The Macaroni and Cheese I Never Thought I'd Have

Ok, I may be having a small love-affair with Mel's Kitchen Cafe. This dish was so perfect, I can't even begin to describe it. Homemade mac and cheese struggles, in my opinion. I do have a couple of recipes that I really like, they're complex to make and taste yummy, but they're not that oozy, goozy goodness kind of mac 'n' cheese that I get a hankering for. They're more like a casserole. Oh, I realize you can achieve that oozy goozy flavor if you are willing to throw in a bunch of processed foods, but I'm not. So, I just figured my days of creamy mac 'n' cheese goodness had come to an end.

I was wrong.

Very, very wrong.

Mel's Kitchen Cafe introduced me to this:

It's easy.

Really easy.

It's CREAMY.

Really creamy.

It doesn't call for creepy things like Velveeta.

Although it did call for evaporated milk, but I'm ok with that every now and again.

It. Was. Unbelievable. And we will be eating it again and again and again in this house. Please, try it next time you have a craving for the best Macaroni and Cheese you've ever had. Without the use of hyper-processed foods.

Oh, and I skipped the hot sauce because I didn't have any, but I bet it would be tasty. I also used various cheeses I had on hand, and increased the sauce just a little, because I love me some creammmy mac 'n' cheese!

5 stars.

Recipe here or below:

Skillet Macaroni and Cheese

from My Kitchen Cafe (www.melskitchencafe.com)

3 1/2 cups water, plus extra if needed

1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk

12 ounces (about 3 cups) elbow macaroni

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce

6 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups)

6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups)

2 tablespoons butter, cut into small chunks

Ground black pepper to taste

Bring 3 1/2 cups water, 1 cup of the evaporated milk, the macaroni, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a simmer in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat. Cook at a vigorous simmer, stirring often, until the macaroni is tender and the liquid has thickened, 9 to 12 minutes.

Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup evaporated milk, the cornstarch, mustard and hot sauce together in a small bowl, then stir into the skillet. Continue to simmer slightly thickened, about 1 minute.

Off the heat, stir in the cheddar and Monterey Jack, one handful at a time, adding water as needed to adjust the consistency of the sauce (I didn’t need any additional water when I made it). Stir in the butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Hawaiian Haystacks - Reinvented

So I've never made Hawaiian Haystacks, but I've had them before and really liked them.

However, when I was searching for recipes, I really was turned off by the gravy... I mean, call me a snob, but I really try to steer clear of Cream of "x" Soup, if it's from a can...and that, to my dismay, was what most of the recipes were calling for.

However, I was diligent, I really wanted to try my hand at these! That was when I came across Mel's Kitchen Cafe. I had a "where have I been" moment as I stopped by her website. It's so easy to navigate and seems to have some fun recipes! If I were to get serious about this blog...I'd make it like hers.

Anyway, she had the same gravy/sauce problem I did, only she seized the moment and made THE most delicious sauce to put on the Hawaiian Haystacks from scratch. So, SO much better than anything from a can. My family devoured it. I ate it happily for leftovers over the next 3 days... we'll definitely have these again. Even if I was chopping my way through the 5th topping thinking "why is it that people think these things are SO easy and fast?" They were worth it. So worth it.

Oh, and I also used her baked brown rice idea, simply because we had company coming for dinner and I wanted to make a lot all at once. I just used water and a little salt, and I must say, it was perfectly delicious! We love brown rice in our house, so it wasn't anything earth- shattering, but it was fluffy, soft, and easy.

Oh, and I used plenty o' salt in the gravy. And I reduced the amount of milk and chicken broth and then added it in as necessary. I just wanted my sauce to be a little bit thicker.

Mmmm. Yummy. So, so very yummy! 5 stars.

Recipe here and below.

Hawaiian Haystacks: Chicken Sauce Reinvented

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size chunks (or leftover cooked chicken, cubed)
3 tablespoons butter
½ onion (about ½ cup), finely chopped
3 cloves garlic; finely minced
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup flour
2 cups milk
1 cup chicken broth

In a large skillet melt the butter over medium heat and add the onion and raw chicken (if using leftover cooked chicken, don’t add it to the skillet now, you’ll add it later). Saute the onion and chicken, if using, until the onions are soft and translucent and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about one minute, stirring, until fragrant.

