Best Cheese Blog: March 2015

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Noodles Romanoff

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 6
1 (8 ounce) package medium egg noodles
1 cup small curd cottage cheese
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup olive, sliced
1/2 cup green onion, sliced
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2-3/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
minced parsley (optional)

Recipe

1 cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt. drain well. combine noodles and all remaining ingredients, except cheddar cheese, stirring well. spoon mixture into a lightly greased 11" x 7" baking dish. (recipe may be prepared to this point and held, refrigerated and covered, for up to two days).
2 bake, uncovered and 350f for 30-35 minutes. sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese, and bake 5 more minutes, until cheese has melted. sprinkle with parsley if using. serve.

Southern Style Macaroni And Cheese

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 8
8 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 eggs, beaten
3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup mild cheddar cheese, sliced

Recipe

1 cook macaroni per package directions using the lower end of the cooking times as you will be cooking it more in the oven.
2 drain macaroni and put into oven proof casserole.
3 add all the ingredients except for the sliced cheddar.
4 mix well.
5 cover macaroni mixture with sliced cheddar.
6 oven cooking: bake in 350º oven for 25-30 minutes until cheese is melted and casserole is heated through.
7 crockpot cooking: cook 3-4 hours on low.

Tomato & Bacon Salad

Total Time: 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 4
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
9 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled,crushed & minced
2 tablespoons basil, fresh & chopped
salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
5 tomatoes, halved,& sliced
3 shallots, peeled & chopped
2 avocados, pitted,peeled & sliced
6 slices bacon, crispy & chopped
1/2 lb feta cheese, diced
fresh ground pepper, to taste

Recipe

1 for the vinaigrette, combine everything.
2 i use a small jar with a lid,& give it a little shake.
3 set aside.
4 mix tomatoes, shallots, avocados,& bacon in a big bowl, then fold in the feta.
5 grind a lot of freshly ground pepper over top& mix in gently, so the tomato pulp stays intact as much as possible.
6 add the vinaigrette& stir gently once more to coat.

Steak Tampiquena (mexican Steak)

Total Time: 25 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 2
2 -3 thin sliced quality cuts steak
seasoning salt
1 small onion (minced)
2 roma tomatoes (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
2 (4 ounce) cans whole roasted green chili peppers (not chopped)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 -3 slices monterey jack pepper cheese or 2 -3 slices mexican blend cheese (sliced length wise)

Recipe

1 heat olive oil in pan.
2 sautee onion, garlic and tomato for 3 minutes or until tender.
3 set mixture aside.
4 preheat oven to broil.
5 cut green chile into long strips and set aside.
6 sprinkle seasoning salt on both sides of steak.
7 broil steaks (i broil the thin cuts 3-4 minutes) on one side.
8 remove from oven and place mixture of tomato, onion and garlic evenly on unbroiled side of steaks.
9 top with 2-3 strips of green chile.
10 next,place a slice of cheese on top of each steak (you will cover mixture and green chile strips with cheese slice.) broil until steak is done and cheese is melted (about 3 minutes).
11 serve and enjoy!

Kids Power Smoothie

Total Time: 5 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 2
ripe banana
ripe avocado
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup milk (use as much to suit consistency desired)
1 cup juice (any flavor)
2 tablespoons wheat germ

Recipe

1 add all ingredients and blend until smooth. makes a great quick breakfast or after school.
2 nutritional tidbit:
3 avocados are a super fruit and are more nutritious than any other fruit. they are especially high in protein, fiber, niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, folic acid, and zinc. they also contain omega-3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fats for growing kids.
4 cottage cheese is an excellent source of protein.
5 wheat germ is a source of vitamin e, b-vitamin complex, iron and the antioxidant selenium.

Lemon Cheese Bars

Spicy Ground Turkey Tacos

Total Time: 15 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon oregano
6 ounces lean ground turkey
1/2 cup onion, chopped
4 (6 inch) whole wheat tortillas
1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cups lettuce, shredded
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup salsa

Recipe

1 in a non stick pan add the turkey and onions, cook over medium heat until the turkey has browned and onions are translucent, drain. add spices and stir to mix.
2 to serve, place 1/4 cup of the turkey in each tortilla. top with 1 tablespoon cheese, 1/4 of the tomatoes, 1/2 cup lettuce, and 2 tablespoons salsa.
3 caloies 340, fat 13 gm, fiber 7gm.

Herb And Goat's Cheese Muffins

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

1 cup flour
2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 ounces fresh cilantro, minced
1 ounce fresh mint, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 cup milk
4 ounces fresh goat's cheese, crumbled

Recipe

1 preheat oven to 350 degrees f.
2 mix together the flour, baking powder, herbs and salt in a bowl.
3 in another bowl, beat the egg with a fork. add the oil and milk and mix well.
4 combine the two mixtures. add the crumbled cheese.
5 pour the mixture into greased muffin molds only half-full and bake for 25 minutes.

Tomata Feta Salad

Total Time: 10 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 4
1/4 cup sliced green onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons wine vinegar
2 teaspoons honey mustard (or dijon)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/4-1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tomatoes, sliced
2 yellow tomatoes, sliced (or use 4 red)
1/2 cup sliced sweet onion
2 cups sliced english cucumbers
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Recipe

1 for dressing, combine green onions, oil, vinegar, mustard, pepper,basil and sugar in a small bowl or shaker. whisk/shake well.
2 to serve, arrange tomato slices, onion slices and cucumber slices in layers on a platter. top with feta cheese.
3 drizzle dressing over salad and serve.

Tomato & Basil Tuna Melts

Total Time: 8 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 3 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 2
olive oil, to drizzle
2 focaccia rolls, halved
1 red capsicums or 1 tomato, finely diced
1 cup mozzarella cheese, melted
1 -2 tablespoon fresh parsley or 1 -2 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
150 g tomato & basil flavored tuna

Recipe

1 drizzle oil over cut surface of foccacia and grill until golden.
2 combine capsicum or tomato with cheese & parsley.
3 turn foccacia over & top with tuna and cheese mixture, grill until golden.

Southern Style Banana Cake

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

Servings: 8
2/3 cup butter or 2/3 cup margarine
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 -4 large bananas, mashed
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Recipe

1 have butter and eggs at room temperature. use large mixing bowl. beat butter and sugar until light. add eggs and beat until fluffy. add vanilla. mash the bananas and add to the mixture. sift dry ingredients and add to the bowl alternately with the milk. fold in the chopped nuts.
2 bake in a greased and floured tube pan for 40 to 60 minutes at 350 degrees. cool on rack.
3 (my personal favorite frosting that goes well with this cake: lemon cream cheese frosting).

