Time to Buy Cheese Futures

Pickles and ice cream for this pregnant woman? Don’t bet on it.

Give me cheese. Cheddar, Swiss, Parmesan, Gorgonzola, even good ol’ American. In the last five months it seems I’ve eaten a lifetime’s worth of gooey pizza, pasta with four-cheese topping and, in particular, cheese toast.

Cheese toast is a little more sophisticated than a grilled cheese sandwich, but not as much work as Welsh rabbit. And you can top the bread and cheese with anything else you’re craving. Teamed with a salad, it’s a nice easy meal.

You can have the pickles and ice cream for dessert.

Menu (30 MINUTES OR LKESS)

Avocado and Red Onion Salad

Cheese Toast

Ice Cream

INGREDIENTTS

STAPLES

1 lemon

Olive oil

1 small red onion

Pepper

Salt

SHOPPING LIST

1 large avocado

1/2 pound bacon

1 loaf French bread

1/4 pound Cheddar cheese

1/4 pound Gruyere cheese

1 pint ice cream

1 small head butter lettuce

1 tomato

COUNTDOWN:

30 minutes before: Start frying bacon. Grate cheese and slice tomato.

25 minutes before: Combine salad ingredients, except lettuce, and let marinate.

15 minutes before: Make cheese toast.

Serving time: Put salad on lettuce leaves and serve cheese toast.

CHEESE TOAST

4 slices bacon

1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese

4 (1-inch) slices French bread

1 tomato, cut into 4 slices

Fry bacon over medium heat until cooked through but still slightly chewy. Drain on paper towels.

Combine grated cheeses in small bowl. Top each slice of French bread with 1/4 cheese mixture and place on baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees 6 to 8 minutes.

Remove from oven and top each slice with 1 slice bacon and 1 slice tomato. Return to oven and bake until cheese has completely melted and tomato has softened slightly, about 5 minutes.

2 servings. Each serving:

740 calories; 1,041 mg sodium; 91 mg cholesterol; 46 grams fat; 55 grams carbohydrates; 29 grams protein; 0.94 gram fiber.

AVOCADO AND RED ONION SALAD

1 large avocado

1/2 cup sliced red onion

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoon olive oil

Salt, pepper

1 head butter lettuce

Peel and seed avocado. Cut into thin slices and put into small bowl. Add red onion, lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Stir gently but thoroughly. Let marinate 20 to 25 minutes. Serve over butter lettuce leaves.

2 servings. Each serving:

329 calories; 183 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 29 grams fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams protein; 3.50 grams fiber.

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SHORT CUTS

You can buy pre-grated cheese to save time, but unless you’re cooking for a monster crowd and need to save your arm strength, it’s best to grate cheese just before you’re ready to use it for better flavor.

prop credit: “Mesa” apron by Grilla Gear from J.C. Penney.