I Don’t Mean to be Cheesy, But… I Have #ALoveAffairWithCheese

I have come to realize that there are a few things I can’t go without in my life. Wine, tequila, bread, my husband and cheese are just non-negotiables when it comes to the things that make me happy. So I guess it only made sense that my friends at Tre Stelle Canada came to me as one of their biggest fans to talk about fall recipes and getting creative in the kitchen this month!

The thing about cheese is that it is such a versatile staple in my home. Although I’m the one who gets to enjoy it, I am always looking for new ways to incorporate it into my recipes or new products that play with my taste buds. The line of products from Tre Stelle is consistently able to impress me and my guests, from grilled cheese to cheese souffle and everything in between!

I think one of the best things about cheese, like a good wardrobe, is that you can dress it up and dress it down. For example, the following recipes from Tre Stelle can be done in two ways. Take a look to see what I mean below.

Everyday Grilled Cheese Ingredients

  • 2 slices  Whole wheat or sourdough bread,
  • 2 slices   Tre Stelle Deluxe Mozzarella
  •  Salt and pepper to taste

(Everyday) Grilled Cheese Directions

Butter both sides of bread. Assemble and grill in a hot pan for 2-3 minutes per side. Serve with an arugula salad, dressed with parmesan, lemon juice, and olive oil.

OR, if you want to get fancy

Gourmet Grilled Cheese Ingredients

  • 2 slices  Walnut or Olive Foccacia
  • 2 slices   Tre Stelle Deluxe Mozzarella
  • Tre Stelle grated Parmesan, to taste
  • 1   Peach, thinly sliced
  • 2 tsp   Honey
  • 4   Fresh basil leaves
  • Salt and pepper to taste 

(Gourmet) Grilled Cheese Directions

Butter both sides of bread, or brush liberally with olive oil. Assemble and grill in a hot pan for 2-3 minutes per side. Slice into thin strips and serve with a herbed ricotta dip* (*To make the dip, stir together ½ cup Tre Stelle Traditional Ricotta, ¼ cup of extra virgin oil and ¼ cup of fresh basil with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste)

Veggie Lovers’ Stuffed Pasta Shells Ingredients

  • 8 cups  Large pasta shells, cooked
  • 1 Tbsp  Olive oil 
  • 1   Red pepper, finely chopped
  • ½  Green zucchini, finely chopped
  • ½  Yellow zucchini, finely chopped
  • 2   Eggs, slightly beaten
  • 450g  Tre Stelle Traditional Ricotta
  • ½ cup  Tre Stelle Grated Parmesan
  • ½ cup  Fresh basil
  • ½ cup  Fresh parsley
  • 1 ½ cup  Tomato sauce
  •   Salt and pepper, to taste

(Veggie Lovers) Stuffed Pasta Shells Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook the pasta shells as directed. Add the oil to a large pan and over medium-high heat, sauté the pepper and zucchinis for about 5 minutes, until softened then remove from heat and set aside to cool. In a large bowl, combine add the eggs, ricotta, parmesan, parsley, and basil. Tip in the cooled vegetable mixture and stir. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the mixture into the shells and set them in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Spoon over the tomato sauce then cover tightly with foil and bake 20-30 mins. Remove the foil, sprinkle with additional parmesan cheese and bake a further 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted and golden. Garnish with fresh basil and parsley to serve.

OR, if you want you are looking for a hearty meat option

Meat Lovers’ Stuffed Pasta Shells Ingredients

  • 8 cups  Large pasta shells, cooked
  • 1 Tbsp  Olive oil 
  • 1  Onion, finely chopped
  • 150g  Ground beef
  • 150g  Ground pork
  • 1 Tbsp  Worcestershire sauce 
  • 2   Eggs, slightly beaten
  • 450g  Tre Stelle Traditional Ricotta
  • ½ cup  Tre Stelle Grated Parmesan
  • ½ cup  Fresh basil
  • ½ cup  Fresh parsley
  • 1 ½ cup  Tomato sauce
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

(Meat Lovers) Stuffed Pasta Shells Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook the pasta shells as directed. Add the oil to a large pan and over medium-high heat, add the onion, Worcestershire sauce, and ground meets. Sauté for about 10 minutes – or until the onions are softened and the meat is browned with no trace of pink remaining. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. In a large bowl, combine add the eggs, ricotta, parmesan, parsley, and basil. Tip in the cooled meat mixture and stir. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the mixture into the shells and set them in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Spoon over the tomato sauce then cover tightly with foil and bake 20-30 mins. Remove the foil, sprinkle with additional parmesan cheese and bake a further 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted and golden. Garnish with fresh basil and parsley to serve.

So if you’re dressing up dessert with a decadent addition of Mascarpone, or thinking of something wild like a cheese taco shell for dinner, Tre Stell has the right product for you. I trust them with my recipes both for being a home hibernating this fall or impressing guests when I bring something for a potluck. Join in on the cheesiest conversation by following and tagging @TreStelleCheese!

For more behind the scenes of this and other amazing brands we are working with around the world, make sure to follow along with the #DoTheDaniel Instagram account. We would love to have you join on our adventures! 

Don’t forget to be kind & laugh a little more this year

Daniel Reyes

Mobile photos were taken with my Samsung Canada Galaxy S10+ on the Rogers network

*Please note that this is a sponsored post – our disclosure can be found at all times by clicking here.