{"id":27305,"date":"2016-06-20T13:36:21","date_gmt":"2016-06-20T17:36:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/developer83.wordpress-developer.us\/culturecheesemag\/?p=27305"},"modified":"2022-05-11T06:07:11","modified_gmt":"2022-05-11T10:07:11","slug":"the-cheesy-vegetarian-creamy-cheddar-hash-browns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/developer83.wordpress-developer.us\/culturecheesemag\/the-cheesy-vegetarian-creamy-cheddar-hash-browns\/","title":{"rendered":"The Cheesy Vegetarian: Creamy Cheddar Hash Browns"},"content":{"rendered":"

During my fourteen years of being sans meat, I’ve found that when you ask vegetarians “Why aren’t you a vegan?” their response is either “too expensive” or “cheese.” In order to help my comrades-in-vegetables out, I’m scouring the internet for the cheesiest meat-free recipes around. Join me on my journey to recreate the best, and learn the history of our favorite cheese while we’re at it.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Cheese is a vegetarian’s best friend, ally, confidant. It turns any potentially boring vegetarian recipe (i.e., a well-made veggie burger without cheese\u2014yikes) into a delicious meal. It provides the filling heartiness that a meatless meal can lack. It even has health benefits: cheese provides the B12 that most vegetarians might go without in their diets.<\/p>\n

I’ve always considered myself a secret chef. When I was little, I would ask my mom for all of the spices in the cabinet and a big mixing bowl. I’d throw in whatever she didn’t want, tomato sauce cans or dried beans. When I was finished \u201ccooking,\u201d I’d ask her to try it and she always pretended to\u2014it probably wasn’t safe enough to actually eat, but her reaction satisfied my five-year-old self. As I got older, she taught me how to really cook and bake. When I became a vegetarian at 9 years old (because I thought cows were kind of like my pet cat), she helped me learn fitting, healthy recipes for my new diet.<\/p>\n

While this blog series might not be the quite<\/em> so healthy vegetable soups she taught me how to make, they are definitely cheesy and downright delectable. This week marks recipe number one: a heaping portion of cheesy potato hash browns featuring a sharp cheddar.<\/p>\n

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Ingredients<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

THE CHEESE<\/h3>\n

So, what’s the deal with cheddar? It was first created in the 12th century in Somerset, England, in a village called\u2014you guessed it\u2014Cheddar. Originally it wasn’t that great, since refrigerators weren’t a thing yet, so bacteria kind of took over the taste of the cheddar we know and love today. There are lots of types of cheddar: fresh unpressed, mild, medium, old, and extra old; clothbound<\/a> or plastic wrapped<\/a>. For this recipe, any kind will do. For the average joe, go with your favorite pre-shredded brand (white or orange is fine!). If you’re feeling fancy and don’t mind shredding yourself, grab a block of your favorite cheddar at a local cheese shop<\/a>. For this recipe, I used my local grocery store’s organic brand of shredded white cheddar.<\/p>\n

THE RECIPE<\/h3>\n

There are a lot of recipes for Cheesy Hash Browns on the internet\u2014some vegetarian, some not. For many, it’s reminiscent of Mom’s home-cooked meals; for others it’s a “grief casserole.” But whatever this dish reminds you of, it’s a delicious and easy recipe to have in your inventory as it can be stuck in the oven in 25 minutes or less.<\/p>\n

I’ve made and tweaked this version multiple times and feel that this creamy combo works best. If you’re cutting calories, it’s okay to cut a cup of cheddar cheese and replace it with more hash browns, or use low-fat versions. But, if you’re like me, you want the cheesiest, creamiest version out there, and this is it:<\/p>\n

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Creamy Cheddar Hash Browns<\/h2>\n
<\/div>\nBecca McGilloway<\/span>\n
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Ingredients
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