Please save my marriage. With cheese.
November 8, 2014 12:55 PM Subscribe
We're making a sort of fancified mac and cheese dish that uses a quantity of shredded Gruyere and Gouda. So I shredded the cheese, without actually reading the recipe, and shredded all the cheese we bought. That turns out to be more or less twice the cheese we actually need. Help!
Now my wife is melting down instead of the cheese, and we've got a bunch of leftover Gruyere and Gouda, all shredded and mixed up. Never again shall they be separate. Or sliced. So since we don't want to just make another big thing of mac and cheese, what is some other thing we can make with that remaining cheese?
(my wife will probably not really leave me over this. at least I don't think so...)
Now my wife is melting down instead of the cheese, and we've got a bunch of leftover Gruyere and Gouda, all shredded and mixed up. Never again shall they be separate. Or sliced. So since we don't want to just make another big thing of mac and cheese, what is some other thing we can make with that remaining cheese?
(my wife will probably not really leave me over this. at least I don't think so...)
Am I the only person who loves eating fingerfuls of shredded cheese? That wouldn't last a few days in this house...
posted by The Michael The at 1:00 PM on November 8, 2014 [32 favorites]
posted by The Michael The at 1:00 PM on November 8, 2014 [32 favorites]
Best answer: What you have right there is a fancy fondue dinner that you were planning to surprise your wife with all along.
posted by deludingmyself at 1:00 PM on November 8, 2014 [53 favorites]
posted by deludingmyself at 1:00 PM on November 8, 2014 [53 favorites]
I'd just toast it in a sandwich for lunch.
posted by pipeski at 1:00 PM on November 8, 2014 [9 favorites]
posted by pipeski at 1:00 PM on November 8, 2014 [9 favorites]
Seriously. Alton Brown's got your back on this. Definitely go with some broccoli for dipping as well as just carby things.
posted by deludingmyself at 1:01 PM on November 8, 2014 [4 favorites]
posted by deludingmyself at 1:01 PM on November 8, 2014 [4 favorites]
Welsh rarebit? Cheddar is traditional, but I'd think the gouda-gruyere mix would go well with a strong dark ale. And with the beer and mustard and whatnot, hopefully it'd taste different enough from the Mac n cheese that you won't feel like you're eating the same thing twice.
posted by Diablevert at 1:03 PM on November 8, 2014 [9 favorites]
posted by Diablevert at 1:03 PM on November 8, 2014 [9 favorites]
Awesome things to do with fancy shredded cheese:
-Fondue
-Grilled cheese sammiches (especially awesome if paired with say, a tangy relish or chutney or quince paste or caramelized onions). Serve, of course, with a homemade tomato soup
-The absolute best creamed spinach you've ever had
-Frittata with leeks and roasted red peppers (or other veg of choice)
posted by carrioncomfort at 1:03 PM on November 8, 2014 [5 favorites]
-Fondue
-Grilled cheese sammiches (especially awesome if paired with say, a tangy relish or chutney or quince paste or caramelized onions). Serve, of course, with a homemade tomato soup
-The absolute best creamed spinach you've ever had
-Frittata with leeks and roasted red peppers (or other veg of choice)
posted by carrioncomfort at 1:03 PM on November 8, 2014 [5 favorites]
This smitten kitchen cauliflower and caramelized onion tart is delicious, but it does call for even more cheese. Ok, I am no good at links.
posted by florencetnoa at 1:05 PM on November 8, 2014
posted by florencetnoa at 1:05 PM on November 8, 2014
I would just freeze it to use in another batch of the same mac & cheese at a later date.
Yeah, left over cheese that's going to be used in cooking can be frozen perfectly well. You can even freeze it freeflow (i.e. spread out rather than in one lump then thrown in a bag) then just grab handfuls out as needed. So there's no emergency in using this, you can try everyone's ideas as you go along and when you're ready.
posted by shelleycat at 1:06 PM on November 8, 2014 [3 favorites]
Yeah, left over cheese that's going to be used in cooking can be frozen perfectly well. You can even freeze it freeflow (i.e. spread out rather than in one lump then thrown in a bag) then just grab handfuls out as needed. So there's no emergency in using this, you can try everyone's ideas as you go along and when you're ready.
posted by shelleycat at 1:06 PM on November 8, 2014 [3 favorites]
Make the best (non-)cheddar bay biscuits ever?
posted by Woodroar at 1:07 PM on November 8, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by Woodroar at 1:07 PM on November 8, 2014 [2 favorites]
North European pizza? Or tacos? Topping for jacket potatoes? Cheese soup?
posted by Perodicticus potto at 1:10 PM on November 8, 2014
posted by Perodicticus potto at 1:10 PM on November 8, 2014
Mac and cheese also freezes perfectly well if you want to run and buy some more pasta.