Sprinkle the flour over the onions and chicken and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat for one minute - this helps get rid of the starchy, flour taste. Slowly whisk in the milk and chicken broth. Cook, stirring constantly with a whisk, and bring the sauce to a simmer over medium to medium-high heat. Add the salt and pepper. If you are using leftover cooked chicken, add it now. Continue simmering, stirring the sauce frequently, until the sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes.

Serve the chicken sauce over rice with your toppings of choice, such as olives, tomatoes, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, green onions, mandarin oranges and chow mein noodles.

Recipe Source: My Kitchen Cafe

Slow Cooker Minestrone *with update*

Note: Pictures were taken a day or two after making this meal, when a lot of the liquid was soaked up by the vegetables. Still delicious, but not as soupy-looking for a blog picture.

Oh my goodness. You know, I love a good slow cooker meal. I really love a slow cooker meal that isn't mushy. I L.O.V.E. a slow cooker meal that has lots of vegetables, is easy to prepare, and isn't mushy.

Enter my new favorite slow cooker meal: Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup.

Seriously, try it. My general rule for slow cooker meals is th

at it can't include a ton of steps and prep-work. I usually need a slow cooker meal on a day that I'm really busy and so I need to throw and go. I was shocked (and thrilled) that because of the way this recipe is layed out, I could have everything done early in the day, but still have it taste like I had sat there babysitting it to make sure the carrots weren't overly done, etc. This is such a great meal for a cold day, or when you have company and don't have much time to cook. Or are trying to cut back on meat. Or you just need a delicious meal. Ah, let me count the reasons I will be making this recipe again and again and again.

Oh, and I didn't have dry sage, I skipped it and added some other seasonings that I had. I also skipped the spinach, but I'm sure it would be yummy anyway.

I did add some extra vegetables, I don't remember what, but whatever was in my fridge. Mine needed more liquid than the recipe called for, but yours may not. I also just made sure that I seasoned it to taste. I also doubled the recipe as I was making it for a group and it was wonderful!

Oh, and fresh mozzarella is a must. It just sang with the flavors.

Lastly, I chopped all the vegetables and cooked the pasta in the morning as I was throwing everything else in the slow cooker so that when I got home that afternoon, I could just literally throw them in the slow cooker and there was nothing else to do. It would be a great idea to make something like this the day after you have a short-cut pasta (like penne, rigatoni, or farfalle). Brilliant!

*update*

I just made this again the other day and realized that I did not mention or emphasize the changes in spices that I made. The recipe below is the original, but here are the spice changes that I made, which I think make ALL the difference:

1) I about tripled the sage, maybe more. Do it to taste.

2) I added dried oregano, which I thought was a nice compliment to the sage in a serious kind of way

3) I probably doubled the thyme in it as well.

4) Both times I added more liquid than it called for

Basically, I put in a ton more seasoning than the recipe calls for! Just do it to taste, but don't be afraid to add more, once I added more seasoning I realized it made all the difference.

5 stars. Love.

Recipe here and below.

Minestrone Soup with Pasta, Beans, and Vegetables

• 3 cups reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (15-ounce) can white (cannellini or navy) beans, drained
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 2 cups cooked ditalini pasta (I used penne)
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped
• 2 cups coarsely chopped fresh or frozen spinach, defrosted (I skipped this step)
• 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
• Basil sprigs, garnish, optional (I skipped this as well)

Directions

In a slow cooker, combine broth, tomatoes, beans, carrots, celery, onion, thyme, sage, bay leaves, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.

Thirty minutes before the soup is done cooking, add ditalini, zucchini and spinach. Cover and cook 30 more minutes. Remove bay leaves and season, to taste, with salt and black pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle parmesan cheese over top. Garnish with basil, if desired.

Peach Cobbler

The other day I came home with a ton of peaches and was seriously craving some peach cobbler. I know we're moving past peach season, but for any of you with a few peaches hanging around - don't miss this recipe! I am not going to record here how fast I ate it (by myself) - no, not even as an anonymous blogger, it was that embarrassing (and delicious). Trust me, though, it was good.

