Rich & Bold Cheese Pairings and Recipes

5 Ingredient Charcuterie Board

Let’s Make It

• Arrange all ingredients on wooden board or serving platter.

Apple Cheddar Puff Pastry Skewers with Bacon Jam

Let’s Make It

• Heat bacon and shallot in small saucepan over medium heat. Cook 10 min. or until crispy, stirring occasionally. Drain bacon fat; discard. Stir maple syrup into bacon; cook 2 min. Remove from heat and reserve.
• Meanwhile, toss apples with lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg in small bowl
  Heat oven to 400°F. Unfold pastry sheets onto cutting board; cut each sheet into 12 squares. Press 1 pastry square onto bottom and up side of each of 24 mini muffin pan cups sprayed with cooking spray.
• Top each pastry square with 1/2 tsp. reserved bacon jam, 1 cheese cube and 1 tsp. of cinnamon apples. Bake 18 to 20 min. or until pastry is golden brown. Gently transfer to serving plate.

Bacon, Cheddar and Gouda-Stuffed Monkey Bread

Let’s Make It

• Heat oven to 350°
• Mix butter, onions and garlic in large bowl until blended. Drizzle 1 Tbsp. butter mixture onto bottom of 9-inch round bundt pan sprayed with cooking spray.
• Place 1 each cheese cube and bacon piece on center of each dough piece; press dough around cheese and bacon until to completely enclosed. Place in prepared pan; drizzle with remaining butter mixture; toss to evenly coat dough pieces with butter mixture; mix lightly.
• Bake 35 min. or until golden brown; cool slightly. Cool 5 min. before removing from pan to serve.

Bloody Mary Board

Let’s Make It

• Arrange all ingredients on wooden board or serving platter.

Serving Suggestion:
Serve with freshly cracked black pepper and assorted hot sauces.

Candied Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Dates

Let’s Make It

• Heat oven to 375° Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
• Cut slit in long side of each date, being careful not to cut completely through date. Remove and discard pits. Cut each cheese slice into 4 rectangles. Stuff each date with 2 slices of cheese.
• Wrap 1 bacon piece around each date, completely enclosing cheese. Place seam side down on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Heat 1/4 cup honey, rosemary, crushed red pepper and cayenne pepper in small saucepan over low heat. Cook 1 min. or until fragrant. Brush dates with honey mixture; sprinkle with almonds.
• Bake 15 to 20 min. or until bacon is crisp.
• Transfer to serving platter; drizzle with remaining honey.

Cheesy Caprese Pesto Orzo Bake

Let’s Make It

• Heat oven to 375°
• Toss tomatoes, shallot, garlic and basil with oil and pepper in a 2-1/2 qt. baking dish; stir to combine. Bake 10 min.
• Remove from oven. Stir in pasta, pesto and broth until combined. Bake, covered, 15 to 20 min. or until liquid is absorbed. Stir pasta; sprinkle with cheese.
• Heat broiler to low. Place dish, 6 inches from heat; broil 3 to 5 min. or until cheese is melted and golden brown. Drizzle with balsamic glaze.

Special Extra:
Garnish with fresh basil leaves.

Cheesy Pizza Taquitos

Let’s Make It

• Heat oven to 400°
• Mix butter, Italian seasoning, and garlic in a small bowl until blended.
• Spread 1/2 tsp. butter on one side of each tortilla; top with 5 pepperoni slices, 1 Tbsp. pizza sauce and 1 cheese stick down the center. followed by 1 Tbsp. Roll up tortilla. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
• Place tortillas, seam sides down, on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread remaining butter over taquitos
• Bake 8 to 10 min. or until golden brown, flipping after 5 min.
• Serve taquitos with remaining pizza sauce.

Special Extra:
Garnish with fresh herbs.

Cracker Barrel Everyday Charcuterie Board

Let’s Make It

• Wrap prosciutto around breadsticks. Place on wooden board or serving platter.
• Arrange remaining ingredients around breadsticks.

