Mac and Cheese for a Friend

 Chickpea pasta

1/2 stick butter, plus 1 additional tablespoon 

4 tbsp. whole milk, then an additional 2-2 1/2 cups

Choose your cheese, I like sharp cheddar so I go heavy on it with smoked Gouda, mild cheddar, shredded Velveeta

Cayenne pepper

Garlic powder

Black pepper 

Riced cauliflower and shredded carrot

Make pasta according to package directions.

In a saucepan, melt the butter and then add the flour stirring constantly until a paste forms.  Before it turns brown, add in the rest of the milk.  Stir in the cayenne, garlic, and pepper.  Stir for 5 minutes then add your shredded cheese.  Keep stirring.  If it gets too thick, add more milk.  If it’s too thin, add more cheese.  When it’s smooth and velvety, put the past into a pan sprayed with cooking spray and then pour the cheese sauce over.  Stir to combine.  

For your “breadcrumb” topping, melt a tablespoon of butter in a sauté pan.  Add riced veggies. Toast until they start to get golden. Spoon over mac and cheese.  Bake in a 375 degree oven for 45 minutes until edges start to brown.  Enjoy!

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!

Pepper Parmesan Beans

I make a green bean side dish with feta cheese which has become a Christmas fan favorite over the years.  This would be a little different spin.
1 sweet red pepper, diced1 small green pepper, diced
1/4 C. chopped onion-->I have family members that don't like onions so I may just use onion powder here
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 C. olive oil
1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans cut into 2 inch pieces
1 tbsp. minced fresh basil or 1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp salt
1/3 to 1/2 C. shredded Parmesan cheese

In a large skillet, saute the peppers, onion, and garlic in oil until the vegetables are tender, about 3 minutes.  Add the beans, basil and salt; toss to coat.  Cover and cook over medium low heat for 7-8 minutes or until the beans are crisp tender.  Stir in the cheese; serve immediately.

Blue Cheese and Grape Coleslaw

This was in the Summer 2016 issue of Taste of Home magazine.  It's a different spin on a classic side.    I might try subbing feta for blue cheese...or goat cheese.

1 14oz. pkg. coleslaw mix
3/4 C. sliced almonds, toasted
3/4 C. quartered green grapes
3/4 C. quartered seedless red grapes
1/2 C. crumbled blue cheese
3 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1/4 tsp. pepper
3/4 C. coleslaw salad dressing

Combine first 7 ingredients.  Pour dressing over salad; toss to coat.  Refrigerate 1 hour.

Per serving: 212 calories, 15 g. fat, 17mg. cholesterol, 339mg. sodium, 16g. carbs, 5g. protein

Bacon and Mushroom Risotto

I have made risotto once or twice.  This is a quick and easy recipe that I found in the Fall 2015 Kraft Food and Family.  Everything is better with bacon.  LOL

4 C. fat free reduced sodium chicken broth
1 C. water
4 slices bacon
1/2lb. mixed fresh mushrooms
1/2 C. finely chopped red onions
1 1/2 C. Arborio rice, uncooked
1/2 C. dry white wine
2 tbsp. butter
1 1/2 C. shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 C. coarsely chopped Italian parsley

Bring broth and water just to a boil in a saucepan.  Keep warm on low heat.  Cook bacon in large saucepan until crisp.  Remove bacon from pan; drain on paper towels. Discard all but 2 tbsp. drippings.

Return 1 tbsp. drippings to pan. Add mushrooms and onions; cook on medium heat 4 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently.  Remove from pan and set aside.

Add remaining bacon drippings and rice to pan; cook and stir 1 minute.

Stir in 1 C. hot broth; bring just to simmer.  Cook 5 minutes or until most of the broth is absorbed, stirring occasionally.  Repeat, adding remaining broth, then wine, 1/2  cup at a time, until tice is tender...this will take about 30 minutes.

Remove saucepan from heat.  Add butter, stir until melted.  Crumble bacon.  Add half to rice mixture along with the cheese, parsley and mushroom mixture; stir.  Sprinkle with remaining bacon.