I typically use my great-grandma's recipe for cobblers (it's unbelievable, I'll post it one day). But I always make it with berries and since I had a new fruit on my hands I felt adventurous and wanted to try a new recipe. I was not disappointed. This is irresistible! I chose it from among many because, well, first of all it said it was "easy", but second because in the ingredients section it mentioned that it tasted like cobbler that the author's grandmother made - perfect! Lastly, I liked that it was basic. Not basic as in "easy", since that was my first reason for making this cobbler, but basic as in it didn't have a bunch of extra mumbo jumbo in there to jazz it up. I was looking for something that stood on its own without extra creams or spices or seasoning, just a delicious buttery, custardy breading that showcased the already perfect fruit: the peach. Just what I was looking for.

Please, enjoy.

5 stars.

Recipe found here and below.

Easy Peach Cobbler

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar, divided
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup milk
• 4 cups fresh peach slices
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Ground cinnamon or nutmeg (optional)

Preparation

Melt butter in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish.

Combine flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt; add milk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour batter over butter (do not stir).

Bring remaining 1 cup sugar, peach slices, and lemon juice to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly; pour over batter (do not stir). Sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired.

Bake at 375° for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve cobbler warm or cool.

Southern Living, JUNE 1997

Summer Squash Soup

(My camera was having issues yesterday, this is sadly the only picture I have of this extraordinary dish...use your imagination...)

I had planned to write about another meal today, but I made this last night and it just seems cruel to withhold this delicious concoction that I am now privy to while all my friends aren't. So, I'm just going to cut right to the chase here: I loved this soup. Please, put whatever you had planned to make for dinner next on hold and run to the grocery store for this list of ingredients. Don't forget the pistou - it will make it unforgettable. This soup is genius and is officially my new favorite soup! I had my reservations - I mean, a soup made out of summer squash? But, I trust in Smitten Kitchen (don't we all), and I wanted something to do with summer squash other than sautee it up or put it in my favorite casserole, which is, well, amazing, but let's face it, you can only eat so much of your favorite casserole.

Plus, it has a ton of vegetables.

And my 18 month old ate a whole bowl of it!

And my fair-weather-eater toddler ate 5 bites without coaxing.

Yessss.

So, I don't have a fancy schmancy immersion blender, just a normal Hamilton Beach one, so it wasn't as velvety smooth as Smitten talked about, but that didn't bother me one bit (obviously). You could also carefully just blend it in a normal blender as well.

Oh, this soup was so good - can I say it enough? The soup and pistou had such complimentary flavors...it was just perfection. If you need a larger, heavier dinner for your family, you can add salad, bread, etc. to the meal. We had it with rosemary toast and basically had like 4 bowls each until it was gone, but that was just us. I'll be making it a few times this winter...and if you know anything about my usual rotation you know that is one extraordinary soup.

Ok, I hope I haven't gushed your expectations into the realm of unrealistic here, but please, try this and tell me if I'm the only one still longing for more of its goodness even though it has long since been eaten into nothingness.

Oh, and I doubled the scallions. I like scallions a lot. I also put a lot of salt into the pistou. I liked the balance with the soup's sweetness and the pistou's strong fresh flavor. Putting water into the pistou was also brilliant. I always have to add way to much oil, so that really lightened things up.

5 stars (6 anyone??). Recipe here and below:

Summer-Squash Soup with Parsley-Mint Pistou
Adapted from Gourmet, September 2006

For squash soup
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 medium onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 lb yellow summer squash, halved and thinly sliced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 yellow-fleshed potato (1/2 pound), peeled, halved, and thinly sliced
4 cups chicken stock or reduced-sodium chicken broth (use vegetable broth to make it vegetarian)

For pistou**
3/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs
1 large scallion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon salt

Make soup: Melt butter in a 6- to 8-quart wide heavy pot over moderate heat, then cook onion with salt, stirring, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add squash, carrots, potato, and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, then simmer, partially covered, until vegetables are very tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool soup, uncovered, 10 minutes.

