Wendy Townley's Three CheeseMac & Cheese

Since I began taking cooking seriously last year, I have continuously hunted for the perfect recipe for macaroni and cheese. As a kid I transitioned from the Kraft boxed variety to frozen Stouffer’s dinners. Each style of macaroni and cheese was tastier than the last, and left me wanting more. When I discovered hearty and creamy macaroni and cheese side dishes and entrees on restaurant menus, I was left speechless. Who knew so many fantastic extras and embellishments could make one of my favorite comfort foods even more perfect (and worth every penny).

On a recent Friday night, I stumbled upon a delicious, easy, and affordable macaroni and cheese recipe that is a little bit comfort, a little bit gourmet. Feel free to switch up the cheese flavors with those in your fridge (or those on sale). On my next attempt, I plan to swap out the havarti for a little smoked gouda.

Three Cheese Macaroni and Cheese

8 ounce package small pasta shells (or your favorite pasta shape)
Salt and black pepper to taste
A pinch of garlic salt
3 tablespoons of butter
2 cans condensed cream of cheddar cheese soup
1/3 cup shredded havarti cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded white cheddar cheese (for topping)

Boil the pasta in slightly salted water and drain. Return the pasta to a mixing bowl or casserole dish. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Add the butter until melted. Add the cheddar cheese soup, using anywhere between 1 and 1/2 cans, or two whole cans. Add the havarti cheese, parmesan cheese, and white cheddar cheese. Mix well.

Bake for 20 minutes in a 350-degree oven. Top the dish with the 1/2 cup shredded white cheddar cheese, and bake for an addition 5 to 7 minutes. Allow dish to cool slightly, and serve to a hungry crowd. Or just yourself; no one will judge you. Promise.

Ron Christian's Mashed Potato Pizza

1/2 lb thick sliced bacon
2-4 ounces of sour cream
3-4 ounce cream cheese
4 tbsp Butter
Granulated garlic, onion
Large pizza doe
1-2 cups of mild cheddar
Chives

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C). Cook bacon in a large deep skillet over medium heat until crisp. Drain, crumble and set aside.

Spread pizza dough on pizza pan, bake 5-10 mins till lightly golden, then let cool for a few minutes. Then spread a light layer of sour cream over pizza.

Add milk, cream cheese, and granulated garlic, granulated onion, kosher salt to mashed taters.

Spread mashed potatoes over the dough, leaving a small crust around the outside if you want. Sprinkle the cheese and bacon evenly over the potatoes.

Bake the pizza in the preheated oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly, 10-15 mins.
Let cool for 2 minutes, then slice into wedges and top each one with a small dollop of sour cream. And chives (green oinions) if desirable.

Healthified Cheesy Potatoes

We've replaced ingredients with great-tasting alternatives to create better-for-you recipes that are just as yummy as the originals.

Success

Thawed frozen potatoes are key to better mixing with lower-fat ingredients, and also help keep the bake time to an hour or less.

From eatbetteramerica.

Prep Time:15 min

Start to Finish:1 hr 15 min

makes:16 servings (about 1/2 cup each)

1	can (10 3/4 oz) condensed 98% fat-free cream of chicken soup with 45% less sodium
1	container (16 oz) reduced-fat sour cream
1/2	cup fat-free (skim) milk
2	tablespoons no-trans-fat 68% vegetable oil spread, melted
1/2	teaspoon salt
1/2	teaspoon pepper
1	bag (30 oz) frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
1/2	cup chopped onion (1 medium)
2	cups shredded 2% milk reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese (8 oz)
2	cups fat-free herb-seasoned croutons, coarsely crushed
1/2	teaspoon paprika, if desired

1.	Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.
2.	In large bowl, mix soup, sour cream, milk, melted vegetable oil spread, salt and pepper until blended. Stir in potatoes, onion and cheese. Spread evenly in baking dish. Sprinkle with crushed croutons and paprika.
3.	Bake uncovered 55 to 60 minutes or until top is golden brown and mixture is bubbly.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Bake 60 to 65 minutes.

Nutritional Information

1 Serving: Calories 170 (Calories from Fat 60); Total Fat 6g (Saturated Fat 3g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 15mg; Sodium 350mg; Total Carbohydrate 22g (Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugars 3g); Protein 6g % Daily Value*: Vitamin A 4%; Vitamin C 6%; Calcium 15%; Iron 4% Exchanges: 1 1/2 Starch; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 1 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 1 1/2 MyPyramid Servings: 1/2 c Dairy, 1/2 c Vegetables
*% Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Two Rules of Cheese Storage

Whoever said, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,"
must have been a deli owner. Think about it. With all that cheese
in those cases, have you ever seen one in a lovely shade of green?
Never. In fact, all I know about the proper care and handling of
cheese I learned from a deli owner.

He introduced me to the two archenemies of cheese: air and bacteria.

OUNCE OF PREVENTION:

Limit exposure to air and you can greatly extend the useful life
of any type of cheese. Make sure that you keep hard cheeses like
cheddar and Monterey Jack wrapped tightly with plastic wrap.
Each time you open it, reseal as tightly and completely as possible.
That takes care of the air problem.

BACTERIA:

I know that it takes bacteria to make cheese in the first place,
but that is much different from the kind of bacteria on your hands.
So the second rule of mold prevention is don't touch the cheese.
Even when you wash your hands well, some amount of bacteria remains,
and while it's not at all harmful to you or the cheese, that's what
gets the green thing going. Either wear food-preparation gloves or
make sure the plastic is always creating a barrier between your hands
and the portion of the cheese that's going back into the refrigerator.

POUND OF CURE: For cheese that has already turned, there are a couple
of remedies. You can actually wipe the mold away with a clean cloth
you've dipped into white vinegar. Not the most pleasant job, but it does work in saving the cheese.

Another useful technique is to simply cut away the moldy parts.
Once all the green is gone, treat this as you would a new block
of cheese by following the two rules above.

I'll close today's column with a bonus tip that will at least double
the shelf life of cottage cheese. Once opened, stir in a pinch of salt.
That retards the growth of bacteria without affecting the taste.
Apply the lid tightly to the unused portion and then store it upside
down in the refrigerator. This will seal out the air.