As if Greek yogurt weren’t trending enough, companies like Chobani are upping the ante with tempting new variations on the theme.

The most recent is Chobani Bites, 3.5-ounce, 100-calorie yogurt cups that are perfect snacks or low-calorie desserts. Competitor Yoplait has launched Greek 100, the same concept in more conventional flavors (Lemon, Mixed Berry, Strawberry, etc.)

Sold in four-packs for $2.99, the initial flavors of Chobani Bites include:

 
All of the flavors are complex, elegant and luscious. We’re so enamored of the Raspberry With Dark Chocolate Chips that it has begun to replace our much-less-good-for-you dessert choices.

Four yummy flavors, 100 calories each. Photo by Elvira Kalviste | THE NIBBLE.

DO YOU KNOW YOUR YOGURT?

Check out our Yogurt Glossary, which features all the different types of yogurt. There’s a lot to discover!

We”ll be eating green on St. Patric’s Day.
Photo courtesy Avocados From Mexico.

Although we start every St. Patrick’s Day with a green bagel, each year we look for new, fun green dishes for our celebration.

This year it’s Avocado Deviled Eggs: Avocado replaces the mayo in this party classic.

This recipe, from Avocados From Mexico, yields 12 deviled eggs.

GREEN DEVILED EGGS

Ingredients

Preparation

1. COMBINE the egg yolks and avocado in a small bowl; mash until smooth.

2. STIR in yogurt, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper; mix thoroughly. Stir in jalapeño and onion

3. SPOON into egg white shells, dividing equally. Arrange on a serving plate. Cover lightly with plastic wrap; refrigerate for up to 3 hours. Garnish with chives before serving.

Cherries, apples and blue cheese combine in
a delicious salad. Photo and recipe courtesy
EatWisconsinCheese.com.

George Washington, our first President, was born 280 years ago today. It’s been pretty well documented that he did not, in fact, chop down a cherry tree. But we can still be grateful for the opportunity to enjoy luscious dried tart cherries as we celebrate his birthday (fresh cherries are a summer fruit).

Not only do the deliver terrific flavor; cherries are nutritious and one of the foods highest in antioxidants (here’s a list of high antioxidant foods).

While we enjoy this delicious chocolate chip cookie recipe with dried cherries, the more healthfully inclined should consider this refreshing salad recipe that combines dried cherries with other fruits and blue cheese—a great combination.

Tart and chewy cherries pair with the heat of grated fresh ginger and piquant blue cheese. If you prefer, you can substitute iceberg wedges for the mixed greens.

APPLE BERRY SALAD WITH LEMON GINGER CREAM

Ingredients For 4 Servings

For The Salad

For The Dressing

Dried cherries available from MurraysCheese.com.

Preparation

1. WHISK together sour cream, milk, lemon juice, zest, vinegar, ginger, honey, salt and pepper; refrigerate dressing until ready to serve.

2. PORTION greens onto four plates. Divide apple slices and strawberries among salads. Garnish with cherries, onion and pecans.

3. DRIZZLE dressing over salad and sprinkle with blue cheese; serve immediately. Cover and refrigerate extra dressing up to 3 days.

FIND MORE OF OUR FAVORITE SALAD RECIPES.

Pretzel nuggets add crunch to yogurt. Photo
by Elvira Kalviste | THE NIBBLE.

One of our favorite kitchen activities involves playing with ingredients: What can we do with them that hasn’t been done before?

That’s how we developed our Pretzel Yogurt Parfait. We were inspired by a bag of pretzel nuggets (alternatively, crush regular pretzels with a rolling pin) and memories of Yo Crunch yogurt, variously mixed with cereals, cookie pieces and candy bits.

We love crunch, as do most Americans: That’s why crunchy chips of all kinds are the biggest-volume snack.

 
What’s your favorite savory yogurt parfait recipe?

FIND OUR FAVORITE YOGURT BRANDS AND MORE YOGURT RECIPES.

Tillamook, one of the country’s greatest producers of Cheddar cheese, has declared today “Squeaky Cheese Day.” For those who haven’t had the pleasure, squeaky cheese refers to cheese curds, small Cheddar nuggets so fresh that they squeak when you eat them.

Because of the short shelf life of cheese curds, they are normally sold only at the cheese factory. But in honor of Tillamook’s 104th birthday, you can buy their Squeaky Cheese Curds online today only, with some of the proceeds going to the Oregon Food Bank to support hunger relief. Two bags are $15.00, plus shipping.

Cheese curds are one of our favorite fun foods. In Wisconsin, where the many cheese factories produce a steady supply of cheese curds, they’re the bar food of choice and on the menu of almost every eatery, plain or flavored. The reason is: They only squeak when they’re fresh.

Some producers vacuum-pack them for wider distribution, so check at your cheese store or consider ordering them online from Tillamook, Beecher’s Handmade Cheese or other online source.

A perfect snack: cheese curds beer. Photo courtesy Rogue Creamery.

