Safe to eat mac 'n' cheese the next day? [closed]

Question

Possible Duplicate:
How long can I store a food in the pantry, refrigerator, or freezer?

I've made mac and cheese. If I put it in the fridge (not freezer) in the original baking dish, covered with aluminum foil, will it be safe to eat the next day?

Is there a better way to store it for a day (better than covering with foil)?

Asked by Krzysztof Kowalczyk

Answer

Make sure your fridge is cold enough You need to make sure your fridge is cold enough otherwise food poisoning bacteria will still be able to grow. Your fridge should be between 0ºC and 5ºC.

If you’re not sure how the temperature setting or dial works on your fridge, you could use a fridge thermometer to check it’s the right temperature.

Here are a few other fridge tips that you might find useful:

keep the fridge door closed as much as possible
wait for food to cool down before you put it in the fridge
if your fridge is full, turn the temperature down to help keep it cold enough

Cool leftovers as quickly as possible (ideally within one to two hours) and then store them in the fridge. Eat any leftovers within two days, except for cooked rice, which you should eat within one day to help avoid food poisoning.

Answered by scottishpink

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Can I freeze Parmesan?

Question

I am thinking about buying a larger amount of Parmesan and freeze it for later use. Is this possible? How long can I keep it for? How is the taste/texture affected?

Asked by Sven

Answer

Yes, you can freeze parmesan cheese. Even without freezing, Parmesan is very durable since the low water and high salt content prevents mould from growing. The younger varieties may be more prone to mould growth (having a higher water content), but I've kept ripe Parmesan (30-36 months) for at least a year in the fridge without problems (and it would probably have stayed good much longer). Just remember to keep it e.g. wrapped in paper and not in a sealed plastic container to prevent a buildup of condensed water.

Answered by Tor-Einar Jarnbjo

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Does Domino's use rennet-free cheese?

Question

Does Domino's pizza's use mozzarella cheese for their pizzas? If so,is it also rennet-free?

Asked by DSingh2

Answer

According to the nutritional information posted on their website Domino's uses a blend of Mozzarella, American, Cheddar, Feta, Parmesan, and Provolone Cheeses.

Somebody, apparently, with similar concerns asked Domino's and received this response:

except from letter, emphasis added:

Domino's Pizza Diced Cheese for Pizza is a specially produced cheese made exclusively for our use. It is a natural dairy product, produced from cultured, pasteurized milk, rennet; and salts of calcium and/or sodium. The type of rennet used in the production of this cheese is restricted to a microbial-based rennet or a genetically-engineered rennet. Animal derived rennets will not be allowed.

As far as the other cheeses (Cheddar, Parmesan, Provolone, etc.), Domino's does not specify the source of rennet used in these products. They may or may not contain animal rennet. This depends on the supplier's current source and is always subject to change without notification to Domino's Pizza.

Answered by Cos Callis

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Mixing mozzarella without clumping

Question

Whenever I use mozarella in a pasta dish, and attempt to mix it in like you would cheddar or anything else, I end up with one giant clump of mozzarella. Ex) I cook some pasta, and add the cheese/milk right after draining and attempt to mix.

Is there a way to thoroughly mix this hardheaded cheese?

Asked by JWiley

Answer

You need to add in your cheese in small quantities and stir after each addition.

I'm not sure what you're making, but you could make a cream sauce prior to mixing the pasta with milk/cream, cheese and butter. Again, though, you'll want to add the cheese in small quantities and ensure that it's incorporated before adding another batch.

Answered by Jacob G

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Why did this fondue become grainy and lumpy?

Question

We made some fondue the other night, and instead of being a nice smooth dippable fondue texture, it came out grainy and lumpy. What went wrong?

Here's the recipe that we used:

• 1 clove garlic
• 3/4 cup Dark Ale or Other Beer
• 1 cup Emmenthal Cheese, Shredded
• 1 1/2 cups Gruyere Cheese, Shredded
• 1/2 cup Appenzeller Cheese, Shredded
• 1 tbsp Corn Starch

Slice garlic in half, rub in fondue pot. Warm beer without boiling. Mix cornstarch and cheeses. Stir cheese into beer, one handful at a time, allowing to melt in-between additions.

Asked by KatieK

Answer

I suspect that your cheese curdled.