But nthing the advice to freeze it. Shred-and-freeze is my default cheese storage method, since I don't eat blocks of cheese fast enough to get to all of it before mold gets to it in the fridge.
posted by Wilbefort at 1:23 PM on November 8, 2014
But nthing the advice to freeze it. Shred-and-freeze is my default cheese storage method, since I don't eat blocks of cheese fast enough to get to all of it before mold gets to it in the fridge.
posted by Wilbefort at 1:23 PM on November 8, 2014
This gratin from smitten kitchen is super versatile. More cheese is good! And I often use kale instead of chard.
http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2009/11/swiss-chard-and-sweet-potato-gratin/
posted by boofidies at 1:54 PM on November 8, 2014
http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2009/11/swiss-chard-and-sweet-potato-gratin/
posted by boofidies at 1:54 PM on November 8, 2014
Cheesy Scallion Biscuits
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus 1/2 cup pastry flour (10 oz total)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt (3/4 teaspoon of the regular table kind)
1 cup (4 ounces) roughly shredded cheddar cheese, preferably something nice and sharp
1/4 cup scallions (2-3 scallions, all the whites, most of the greens, chopped pretty fine)
1 tsp dried herbs (sage works well with cheddar)
1 cup cold buttermilk
1 stick butter, melted and cooled slightly
Directions:
1. Set up an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 475 degrees.
2. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, scallions, herbs, and cheese in the large bowl.
3. Combine buttermilk and butter in a small bowl/Pyrex measuring cups and stir briefly until it forms clumps.
4. Pour clumpy butter-buttermilk into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined (batter will pull away from the sides of the bowl). Do not overmix! 10 stirs, plus a little rolling around to catch the pool of dry stuff on the bottom should do.
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
6. Scoop and drop batter onto baking sheets. I use a disher (maybe 1/4 cup?). Space the biscuits about 1 1/2 inches apart.
7. Bake the biscuits until their tops are golden brown and crisp, 12 to 14 minutes.
8. You can brush more melted butter on top, but I don''t find it makes that much difference.
You can mess around with the cheese and herbs -- cheddar and sage/basil, ementhaler and dill, etc.I have even done bleu cheese and ham, but reduce the salt a lot if you go this route. For your mix, I think sage would be a good herb.
Anyway, these biscuits are tasty warm or room temperature, and they keep for a few days in a zip lock bag.
posted by GenjiandProust at 1:57 PM on November 8, 2014 [5 favorites]
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus 1/2 cup pastry flour (10 oz total)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt (3/4 teaspoon of the regular table kind)
1 cup (4 ounces) roughly shredded cheddar cheese, preferably something nice and sharp
1/4 cup scallions (2-3 scallions, all the whites, most of the greens, chopped pretty fine)
1 tsp dried herbs (sage works well with cheddar)
1 cup cold buttermilk
1 stick butter, melted and cooled slightly
Directions:
1. Set up an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 475 degrees.
2. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, scallions, herbs, and cheese in the large bowl.
3. Combine buttermilk and butter in a small bowl/Pyrex measuring cups and stir briefly until it forms clumps.
4. Pour clumpy butter-buttermilk into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined (batter will pull away from the sides of the bowl). Do not overmix! 10 stirs, plus a little rolling around to catch the pool of dry stuff on the bottom should do.
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
6. Scoop and drop batter onto baking sheets. I use a disher (maybe 1/4 cup?). Space the biscuits about 1 1/2 inches apart.
