Cheesy Goodness x 2

I love cheese. Especially good cheese. I mean...how can you not like cheese? It can be cool and creamy, it can be spicy or piquant, it can slice, shred, melt. It is a perfect food. There are also so many wonderful varieties out there and I'm working on trying new ones. I've also tried to start buying only good cheese, as it makes a difference in flavor. No more canisters of Kraft Parmesan...only a block of Parmegiano Reggiano and my trusty Microplane. I've also pretty much quit buying preshredded since it doesn't melt as well as when you shred your own (they use a substance on it to keep it from caking in the bag).

Baked Orzo with Fontina and Peas includes a cheese you may or may not be familiar with...fontina. It is creamy and buttery and delicious! When I made this I also happened to have another favorite cheese on hand...Tillamook Aged White Cheddar (pick it up at Whole Foods...it also makes fantastic mac and cheese). So I used that for my main dish and the fontina for my side dish. I'll admit that the Baked Orzo needs something else and I plan to experiment next time I make it. It is just slightly bland and I think mainly needs some garlic added as well as a few other spices. It was quite tasty though and reheated well. I'll also either dot the top with butter or use a little cooking spray on it next time so that the breadcrumb topping gets crisp. I do recommend trying it though!

Garlic Cheddar Chicken

1/2 cup butter

4 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup dry bread crumbs

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1/4 teaspoon dried parsley

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded thin (we only used 4 since there were only 2 of us)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat, and cook the garlic until tender, about 5 minutes. In a shallow bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Cheddar cheese, parsley, oregano, pepper, and salt. Dip each chicken breast in the garlic butter to coat, then press into the bread crumb mixture. Arrange the coated chicken breasts in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Drizzle with any remaining butter and top with any remaining bread crumb mixture. Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

Source: NC Recipes Bio

Baked Orzo with Fontina and Peas

4 cups chicken broth

1 pound orzo pasta

3 tablespoons butter, plus more to grease the baking dish (I greased the pan with cooking spray)

1 onion, chopped

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced (we used baby bellas)

1 cup Marsala wine

1/2 cup heavy cream

4 ounces shredded fontina cheese (about 1 cup)

4 ounces diced fresh mozzarella cheese (about 1 cup)

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Bring the chicken broth to a boil over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. Add the orzo and cook until almost tender, about 7 minutes. Pour the orzo and the broth into a large bowl. Set aside. Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium heat in a medium skillet. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue to saute until the mushrooms are beginning to turn golden around the edges, about 7 minutes. Add the Marsala. Scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan and cook until the Marsala has reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the mushroom mixture to the orzo in the large bowl. Add the cream, fontina, mozzarella, peas, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. In a small bowl combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and dried thyme. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture on top of the pasta. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes.

Source: Giada De Laurentiis from foodnetwork.com