42. As has already been learned, cheese lends itself very readily to a
large variety of cooked dishes. For instance, it may be grated and
sprinkled on the top of mashed or creamed potatoes and then browned by
placing the dish in the oven. When it is grated or sliced, it may be
arranged between the layers of macaroni or other food used to make a
scalloped dish. Soups and sauces flavored with cheese are especially
appetizing, a cream sauce of this kind served over toast or rice making
an excellent luncheon dish. Toast or crackers spread with cheese and
placed in the oven just long enough for the cheese to melt are delicious
to serve with a salad course or with tea. To assist in the preparation
of such combinations, as well as other cheese dishes, a number of
recipes are here given. In making up these recipes, it will be well to
note that unless the variety of cheese is stated explicitly, use should
be made of American Cheddar cheese, or, as it is often called, _American
cream cheese_, or _store cheese_. Of course, some similar hard cheese
could be used if desired, but the kind mentioned is recommended for the
sake of economy.
[Illustration: FIG. 6]
43. CHEESE BONBONS.--A combination of cheese and nuts in the form of
cheese bonbons, besides being very tasty, is highly nutritious, since
both the cheese and the nuts used in making them are high in food
value. Such bonbons, which are illustrated in Fig. 6, may be served with
a light salad, such as a vegetable or a fruit salad, to add food value
to the dish, or they may be served with wafers to take the place of a
salad, when a small amount of some kind of tart jelly goes nicely with
them. If the dessert for the dinner has been a very light one, these
bonbons may be served with coffee and wafers after the dessert. They may
be made as follows:
CHEESE BONBONS
(Sufficient for Twelve Bonbons)
1 pkg. Neufchatel or cream cheese
2 Tb. finely chopped pimiento
1/2 tsp. salt
Few grains of paprika
1/3 c. half English-walnut meats
Work the cheese smooth with the pimiento and other seasoning, and if the
mixture is too dry add a little cream. Shape this into small balls,
press each ball flat, and then place a half nut on top of each. If the
pimiento is not desired, it may be omitted.
44. CHEESE SOUFFLE.--As a dish that will take the place of meat in a
light meal is often desired, cheese souffle, which is comparatively high
in food value, finds much favor. This dish contains milk, eggs, and
cheese, as is shown in the accompanying recipe, and so may actually be
considered as a protein dish and used accordingly. Souffle is served in
the dish in which it is baked, but if it is quite firm and is to be
eaten at once, it may be removed from the ramekin to a plate.
CHEESE SOUFFLE
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
3 Tb. butter
4 Tb. flour
1-1/4 c. milk
3/4 c. grated cheese
Dash of paprika
1/2 tsp. salt
3 eggs
Melt the butter, add the flour, mix well, and then gradually add the
milk, which should be scalded. To this sauce add the cheese, paprika,
and salt. When thoroughly mixed, remove from the fire and add the beaten
yolks of eggs, beating rapidly. Cool and fold in the stiffly beaten
whites of the eggs. Pour into a buttered baking dish or in ramekins and
bake 20 minutes in a slow oven. Serve at once.
45. CHEESE OMELET.--Grated cheese added to an omelet gives it a
delightful flavor. Since such an omelet is a high-protein dish, it
should never be served in the same meal in which meat, fish, or other
protein foods are served, but should be used as the main dish of a
luncheon or a light supper.
CHEESE OMELET
(Sufficient to Serve Four)
4 eggs
4 Tb. hot water
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tb. bread crumbs
1 c. grated cheese
1 Tb. butter
Beat the egg yolks thoroughly and add to them the hot water, salt,
crumbs, and cheese. Beat the egg whites until stiff, but not dry, and
fold them carefully into the yolk mixture. Heat the butter in an omelet
pan. Pour in the mixture, brown very slowly over the heat, and then
place in the oven to cook the top. Serve at once.
46. CHEESE SAUCE.--To give a distinctive flavor to white sauce, cheese
is often added to it. A sauce flavored in this way lends itself nicely
to the garnishing of croquettes or souffles, and it will be found quite
tasty if it is served over some vegetables, such as steamed cauliflower,
mashed potatoes, or rice served as a vegetable. Such sauce may also be
served over toast to make an attractive luncheon dish.
CHEESE SAUCE
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
2 c. milk
4 Tb. flour
4 Tb. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/2 c. grated cheese
Make a white sauce of the milk, flour, butter, salt, and paprika, and to
it add the grated cheese. If desired, a dash of catsup or chili sauce
may be added for flavoring.
47. CHEESE TOAST.--When toast has added to it eggs, milk, and cheese, as
in the recipe here given, it is sufficiently high in protein to serve as
a meat substitute and is a particularly good dish for a light meal. It
combines well with a vegetable salad for luncheon and is an excellent
dish to serve for Sunday night supper, when very little else need be
served with it.
