Cheese recipes

Hunkar begendi, a classic Turkish dish of smoked eggplant folded into a creamy bechamel sauce with mozzarella and nutmeg. Smoky, silky, and rich from charring the eggplant whole.

Overnight crab strata with sourdough bread, ricotta, Monterey Jack, and sharp cheddar layered with green chiles and a mustard egg custard. Assemble tonight, bake tomorrow morning.

Fran's BBQ meatloaf stuffed with mashed potatoes and cheese, bound with mashed baked beans and a tangy BBQ-ketchup-mustard mix. A hearty three-in-one dinner loaf.

Lighter pumpkin cream cheese pie with fat-free cream cheese, egg whites, and maple syrup in a phyllo pastry crust. All the fall flavor with less guilt per slice.

Layered oatmeal bars with a buttery cinnamon-butterscotch crumble, tangy cream cheese filling, and a golden crumb topping. Cut into squares for a crowd-pleasing treat.

German cottage cheese and oil pastry dough (Quark-Öl-Teig): a tender, no-butter base for fruit tarts, sweet rolls, and stollen made without yeast. Quick to mix and ready to roll in 20 minutes.

Ground beef cheese custard casserole with eggs, milk, mustard, shredded cheese, and toasted bread squares on top. Old-school savory custard for weeknight dinner.

Classic family cheesecake with a cinnamon graham cracker crust, rich cream cheese filling, and a whipped sour cream topping baked on in the final minutes. Chill 24 hours for the best texture.

Italian baked calzones stuffed with seasoned ground beef, sun-dried tomatoes, wilted spinach, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Hand-sealed pizza dough pockets that bake up golden and crisp.

Cottage cheese Jello salad with dry orange Jello powder, crushed pineapple, mandarin oranges, and whipped cream. No boiling, no setting time. A fluffy, creamy retro potluck side ready in 10 minutes.

Three cheese balls from one base: blue cheese rolled in fresh herbs, garlicky pecan-coated, and peppercorn-crusted. A retro appetizer that covers every flavor preference on the party platter.

Baked Italian mac and cheese built on a from-scratch bechamel and three cheeses, ricotta, white cheddar, and Romano, with fresh basil and a crisp Italian breadcrumb top. Creamy inside, golden on top.

Cheese and chile squares, a baked appetizer of cottage cheese, Longhorn cheddar and Monterey Jack layered with green chiles and a tabasco-spiked egg custard. Cuts into 24 crowd-ready bites for parties.

Use light or low-fat cream cheese to reduce the fat and calories even further than this tasty rich buttercream frosting alternative.

Cheese grits casserole bakes garlic grits with cheddar, eggs, butter, and Parmesan into a rich Southern side dish, topped with jalapenos and paprika for the spicy upgrade. Brunch staple.

Pear and blue cheese pizza, a five-ingredient bistro-style flatbread with ripe pears, double-cream blue cheese, honey, and thyme. Ready in 30 minutes for an elegant starter or light dinner.