Ah, blue cheese. Don’t you wish there was a way to work it into every facet of your day? With these recipes, you can! The following blue cheese recipes all offer twists on familiar dishes to serve to guests, have for dinner, or indulge in dessert. Keep on eating the blue cheeses you love or take some tips on kinds you’ve never tried before. Either way, you’ll come out a winner.

Photo credit: Kim Lightbody from The Guardian

Bruschetta with Stichelton, Purple Sprouting Broccoli, and Capers

Forget your mother’s bruschetta—this twist from Petersham Nurseries Café uses Stichelton. Similar to Stilton, Stichelton differs in that it uses unpasteurized rather than pasteurized cow’s milk. The savory and spicy flavors from the cheese mix well with saltiness of the capers.

Polenta Chips with Gorgonzola Dressing

All right, so buying chips in a bag and dip in a jar is easy and delicious, but you can shock and impress all your friends by making polenta chips and the dressing to go along with it. The garlic and saltiness of the chips should balance well against the creaminess of the sweet gorgonzola.

Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings with Blue Cheese Dip

The football season may be over, but with March Madness just around the corner, you’ll need a good sports snack while you’re glued to the TV. This recipe from culture substitutes in yogurt for sour cream and calls for baked rather than fried wings, making this delicious snack a little healthier. Concoct the dip from any blue cheese you’d like (we recommend Maytag Blue).

Photo credit: Jerry Miriam

Open-Face Beef & Blue Cheese Sandwich with Crispy Onion Topping

Add some pizzazz to your roast beef with roasted red peppers, horseradish, blue cheese, and crispy onions with this restaurant-worthy dish from culture. You can use whatever blue cheese you prefer—try Firefly Farms Black and Blue if you’re looking for suggestions——and let the cheese melt in between the beef and hot, crispy onions.

Cobb Grilled Cheese

Here’s a chance to turn away from your usual grilled cheese with Kraft singles. Go ahead, they’ll be waiting for you when you get back. This take from foodiecrush offers not only Gouda and blue cheese but all the flavors you’d get from a Cobb salad: chicken, bacon, avocado and eggs. It’s a meal unto itself and that’s a beautiful thing.

Mac and Blue Cheese

Another twist on a classic dish from how sweet it is takes your mac and cheese to the next level! The options to mix up mac and cheese are virtually limitless so you shouldn’t be afraid to experiment. This particular recipe calls for fontina, gorgonzola, and buttermilk blue, but feel free to substitute in any of the blues you have leftover in your fridge. Eating a dish like this, you can almost forget the cold outside. Almost.

Blue Cheese and Fig Shortbread

Yep, it’s true: You can make desserts from blue cheese. These shortbread cookies combine blue cheese and butter for the ultimate creamy richness and come topped with figs to offer you a hint of sweet. Try them with your after-dinner glass of wine.

Blue Cheesecake

Here’s the fact I’ve learned from these recipes: figs and blue cheese go really well together. For this cheesecake, you’ll end up with a rich and savory cake to balance against the crust made from oatcakes and pulverized walnuts. Top it with a drizzle of honey and serve with figs or grapes.

Feature Photo Credit: Kim Lightbody for The Guardian

Gabrielle Roman

Gabrielle Roman is earning her Master's in Publishing and Writing at Emerson College in Boston. She is originally from Kansas City and misses the BBQ but the Thai food is good consolation. Her favorite hobby is cuddling with her puppy.