Cheese recipes

Tuscan-style white bean and potato pie: garlic-pureed navy beans topped with caramelized onions, potatoes, and Parmesan, baked into a golden rustic torta. Vegetarian Italian main dish.

Homemade vegetable hummus stuffed into whole wheat pita pockets with Monterey Jack cheese, fresh tomato slices, and alfalfa sprouts. A quick vegetarian sandwich ready in 25 minutes using the microwave.

Creamy turkey enchiladas stuffed with corn and broccoli in a sour cream filling, smothered in a cheesy cream of chicken sauce. A smart way to use leftover turkey. Makes 12.

Broiled tomato mozzarella bruschetta with Roma tomatoes, fresh basil, capers, and balsamic vinegar on toasted Italian bread. Ready in 15 minutes as an appetizer or light meal.

Grilled chicken romaine vinaigrette, a Caesar-style main course salad with herb-marinated grilled chicken, romaine, Parmesan, water chestnuts, and croutons.

A lighter, healthier yet still tasty pizza is made with fresh homemade pizza dough, and topped with caramelized onion, artichoke hearts and parmesan cheese. Feel free to use store-bought or pre-made pizza dough or crust, it will still come out delicious.

Quick broiled tuna casserole with deviled-egg flavor, hard-boiled eggs, and a crispy cornflake-Parmesan topping. A 30-minute weeknight pantry main with retro charm.

Dense fudge truffle cheesecake on a chocolate cocoa-wafer crust. A pound and a half of cream cheese melted with sweetened condensed milk and 12 ounces of melted chocolate chips. Eats like a giant chocolate truffle.

High-protein cottage cheese vegetable dip blended smooth with Dijon mustard, curry powder, lemon juice, and onion. Lighter alternative to sour cream dip with a warm spice profile.

Brown sugar cheesecake marbled with chocolate on a pecan cookie crust, crowned with toasted pecan halves and drizzled with caramel. Southern praline indulgence in every bite.

Hawaiian cake layered with cream cheese vanilla pudding, crushed pineapple, whipped topping, coconut, walnuts, and maraschino cherries over a yellow cake base. A retro potluck showstopper.

Lighter chocolate caramel cheesecake made with fat-free cream cheese and low-fat graham crackers. Gooey caramel layer meets chocolate chip-studded filling for guilt-free indulgence.

Mocha chocolate cheesecake blends instant coffee and melted semi-sweet chocolate into a dense, ultra-creamy cream cheese filling on a graham crust. NY-style two-temperature bake.

Saucy scalloped beef pie with a ground beef or turkey meat crust filled with scalloped potatoes, mushrooms, and Parmesan. Upside-down shepherd's pie concept topped with chili sauce.

Italian-style mini meatloaves made with ground pork, Parmesan, and Italian seasoning. Ten individual portions glazed with ketchup for faster baking than a single large loaf.

Chilled pasta shells layered with basil pesto, spinach, Roma tomatoes, black olives, and shrimp. This make-ahead Italian pasta salad is a crowd-pleasing potluck star that only gets better as it sits.