Tomato & Green Pepper Cheese Dip

Total Time: 4 hrs 10 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients

1 (2 lb) box velveeta cheese, cubed
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chilies
1 (5 1/3 ounce) can evaporated milk

Recipe

1 combine all ingredients in crockpot; cook on low till cheese is hot and melted, stirring occasionally till smooth and hot.
2 serve with corn tortillas or your favorite dipping chips.

Tomatillo Shrimp Enchiladas

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 medium green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1 1/4 lbs medium shrimp, shelled, deveined and cut in half crossways
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
8 corn tortillas
1 (16 ounce) bottle tomatillo salsa (such as la victoria)
3 tablespoons half-and-half
1 cup shredded reduced-fat monterey jack cheese

Recipe

1 heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. add onion and pepper; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. add shrimp; cook an additional 3 minutes, until shrimp is opaque. stir in corn, 1/4 cup water, chili powder and cumin. heat through.
2 heat oven to 375 degrees f. coat a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
3 wrap four tortillas in damp paper towels. microwave 30 seconds. brush one side of each tortilla with salsa. spoon 1/2 cup shrimp mixture on each. roll up and place seam-side down in prepared dish. repeat with remaining tortillas and filling. top with any extra filling.
4 mix remaining salsa with half-and-half. spoon over enchiladas. sprinkle with cheese. bake at 375 degrees f, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until bubbly.

Orange Ricotta Pots

Total Time: 10 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 4
300 g fresh ricotta cheese
1/2 cup caster sugar
3/4 cup prepared custard, thick variety
1/2 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 oranges, segmented

Recipe

1 using electric beaters, mix ricotta and sugar.
2 add custard, juice and vanilla.
3 beat till smooth and combined.
4 spoon into 4 serving glasses.
5 top with orange segments, refrigerate 60 minutes.

Mushrooms Stuffed With Spinach, Quinoa And Blue Cheese

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 20
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 lb large cremini mushroom, stems removed and chopped
1 cup chopped onion
salt and pepper
3/4 cup cooked quinoa, cooled
10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed drained and chopped
3 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Recipe

1 in large skillet, cook mushroom stems, onions, salt and pepper until vegetables are softened. transfer to a bowl and let cool.
2 to the onions, add quinoa, spinach, cheese and nutmeg, stirring until combined.
3 arrange mushroom caps in a single layer. divide spinach mixture among mushrooms.
4 bake at 350 for 18-22 minutes. let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Pecan Pimento Blue Cheese Ball

Total Time: 15 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 (5 ounce) jar kraft pimento spread
1 tablespoon blue cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup pecans, chopped and toasted

Recipe

1 mix cream cheese, pimento cheese spread and blue cheese togehter until they are combined well.
2 refrigerate for 2-3 hours or overnight.
3 form mixture into a ball and roll in the pecans.
4 serve with crackers.

Simple Pizza Dip

Total Time: 20 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 6
1 (8 ounce) can ragu pizza sauce
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
2 cups shredded pizza cheese

Recipe

1 spread the 8 oz. cream cheese in the bottom of a square pan. make sure not to spread it to thin.
2 pour on the ragu pizza sauce.
3 sprinkle the entire bag of pizza cheese on top of the sauce.
4 bake at 350 degrees for 15 mins or until the cheese is well melted.
5 serve on anything you like!

Filled Frankfurters

Total Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 6
1 1/2 cups macaroni, broken
3/4 cup milk, evaporated
1 1/4 teaspoons dry mustard
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, md, grated
1 1/2 lbs frankfurters, deli-style

Recipe

1 cook the macaroni in boiling salted water until tender.
2 drain and rinse in hot water.
3 combine the milk, mustard, salt, pepper and 2 cups of the cheddar cheese in the top of a double boiler and cook until the cheddar is melted and sauce is smooth, stirring frequently.
4 add the macaroni and blend well.
5 split the frankfurters lengthwise, without separating them, and fill with the macaroni mixture.
6 sprinkle with the remaining cheddar and bake in a hot oven (400 degrees f.) for 15 minutes.
7 serve hot.

Southern Style Creamed Corn

Total Time: 15 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 4
2 slices bacon
2 (14 ounce) cans corn
2 tablespoons butter
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon garlic salt
pepper
1 tablespoon flour
3/4 cup milk
parmesan cheese

Recipe

1 fry bacon in pan and remove, leaving drippings.
2 add drained corn and crumbled bacon.
3 add butter and saute.
4 stir in seasonings to taste.
5 stir in flour to coat.
6 add milk slowly. stir til thickened.
7 pour in serving dish and top with parmesan cheese.
8 enjoy!

The Best Artichoke & Spinach Chip Dip!

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 6
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese, romano, and asiago cheese mix
2 (14 ounce) cans artichoke hearts
1 (10 ounce) jar alfredo sauce (recommend bertolli)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
10 ounces spinach
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Recipe

1 mix together cheeses, alfredo sauce, garlic, and pepper.
2 thaw and squeeze water from spinach, chop and add to the mix.
3 drain artichokes, chop to your preference, and add to mix.
4 stir together, spoon into a casserole dish.
5 sprinkle top with mozzarella.
6 bake at 350°f for 30 minutes or until the edges on top are turning light brown.
7 let cool and serve with chips.

Turkey Parmesan - South Beach Phase 1

Total Time: 25 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 4
2 cups tomato sauce
1/2 cup pignoli nut, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
4 (1/4 lb) turkey cutlets (about 1 lb)
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese

Recipe

1 warm sauce in a small saucepan.
2 mix together pignoli, italian seasoning and parmesan on a plate. coat both sides of cutlet with mixture, pressing to adhere.
3 turn oven to a low broil.
4 heat oil in a nonstick pan and cook until cutlets approximately 4 minutes per side.
5 place cutlets in pan and top with sauce and mozzarella. broil until cheese just melts.

Red Eye Edible Eyeballs

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 24
24 cherry tomatoes
8 tablespoons cream cheese (spreadable)
12 black olives

Recipe

1 pierce a cherry tomato with the toothpick.
2 gently squeeze the tomato so that the juice and seeds begin to ooze out.
3 place a small spoonful of cream cheese on top of the tomato.
4 push half of a sliced black olive into the cream cheese to create the pupil.

