Replacement for American cheese

One time on Usenet said:

Last year when my wife was ill, a friend brought us a really great
chicken and wild rice casserole.

I got the recipe from her, and it calls for 10 slices of American
cheese. There's no way I'm going to do that.

Why not? Real American cheese from the deli can be quite good; nothing
like those fake orange slices. I've made a great wild rice and cheese
soup using good American -- yum!

Quoted message said:

I was thinking I'd replace that with some light sour cream, say 1/2
cup, and 1/2 cup of cheddar.

Does that sound about right?

Not to me, no -- at least not if you're looking for a similar taste.
Even mild cheddar is sharp compared to American. BTW, can you post
the recipe? Chicken and wild rice casserole sounds interesting...

--
Jani in WA

Mitch@... said:

Last year when my wife was ill, a friend brought us a really great
chicken and wild rice casserole.

I got the recipe from her, and it calls for 10 slices of American
cheese. There's no way I'm going to do that.

I was thinking I'd replace that with some light sour cream, say 1/2
cup, and 1/2 cup of cheddar.

Does that sound about right?

You don't need the sour cream. What you could do is melt the cheese,
whisking in some heavy cream. Good for you, eschewing the process
cheese. You could just use grated cheddar. The texture would be
different, but it might be better than with the slimy stuff.
Here in St. Louis, they put process cheese on pizzas.

--Bryan

(Little Malice) said:

One time on Usenet said:

Last year when my wife was ill, a friend brought us a really great
chicken and wild rice casserole.

Quoted message said:

I got the recipe from her, and it calls for 10 slices of American
cheese. There's no way I'm going to do that.

Why not? Real American cheese from the deli can be quite good; nothing
like those fake orange slices. I've made a great wild rice and cheese
soup using good American -- yum!

"Real American cheese" is by definition, PROCESS CHEESE.
See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_cheese

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I was thinking I'd replace that with some light sour cream, say 1/2
cup, and 1/2 cup of cheddar.

Quoted message said:

Does that sound about right?

Not to me, no -- at least not if you're looking for a similar taste.

Sour cream is one of the things that often makes casseroles awful, and
light sour cream is just absurd.

Quoted message said:

Even mild cheddar is sharp compared to American. BTW, can you post
the recipe? Chicken and wild rice casserole sounds interesting...

As far as casseroles go...

Quoted message said:

--
Jani in WA

--Bryan

<Mitch@...> ha scritto nel messaggio
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Last year when my wife was ill, a friend brought us a really great
chicken and wild rice casserole.

I got the recipe from her, and it calls for 10 slices of American
cheese. There's no way I'm going to do that.

I was thinking I'd replace that with some light sour cream, say 1/2
cup, and 1/2 cup of cheddar.

Does that sound about right?

No. You said it was really great. Why can't you follow the recipe once as
written?

--
http://www.judithgreenwood.com

In article <[email hidden]>,

Giusi said:

<Mitch@...> ha scritto nel messaggio
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Last year when my wife was ill, a friend brought us a really great
chicken and wild rice casserole.

I got the recipe from her, and it calls for 10 slices of American
cheese. There's no way I'm going to do that.

I was thinking I'd replace that with some light sour cream, say 1/2
cup, and 1/2 cup of cheddar.

Does that sound about right?

No. You said it was really great. Why can't you follow the recipe once as
written?

I agree.

It's not going to taste the same if you substitute.
--
Peace, Om

Remove both _ (underscores) to validate gmail e-mails.

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down." -- Steve Rothstein

Giusi said:

<Mitch@...> ha scritto nel messaggio
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Last year when my wife was ill, a friend brought us a really great
chicken and wild rice casserole.

I got the recipe from her, and it calls for 10 slices of American
cheese. There's no way I'm going to do that.

I was thinking I'd replace that with some light sour cream, say 1/2
cup, and 1/2 cup of cheddar.

Does that sound about right?

No. You said it was really great. Why can't you follow the recipe once as
written?

I agree. Just make sure you use decent American cheese. (it should say
something like "Pasteurized processed cheese" on the label, not
"processed cheese food" or "cheese product", or any other weasel-words
after the word cheese.

You can have it sliced for you at a deli instead of buying wrapped
slices at the supermarket if that makes you feel better. ;-)

Bob

zxcvbob said:

Giusi said:

<Mitch@...> ha scritto nel messaggio
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Last year when my wife was ill, a friend brought us a really great
chicken and wild rice casserole.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I got the recipe from her, and it calls for 10 slices of American
cheese. There's no way I'm going to do that.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I was thinking I'd replace that with some light sour cream, say 1/2
cup, and 1/2 cup of cheddar.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Does that sound about right?

Quoted message said:

No. You said it was really great. Why can't you follow the recipe once as
written?

I agree. Just make sure you use decent American cheese. (it should say
something like "Pasteurized processed cheese" on the label, not
"processed cheese food" or "cheese product", or any other weasel-words
after the word cheese.

You didn't write "good" American cheese, presumably because the best
you can expect from "American cheese" is that it be "decent."

Quoted message said:

You can have it sliced for you at a deli instead of buying wrapped
slices at the supermarket if that makes you feel better. ;-)

That way you can have the illusion that you are using REAL cheese.

Quoted message said:

Bob

--Bryan

<Mitch@...> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Last year when my wife was ill, a friend brought us a really great
chicken and wild rice casserole.

I got the recipe from her, and it calls for 10 slices of American
cheese. There's no way I'm going to do that.

I was thinking I'd replace that with some light sour cream, say 1/2
cup, and 1/2 cup of cheddar.

Does that sound about right?