Grilled Potato Wedges

This recipe is Bobby Flay's from foodnetwork.com I made a version of these today leaving out the garlic and red chili flakes...Mom was coming for dinner and I think the chili flakes would have been too much for her.  I would err on the harder side when boiling the potatoes because they grill up nice and soft in a grill pan over the coals!!

6 russet potatoes, scrubbed

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup canola oil

1/3 cup olive oil

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano


Put the potatoes in a pot of cold water, add 2 tablespoons of salt and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook the potatoes until tender, but still firm, about 40 minutes. The potatoes must be cooked through and fork tender, but still holding their shape. Drain and put on a cutting board. Let cool, then cut each potato lengthwise into 8 wedges.

Heat grill to medium-high.

Brush the potatoes with the canola oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Grill until golden brown and cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan until it begins to shimmer. Remove from the heat and immediately add the garlic, red chili flakes and parsley and let sit for 1 minute. Season the oil with salt and pepper, to taste, and drizzle over the potatoes. Sprinkle with the 

Crispy Salt and Vinegar Potatoes

I saw this in the May 2014 Bon Appetit Magazine.  I cannot believe that my chive plant survived the worst winter in decades under my back porch.  It's as green as can be and about 7 inches tall so we'll have fresh chives for these potatoes.  I may make them this weekend when Chris smokes a brisket.

2lb. baby Yukon gold potatoes, halved or quartered if large
1 C. plus 2 tbsp. distilled white vinegar
1 tbsp. kosher salt, plus more
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp. chopped fresh chives
Flakey sea salt

Combine potatoes, 1 C. vinegar, and 1 tbsp. kosher salt in a medium saucepan.  Add water to cover by 1".  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until potatoes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes; drain and pat dry.

Heat butter in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add potatoes; season with kosher salt and pepper.  Cook, tossing occasionally until golden brown and crisp, 8-10 minutes.  Drizzle with remaining vinegar.  Serve topped with chives and sea salt.

Crab Cavatelli Mac & Cheese

This is a recipe we made at a class at Flavour Cooking School in Forest Park.  You can also make it with lobster  meat if you would like...that's what we did in class.

1lb. cavatelli noodles
6 tbsp. unsalted butter
8oz. pasteurized crab meat, picked through
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
2 eggs
6oz. evaporated milk
1/2 tsp. tabasco sauce
1/tsp. sea salt
1/8 tsp. dried mustard
4oz. grated sharp cheddar cheese
4oz. grated gouda cheese
4oz grated emmentaler cheese
2 tbsp. fresh chives

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add 1 tbsp. salt.  Cook the noodles to al dente using package instructions.  Drain noodles and return them to the pot.

Toss noodles with butter and toss to coat.

Stir in crab meat, season with salt and pepper.

Put eggs, milk, tabasco, mustard and spices in large measuring cup or bowl with a spout.  Whisk to combine.  Stir mixture into pasta.  Reduce heat to very low; you don't want to scramble the eggs.  Add cheeses to pasta.  Stir well until creamy and thickened (3-4 minutes).  Garnish with chives.

Spanish Rice

Leave it alone!!  That is one thing I have learned about making Spanish rice...once you add the liquids, cover the pan and WALK AWAY!

2 tbsp. oil
2 tbsp. chopped onion
1 1/2 C. uncooked white rice
2 C. chicken broth
1 C. chunky salsa

Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat.  Stir in onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.

Mix rice into skillet, stirring often.  When rice begins to brown, stir in chicken broth and salsa.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes, until liquid has been absorbed.

Sweet Potato Hash

OK, Chris had a sweet potato hash when we were out last night at a local restaurant with andouille sausage.  I am making this for my mother in law and didn't want to go that spicy so I got some mild chorizo.  It may need some tweaking but here is what I have so far.

