genuinegirly

I love cheese. So much variety and goodness! Smoked Gouda, Mozarella, Pepper Jack, Sharp Cheddar, Swiss, Parmesean, Havarti, Brie, Camembert, Chevre...

We have all sorts of recipes that include CHEESE! mentioned here in Cooking, but I can't find any one central thread. That's what this one is all about - your favorite recipes that include cheese. Here are two of mine to kick it off!

Cheesey Potatoes

6 red, gold, purple, or Russett potatoes
10 oz Sour Cream
2 cups grated Cheddar Cheese
Chopped green onion
Bread Crumbs or saltine crackers

Preheat oven. 350 or 375 F both work well. Boil and mash 6 potatoes (peeling optional). Place mashed potatoes in casserole dish. Add a dash of salt and fresh-ground pepper. Fold in 10 oz sour cream and 1 cup cheese. Smooth out to evenly cover casserole dish. Sprinke over top remaining cheese, green onion, and bread crumbs. Warm in oven until cheese is melted in the center. Take out before cheese begins to brown.


Fresh Mozarella Sandwich

Bagette, Rosemarry Bagette, or Chiabatta bread
Fresh Mozarella
Tomato, sliced
Eggplant, sliced
Spinach (or Swiss Chard or Mustard Greens)
Dijon mustard
Mayo optional

Slice fresh mozarella, tomato, and eggplant. Rinse spinach or greens.
For a delicious experience, place on bread as follows:

Bread
(Mayo)
2 or 3 fresh slices Tomato
3 Mozarella slices
1 slice Eggplant
Spinach/Greens
Dijon Mustard
(Mayo)
Bread

Variation on this theme:
If you have no mozarella, take out the mustard and replace mayo on the above order with cream cheese. Sprinkle salt & pepper over cream cheese. It's delicious this way, too!

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"Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq

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shesus

Oh man, both of those sound delicious. And at the time when I was told my cholestrol is threw the roof.

I have some very good cheese recipes I'll have to dig out and add. I can still make some cheese dishes I guess because as JustJess said: "A life without cheese isn't worth living, shesus, it just isn't."

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genuinegirly

Ooo! Thanks shesus. It'll be good to have some more!

__________________
"Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq

"violence is no more or less real than non-violence." roachboy

Charlatan

Life without cheese would be sad indeed.

I highly recommend that you try to get to a high end cheese shop and let them introduce you to some cheeses you have never heard of... your mouth will thank you.

Personally, it's one of the joys of going to France twice a year. I get to eat some very nice cheese.

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amonkie

I still remember the cheese shop you were going to show me that was closed

Same here for me... never had better cheese than when I was in paris.

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rockzilla

I've never been to Paris, but Montreal has some pretty awesome cheese.

genuinegirly

Took a semester in Paris a few years back. The cheese was incredible. Tried something different nearly every night. California has some great cheese, too. I visited Wisconson about a decade ago. I like to visit high-end cheese stores once every six months or so. I'm with you on that suggestion, Charlatan. I'm confident that everyone can benefit from trying new cheeses.

Consolidating cheese recipes from other posts within TFP...

This one is from Medusa, from this thread: http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=112068


This one is from Ripsaw, from this thread:
http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=109495


From OneSnowyOwl from this thread:
http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=109495

__________________
"Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq

"violence is no more or less real than non-violence." roachboy

Baraka_Guru

I heard recently that Quebec has seen a rise in the production of goat's milk cheeses....something to do with lax regulations when it comes to goat farms vs. cow farms. Or was it sheep? I can't remember. It's cheese, it must be good.




I don't currently have a cheese recipe to share. But that's the beauty of cheese: You don't need one!

I'm currently enjoying a goat's milk gouda (if you haven't tried it, it's to die for!) and some whiskey extra-old cheddar (it's English, I think).

So, needless to say, I'm quite happy.

__________________
Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön

Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
—From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot

Grasshopper Green

I'd rather give up chocolate than give up cheese. As a bonafide sweettooth...that's saying something.