CHEESE TOAST
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
2 c. milk
4 Tb. flour
4 Tb. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. grated cheese
2 hard-cooked eggs
6 squares of toast
Make a white sauce of the milk, flour, butter, and salt, and to it add
1/2 cupful of the grated cheese and the egg whites chopped fine. Arrange
the toast on a platter, pour the sauce over it, sprinkle the top with
the egg yolks that have been run through a ricer or a sieve, and
sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cupful of cheese over all. Place in hot oven
or under a broiler until the cheese melts a little. Serve hot.
[Illustration: FIG. 7]
48. WELSH RAREBIT.--Whenever a dish that can be made in a chafing dish
is desired, Welsh rarebit is immediately thought of. This is possibly
due to the fact that this tasty cheese dish is very often served at
evening parties, when a crowd may gather around a table and enjoy the
preparation of this food in the chafing dish. This kind of cooking
utensil, together with its outfit, which consists of a long-handled
spoon and fork, is shown in Fig. 7. As will be observed, a chafing dish
consists of a frame to which is attached a lamp that provides the heat,
a pan in which water is placed, another pan with a handle in which the
food is cooked, and a cover. The heat for cooking is furnished by
alcohol, although it is possible to get chafing dishes that are heated
by electricity. Chafing dishes are used by many housewives, for in
addition to the use mentioned, they serve very well for the making of
practically any kind of creamed dish, including those in which sea foods
and vegetables are used, as well as for the sauteing of foods. It should
not be understood, however, that Welsh rarebit must be made in a chafing
dish, for this food can be prepared as well in a heavy frying pan or a
double boiler; nor should it be taken for granted that it is served only
at parties, for it may be served as the main dish for luncheon or
supper. Rarebit is often flavored with ale or beer, but this is not
required to make an appetizing dish, as the following recipe shows.
WELSH RAREBIT
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
2 Tb. butter
1 Tb. flour
1 c. milk
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. paprika
1/2 lb. cheese cut into small pieces
6 slices of toast or 6 wafers
Melt the butter, add to it the flour, and stir until smooth. Gradually
add the milk, and cook for a few minutes; then add the salt, paprika,
and cheese, stirring until the cheese is melted. The finished rarebit
should not be stringy. Pour over the toast or wafers and serve.
49. ENGLISH MONKEY.--Another cheese dish that is frequently made in a
chafing dish and served from it is English monkey, but this may likewise
be made with ordinary kitchen utensils and served directly on plates
from the kitchen or from a bowl on the table. A dish of this kind is
most satisfactory if it is served as soon as the sauce is poured over
toast or wafers and before they have had time to become soaked. English
monkey may be made according to the following recipe and served for the
same purposes as Welsh rarebit.
ENGLISH MONKEY
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
1 c. bread crumbs
1 c. milk
1 Tb. butter
1/2 c. soft cheese cut into small pieces
1 egg
1/2 tsp. salt
6 buttered wafers
Soak the bread crumbs in the milk. Melt the butter and add to it the
cheese, stirring until the cheese is melted. Then add the soaked crumbs,
the slightly beaten egg, and the salt. Cook for a few minutes and pour
over wafers and serve. If desired, toast may be used in place of
the wafers.
50. CHEESE-AND-MACARONI LOAF.--Macaroni combined with cheese makes a
high-protein dish that very readily takes the place of meat and that may
be served as the main dish in a dinner. If this combination is made into
a loaf and baked well in an oblong bread pan, it may be turned out on a
platter and cut into slices. In case a loaf is not desired, it may be
baked in a baking dish and served directly from that. In either form,
it is made more appetizing by the addition of a tomato sauce.
CHEESE-AND-MACARONI LOAF
(Sufficient to Serve Eight)
1/2 c. macaroni (inch lengths)
1 c. milk
1 c. bread crumbs
2 Tb. chopped green peppers
1 Tb. chopped onion
1 Tb. chopped parsley
2 eggs
2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 c. grated cheese
1 Tb. butter
Cook the macaroni according to the directions given in _Cereals_. When
it is thoroughly soft, drain off the water and mix the macaroni with the
milk, bread crumbs, green pepper, onion, parsley, well-beaten egg, salt,
pepper, and grated cheese. Place in a baking dish, dot the top with
butter, and bake in a moderate oven until the mixture is set. Serve with
or without sauce, as desired.
51. CHEESE FONDUE.--A dish that is very similar to cheese souffle and
that must be served as soon as it comes from the oven in order to avoid
shrinking is cheese fondue. It satisfactorily takes the place of meat in
a light meal, and may be served from a large dish or from individual
baking dishes with or without sauce, as desired.
CHEESE FONDUE
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
1 1/2 c. soft bread crumbs
1 1/2 c. grated cheese
1 c. hot milk
4 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
Mix the bread crumbs and cheese, and add them to the hot milk, beaten
egg yolks, and salt. Fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites. Bake in a
buttered baking dish for about 30 minutes in a moderate oven. Serve
at once.