Tomatillo Relish/salsa

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

10 tomatillos
1 medium red bell pepper
1 medium green bell pepper
2 medium vidalia onions
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
1 1/2 tablespoons celery seeds
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup apple cider vinegar

Recipe

1 peel the papery wrapping off of the tomatillos, remove the seeds and inner ribs from the bell peppers, and peel the onions.
2 quarter the tomatillos and set aside. roughly chop the onions and bell peppers and set aside.
3 in your food processor, finely puree the tomatillos, peppers, and onions together. i usually have to do this in two batches. on high speed, this takes me about 3 minutes per batch; when done it should resemble a fine-grain blend.
4 line a strainer with cheese cloth and drain the minced vegetables for at least 1 hour. i have drained this over night, before, and had no problems.
5 after the minced vegetables have drained, combine them with the remaining ingredients in a non-reactive pot.
6 place the pot over high heat on your stove and bring to a boil.
7 stirring, to prevent scorching, lower the heat to a simmer and cook for another 5 minutes.
8 remove to mason jars and refrigerate. once it is chilled, serve in dollops with sausages, chips, eggs, ham, or anything else that needs a sweet-n-tangy boost.

Green Chiles Rellenos (stuffed Green Chiles)

Total Time: 10 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 5
10 green chili peppers
10 ounces longhorn cheese or 10 ounces monterey jack cheese
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cornmeal
1 cup milk
2 eggs, slightly beaten

Recipe

1 cut cheese into slices 1/2" thick and the length of the chili.
2 make a small slit in chili just big enough to insert cheese(you can also poke in some slivers of onion at this point).
3 dip in batter and fry in hot oil or lard until golder brown.
4 drain and serve.
5 may be garnished with green chili sauce if desired.
6 to make batter, combine flour, baking powder, salt and cornmeal.
7 blend milk with egg;then combine milk and egg mixture with dry ingredients.
8 add more milk if necessary for smooth batter.
9 using a spoon, dip stuffed chilies in batter.

Instant Cheese Sauce

Total Time: 10 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 5 mins

Ingredients

500 ml pot creme fraiche
1 cup strong grated cheddar cheese

Recipe

1 heat creme fraiche until hot but not boiling.
2 add cheese and stir until melted.
3 season to taste.

Turkey Pesto Lasagna (oamc)

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 6
1 lb ground turkey
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 lemon, zest
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 lbs crushed tomatoes
1 splash red wine vinegar
11 ounces fresh lasagna noodles
9 ounces mozzarella cheese, sliced
4 tablespoons heavy cream
6 -8 tablespoons pesto sauce
salt and pepper

Recipe

1 heat the oven to 400°f heat a deep non stick pan and stir fry the ground turkey for a few mins until lightly colored. remove to a plate.
2 add the oil, cook the onion for 5 mins then return the ground turkey to the pan with the lemon zest, oregano, tomatoes and vinegar. season and cook for 10 minutes.
3 soak the lasagna noodles in boililng water until soft. layer the sheets of lasagna in an oven proof dish with the turkey sauce, half the mozzarella and half the pesto.
4 pour the cream over the top, and cover with the remaining mozzarella slices and pesto.
5 bake for 15-20 minutes serve with a green salad.

Tomato And Bocconcini Salad

Total Time: 10 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 4
3 large fresh tomatoes
8 ounces bocconcini or 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
12 fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 fresh basil leaves, roughly torn
salt
fresh ground black pepper

Recipe

1 slice the tomatoes into twelve 1/2-inch slices.
2 slice the bocconcini into twenty-four 1/2-inch slices.
3 arrange the tomato slices on a serving plate, alternating them with 2 slices of bocconcini. place the basil leaves between the bocconcini slices.
4 drizzle with the olive oil. sprinkle with basil and season with salt and lots of fresh ground black pepper.

Queso Dip

Total Time: 15 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 5 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 4
1 (8 ounce) cream cheese
2 cups monterey jack cheese
1 (16 ounce) can chili
1 (32 ounce) bag tortilla chips

Recipe

1 cut up cream cheese into small chunks and arrange on bottom of pie plate. top with canned chili and then shredded cheese. cook in microwave oven until heated through serve with tortilla chips.

Ham And Onion Muffins

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 6
4 ounces smoked ham, diced small
1 onion, sliced thinly
1 tablespoon lea & perrins worcestershire sauce, woschestire sauce
2 1/2 cups self raising flour
1 1/4 cups milk
1/3 cup light olive oil
1 large egg
fresh grated pepper
1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
2 sprigs fresh lemon thyme
1 teaspoon salt

Recipe

1 cook ham and onions with sauce and pepper in microwave on high, stirring occasionally until onions are wilted.
2 sift flour into a mixing bowl and make a well in the center.
3 whisk egg, milk, oil and salt together and pour into flour.
4 mix gently until partially combined.
5 add in ham mixture and the rest of the ingredients.
6 fold through until smooth.
7 spoon into muffin tray and bake in 350 degree oven for approximately 30-45 minutes or until tops brown and skewer comes out clean.
8 serve with cream cheese and dashes of black pepper; or however you wish!
9 (will make 6 large muffins).

Green Chile Squares (paula Deen)

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 6
nonstick cooking spray
6 eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper sauce
3 (4 ounce) cans diced green chilies, with juice
1 1/2 cups monterey jack cheese, grated
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Recipe

1 preheat oven to 300°f.
2 prepare 12x8-inch baking dish by spraying it with cooking spray.
3 in medium bowl, mix together the eggs, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper sauce.
4 in large bowl, combine chiles and both cheeses. pour the egg mixture into the cheese mixture and stir together well.
5 pat the mixture down into the prepared baking dish and bake until the center is firm, about 45 minutes.
6 once cooled, cut into small squares and serve.

Spicy Goat Cheese Spread

Total Time: 5 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins

Ingredients

4 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
2 -3 tablespoons half-and-half
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme (crushed)
1/4 cup finely chopped peppadew pepper

Recipe

1 blend together goat cheese and half and half.
2 add thyme and minced peppers and stir well.
3 makes approximately 1 cup.

Herb And Goat Cheese Frittata

Total Time: 15 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 4
2 egg whites or 16 ounces egg substitute
1/4 cup nonfat sour cream
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup parsley, fresh, chopped
2 tablespoons dill, fresh, chopped
4 ounces semi-soft goat cheese, crumbled

Recipe

1 preheat broiler. coat a large ovenproof skillet with cooking spray and warm over medium heat.
2 in a large bowl, whisk together egg whites, sour cream, mustard, salt and pepper; stir in parsley, dill and goat cheese.
3 pour into skillet and cook until almost cooked through to the surface, about 5 to 6 minutes. note: frequently smooth the surface of the frittata with a spatula, and lift the mixture from the sides of the pan to allow any uncooked eggs to run to the bottom.
4 when approximately 1/2 inch of the surface is still uncooked, place frittata under broiler and broil until cooked through and golden on top, about 1 to 2 minutes. cut into 4 slices and serve.

