Cheese recipes

Surprise cheeseburgers are stuffed patties hiding a molten core of sharp cheddar cheese spread, dill relish, and mustard. Broiled until juicy and served on toasted buns: think Juicy Lucy meets American Sunday lunch.

Lighter chocolate caramel cheesecake built on a crispy rice cereal crust with nonfat cream cheese, fat-free sour cream, and egg whites. A gooey caramel layer and chocolate-walnut crumble keep things indulgent without the guilt.

Hearty reuben soup with corned beef brisket, sauerkraut, red cabbage, and dark beer, finished with melty swiss cheese and pumpernickel croutons. Every bite of a classic deli reuben in a bowl.

Smoked salmon pizza on homemade yeast dough with fresh tomato, garlic, dill, Asiago cheese, and capers. The salmon goes on in the last 3 minutes so it stays silky, not rubbery.

Bay scallops with pasta shells in a fresh tomato cream sauce made with white wine, shallots, basil, and reduced heavy cream. An elegant 45-minute seafood pasta dinner.

Nuclear chicken wings: oven-baked wings glazed with a double-hot sauce of Tabasco and habanero, brown sugar, vinegar, and ground red pepper. For the chili-head crowd. Serve with blue cheese.

Watermelon rind pickle: sweet-spiced preserves made from the often-discarded rind with cloves, allspice, vinegar, and sugar. A Southern canning tradition worth keeping.

Loaded queso dip with sausage, jalapeno, red bell pepper, and melted American cheese in chicken broth. A Tex-Mex cheese dip that doubles as a sauce for potatoes or noodles.

Ground beef and eggplant macaroni casserole with sour cream, pimentos, and cheddar cheese. Italian-seasoned, baked until the eggplant is tender and the cheese is golden. A crowd-pleasing potluck dish.

Homemade pizza from scratch in 30 minutes using a food processor dough with fast-rising yeast, fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. Crispy cornmeal crust, no rise time needed.

Simple, but scrumptious snacks that are perfect when on the go. Try different toppings to add some variety.

One-pan chicken and broccoli rabe sautéed in oil from sun-dried tomatoes, finished with black olives and crumbled feta. A Mediterranean weeknight dinner ready in under 15 minutes with bold, salty, garlicky flavor.

Chicken livers browned in bacon drippings, simmered in dry sherry and tomato sauce with mushrooms, onions, and herbs. Served over rice, polenta, or pasta with grated Parmesan. Ready in 20 minutes.

This is a flexible recipe, in any way it tastes always great.

Tender chicken breast strips and red potatoes simmer in a light garlic broth brightened with lemon zest, fresh cilantro, and a Parmesan finish. Ready in 35 minutes.

Sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, Kalamata olives, mushrooms, and pine nuts tossed with fresh spinach and pasta, finished with crumbled feta. A Mediterranean pasta loaded with bold, briny flavors.