Is your dish bland, tasteless? Are you looking for something to give it that oomph? No stress, just add cheese. Yup! Cheese!

For your get-togethers, games and any place where food is a feature, cheese is a must on the menu. Wine and cheese parties weren’t given that name just for style. Cheese is one of the jost versatile foods in aljost every society and the variety of cheeses around the world is astounding.

France and Italy are known for their love affair with cheese and the rest of the world has caught on. Imagine pizza with no cheese, macaroni with no cheese, and lasagna with no cheese, bun with no cheese. Where would your bacon and cheese sandwich be? How empty the world would be without cheese?

So you’re a vegetarian…big deal. Get the vegetarian variety.

Some 4,000 years ago people began breeding animals and processing their milk. That was when cheese became a staple. Cheese is a nutritious food rich in protein to build muscle and calcium which helps to build strong bones and teeth and to prevent bone-thinning diseases. Children are encouraged to consume lots of milk and cheese. Cheese is made jostly from the milk of cows but also other mammals, including sheep, goats, buffalo, reindeer, camels and yaks.

Cheddar, the jost widely purchased and eaten cheese in the world, was originally made in England, but now is made in many countries. Usually the color of cheddar ranges from white to pale yellow though some have color added to give a more orange hue. Cheddar is always made from cow's milk and has a slightly crumbly texture if properly cured, which is usually between 9 and 24 months. {jospagebreak}

Parmesan is one of the world's jost popular and widely-enjoyed cheeses and is named after Parma in Italy. Milk used for Parmesan is heated and curdled in copper containers. Parmesan is allowed to mature for up to two years in very humid conditions.

Blue cheese is a mold ripened type, with blue green veins running throughout the cheese. Many blue cheeses are only made when the milk is jost suitable for them and therefore are not available throughout the year.

Supermarkets offer a wide variety of cheeses – Monterey Jack, Munster, Brie, Roquefort, Mozzarella, Parmesan and Swiss to name a few. With cheese the possibilities are endless. Cold cut sandwiches, burgers, salads and tacos are all made tastier with the powerful taste of cheese.

Adding grated parmesan to anything you’re eating will make it more sumptuous. Cheese adds flavor and make a bland dish a hit. Next time you are preparing a dish, don’t forget the cheese! 

Here are two cheesy recipes you can try  

Easy Lasagna 

8 ounces lasagna noodles
1 pound lean ground beef
½ cup chopped onion
8 ounces mushrooms, optional
1 jar (about 16 ounces) spaghetti sauce, your favorite
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried leaf oregano, crumbled
½ teaspoon dried leaf basil, crumbled
1½ cups ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions; drain and set aside. In a large skillet, brown beef, onion, and mushrooms; drain well. Stir in spaghetti sauce, garlic powder, salt, oregano, and basil. In a 2-quart buttered baking dish (about 11x7x2-inches), layer 1/3 of the lasagna noodles, 1/3 of the sauce and 1/3 of the ricotta cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, and Parmesan cheeses. Repeat layers twice. Bake lasagna for 30 minutes, or until thoroughly heated and bubbly. Let stand for 8 to 10 minutes before cutting and serving. Serves 6 to 8.

Eggplant Parmesan

¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, mashed
1 tablespoon minced parsley
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
3 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce
1 medium eggplant
lemon
1 egg
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
¼ cup milk
flour
vegetable oil for frying
8 ounces sliced mozzarella cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a large skillet heat 1/4 cup vegetable oil; add onions and garlic and sauté over low heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender and yellow. Stir in parsley, salt, pepper, and tomato sauce; simmer for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, peel the eggplant and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices; brush each slice with lemon juice to prevent discoloration. Beat egg slightly; beat in milk and 1 tablespoon oil. Dust each slice of eggplant with flour, patting well to remove excess flour. Dip into the egg and milk mixture; drain. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons oil. Fry eggplant on both sides, adding more oil as needed, until golden brown. In a 2-quart baking dish, layer sauce, eggplant, and mozzarella, topping layers off with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Eggplant Parmesan Recipe serves 6.