CUTTING THE CHEESE

Have you been watching American Idol?
Don't lie, me too!
Just like expensive prostitutes and cheaper prices at the gas pump, it's what America wants! The cheesy performances, product placements, celebrity cross-promotional appearances, bad hairdos and teary "I-just-got-voted-off" montages...it's the perfect midweek guilty pleasure.

Speaking of cheese, here are two easy things you can do with a block of sharp cheddar:

1. Cheese crisps
Shred up some cheddar, make 2 inch-wide piles on a cookie sheet, and cook at 350 degrees for about 18 minutes. The cheese will flatten out and get super greasy just like your forehead on a hot summer's day, so don't forget to blot!
When they cool off, they are crispy and look sexy alongside a nice bowl of soup.

2. Cheese sauce (for broccoli or general food drowning, dipping and dunking). Melt 2tbsp butter, whisk in about 1tbsp flour and cook for a minute until thick. Whisk in milk until it gets thinner, then dump in shredded cheese until melted, adding more milk until you get the consistency you want. Toss in some salt, pepper, mustard powder or whatever else you like and sauce it up!

If you are lazy and love preservatives, you could always heat up some Tostito's Con Queso dip in the microwave instead. Talk about guilty pleasures!