36 creamy cheese optional Recipes

tomatoes (or 28 oz can whole undrained), butter, chopped onion, chopped celery, low-fat milk, baking soda, sugar, celery salt, low-sodium tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt and pepper, to taste, shredded cheddar cheese (optional) or 1/2-1 cup american cheese (optional)

cavatappi pasta, italian sausage (mild or hot ), sweet onion, chopped, garlic cloves, minced, canned tomatoes, strained and diced (if you want to use fresh tomatoes, add them to the mixture with the onion and garlic), fresh basil, chopped, half and milk, parmesan cheese (optional) or 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, to garnish (optional), fresh parsley , basil (optional) or green onion, chopped to garnish (optional)

russet potatoes, peeled and halved, butter , cut into cubes, cream cheese, cut into cubes and softened, sour cream, hidden valley dry ranch dressing mix (start with 1/2 package adding in more to taste), milk (optional and as needed for extra creaminess, or use whipping cream) (optional)

chocolate graham cracker crumbs (about 12 squares), splenda granular, sugar substitute, unsweetened cocoa powder (regular or dutch process), butter or 1/2 cup margarine, low fat cottage cheese, style light cream cheese (1/3 less calories than regular cream cheese) or 8 oz reduced-fat cream cheese, at room temperature (1/3 less calories than regular cream cheese), style fat free cream cheese, at room temperature, semi-sweet chocolate chips, splenda granular, sugar substitute, brown sugar, dutch-processed cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, vanilla extract, almond extract, egg, egg whites, light sour cream, chocolate curls (optional) or chocolate chips (optional), fat-free whipped topping (non-dairy whipped topping) (optional) or fat free cream (non-dairy whipped topping) (optional) or cool whip lite (non-dairy whipped topping)

extra virgin olive oil, chicken tenders , cut into 1/2 inch thick slices, chili powder, ground cumin, salt and pepper, apples, cut into 1/2 inch cubes, onion, chopped, butter, flour, chicken broth, milk, pinto beans or 2 (15 oz) cans white beans, drained and rinsed, monterey jack cheese (about 8 oz), toasted tortilla, optional for serving (optional), chopped scallion, optional for serving (optional)

onion, chopped, butter, diced tomatoes, undrained (if you like a spicier taste, use rotel), condensed tomato soup, undiluted, milk, sugar, dried basil, paprika, garlic powder, cream cheese, cubed, croutons (optional) or bagel chips, shredded cheese (optional)

orzo pasta, olive oil, shallot, finely chopped, garlic clove, minced, diced tomatoes , juices drained, frozen peas (optional) or 1 cup green beans (optional), whipping cream, freshly grated parmesan cheese, salt and pepper

onion, extra large, chopped, carrots , coarsley chopped (can use more), celery ribs, sliced, minced fresh garlic (to taste), butter , plus, butter, divided, head cauliflower (cut into small florets or chopped ), chicken broth, fresh parsley, finely chopped, salt and pepper, dried basil, dried tarragon (optional but good to use ), flour, full-fat whole milk or 1 cup half-and-half cream, whipping cream, grated parmesan cheese, sour cream

cubed hash brown potatoes, frozen, chopped onion, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, margarine, melted, salt & pepper, sharp cheddar cheese, grated, green pepper, chopped (optional), chives (optional) or pimiento, chopped (optional)

butter, divided, day-old bread, cubed, onions, quartered & thinly sliced, water, chicken bouillon granules, all-purpose flour, milk, divided, shredded swiss cheese, divided, pepper, fresh minced chives (optional) or fresh minced parsley (optional)

butter, potatoes, peeled and sliced, salt, fresh ground black pepper, milk, cheddar cheese, shredded, parsley, chopped (optional garnish )

seedless raspberry jam, shortbread pie crusts, fresh raspberry, divided, cream cheese, softened, evaporated milk, instant lemon pudding mix, lemon , zest of, lemon zest (optional garnish )

ro*tel original diced tomatoes & green chilies, undrained, reduced-sodium chicken broth, rosarita no fat traditional refried beans, frozen whole kernel corn, shredded cooked chicken, fried corn tortilla strips (optional) or tortilla chips (optional), shredded monterey jack cheese (optional)

olive oil, onion (for about 1/2 cup chopped ), garlic (bottled minced ), diced tomatoes with basil oregano and garlic (see note), tomato sauce, milk or 1 cup half-and-half, parmesan cheese (grated or shredded ), croutons, plain (optional) or garlic (optional)

uncooked spinach pasta , fusilli or 3 cups corkscrew macaroni, tomato juice, beef broth, fresh lemon juice, ground beef (optional) or 2 cups ground lamb, cooked and crumbled (optional), sour cream, half-and-half, egg, garlic cloves, minced, onion powder, cinnamon, marjoram, salt, black pepper, parmesan cheese, freshly grated nutmeg

red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar (i like balsamic), lemon juice, fresh (1/2 large lemon squeezed), garlic cloves (large crushed ), mustard (dijon ), salt, white sugar, dried basil, dried oregano, parmesan cheese, extra virgin olive oil, leaves lettuce (torn into bite size pieces), tomato , grape (halved), green pepper (bite size), cucumber , english (sliced), onion, red (thinly sliced ), black olives (pitted and sliced ), red pepper , roasted (diced), feta cheese (crumbled ), mint leaves (torn), parmesan cheese (optional garnish )

extra virgin olive oil, garlic cloves, minced, tomato paste, tomato sauce (i use my own homemade, but a can will work in a pinch), tomatoes (crushed, stewed or diced , not sauce or whole), vegetable stock, salt, pepper , to taste, bay leaf, dried basil (optional, use if using canned sauce or no basil in larger can of tomatoes), sour cream, shredded pecorino romano cheese (optional)

garlic cloves, crushed, olive oil, mushrooms, sliced (you can substitute other veggies if you prefer, like zucchini), sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil (drained and chopped ) or 1/2 cup of red pepper pesto sauce, your favorite ready-made spaghetti sauce, red wine, balsamic vinegar, crushed red pepper flakes, cream cheese (cubed ), pasta (penne or whatever you like), shrimp (peeled and deveined ) (optional) or chicken piece (optional)