Working in batches, puree; soup in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids) and transfer to a bowl. Return purée to cleaned pot and thin with water if desired; simmer 3 minutes. Season with salt.

Make pistou while vegetables simmer: Pulse mint, parsley, and scallion in a food processor until finely chopped. With motor running, add oil in a stream, then add water and salt, blending until incorporated.

Swirl 1 tablespoon pistou into each bowl of soup.

Rigatoni with Squash (and prawns)

I know, I know, can you believe I'm posting?? Did you think I was gone forever? That I had gone the way of all mamas who move (frozen pizzas, Taco Bell, even the dreaded...Chicken Nuggets!!)? Well, we may have lived off of freezer meals for awhile, and then been on vacation for awhile, and then I may have had morning sickness for awhile (yep, I'm pregnant)...but we've recovered and I've been cooking for a solid 3 weeks now! I didn't have the energy to look up new recipes fo

r awhile, so I took a walk down memory lane, I made Blue Cheese Scallion Biscuits, Escarole Calzones (with Kale, again), and Shakshuka (something I just craved those first coup

le of months, such a comfort food), and of course, Emerill's Salmon! I have

to say, they were all better than I remembered! Especially the calzones.

Anyway, so yesterday I kicked off winter cookin' with some butternut squash. Now, if you know me, you know that I could live off of butternut squash. In fact, I turned my oldest son so orange one year because I fed him so much of it that after having a number of people tell me I should have him checked for jaundice or liver malfunction, I took him to the doctor. Nope, no jaundice. No liver problems. Just lay off the butternut.

Anyway, so I've made a lot of butternut-purees-over-pasta before, but this was hands down my favorite one yet (not to be confused with my butternut squash curry recipe, that's different in my mind, and still to this day, cannot be topped).

I ended up throwing out my prawns, I'm not overly picky, but something went horribly wrong with them, they were so gross. Maybe I'm just used to fresh, I dunno, it was probably my fault. But it was still a delicious, round meal with pasta, bread, and a green salad. I

f you wanted, you could easily substitute chicken, nuts, or just skip the protein portion of the meal altogether.

Would you believe that my 1 year old loved the butternut squash puree so much that he took to yanking on the pockets of my pants while wailing "biiiiiiiite!!" until I would walk back over to the blender, scoop him out a bite, and shovel it in his mouth? He l.o.v.e.d. it! Always a plus. I actually thought it was good enough just to be a butternut squash bisque, I may do that in the future as well.

Oh, and fresh basil made a huge difference in this meal, I don't think it would have been the same without it.

Oh, and and you must meet my new love (obviously my new cast iron pan)!! I'm kind of obsessed with it right now. My old pan was rusting and I decided to take the plunge. Let's just say that food at our house just got a whole lot better, I don't know how I ever cooked without it before! I just might build a house out of cast iron someday. Not really. But I LOVE my pan.

5 stars. And without further ado, recipe is here and below.

Rigatoni with Squash and Prawns

This is from the kitchen of Giada DeLaurentis. I LOOVE her Italian foods. She does awesome work and is usually pretty reasonable with her time and ingredients list.

Anyway, this is a great one for fall with the squash and garlic! mmmm..

Ingredients

* 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
* 1 pound butternut squash, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 teaspoon salt, plus 1 teaspoon
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1/2 teaspoon
* 1 cup vegetable stock
* 1 pound rigatoni
* 1 pound prawns, peeled and deveined
* 3/4 to 1 cup whole milk
* 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Warm 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butternut squash, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Saute until the squash is golden and tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the vegetable stock, bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the squash is very soft, another 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the squash mixture to a blender or food processor and puree.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.

Meanwhile, warm the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the prawns with the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Add the prawns to the pan and cook until just pink, about 3 minutes.

In a large pot over low heat combine the cooked pasta, pureed squash mixture, and 3/4 cup milk. Stir to combine. Add the remaining 1/4 cup milk if the sauce needs to be moistened. Add the cooked prawns, basil, and cheese. Stir until warm and serve.