52. CHEESE DREAMS.--If something delicious to serve with fruit or salad
is desired for luncheon or Sunday night supper, the accompanying recipe
for cheese dreams should be tried. They should be served at once on
being taken from the stove, because as soon as they cool the cheese
hardens and they are not appetizing. Cheese dreams may be sauted or
prepared in a broiler or an oven, but if they are sauted, they may be
made in a chafing dish.
CHEESE DREAMS
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
12 thinly cut slices of bread
Butter
Cheese sliced 1/8 in. thick
Spread the bread thinly with butter and make sandwiches by placing a
slice of cheese between two slices of bread. Place these sandwiches
under a broiler or in a very hot oven and toast them on both sides, or
omit the butter from the center, place the sandwiches in a slightly
oiled frying pan, and brown them on both sides. In heating the
sandwiches, the cheese melts. Serve hot.
53. CHEESE WAFERS.--If made daintily, cheese wafers may be served with
salad or with tea for afternoon tea. The wafers selected for this
purpose should be small and the layer of cheese not very thick. If a
very thin broth is served at the beginning of a meal, cheese wafers may
accompany it, but they should never be served with a heavy soup.
CHEESE WAFERS
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
1 doz. wafers
Butter
3/4 grated cheese
Paprika
Spread the wafers thinly with butter and sprinkle each with 1
tablespoonful of grated cheese and a pinch of paprika. Bake in a hot
oven until the cheese is melted. Cool and serve.
[Illustration: FIG. 8]
54. CHEESE STRAWS.--Nothing can be more delightful to serve with a
vegetable salad than cheese straws, which are illustrated in Fig. 8. An
attractive way to serve them is to slip them through small rings made
out of strips of the dough mixture and baked at the same time the straws
are baked and then place them at the side of the salad plate. They may
accompany a fruit salad, as well as a vegetable salad, but they are not
appropriate for serving with a meat or a fish salad.
CHEESE STRAWS
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
1 Tb. butter
2/3 c. flour
1 c. bread crumbs
1 c. grated or cut cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Pinch of Cayenne pepper
1/2 c. milk
Cream the butter and to it add the flour, bread crumbs, cheese, and
seasonings. Mix thoroughly and add the milk. Roll 1/4 inch thick and
then cut 1/4 inch wide and 6 inches long. Bake until brown in a
moderately hot oven.
55. TOMATOES WITH CHEESE STUFFING.--The addition of cheese to the
stuffing used in stuffed tomatoes means added flavor, as well as
nutritive value in the form of protein, the food substance in which the
tomatoes themselves are lacking. The bread crumbs used for the stuffing
supply a large amount of carbohydrate, so that the completed dish,
besides being a very attractive one, contains all the food principles in
fairly large quantities. Stuffed tomatoes may be served as the main dish
in a light meal or as a vegetable dish in a heavy meal.
TOMATOES WITH CHEESE STUFFING
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
6 tomatoes
1 c. bread crumbs
1 c. grated cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 Tb. butter
1/4 c. hot water
Select medium-sized tomatoes and hollow out the centers. Mix the crumbs,
cheese, salt, pepper, butter, and hot water with the pulp from the
centers of the tomatoes. Fill the tomatoes with this stuffing, place in
a pan, and bake in a moderate oven until the tomato can be pierced
easily with a fork. Serve hot.
56. FIGS STUFFED WITH CHEESE.--As cheese is a very concentrated food, it
is often combined with another food to offset this effect. An excellent
combination is formed by stuffing figs with cheese. Figs prepared in
this way will be found to be very attractive and tasty and may be served
in the place of a dessert or a salad, depending on the kind and size of
the meal with which they are used.
FIGS STUFFED WITH CHEESE
(Sufficient to Serve Eight)
1 pkg. Neufchatel or cream cheese
2 Tb. cream
8 small pulled figs
Work the cheese and cream until soft. Steam the figs for 10 or 15
minutes or until they are soft; then cool them, cut out their stems,
fill their centers with the soft cheese, and serve.
57. CHEESE SANDWICHES.--Very appetizing sandwiches that may be used to
take the place of meat sandwiches or a protein dish at any time are made
with a cheese filling. If these are made very small and dainty, they may
be served with salad in a light meal. The addition of pickles, olives,
and pimiento, which are included in the accompanying recipe, makes the
filling more attractive than the usual plain cheese by producing in it a
variety of tastes. They also add bulk, which is lacking in both the
white bread and the cheese. If desired, graham or whole-wheat bread may
be used in place of white bread.
CHEESE SANDWICHES
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
1/4 lb. cheese
2 medium-sized pickles
1/2 pimiento
Meat from 1/2 doz. olives
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. paprika
Bread
Put the cheese, pickles, pimiento, and olives through a food chopper,
and when chopped add the salt and the paprika. If the mixture is not
moist enough to spread, add salad dressing or vinegar until it is of the
right consistency. Mix well and spread on thinly cut, buttered slices
of bread.