MAY 1999

Eating in the Great Outdoors with ilovecheese.com

May means spring. And spring means eating light, quick meals you can enjoy outside, whether on the patio or at a picnic. Our friends at ilovecheese.com have provided six recipes that deliciously fit the bill. So hose down that patio set, pull out the picnic basket and let's do some spring cookin'!

Grilled Chicken and Provolone Panini
Greek Lemon and Crumbled Feta Fondue
Raspberry Croissant Melts
Big Bites
Shrimp with Caribbean Salsa
Blue Cheese and Onion Focaccia

Grilled Chicken and Provolone Panini
Makes 4 sandwiches
Prep time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking time: about 15 minutes

4 chicken breast halves, boneless and skinless
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted
2 teaspoons fresh sage, chopped, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 crusty rolls of choice, French, Italian, sourdough
1/3 cup balsamic vinaigrette dressing
2 cups (about 4 ounces) arugula, washed and dried
8 pieces (about 4 ounces) proscuitto, thinly sliced
8 pieces (about 4 ounces) provolone, thinly sliced

Brush chicken breasts lightly with melted butter. Combine sage and rosemary and sprinkle on both sides of chicken. Season with freshly ground salt and pepper. Grill chicken breasts over charcoal grill in stovetop grill pan, or under broiler until firm to the touch. Transfer to plate and let cool approximately 10 minutes.

Slice rolls in half. Sprinkle bottom of each roll with vinaigrette. Divide arugula among the four rolls. Layer 2 slices of proscuitto and 2 slices of provolone on each roll. Slice each chicken breast half crosswise into diagonal slices, about 1/2-inch thick and place on top of cheese. Drizzle more vinaigrette over chicken. Place top of roll on and press down gently so sandwich stays together. Tightly wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving time.

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Greek Lemon and Crumbled Feta Fondue
Makes 10 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1-1/4 cups milk
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cut in pieces
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, or 1-1/2 tablespoons dried
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint, or 1-1/2 teaspoons dried
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

For dipping:
Cooked bite-size lamb or beef meatballs, cooked shrimp, blanched asparagus spears, radishes, cucumber slices, assorted pitted Greek olives and toasted pita bread triangles

In a medium-size bowl toss the feta cheese with the cornstarch.

In a medium-size heavy-bottomed saucepan heat the milk and cream cheese over low heat until the cream cheese is almost melted smooth. Stir in the lemon juice. Add the feta cheese, a handful at a time, stirring until the cheese is melted before adding more. When all the cheese has been added, stir in the dill, mint and lemon peel.

Transfer the fondue to an enamel or ceramic fondue pot and keep warm over a fondue burner. Serve immediately.

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Raspberry Croissant Melts
Created by Mr. Food®
Makes 4 servings

4 croissants
1/4 cup raspberry preserves
4 one-ounce slices Muenster cheese
1 tablespoon butter

Slice croissants in half and evenly spread the preserves on the cut sides of the croissants. Place a slice of cheese over the preserves on the croissant bottoms and replace the tops. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat and place the croissants upside down in the skillet. Grill until golden and the cheese has melted, about three minutes on each side.

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Big Bites
Makes 2 dozen bites

12 ounces red potatoes, peeled, cooked, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese
1/3 cup chopped red pepper
1/3 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup mayonnaise or light mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
24 slices baked ham or turkey
Finely chopped parsley

Combine potatoes, Swiss cheese, and red and green peppers in medium bowl; stir in mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Spoon 2 generous tablespoons potato salad on each ham or turkey slice and roll into a cornucopia (or funnel) shape; sprinkle with parsley. The flavor of the cheese in the potato salad is best when eaten at room temperature, so remove from the refrigerator ½ hour in advance of serving time.

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Shrimp with Caribbean Salsa
Makes 6 servings

1 cup mango, coarsely chopped
1/2 avocado, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup chunky salsa
1 tablespoon minced cilantro
1 tablespoon jalapeño pepper
2-3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1 pound shrimp, cooked, peeled, de-veined

Mix mango, avocado, salsa, cilantro and jalapeño pepper in bowl; add cheese and toss. Serve with shrimp.

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Blue Cheese and Onion Focaccia
Makes 8 servings

2 cups onions, sliced
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon dried sage leaves
1 Italian flat bread (8 - 10" focaccia bread)
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
2-3 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

Cook onions in butter over low heat in medium skillet until very tender and lightly browned; stir in sage. Arrange onions on bread; sprinkle with tomatoes and cheese. Bake at 350° until bread is hot and cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. Cut in wedges.

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

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