I'd suggest that you try substituting an equivalent amount of a real cheese
with a similar texture and similarly mild--but better--flavor, such as Port
de Salut or Bel Paese.

<Mitch@...> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Last year when my wife was ill, a friend brought us a really great
chicken and wild rice casserole.

I got the recipe from her, and it calls for 10 slices of American
cheese. There's no way I'm going to do that.

I was thinking I'd replace that with some light sour cream, say 1/2
cup, and 1/2 cup of cheddar.

Does that sound about right?

I'd suggest that you try substituting an equivalent amount of a real cheese
with a similar texture and similarly mild--but better--flavor, such as Port
de Salut or Bel Paese.

Mitch@... said:

Last year when my wife was ill, a friend brought us a really great
chicken and wild rice casserole.

I got the recipe from her, and it calls for 10 slices of American
cheese. There's no way I'm going to do that.

I was thinking I'd replace that with some light sour cream, say 1/2
cup, and 1/2 cup of cheddar.

Does that sound about right?

You won't get the smoothness or texture of the American cheese.
There's nothing wrong with using American cheese as long as you
don't buy the fake, individually wrapped stuff. Try Kraft
Deluxe, for example.

Good American Cheese, like good Beef Hot Dogs, are two things
who's reputations have been degraded due to lousy implementation
by unscrupulous manufacturers and grocery stores.

-sw

Bobo Bonobo® said:

"Real American cheese" is by definition, PROCESS CHEESE.

So? There are many different grades of American cheese, and the
top grade, as LM mentioned, are perfectly good cheeses.

-sw

a good clearfield, schriebers, or land of lakes block that has to be sliced
is really good.
"Sqwertz" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Bobo Bonobo® said:

"Real American cheese" is by definition, PROCESS CHEESE.

So? There are many different grades of American cheese, and the
top grade, as LM mentioned, are perfectly good cheeses.

-sw

In article <[email hidden]>, Mitch@...

Quoted message said:

Last year when my wife was ill, a friend brought us a really great
chicken and wild rice casserole.

I got the recipe from her, and it calls for 10 slices of American
cheese. There's no way I'm going to do that.

I was thinking I'd replace that with some light sour cream, say 1/2
cup, and 1/2 cup of cheddar.

Does that sound about right?

Cheddar should work fine, but why not try the recipe with American
cheese since you said it was "really great?"

SantaSteeler said:

a good clearfield, schriebers, or land of lakes block that has to be
sliced is really good.
"Sqwertz" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Bobo Bonobo® said:

"Real American cheese" is by definition, PROCESS CHEESE.

So? There are many different grades of American cheese, and the
top grade, as LM mentioned, are perfectly good cheeses.

-sw

The best is that Government cheese they gave out in the 80's. Really.
Is that stuff still available to folks on welfare?

Bob

Quoted message said:

Cheddar should work fine, but why not try the recipe with American
cheese since you said it was "really great?"

Yeah, I'll make it once as-is. But I'd normally want to cut down on
the fat as much as possible. I expect a compromise in flavor, but I'm
used to that.

Here's the recipe:

Wild Rice and Chicken Casserole

1 box Long grain and wild rice
2 Tbs Butter
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 4-oz can sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2/3 cup milk
2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
10 slices American cheese

1 Cook rice according to instructions
2 Melt butter, add onion, celery, and mushrooms. Sautee until tender.
3 Mix with remaining ingredients and stir until cheese is melted.
4 Pour into 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 375° for 45 minutes.

Mitch@... said:

Quoted message said:

Cheddar should work fine, but why not try the recipe with American
cheese since you said it was "really great?"

Yeah, I'll make it once as-is. But I'd normally want to cut down on
the fat as much as possible. I expect a compromise in flavor, but I'm
used to that.

Here's the recipe:

Wild Rice and Chicken Casserole

1 box Long grain and wild rice
2 Tbs Butter
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 4-oz can sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2/3 cup milk
2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
10 slices American cheese

1 Cook rice according to instructions
2 Melt butter, add onion, celery, and mushrooms. Sautee until tender.
3 Mix with remaining ingredients and stir until cheese is melted.
4 Pour into 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 375° for 45 minutes.

Then substitute grated reduced-fat mild cheddar for *half* of the
American cheese, or buy "2%" (reduced fat) American cheese.

You could also lose the C.O.M. soup and the American cheese, and
substitute the "nacho cheese sauce" that comes in gallon cans. Sprinkle
a little grated Cheddar or Colby over the top.

Bob

Quoted message said:

Then substitute grated reduced-fat mild cheddar for *half* of the
American cheese, or buy "2%" (reduced fat) American cheese.

Ah, I never noticed that most of it is "cheese product."

I picked up some 2% cheese, not "product."
The fat isn't that bad. 40 grams for the entire recipe.

Mitch@... wrote on Mon, 08 Oct 2007 21:19:30 GMT:

??>> Then substitute grated reduced-fat mild cheddar for *half*
??>> of the American cheese, or buy "2%" (reduced fat) American
??>> cheese.

M> Ah, I never noticed that most of it is "cheese product."

Would Swiss processed Gruyere or French "Laughing Cow" work?
They do taste better than Kraft.

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

James Silverton said:

Mitch@... wrote on Mon, 08 Oct 2007 21:19:30 GMT:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Then substitute grated reduced-fat mild cheddar for *half*
of the American cheese, or buy "2%" (reduced fat) American
cheese.

Quoted message said:

Ah, I never noticed that most of it is "cheese product."

Would Swiss processed Gruyere or French "Laughing Cow" work?
They do taste better than Kraft.

Gruyere has a markedly different taste from American or even cheddar.