__________________
"They say that patriotism is the last refuge to which a scoundrel clings; steal a little and they throw you in jail, steal a lot and they make you king"

Formerly Medusa

seretogis

I am lactose-intolerant and find this thread to be offensive.

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Plan9

I totally need to do this.

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Whatever you can carry.

"You should not drink... and bake."

Baraka_Guru

How do you do with low-lactose cheeses?

__________________
Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön

Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
—From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot

Lady Sage

Mmmm cheese, the food of the gods. Theres this lovely lil cheese chalet about an hour from here where you can sample various cheeses(about 150-200 of them) before you buy. I am overdue for a trip there... thankfully I go on vacation in less than 2 weeks!

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Midnight

putting together my recipes that have cheese in them, PM me if you want a copy of them all when its done, OR if you want me to start some sort of TFP cookbook up. I'd be happy to set something up on a site where everyone can go and buy a copy and have the proceeds-production costs go to TFP if we are looking for a way to get some donations if everyone is interested in coughing up their favorite recipe(s) *note* IF you want to do something like that - your recipe MUST include a photograph of said recipe completed/ready to serve/being served

Willravel

Some of the most delicious things ever, ever.

Cheesus Christ Crackers
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/reci...ml?rsrc=search

BenChuy

This thread is bad. BAD. BAD. BAD!!!


(l'amour de Fromage avec lactose intolerance!)

alicat

Ah, along with the bacon and BBQ threads, this cheese thread now completes my favorite food trio. I think hubby and I would have to off ourselves if we ever became lactose intolerant since we eat so much cheese. Our fridge drawer is always stocked with mozz, parm, asiago, swiss, sharp cheddar and provolone. There's also currently a gifted block of artisan habanaro that is so damn hot it will probably die before we can finish it!

These recipes are decidedly low-brow comfort food but are the most "cheese-centric" that we use. Hope you enjoy!

This one is Patti Labelle's Mac & Cheese. I swear it is practically orgasmic right out of the oven, the ingred. list is the obvious reason. I cut it down to 1/4 of the recipe for the two of us because we don't think it reheats very well at all (separates). *Note* I use Provolone in place of the muenster and all sharp cheddar, I think you can tweek it to your taste.

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound elbow macaroni
8 tablespoons (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Muenster cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded mild Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup (8 ounces) Velveeta, cut into small cubes
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a deep 2 1/2-quart casserole.

Bring the large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the oil, then the elbow macaroni, and cook until the macaroni is just tender, about 7 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain well. Return to the cooking pot.

In a small saucepan, melt eight tablespoons of the butter. Stir into the macaroni. In a large bowl, mix the Muenster, mild and sharp Cheddar, and Monterey Jack cheeses. To the macaroni, add the half-and-half, 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese, the cubed Velveeta, and the eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the buttered casserole. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese and dot with the remaining one tablespoon of butter.

Bake until it's bubbling around the edges, about 35 minutes. Serve hot.


I must embarressingly confess as a foodie that I have a thing for the blue box mac & cheese but my hubby loves this scratch-made version by Alton Brown. It is honestly not much more time consuming than the boxed stuff and much, much better (my tastebud's kid memories notwithstanding). I don't care for the hot sauce or the dry mustard but he loves it, YMMV.

1/2 pound elbow macaroni
4 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
6 ounces evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh black pepper
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
10 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded

In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente and drain. Return to the pot and melt in the butter. Toss to coat.
Whisk together the eggs, milk, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and mustard. Stir into the pasta and add the cheese. Over low heat continue to stir for 3 minutes or until creamy.

This last one doesn't have a name per se, it's an old Campbell's soup recipe. I can never exactly remember the amount's or time's but it always turns out good (sauce must be served with/over mashed tater's!).