Blue Cheese Scallion Drop Biscuits

Let me just start by saying that I've never made a homemade biscuit that I really love. Really, I haven't. Until now, anyway. I made these the other day for some friends and I thought they were just amazing. Scallions and blue cheese? Yum. In a perfectly constructed biscuit? Amazing. Easy, too! I served them with White Chili...mmmmm.
There are a lot of pictures in this post. It turns out when the weather finally starts to come around and you have a lot of natural light in your house again little things like chopped green onions can look all profound:
The recipe says to mix in the butter with your fingers until it's crumbly. That technique is to ensure that the butter doesn't get completely incorporated into the mixture, but stays in clumps which will create pockets of flaky deliciousness. You can get the same end product with a pastry blender, which I happen to have, and seeing as I already wash my hands about 100 times a day chasing after my two little ones, I figured it was a good idea to spare one hand washing and just go straight to the pastry blender.
Awaiting their turn in the oven, just moments away from reaching their fullest potential of deliciousness:I was really pleasantly surprised by the splurges of cheese that I felt in my mouth. The recipe has you blend it just enough that the cheese flavor is infused throughout the biscuit, yet also in concentrated pockets. These will be my go-to biscuits for a long time to come.Oh, and I used gorgonzola, because that's my favorite. But you can use whatever kind you like. She actually adapted this recipe from a cheddar drop-biscuit, so you could potentially use that as well. She also mentions freezing them at the dough stage after dropping them onto the cookie sheet and then placing them in a plastic freezer bag for another day. Next time I make these I will definitely be doubling the recipe and freezing half of them.

5 stars!

Recipe here and below.

Blue Cheese Scallion Drop Biscuits
Adapted from Gourmet

These are everything a good drop biscuit should be; super speedy to make (one bowl!), with a golden craggy crust and soft interior. I (only) made a couple changes to this. Based on responses on the original recipe, I added an additional scallion and because I completely missed the ingredient when I read the recipe, I didn’t add the baking soda. And they were still fluffy and delicious. But I bet they’d even be more so with it.

If you’re blue cheese-averse, you can make this with an equal volume of coarsely grated cheddar.

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick or 3 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 1/2 cups crumbled blue cheese
4 scallions, finely chopped
1 cup well-shaken buttermilk (or, you can make your own)

Preheat oven to 450°F. Whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a bowl, then blend in butter with your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in blue cheese and scallions. Add buttermilk and stir until just combined.

Drop dough in 12 equal mounds about 2 inches apart onto a buttered large baking sheet, or one lined with parchment paper. Bake in middle of oven until golden, 16 to 20 minutes.

Do ahead: Biscuits are always best the day they are baked. However, if you wish to get a lead on them, you can make them, drop them onto your baking sheet, freeze them until they are firm, and place them in a freezer bag or container until you’re ready to bake them. They can be baked while still frozen (straight from the freezer), you’ll just want to add a few minutes to the baking time.

Salad with Chocolate Balsamic Dressing and Chocolate Covered Bacon!!

Wowza. Did you check that title? This one's a little crazy, but very fun...and delicious, I would add. I had a dinner party to go to the other night in which we all had to bring food that had one of two 'secret' ingredients: Chocolate or Citrus. Naturally, I had to bring something with chocolate in it.

I thought this dressing was delicious, especially when paired with a yummy salad. Really, just delicious. It's such a great flavor, perfectly tangy, yet just sweet enough. And we all know you can't go wrong with strawberries and balsamic. Plus, when you serve something like salad with chocolate dressing and chocolate covered bacon, you've already got 10 minutes worth of conversation right there, so, that adds to its luster.

I need to emphasize here that in the case of this dressing, I think a salad with some sort of goat cheese and fresh mint is crucial to really making this dressing pop and having people say, "wow, what is this??" Just fyi.

Moving along. The idea of chocolate covered bacon is not an Alicia original. I was introduced to it in this recipe, which I thought was desperately lacking altogether. Since I had a bunch of chocolate covered bacon left over from it, I started searching for ideas to use up the scores of chocolate covered bacon I had leftover. As it turns out, chocolate covered bacon has a serious following on the internet! Some people even go so far as to drizzle it with white chocolate, dress it with a bow and give it as gifts! While it's not my cup of tea, I still found it interested. So, since the idea of chocolate covered bacon seemed intriguing, and I had some left over from the above recipe, I figured I'd try it out on this salad.

