Super Bowl LVI Mac and Cheese

 We have friends who host a Super Bowl party every year (or years when Covid isn't raging).  Recently one of our hosts was diagnosed with Diabetes.  She loves my mac and cheese and I wanted to modify my recipe so that she could still enjoy it.  I figure it this way...it's not going to hurt the rest of us to eat a little healthier either.  Please note, there is still a ton of cheese and  some butter in this recipe so while the carbs are low, the fat and calories are not.

I didn't measure a ton with this recipe but what I made filled a roughly 8x11 catering tray.

I cooked 2 14oz packages of chickpea pasta (Barilla Chickpea Rotini) according to package directions.

In a heavy sauce pan I melted 4 tbsp each of butter and flour to create my roux.  I added a pint of whole milk and a splash of skim milk.  Don't go overboard on the skim or your sauce will break.  I added some onion powder and a pinch of cayenne pepper to the roux.   When it starts to thicken start adding your cheeses.  I used smoke Gouda, sharp cheddar and Colby jack; you can use whatever your favorites are.  If you can get Velveeta shredded, use some of that as well, it gives the sauce extra velvety-ness.

Taste the sauce as you go.  Add some smoked paprika if you like the flavor.  When you are happy with the taste and texture of your sauce, mix in your pasta and put it in your pan.  I put some cooking spray in the pan to make sure it doesn't all stick.

I usually top my mac and cheese with a mixture of seasoned bread crumbs and more cheese.  I subbed riced cauliflower for the bread crumbs.  I toasted the cauliflower in a skillet with butter and some finely chopped red bell pepper.  I seasoned it with some Parmesan and Asiago cheeses as well as Everything but the Bagel seasoning once the mixture was cooled.  For the pan I used, the mixture was about 2/3 of a cup.

Just before I put the pan in a 375 degree oven, I add about a half cup of whole milk to it, just to loosen up the sauce a bit. Bake for 35-45 minutes, until golden and bubbly.

Like a blogger that is out of practice, I did not take a photo of my process or my finished process yesterday.  Next time!

Zuppa Toscana

 This is a spin on the Olive Garden soup and while I don't go to Olive Garden all that often, this is an awesome soup.  It's hearty and is another way to use some of the amazing Italian sausage we can get in our area.

1lb. mild Italian sausage

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/2 lb. bacon, cut into 1/2 inch thick pieces

1 large onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

6 C. chicken broth

1 lb. potatoes, peeled and diced

1 C. heavy whipping cream

3-4 C. kale, chopped (I sometimes sub in spinach instead or mix them)

Place a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium high heat.  Add the sausage and red pepper flakes and cook, breaking the sausage up as it cooks.  Cook until browned and no longer pink, then remove to a bowl or a plate.

Add the bacon to the pot and cook until crisp; about 7-8 minutes.  Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and add to the sausage.  Drain all but about 2 tbsp. of the bacon grease.

To the remaining bacon grease, add the onion and cook until soft.  Add the garlic and cook another 30-60 seconds, until the garlic is fragrant.

Pour in chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil.

Add the potatoes, and boil until fork tender, about 20 minutes.

Once the potatoes are tender, reduce the heat and add the sausage and bacon back into the pan.  Stir in the heavy cream.  Add the kale and stir to combine.

Cook for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the kale has softened a bit.

Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve warm.

Slow Cooker White Bean Spinach and Sausage Stew

 This recipe calls for apple and feta sausage but I think it can be made with just about any kind of sausage.  We have lots of choices in our area for really delicious Italian sausage...traditional and sausage made with turkey or chicken.  I also think this can be made with canned cannelini beans to shave 13-14 hours off of preparation time.

2 C. dried cannelini beans

5 C. unsalted chicken broth

1 plum tomato, stem end trimmed

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tap. black pepper

4 garlic cloves, lightly crushed

2 fresh rosemary sprigs

6oz. spinach and feta chicken and turkey sausage, cut diagonally into 1/2 inch thick slices

5oz baby spinach, roughly chopped

1/4 C. chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Sort and wash the beans; place in a large Dutch oven.  Cover with water to 2in above the beans, cover and let stand for 8 hours.  Drain the beans.  Place the beans in a slow cooker.  Add the stock, tomato, salt, pepper, garlic, and rosemary sprigs.  Cover and cook on low until the beans are tender, about 7 hours.

Lightly mas the bean mixture with a potato masher, breaking up the tomato and garlic.  Add the sausage to the slow cooker; cover and cook on low until thoroughly heated 20-30 minutes.  Add the spinach and parsley, stirring just until the spinach begins to wilt.  Discard the rosemary sprigs.  Ladle the stew into bowls; ; drizzle evenly with the oil before serving.