Creamy Broccoli-Bacon Bake

Let’s Make It

• Heat oven to 425°F.
• Add broccoli and carrots to saucepan of boiling water; cook 2 to 3 min. or until crisp-tender. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water. Meanwhile, mix next 3 ingredients until blended.
• Return cooked vegetables to saucepan. Add cream cheese mixture and onions; stir until vegetables are evenly coated with sauce, adding reserved cooking water if necessary for desired consistency.
• Spoon into 2-qt. casserole sprayed with cooking spray; top with shredded cheese and bacon. Cover.
• Bake 25 min. or until heated through, uncovering for the last 5 min.

Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

Let’s Make It

• Combine pasta, cheese and pickles in large bowl.
• Mix pickle juice with remaining ingredients until blended. Add to pasta mixture; mix lightly.
• Refrigerate 2 hours or until chilled.

Special Extra:
Garnish with chopped fresh dill.

Substitute:
Prepare using 1 tsp. dried dill.

Easy Entertaining Charcuterie Board

Let’s Make It

• Arrange all ingredients on wooden board or serving platter.

Everything Bagel Cheddar Cheese Sticks

Let’s Make It

• Combine flour and 1 Tbsp. seasoning in shallow dish. Beat eggs in second shallow dish until blended. Combine bread crumbs and remaining seasoning in third shallow dish.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Dip cheese sticks, 1 at a time, in flour mixture, then eggs, then bread crumb mixture, turning to evenly coat all sides of cheese with each ingredient. Repeat to create a double coating.
• Place cheese sticks on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze 30 min.
• Heat oven to 400° Spray cheese sticks lightly with cooking spray. Bake 10 to 12 min. or until golden brown.
• Serve with marinara sauce.

French Onion Gnocchi

Let’s Make It

• Heat oven to 400°
• Heat butter in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic; cook 20 min. or until onions are golden brown, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in wine; cook and stir on medium-high heat 3 min. or until reduced by half. Add vegetable broth, heavy cream, Worcestershire sauce, cream, thyme, gnocchi and 1/2 cup shredded cheese; stir.
• Remove skillet from heat, top with remaining shredded cheese. Bake 15 min. or until cheese is melted and golden brown.

Special Extra:
Garnish with fresh thyme leaves.

Ham & Cheese Sliders with Fig Jam

Let’s Make It

• Remove rolls from package. Do not separate rolls. Cut block of rolls horizontally in half.
• Place bottom halves of rolls in 13×9-inch pan; top with ham and cheese.
• Spread jam onto cut sides of top halves of rolls; place, mayo sides down, over sandwiches.
• Mix remaining ingredients until blended; drizzle over sandwiches. Cover. Let stand 20 min.
• Heat oven to 350° Bake sandwiches (covered) 20 min. or until cheese is melted and sandwiches are heated through.

Holiday Charcuterie Board

Let’s Make It

• Arrange all ingredients on wooden board or serving platter.

Hot Bacon Cheddar Dip with Herb Crostini

Let’s Make It

• Heat oven to 375°
• Mix olive oil with parsley, paprika, ½ tsp. onion powder and ½ tsp. garlic powder in a small bowl until combined. Slice baguette into 40- ¼-inch rounds. Brush each bread slice with herb olive oil. Place on lined baking tray oiled side down. Bake 8 to 10 min. or until golden brown. Remove from oven and reserve.
• Beat cream cheese and sour cream with mixer until blended. Stir in 1-1/2 cups shredded cheese and 1/2 cup of cooked bacon. Spoon mixture into a 1 quart. baking dish. Top with remaining shredded cheese and bacon.
• Bake 15 to 20 min. until cheese is bubbly and edges are golden brown.
• Remove from oven and cool 10 min. before serving. Sprinkle with green onion. Serve with crostini.

Serving Suggestion:
Serve with fresh vegetables.

Kale & Apple Salad with Truffle Cheddar

Let’s Make It

• Cut stems off Brussels sprouts; discard. Cut sprouts lengthwise in half, then crosswise into thin strips; place in large bowl.
• Chop kale; add to Brussels sprouts.
• Shake olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon, honey and garlic together in a covered jar until blended. Add to kale mixture; toss to evenly coat. Let sit 5 min.
• Top with remaining ingredients; mix lightly.

