Categories
Breakfast Cheese Main Dish Seafood

Neapolitan Quiche

Plain Pastry for one 9-inch pie crust
4 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 cup flaked cooked whitefish (fake crab meat)
1/2 pound mozzarella cheese, grated
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. dill

Line a 9-inch pie plate with pastry.  Beat eggs and milk together until well blended, stir in seasonings and cheese.  Chop fish into pastry lined pie plate.  Top with egg mixture.  Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven 30-35 minutes.   Cut into wedges.  Serve hot.

Categories
Casseroles Cheese Pasta Vegetarian

Macaroni & Cheese

1 (16 oz.) package elbow macaroni
1/2 pound sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 pound gouda, shredded
1/2 pound jack cheese, shredded
1/2 pound Colby cheese, shredded
1/2 stick butter or margarine
3 tablespoons flour 
2 cups milk, or 1 cup milk and 1 cup beer
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Boil macaroni according to package directions, drain and keep warm.  Melt butter in large pan, add flour and spices, cook for a couple minutes stirring constantly.  Whisk in milk.  Stir until thickened, over low heat.  Mix in cheeses, reserving 1/2 cup of cheese.  Stir until melted and smooth.  Mix in cooked macaroni.
*To make baked macaroni & cheese:
Pour into baking dish, top with reserved cheese and 1/4 cup bread crumbs.  Bake for 30 minutes at 350. 
12  Servings
Categories
Casseroles Cheese Main Dish Rice

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

1  6-ounce package  long grain and wild rice mix
1  medium  onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1  stalk  celery, chopped (1/2 cup)
2  tablespoons  butter
1  10.5- or 10.75-ounce can  condensed chicken with white and wild rice soup or cream of chicken soup
1/2  cup  sour cream
1/3  cup  dry white wine or chicken broth
2  tablespoons  snipped fresh basil or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
2  cups  shredded cooked chicken or turkey
1/3  cup  finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Prepare rice mix according to package directions.  Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350ยบ F. In a large skillet, cook onion and celery in hot butter over medium heat until tender. Stir in soup, sour cream, wine, and basil. Stir in cooked rice and chicken.Transfer mixture to an ungreased 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, about 35 minutes or until heated through.

Makes 4 servings.

Categories
Cheese Soups Vegetarian

Cheddar Cheese Soup

1 cup finely chopped onion
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 tbsp butter
1 (16 oz) pkg shredded cheese
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 (14 oz) can chicken broth
1 1/2 cups cooked, diced ham
1 1/2 cups cooked broccoli florets
3/4 cup cooked, diced carrots
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 cups half-and-half cream 
Saute onion and pepper in butter in large saucepan. Mix cheese and cornstarch in bowl. Pour broth into saucepan and add cheese mixture a little at a time. Cook soup over medium heat until cheese melts. Stir until smooth and creamy. Add ham, broccoli, carrots, Worcestershire, garlic powder and a little salt and pepper and stir well. Heat over low heat, pour in cream and stir well.
*To make this Vegetarian, substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth and omit ham.

Serves 6-8
Categories
Cheese Dips Vegetarian

Pimento Cheese

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 -3 oz. package cream cheese
3 tablespoons pimientos, chopped
1 teaspoon onions, grated
cracked black pepper

Blend cheeses and mayonnaise.  Stir in seasonings, onion and pimentos.  Chill.

12  Servings

Categories
Appetizers Cheese Vegetarian

Mozzarella Nuggets

12 sticks mozzarella cheese, (string cheese)
6 sun-dried tomatoes, (not packed in oil)
4 eggs
2 cups bread crumbs, Italian flavored
3 cups vegetable oil, for frying
1 cup bottled spaghetti sauce

Remove cheese from plastic wrappers.  Cut each cheese stick crosswise into thirds.  With a small knife, cut a thin opening along the length of each piece, being careful not to cut completely through.

If tomatoes are not pliable, soak in boiling water for 5 minutes.  Place them in a stack.  Slice stack crosswise into 6 thin slices for a total of 36, each about the same length as cheese pieces.  Gently tuck one tomato slice into a piece of cheese.  Repeat, using all tomato pieces and cheese nuggets.

