Cheese recipes

Penne alla vodka tosses tubular pasta with a quick sauce of butter, vodka, hot pepper, puréed plum tomatoes, cream, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. A 20-minute Italian-American classic.

Boozy chocolate Bailey's Irish Cream cheesecake with a chiffon-light filling set with gelatin and folded with meringue and whipped cream. A make-ahead, no-bake dessert that slices like a dream.

Oat and onion tarts: little British-style savory tarts with crisp oat-and-cheese pastry, slow-sweated onions, and a baked sour cream and cheddar custard. Perfect with drinks or a green salad.

Create-a-casserole: a customizable baked pasta with your choice of meat, tomato sauce, and cheese. A flexible pantry dinner that uses up leftover cooked beef or chicken in 30 minutes of oven time.

Welsh rarebit, the British pub classic: sharp aged cheddar melted with beer, egg yolk, mustard, and cayenne into a savory sauce spooned over toast. Dressed up here with walnuts, apple, and broccoli.

Shell-on shrimp sauteed in garlic-chili oil, piled over meltingly soft red peppers slow-cooked in Spanish olive oil. Tear off crusty bread, soak it in that rose-colored oil, and feast.

No-cook hot dog and kidney bean sandwiches tossed with sour cream, hot sauce, and cheddar on split rolls. A retro Texas snack ready in 15 minutes flat.

Chile con queso made on the stovetop with melty American cheese, sauteed onion, fresh tomato, and green chiles spiked with hot sauce. A smooth, scoopable queso dip ready in minutes for chips and game day.

Lazy day lasagna uses uncooked noodles that soften in the oven with water poured around the edges. Layered with cottage cheese, mozzarella, and a beefy spaghetti sauce, no boiling required.

Vegetarian ratatouille lasagna layers Provencal vegetables with ricotta, mozzarella, marinara, and bechamel between tender noodles. Meatless, hearty, feeds six.

Chile corn bake with cornmeal, cheddar cheese, green chiles, and sweet red peppers in a custardy casserole. A Southwestern side dish that's somewhere between cornbread and a savory corn pudding.

SPAM breakfast skillet with hash brown potatoes, bell peppers, onion, eggs, hot sauce, and cheddar cheese. A one-pan breakfast scramble that feeds a crowd.

Peppery radish spread blended with cream cheese, fresh dill or basil, and lemon juice. A zesty, pink-flecked vegetable spread for crackers and bread in 20 minutes.

Nutty bulgur wheat cooked in chicken broth paired with soft scrambled eggs, sauteed onions, red bell pepper, and a finish of grated Parmesan. A hearty, high-fiber breakfast in 25 minutes.

Freezer mix tacos: pre-cooked beef-tomato mix simmered with chili powder and cayenne for a fast weeknight taco night. Heat, fill, top, eat.

Italian garlic pepper bread baked in the bread machine with Parmesan, garlic powder, and cracked black pepper. A savory, cheesy loaf that slices beautifully for sandwiches or soup nights.