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Good Question: A Reader's Love of Cottage Cheese

2006_02_07-cottage-cheese.jpgAnne, a loyal reader, recently wrote to us declaring her love for cottage cheese. Her blog, Weight Watchers, Eh? is a chronicle of her adventures with the Weight Watchers plan. She's been reading and writing in to The Kitchen for some time now, so the least we could do was post her question to the masses:

"I usually eat cottage cheese with pineapple, but would love to hear how other people eat it. I recently heard of someone eating it with pepper and chives and this seems like an interesting combo. How do other people eat their cottage cheese?"

 
 

Anne,

All I know is that my dad used to eat it with salsa and that would really turn my stomach. A good friend, Lou, eats it with a drizzle of olive oil and pepper, and I can tell you that with a few salty crackers, that's a great little snack.

Cheers,
Sara Kate

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Comments (74)

Take a piece of lightly toasted bread, put a good scoop of cottage cheese in the middle of the bread slice, top with a slice of cheese and broil it until cheese on top melts-yum!

I know someone who eats cottage cheese topped with Italian salad dressing.

posted by leeds on 2006-02-07 09:35:26

topped with capers....and a little pepper...only way i can eat it

posted by colleen on 2006-02-07 09:36:46

with berries and a little sugar (or splenda, usually) to sweeten it. yum!

posted by liz on 2006-02-07 09:38:08

Fill a scooped-out cantaloupe half with cottage cheese then sprinkle with toasted slivered almonds.

posted by momy on 2006-02-07 09:42:09

Drizzle with Chestnut Honey

posted by luigi on 2006-02-07 09:47:45

I put it in green salads--some greens, cottage cheese, basalmic vinagrette, whatever else I have around. Sort of like a salad with goat cheese, but less fat.

posted by anna on 2006-02-07 10:08:19

My most favorite way is with bacon bits sprinkled on top, but a close second is with fresh strawberries instead of pineapple.

posted by Shelley on 2006-02-07 10:36:54

With a sprinkling of chives and caraway seeds -- the best!

And sometimes with a little dollop of Thousand Island or Green Goddess dressing.

posted by NancyHM on 2006-02-07 10:52:36

I'm not a huge cottage cheese fan, but occasionally I do eat it with sliced cucumbers and a little sea salt. I have no idea where or when I came up with that...

posted by abby on 2006-02-07 11:00:03

this should probably have gone into the "guilty pleasures" thread, but here goes
i learned this from my step-sister when our parents first got married, it was the first time we truly bonded!

i like my cottage cheeese:
btwn two slices of whole wheat toast and topped with ketchup

say ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwh all you want, its DELISH!

posted by ann on 2006-02-07 11:05:15

When I was little my mother would toast a piece of bread w/ cottage cheese topped w/ cinnamon and sugar. Yum!

We also had a cottage cheese, sour cream and egg noddle dish.

And now I love it with fruit sauce from TJs.

posted by NS on 2006-02-07 11:06:35

I don't touch the stuff, but my friend dips tortilla chips in it.

posted by Christina on 2006-02-07 11:07:41

Oh -- I just remembered another one. I used to toast rye bread, spread a thin layer of marmite on the toast and then top with cottage cheese. Marmite is definitely an acquired taste, but the salty goes nicely with the cottage cheese.

posted by abby on 2006-02-07 11:13:07

i meant to ask earlier: how do you get cottage cheese on toast without it getting unmanageably runny? do you drain it first?

posted by liz on 2006-02-07 11:33:59

Try mixing it with Sriracha hot sauce. Yum!

posted by jd on 2006-02-07 11:40:58

I love it plain or in salads. My mother made cottage cheese when I was young. It always had a nice tang to it, somewhat like yogart or buttermilk. The best store product I have found that comes close to this is Nancy's Cottage Cheese. http://www.nancysyogurt.com/nancys_products/cottage_cheese.php

posted by Chic on 2006-02-07 11:45:38

on whole wheat toast with lots of cracked black pepper, and with sliced cherry tomatoes (if they're in season)

also..mixed with cold pasta. YUM!

