If there is one thing you can do to stop trowing out leftover dairy products, it is start buying the plain versions. Plain yogurt is lovely with fresh fruit for breakfast and what’s leftover is easily translated to a savory side dish for a dinner. Plain cream cheese can become sweet or savory, turn into a crowd-pleasing dip, or even form the basis of a pasta sauce. Once you get used to the extra flexibility I predict you’ll never go back!
CHEESE: Cheese sauce
The tricky bit to cheese sauces is to get the cheese to melt into the sauce. After plenty of cheese sauces gone texturally wrong (grainy, sticky, lumpy), I finally developed this foolproof method using cream cheese as a basis.… Continue reading →
CREAM: Caesar dressing
This is the easiest possible salad dressing. It’s the first one I teach to anyone who thinks homemade dressing is too much trouble.… Continue reading →
CREAM: Chocolate fondue
This two-ingredient recipe makes for an intensely indulgent dessert. Serve it with any kind of fruit, cookies, or cake for dipping. … Continue reading →
CREAM: Vanilla sauce
If you can get your hands on some freshly made apple strudel, this is just the thing to pour on top. Vanilla sauce with baked apples is a tad less indulgent but still very worth the minimal effort required!… Continue reading →
CREAM CHEESE: Blueberry cream cheese
This lightly-sweetened spread is best on bagels. … Continue reading →
CREAM CHEESE: Roasted red pepper spread
The simplicity of this recipe belies the intensity of flavor. People always ask for the recipe and I’m almost too embarrassed to tell.… Continue reading →
FETA CHEESE: Feta dressing
This recipes makes a tangy-creamy dressing which comes together quickly.… Continue reading →
FETA CHEESE: Roasted feta with honey
This is my variation of a technique I first encountered in the New York Times. I’m a lazy (efficient?) cook, so I simplified and adapted to ingredients that I always have on hand. The honey balances the intense saltiness of the heated feta and adds a caramel note when baked. … Continue reading →
MASCARPONE: Tiny tiramisu
I know this is not a fully proper tiramisu, but it really does capture the flavors. It is also so incredibly simple to make that I predict you’ll be eating tiramisu at home much more often from now on.… Continue reading →
MILK: Chai
Chai is just the Indian word for tea, but nowadays we use ‘chai’ to mean black tea which is usually spiced with cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom.… Continue reading →
MILK: Homemade chocolate milk
This is the drink to serve by the hearth when the kids (and grown-ups) come in from a day of play in the snow. For bonus points, keep mini-marshmallows on hand.… Continue reading →
SOUR CREAM: Classic chip dip
I am originally from Ohio, and everyone I knew growing up agreed that our local convenience store chain, Lawson, had the best chip dip. I don’t think I have gotten the Lawson dip exactly right but this is as close as I can get.… Continue reading →
YOGURT: Hangop (Dutch yogurt curd)
The name of this dish literally translates as hang-up. It is drained yogurt. By draining off the excess whey, you get a thick and extra-creamy yogurt. The amount reduces by about half, so 2 cups yogurt yield 1 cup hangop.… Continue reading →
YOGURT: Raita
Raita is served with most Indian meals. Traditionally, Indian food is eaten with your fingers, and raita is mixed with rice to make both easier to scoop.… Continue reading →
YOGURT: Tzatziki
Tzatziki is a delicious and relatively healthy dip, served in Greece with grilled meats. I also like it as a dip for bread. Use Greek yogurt for an authentic version.… Continue reading →