Say "Cheese!"

  • By Daphne Ross
  • June 29, 2011
  • 286
                        
Column Summary We all know healthy smiles have a lot to do with the food we eat. Daphne Ross tells how an honest smile has a lot to do with food, too; summertime foods make everyone wear a very happy face. Sharing a smile with others is easy, especially since it’s the second most contagious facial expression next to yawning. The average woman is indeed spreading a lot of smiles, 62 times a day is the count. Men smile far less often, only eight times a day. But did you also know that while it takes 26 muscles to smile, it takes 62 muscles to frown? In the kitchen it’s easy to bake and make smiles; a smile is much wider when melted peanut butter is swirled over the top of your chewy fudge brownies. Melt-in-your-mouth biscuits stretch the grin far greater when melted butter is brush soaked across the golden tops. And when the uplifting arch is ear-to-ear, it might have something to do with melted cheese. Food makes people smile; when they smell it, when they see it, when they touch it and of course when they taste it. People smile when they watch food commercials, read magazine food ads, and when they are shopping for food. While the average man may not wish to help with grocery shopping, you may spark his interest if he pushes the cart on sample day. Bite size sandwiches, cookies, fruit chunks, seafood appetizers, donut holes, potato chips on napkins, dried cereal in little paper cups, and a gulp or two of flavored soda; it’s a sample buffet. Over-eating is highly unlikely, but in the event of over-sampling; keep him pushing the cart, and designate him as the official bag unloader. Exercise is good. Our son recently had his senior portraits taken, he has a great smile yet he struggles to widen that gesture and show off his pearly whites. The best pictures of him are when his teeth are showing. The last school picture showing his beautiful smile was I think, in second grade, one of my favorites. Sixty-three percent of Americans feel they look their best in photos when their teeth are showing, 23% percent prefer their mouths closed, the remaining percent is a mystery. If you can get someone to laugh at the time of flash, like a photographer taking a child’s portrait; he uses squeaky toys, silly voices, and goofy movements, that natural smile will instantly be preserved. Older kids who roll their eyes prefer not to comb their hair, and fake their smiles at the time of flash will on one future day, growl at their yearbook photo. Have you ever noticed the happy faces in picnic snapshots? A fine spread of warm weather fare is spread across the long cloth covered tables, we are all smiling. The grilling cook, he is happy, too even though his male guests are drooling over his shoulders as he brushes and bastes the divine beefiness. I bet their teeth are showing. What dishes and desserts make your family smile? Send recipes to; Country Cupboard, 5973 Blachleyville Rd., Wooster, OH, 44691. Emails are always welcome: thewritecook@sssnet.com Easy Macaroni and Cheese 1 (8 ounce) package macaroni 1 can cream of celery soup 3/4 cup milk 1 pound sharp Cheddar cheese, coarsely grated 3/4 cup dry bread crumbs Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook macaroni according to package directions, omitting salt. Drain macaroni; place in greased 2-quart casserole. Stir in soup, milk and all but 1/4 cup cheese. Mix well. Combine remaining cheese and bread crumbs; spread over macaroni mixture. Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned. Yield: 4 servings. Southern Cheese Omelet 4 eggs 1/4cup minced onion 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper 1 tablespoon ham gravy 2 slices American cheese Beat eggs slightly; add onion, salt and pepper. Place ham gravy in skillet over low heat; pour egg mixture into skillet. Do not sit. Cover; cook for 5 minutes or until mixture is firm. Remove from heat; cut in half. Place cheese on 1 half; top cheese with remaining half. Leave omelet in skillet until cheese melts. Serve hot. Yields: 2 servings. Sausage Cheese Balls 8 ounces Cheddar cheese 2 cups biscuit mix 1 (1 pound) package bulk sausage Combine all ingredients; mix until blended well. Form into 1-inch balls. Place in large shallow baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve hot. Macaroni and Blue Cheese Casserole 2 slices bacon 8 ounces macaroni 1 can mushroom soup 1/2 can evaporated milk 1 cup crumbled blue cheese 1/4 teaspoon salt Buttered bread crumbs Fry bacon until crisp; drain and crumble. Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain. Combine soup, milk, cheese and salt in saucepan; heat, stirring, until cheese is melted. Stir in bacon and macaroni; turn into greased casserole. Cover top with bread crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Cheese Cornbread 2 cups cornmeal 2 tablespoons sugar 2 eggs 1 cup milk 1/4 cup salad oil 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese 1/2 cup thinly sliced green pepper 2 slices bacon, fried and crumbled Stir cornmeal and sugar together; blend eggs, milk and oil. Add liquid all at once to cornmeal mixture, stirring until smooth. Pour into greased 9-inch round baking pan. Combine mustard and cheese; sprinkle over batter. Top with green pepper and crumbled bacon. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Cheese-Pistachio Dip 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese 3 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese 1/2 cup light cream 1 tablespoon lemon juic1/2cup chopped salted pistachio nuts Blend cream cheese and blue cheese thoroughly. Stir in cream; add lemon juice and nuts. Chill. Yield: 1 1/2 cups. Cheese Straws 2 cups grated sharp cheese 2 cups flour 1 cup melted butter 4 eggs, beaten Mix cheese, flour and butter well; stir in eggs. Roll on floured surface; cut into 1/2 x 3-inch strips. Place on baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees until brown. Yield: 8 dozen. Cheese Dreams 3 English muffins Butter 6 slices crisp bacon 6 tomato slices 6 thin slices cheese Split and butter muffins; broil until golden. Cut bacon slices in half. Top each muffin half with 1 tomato slice, 2 bacon halves and 1 cheese slice. Broil 5 inches from heat until cheese melts. Serve at once. Peach-Blue Cheese Salad 1 (29 ounce) can peach halves 1/4 cup sour cream 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese 1 (8 3/4 ounce) can crushed pineapple 1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges Lettuce leaf cups Drain peaches; reserve syrup. Blend syrup, sour cream, mayonnaise and blue cheese well. Drain pineapple and oranges; fold into cheese mixture. Place peach halves cut side up set on lettuce cups on salad plates. Fill each peach with 1/4 cup fruit mixture.


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