Havarti

Havarti is a semi-soft, pale yellow cow's milk cheese from Denmark that is very mild and creamy.  This rindless cheese is called Flødeis Havarti in Danish.  I've always been a fan of havarti slices on crackers with a glass of wine, but recently I decided to broaden my horizons and use it in cooking.  The results definitely had my taste buds wishing for seconds!

Havarti Mac & Cheese

Inspiration #1 came from Food Network Magazine's recent, "The Cheese Issue."  There was a mouth-watering picture of macaroni and cheese on the cover, so naturally I was interested.  The possibilities with macaroni and cheese are nearly endless!  As I read through the many varieties the authors came up with for the magazine, I found myself dog-earing many of the pages.  Since havarti cheese was on my radar, I decided on a mac and cheese version that featured it, along with broccoli and chicken atop miniature shells.  While you  may not agree that my picture of the dish is exactly mouth-watering, let me assure you this macaroni and cheese was scrumptious!  I highly recommend it to anyone who wants the comfort of a hot bowl of macaroni and cheese, but who is also willing to be a little adventurous.

Chicken and Rice Casserole

Inspiration #2 grew out of Inspiration #1.  Since I had a big hunk of havarti and a ton of broccoli, I decided to make a healthier version of the old stand-by: chicken and rice casserole (everyone has a hand-me-down version of this recipe, right?).  I didn't use any cream of mushroom soup...or cream of anything soup for that matter.  Instead I used milk, along with some chicken broth I used to plump up several sun-dried tomatoes.  The result was fabulous!  The creamy havarti cheese melted into the dish and gave it a richness chicken and rice casserole ought to enjoy all the time.