posted by carignane on 2006-02-07 11:48:19

with buttered noodles and lots of black pepper

posted by Arin on 2006-02-07 11:55:18

Hiya!
I love my cottage cheese with some red and yellow peppers, some cucumber, and some tomato slices. Plus some salt and pepper. Yummy. See you on the boards girl!

posted by Brodiegirl on 2006-02-07 11:59:27

My wife and I like it with Lawry's Seasoned Salt. It's even better with Fiber One cereal.

posted by John Koontz on 2006-02-07 12:06:42

Sounds weird but just try cottage cheese with pickled beets- very yum.
Also for a good low point breakfast Anne on raisen toast with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

posted by Rosemary on 2006-02-07 12:07:22

Wow, You have all opened up a new world of cottage cheese for me! Thanks!

posted by Anne on 2006-02-07 12:45:17

Standing up at the fridge with a spoon out of the container...really! I love cottage cheese. It's the perfect "Oh my god I'm so hungry MUST EAT NOW" food.

posted by rachel on 2006-02-07 13:07:08

For the toast w/ cin. and sugar we toasted the bread first and then put the cottage cheese on and toasted it again - just enough to warm up the cheese but before it got runny. (Usually I just spooned the cottage cheese onto the bread in the toaster and closed the door again).

I'll have to try it savory sometime...

posted by NS on 2006-02-07 13:12:34

Yummy! With fresh peaches...sigh...

posted by gretchen on 2006-02-07 13:17:26

I use cottage cheese as a dressing for a spinach salad, since it's runny and creamy. It's also yummy with some Ritz or saltine crackers with a dash of pepper.

My Mom used to use cottage cheese as a subsitute for ricotta cheese in her lasagna.

posted by Vicky on 2006-02-07 13:20:46

I can only eat my cottage cheese with an english muffin and half a grapefruit. I love all three of them, but together they are the perfect breakfast.

posted by A. on 2006-02-07 13:21:10

Topped with salsa - amazing!
Eaten with Triscuits
Mixed with fresh basil and cherry tomatoes
On top of steamed broccoli

posted by Guttersnipe on 2006-02-07 13:22:34

When I was growing up my mother would make a jello mold of lime jello, crushed pineapple and cottage cheese. I loved it and have made it off and on as an adult.

After reading these suggestions I just put cottage cheese on my grocery list for today's shopping. Thanks for all the great ideas.

(not the same anne that posted the topic)

posted by anne on 2006-02-07 13:34:47

On toast with raisons sprinkled on top

posted by Janice on 2006-02-07 13:37:39

My favorite is the "Light-n-Lively" brand in the blue container. I like to steam up some petite baby peas and eat it together. The slight sweetness from the peas tastes so great with the cottage cheese!

I don't know how I came up with this combination, I think it's from my days in undergrad, being a poor student.

posted by christina on 2006-02-07 13:40:36

sometimes i just mix mine with cinnamon and splenda! yum!

posted by daria Miano on 2006-02-07 13:50:58

I love it plain on wheat toast as well. Yummy!

For a lunch-type meal, mix equal parts cottage cheese and drained tuna fish and apply to a salad or bread as desired. Yummy, and far more healthy than mayo.

posted by h on 2006-02-07 14:31:55

I second the tuna thing and I want to add the link to this page:

http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/displayarticle.php?aid=23

posted by Guttersnipe on 2006-02-07 14:35:31

with sunflower seeds and chili pepper in it. and with salsa on tortilla chips is the bomb.

posted by kyd on 2006-02-07 14:41:49

I douse it liberally with either Tabasco or lots of ground cayenne pepper. Black pepper will work in a pinch, but the red is where it's really at.

Alternatively, I like to slice bananas into it.

posted by BNA on 2006-02-07 15:07:19

Sliced tomato, big spoonful of cottage cheese, lots of pepper and a bit of salt, and then I inhale it. It's very good.

posted by natalucci on 2006-02-07 15:13:23

1/2 apple sause,1/2 cottage cheese all the way!