Red Grape Salsa

Total Time: 10 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 20
1 1/2 lbs red seedless grapes, halved
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 tablespoon agave syrup
1 bunch mint, finely chopped
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

Recipe

1 combine all ingredients and chill for at least one hour (or overnight).
2 serve with toasted baguette slices and goat cheese or brie.

Stuffed Turkey Burgers

Total Time: 15 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 4
1 1/4 lbs lean ground turkey breast
1/2 cup pimentos (or roasted red pepper)
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (separated - 1/2 and 1/2)
1/4 teaspoon salt
fresh ground pepper

Recipe

1 make 8 equal sized patties rounds from the ground turkey breast.
2 add the pimento, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese, salt and pepper.
3 top 4 of the pattie rounds with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese.
4 top with the remaining 4 patties working the turkey around the edges to seal burgers closed.
5 grill or broil until cooked thru, about 5 minutes per side.

Pistachio Goat Cheese Balls

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 48
11 ounces fresh goat cheese
4 ounces pistachio nuts, coarsley chopped
48 baby spinach leaves, washed and dried (optional)

Recipe

1 bring goat cheese to room temperature. using your hands, roll forty-eight 1/2-inch balls, and place them on a piece of parchment paper. shake the nuts in a fine mesh sieve to remove dust, then place in a small shallow bowl. roll each cheese ball in the nuts to coat evenly.
2 to serve, arrange the spinach leave on a serving tray, and place each cheese ball on a leaf.

Queso Blanco ( Cheese Dip)

Queso Blanco Dip

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 8
1 lb american cheese, shredded
1/2 cup half-and-half (more if desired)
1/2-1 tablespoon oil
1 jalapeno, seeds removed, diced
1/4 small onion, diced
1 roma tomato, diced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
tortilla chips

Recipe

1 in a large skillet, heat oil, then sauté’ jalapeño and onion until the pepper is tender and the onion is translucent.
2 reduce the heat to medium low and add in all of the shredded american cheese and stir constantly.
3 when the cheese is nearly melted, begin stirring in half and half. i used about 1/2 cup to get the desired consistency. use more or less to get the consistency that you’re looking for.
4 add in diced tomato, chopped cilantro, and black pepper. stir until everything is incorporated and the dip is smooth and creamy.
5 serve immediately with tortilla chips, tortillas, or veggies.
6 enjoy!

Queso Blanco ( Cheese Sauce)

The Best (and The Last!) Cream Cheese Frosting You'll Ever Make

Total Time: 5 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins

Ingredients

2 (8 ounce) containers cream cheese (room temperature)
1 (16 ounce) container marshmallow cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

Recipe

1 add all ingredients and beat with a mixer until smooth.

Mixed Baby Greens And Avocado W Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette Dressing

Total Time: 10 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 4
1 1/2 tablespoons dijon mustard
2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
4 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper, freshly ground
1 (8 ounce) bag mixed baby greens
2 avocados, ripe and sliced into wedges
parmesan cheese, shavings if desired (to garnish)

Recipe

1 whisk together mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, salt & pepper to make a viniagrette.
2 pour about 3/4 of viniagrette into large bowl. add baby greens mix and toss to combine. if serving family-style, add avocados and lightly toss to coat avocados. for individual servings, place dressed greens onto plate, place 4-6 avocado wedges on greens. sprinkle with ground black pepper & parmesan shavings, if desired. serve extra dressing on the side for those wanting more -- .

Steamed Asparagus And Mushrooms With Danish Havarti Cheese

Total Time: 15 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 2
1/2 lb asparagus
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms (i used button)
1/2 cup danish havarti cheese (shredded)
sea salt

Recipe

1 fill steamer or steamer pot with water and bring to a boil.
2 wash and slice mushrooms and place into colander of steamer.
3 wash asparagus and snap off end of stalks.
4 place on top of mushrooms in the colander.
5 cover and steam until the asparagus is tender yet still a bit crisp.
6 remove from colander to warm plate and immediately sprinkle cheese over top.
7 sprinkle sea salt over top using your discretion.
8 serve hot.

Sarah's Corn Dip

Total Time: 2 hrs 5 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

2 (11 ounce) cans mexican-style corn, drained
1 canned diced green chiles, not drained (2 oz)
1 (2 ounce) can chopped jalapeno peppers, partially drained
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Recipe

1 mix all ingredients together and let chill to blend flavors about 2 hours. (if you like it spicier, don't drain the jalapeno's at all).
2 serve with frito's scoops. makes a lot so invite friends!
3 cook time = chill time.

The Best Ham Spread

Total Time: 25 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

2 cups ground cooked ham
1/2 cup celery, minced
1/2 cup green onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons dill pickles, minced
3/4 cup cream cheese, herb and garlic flavor
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Recipe

1 combine all ingredients in mixing bowl, mix well, or for a creamier spread, use your food processor.
2 chill in refrigerator for 30 mimutes.

Tomato And Artichoke Pizza

Total Time: 35 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 8
cooking spray
1 (10 ounce) container pizza dough
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 -2 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh basil, sliced
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can chunky tomatoes, drained or 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can you can use fresh plum tomatoes
1 (8 1/2 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, rinsed and sliced
8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced

Recipe

1 preheat oven to 425 degrees. lightly grease 13-by-9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
2 unroll pizza dough and press evenly over bottom and about 1 inch up sides of prepared pan.
3 brush dough lightly with olive oil. sprinkle with garlic and basil.
4 cover with drained tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and mushrooms.
5 sprinkle with feta cheese and sliced bell pepper.
6 bake pizza for about 20 minutes until crust is golden brown.

Tomato & Feta Dip

Total Time: 5 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 6
1 (8 ounce) container feta cheese
1 small roma tomato, diced
1/4 cup green onion, chopped
2 teaspoons lemon pepper
1/2 jalapeno, minced (optional)
1 (12 ounce) box whole wheat crackers

Recipe

1 combine feta, tomato, green onion & lemon pepper in a bowl.
2 add jalepeno if using.
3 pile on top of crackers & enjoy!

Simple Mac And Cheese With Velveeta

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 4
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1 cup milk
8 ounces cubed velveeta cheese
2 cups cooked macaroni
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1/4 cup crushed ritz cracker

Recipe

1 preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2 melt butter in saucepan. stir in flour. cook and stir 30 seconds, until mixture is golden. slowly add milk, whisking. season with salt and pepper. cook and stir until thickened. add velveeta and stir until cheese is melted.
3 add macaroni to cheese sauce.
4 pour mixture into greased 2 quart dish. top with cheddar cheese and cracker crumbs.
5 bake 20 minutes or until heated through.

