5 of our favorite cheesy recipes

Many of us would give anything to go back to our youth – at least, to the parts we can alter to make life more manageable. Dinnertime is a prime example of this. Don't like what Mom and Dad are serving you for dinner? Drown it in cheese, and you'll barely taste the food underneath it. Mission accomplished: You won't know what broccoli tastes like until you're old enough to vote.

Luckily, we're adults now, armed with decision-making powers and the wherewithal to operate an oven. We don't have to resort to subterfuge to consume the foods we love. We can drown our foods in cheese right out in the open, free of restrictions or judgment. And the mature adults who comprise the Israeli Kitchen channel have concocted the following perfectly cheesy and remarkably easy recipes that will teach you how to use cheese to enhance, not conceal, the flavor of your food.

Cauliflower gratin

Au gratin is usually preceded with "potato," but this recipe calls for cauliflower. (Photo: Jerry James Stone)

We already provided you with some innovative ways to eat more cauliflower. But this one, a gratin version of the versatile white vegetable, is our undisputed favorite. This no-fuss recipe allows you to enjoy the au gratin part of your favorite side dish without the calories that a starchier base like potatoes would provide.

Khachapuri

Khachapuri is a traditional Georgian dish. (Photo: Africa Studio/Shutterstock)

Israeli Kitchen's founder, Miriam Kresh, got a firsthand endorsement of these cheese-filled, boat-shaped beauties known in the Republic of Georgia as khachapuri from three butchers at a market in Israel. They asked her, time and time again, whether she'd made the khachapuri yet, so finally she did – and she liked them so much, she made them again, and again, and again. We think you will, too. Here's the recipe – now get going, before the three butchers start pestering!

Cheesy pasta shells with vegetables

This outstanding pasta dish is packed with the flavor of fried onions and mushrooms, basil, and freshly ground black pepper. (Photo: Sarah F. Berkowitz)

You can call this grown-up mac and cheese, but we just call it dinner. There are so many ways to whip up pasta and vegetables for a good, hearty meal, but we believe the best way is covered in cheese, as in this recipe. The secret is incorporating the vegetables into the cheese sauce before stirring in the pasta, for even distribution of cheese. Because that, friends, is the key to the perfect mac and cheese dish.

Broccoli in white cheddar sauce

Careful not to overcook the broccoli. (Photo: Jerry James Stone)

You've probably put cheese on top of your broccoli dozens of times. But this is no ordinary cheese – this recipe includes a velvety gourmet cheese sauce that has endless versatility and is quite addictive. You can use any cheese you've got on hand, and all will complement the broccoli remarkably well. Recipe author Jerry James Stone even provided a video if you're more of a visual learner.

Fried halloumi cheese

Crispy halloumi is a favorite on the menu at Zahav, a popular Philadelphia restaurant owned by Michael Solomonov. (Photo: Michael Persico)

Cheese is the main attraction in this quintessentially Mediterranean dish from award-winning Philadelphia chef Michael Solomonov, owner of Zahav and author of the cookbook of the same name. But make no mistake – this pairing of crispy, salty cheese from Cyprus and a tangy, nutty date paste is as filling as any meat or poultry dish. And though this recipe comes straight from the kitchen of a five-star chef, it's still easy for novices to make at home.