These Ricotta Dumplings are so luxurious, but don’t be deterred by the “dumpling” word. They’re not hard to make. Serve them over a red sauce or serve them over an arugula salad topped with lemon & oil dressing and Parmesan cheese.
These delicious little Parmesan Crisps take only minutes to assemble and cook. They can be prepared ahead of time so no last-minute fuss is necessary.
Emmentaler or Emmental is a yellow, medium-hard cheese that originated in the area around Emmental, Switzerland. It is one of the cheeses of Switzerland, and is sometimes known as Swiss cheese.
I don’t know one person who doesn’t love a delicious grilled cheese sandwich. Make it even better by adding crabmeat to the mix. This delightful treat is perfect for weekend lunches or anytime for that matter. You can also cut it into bit-size pieces and serve it as an appetizer if you’re hosting a July 4th party.
I LOVE cauliflower. I love to eat it raw, steamed, in casseroles, and especially as a gratin. Seriously, I don’t know what could be better than cauliflower and cheese! If you don’t want to use Gruyère cheese then just use whatever cheese makes you happy.Just make sure it’s a cheese that melts well.
It’s the weekend and a time to relax. How about making a Cheese & Artichoke Fondue for a fun snack or addition to a meal? It’s not difficult to do and is a fun way to spend time indoors on a cold winter day.
Cheese Balls are a classic American holiday food. A fun vintage item to talk about, easy to make, and delicious with a variety of ingredients, cheese balls are quite adaptable.
Originally from Denmark, this semi-soft cheese is one of the most comforting and versatile around. Havarti is buttery and mild it does vary from sweet to somewhat sharp in the stronger varieties. It is typically aged for about three months. When the cheese is older, it becomes stronger and tastes a bit like hazelnuts. I’m loving it melted on thick toasted sandwiches, on ham sandwiches or in a gooey mac n’ cheese. Havarti was initially created in the mid-1800s by Hanne Nielsen, a Danish farmer’s wife, who traveled to many parts of the world exploring the art of cheese making. When she returned from her travels, she decided to experiment with different methods of making cheese and named her finest creation after the farm on which it was made. Havarti is a cow’s milk cheese characterized by little holes throughout. It’s creamy with a very light tang depending on its age, and is ideal for kids’ lunches. A good melting cheese, try it on toasted sandwiches, burgers or in omelets. Great accompaniments include figs, ham, smoked turkey, raisins, walnuts, hearty bread, pears, and apples. Here I’ve paired its mild flavor with sweet, vinegary apples for a lovely contrast of flavors.
Classic Cheese Soufflé
This Classic Cheese Soufflé is made with sharp Cheddar cheese. To gain the most height, don’t over fold the cheese mixture before pouring it into the soufflé dish.
INGREDIENTS
2 Tablespoons Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
5 Tablespoons Butter
1/4 Cup Unbleached Flour
1 1/2 Cups Warmed Milk
2 Cups Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/8 Teaspoon Ground Cayenne Pepper
5 Large Eggs (Separated)
1 Large Egg White
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 2-Quart soufflé dish. Sprinkle evenly with grated Parmesan cheese. To prepare cheese sauce: In a heavy 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over a low heat. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. With wire whisk, gradually whisk in warm milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon, until sauce has thickened and boils. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes. Stir in Cheddar cheese, kosher salt, and cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring, just until cheese has melted and sauce is smooth. Remove saucepan from heat.
In a bowl, with wire whisk, lightly beat egg yolks. Gradually whisk in 1/2 cup hot cheese sauce. Gradually whisk egg yolk mixture into cheese sauce in saucepan. Stir rapidly to prevent curdling. Pour cheese mixture back into bowl.
In large-size bowl, with mixer on high speed, beat 6 egg whites until stiff peaks form when beaters are lifted. With rubber spatula, gently fold 1/3 of beaten egg whites into cheese mixture. Fold in remaining egg whites just until blended.
Pour mixture into prepared soufflé dish. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes until soufflé has puffed and is golden brown and knife inserted 1 inch from edge comes out clean. Remove from oven and serve hot. Serves 4
Note: If you want to create a top-hat effect (center will rise higher than edge), with back of spoon, make 1-inch deep indentation all around top of soufflé about 1 inch from edge of dish.
© Victoria Hart Glavin