7 large sweet potatoes cut into something between a match stick and a dice
1 large green pepper, diced
1 large red pepper, diced
1 large purple pepper, diced (if you cannot find purple toss in an orange or yellow)
1 large onion, diced
14oz. mild chorizo
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice of 1 lime

Saute sweet potatoes.  I used garlic infused grapeseed oil.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Also, brown chorizo.  Once chorizo is browned use paper towels to drain grease.  Once the sweets start to soften, I removed them from the heat and sauteed the peppers and onions until the onions are translucent. Toss potatoes, other veggies and chorizo until well blended.  Pour into a covered baking dish and bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.  When you pull it from the oven, squeeze the lime over the top.

I am kicking myself for not taking a photo because the colors were beautiful.  Guess I'll have to make it again.

Roasted Veggies

So, it's June 2nd and it's 50 degrees in Chicago.  Makes you want to grill out, right?  Or not.

Last week, I took my nephew to a cooking class for kids.  More on that later.  We roasted veggies in class and afterwards I had a taste for roasted veggies.  I bought some zucchini, yellow squash, baby bella mushrooms, red, yellow, and green peppers, grape tomatoes, and purple onions.  I preheated the oven to 400 degrees and cut the veggies to relatively uniform sizes...don't give yourself a nervous breakdown about that.

I put all of the veggies in a bowl and tossed them with some good olive oil, then poured them onto a jelly roll pan.  I salted and peppered the veggies and put them in oven for about 22 minutes; stirring gently after 15 minutes and checking the largest veggies for tenderness.

I served these tonight with NY strip steaks (cooked on the indoor grill), baked potatoes, corn on the cob and spinach arugula salad.

Aged Cheddar Potatoes Gratin

This dish was THE BOMB!  It was so rich and creamy...and cheesy.  Pair it with the Mustard and Herb Crusted Pork Loin from the previous recipe for a great meal.

1 1/2 C. heavy whipping cream
5 cloves roasted garlic, minced
1 tbsp. thyme, rough chopped
4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into thin slices
Truffle salt and pepper to taste
3 C. aged white cheddar cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

Heat together the cream, garlic and thyme in a saucepan until steaming.  Set aside while preparing the potatoes.

Lightly butter a baking or pie dish.  Placed a layer of sliced potatoes on the bottom of the dish in a concentric circle.  Season with truffle salt and pepper to taste.  Ladle about 1/4 C. of the infused garlic cream on top, and finish with a sprinkling of cheese.  Continue with more layers in this fashion until the baking dish is full.

Top the gratin with the remaining cheese and cover with foil.  Bake in a parchment lined sheet tray for 30 minutes.

Uncover the baking dish and continue to cook until the potatoes are knife tender and the cheese is golden brown and bubbly.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes and then cut into slices and serve.

Notes:

These can be made in ramekins, which will take half the time to cook.

To roast garlic, slice the top off of a whole head of garlic to expose the cloves.  Place it in a small ovenproof dish, drizzle with olive oil and cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes, until the cloves are soft and a light golden in color.

Chipotle Braised Sweet Potatoes

This is a recipe from Flavour Cooking School which is one of the local schools where Chris and I take classes.  This was one of the their holiday 2012 recipes.  Chipotle goes so well with sweet potatoes.

4 pieces of bacon, stacked and cut into 1/2 inch thick pieces
1 medium onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. finely grated fresh ginger
2 tbsp. dark brown sugar
1 tsp.-1 tbsp. minced chipotle pepper with adobo
1/4 C. dry white wine
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
2-3 C. chicken or beef stock
1/2-1 lime freshly sqeezed
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Add bacon to cold, large heavy soup pot.  Cook over medium heat until crispy.  Remove bacon from pot, drain and set aside.

Add onion, garlic, ginger and sugar.  Saute until onion is tender--5-7 minutes.

Stir in chipotle to taste and wine.  Cook until wine evaporates--2-4 minutes.

Add sweet potatoes and enough stock to reach 1/2 way up the potatoes.  Cover and simmer until potatoes are knife tender--20-25 minutes.  Add bacon back to pot.