WHAT ARE CHEESE CURDS

Cheese curds are the fresh curds created in the production of Cheddar cheese. As milk is converted to cheese, it produces the solid curds and and the liquid whey.

To make Cheddar, the whey is drained off and the curds are pressed together in molds to form the cheese. But if you remove the curds and sell them, you provide a special treat.

Typically, you need to go to a Cheddar cheese factory to get curds, since they should be enjoyed the day they are made. But we’ve ordered them online and found them to be just as yummy a few days later. As the curds age they loose their squeak, but not their deliciousness.

Cheese curds form in random shapes: large nuggets the size of unshelled peanuts, with a texture something like mozzarella.

The flavor is mild, like mozzarella, but saltier; and while the majority of curds are sold plain, the flavored varieties are delicious. We’ve tasted everything from dill to jalapeño, and you can mix in your favorite flavor.

Cheese curds in dill and jalapeño flavors.
Photo courtesy Rogue Creamery.

WHAT MAKES CHEESE CURDS SQUEAK

The squeak you hear when you munch on cheese curds comes from the protein composition of fresh curds.

When the protein in the cheese rubs against the enamel of one’s teeth, it makes a squeaky sound.

As the curds age, moisture evaporates and the protein in the cheese consolidates. That’s why regular Cheddar cheese, and curds older than a few days, don’t squeak.

HOW FRESH TO THEY HAVE TO BE?

curds are ideally eaten the day they are made. After 24 hours they lose their squeak. And that’s why curds are not well known outside of areas where cheese is made. (The vacuum packaging, in which we received our mail-order curds, preserved them just fine.)

HOW TO ENJOY CHEESE CURDS

You can flavor plain cheese curds as you like. Pesto is an easy and delicious flavor agent.

 
In Quebec, perhaps the other North American cheese curd capital, the curds mixed with French fries and gravy to create the beloved French-Canadian snack, poutine. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.

There’s still time to make something special for Valentine’s Day, even if you’re a non-cook. Here are two sure-to-please ideas.

Start with breakfast: Make strawberry or raspberry cream cheese for the morning toast’s or bagels. You can also use it for tea sandwiches.

STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE RECIPE

Ingredients

Make pink cream cheese for Valentine’s Day. Photo courtesy Einstein Bros.

1. COMBINE ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until smooth and well blended.

2. REFRIGERATE until needed. Ideally make the day before to let flavors blend.

Serve a mini-beer tasting with rose petals to
a beer-loving Valentine. Photo courtesy
CraftBeer.com.

CRAFT BEER

Some people would trade all the chocolate in the world for a good beer.

It you know such a person, take a look at the style of beer in the fridge—Belgian ale, IPA, lager, pilsner, etc. (here are the different types of beer).

Then, head to the market with the largest supply of craft beer and pick up four different brands in the same style.

If you want to make it a beer-and-cheese pairing, here are the cheeses that go with beer.

Toast to a happy Valentine’s Day.

Beet-ing heart deviled eggs for Valentine’s
Day. Photo courtesy Andrews McNeel
Publishing.

A delightful cookbook was published today for lovers of deviled eggs, D’Lish Deviled Eggs: A Collection of Recipes from Creative to Classic. The 50 recipes from chef Kathy Casey prove the case that deviled eggs are not just for summer picnics; they demand their place at the table year-round.

We’ll publish a review of the book at another time, but we wanted to rush this special recipe for Valentine Deviled Eggs for your consideration.

Have you ever thought of mixing beets and eggs? It’s a delicious combination.

“I’m all for an appetizer that doubles as a fun craft project, and these eggs certainly fit the bill,” says Chef Casey. “Pickled beet juice turns the whites deep pink and makes these eggs ideal for serving up on Valentine’s Day.”

Whether it’s for a party or a romantic tête-a-tête, whip up a batch of these “Beet-ing Heart” eggs.

The recipe makes 24 deviled egg halves. Check out the information at the end of the article for why it’s O.K. to enjoy your fare share (two halves a day).

RECIPE: BEET-ING HEART VALENTINE DEVILED EGGS

Ingredients

 
Filling

 
Topping

 
Preparation

1. PICKLE THE EGGS. Drain the beet liquid into a deep medium container and reserve the beets separately. Add the red wine vinegar and sugar to the beet liquid and stir to dissolve the sugar. Peel the hard-cooked eggs and add to the mixture, being sure they are submerged. Cover and let sit for about 4 hours, refrigerated. Stir often to color evenly. OPTION: For a polka dot effect, firmly pack the eggs into a narrow container so that they are all touching, and do not stir them. The eggs will be lighter pink or white where they touch, lending a perky polka dot pattern.

2. DRAIN the eggs well, pat dry on paper towels, and discard the beet liquid. Halve the eggs lengthwise and transfer the yolks to a mixing bowl. Set the egg white halves on a platter, cover and refrigerate.