Monday, March 30, 2015

Tomato & Feta Salad

Total Time: 15 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 2
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons vinegar (i prefer balsamic)
3/4 teaspoon garlic (crushed or finely minced)
1 teaspoon dried basil
salt & pepper
1 large tomato
2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
greek olive (optional)

Recipe

1 prepare dressing:.
2 in a jar combine the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt & pepper. shake well. set aside.
3 just prior to serving, slice tomato, sprinkle with feta (and olives if using). shake dressing well to combine and drizzle over all.

Queso Corn Dip

Total Time: 12 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 2 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 8
2 (11 ounce) cans mexicorn, drained
2 (4 1/2 ounce) canned diced green chiles
1 (4 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
1 cup mayonnaise
8 ounces pepperjack cheese, grated
cooked crisp bacon, crumbled

Recipe

1 combine all ingredients except bacon. microwave till it bubbles nicely. (i would check it about every 30 seconds and stir.).
2 sprinkle with crumbled bacon. serve with corn chips or tortilla chips.
3 (cooking time does not include time to cook bacon.).

Tomato & Mozzarella Caprese - Official Recipe - Olive Garden

Total Time: 25 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 4
8 slices of vine-ripened tomatoes
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
8 medium fresh basil leaves
12 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced into 8 slices
dry oregano leaves
sea salt or kosher salt
fresh ground pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Recipe

1 arrange sliced tomatoes on a large platter.
2 place one basil leaf on top of each tomato slice.
3 place one slice of mozzarella on top of each basil leaf.
4 spring oregano, salt and black pepper on cheese and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. finish with drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

Turkey Rollups

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
3 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup zucchini, shredded
1/4 cup carrot, shredded
6 flour tortillas, 8-inch
12 -18 large spinach leaves
12 ounces whole sweet roasted red peppers (drained and patted dry)
3/4 lb sliced deli turkey

Recipe

1 mix cream cheese with mustard, onion, zucchini and carrots.
2 place a tortilla on waxed paper.
3 spread with 1/4 cup of cream cheese mixture, to within 1/2 inch of edge.
4 cover with 2 or 3 spinach leaves (press into cream cheese).
5 top with 1 or 2 red peppers and 2 slices of turkey.
6 keep layers as flat as possible.
7 roll up tortilla.
8 wrap securely with waxed paper.
9 repeat with remaining ingredients.
10 refrigerate, seam side down, for at least 1 hour.
11 cut into one inch sections with a serrated knife.

Lemon Cheese Bars

Sue's Mexican Corn

Total Time: 120 hrs 5 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 120 hrs

Ingredients

Servings: 15
2 (12 ounce) bags frozen corn
diced green chilis
1/4 cup butter
4 ounces cream cheese

Recipe

1 combine all ingredients and cook in crock pot all day. that's it!

John Wayne's Favorite Casserole

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

Servings: 8
2 (4 ounce) cans green chilies, drained
1 lb monterey jack cheese, grated
1 lb cheddar cheese, grated
4 egg whites
4 egg yolks
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper, freshly ground

Recipe

1 preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2 dice chiles and combine in a bowl with grated cheeses.
3 put into a well-greased shallow dish (2-quart , 12x8x2 inch).
4 with an electric mixer on high speed, beat egg whites until peaks form.
5 set aside egg whites.
6 in a bowl, combine egg yolks, milk, flour, salt and pepper.
7 fold egg whites into egg mixture.
8 pour over cheeses.
9 use a fork to push egg mixture into cheese.
10 bake for 1 hour.

Queso Blanco Mexican Cheese Dip

Total Time: 20 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 2
1 cup monterey jack cheese or 1 cup asadero cheese or 1 cup chihuahua cheese, shredded fine
4 ounces green chilies
1/4 cup half-and-half
2 tablespoons onions, chopped fine
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 serrano pepper, chopped fine (optional)
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped fine (optional)

Recipe

1 put all ingredients in a double boiler and heat on medium.
2 cook until melted and well blended, stirring occasionally.
3 serve with fresh tostadas or hot flour tortillas.

The Best Alfredo Garlic Sauce Ever

Total Time: 25 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
2 ounces cream cheese
2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic, fresh minced
salt
pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2/3 cup parmesan cheese

Recipe

1 in a medium to large saucepan melt the butter over medium heat.
2 add fresh minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
3 add the cream cheese and whisk until smooth and melted.
4 whisk in the heavy cream. ( i have substituted half & half.)
5 season with the garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper.
6 bring to a simmer and whisk frequently until sauce thicken, around 15-20 minutes.
7 stir in the parmesan cheese.
8 remove from heat when cheese is melted.

Sug's Pineapple Cheese Pie

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese (soft)
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
3 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 graham cracker pie crusts
3 -4 tablespoons pineapple juice, from crushes pineapple

Recipe

1 cream softened cream cheese i mixer at medium speed.
2 add all other ingredients and bring speed up to high as mixing.
3 pour ingredients into two graham cracker crusts.
4 bake in oven at 350 degrees until firm.
5 cool for 30 minutes.
6 spread crushed pineapple on top and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
7 serve cold.

Mixed Berries With Honey Ricotta

Total Time: 5 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 1
1/3 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon honey (i prefer orange blossom honey)
1 tablespoon sugar substitute (splenda)
2/3 cup mixed berry (i usually use sliced strawberries and blueberries)

Recipe

1 mix the ricotta, honey and splenda until well blended.
2 sprinkle with berries.
3 enjoy.

Sara's Hot & Spicy Pizza

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

1 large pizza crust
1 tablespoon pizza sauce
2 tablespoons hot chili sauce
2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
10 slices hot hungarian salami
1/2 red capsicum, thinly sliced
1/2 tomato, thinly sliced
1 red chili pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 cup antipasto mix, mine had mushrooms, green olives, black olives, sundried tomatoes, eggplant, and capsicum, all marin
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Recipe

1 mix pizza sauce and chilli sauce together. spread over base.
2 mix cheddar cheese and mozzerella together, sprinkle 1 cup over sauce.
3 layer the salami, capsicum, and tomato. spread anti pasto evenly over the top.
4 sprinkle with chilli and fetta cheese.
5 top with remaining cheese and bake at 180c for about 30 minutes.

