Posts tagged cheese

Ingredients: 

• 6-7 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced 
• 10 slices bacon, plus more for top 
• 8 oz cream cheese 
• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted 
• 8 oz sour cream 
• 3-4 cloves garlic 
• 3-4 green onion, sliced 
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, plus more for top 
• salt and pepper to taste 

Directions: 
~Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place peeled and diced potatoes in a large saucepan, and add enough cold water to cover by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and reduce to a simmer. Cook until tender and easily pierced with a paring knife, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a colander to drain; return to pan, cover, and set aside. 

~Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon, and cook until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain; let cool, and crumble into pieces. 

~In a small sauce pan melt the butter over low heat. Add the garlic cloves, peeled and crush and allow to steep in the butter for 5 minutes. Remove the garlic and set aside. 

~In the bowl of a stand mixer or using a hand held mixer, combine potatoes and blend until fluffy and smooth. Add the cream cheese, garlic butter and sour cream and blend until combined and smooth. Add cheddar cheese, half of the sliced green onion, half the bacon, salt, and pepper. Stir until well combined. 

~Transfer to a buttered 3-quart baking dish. Top with 1/2 cup cheddar cheese. Bake until top is slightly golden and potatoes are heated through, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven; garnish with remaining bacon and green onion. Serve immediately. 

• table salt
• 1/2 pound elbow macaroni (about 2 cups uncooked pasta)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef (85% lean)
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 12 oz Colby Jack cheese, shredded (about 2 1/2 cups)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and add dry macaroni; cook until al dente. Reserve 3/4 cup pasta water and drain pasta. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.

Using the same large pot, wipe dry and heat over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and heat until shimmering. Add ground beef and break it up in pieces to brown. Once browned, remove from pot and discard drippings. Set beef aside.

Add remaining oil to the same large pot and return to medium heat until shimmering. Add onions, garlic, red pepper, chili powder, and cumin; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and begin to brown. 

Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, brown sugar, reserved 3/4 cup pasta water and beef to the pot. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until flavors have blended.

Stir in the cooked pasta, 1/2 cup of shredded cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer mixture to a 9x13 baking dish and smooth over with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until the mixture is hot and bubbling.

Remove from oven and sprinkle the top of the dish with the remaining shredded cheese. Return the dish once again in the oven and bake for 5-10 minutes until the cheese begins to melt and brown. Cool for 10 minutes before serving. 

(Source: joelens.blogspot.com)

• 1 (16-ounce) package penne or elbow macaroni
• 2 (10-ounce) containers refrigerated Alfredo sauce
• 1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
• 1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
• 2 garlic clove, minced
• 3 cups cooked chicken, chopped
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese

Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain and return to pot.  Stir together all ingredients except mozzarella cheese.  Spread mixture into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.  Sprinkle evenly with mozzarella cheese.  Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Chili Dog Casserole

2 (15 oz) cans chili with beans (I like Hormel Hot & Spicy)
1 (16 oz) package hot dogs (I prefer Ball Park)
10 (8 inch) flour tortillas (the fajita sized ones)
1 (8 oz) package Cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Spread 1 can of chili and beans in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Roll up hot dogs inside tortillas and place in baking dish, seam side down, on top of chili and beans. Top with remaining can of chili and beans, and sprinkle with cheese.

Cover baking dish with aluminum foil, and bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes.

Sausage and Cheese Muffins

1 lb. hot ground pork sausage
1 tsp onion powder
3 cups all-purpose baking mix
1 (10.75 oz) can condensed fiesta nacho cheese soup
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
3/4 cup buttermilk (water or milk will work too)

Cook sausage and onion in a large skillet over medium to med-high heat, stirring until it crumbles and no longer pink. Drain and cool. 

Preheat oven to 375. Combine sausage, baking mix, and shredded cheese in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the mixture. Stir together the soup and water; add to sausage mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Spoon until lightly greased mini muffin tins, filling to tops of cups. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned. 

12 oz uncooked whole wheat elbow or shell pasta
2 T unsalted butter
2 T flour
1 cup milk
1 cup beer
4 oz smoked cheddar cheese, grated
4 oz sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
4 oz mild cheddar cheese, grated
6 slices American cheese
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp mustard powder
1/4 tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper, to taste
10 basil leaves

Heat a large pot of water to boiling, add a liberal amount of salt when boiling and add pasta.  Cook to just al dente, according to package directions.  Drain and return to pan or crock pot if you want to keep it hot for a while (you don’t want to cook it in the crock pot but it can stay on low for a short while, if you plan to leave it in the crock pot for an extended time, you’ll want to cook your pasta just shy of al dente so it doesn’t turn mushy.)

Meanwhile, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add flour and whisk to make a roux (aka, cheese sauce).  Continue whisking until the roux start to turn golden and bubbles, about two minutes.  Add milk and beer, stirring constantly (don’t get lazy stirring, seriously!).  Cook for about five minutes until the mixture begins to thicken slightly.  Reduce heat to low and add cheeses by the handful, stirring to melt and incorporate.  The sauce will thicken slightly but will not be as thick as regular mac and cheese at this point.  Add paprika, mustard, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste.  Pour sauce over pasta and stir to distribute.  Chiffonade basil leaves by stacking and rolling tightly, then use a sharp knife to cut thin slices to form ribbons.  Stir basil into pasta and serve. 

• 1 bag of Egg Noodles
• 1 extra large can of Ragu sauce {or any tamato sauce you prefer}
• 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese {or more depending on how much you ♥ cheese!}
• 1 1/2 lbs hamburger meat (or sausage!)
• 1 package pepperonis

1. Cook your hamburger meat
2. Cook your egg noodles (basically just like spaghetti)
3. Time to layer:

• tomato sauce
• noodles
• meat
• cheese

Repeat twice. Top with pepperoni. Cover your pan with foil, and bake at 350* for 30 minutes. Take it out, take off the foil, and bake it for another 15 minutes. Let it cool 15 minutes so it doesn’t fall apart! EAT.

• ·         2 packages of crescent rolls
• ·         1 lb spicy or mild bulk pork sausage
• ·         1 package (8 oz) cream cheese
• ·         2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (8 oz)

1. Heat oven to 375°F
2. If using crescent rolls: Unroll 1 can of dough into 2 long rectangles. Place in ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish; press over bottom and 1/2 inch up sides to form crust
3. In 12-inch skillet, cook sausage over medium heat, stirring frequently, until no longer pink. Remove sausage from skillet; discard drippings. To same skillet, add cream cheese. Cook over low heat until melted. Add cooked sausage; stir to coat. Spoon evenly over crust in baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese.
4. If using crescent rolls: Unroll second can of dough on work surface. Press to form 13x9-inch rectangle; firmly press perforations to seal. Carefully place over cheese. If using dough sheets: Unroll second can of dough on work surface. Press to form 13x9-inch rectangle. Carefully place over cheese.
5. Bake 21 to 26 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 15 minutes. Cut into small squares

• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 cup half-and-half (milk will work)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• Assorted mix-ins (such as shredded cheese, diced vegetables, and cooked and chopped bacon, ham, or sausage)
• Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

1.  Heat your oven to 350º F and coat a 6-cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2.  Whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, and salt in a medium bowl, then evenly distribute the egg mixture among the muffin cups.

3.  Add about 2 tablespoons of mix-ins to each cup, then sprinkle on a bit of Parmesan cheese, if you like.

4. Bake the frittatas until they are puffy and the edges are golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. (If necessary, run a butter knife around the edge of each one to loosen them before removing them from the pan.) Makes 6 mini frittatas.