Stir in some lime juice.  Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Portobello Saute

I made this tonight for dinner with NY strip steaks.  Chris is not a big mushroom fan so I diced two giant portobello caps and sauteed them in a pan with a diced onion in garlic infused olive oil.  I cooked them over medium heat until the mushrooms and the onions were almost the same color, about 10 minutes.  I added some additional oil during cooking and salted and peppered them when I took them off the heat.

This might be the shortest recipe on the blog.

PS--the beagle does NOT like portobellos!

Ode to Mac and Cheese

In each edition of Food Network Magazine they do 50 twists on a particular food.  This month it was mac and cheese.  Mac and cheese, to me is a nearly perfect food...I mean you have noodles and cheese, how can you go wrong.  If you're new to the blog...check out my recipe for Mac and Cheese for Grown Ups.  I am very proud of that recipe and it's a pot luck favorite.  I have put bacon it in and pancetta.  Here is a list of things you can add to your mac and cheese to try and improve on a "perfect" food.

I am also including Food Network's classic recipe, although, I will probably start with my own and tweak as I go!

Kosher salt
8oz. fusili or other short pasta
4 tbsp. unsalted butter plus more for the baking dish
1/4 C. all purpose flour
2 C. whole milk, heated
1 bay leaf
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
2 1/2 C. shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
1 1/2 C. shredded gruyere cheese

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente.  Reserve 1 C. cooking water, then drain the pasta.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Meanwhile melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat  Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking, 2 minutes.  Add the bay leaf, nutmeg and 1 tsp. salt and simmer, whisking occasionally until thick, about 8 minutes.  Remove the bay leaf and stir in 2 C. cheddar and the gruyere.  Stir in the pasta and reserved cooking water to make a loose sauce.

Butter a 2 quart baSking dish; add the pasta mixture and top with remaining cheese.  Bake for 15 minutes.

Italian-->Replace the cheddar with fontina.  Top with 1/4 C. each of panko and Parmesan before baking.

Beer and Brat->Replace 1 C. of milk with pilsner beer.  Add 3 browned, sliced bratwurst; increase the cheddar on top to 1 C.

Smoked Mozzarella-->Add 1/2 C. each sliced roasted red peppers and diced smoked mozzarella.  Top with cheddar and broil until melted; do not bake.

Andouille-->Add 1/2 tsp. Cajun seasoning to the flour.  Stir in 6oz. browned, diced andouille sausage, 1/3 C. chopped Peppadew peppers and 1 sliced scallion.

Sun Dried Tomato-->Stir in 4oz. goat cheese, 1/4 C. chopped sun dried tomatoes and a handful of chopped basil.  Swap the cheddar for mozzarella.

Lobster-->Use all cheddar; add 12oz. chopped cooked lobster.  Top with the cheese and a mixture of 1/2 C. panko, 1/4 C. chopped chives, and 1 tbsp. melted butter; broil until golden.  Do not bake.

Feel free to make your own tweaks and add them in the comments.

Chipotle Braised Sweet Potatoes

I didn't touch a sweet potato until I was well into my 30s and I cannot figure out why.  I had one of  my first experience with sweet potatoes and chipotle at Dorado in Chicago.   So many times people want to mix sweets with marshmallow and brown sugar.  Spice them up, I say.

4 pieces of bacon, stacked and cut into 1/2 inch thick pieces
1 medium onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. finely grated fresh ginger
2 tbsp. dark brown sugar
1tsp-1tbsp minced chipotle pepper with adobo
1/4 C. dry white wine
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
2-3 C. chicken or beef stock
1/2-1 lime, freshly squeezed
sea salt and pepper to taste

Add bacon to cold large heavy soup pot.  Cook over medium heat until crispy.  Remove bacon from pot, drain and set aside.

Add onion, garlic, ginger and sugar.  Saute until onion is tender; 5-7 minutes.

Stir in chipotle to taste and wine.  Cook until wine evaporatesl 2-4 minutes.  Add sweet potatoes and enough stock to reach half way up the potatoes.  Cover and simmer til potatoes are knife tender; 20 to 25 minutes.  Add bacon back to pot.