Make-Ahead Egg Bake

Let’s Make It

• Whisk eggs and milk in large bowl until blended; stir in bread. Add spinach, bacon and 1-1/2 cups cheese; mix lightly.
• Pour into 13×9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; top with remaining cheese. Refrigerate overnight.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Bake casserole, uncovered, 48 to 50 min. or until top is puffed and golden brown, and knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Mini Dill Havarti Frittatas

Let’s Make It

• Heat oven to 350°
• Heat oil in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add asparagus; cook 3 to 5 min., stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
• Divide asparagus, ham and 3/4 cup cheese among 10 muffin cups sprayed with cooking spray.
• Whisk eggs and milk until blended; pour into muffin cups. Top with remaining cheese.
• Bake 18 to 20 min. or until centers are set.

Potatoes au Gratin

Let’s Make It

• Cook potatoes in boiling water 20 min. or just until tender; drain. Cover with cold water; cool.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in medium saucepan on medium heat. Add onions; cook and stir 2 min. Blend in flour and salt; cook 1 min. Gradually stir in milk; cook 5 min. or until thickened, stirring constantly. Add 1-1/4 cups cheddar; cook and stir 1 min. or until melted. Stir in mustard.
• Heat oven to 375°F. Peel potatoes; cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Layer alternately with cheese sauce in 2-qt. casserole sprayed with cooking spray, ending with sauce.
• Bake 25 to 30 min. or until heated through. Top with remaining cheeses; bake 5 min. or until melted.

Special Extra:
Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Quiche Lorraine au Fromage

Let’s Make It

• Use pulsing action of food processor to process flour, salt and butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add ice water, 1 Tbsp. at a time, pulsing just until mixture clings together and pulls away from side of food processor container. Remove dough; shape into ball. Flatten dough to 1/2-inch-thick round on large sheet of plastic wrap; wrap securely. Refrigerate 1 hour or until well chilled.
• Butter a 9-inch tart pan. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 11-inch round. Place in prepared pan; fold under and flute edge. Use a fork to poke evenly spaced holes in the bottom and side of the dough and refrigerate for 30 min.
• Heat oven to 400°F. Place tart on baking sheet. Line with foil, fill with pie weights and bake 15 min. Remove from oven, remove foil and pie weights. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F.
• Sprinkle bacon and 1 cup cheese onto bottom of crust. Whisk eggs and half-and-half until blended; pour into crust.
• Bake 25 to 30 min. Top with remaining cheese. Bake 10 min. or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 10 min. before removing tart ring and serving.

Summer Charcuterie Board

Let’s Make It

• Arrange all ingredients on wooden board or serving platter.

Swirled Herb Pesto and Garlic Knot Loaf

Let’s Make It

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Mix butter and garlic in a small bowl until blended.
• Roll pizza dough into 14×10-inch rectangle on lightly floured surface. Top with pesto and 1 cup cheese, leaving a 1/2-inch boarder on both short sides.
• Starting at one short side, roll up dough, pinching closed along the seam. Using a knife, slice halfway through the length of the entire roll, leaving 1-inch connected at the top.
• Twist gently the two pieces of dough over one another two or three times tucking the ends under to secure.
• Place loaf in 9×5-inch loaf pan sprayed with cooking spray. Brush with butter; top with remaining cheese.
• Bake 30 to 35 min. until the top is golden brown.

Truffle Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese

Let’s Make It

• Cook pasta as directed on package, omitting salt.
• Meanwhile, melt 1-1/2 tsp. butter in small skillet on medium heat. Add bread crumbs and Parmesan; cook and stir 2 to 3 min. or until lightly toasted. Reserve.
• Melt remaining 2 Tbsp. butter in large deep skillet or dutch oven on low heat. Add garlic; cook 30 sec. Add flour; cook and stir 2 min. or until hot and bubbly. Gradually whisk in milk. Bring to boil on medium heat, stirring constantly; simmer on low heat 3 to 5 min. or until thickened, stirring constantly.
• Remove from heat. Add cheddar cheese; stir until melted.
• Drain pasta. Add to cheese sauce; mix well. Sprinkle bread crumbs over cheese.

Special Extra:
Garnish with chopped fresh thyme.

Turkey, Havarti and Apricot Panini

Let’s Make It

• Heat greased panini grill.
• Spread 1 bread slice with preserves.
• Top with 1 cheese piece, spinach, turkey and remaining cheese piece; cover with remaining bread slice.
• Grill 4 to 5 min. or until cheese is melted and outside of sandwich is golden brown.