As summer comes to an end, almost muted by the hectic schedules brought about by the new school year, be sure to take some time to relax and enjoy a picnic. Don't forget the cheese! All you need is a small cooler of goodies, a blanket, a plate and knife, a friend or two (or not), and a destination. The local winery is a great destination, and so would be any of our State parks. How about your own back yard?
Cheese is an easy choice for an impromptu gathering or a quick snack. With or without crackers, a bite of cheese alone or paired with sliced apples, grapes, olives, wine, grape or apple juice, salami or summer sausage.....I could go on....but you probably know what I mean.
A wedge of cheese also makes a nice hostess gift when you are an invited guest to someone else's home or picnic!
Right now in the store we have a good selection of well-priced cheeses for snacking or cooking, including:
- Danish Havarti - 8 oz. - $3.99
- Ohio Lacey Baby Swiss - 12 oz. - $4.99
- Asiago (crafted in Wisconsin) - 8 oz. $3.99
- Parmesan (Wisconsin) - 8 oz. $3.99
- Gorgonzola (Wisconsin) - 8 oz. $4.99
- Applewood-smoked Gouda (Wisconsin) - 8 oz. $4.99
- Sharp Cheddar (Wisconsin) - 8 oz. $3.99
- Ricotta (Ohio) - 15 oz. $3.50
- String Cheese (Wisconsin) - 1 oz. servings 59 cents
- Cottage Cheese (Ohio) - 16 oz. $2.59
- Shredded cheddar and shredded mozzarella (Ohio)
- Sliced provolone, sliced swiss, sliced colby (Wisconsin)
The gorgonzola is a crumbly wedge, perfect for salads. If you haven't tried a salad of lettuce greens, tomatoes, and crumbled bacon with some gorgonzola cheese and a light vinaigrette dressing, you are missing out! I like to toss in something tart also such as black olives or cranberries. If you want some crunch, add a spoonful of chopped nuts or seeds. No need for anything else; this is a meal in itself!
The end of summer is a great time to enjoy homemade lasagna with lots of cheese! With the colder evenings, heating up the kitchen might be welcome. Lasagna is a great way to use up some of those abundant veggies from the garden, especially tomatoes, zucchini, and greens. The leftovers freeze well and make a very appreciated easy lunch or dinner at a moment's notice.
There are many versions of lasagna recipes, and limitless variations. Each one calls for different ways of using the ricotta (or even substituting cottage cheese). I prefer adding nothing to the ricotta....or if I add anything it might be a dash of milk to make it creamier and some Italian herbs, though I have also added beaten egg and sour cream. I like to use a lot of other cheeses as well such as mozzarella, provolone, and parmesan among the layers of noodles, tomatoes, and vegetables, with or without a meaty sauce.
If you are watching your carbs, as many of us are, you do not even need to use lasagna noodles! Layers of sliced zucchini or eggplant work nicely with a top layer of sliced tomatoes. Or you could just use one layer of noodles on the bottom and the other layers veggies and cheese and sauce. Don't forget the garlic, mushrooms and a few drops of extra virgin olive oil, especially if you are going meatless.
You could also make a Latin-style lasagna (rather than traditional Italian), by using some cheddar or jack cheese and adding layers of veggies such as peppers, onions, tomatoes, and black beans or pinto beans and some different spices such as cumin and paprika and cayenne pepper. Cottage cheese mixed with sour cream might be a better choice than ricotta in this recipe. Just before serving, add some crumbled tortilla chips on top of your lasagna and some shredded cheese to melt quickly in the oven. Chopped green onions make a nice garnish too. If you want to add meat to the layers, any ground beef, pork, chorizo, or slices of chicken work well. Any salsa could be used as a sauce.
Now I'm getting hungry! How about you?
