APRIL 1999

Easy Cheese Recipes Everyone Will Love!

Crabby's Grilled Cheese
Fresh Dill and Havarti Green Bean Salad
Cheese  and Tomato Phyllo Pie
Three Cheese, Bacon and Sage Mashed Potatoes
Spicy Vegetable Cornbread
Cheddar Pear Tart

Crabby's Grilled Cheese                  
Makes 2 sandwiches

4 slices French bread
2 slices Muenster cheese
2 slices Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup shredded white or blue crabmeat
2 thinly sliced onions
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
butter

Heat frying pan on medium/low. Sauté black pepper in butter. Butter side of bread you will be frying. Layer one slice each of Muenster and Monterey Jack cheeses first, then spread crabmeat and layer onions; then layer cheese again.
Grill in fry pan until golden brown, taking care when turning. Serve with lemon.

Contributed by Tracy Allyn Kupsh of Clearwater, Florida

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Fresh Dill and Havarti Green Bean Salad
Makes 4-6 servings
Prep time: 35 minutes
Standing time: 10 minutes
Chill time: 1-6 hours

1 pound green beans, stems removed, washed
1/3 cup (3 ounces) purple pearl onions, unpeeled
1/3 cup lemon yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped, or 2 teaspoons dried dill
1 large garlic clove, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon capers, drained, optional
1 cup (about 5 ounces) dill Havarti, cubed
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind to taste

In medium-sized saucepan of boiling salted water, cook green beans, uncovered for 5-7 minutes until tender. Drain.

Meanwhile, place pearl onions in a second small saucepan of boiling water for 3 minutes. Rinse under cold water. Cut root end and squeeze gently toward root end until onion slips out then cut in half. Mix yogurt, dill, garlic and a generous amount of salt and pepper in serving bowl. Add onions to yogurt mixture. Toss in green beans while still hot and let marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes.

Toss in capers, cheese and lemon rind. Refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 5 or 6 hours.

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Cheese and Tomato Phyllo Pie

8 sheets frozen phyllo pastry, thawed
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
3-4 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced (about 1 pound)
1-1/2 to 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
Garlic powder, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste

Cut phyllo pastry to fit jelly roll pan, 15 x 10 inches. Place 1 sheet phyllo in pan; brush lightly with butter. Repeat layers with remaining phyllo and butter.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses; sprinkle phyllo pastry with 2-1/2 cups cheese mixture. Arrange onion and tomatoes over cheese. Sprinkle tomatoes with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese mixture.

Bake until browned, about 20 minutes. Cool several minutes and cut into squares. Makes 8 servings.

TIP: If desired, pizza dough can be substituted for the phyllo pastry. Make 1 package (16 ounces) hot roll mix according to package directions for pizza dough; spread dough with fingers to cover bottom of lightly buttered jelly roll pan, 15 x 10 inches; make small rim around edges. Pierce dough with tines of fork; cover and let rise 15 minutes. Uncover dough. Heat oven to 400 degrees and continue as directed.

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Three Cheese, Bacon and Sage Mashed Potatoes
Makes 8 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes

2-1/2 pounds (6-7 medium-sized potatoes) Yukon Gold baking potatoes peeled and cut into 1-1/2 inch chunks
3 tablespoons softened butter
10 ounces (2-1/2 cups) mixed shredded cheese, such as smoked Gouda, Cheddar and Swiss
1/2 cup warm milk
4 slices bacon, cooked until crisp, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage or 2 teaspoons dried sage
Salt and pepper to taste
Additional shredded cheese for sprinkling on top, optional

Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling water until very tender, about 18 minutes. Drain in colander. Return potatoes to pot and mash with potato masher. Stir in butter and cheese until combined. Add milk to make a creamy consistency. Stir in bacon and sage. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place in serving bowl and sprinkle with additional cheese, if desired.

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Spicy Vegetable Cornbread
Makes 8 large pieces or 12 muffins

2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/3 cups whole, low-fat or skim milk
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup sweet corn kernels, canned (drained)
or frozen (thawed)
1 cup shredded Colby cheese
1/2 cup carrots, finely chopped
1/2 cup grated onion
1/4 cup seeded fresh jalapeño peppers, finely chopped
(optional, canned jalapeños)

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Grease a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or muffin tin. In a large bowl, stir together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt and brown sugar. Whisk eggs, milk and melted butter in a medium-size bowl, and stir into dry ingredients. Add corn, cheese, carrots, onion, and jalapeño peppers. Stir until thoroughly combined.

Pour batter into skillet and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cut into pieces and serve from skillet.

Optional: Can be made into muffins.

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Cheddar Pear Tart
Makes 8 to 10 servings

1 pastry for 9-inch pie
4 ounces (1 cup shredded) medium Sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
2-3 large pears or apples, peeled, cored, sliced
ground cinnamon

Roll pastry to fit tart pan; ease into pan and trim. In a separate bowl, combine 3/4 cup cheese, 1/4 cup sugar and flour; sprinkle on crust. Arrange pears on top; sprinkle with cinnamon and remaining sugar.

Bake at 425º until pears are tender and crust browned, about 50 minutes; sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake 1 to 2 minutes longer.

For more delicious cheese recipes, ideas and information, check out the Amercican Dairy Association Web site http://www.ilovecheese.com.

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