This happens to me if I overheat the mixture- especially in the presence of acid. (I don't have any experience with using beer.) The cornstarch is there as a safety net to prevent this but obviously it is not infallible.

Turn down the heat and try adding a little more corn starch- it may not get back to perfect fondue but you may be able to pull it back to edible.

Answered by Sobachatina

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Is it okay to prepare “Cannelloni with Spinach” recipe and put it in fridge BEFORE baking?

Question

I'm working on this "Cannelloni with Spinach & Ricotta": http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/pasta-recipes/awesome-spinach-ricotta-cannelloni

The last step is bake it for 20-25 minutes. Is it okay to do everything, and just before the last step, place the dish into the fridge, so the next day I can just take the dish and bake it, and it's ready. Is it okay, or will it ruin the recipe's flavor?

Asked by evilReiko

Answer

Most casserolles are OK to be stored in the fridge before baking, or even made several days ahead and frozen. Assemble it, cover it well (e.g. with plastic wrap) and put it in the fridge. When you are ready to eat, you can bake it as usual, but you will have to make the baking time longer, because it starts out at fridge temperature, not room temperature. I can't tell you how much longer, in the worst case you will have to try cutting into the cannelloni a few times to see if they are done.

Answered by rumtscho

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Romano vs Parmesan in Cacio e Pepe?

Question

I've tried making Cacio e Pepe a few times, using a recipe from America's Test Kitchen. In Cacio e Pepe, you boil pasta in a limited amount of water, then mix some of the hot starchy water with grated pecorino Romano cheese. The cheese melts/dissolves in the water to form a cheesy liquid which is poured over the pasta.

I've had good luck doing this with Romano, even using domestic cow's milk Romano. But one time I was short on Romano, and tried using about 1/4th Romano and 3/4ths imported Parmesan. When I added the starchy water, some of the cheese dissolved--the Romano, I assume--but most of it coagulated into a gooey, stretchy mass.

What is the difference between Romano and Parmesan, that would make them behave so differently when mixed with hot, starchy water? Are there other similar cheeses--asiago for example--that would work well in this recipe?

Asked by Kenster

Answer

Pecorino Romano is a heavily salted, aged cheese. As a result, it tends not to "melt", just as feta, haloumi, and queso fresco tend not to melt (all are also heavily salted cheeses). Presumably mizithra or ricotta salata would work equally well in the ATK recipe, although they wouldn't taste the same.

If you inadvertently purchase a different kind of pecorino (sardo, for example), or even a fairly young pecorino romano, you'll find that you have the "gooey mess" problem with that procedure.

Now, a comment: the ATK recipe for Cacio e Pepe sounds bizarre to say the least. The normal way of making Cacio e Pepe is:

1. Cook pasta normally.
2. Drain pasta, leaving it slightly damp.
3. Toss pasta in a room-temperature bowl with lots of grated cheese and ground pepper.

If you follow the traditional recipe, then you can use a wider variety of grating cheeses without worrying about it becoming a gooey mass.

Answered by FuzzyChef

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Parmesan Cheese Substitute

Question

What cheese tastes most similar to Parmesan Cheese? Note: I am not looking for a fake-cheese substitute, just a real cheese that tastes similar to Parmesan.

Asked by jZompK

Answer

Romano cheese is nearly identical to Parmesan, as in you almost certainly will not tell the difference between the two, either in texture or in taste. You could probably also get away with an Asiago. While it has a different flavor and melting properties, it does share a similar nuttiness with Parmesan.

Answered by Sean Hart

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How long can hard cheeses last in a refrigerator?

Question

I had chunks of various hard cheeses, mostly parmesan, in my refrigerator for varying lengths of time. Some as long as 3+ months.

I've never seen any obvious signs of spoilage and have never been struck down by food poisoning after using said cheese. But my wife is very suspicious when using any food that has been in the fridge for longer than a week.

Is there a generally accepted length of time to keep these types of hard cheese?

Asked by rageear

Answer

Hard cheeses (e.g. parmesan) will typically last several months in the refrigerator once removed from the packaging. The larger the chunk, the longer it will last. If mold forms on the outside, simply cut it off and continue using. There is no reason to throw-away good parmesan.

Answered by Jonathan

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What kind of cheese do Pizza Hut or Domino's use?

