Football season is in full swing and so is tailgating and grilling before the games. One ingredient that is at every good party is cheese! Finlandia Cheese allows you to have your cheese and keep fitting into your favorite jeans & jersey, too. Finlandia's entire line is all-natural, lactose-free and hormone-free with some great options that are low in fat and sodium (their newest being their Lacey Swiss). They offer high quality, highly flavorful varieties including Swiss, Havarti, Muenster, Double Gloucester and Gouda and they pair perfectly with whatever you are putting on your plate!
Finlandia Cheese has paired up with Executive Chef of award-winning CulinAriane restaurant and Bravo's Top Chef finalist Ariane Duarte to create some wonderful grill friendly recipes that are sure to impress your friends. Here are a few of the recipes I received in the press release:
Jumpin’ Turkey Swiss Burgers
Created by Chef Ariane Duarte
Serves 6
2 lbs Ground Turkey
1 or 2 jalapeño peppers, small dice (depending on how much heat you like)
½ c chopped cilantro
1T ground cumin
1t chopped garlic
1 small onion, diced
Salt & pepper
12 slices Finlandia Swiss or Light Swiss Cheese
6 burger buns of your choice
In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Divide equally into 6 balls. Form into patties and place on grill. Grill on high heat - 4 minutes on 1 side, then turn and finish for about 3 to 4 minutes on the other. Add two slices of Finlandia Swiss and let melt. Then, place on your bun with your favorite accompaniments.
Ariane says: You can use Finlandia Swiss or Finlandia Light Swiss for this burger as they both deliver a distinctively rich and nutty flavor. The result is a nice compliment to the boldness that results from the combination of jalapeño peppers, cumin and garlic.
Grilled Chicken with Summer Tomatoes and Finlandia Muenster Cheese
Created by Ariane Duarte
Serves 6
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2T olive oil
1T fresh rosemary chopped
1T fresh thyme chopped
1T fresh basil chopped
Salt & pepper
2 Jersey fresh tomatoes
1 package Finlandia Swiss or Light Swiss Cheese
Preheat grill to medium high. Place chicken breasts in a large bowl and add olive oil, herbs, salt and pepper. Let stand for about 10 minutes.
While chicken is marinating, slice tomatoes into 4 pieces. Brush with olive oil, salt and pepper and grill for about 1 minute on each side. Remove from grill and set aside. Next, place chicken on the grill and cook for about 4 minutes, turning over to complete the cooking for approximately 4 more minutes. After that, top each of the chicken breasts with a tomato slice, then a piece of cheese. Continue to leave the chicken over the heat only long enough to melt the cheese. Remove immediately, platter and serve.
Ariane says: Finlandia Muenster is the perfect cheese choice for this dish. A mild and creamy, yet full-bodied cheese, it offers the perfect palette to exhibit the trio of fresh herbs featured with the best-of Jersey’s summer produce standout.
Finlandia Double Gloucester Burger with Russian Dressing
Created by Chef Ariane Duarte
Serves 6
2 lb ground chuck
1oz (package) onion soup mix
1 egg beaten
2t Worcestershire sauce
2t hot sauce
3/4c rolled oats
1/4t black pepper
12 slices Finlandia Double Gloucester
6 burger buns of your choice
2T melted butter
Mix first 5 ingredients all together. Form into 6 patties. Pressing your thumb print into each patty after they are formed. Heat grill to med-high and place patties on grill. Grill on one side for about 7 minutes and flip once for another 7 minutes or until the temperature you desire. Add 2 slices of cheese to each burger and allow to melt while brushing buns with butter. Then place the buns on the grill butter side down for about 30 seconds, just enough to warm. Smear some Russian dressing on bun, next add the burger and if you like lettuce, tomato and onion and pickles.
Russian Dressing
1/2c mayo
1/3c ketchup
1T red wine vinegar
1T grated onion
1Tchopped parsley
Mix all together. Refrigerate.
Ariane says: Hamburgers are the quintessential American mainstay, but I always enjoy the challenge of putting my signature spin on the classic. In this burger recipe, I use onion soup mix, rolled oats and a variety of other ingredients to deliver a juicy, yet toothsome bite. Looking for a cheese that could stand up to the boldness of this burger led me to Finlandia’s Double Gloucester. It’s about the taste, but equally about the texture and as it melts, ahh…so gooey and full of flavor.
You can find several other
recipes using Finlandia cheese, including
The Ultimate Cheeseburger recipe which has become a favorite at my house, on the Finlandia website. Be sure to check out their "
fun stuff" section to discover other ways to entertain using cheese--there are a few great ideas that could be useful with the holidays and colder weather right around the corner.
We are a cheese loving household and that includes pretty much any kind of cheese--muenster and swiss are 2 of my all-time favorites. So I was super excited to try our Finlandia Cheese, as far as I can remember I have not tried out their brand but I may have ordered it from the deli and just not realized the brand name. However, we tested out their Light Swiss Deli Slices with our sandwiches for today's lunch and we all loved it (it is great on those Ultimate Cheeseburgers too). I honestly could not tell that it was a lower fat variety. I was also surprised at how fresh the slices tasted from the pre-sliced pack (sometimes when you purchase cheese that way, I find it to be dry and less flavorful, the Finlandia Light Swiss tasted like it had just been freshly sliced). I am definitely looking forward other varieties.
If you enjoy delicious, quality cheese, Finlandia a variety of cheeses made from the highest quality ingredients that are sure to be a hit with you, your family and your friends! Check out their
store locator to find a store near you!
Thank you to Bender Hammerling Group for my samples used in this review. Opinions are honest, review by Michelle.
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