Fromage Fort is done - I can honestly say I love that I had the rosemary crusted Manchego to include, it lends a wonderful herby flavor to it. And I went with 1 clove of garlic, otherwise it gets really strong sitting in the fridge for a day or so. The Moody Blue will probably go on pizzette with caramelized onions tomorrow. I am having a few friends over (they were supposed to come last night, life got in the way) and I am making Ruthannas olive and anchovy bites too. OMG we will all be stinking to high Heaven with all the garlic, olives, cheese, anchovies, etc but we will be in good company so I guess it is okay. Thank you again for all the inspiration, I now have a trove of ideas what to do with left over cheeses! Alexa

Here are 2 we love--have no idea where I got the 1st one, probably the Kraft site. Diane's Home Cookin Chapter: Dips,savory Caramelized Onion And Apple Cream Cheese Spread =============================================== •3 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided •2 cups chopped, sweet onions (about 2 medium) •2 tablespoons brown sugar •2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar •2 medium cooking apples, cored, peeled and finely chopped (2 cups) •1 teaspoon of cinnamon •1 tub (12oz.) of whipped cream cheese . 1.In large nonstick skillet melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add onions. Cook, covered, over medium-low heat for 13 to 15 minutes or until onions are tender, stirring occasionally. Uncover. Cook and stir over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes more or until onions turn light brown. Stir in brown sugar and vinegar. Cook, stirring frequently, for 1 to 3 minutes more or until liquid evaporates. Remove from skillet. Set aside. 2.Meanwhile, wipe skillet out with paper towels. In same large skillet melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Stir in apples and cinnamon. Cook and stir over medium-low heat about 5 minutes or until slightly softened. Remove from heat. Cool at least 30 minutes. 3.In medium bowl stir together apple mixture and cream cheese. Stir in about 3/4 of the onion mixture. Spread on Keebler® Town House® Original Crackers. Top with the remaining onion mixture. Yield: 2 3/4 cups cream cheese mixture; 22 servings (1 serving = 4 crackers Barefoot Contessa Pan-Fried Onion/ Garlic Bacon Dip =================================================== Makes two cups 2 large yellow onions 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature 1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 cup good mayonnaise . Cut the onions in half, and then slice them into 1/8-inch thick half-rounds. (You will have about 3 cups of onions.) Heat the butter and oil in a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add the onions, cayenne, salt and pepper and sauté for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 more minutes, until the onions are browned and caramelized. Allow the onions to cool. Place the cream cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat until smooth. Add the onions and mix well. Taste for seasonings. Serve at room temperature. Optional: add mashed roasted garlic ( cut top of head--place in square alum foil-- drizzel with olive oil -gather foil into bundle roast 45 min @ 400--cool slightly--squeeze out cloves & mash ) and crisp bacon pieces Source: The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten Diane

This recipe was recently posted on the cooking forum. The first set of ingredients make up a basic Mexican White Cheese Dipping sauce. This recipe adds salsa in with the white dip and tops with a Pico de Gallo but you can omit the salsa and just make the dip. I would be inclined to add a few diced green chiles but that's up to you. Rita's Queso from Rita's on the River in San Antonio Originally posted by Brenda55 on the Cooking Forum. Brenda's notes: This recipe was in the SA paper several months ago and a reader had asked for this recipe from Rita's on the River because it was "the best queso we have ever eaten". I just recently fixed it and it was for us also the best queso. I changed the recipe somewhat for the heat impaired in my house and served the pica de gallo on top, which I really liked as it added the crunch with the creamy queso. I hope you enjoy as much as we did. I also halved the recipe and we still had enough left to serve over some soft tacos the next night. Can be cut in half or thirds Rita's Queso 3 Lb white American cheese ( Use Queso Blanco Instead ) 2 Cup half and half 1 Cup heavy cream 1 Cup sour cream 1 Cup salsa (your favorite recipe) 1-1/2 T. Lawry's Seasoned Salt (or your favorite seasoning) 1 Tbl Tabasco sauce Pico de Gallo 2 Cups ripe tomatoes chopped 1/2 Cup chopped onions 2 Tbl minced fresh jalapeno or serrano chiles 2-3 T. chopped fresh cilantro 3 Tbl fresh lime juice Salt and pepper to taste For queso: cut white cheese into 1 to 2 inch cubes, set aside. Combine all ingredients, except cheese and Pico de Gallo in microwave-safe dish. Add cheese and microwave on high for 4 minutes, stop and stir and repeat twice; then reduce to 2 minutes until mixture is hot and well mixed. Recipe can be reduced by half or a third. Pico de Gallo Combine tomatoes, onions, chiles, salt, cilantro and lime juice in bowl. Let set for at least 30 minutes to an hour. Drain before placing on top of queso. Food editor's notes: It can also be made in a slow cooker to keep it hot and to avoid a skin forming on the surface. You can adjust the heat level easily with salsa, pico de gallo and Tabasco.

The means of making Gorgonzola are in most cases very similar to making Maytag blue cheese, full fat milk, set with a bacteria, drained salted and inoculated with penicillum roqueforti. Some gorgonzola is inoculated with a different mold. The difference comes in the aging....and know that as all blue cheeses are not the same, certainly neither are all gorgonzolas. I have been to a taste testing of gorgonzola's a mile long...huge differences in sharpness, texture, color and sweetness. If you found one you like, good. But don't eliminate blue cheeses just because you found one too sharp or soapy or bland or crumbly.