Southern Tomato Vegetable Pie

Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 55 mins

Ingredients

4 plum tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 slices bacon, thick
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
4 ounces cheese, italian six cheese blend
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup artichoke, canned, drained and chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dry crushed red pepper
1 (9 inch) pie crusts, frozen, and unbaked

Recipe

1 cut tomatoes into 1/2 inch slices.place on paper towel lined rack.sprinkle tomatoes with salt. let stand 20 minutes. pat dry.
2 with paper towel.
3 preheat oven to 375 degrees. cook bacon in a large skillet over.
4 medium high heat 8 to 10 minutes or until crisp; remove bacon and.
5 drain on paper towels. crumble bacon.
6 drain spinach well, pressing between paper towels. combine spinach.
7 bacon, and next seven ingredients in a large bowl until combined.
8 spread 1/4 of spinach mixture on bottom of piecrust.
9 layer with 1/2 of the tomatoe slices;top with half of remaining spinach.
10 mixture. repeat layers once.cover loosely with aluminum foil.
11 bake pie covered, at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.uncover and bake 20 to 25minutes.let stand 10 minutes. serve warm or at room temperature.
12 enjoy this delicious pie!

Quesadillas

Total Time: 25 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 4
7 ounces mexican blend cheese
1 chile, fresno (optional)
8 flour tortillas, 6-inch across
onion relish or salsa, to serve

Recipe

1 cut off the stem and deseed the chile,cut the flesh into 8 thin strips.
2 warm a large frying pan or griddle.place one tortilla on the pan or griddle at a time,sprinkle cheese on one half and add a strip of chile,fold the tortilla over the cheese and press the edges together gently to seal,cook the filled tortilla for 1 min,then turn over and cook the other side for 1 minute.
3 remove from the pan,cut it into 3 triangles or 4 strips,serve immediately with onion relish or tomato salsa.

Queso Blanco

Total Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 2
1 lb american cheese
2 (4 ounce) cans diced green chilies, undrained
1 cup heavy cream

Recipe

1 simmer all ingredients in small saucepan on stove, over low heat, until heated through and smooth.

Manchego Cheese Quesadillas For 2

Total Time: 10 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 5 mins

Ingredients

2 (6 inch) corn tortillas (6 in)
4 slices manchego cheese
1/2 teaspoon sour cream (for each quesadilla)
1 teaspoon pico de gallo (for each quesadilla)
cooking spray (pam)

Recipe

1 cover each tortilla with 2 slices of manchego cheese and fold them in half.
2 in a large skillet, heat the cooking spray (pam) and when it's hot enough add in your tortillas.
3 cook them for about 2-3 minutos on each side until they're golden brown and the cheese has melted.
4 when they're done, put 1/2 teaspoons of sour cream over each quesadilla and 1 teaspoons of pico de gallo.
5 variations: prepare as indicated but you may add to the filling ham, veggies, shredded chichen, guacamole, chiles or even fruit! ;) make it as you wish! enjooooy!

The Best And Easiest Caesar Dressing Ever

Total Time: 10 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 8
16 ounces mayonnaise (i like to use hellman's)
1/4 ounce fresh crushed garlic
1/2 ounce worcestershire sauce
1 ounce lemon juice
1/4 ounce anchovy paste
3 -5 dashes hot sauce
2 ounces grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Recipe

1 put all the ingredients into a large bowl and whisk together.
2 if the dressing is too thick, add a bit of water.
3 this will hold for weeks in your fridge.
4 this recipe is easily doubled or tripled.

Tomato And Basil Chevre Spread

Total Time: 2 hrs 25 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

1/3 cup sun-dried tomato (not oil-packed)
boiling water
4 ounces soft fresh goat cheese (chevre)
4 ounces neufchatel cheese, softened
1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried basil, crushed)
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 -3 tablespoons milk

Recipe

1 in a small bowl, cover tomatoes with boiling water. let stand 10 minutes. drain and discard liquid. finely chop tomatoes.
2 in a medium bowl, stir together tomatoes, cheeses, basil, garlic and pepper. stir in enough milk to reach a spreading consistency.
3 cover and chill for at least 2 hours (up to 8 hours).
4 serve with assorted crackers.

Kid-friendly Brussels Sprouts

Total Time: 9 mins Preparation Time: 2 mins Cook Time: 7 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 4
8 ounces frozen brussels sprouts
2 -3 ounces water
black pepper, to taste
4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (we prefer sharp)

Recipe

1 place brussels sprouts in a medium microwave safe dish with a small amount of water to barely cover the bottom of dish (approx. 2-3 oz).
2 cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 4 minutes (may vary depending on your microwave).
3 vent carefully to avoid steam burn, sprinkle with pepper if desired and cheese then replace plastic wrap and heat again on high power for another 3 minutes or so until cheese is thoroughly melted.
4 serve immediately and enjoy! ;).

Seasoned Roasted Asparagus

Total Time: 20 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 4
1 1/2 lbs fresh asparagus, hard ends trimmed
1 -2 tablespoon olive oil
1 -2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 -2 teaspoon seasoning salt
2 -3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Recipe

1 place asparagus in a single layer on a baking sheet or broiler pan (suggested).
2 drizzle with oil and lemon juice; sprinkle with seasoned salt - coat evenly.
3 bake at 450 f for a total of 10 minutes or until crisp-tender. for a more even tenderness, turn each aspargus stalk after 5 minutes.
4 sprinkle with parmesan cheese immediately before serving.

Tomato And Asadero Salad With Basil

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 4
1 bunch red leaf lettuce, rinsed and dried
3 large ripe tomatoes, sliced
1 (12 ounce) package asadero mexican cheese, sliced
fresh basil leaf
fresh ground black pepper
2 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 1/4 teaspoons dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon sugar
salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Recipe

1 tear leaf lettuce into large pieces; arrange on a large serving platter or individual salad plates. arrange tomato and cheese slices on lettuce, overlapping and alternating slices. tear basil leaves and scatter over tomatoes and cheese. season with ground pepper and pass lime-cilantro dressing.
2 for the lime-cilantro dressing:.
3 whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. spoon over salad.

Southern Yellow Squash Casserole

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

7 large yellow squash, diced (about 8 cups)
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/4 cups sour cream
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
3/4 cup saltine crackers, crushed (you may also use ritz crackers)
1 dash paprika

Recipe

1 preheat oven to 350 degrees. grease a small, square casserole dish.
2 boil squash and onion in a large pot 15 to 20 minutes until tender.
3 pour the squash and onion into a colander and drain. press firmly against the mixture until all excess moisture is drained.
4 in a medium mixing bowl combine drained squash and onion mixture and stir in butter (while still warm) allowing the butter to melt. fold in sour cream, garlic salt, black pepper, and 1/4 cup of cheddar cheese (note: reserve the remaining half cup for the topping). check mixture to see if levels of salt and pepper suit your taste and adjust accordingly.
5 add contents of bowl into the greased casserole dish. layer with remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese, and top with 3/4 cup saltine or ritz crackers. gently sprinkle paprika over top for color.
6 bake 25-30 minutes until topping is lightly golden-brown.

