#paremsan

Brazilian Cheese Ball ( PÃO DE QUEIJO)

4 cups tapioca flour

1 1/4 cups milk

1/2 cup water

6 tablespoons oil

1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese

1 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons salt

Combine the milk, water, oil and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat.

Add the tapioca flour a stand mixer. Once milk mixture boils, pour over flour. Mix it well. The texture will be fondant-like, really white and sticky.

With the mixer still on, add the eggs, one at a time. 

 Then add the cheese, a little at a time, until fully incorporated.The dough is supposed to be soft and sticky. 

To shape the balls, wet hands with cold water and use a spoon to scoop and shape balls a little smaller than golf-sized.

Bake on parchment paper sheet at 400F 15-20 minutes until golden and puffed.

Notes

To freeze them, shape the balls, place them on the baking sheet and bring to the freezer. Once they are frozen, transfer to a ziplock bag and keep them in the freezer up to 3 months.

Hey guys!  Just thought I'd let you know that I'm still on 'vacation' and enjoying every moment of it. ;)  

I miss you guys, though!  It's weird not being on blogger every day!  Anyway, I'll be back next week with pictures and recipes.  I promise!

Until then, I'm lucky to have a delicious guest post from Sheila.  If you haven't visited her blog, you're missing out.  Her photos are gorgeous and she always seems to pick the best recipes!  

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Hello everyone! My name is Sheila from Elements, and when Katie asked me if I would be a guest blogger, I was honored! I love all her tempting and mouth-watering recipes, and I always look forward to seeing the next thing she's baking.

Anyway, I had a hard time deciding what to share with you today, but I finally decided on something that I think not only looks beautiful on your plate but also tastes great!

It's a spinach and cheese mixture that's stuffed inside a cored out tomato and baked with an egg on top.

Every bite is packed with flavor, and it's a meal we certainly plan to enjoy again and again. :)

Spinach and Eggs Baked in Tomato Cups

Adapted from: Recipes from my Mom

Ingredients:

5 large tomatoes

5 large eggs

8 oz. fresh baby spinach leaves

feta cheese

ricotta cheese

Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup finely diced onions

1 tsp. nutmeg

2 tbsp. pesto paste (I used Amore pesto paste)

salt and pepper to taste

dried basil and oregano for sprinkling

Optional: 1/2 cup crushed saltine crackers (add them if you end up making your filling a bit too leaky)

Instructions:

Step One:  Prepare the Spinach

Wash the spinach leaves, and then place them in a large pot with about 1 quart of water.

Cover with a lid, and cook on medium high heat until the spinach wilts.

Drain the water off the spinach, and then set the spinach aside so it can cool.

After the spinach cools, squeeze the excess water out of it.

Step Two:  Make the Filling

Mix some crumbled feta cheese, ricotta cheese, and Parmesan cheese into the spinach. We didn't measure...just added a little of each.

Then stir in the pesto paste, nutmeg, and some salt in pepper.

Add some crushed saltine crackers to thicken up the mixture if needed. You want it to be creamy...not thin and watery.

Step Three:  Assembly

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Grease a glass baking dish with a little oil.

Horizontally cut the tops off the tomatoes, and then core out the centers. (Use the centers that you cored out for another meal.)

Place the tomatoes in the greased dish.

Add stuffing to the insides of the tomatoes, filling them up almost to the top, making sure to leave enough room at the top for the egg.

Crack an egg onto the top of each stuffed tomato.

Sprinkle some dried oregano and basil on the top of each each egg.

Step Four:  Bake the Tomatoes

Bake uncovered until the egg whites are firm.

Sprinkle with a little bit of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Serve warm.

Yumm, these look amazing Sheila.  Thank you!! :)

parmesan | par-muh-shawn noun yummy cheese