Question

I have been experimenting with Pizza and cakes. I can easily purchase mozzarella in India and have been using it for pizza, but it doesn't come close to the cheese Pizza Hut or Domino's use. Do they use some special cheese? I would like to experiment with cheese. I normally sprinkle oregano on cheese but I think there could be more to it.

Asked by Kumar

Answer

Pizza hut uses skim milk mozzarella on it's pizza, at least in the USA. Not sure what they use in other countries, but I would imagine it is still the same. Skim milk mozzarella is extremely stretchy, but loses a little on the flavor end. More expensive pizzerias normally spring for the full fat mozzarella cheese.

Dominos uses a mix of cheese, made up of mozzarella, Pecarino, Parmesan, and asiago cheeses. I think in their most recent reboot they switched to part skim mozzarella but I am not one hundred percent on that.

Answered by sarge_smith

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Chocolate-Flavored Cheese

Question

Would it be feasible to make a chocolate-flavored cheese? The idea that originally occurred to me was the use of chocolate milk for this purpose, but I'm not sure that's the best solution. Does this food already exist? What kinds of cheese are doable in this situation?

Asked by Adele C

Answer

The other answers refer to products that are cheese-flavored fudges or cream cheeses blending with cocoa.

Your question seems like it is asking about making a cocoa flavored cheese from scratch.

I have not tried chocolate in particular but I have been experimenting with flavoring cheese (and tofu) and have some data points that might be helpful.

I have not had much success with flavoring the milk before it is curdled. The curdling and pressing process is designed to force out water and water soluble compounds. I would expect much of the cocoa dissolved in the milk to be wasted. Additionally, I wouldn't expect store-bought chocolate milk to work very well because of all the additional sweeteners, emulsifiers, and thickeners that are included. I don't know how it would behave when making cheese but I wouldn't be surprised if they got in the way of forming a good curd.

I have had more success with adding dry flavorings to the curd after it is drained and before it is pressed into the final shape. This is the same time that the salt is added. Some water is still pressed out and so some flavor is lost but much less than in earlier stages.

I am still experimenting with how much dry flavoring can be added before the curd doesn't set properly. The cheese becomes more fragile the more ingredients interfere with the milk proteins.

An easy way to start would be with a simple paneer or queso fresco. Simply heat up milk, stir in some acid (lemon juice, vinegar, citric acid, etc), let the milk protein precipitate out, strain it, mix in salt and some cocoa powder, and let the mass drain in a cloth until it is the consistency that you want.

Answered by Sobachatina

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Why do stuffed shells recipes include eggs?

Question

I'm making stuffed shells, but I don't have any eggs. All the recipes I can find call for one or two eggs. What is the reason and can I get away without eggs?

Asked by johndbritton

Answer

The eggs are for binding - they keep the filling together. They might also provide some substance/body to the filling. Not knowing what recipes you're looking at, it's hard to say for sure, but since you tagged this with "cheese" I'm guessing that the fillings would start to melt and ooze out of the shells if you didn't use egg.

Answered by Jefromi

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Are mascarpone and clotted cream the same thing?

Question

When serving some mascarpone with French toast to my mother, she exclaimed: "Oh, this is the clotted cream I had when I was a little girl!"

Are mascarpone and clotted cream the same thing?

If not, what are the differences?

Asked by hawkeye

Answer

They are completely different.

Clotted cream, also called Devonshire cream, is made by heating unpasteurized milk until a layer of cream forms on the surface. The mixture is then cooled, and the cream skimmed off. It has a butterfat content between 55 percent and 63 percent. Unlike creme fraiche it is not a cultured milk product, and is typically eaten as a tea-time accompaniment to scones or bread. Clotted cream is also naturally thickened by the heating process, whereas tartaric acid (a thickening agent) is added to mascarpone to create a firmer, smoother texture.

Mascarpone is classified as a curd cheese, unlike clotted cream and creme fraiche. The fat content in mascarpone is 25 percent. It is made by heating cream and adding tartaric acid to the mixture to further thicken it. The mixture is then cooled and strained, yielding the creamy-textured mascarpone. Mascarpone may be used as a dessert filling or as a thickener in savory sauces. Some methods of mascarpone production call for initially culturing the cream prior to heating and mixing it with tartaric acid.

Answered by mrwienerdog

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Cheap cheese is tasteless. Can I make it tastier in my mac and cheese?

