Use Grated Romano Cheese to Make Quick Hearty and Inexpensive Meals

In these tight economic times, more people are cooking at home to save money. What many have found, however, is that unless one plans very carefully, cooking can also be an expensive proposition-- one that, depending upon ingredients, can rival the cost of eating at a restaurant. Thus it is useful to have some quick and economical ways to make healthy and filling meals. To this purpose, one very useful ingredient to have on hand is a container of finely grated romano cheese. For just a few dollars you can keep this ingredient in your refrigerator and use it to enrich any number of foods, turning them into healthful and filling dishes. Just a couple of tablespoons of this rich grated cheese can transform any vegetable, noodle or cooked grain into a hearty main dish.

Why use romano, rather than, say parmesan or other cheeses? Romano cheese, though strong, has a less biting flavor than parmesan. When finely grated it is also less gritty and a bit more powdery than parmesan and able to form a creamy sauce when mixed with a bit of butter or oil. Why use it instead of melting American cheese? American cheese, besides being a processed blend of dairy and other products, is essentially bland. Though it is one of the cheapest of cheese products, you need more of it to achieve a cheese flavor when mixing into other foods. It is also physically more difficult to blend with foods. It melts under heat but as it cools off it quickly re-hardens into thick molten almost plastic-like texture.

Other real cheeses, such are cheddar and swiss are expensive and also require some quantity for their flavor to spread throughout a dish.

Other advantages to having grated romano cheese on hand? Many of the boxed dinners for sale at supermarkets such as macaroni and cheese, scalloped potatoes and the like, are really just a combination of basic inexpensive foods: such as pasta or potatoes blended with powdered cheese and food industry starches and fillers. Many still require you to add your own milk and butter. It is just as easy, healthier and in some cases, less expensive, to use some of the following methods to create fresher versions of similar dishes.

Here are some examples of extremely economical dishes which are made substantial by the use of romano cheese.

1) Macaroni or Pasta and Romano Cheese: Boil and drain macaroni or pasta. Add a tablespoon of butter and several tablespoons of grated romano cheese and toss.

1) Creamy Romano Spinach: A package of frozen spinach that would feed two adults can cost one to two dollars. Cook and drain the spinach, being sure to press out all remaining water. While it is still hot, toss with a half a teaspoon of butter and a teaspoon of olive oil. Toss and with two-three tablespoons of grated romano cheese until creamy. A shake of garlic powder is optional depending on your taste preferences.

3) Cheesy Baked Potato: Bake or microwave a potato. Split open and mash the center with a fork. Add a it or butter and a teaspoon of grated romano cheese.

4) Cheesy Broccoli: Cut fresh broccoli into small pieces. Microwave till still softened though still bright green. While still hot, toss with some olive oil, a small bit of butter and several tablespoons of grated romano cheese.

5) Acorn Squash a la Romano: Split and microwave. Remove seeds and mash the squash with a fork. Mix butter, garlic powder, a bit of paprika and grated romano cheese and return to microwave to reheat, or broil quickly to brown the top.

All of these dishes will be made hearty and filling as a result of the use of romano cheese-- yet all cost no more that a couple of dollars to feed two adults.