2-4 Skinless boneless chicken breasts
3/4 lb. shredded cheddar cheese
1 Strip of bacon, cut in half, per breast
1 Can Cream of Mushroom soup
1/2-3/4 soup can of milk
1 C. quartered button mushrooms (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a high-sided casserole dish that will hold however many breasts you are baking and allow for the sauce to just cover. In a med. saucepan, stir the soup and milk together and when heated, add the cheese a little at a time until melted and combined well. Pour into the casserole dish. Add the breasts and top with a bacon strip each. If using mushrooms, press them into the sauce around the breasts.

Bake for 40 minutes, checking periodically for browning. Cover with foil if the dish is showing much browning on top, for the remaining baking time. Serve sauce over sliced up breasts and mashed potatoes or other veggies.
*Note* The milk amt is based on how "saucy" you want the sauce to be, I recommend the 1/2 C. to start and adjust from there. If only baking two breasts, you will have left-over sauce.

__________________
'Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun, The frumious Bandersnatch!'--Jabberwocky, Lewis Carroll

"You cannot do a kindness too soon because you never know how soon it will be too late."--Ralph Waldo Emerson

SexyCat

Everyone knows the best cheese comes from Wisconsin!

As far as something super simple just take fresh cheese curds and microwave them for like 30 seconds...delicious!!

alicat

SexyCat (hey feline sister), since we're both in Michigan I have to ask you, what are cheese curds exactly? When we're on vacation in the U.P., we fairly regularly venture down from Porcupine Mountain/Ontonagon area to just over the border into Wisconsin, and have yet to see this seeming delicacy.

Is it just like a deep-fried mozzarrela stick, except with cheddar or something else? I've searched the net for an answer but can't find one.

Hubby and I have just discovered Tillimook cheddar and are in heaven and hell because we LOVE it but it's expensive here (west Michigan). Damn, apparently the new Muskegon as well as the Ludington ferry's to Wisconsin don't handle anything but human and car cargo. Wish they'd bring some commercial foods back!

Ali

__________________
'Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun, The frumious Bandersnatch!'--Jabberwocky, Lewis Carroll

"You cannot do a kindness too soon because you never know how soon it will be too late."--Ralph Waldo Emerson

Baraka_Guru

What? Wisconsin, Auvergne?

__________________
Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön

Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
—From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot

snowy

It's TillAmook (Till-ah-muck) cheddar, and I'm surprised it's expensive! Here it's THE cheese everyone buys, and always has been, because of our proximity to Tillamook itself (it's about 1.5 hours from my house). But I'd heard they were expanding their production so they could get beyond the PacNW. I was also surprised a number of years ago when on an intercontinental Delta flight I was given a individually-wrapped Tillamook cheddar as part of my dinner. I'm glad to hear their other cheese products are making it elsewhere in the States.

Tillamook makes a fantastic variety of cheeses, including a fabulous Special Reserve Extra Sharp Cheddar. I like to use it in homemade macaroni and cheese. Their cheese curds are also really tasty; we buy a big bag any time we go to the factory.

And yes, you can visit the factory! For anyone who visits the Oregon Coast, it's a must-see, not only to see and taste all the cheeses, but to enjoy a Tillamook ice cream cone while looking at the cheese. They also have a very good cafe with an excellent...you guessed it...grilled cheese. Tillamook as a town has nothing going for it except the cheese. But such good cheese it is!

http://www.tillamookcheese.com/VisitorsCenter/

If they have Bandon Cheddar from Oregon where you are, it's usually a cheaper version of Tillamook Cheddar--it's also made by the Tillamook Creamery Association.

I grew up on Tillamook, and we buy nothing else. We buy giant bricks of it at Costco, and slices of their Colby Jack for cheeseburgers. I have very fond memories of visiting the factory every time we went to the Coast when i was a teen. I have to go visit again soon.

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Grasshopper Green

I love tillamook cheese, and yes, it's expensive here too...but definitely worth it. My dad turned me onto it and hubby and I have been splurging on it ever since.

__________________
"They say that patriotism is the last refuge to which a scoundrel clings; steal a little and they throw you in jail, steal a lot and they make you king"

Formerly Medusa

Psycho Dad

No way in hell. I like the cheese bubbly and just starting to turn golden brown.

