Cheese recipes

No-bake strawberry cheesecake with cream cheese, whipped cream, and frozen strawberries set with gelatin on a graham cracker crust. Light, creamy, and smooth.

A big-batch freezer casserole with diced chicken, sweet corn, cheddar cheese, and pimientos in a homemade cream sauce, topped with buttered breadcrumbs and baked golden. Makes four pans.

This classic New York-style cheesecake starts with a ready-made graham cracker crust for simplicity, then bakes rich cream cheese filling topped with sweetened sour cream. The two-temperature baking creates creamy texture without cracks.

Creamy leek risotto with Parmesan and fresh parsley, built one ladle at a time with vegetable stock. A simple vegetarian Italian rice dish that works equally well with courgette (zucchini) for a summer swap.

Lemon-broiled scrod topped with a tangy yogurt-Parmesan crust. A five-ingredient, low-fat fish dinner that cooks under the broiler in under 10 minutes.

Springtime New England quiche filled with tender fiddlehead ferns, leeks, and sharp cheddar, crowned with whole fiddleheads. A seasonal pie that celebrates the fleeting wild harvest.

Grecian skillet rib eye steaks rub with oregano, basil, garlic, and pepper, pan-sear in olive oil, then finish with lemon juice, crumbled feta, and Kalamata olives. Mediterranean steakhouse dinner.

Crispy toast topped with a savory mix of crumbled bacon, chopped olives, sharp cheddar, and a hint of curry, then broiled until bubbly. A make-ahead appetizer that freezes beautifully.

Crustless carrot and cheddar quiche baked in a water bath for a silky, custard-like texture. Made with skim milk and grated carrots for a lighter take on quiche.

Cheesy shredded potato casserole baked with melted cheddar, sour cream, scallions, and red pepper flakes. Potatoes are cooked in their skins, cooled, then coarsely grated for the best texture.

Beat sugar and butter until -light. Blend in egg and -flour. Mix well and spread onto -bottom of 10-inch -springform pan. Bake at 450-degrees for 10 -minutes.

Quick sharp cheddar and onion pizzas on prebaked Italian bread shells with Roma tomatoes, black olives, and red onion. Ready in under 20 minutes for a fast weeknight dinner or snack.

Italian rice and spinach soup (minestrina) simmered in chicken broth with arborio rice, garlic, and olive oil, finished with freshly grated Parmesan. A light, brothy bowl from the Italian home cooking tradition.

Cheeseburger macaroni from scratch in 30 minutes: ground beef, onion, stewed tomatoes, and ketchup tossed with elbow macaroni and topped with melted cheddar. The homemade answer to the boxed Hamburger Helper everyone grew up on.

Microwave peach Melba cheesecake pie with a graham cracker crust, almond-scented cream cheese filling, and raspberry jam topping. Ready in about 20 minutes.

Baked red snapper topped with cumin, cilantro, Anaheim chile, mushrooms, tomato, and melted cheddar-jack cheese. Mexican-spiced fish on the table in 45 minutes.