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Whatever your taste, there's a cheese for you. Here I am with cheese on my brain again. Unless you can’t eat cheese for health reasons or just plain don’t like it, try to use it often in your meal planning as the nutritional value in cheese is high. Cheese in its concentrated form contains the complete protein, casein, as well as calcium, phosphorous and vitamin A.

Until the middle of the 19th century, cheese making was a local farm industry. Housewives made cheese from the surplus milk produced on the farm. Cheese making in the U.S., and other leading cheese producing countries in the world, is now pretty much a factory industry with only a small amount being made on farms for home use. Changes and improvements in cheese making have brought forth over 1,000 varieties of cheese that range in texture from soft to hard, flavor from mild to sharp and added ingredients such as dill, jalapeno peppers, etc. Whatever your taste, there is a cheese for you. And, aren’t we lucky to have Eichten’s Cheese Shop nearby so that we can try different kinds of cheese.

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Do you like to use Shake & Bake when fixing poultry or pork chops? This recipe is easy to make and less expensive than that on the grocery shelf.

HOMEMADE SHAKE & BAKE

2 c. fine dry bread or saltine cracker crumbs

1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese

1/4 c. dry parsley flakes

1 t. garlic salt

1 t. salt

1/8 to. white or black pepper

Combine all ingredients in bowl, mixing well. Transfer to plastic zipper bag or container with tight fitting lid.

To use, dip chicken pieces in melted butter or margarine, then in crumb mixture. (I put crumbs in a pie pan or shallow bowl to coat.) Put on shallow pan and drizzle any leftover butter over pieces. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Store leftovers in fridge or freezer.

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This is one of my favorite recipes to serve for family or friends.

STUFFED MACARONI SHELLS

1/2 lb. Italian sausage

1/2 c. diced onion

1/2 t. minced fresh garlic

2-15 oz. cans tomato sauce

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

1 large egg

1 c. riccota cheese

1/2 c. grated parmesan or romano cheese (could substitute assiago)

3 T. fresh parsley

1/2 c. milk

18 large macaroni shells (the really big ones)

Cook shells according to package directions; set aside.

Fry sausage in 3 qt. saucepan. When pink color is gone, add onion and garlic. Drain off any fat. Add tomato sauce and spices. Bring to a boil; lower heat and simmer about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine eggs, cheeses, parsley and milk.

Spread a coating of the meat mixture on bottom of 9x13 baking pan (saving some for topping shells). Fill each shell with cheese mixture. Make three rows, six in a row in pan. Spoon rest of sauce on top of shells. Sprinkle with a little more parmesan near end of baking time.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serves 5-6.

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This is a delicious hot bread to serve with the stuffed shells or with spaghetti, lasagna, veal parmesan, etc. If you like onions, you’ll like this bread. Fix it while the stuffed shells are baking.

CHEESY ONION LOAF

1-1 lb. loaf Vienna bread, unsliced (call the bakery ahead of time to get an unsliced loaf)

1/2 c. butter

2 c. thinly sliced onions

1 c. (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese (or your favorite “melting” cheese)

Slice bread about three-fourths of the way through into 1/2-inch slices.

Melt butter in a large skillet; saute onions until tender and butter is absorbed (about 6 minutes). Save one-third of the cooked onion mixture.

Divide the onion mixture between each slice of bread. Save 1/2 c. of the cheese. Sprinkle small amount of cheese between each slice of bread. Spread rest of onions and cheese over top of bread.

Bake at 350 degrees about 8 minutes or until cheese is melted and bread is warm. Serve immediately. Serves 6.

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This recipe may sound weird to you, but it is really good and makes a great sandwich for lunch.

BROILED SWISS AND PEAR SANDWICH

2 slices bread, toasted

2 slices swiss cheese

1 small fresh pear, peeled, cored and sliced about 1/4-inch thick

1 t. sugar

1/8 t. cinnamon

Put a slice of cheese on each slice of toast. Arrange pears on cheese. Combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle over pears. Broil 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned, about 6-inches from heat. Watch closely. Serve hot. Serves one.

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Thought for the day: Simple solutions seldom are.

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