C4 LEFTOVER MAKEOVER

mushroom. If you have store-bought pizza sauce and mozzarella available, you may use the meats as toppings for a homemade pizza, using day-old pandesal or frozen pizza dough.

CHEESES

Depending on the types of cheese, these may be incorporated into salads, pasta or sliced to make an extra thick grilled cheese sandwich. More importantly, make sure unconsumed cheeses are properly stored.

CHEESE STORAGE TIPS:

Storing cheeses can be tricky. Here are some cheese storing tips from the California Milk Advisory Board:

Most cheeses will maintain their flavor and quality in your refrigerator if properly stored. Keep cheeses in the refrigerator until needed. Once opened, follow these simple guidelines for storing cheese:

1. Fresh cheeses should be treated just like milk and kept refrigerated. Many fresh cheeses can last for a few weeks if properly stored, so note the freshness date on the package before you buy. If you detect mold on a fresh cheese, discard it.

2. Soft-ripened cheeses will keep for up to several weeks if properly stored. If you plan to use a softripened cheese within a few days, store it in the refrigerator in its original plastic wrap.

3. Semi-hard and hard cheeses can remain enjoyable for four to eight weeks if properly stored. If you do not plan to consume these cheeses within a few days after its original package is first opened, consider removing their original plastic wrap and re-wrapping in parchment or wax paper, which allows the cheese to breathe. After re-wrapping a cheese, store in a covered plastic container or a re-sealable food storage bag. Open the bag a couple of times a week to let in fresh air. If a small patch of mold appears on a piece of cheese, trim it off completely by cutting at least 1/4-inch below the mold and plan to consume the cheese soon.

4. Very hard cheeses (typically used for grating) are much lower in moisture than other cheeses and will keep for months stored in the same way as semi-hard cheeses.