The Best Beer Cheese

Total Time: 25 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 8
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
4 ounces cream cheese, room temp
1/3 cup beer (i use either light beer or a pale ale)
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon crushed dried cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon italian seasoning

Recipe

1 in food processor, blend cheddar, cream cheese, beer, worcestershire, chili powder, mustard, red pepper, and garlic.
2 blend for 5 minutes, or until creamy.
3 add in parsley, blend 1 more minute.
4 pour into bowl, cover, and chill in refrigerator.
5 cheese will firm.

Hot Almond Spread

Total Time: 20 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 20
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup mayonnaise
8 ounces swiss cheese, shredded
3 green onions, finely chopped
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 pinch salt
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1 tablespoon bacon bits (optional)

Recipe

1 preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2 in a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, mayo, salt, pepper, nutmeg, cayenne if desired until smooth.
3 fold in green onions.
4 transfer into small baking dish, sprinkle 1/2 almonds on top.
5 bake for 8 minutes. remove and stir almonds into mixture.
6 top with remaining almonds and bake an additional 7-8 minutes.
7 sprinkle bacon bits across top if desired.
8 serve while hot.

Queso Blanco

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
2 (4 ounce) cans chopped green chilies, undrained
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Recipe

1 combine all ingredients, and spoon into a 1-quart baking dish.
2 bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
3 serve hot with tortilla chips.

Quesadillas

Total Time: 15 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 5 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 6
1 cup shredded mexican chihuahua cheese or 1 cup monterey jack cheese or 1 cup monterey jack pepper cheese or 1 cup cheddar cheese
1 green onion
1 -3 tablespoon canned chopped chile (to taste)
4 8-inch flour tortillas
chunky salsa, for topping or dipping

Recipe

1 in a medium bowl, toss together the cheese, green onion, and chilies: set aside.
2 spray a medium skillet with nonstick spray and place over medium heat.
3 when hot, add 1 tortilla and sprinkle it with one-fourth of the cheese mixture.
4 when the cheese begins to melt, about 1 minute, fold in half.
5 continue cooking until lightly brown on both sides, about 1 minute.
6 transfer to cutting board, repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.
7 cut into wedges with a knife or pizza cutter and serve immediately with salsa.

The Best (and Easiest) Munchies Fix

Total Time: 1 min Preparation Time: 1 min

Ingredients

Servings: 8
1 (11 ounce) bag potato chips (ruffle's or lay's)
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese (philadelphia brand)

Recipe

1 place chips in a large bowl. place cream cheese (it does not need to be softened) on a serving plate with as many butter knives as there are people.
2 take a chip in one hand, and to the other, slice off a thin (or thick) strip of cream cheese. carefully spread the cheese over the chip and indulge! note: if the chip breaks, fold it over the cheese and you now have made a chip sandwich! you can do this intentionally also. enjoy.

Elmo Pizza -- Kid Friendly

Total Time: 11 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 6 mins

Ingredients

1 english muffin, split in half
4 tablespoons pizza sauce, more to taste
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 slice cheddar cheese, cut out 2 ovals (can use american)
2 black olives, sliced
8 slices turkey pepperoni, 4 of these sliced in half for the mouth

Recipe

1 lightly toast the english muffin until it just begins to crisp, then remove from oven.
2 spread 2 tablespoons of pizza sauce on each half.
3 sprinkle with the shredded cheese, then add two slices of pepperoni topped with black olive for eyes, an oval of cheddar cheese for a nose and 4 semi-circles of pepperoni as a smiley mouth as you build a face on each half of muffin.
4 375 degrees for 5-10 minutes until cheese is lightly melted.

Memelas

Total Time: 25 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

1 lb tomato
2 fresh serrano chilies, 1 jalapeno chile or 2 a handful of pickled nacho sliced jalapenos
2 tablespoons chopped onions
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander
2 cups masa harina
1 1/3 cups water
10 ounces queso fresco, feta cheese (2 cups) or 10 ounces panuelo mexican cheese

Recipe

1 prepare sauce: broil the tomatoes and green chile(s) about 2-3" from the coils, on both sides. peel tomatoes and chiles, core tomatoes, puree with onion in food processor with a little salt.
2 heat oil in frying pan over medium high heat, pour in sauce, a little first, then the rest, heat bubbling until it thickens 2-5 minutes. add coriander
3 memelas: mix 1/2 tsp salt, 2 cups masa harina and 1 1/3 cups of water with a wooden spoon turn into a nice dough.
4 divide into 16 pieces
5 heat frying pan over medium high heat
6 roll out memelas to about 3" x 4" between sheets or parchment, wax paper or plastic.
7 fry 3-4 at a time until lightly golden on each side
8 if possible, shape them into little dishes with raised edges
9 sprinkle cheese on each memela, spoon on sauce, heat them in a 350f oven for 2-3 minutes.

Queso Fundido (mark Bittman)

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 4
1 small fresh chili pepper, preferably serrano
butter
1 tablespoon oil (neutral oil like corn or grapeseed)
1 small onion, diced
1/2 lb mexican chorizo sausage, casing removed and crumbled
1 lb melting cheese (queso asadero, chihuahua, menonita, monterey jack, or mozzarella)
corn tortillas or flour tortilla, warmed

Recipe

1 preheat oven to 375°; roast chile in a dry skillet over medium heat (or over an open flame), turning to brown on all sides; cool it, then peel, seed, stem, and chop.
2 liberally butter a 9-inch gratin dish or similar baking dish and put it in the oven.
3 meanwhile, add the oil to a large skillet; turn heat to med-high.
4 add in onion; cook/stir occasionally, until translucent, 3-5 minutes.
5 add in the chile and chorizo; cook/stir occasionally, until the choirzo is cooked through, about 5 minutes; drain oil from pan.
6 layer the cheese across the bottom of the heated gratin dish and sprinkle the chorizo mixture on top.
7 bake until the cheese melts, about 10 minutes.
8 scoop the hot melted cheese and chorizo into warm tortillas and serve.

Melting Pot's Green Goddess Dip

Total Time: 5 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 12
8 ounces cream cheese, cut into slices
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons finely chopped onions
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons finely sliced chives

Recipe

1 in a microwave-safe container, microwave cream cheese and milk for 2 to 4 minutes, whisking after each minute, until cream cheese melts and mixture is smooth.
2 stir in sour cream, onion, parsley and chives. refrigerate until cold.

Lemon Cheese Pie

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

8 ounces cream cheese
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 lemons, juice and rind of
1 graham cracker crust

Recipe

1 mix first three ingredients and pour into crust.
2 chill and serve.
3 ~~note~~top with whipped cream and/or fruit, if desired.