I also have a soft spot for the old school 70's diet my mom had of 1/2 a grapefruit with a dollop of Cottage cheese and black coffe with a sweet'n'low...

posted by Alec on 2006-02-07 15:31:43

I totally second the cottage cheese/apple sauce. You can play with the percentage mix according to taste, but there's nothing better.

posted by Rob on 2006-02-07 15:39:45

marmite and cottage cheese sandwiches - yum.

posted by Samantha on 2006-02-07 16:02:47

Mistress Krista of stumpyous.com fame is known far and wide for her very popular cottage cheese page.

http://stumptuous.com/cms/displayarticle.php?aid=23

posted by Diane I. on 2006-02-07 16:19:52

Correction: Her site is stumptous.com and the cottage cheese page is in the iron section (meaning weight-training) under "eating."

posted by Diane I. on 2006-02-07 16:21:35

And I forgot one more! I didn't even realize I liked cottage cheese until this thread. But it's also really yummy on a baked sweet potato. I just put on a little at a time so it stays cool on the warm potato. Mmmm...

posted by abby on 2006-02-07 16:24:17

Samantha, you must be from the UK. Marmite is definitely an acquired taste.

posted by anne on 2006-02-07 16:38:45

I can't believe that no one mentioned cottage cheese with pasta... i grew up with it. pasta with red sauce and cottage cheese is brilliant

posted by kristian on 2006-02-07 18:21:31

Radishes

posted by exVPTW on 2006-02-07 18:24:33

As a topping for baked beans! You have to try this to believe how great it tastes. It is actually popular in New Hampshire. That's where I learned about it.

posted by jc on 2006-02-07 18:37:21

With chopped tomatoes and scallions and ground black pepper. Mmmmm...

posted by julia on 2006-02-07 19:30:02

I also have it with pasta all of the time. I also will cook frozen veggies (especially Giant Fiesta Mix) then put cottage cheese, Italian or garlic dressing, and some Parmesan cheese on top.

Then there's cottage cheese, peanut butter (almond butter price is sky high), and a banana

With tomatos and basil or dill.

In scalloped potatoes (serving, not cooking) or chili.

On a baked potato.

With raisins and nuts.

Mix it in your pancake batter.

I'm probably forgetting something.

I practically live on cottage cheese.

posted by Jean on 2006-02-07 20:51:54

Mom stirred jelly into it for us kids. Now you can buy it that way, à la yogurt.

posted by pb on 2006-02-07 21:24:22

With red seedless grapes.

posted by hiram on 2006-02-07 22:06:39

Mash it with orange or yellow squash and a little maple syrup. Probably you don't want this for breakfast, but it's yum.

posted by Emily on 2006-02-07 23:13:10

I mix the Cottage Cheese with onions cut into little cubes, canned tuna fish and some pepper. And then eat this mixture with some Pita. Delicious !!!

posted by Jany on 2006-02-08 02:24:12

Way better than apple sause is apple butter!!!

posted by josh on 2006-02-08 11:14:32

With jello. Yummy.

On salads.

with peaches.

Used in lasagna instead of ricotta.

posted by akaellen on 2006-02-08 11:15:26

On cinnamon graham crackers.
Or during Passover (soon), on egg matzoh.

posted by Stacey on 2006-02-08 12:21:40

With lemon-pepper seasoning salt!

posted by mj on 2006-02-08 17:02:13

1) a second vote for Lawrey's Seasoning Salt (heaven)
2) with regular old green olives
3) with cucumber, tomato, and salt/Lawrey's and pepper

Oh, and it must be small curd.

posted by chillyb on 2006-02-08 20:09:11

Use it to fill the hole in half an avocado. You then eat spoonfuls which are part cottage cheese and part avocado and if the cheese runs out you add some more. Delicious.

posted by purplehazel on 2006-02-11 08:11:01

I LOVE cottage cheese.