Question

I used to make mac and cheese with cheddar. Like many, I'm cutting costs due to the recession and I'm buying the cheapest cheese I can find. The problem is, when I make macaroni with it, it's just tasteles. Is there anything I can do to keep using the cheap cheese, but get more taste out of it?

Asked by n/a

Answer

Cheap cheese is, as others have explained, cheap for a reason.

You should be able to find old/extra old (AKA "sharp"/"extra sharp") cheddar cheese in the cheap section, which makes a reasonably good starting point - this cheese does have some flavour.

Daniel says he simmers the milk; I generally start with evaporated milk, which is even more economical than regular milk and keeps in the pantry forever. Although I would not use evaporated milk in just any recipe calling for milk, it happens to work quite well for Mac 'n Cheese.

Other common additions to help offset the lack of flavour in poorly-aged cheeses are:

• Salt. Remember, salt is essentially a flavour enhancer and will bring out the natural taste of any other ingredient.

• Mustard. Prepared mustard is OK, but concentrated mustard made from dry mustard and a small amount of water is even better, so you can avoid having to add too much liquid. This doesn't enhance the flavour of the cheese, but it does share some of the "sharpness" associated with cheddar and makes a good complement. As a bonus, it also acts as a natural emulsifier for the sauce, helping to minimize separation and curdling.

• Ground cayenne or red pepper. Although most people probably don't associate Mac 'n Cheese with piquant, a small amount of this won't make the sauce noticeably spicy, but it will add a bit of the same "kick" you get with very old cheese.

If all else fails, my "secret weapon" for Mac 'n Cheese is - not kidding - the sauce base from Kraft Dinner (AKA Kraft Macaroni and Cheese Dinner for you Yankees), especially if you can get the "extra sharp" version. This stuff is dirt cheap (often just 99 cents for a package) and before you dismiss this as heresy, keep in mind that the idea is not to use the whole thing. Just a teaspoon or two to enhance your homemade sauce. If you don't approve of such shortcuts then you shouldn't be buying cheap cheese in the first place, right?

So there you have it. Try some or all of the above; I'm sure you'll end up with something that's at least acceptable, if not great.

Answered by Aaronut

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What is a substitute for mascarpone cheese?

Question

I've found mascarpone cheese can be pricey. What would be a good (in taste and price) substitute?

Asked by JustRightMenus

Answer

I found a highly rated mascarpone cheese substitute recipe on food.com. I haven't personally tried it, but it's highly rated on that site, and is ridiculously simple.

• 1 16 oz block of cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream

• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

• Blend until smooth

Try it and let us know? :)

Answered by hobodave

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What is the origin of cheese dip?

Question

I want to know where cheese dip was invented. Based on this article it was invented in Arkansas.

This documentary goes into more detail about it being from Mexico Chiquito, a restaurant in Arkansas.

Answer

If we're going to define "cheese dip" as "some substance made from cheese for the purpose of dipping other food in" - which seems like the only rational definition given no other context - then I'd have to pinpoint its origin as being fondue.

According to Wikipedia, the earliest known recipe for fondue comes from the Swiss cookbook, Kochbuch von Anna Margaretha Gessnerin, ein gebohrne Kittin, first published in 1699.

That predates the Arkansas claim of 1935 by at least a few centuries, if we assume that Wikipedia does indeed list the earliest source.

There's also Queso Chihuahua which was supposedly brought to Mexico by the Mennonites, which would place its origin in Mexico sometime in the 1920s - assuming that the Mennonites themselves did not simply adapt the recipe from something known even earlier.

I'd have to say that the Arkansas tourism board seems to be trying to pull a fast one on us, laying claim to this "invention". Maybe they're defining cheese dip as the specific kind of cheese dip they came up with, which would of course be a tautology.

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When can I not substitute Romano for Parmesan?

Question

I noticed that good Romano costs 1/3 as much as good Parmesan.

I know that Romano is aged much less than Parmesan is and that accounts for the difference in cost. However, the flavors of the two are very similar to me.

In what situations would it be important to use only Parmesan instead of substituting cheaper Romano cheese?