Anyway... these aren't fancy cheese recipes, but they are cheesy goodness IMHO nonetheless.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

9-12 baking potatoes
2/3 cup butter (not margarine)
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups whole milk (more potatoes needs more milk)
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup real bacon bits (note REAL bacon bits)
6 green onions, chopped
16 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream

Prick potatoes with fork and cook in the microwave and cut into thick slices. In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in flour and cook about a minute. Whisk in milk, a little at a time, stirring constantly until thickened. Stir in potatoes, salt, pepper, bacon bits and green onions. Cook until thoroughly heated. Stir in sour cream, cheese and heat through.

Cheesy Hashbrown Bake

2lbs frozen hash browns
6-8 oz. frozen chopped onions
2 cups milk
4 Tbsp butter
8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 lbs Velveeta

Thaw hash browns and onions. Pat dry with a paper towel. Heat milk, butter and cheeses until melted. Spray 13x9 baking dish with nonstick spray. Place potatoes and onions in dish and pour in melted cheese. Stir to combine. Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes.

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Don't always trust the opinions of experts.

Hanxter

1 box triscuits
1 brick monterrey jack
i jar major grey's chutney

preheat oven to 350

on a lightly greased cookie sheet place the crackers evenly all round
top each one with a slice of jack
top the jack with a dollop of chutney

bake till cheese just starts to melt

turn the game on and chomp

alicat

Snowy: I was too lazy to Google and don't have any in the house, I stand corrected on the spelling of the cheesy goodness that is Tillamook. Gee-wiz, you're IN Oregon, how's it surprising that Tillamook is expensive all the way over here in the Great Lakes state?! It was the Extra Sharp we had, it's only available in one grocery here and unfortunatly I don't get there that often. Thanks for the tip on the Bandon, I'll keep my eye out, but given I can only find Tillamook in one spot I think my wallet will still suffer (gladly).

Since SexyCat hasn't gotten back and you mentioned them, care to explain what "cheese curds" are exactly?

Psycho Dad: Holy crickey, that potato soup recipe looks like the best one I've seen yet and I am a cooking fiend and have tried several. Hubbies out of town for work, I think I will try that soup as a welcome home dinner in about 6 days!

Hanxter: As an avid cook, I'm embarressed to admit I have never had a chutney. When hubby and I were in South Africa, he had a red pepper and mango (papya?) chutney over some type of fish and still to this day raves about it (it was a work dinner). Is Major Grey's a readily available brand here in the states and is it a "typical" chutney? Yes, I know there are many varied chutnies but I'm not sure if there's a "basic" recipe, I'd like to try some.

Already after only 20+ post's to the cheese thread, I have a recipe I can't wait to try and one I'm hoping to.

__________________
'Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun, The frumious Bandersnatch!'--Jabberwocky, Lewis Carroll

"You cannot do a kindness too soon because you never know how soon it will be too late."--Ralph Waldo Emerson

Datalife2

wow awesome stuff. Actually cheese is/can be a bonus to pretty much anything and an add on treat. feta parmesean reg grated ... whatever.With a little pinch of black pepper and your golden..yummm

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spindles

My favourite Aussie cheeses are:
Tilba Smoked Applebox. This is from a little town on NSW south coast (about 3 or 4 hours drive south of Sydney), called "Tilba Tilba" - mmmmm. Salty smoky goodness

Google Map link

King Island Dairy Brie. So creaaaammmmmyyy.

Google Map link

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squeeeb

if i stopped eating cheese, i'd lose 10 pounds...

i eat all cheese except stinky blue varieties with the mold and "american cheese" which isn't really cheese, so it doesn't really count...

i am currently digging the kerrygold (http://www.kerrygold.com/) dubliner and blarney castle cheeses.

as for recipes, i didn't see a baked brie, so...

baked brie with carmelized onions

caramelize onions (fry in butter and olive oil, sprinkle with sugar and some white wine and keep frying until brown and sweet)

get a round of brie (or camenbert) in the wooden package. cut off top rind, and put back in wooden package without top on. put onions on top and bake in oven until soft and gooey. dip bread or crackers. when it starts to harden up, microwave it a few seconds to re-melt. great for parties or anytime.