Break 2 of the eggs into a small bowl.  Beat lightly.  Place 1 cup of the bread crumbs in a shallow dish or pie plate.  In a med-size heavy bottomed saucepan, heat oil to 350 on deep fry thermometer.

Meanwhile, coat 18 of the nuggets: Dip all 18 nuggets in egg, then coat with bread crumbs.  Return to egg for a second round of coating, return to bread crumbs, tossing to cover completely with crumbs.  Repeat double coating for remaining 18 nuggets, using remaining 2 eggs and 1 cup bread crumbs.  Beginning with the nuggets coated first, fry 5 or 6 at a time for one minute, until golden brown.  Remove from oil with a slotted spoon.  Place on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet.  Keep warm in 200 degree oven while frying remaining nuggets.

Heat marinara sauce in microwave for 1 minute.  Serve nuggets alongside warm sauce.

NOTE:  You may assemble nuggets ahead and refrigerate for 2 days or freeze them up to a month before frying.  Do not thaw before cooking.

36  Servings

Categories
Appetizers Cheese Dips Vegetarian

Colby Cheese Fondue

1 pound Colby cheese, shredded (4 cups)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
pinch ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons water
1 baguette, sourdough OR 1 plain baguette, cut in bite-size chunks
2 apples, such as Gala or Golden Delicious, cored and sliced
1 1/2 cups wine  , Riesling white wine or Pinot Grigio

Bring wine to a simmer in medium-sized, non-aluminum saucepan over medium heat.  Add cheese, stirring until melted; mixture will not be smooth.  Stir in garlic powder, salt, black pepper, cayenne and nutmeg.  Stir together the cornstarch and water in small bowl until smooth.  Stir into the wine-cheese mixture.  Simmer over low heat until thickened and smooth, about 2 minutes.  Serve immediately with bread chunks and apple slices for dipping; keep the fondue warm over a very low flame.

12  Servings

Categories
Appetizers Cheese Vegetarian

Cheese Bites

1/2   8 oz. package cream cheese
1     16 oz. can refrigerated buttermilk biscuits, flaky kind
1/2   cup jalapeno jelly
1.Cut cream cheese into 24 pieces and let soften.
2. Seperate each biscuit into thirds, making 3 rounds.  Press biscuit rounds into bottom and up sides of 24 mini-muffin cups.  Spoon about 1 tsp. pepper jelly into each biscuit cup.  Top each with 1 cream cheese piece.
3. Bake at 425 for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.  Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
*alternate version
Mix cream cheese, chopped green onion, chopped sun dried tomatoes, pepper, salt and oregano.  let sit in fridge overnight to blend flavors.  Fill biscuit cups using melon baller, or a teaspoon.
24  Servings
Categories
Appetizers Cheese Vegetarian

Basil Cheddar Cheese Ball

1 cup fresh basil, loosely packed 
2 8 oz. packages cream cheese 
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded 
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2/3 cup walnut halves, finely chopped
In a food processor, combine basil, cream cheese, cheddar & parmesean cheeses and black pepper.  With slightly wet hands, roll into a ball; coat with walnuts.  Chill before serving.
24  Servings
Categories
Cheese Chicken Breasts Tortillas

Southwest Chicken Skillet

2/3 cup salsa
8 8-inch flour tortillas (optional)
1/2 cup water
1 medium yellow or green sweet pepper, cut into squares
1/2 cup cooked or canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1 1- to 1.5-ounce envelope fajita seasoning mix
Nonstick spray coating
12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 small onion, cut into thin wedges
1 small zucchini, bias-sliced
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Colby-Monterey Jack cheese (optional)
2 tablespoons cooking oil

For marinade, in a medium mixing bowl combine fajita mix, water, and oil. Add chicken to marinade. Stir to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Spray a large skillet with nonstick coating. Preheat over medium heat. Add sweet pepper, zucchini, and onion; cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove from skillet.
Drain chicken; discard marinade. Add chicken to skillet. (If necessary, add 1 tablespoon cooking oil during cooking.) Cook and stir for 4 to 5 minutes or until no pink remains. Return vegetables to skillet. Stir together salsa and chili powder. Add salsa mixture, corn, and beans to skillet. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes more or until heated through. Serve with warm tortillas and cheese, if desired. (To heat tortillas, wrap in microwave-safe paper towels; micro-cook on high power for 30 seconds). Makes 4 servings.