Stir in some lime juice.  Adjust seasoning to taste.

Goat Cheese Mashed Sweet Potatoes

There are a couple of schools of thought in my family when it comes to holiday meals.  Some of us are purists.  DO NOT put oysters or fruit or nuts in my stuffing.  I am not even sure I want sausage in my stuffing.  I grew up with bread cubes, onions, celery, butter and broth and I can eat my body weight in stuffing if challenged to the task.  I can remember the first time I made Thanksgiving dinner and I called my Grandma because she made the best stuffing ever and asked for her "secret" recipe.  Without any fanfare, she told me to buy a bag or two of Pepperidge Farm sage and onion stuffing cubes and follow the recipe on the bag.  REALLY?!?!?  That's it?!?!?  Yep, that's it.

Sweet potatoes though are different, at least to some of us in the family.  Sure, you can candy yams or roast them, bake them.  I have made chipotle sweets and taken them to Thanksgiving.  Some people raved...others were not impressed.  This recipe is making me want to volunteer to make the sweets this year.    If no one is impressed, I will eat them myself.  LOL

Simmer 3lbs. peeled and cubed sweet potatoes until tender; drain.  Heat 1/2 C. half and half and 1/4 C. butter in a glass measuring cup in the microwave 1 minute.  Mash into potatoes.  Stir in 2oz. goat cheese.  Toast 1/2 C. pistachios with butter and salt in a skillet.  Sprinkle pistachios, additional goat cheese and fresh sage over potatoes.

Home Style Fries

Easy peasy lemon squeezie...this is a quick and easy side dish that can be made with pretty much anything.  I might even try it with fresh thyme.  The frost missed us this week so I still have my herbs on the deck!

1 1/2lb. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
1/4 vegetable oil (I might swap in olive oil here simply because I like the flavor better)
1 tsp. dried thyme
salt and black pepper to taste

Boil potatoes in salted water for 5 minutes, drain well.

Heat oil in large non stick skillet over medium high heat.  Add parboiled potatoes and saute 5 minutes without stirring. Stir and cook another 7 minutes until golden.

Season with thyme, salt, and pepper.

Per cup: 192 calories, 5g. fat, 0mg cholesterol, 410mg. sodium, 34g. carbs, 4g. fiber, 3g. protein.

Makeover Cheddar Biscuits

Who doesn't love Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits?  The good news is the Red Lobster biscuits don't have as many calories as I would have thought but the recipe I found in Healthy Cooking only has  106 calories per biscuit.  These could almost become a staple side dish!

1 C all purpose flour
1 C. cake flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder, divided
1/4 tsp. baking soda
4 tbsp. cold butter, divided
1/3 C. finely shredded cheddar cheese
1 C. buttermilk
1/2 tsp. parsley flakes

In a large bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, salt, 1/4 tsp. garlic powder, and baking soda. Cut in 3 tbsp. butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; add cheese.  Stir in buttermilk just until moistened.

Drop by 2 tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coasted with cooking spray.  Bake at 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.  Melt remaining butter; stir in parsley and remaining garlic powder.  Brush over biscuits.  Serve warm.

1 biscuit equals 106 calories, 4g fat, 11mg cholesterol, 233mg sodium, 14g carbohydrates, trace fiber, 3g protein.

Hot German Potato Salad

I have a memory of a family recipe for hot German potato salad.  I haven't come across it my searches.  This recipe sounds close to what I remember.  I will report back my findings.

8 medium potatoes, cut into 1/4 inch slices
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 C. water
2/3 C. cider vinegar
1/3 C. sugar
2 tbsp. quick cooking tapioca
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. celery seed
1/4 tsp. pepper
6 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1/4 C. minced fresh parsley.

In a slow cooker, combine potatoes, celery and onion.  In a bowl, combine water, vinegar, sugar, tapioca, salt, celery seed and pepper.  Pour over potatoes; stir gently to coat.  Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or until potatoes are tender.  Just before serving, sprinkle with bacon and parsley.