Cheese

These tasty rice cakes are easy to whip up and perfect to take on a picnic.

Beurre bosc pears can be substituted for corella pears. Note

Slow cooking the tomatoes draws out both their flavour and their sweetness, leading to a rich, caramelised topping on the crisp base of this tart.

This prosciutto and pea gratin is like a gourmet macaroni cheese and is bound to be a hit with all the family.

You can use feta cheese in place of goat’s cheese. Make pastry cases a week ahead; store in an airtight container. Prepare asparagus and tomatoes 8 hours ahead for asparagus mixture; cover, refrigerate separately. Assemble tarts just before serving. Note

In the English-speaking world, the hard, slightly yellow root vegetable that slightly resembles a large dried turnip is called a swede in England and Australia, a neep in Scotland and rutabaga in the United States. Because this vegetable thrives in the cold, it has always been popular in Scandinavia, especially in Sweden, hence the name. […]

This delicious Mexican breakfast dish is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

A cousin of the Sicilian arancini, these Roman fried rice balls are filled with melted mozzarella.

Baked until crisp in a bubbling cheese sauce, these moreish witlof make an excellent starter or light lunch.

Kids and adults alike will love these cheesy stuffed potatoes. Delicious hot or cold.

Radicchio originated in Italy and is a member of the chicory family. The leaves are dark burgundy in colour and have a strong bitter flavour which makes radicchio a worthy partner to the blue cheese in this dish.

Toast is best “done” on one side only for this kind of topping. Note

Burgers have a bit of a bad image, mainly due to fast-food chains using highly processed ingredients and loads of fat. In fact, burgers are a wholesome and well-rounded meal if made with quality ingredients. Lean beef, salad vegetables, the bread of your choice – it’s all good, healthy stuff. Some people swear by beetroot on a burger, while others love pineapple, bacon and egg or a whole range of salads. However you like them, they’re a delicious family favourite.

You can toast both sides of bread for a crunchy toast, or only one side for a softer texture. Tapenade is a thick paste made from black or green olives, capers, anchovies, olive oil and lemon juice. Both black and green olive varieties are available from most supermarkets and delicatessens; you can use whichever style […]

Serve these juicy meatballs with pasta and a green salad for a quick and easy family dinner.

The stem of the zucchini is the baby zucchini attached to its flower. Note

Gorgonzola is a creamy, blue cheese from Italy; if unavailable, use blue Castello. Note

These delicious savoury biscuits make the perfect canapé or snack.

No antipasto plate is complete without a serving of bruschetta. This tomato version may look simple, but the addition of fresh herbs and mozzarella take this classic dish to new heights.

For a great variation, make pesto and mozzarella croquettes by blending or processing ¾ cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves, 1 tablespoon roasted pine nuts, 1 tablespoon finely grated parmesan cheese, 1 quartered garlic clove, 2 teaspoons lemon juice and 1 tablespoon olive oil, until almost smooth. Add pesto to croquette mixture. Mould croquettes into […]

Sharp feta and crisp pear make a fabulous combination with leaves, sprouts and walnuts in this sophisticated salad.

Prepare the cheese and salad on the morning of the picnic. Note

These herby goat's cheese tarts make a delicious and elegant brunch or lunch with a crisp green salad.

Succulent chicken breasts stuffed with ricotta and basil make a wonderful dinner party dish. Using a piping bag to fill the pockets with stuffing will make it easier.

Frittata can be made a day ahead; keep, covered, in refrigerator. Note

To prevent excess water leaching into the gratin, steaming is the best method to use for cooking the vegetables. Note

These trendy little veggie tarts make a great snack for all ages!

Bucatini pasta with baked ricotta from Australian Women's Weekly.

Add another ½ cup milk if making several hours ahead, as the sauce will thicken on standing. From cold, bake, covered, at 200°C/400°F for 30 minutes or until heated through then uncover and bake for a further 10 minutes or until browned. Note

Topped with juicy roasted tomato, these easy toasties make a divine brunch, lunch or lazy mid-week dinner.

Any thick crusty-style bread can be used for this delicious dish. Serve it as a decadent supper on cold winter nights.

Ideal for the lunchbox, both kids and adults will love this cheesy broccoli frittata.

We used a triple-cream brie cheese here, you can replace it with the more easily found blue-vein variety, if you prefer, but choose one that’s mild and very creamy. Note

We might be cheating slightly here, but you can get very good quality canned soups these days and with the addition of bacon and crispy blue cheese toasts you have a dish that could pass for homemade.

A perfect accompaniment to grilled meat or fish, this salad is full of lovely flavours and textures.

Warm and tender lamb fillets are dressed with a warm citrusy walnut dressing and served on a bed of crunchy witlof and baby spinach to make this delicious salad.

This leek, goat cheese and brown lentil bake is incredibly easy to make, and packed full of goodness. Serve with crusty bread to soak up the juices.