Queso Blanco Dip

Total Time: 10 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 5 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 15
1 1/4 lbs american cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes (land o'lakes brand preferred)
1/4 cup diced green chilis
2 pickled jalapeno peppers, chopped
1 ounce pickled jalapeno juice
2/3 cup whole milk
1/2 cup cold water
1 pinch cumin (optional)

Recipe

1 toss all ingredients into a large microwave-safe bowl. microwave on high for 5 minutes, stopping to stir after every minute. the mixture might seem watery during the first few stirs, but should come together as a nice runny dip after all the cheese is melted.
2 serve immediately as a dip with tortilla chips or as a sauce over your favorite mexican dish.

Ham Broccoli Braid

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

2 cups cooked ham, chopped
1 cup chopped fresh broccoli
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon dried parsley
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 1/2 cups shredded swiss cheese
2 (8 ounce) cans crescent roll dough

Recipe

1 preheat oven to 350°f (175°c).
2 in a large bowl, combine ham, broccoli, onion, parsley, mustard and cheese. stir well.
3 unroll crescent roll dough, and arrange flat on a medium baking sheet of dough. using a knife or scissors, cut 1 inch wide strips in towards the center, starting on the long sides. there should be a solid strip about 3 inches wide down the center, with the cut strips forming a fringe down each side. spread the filling along the center strip. fold the side strips over filling, alternating strips from each side. pinch or twist to seal.
4 bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until deep golden brown.

Quick & Easy Spinach And Feta Phyllo Pie

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 4
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed,drained and squeezed dry
3 -4 green onions, chopped
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup nonfat cottage cheese
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled or chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon dried dill
10 sheets phyllo dough, thawed
butter-flavored cooking spray

Recipe

1 preheat oven to 350°f spray an 8x8 glass baking dish with the cooking spray.
2 in a medium bowl, stir together everything except the phyllo.
3 lay one sheet of phyllo in the baking dish, allowing the edges to hang over the sides of the dish.
4 spray with cooking spray.
5 repeat with 4 more sheets of phyllo, spraying and alternating the direction of each sheet.
6 spoon spinach mixture on top of the prepared phyllo in the pan.
7 spray and layer remaining 5 sheets just the same as you did before.
8 roll edges of dough to form a rim.
9 spray the top.
10 bake for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown.
11 let stand 5-15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Tomato And Corn Pudding

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 10
1 1/2 lbs firm ripe tomatoes, trimmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
5 -7 ears fresh corn, kernels cut off cobs, about 4 cups
2 large garlic cloves, minced
6 ounces fresh spinach, cleaned, dried and cut into thin strips
1 cup half-and-half (could use evaporated skim milk)
2 large eggs, plus
2 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/4 cups shredded havarti cheese or 1 1/4 cups gruyere cheese, divided use
5 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 5 tablespoons chives, divided use

Recipe

1 heat oven to 350 degrees.
2 place tomatoes on double layer paper towels and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper; cover with another double layer of paper towels.
3 in large skillet, over medium heat, heat oil tillhot. add onions and corn, cook, stirring frequently, till softened, about 6 minutes. add garlic and spinach, cook stirring frequently for 1 minutes more. remove to large bowl.
4 in another mixing bowl whiks half an half, eggs, egg whites, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper and cayenne. add corn mix and stir well. stir in 1/2 c cheese and 2 tbsp parsley.
5 spray a 3 quart baking pan or gratin pan with nonstick spray. add corn mixture, spread evenly. top with half of the remaining cheese.
6 cover top with slightly, overlapping tomato slices. sprinkle with remaining cheese. bake 40-45 minutes, or til pudding is set. remove and allow to cool for 5 minutes. sprinkle with remaining parsley.

The Best Blue Cheese Salad Dressing Ever

Total Time: 8 mins Preparation Time: 8 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 15
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
2 -8 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon worcestershire sauce

Recipe

1 blend lemon juice into milk [or use buttermilk if you have that on hand].
2 mix mayo and sour cream and then add milk.
3 add finely minced garlic to taste [you can also leave this out].
4 add a splash of worcestershire, or more to taste.
5 add all the cheese you want, to taste [i always heaped in a lot of the best imported cheese i could find].
6 refrigerate.
7 this will keep in the refrigerator for a month, but it probably won't last that long.

The Best Blueberry Cheesecake

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon sugar
3 (8 ounce) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
8 ounces sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
2 cups blueberries
1 cup cool whip
1/4 cup sour cream

Recipe

1 combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and sugar. press into bottom and up sides of a 9 inch springform pan. bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. remove and let cool.
2 beat softened cream cheese and add 1 cup sugar, flour and salt until blended. add eggs, one at a time and blend.
3 add sour cream, vanilla and lemon extracts. gently stie in blueberries. pour mixture into cooled crust.
4 bake at 325 degrees for approximately 50 minutes. (cheesecake will be done when it still jiggles in the middle.) turn off oven and let remain in oven with door open for 20 minutes. remove and let cool. cover and chill cheesecake in refrigerator.
5 lightly mix cool whip and 1/4 cup of sour cream. spread over cheesecake and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before cutting.
6 note: refrigeration time is not included.

Steamed Eggs

Total Time: 6 mins Preparation Time: 4 mins Cook Time: 2 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 1
2 eggs
1 teaspoon butter or 1 teaspoon oil
2 tablespoons water
salt
pepper
cheese (optional)

Recipe

1 place oil or butter in skillet, and heat. add eggs, and cook til whites are done the way you wish.
2 add water, and cover with a lid. do not peak or you will loose your steam. cook over medium heat for 2 minutes, for medium done eggs.
3 remove to a plate, and add salt, pepper, and cheese if desired.

Kids Pizza On A Stick

Total Time: 12 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 7 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 1
2 bamboo skewers, cut in half (about 6 inches each)
8 slices turkey pepperoni
8 mozzarella cheese, cubes cut into 1-inch squares (or sometimes i use fresh mozzarrella rounds if i have extra)
8 black olives
8 green bell peppers, squares 1-inch
8 pieces pizza crusts, 2 inch squares, previously cooked (usually i will use the pillsbury canned variety or a jiffy mix)
1/2 cup pizza sauce

Recipe

1 soak the skewers for about 30 minutes in water.
2 place turkey pepperoni, cheee, olives, crust, and pepper on each skewer, alternating for visual appeal.
3 place on a baking pan in a 350 degree oven for about 5-8 minutes -- just long enough to start melting the cheese and slightly crispen the pepperoni.
4 serve with warmed pizza sauce for dipping.
5 the kids will love this and it is easy!