cheese exchange?

Question

A lot of the recipes my husband and I have been making called for different types of cheese. Well now I have a LOT of cheese in my fridge. Swiss, Motz, Parm, Cheddar. I have a lot of recipes (including a chicken spaghetti that I'm eager to make) that all call for velvetta cheese. Now I'm sure thats really b/c its softer and easier to melt over noodles when sliced. But is there anyway I can use some of the cheese I already have in recipes that call for Velvetta? How do you half-melt it to make it mix right?

I was hoping for a couple recipe ideas. Melting cheese would not help at all b/c the recipes dont call for melted cheese. I'm baking it in casseroles. Anyone ever used regular cheese instead of Velvetta--did it work? usually just using cheddar cheese makes a brown crusty top and forms a more solid layer. Any help would get 10 pts!

Answer 1

You can melt the swiss and chedder into a cream sauce. Simply take 1/3 cup butter, melt it in a pan, add 1/3 cup flour and cook on low for about 5 minutes. Then add 1 and 1/2 cup of milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and the sauce will be thick. Once thickened turn to low. Then you can add your swiss and/or cheddar in small chunks to make a cheese sauce. 2 cups of cheese should do it. The motz may be to stringy and the parm may be too dry to melt properly.
I've found this cheese sauce is good for everything. Mac and cheese, potatoes au gratin, etc

Answer 2

I would not let velveeta in my house. ok, maybe i'd put some
in a suet feeder and give the rest to the dogs. read the label
on it. i think people use it because it is cheap and convenient...but taste????? ball park nachos.

Just look up a recipe for the cheese sauce in your favorite
mac/cheese dish. just a butter/flour/milk/wine mixture with
cheese. most anything would be better than velveeta.
just taste as you go. mix what you've got together. just melt
slowly over low heat. look up fondue recipes.

please take all the velveeta away.




OKAY:

Get a pot.

Melt 2 talblespoons of butter over low heat.
When it doesn't bubble so much, then most of the water has
boiled off and just the fat is left.
Add 2 tablespoons of flour.
Stir over low heat for 5 minutes or so.
Slowly add a liquid (milk, white wine, water, chicken stock)
2 cups (I'd go with the milk) and stir until all liquid incorporated.

Add grated cheese (1-2 cups) to sauce and heat over low heat until incorporated.

Add white pepper to taste. Some folks put in a few drops
of Tobasco. Black pepper is OK, but it makes it freckly looking.

You can add celery, onions, garlic, green pepper sauteed
in the butter to begin with if you are going to use in
a casserole.

Get a "Joy of Cooking" for your birthday. Everything you
need to know. All else is just playing around.

The above is just a bechemel sauce (white gravy or milk gravy in the US south) with cheese. The flour in
the sauce helps make the cheese stable when it melts.

this is what you would use for a homemade macaroni and cheese casserole.

if the sauce is too runy, just bring to a slow simmer while stirring for a while. IF it is too think, just add liquid.
if it is to greasy, add the sauce back slowiy to
a little flour in a hot pan. (or just skim grease, if you've already
got a bunch of sauce). when the sauce gets cold it will gel.
When it is warm it will be smooth.

The sauce will thicken upon boiling.

do the same thing for any gravy.

No velveeta, frozen carrots, tv dinners.

Answer 3

Well, ALL of those would be better over noodles, in my opinion, but that's just because I can't stand overprocessed cheeses like Velveeta.

With a noodle dish, I would stick with the mozzarella and Parm. No problem in using them both.

Cheddar and swiss would be good if you make something along the lines of macaroni and cheese.

Answer 4

Don't do what Jan did for a New Years Party I went too. She melted real cheese for Cheese dip and when it was time to eat the chips broke on top. It was hard as a rock.

Answer 5

I don't think I'd try it. I think that would mess up the dish.

As for the left over cheeses you have.....invite some people over to watch a football game, cut it and serve it all on a cheese/cracker tray.

Personally, I have a quite collection of gourmet mustards. Maybe we should pool our resources.

Answer 6

Cheddar has a similar taste to Velveeta. I would use it as a substitute, however it takes longer to melt than Velveeta.

Answer 7

you cut it in half an then melt it