7. Bake the biscuits until their tops are golden brown and crisp, 12 to 14 minutes.
8. You can brush more melted butter on top, but I don''t find it makes that much difference.
You can mess around with the cheese and herbs -- cheddar and sage/basil, ementhaler and dill, etc.I have even done bleu cheese and ham, but reduce the salt a lot if you go this route. For your mix, I think sage would be a good herb.
Anyway, these biscuits are tasty warm or room temperature, and they keep for a few days in a zip lock bag.
posted by GenjiandProust at 1:57 PM on November 8, 2014 [5 favorites]
You can just bring some wine and a clove of garlic to a boil, let it simmer for five minutes, toss the shredded cheese with cornstarch, add it to the wine (low heat) and bang, you got yourself a stew. No, wait, you've got yourself fondue. Salt and pepper, I like a little mustard and Worcestershire to make it a little welsh rarebit-y, but that's all it is. Sometimes I do this with beer instead. It isn't classic fondue, but who cares.
You need to kind of eyeball it to get the volume right. You can pour some boiling water into a casserole dish to get it hot, and pour the cheese into it, and the warmth will keep it nice for a while while you're dipping bread into it. And by your third glass of wine everything will be lovely again.
If you have leftovers just throw it in the fridge and the next day you can pour it on top of a piece of toast and run it under a broiler. Then it's even more welsh rarebit-y.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 1:59 PM on November 8, 2014
You need to kind of eyeball it to get the volume right. You can pour some boiling water into a casserole dish to get it hot, and pour the cheese into it, and the warmth will keep it nice for a while while you're dipping bread into it. And by your third glass of wine everything will be lovely again.
If you have leftovers just throw it in the fridge and the next day you can pour it on top of a piece of toast and run it under a broiler. Then it's even more welsh rarebit-y.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 1:59 PM on November 8, 2014
Use it to top French onion soup.
posted by joycehealy at 2:12 PM on November 8, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by joycehealy at 2:12 PM on November 8, 2014 [2 favorites]
Cheese shortbread! Easy if you have a food processor.
I double up on the cayenne and add a pinch of black pepper.
The rolled logs also freeze very well so you could save them to slice and bake during holiday parties etc. if you were so inclined.
posted by hellomiss at 2:34 PM on November 8, 2014 [1 favorite]
I double up on the cayenne and add a pinch of black pepper.
The rolled logs also freeze very well so you could save them to slice and bake during holiday parties etc. if you were so inclined.
posted by hellomiss at 2:34 PM on November 8, 2014 [1 favorite]
stuff pork chops or a chicken breast with some of the cheese mixed with herbs and then mix a little bit of it with panko and regular breadcrumbs, with the seasonings of your choice, and bread your chicken or pork chop and bake. if you do the chicken you can add a thick slice of ham to the stuffing and have a pretty tasty cordon-bleu like dish.
posted by nadawi at 2:45 PM on November 8, 2014
posted by nadawi at 2:45 PM on November 8, 2014
I would just make double the amount of mac n cheese, prolly. I can't really understand the concept of "we have too much cheese," though.
posted by poffin boffin at 2:51 PM on November 8, 2014 [7 favorites]
posted by poffin boffin at 2:51 PM on November 8, 2014 [7 favorites]
Nthing freezing. The only "bad" thing that happens to frozen cheese is that it gets hard to slice and easier to grate...not an issue for you. But you ABSOLUTELY must squeeze all of the air out (of which there is more in a bag of grated cheese) or you will get ice crystals and freezer burn.
posted by sarahkeebs at 2:54 PM on November 8, 2014
posted by sarahkeebs at 2:54 PM on November 8, 2014
nachos
posted by justjess at 2:58 PM on November 8, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by justjess at 2:58 PM on November 8, 2014 [2 favorites]
I also came in to say "freeze the excess cheese." You can use it for any one of these recipes at a later date, though it will be more useful then if you weigh and/or divide it up into say 100g baggies now before freezing.
posted by DarlingBri at 3:05 PM on November 8, 2014
posted by DarlingBri at 3:05 PM on November 8, 2014
Personally I'd just put it in/on the mac and cheese you're making now. I always add more than the recipe says and have never regretted it. (eponysterical?)
posted by masquesoporfavor at 3:13 PM on November 8, 2014 [5 favorites]
posted by masquesoporfavor at 3:13 PM on November 8, 2014 [5 favorites]
1. Cheesy broccoli soup would use up a lot of shredded cheese and be delicious. Especially if it's getting colder where you live! Take your pick of a recipe. Just replace the cheddar most recipes call for with your cheese.
