Cheesy Asparagus & Peppered Bacon
Recipe courtesy of Pedrozo Dairy & Cheese Company.

Ingredients:
6 ounces Northern Gold, shredded
6 slices peppered bacon
1 shallot, finely chopped
6 stalks fresh asparagus
1 pastry tart shell, homemade or frozen
1 large egg yolk, beaten
1/2 tsp water

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. Cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towel. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat from pan. Add the shallots and sauté for about a minute. Add asparagus and cook over medium to high heat until asparagus is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Crumble the bacon into tiny pieces and mix with the asparagus and shallot mixture. Cook tart shell for 10-12 minutes. Set aside to cool. Then add shredded Northern Gold Cheese spread evenly onto the pie shell. Place the asparagus spears and sprinkle the bacon and shallot mixture evenly over the cheese and season with salt and pepper. Brush edges of tart with egg wash. Bake until pastry is golden, about 20 minutes.

Let cool slightly and serve warm.

Mom's Mini Cheesecakes
Recipe from dairy mom, Sue McIsaac
Decadent, individually sized desserts made with Real California cream cheese
Courtesy of  Wife of a Dairyman Blog
Makes 24 servings

Ingredients:
2-8 oz. Real California cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
24 Vanilla Wafers
Cherry pie filling

Procedure:
Heat oven to 350°F. Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, lemon juice & vanilla and continue to beat until creamy. Place a cupcake paper in each cup of a cupcake pan. Place one Vanilla Wafer in bottom of each cup. Fill each cup about half full with cream cheese mixture. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Cool slightly. Top with cherry pie filling, about 3 cherries per cake. Chill well before serving.

Fiscalini's Three Cheese - Grown Up - Macaroni

Ingredients:
1 stick unsalted butter made with Real California Milk
1 cup Panko (Asian) breadcrumbs
1/3 cup all purpose flour
3 cups Real California Milk
3 cups Real California heavy cream
1¼ pounds coarsely grated Fiscalini Bandage Wrapped Cheddar Cheese
½ pound coarsely grated Fiscalini San Joaquin Gold Cheese
½ pound coarsely grated Fiscalini Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 pound elbow macaroni, cooked al dente (add a bit of olive oil to the cooking water, to prevent sticking)

Procedure:
Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly coat or spray inside of a 3 quart casserole baking dish with olive oil. Set aside.

Melt ¼ stick butter in large saucepan. Add breadcrumbs and stir until thoroughly coated. Transfer breadcrumbs to bowl. Wipe out saucepan with paper towel, being careful not to burn fingers. Place back on low heat and melt remaining butter until it begins to bubble. Whisk in flour, stirring for about three minutes. In another saucepan, scald milk and cream; slowly pour into flour mixture, whisking until well blended. Continue whisking until sauce is smooth and begins to thicken (8-10 minutes). Remove from heat.

Mix three cheeses together with cayenne, salt and black pepper. Add about ¾ of cheese mixture to sauce, stirring until cheese is melted. Add cooled macaroni to sauce. (Taste to check if seasoning is correct). Pour into prepared casserole: top with remaining cheese and breadcrumbs. Bake 30 minutes or until bubbling. (If top doesn’t turn golden brown, place under broiler and watch carefully to finish the crust) Let casserole sit about 10 minutes, before serving

Dairyman’s Delight
by Monica Danbom, Mother to 5th Generation California Dairy Producer Paul Danbom
This 4-layer dessert is a California delight!
Makes 12 servings

Ingredients:
1 cube Real California butter, melted
1 cup flour
1 cup chopped almonds
1 Tbsp sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup Real California whipped cream
1 (8 oz) pkg. Real California cream cheese, softened
1 large pkg. instant chocolate or butterscotch pudding, prepared as package directs
1 c. Real California whipped cream
Chocolate bar shavings
½ cup chopped nuts

Procedure:
Mix melted butter, flour, nuts and sugar together and press into 8 x 8 pan. Bake at 325 for 20 minutes. Let cool.

Mix powdered sugar, whipped cream and cream cheese together.  Spread mixture onto cooled base. Pour prepared pudding over the cream cheese mixture.  Top with whipped cream, grated or shaved chocolate and chopped nuts.  Can be served immediately or covered and refrigerated to serve within the week.

Essie Bootsma’s Holiday Cheese Ball

Ingredients:
12 oz. whipped Real California cream cheese
½ cup Point Reyes Blue Cheese, crumbled
1 cup peeled and chopped Fuji apple
1 cup dried cranberries
½ cup chopped pecans

Procedure:
Mix first four ingredients together and shape into a ball. Roll in chopped pecans. Serve with crackers or sliced French bread.

Kerri’s California Cheesy Potatoes

Ingredients:
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cup grated Real California Cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cup Real California sour cream
3-4 tablespoons chopped green onions (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 package frozen hash brown potatoes (diced) 32 oz. package un-seasoned

Procedure:
Mix all ingredients together, except for hash brown potatoes. Once mixed, add the potatoes. Spread into a 13 x 9 pan.  Can be prepped ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to bake/serve.

Bake uncovered at 375° for 45 minutes: bake 1 hour if made ahead.  Serve warm and enjoy!