Answer

It's a different flavor. Romano is sharper, more grassy; parmesan is nuttier and sweeter. I actually prefer romano where I have a lot of other strong flavors. If there's other sharp flavors in a dish, such as olives, chili pepper, or capers (e.g., puttanesca), I'll go with romano which seems to stand up better to the robust flavors. For something with a more subtle flavor such as a ragu bolognese, butter or cream-based sauces, risotto, etc. I feel that a good parmeggiano reggiano can stand up to the other flavors in the dish without overwhelming them.

If cost is your main concern, I've had some parms from Argentina that are actually pretty good. Reggiano is definitely better, but depending on what you're using it for, it might be an option. I wouldn't use it in something like a risotto or fettuchine alfredo where it plays a key role in the dish, but if you're just grating it on top it will work fine. An in-between option is Grana Padano, which is advertised as a "budget" substitute for reggiano. In my experience, it's pretty good, but where I live it's only a little cheaper.

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Fondue without Gruyere cheese

Question

Can you give me some good tips how to prepare Fondue without Gruyere/Racclete cheese? Do you know good recipes based on Gouda or other cheeses?

Answer

It's not a true Fondue but I've done something very similar by taking a white sauce base made with 50 / 50 wine and milk. You then melt in lots and lots of cheese and you get something very nice and similar to a fondue. You can pretty much use any reasonably melting cheese you like although a strong cheddar is very nice. For something really interesting add some Mozzerella and slowly melt it down and you get a wonderful stringy finish.

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What determines how hard or soft a cheese will be?

Question

My knowledge of cheese making is extremely lacking, but what determines how hard or soft the final cheese product is when making your own cheese?

Answer

Harold McGee, in On Food and Cooking, is very detailed in his explanation of how cheese "works". He describes three stages.

In the first stage, lactic acid bacteria convert milk sugar into lactic acid. In the second stage, which overlaps with the first one, rennet (an extract of calf stomach - or, to be more precise, chymosin, a protein found in this extract and now also obtainable from yeasts and the like) curdles the casein proteins and watery whey is drained from the concentrated curds. And finally, in the third stage, the cheese ripens, and a whole host of different enzymes do all sorts of things to flavour and texture.

According to McGee,

Acid and Rennet form very different kinds of curd structures -- acid a fine, fragile gel, rennet a coarse but robust, rubbery one -- so their relative contributions, and how quickly they act, help determine the ultimate texture of the cheese.

He goes on to describe how mostly acid coagulation leads to softer cheeses and mostly rennet-based coagulation leads to firmer curds and harder cheeses.

Draining of the whey also strongly affects the final texture, as Sobachatina points out in her excellent answer. Pressing firmly expels much whey and thus leads to a harder cheese; softer cheeses are just allowed to drain some whey by gravity. But there's another important factor here: heat. Some cheeses are "cooked" in their whey at this stage, to a temperature as high as 55C (130F) for a rock-hard Parmesan or about 38C (100F) for a somewhat softer Tommes, and this expels even more whey from the curd particles (and, of course, also affects flavour).

At this stage, salt is also added. Salt draws some moisture out of the curds as well and is a catalyst for the denaturing of casein, thus reinforcing the protein structure.

McGee also discusses aging of cheese at some length, but he doesn't really touch on the effect of aging on the structure of cheese. That effect is certainly there; a very young Gouda cheese is almost as soft as a Camembert, whereas a very old one gets close to Parmesan hardness (if it doesn't crumble to dust). I imagine that this is due to some moisture escaping the cheese, but also due to the fact that the protein networks keep growing more and more interconnected as the cheese ripens.

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Can I continue to age store bought cheese?

Question

I know that many cheeses are considered to be better when aged. After I've purchased a nice block of Parmesan or such, can I continue to age it at home?

Is it practical? Will I get the same result?

Answer

Continuing to age a "nice" block of Parmesan is not going to do anything for you. It has already aged for over year and has changed pretty much all it's going to.

Similarly aging cheap, canned, Parmesan-like product that is aged only a month to cut costs will also not be good because it has too much surface area and will oxidize. It isn't very good to start with of course.

Where this will work very well is with cheap, young cheese. Buy an inexpensive block of young cheddar that doesn't have any crazy additives. Cover it and let it sit in the fridge for a month (or more). The bacteria in the cheese will continue to munch on available lactose and turn it into lactic acid. If you ever see mold wipe it off with a paper towel and a little vinegar.

At the end of that time you will have a much sharper and more valuable block of cheese. You've traded your time for money which is the trade-off cheese manufacturers always make.

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