Cheddar Cheese Ball

Someone made this for me at a baby shower for my second pregnancy. I absolutely loved it, and begged for the recipe. Even though I don’t remember the name of the woman who gave it to me, I still have her orange index card with the recipe typed out. It’s still my favorite cheese ball ever.

Note: I’ve tried making this with already-shredded cheese, and by shredding it with my food processor and it doesn’t turn out as well. Hand shredding is a pain, no doubt about it, but the results are much better. Also, it’s best if made a day or so prior to serving.

Ingredients:
1 pound cheddar cheese
½ t salt
½ t dry mustard
Small onion, very finely diced
2 T melted butter
1 T ketchup
2 to 3 T light mayo
Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

• Grate the cheese into a large mixing bowl
• Thoroughly mix everything except the grated cheese in a small bowl
• Add the mixture to the grated cheese and mix thoroughly
• Either roll the mixture into a ball or place in a serving dish
• Sprinkle paprika over the top
• Set out 30 minutes before serving for easier spreading

Chicken and Swiss Cheese Casserole

When my children were growing up, I made a lot of chicken and rice dishes. A lot. So when they hit their teen years, they both basically refused to eat them anymore. Now that they're adults, I think the dislike has worn off and one has even asked for a few of the recipes, including this one.

A few words before I get to the recipe: You can make your rice on the stove if you prefer, but I have come to love my rice steamer. If you don't have one, you can make it on the stove and cook it with the broth and herbs and onions. Either way works.

Ingredients:

Casserole
2 T butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, either minced or put through a garlic press
3 C cooked rice (I use brown rice)
1/8 C sherry or white wine (not cooking wine) or vermouth
Water or broth to deglaze the pan
1 bay leaf
2 t dried thyme or about 1 t fresh
1 ½ C cooked, diced chicken
6 to 8 ounces shredded Swiss cheese

Topping
2 T butter
1 T flour
1/3 C milk
Paprika to sprinkle

Directions:

Casserole

• Preheat the oven to 350F.
• Melt the butter in a large heavy skillet.
• Sauté the onion and garlic in the butter until the onion is clear.
• Add the sherry or white wine or vermouth and enough water or broth to deglaze the pan.
• Add the diced chicken and heat thoroughly.
• Quickly combine the chicken mixture, cooked rice and Swiss cheese and put into a large greased casserole pan.

Topping

• Melt the butter in a small pan over low heat.
• Stir in the flour ensuring you have no lumps.
• Slowly add the milk and stir constantly until thickened.
• Pour over the casserole and sprinkle the top with paprika.
• Cover and bake about 20 minutes.

Macaroni and Cheese

When my younger son was little, I bowed to the tyranny of a two year old and made mac & cheese from the blue box. But honestly that stuff is expensive and full of strange ingredients. Plus I dislike using canned soups a great deal. In fact, you could say I downright hate it. Fortunately this mac & cheese recipe doesn’t rquire cans of anything.

Ingredients:

2 cups pasta (we prefer gemelli but if you like elbow macaroni, have at it)
4 T butter
¼ C all-purpose flour
3 C milk
2 C shredded semi-hard cheese (cheddar, Gouda, Monterey Jack—whatever you have on hand and feel free to mix it up)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2/3 C freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions:

• Preheat the broiler.
• Cook your pasta OR follow my "no humidity added to the house" method described below. Drain well.
• In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.
• Whisk in the flour until a paste forms.
• Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth.
• Bring the sauce to the boil over moderately high heat, stirring or whisking constantly, until thickened.
• Remove the pan from the heat and add in the shredded cheeses until melted (not the Parmigiano-Reggiano just yet).
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Stir in the cooked pasta and then put the mixture into a 9 x 13 glass or ceramic baking pan.
• Top with the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
• Broil about four inches from the heat for about four minutes or until richly browned.
• Let the dish sit for about five minutes before serving.

*Bonus no-humidity method for cooking pasta:

• Bring the water to the boil in a covered saucepan.
• Add the pasta, cover and immediately turn off the heat.
• Let sit, covered, on the stove for 20 minutes.
• Drain and enjoy your humidity-free home.

Caveat: Angel hair pasta doesn’t really need the full 20 minutes and gemelli may take up to 25 minutes.