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onward to mayhem!

snowy

My baked brie is just brie, trimmed of rind, wrapped in puff pastry and baked until golden brown and delicious.

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squeeeb

damn, now i want brie and puff pastry...baked until GBD...

__________________
onward to mayhem!

xxxafterglow

I like a layer of jam (apricot!) between the brie and puff pastry... but yes, til GBD.

Cheese curds are the fresh curds of cheese. They've got kind of a spongy texture and sorta squeak when you eat them. You can get them at places that make cheese in house. Eat them fresh otherwise they taste like too-young cheese.

Mmm salty goodness.

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Uh huh her.

robodog

Which one are you thinking of Lady Sage, there are a couple east/ south east of Wooster that I know of. God bless the Amish they really know how to make cheese since it's a great way to store calories if you don't have refrigeration.

ChefDylan

This is a recipe I learned while working in Spokane, Wa. All the ingredients are really general and I cook more by feel and appearance. I love cooking because it is an artform where as baking is a science. I make this about once every 2-3 months and always use different cheeses. i tend to use a "wetter" cheese like a sharp cheddar, colby, monteray jack or the like. but play with it!!

Mix in bowl and chill:
Chicken
sharp cheddar
monteray jack
kosher salt and pepper mix (about 1tsp per 1/2 lb chicken works nicely)
chopped jalapeno or if you dont like spicey chopped banana peppers

use either melted cheese or a "nacho cheese" to bind all this together. Eventually we will be deep fat frying this so start thinking cheese sticks.

measure out the mix in 1 to 1 1/2 tbsp balls. I place each mix into a half jalapeno but if you dont like spicey you can just double the mix and skip to the next step. I make them like that for my dad who cant have jalapenos.... unless my mother isnt watching.

now the fun part.....take a couple sleeves of saltine crackers and beat them like they owe you money. i like to add an italian seasoning to that mix just for the color and it does add a bit of flavor.

thicken buttermilk in a bowl to about double its normal consistency. This is only a dip and dont overdo it. we just want the crackers to stick!

dip the balls or jalapeno concoctions into buttermilk and roll them in the crackers. Freeze em and fry em!! I like mine with a bit of ranch dressing. I like to sit and eat a bucket of these and listen to my arteries harden!!

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LadySin

You guys are making me so hungry! *Looks in fridge* Hmmm what to cook... I think Ill just go for a slice of cheese and some crackers. Unless anyone cares to make something for me :P

ChefDylan

something just for a kick...try roasting goat cheese on lightly toasted bagette <sp> bread. makes a lovely appetizer thats painfully easy....if you happen to live in a restaurant with a salamander.......or do what I did and hotwire a toaster oven to work with the door open....yeah....I am ghetto like that

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BenChuy

On the baked brie side of things, try layering some jucy figs or apples/pears ontop/bottom before wraping it in the pastery. You can also do fig preserves and almonds or pecans. oh, so VERY good.

BenChuy

what?

snowy

Ooh, that sounds good.

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BadNick

I love cheese and have tasted some of the above, will try some of the others asap.

Last weekend I had cheese again in one of my favorite but quite simple recipes:

half pound of fine ripe stilson cheese
some good crusty bread to suit your taste
one bottle of fine, old, dry port wine

put cheese on bread, eat, drink wine

xxxafterglow

Did this last night for the first time:

Killer Halloumi, Mint Salad with Lime Vinaigrette

Cut halloumi (tastes like a combo of feta and mozzarella) into slices, dredge in flour and fry in some oil.
Make a vinaigrette from olive oil and fresh lime juice (and a little zest if you like), add salt and pepper. Toss salad (ha ha ha) - the good stuff like mache, no iceberg - and mint leaves in vinaigrette, reserving a little of the dressing. Top with halloumi and the remaining dressing. Serve with flatbread.

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Uh huh her.