3. FINISH THE EGGS. With a fork, mash the yolks to a smooth consistency. Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, red onion, sugar and salt; mix until smooth. (You can also do this using an electric mixer with a whip attachment.) Add salt and black pepper to taste.

It’s fine for most people to have one egg a day. Photo courtesy American Egg Board.

4. SPOON the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a plain or large star tip, then pipe the mixture evenly into the egg white halves. Alternatively, fill the eggs with a spoon, dividing the filling evenly.

5. TOP each egg half with 1/2 teaspoon of pickled beets and a sprinkle of green onion.
 
WHAT ABOUT THE CHOLESTEROL IN EGGS?

As reported last week in The New York Times, a recent review off cholesterol studies suggests that for most people, eating one egg a day is not bad for the heart.

A review of eight prospective studies covering 263,938 subjects found no evidence that eating an egg a day increased the risk of heart disease or stroke, according to Dr. Frank B. Hu, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard University and co-author of the study. The results were the same for men and women and in all age ranges.

That means you can enjoy two halves of these delicious deviled eggs. Here’s more on the study.

Eggs of love. Photo courtesy Gifts and
Gadgets | Amazon.

How cute are these? Turn eggs into Valentine hearts or everyday love food, with Eggspress Heart Shaped Boiled Egg Molds.

Use the heart-shaped, hard-cooked eggs (inaccurately called hard-boiled eggs—see hard-cooked eggs versus hard-boiled eggs):

 
How would you use them?

A set of two heart shaped molds is $9.95.

HOW MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF EGGS HAVE YOU HAD?

See our egg-cellent Egg Glossary for the different types of eggs.

Pair a medium-strength cheese with a
medium-roast coffee. Photo © Natalia
Lisovskaya | Dreamstime.

Often there is more than one food holiday on a particular day. Rarely do we see a trio of food holidays; and January 20th is the only day we know of with four food holidays: National Buttercrunch Day, National Cheese Lover’s Day, National Granola Bar Day and National Coffee Break Day.

In theory, you could celebrate them all at once: A bagel and cream cheese with the morning coffee break and a granola bar and some buttercrunch at the afternoon coffee break.

But we’ve decided to focus today’s tip on something more enlightening: pairing coffee and cheese.

The coffee-cheese pairing is more common than it might seem. The Swiss, Scandinavians and other Europeans enjoy cheese with their morning coffee. Americans regularly breakfast on coffee plus cream cheese on the aforementioned bagels, cheese omelets, cheese danish, grilled cheese sandwiches and Egg McMuffins (grilled cheese, ham and a fried egg on a toasted English muffin).

But let’s take a look at deliberate coffee and cheese pairings.

PAIRING CHEESE WITH COFFEE

As with wine and beer pairings, mild cheeses should typically be paired with a mild roast coffee, medium-strength cheeses with a medium roast and strong cheeses with a strong roast.

COFFEE AND “CARAMEL” CHEESES

Some cheeses beg to be paired with coffee. Two that are known for caramel notes:

Barely Buzzed, one of our favorite cheeses, is a Cheddar rubbed with ground Turkish coffee. It’s equally delicious with coffee or beer. Photo courtesy Beehive Cheese..

COFFEE-RUBBED CHEESE

How about a cheese made with coffee? Utah-based Beehive Cheese Company coats some of their artisan Cheddar cheese in roasted Turkish coffee and lavender buds: an inspired combination that creates an edible rind and adds nutty flavor to the mild Cheddar. We like this unique cheese so much, it was a Top Pick Of The Week. Read our review of Barely Buzzed.
 
As with anything, your own palate and desire to experiment will lead to favorite pairings. Let us know what you come up with.

A cheeseburger using pimiento cheese from
ZoesKitchen.com. Photo courtesy Zoe’s
Kitchen.

We recently received a shipment of cheese spreads from Tonya’s Gourmet Creations. The company makes cheese spreads in Carolina Blend, Dilly Beef, Feta-Greek, Smokey Bacon Cheddar, Southwest Chipotle and Sun-Dried Tomato.

It reminded us of our mom’s pimiento cheese spread, which she enjoyed on toast with a tall glass of iced tea.

Pimiento cheese is a Southern specialty—along with barbecue, catfish, deviled eggs, grits, fried chicken and sweet tea.

Sharp Cheddar cheese, chopped pimientos and mayonnaise create a spread that’s used to fill celery sticks, to slather for cheeseburgers, to spread on crackers or toast and to make grilled cheese sandwiches and cheese omelets.

RECIPE: PIMIENTO CHEESE SPREAD

Ingredients

Preparation

1. COMBINE mayo, pimiento, Worcestershire, onion and cayenne in a large bowl. Stir in the cheese.

2. CHILL in fridge to let flavors meld. Serve at room temperature. Can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Variations

Add cream cheese for a creamier spread. Photo courtesy Kraft Foods.

 
MORE WAYS TO USE PIMIENTO CHEESE

 
Share your favorite uses and variations with us!