These tasty sticks are a perfect finger food, starter or nibble to serve with a glass of wine.

For a delicious morning tea, serve these golden muffins warm with butter.

Depending on how many you share it with it's a snack, it's a meal or it's a starter. Whatever you call it, just one bite of that fragrant mexican spiced meat and bean combo on a crispy, hot, cheesy corn chip and you'll surely be calling it delicious.

To some, these tasty morsels may simply be melted cheese on little toasties, but we know better. The robust and distinctive flavour of gruyère makes all the difference. Serve with piping hot bowls of soup.

Antipasto literally translates to "before the meal" and is the catchall name for pre-dinner nibbles, usually including cured meats, and all sorts of delicious morsels. This one fits the bill, nicely.

Cranberries are very high in antioxidants and nutrients, giving them superfood status. They go perfectly as a sauce with chicken and melted cheese.

The frying pan goes under the grill in this so you need a frying pan with an ovenproof handle, or cover the handle with a few layers of foil to protect it from the heat of the grill. Note

Recipe is best prepared as required. Note

This incredibly tasty dip goes well with crusty bread and crackers. Serve sprinkled with extra finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, if you like.

These mouth-watering beetroot and goat's cheese pizzas are made with a delicious buckwheat wholemeal dough.

You’ll need to cook about ⅔-cup (130g) white medium-grain rice for this recipe. We used calrose rice, but any white medium-grain rice can be used instead. Note

These cheesy polenta cakes go beautifully with a zesty, refreshing avocado salsa.

These tasty chicken pockets are filled with melting cheese, chopped sage and pancetta.

A simple, savoury classic with pots of flavour, pasta al quattro formaggio can be made using penne, or other short cut pasta, in place of the gnocchi.

Deliciously bright and colourful lentil, gorgonzola and witlof salad.

You can also use pink-eye or sebago potatoes for this recipe. Note

Whole baked feta in the Greek-style, with oregano, paprika and pepper, makes a fabulous starter or shared platter. Serve with wedges of lemon.

These easy stuffed mushrooms are divine served with a fresh green salad and crusty bread.

This delicate pasta dish combines the loveliest of summer flavours.

Autumn figs and blue cheese combine beautifully with hot steak, asparagus and brandy gravy.

These delicious tarts have a buttery crust and make a fantastic light lunch served with salad.

Delicious little tomato, feta and pancetta frittata from Australian Women's Weekly.

Take one packet of chocolate cake mix, add bit of creativity and voila! A beautiful looking layered chocolate cake laced with Grand Marnier and sweet ricotta, decorated with toasted almonds.

These tasty little pizzetta bites with pesto, bocconcini and prosciutto make a great share platter for a cocktail party.

Making your own pizza bases is not difficult and it’s rewarding, but, if time is short, buy the bases and use the topping ingredients we’ve suggested. Note

You can also make the pastry using a food processor. Process flour and butter until crumbly; with motor operating, add the water and process until ingredients cling together. Or, you can buy ready-made frozen shortcrust pastry. Take leftover quiche to work the next day for lunch. It is great served either cold or warm. Note

OK these can be a little fiddly, but we've used ready made wonton wrappers here so that makes things a little easier, and just as delicious. Your guests will be impressed!

A quick and easy before-school tummy filler. Add a bit of crisp bacon or even a few pan-fried mushrooms to the omelette, if you like.

Moussaka is a classic Greek dish, that is well known for both its vegetarian and meat based version. We've gone vegetarian here and the result is healthy and delicious. Serve with a green salad.

Unbaked pinwheels can be frozen for up to a month. Bake them straight from the freezer, adding about 10 minutes to the baking time. Note

Try this cheesy, creamy chicken lasagne for a divine family meal, best served with a big green salad.

Filled with chopped bacon, onion and parmesan cheese, these moreish mushrooms make for a tasty brunch, lunch or light dinner with salad.

Topped with a baby kale salad, this easy vegetarian tart is so delicious with its buttery pastry crust and golden filling of roasted kumara and goat's cheese.

Trying meatless Monday? This recipe is a great option for any vegetarian occasion and is a real crowd pleaser.

Served fresh and hot from the oven with butter, this cheesy ham, tomato and pineapple loaf is simply mouth-watering.

This is a clever way to make sure your kids get their vegies. You could also use other vegetables in here too ­ try grated carrot, zucchini or capsicum. Note

To remove pomegranate seeds: cut the pomegranate in half crossways, and using your fingers, scrape the seeds from the flesh while holding the pomegranate upside-down in a bowl of cold water; the seeds will sink and the white pith will float to the surface. Discard the pith, and drain the seeds before using. Note

These delicious lasagne stacks use grilled eggplant slices instead of lasagne sheets, making it a lighter version of the usually heavy traditional lasagne.