2. Queso for some nachos/quesadillas/whatever might be good, although if you have a lot of cheese, you would certainly use up less of it.
3. Freeze a ziplocked bag of the shredded cheese and use it later.
posted by AppleTurnover at 3:32 PM on November 8, 2014
2. Queso for some nachos/quesadillas/whatever might be good, although if you have a lot of cheese, you would certainly use up less of it.
3. Freeze a ziplocked bag of the shredded cheese and use it later.
posted by AppleTurnover at 3:32 PM on November 8, 2014
One of my favorite local places makes a fantastic grilled cheese with Gruyere, Gouda and a tart plum chutney on sourdough.
Or make a ham, gruyere, gouda and asparagus fritatta.
posted by Requiax at 3:47 PM on November 8, 2014 [1 favorite]
Or make a ham, gruyere, gouda and asparagus fritatta.
posted by Requiax at 3:47 PM on November 8, 2014 [1 favorite]
Similar to one answer above, but no cooking involved: fromage fort. White wine and garlic, blended in the food processor with the cheese. It can be put into small containers and frozen. Then when you have guests coming or want a quick appetizer, pop some out and thaw it, spread on slices of baguette and toast, or use on top of soups, or just eat plain as a cracker spread.
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 4:14 PM on November 8, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 4:14 PM on November 8, 2014 [3 favorites]
I would consider this a fortuitous opportunity for quiche.
posted by pemberkins at 4:50 PM on November 8, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by pemberkins at 4:50 PM on November 8, 2014 [2 favorites]
Grilled cheese, with a little grated cheese scattered over the outside of the bread so it caramelizes in the pan.
posted by MrBobinski at 5:00 PM on November 8, 2014
posted by MrBobinski at 5:00 PM on November 8, 2014
This caramelized bacon and onion tart is amazing. I've used all sorts of recipes for the crust, and all sorts of egg/dairy ratios for the filling; the real magic is the recipe's method of cooking bacon, putting it to the side, then caramelizing onions in the fat.
posted by Juliet Banana at 10:36 PM on November 8, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Juliet Banana at 10:36 PM on November 8, 2014 [1 favorite]
Re-enact the 9 1/2 Weeks Food Scene. Only with cheese.
Or make buffalo chicken dip. A block of cream cheese, half a cup of ranch, half a cup of buffalo sauce, shredded chicken, as much shredded cheese as you can cram in there. Or a cup. Whatever you like. Mix together and serve with celery and chips.
posted by Ostara at 10:56 PM on November 8, 2014
Or make buffalo chicken dip. A block of cream cheese, half a cup of ranch, half a cup of buffalo sauce, shredded chicken, as much shredded cheese as you can cram in there. Or a cup. Whatever you like. Mix together and serve with celery and chips.
posted by Ostara at 10:56 PM on November 8, 2014
Quiche, yes!
Or cauliflower cheese (remember the best recipes are the ones where no one around you knows what it's supposed to be like).
posted by anaelith at 4:35 AM on November 9, 2014
Or cauliflower cheese (remember the best recipes are the ones where no one around you knows what it's supposed to be like).
posted by anaelith at 4:35 AM on November 9, 2014
Add to mashed potatoes, though I'm in the "put ALL THE CHEESE in the mac" camp. Otherwise, yeah, spread on a baking tin and freeze, then decant into bags or containers for later use.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 7:33 AM on November 9, 2014
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 7:33 AM on November 9, 2014
How about this amazing lasagna recipe?
Okay, so that's just the how-to, here's the actual recipe.
posted by simulacra at 9:24 AM on November 9, 2014
Okay, so that's just the how-to, here's the actual recipe.
posted by simulacra at 9:24 AM on November 9, 2014
If you have an America's Test Kitchen login, this Croque Monsieur recipe. If you don't, some other croque monsieur recipe.
posted by freezer cake at 12:29 PM on November 11, 2014
posted by freezer cake at 12:29 PM on November 11, 2014
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by something something at 12:57 PM on November 8, 2014 [21 favorites]