1- try it with sliced cherry tomatoes and pepper.
2- I'm a big fan of mixing it with salsa and dipping with tortilla chips.
3- with any canned fruit topping (pineapples, madarin oranges, pears...)
4 - sauted zucchini and top with cottage cheese and pepper.
5- on top of a baked sweet or regular idaho potato.
6- with sliced fresh peaches (yum!)

I am so trying the baked bean and cottage cheese combo...that sounds GOOD! Thanks!

posted by Abby on 2006-02-12 22:38:28

Lawry's is definately the way to go. I find the perfect dish has it topped with Lawry's, bacon bits (not imitation bacon bits), and a tablespoon or so of Ranch dressing. I have to try that sriracha approach!

posted by Brandon on 2006-02-27 13:44:54

The only way I'll eat Stew is with cottage cheese. Also usually have it just plain or with canned fruit (fruit cocktail). Sometimes I mix in some dill weed and dip raw veggies. My old roomate would mix with cherry pie filling. Definitely also on baked potatoes. I'm glad I'm not the only one who likes it with pickled beets (discovered this one 2 days ago), and I'm for sure trying the apple butter! WOW, so many things to do with cottage cheese.

posted by Andrea on 2006-03-18 07:45:52

Drain a carton of cottage cheese to get rid of the excess moisture. Stir in a 3 oz. box of any flavor jello mix (just the powder). I love raspberry. That's it.

For a little extra add a can of crushed pineapple that has been drained.

posted by cole on 2006-05-17 16:30:48

Dab cottage cheese on Wheat Thins, then top off with a dot of Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce :)

posted by Nicky on 2006-06-10 20:31:24

I'm eating cottage cheese right now...good protein snack if you're going to work out. Anyway, I think it's best on top of sliced pear (soft and ripe is best) with a little salt and pepper. If you want it more as a dessert, at coconut slices (ambrosia). Right now I'm eating it with a peach, not bad, but not a pear.

posted by Michael on 2006-06-14 15:00:39

A MUST TRY:

As a dip:
with green jalapeno peppers, long green onions (chives and all), and salt to taste.

the BEST with Fritos chips, but have used tostadas or tortilla chips.

posted by Laura on 2006-08-03 16:28:03

I LOVE COTTAGE CHEESE!
I eat it with all kinds of fruits, veggies, plain, you name it. My favorite is using it as dressing on a fresh salad. In fact I hardly ever use dressings and oils anymore. It really brings out the flavor of all the veggies. Plus you get your fill from just a salad made this way.

posted by Tina on 2006-09-15 13:04:49

Yea for cottage cheese!
I am 34 years old and only recently tried cottage cheese. I love it!!!
Eating cottage cheese with pairs is just the absolute greatest! It has to be really good cottage cheese though! Yum! Yum!

posted by Angela on 2006-10-03 14:20:36

I really should learn to use spell check before I send in a comment! Sorry about that! It should be pears, not pairs! I am such a loser!


posted by Angela on 2006-10-03 14:23:15

w/ blue ranch dorritos

posted by Saul on 2007-01-22 17:15:09

I thought I was an anomaly for spreading my cottage cheese on whole wheat toast. I am amazed so many other people have discovered what a treat that is but I do not see anyone else covering the cottage cheese with walnuts.

posted by MrAlaska on 2007-02-02 13:20:32

Cottage cheese is great for weight training, but if you dont like the taste and want all the benefits, eat it straight up with a bit of gatorade powder. Knocks out the taste plus helps to restore electrolites!

posted by Dave on 2007-03-14 00:21:21

I'm glad I'm not the only one who likes it with tortilla chips, though I have it with "Guiltless Gourmet" tortilla chips as they're baked rather than fried and not as bad for you.

I've never seen the appel of the mixing of cottage cheese with sweet things. I think it's great with anything crunchy.

posted by Orchid64 on June 30th 2008 at 4:31pm
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Ok, I realize this post is almost 3 years old but I wanted to add this suggestion:

Cottage cheese on curry. Nice hot spicy curry, maybe with some fluffy rice underneath, and then straight out of the fridge cold cottage cheese on top.

posted by Kakugori on June 2nd 2009 at 10:52pm
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