from heat.
Pour butter mixture over potatoes & toss until each side is coated. Add cheese to potatoes & continue tossing until well combined.
Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray. Stack potato slices in muffin cups & top with additional cheese.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until stacks are golden brown & crispy. Serve immediately.
Bacon is not one of my most favorite foods. I have a very clear ‘taste of a memory’ from the bacon my father would cure on the farm when I was growing up. It was way too salty and fatty for my liking, so I avoided it like the plaque. Brion, on the other hand, loves bacon! Over the years I have come to find there are many versions of smoked bacon that can really take a recipe to another level. I have used it on, in and around so many things. I have dipped filets in it, encrusted filets in it, wrapped chicken and salmon filets in it, extra, extra …
Bacon fans are an innovative bunch. Forget the simple slice alongside eggs. Diehards have dipped the meat in chocolate, crumbled it into ice cream, infused it into vodka and the list goes on. You’d have to be living under a rock to miss the signs of our cultural obsession with bacon these days.
In this meal I’m making some sliced turkey-bacon rolls to have with our mushroom risotto. Should be quite flavorful.
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Turkey-Bacon Rolls w/ Mushroom Risotto
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Instructions
Turkey/Bacon Rolls
Chop the rosemary & thyme leaves, add a pinch of dried marjoram, parmesan, breadcrumbs & a little lemon zest.
Lay out turkey slices on a work surface, brush them with mustard, distribute the prepared mixture & roll them up to perfectly contain filling. Wrap each roll tightly with a slice of bacon. Secure with a toothpick if necessary.
Sauté garlic in a drizzle of oil for 1-2 minutes over low heat. Add more oil if necessary & brown mini rolls evenly for 3-4 minutes, turning occasionally & adding salt & pepper to taste.
Add wine, lower heat a little & put the lid on & continue cooking for 5-6 minutes, adding very little boiling water if necessary, Remove from heat & keep warm until risotto is cooked.
Mushroom Risotto
In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the porcini mushrooms, remove the pan from the heat & set aside for 30 minutes until mushrooms are tender. Then, using a slotted spoon, remove the mushrooms & set aside.
Return the broth to a simmer & keep warm over low heat.
In a large, heavy saucepan, melt 2 Tbsp of the butter over medium-high heat. Add onion & mushrooms & cook for about 3 minutes, until the onions are tender but not brown. Add rice & stir to coat with butter. Add wine & simmer for about 3 minutes, until the wine has almost completely evaporated.
Add a soup ladle full of warm broth & stir for about 2 minutes, until almost completely absorbed.
Continue with remaining broth, adding a ladle full at a time & allowing each addition to be absorbed, until rice is tender to the bite & the mixture is creamy. This should take about 20-25 minutes in total.
Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the parmesan, gorgonzola, chives, salt & pepper. Transfer to a warm serving bowl & serve immediately.