Now, you should know that I am not a fan of bacon. In fact, my husband had to show me where it was located in the store and has since coached me in how to cook it over the years (because when I cook it I rarely, if ever, eat it, so I never really know what is "good" bacon). However, I thought that, covered in chocolate, it was pretty good on the salad. If you want a vegetarian alternative, I think you could maybe do chocolate covered salted nuts or seeds of some sort (cashews or pumpkin seeds come to mind, but I'm sure others would be good, too).

All in all, I'd give the dressing 5 stars. Don't put too much on or it's too strong. But in the right amount, it just sings. The chocolate covered bacon is more of a fun touch, but since I don't really love bacon, I don't think I'm a really good rater for that. I will say, it ranks as 5 stars in the conversation piece category!

Enjoy! Recipe for the dressing found here and below. I've converted the metric portions to cups and ounces here, so please note that they are approximate. For instructions on how to make chocolate dipped bacon, see this recipe and just follow the portion of directions for the chocolate dipped bacon.

Chocolate Balsamic Dressing

Ingredients

1/2 Cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 Cup white sugar
3-4 oz Dark chocolate (70% Cacao or higher)

Directions

To make the dressing: Place balsamic vinegar in a saucepan, add sugar and dissolve over a gentle heat. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate. Leave to cool at room temperature. Do not refrigerate or dressing will solidify.

Shakshuka

Ok, the name of this food alone is going to make it seem very intimidating. However, I want you to stop for just a moment and look at the actual food and recipe itself - it doesn't get easier...or tastier, I might add! And let me tell you: it's even better than it sounds!! I saw this on Smitten (of course) and knew instantly that I needed to make it. I love eggs, they're a comfort food to me - and tomatoes+eggs=a delicious thing. I thought the combination of ingredients was genius. This recipe was especially exciting to me because it was very budget-friendly as well! I will say - it surpassed my expectations. I found myself going back for more and more...and more the next day. I think it might be my new ultimate comfort food - Frosted Mini Wheats at 11:00pm just took a back seat. No really, I liked it that much.
I served it with Naan bread and thought it was brilliant. I made one recipe and it fed our family of 4 with just a few left-overs, so if you are cooking for 4 adults you may want to increase the amount you make.

I do have to admit that everything was going great until I dropped all the eggs in, as the recipe indicates and my pot looked like this:
A little unnerving to see that many eggs swimming in a pot of tomatoes, I have to admit. But I have faith in Smitten, so I proceeded. In just a few minutes my pot was perfection and I had a delicious meal waiting for me. Thank you, Smitten Kitchen, for bringing me food I didn't even know I loved.

For a hilarious review about why you should make Shakshuka - and for the recipe, click here. You can also scroll down for the recipe.

5 stars.

Shakshuka [Eggs Poached in Spicy Tomato Sauce]

Adapted from Saveur

Serves 4 to 6

1/4 cup olive oil
5 Anaheim chiles or 3 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped (I was nervous and only used 2 Anaheims; I would go for 3 or 4 next time for a more moderate but still gentle kick)
1 small yellow onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed then sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained
Kosher salt, to taste
6 eggs
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
Warm pitas or naan bread, for serving

Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add chiles and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and paprika, and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft, about 2 more minutes.

Put tomatoes and their liquid into a medium bowl and crush with your hands. Add crushed tomatoes and their liquid to skillet along with 1/2 cup water, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Season sauce with salt.

Crack eggs over sauce so that eggs are evenly distributed across sauce’s surface. Cover skillet and cook until yolks are just set, about 5 minutes. Using a spoon, baste the whites of the eggs with tomato mixture, being careful not to disturb the yolk. Sprinkle shakshuka with feta and parsley and serve with pitas or naan bread, for dipping.

Sweet Potato Fries

Mmmm mmmmm mmm! Is there anything you could make that could sound more delicious? How about if I mentioned that the dip is plain yogurt mixed with maple syrup and cinnamon? Yes, it really just got that much better!
What I love about these is that they're notchyer average side dish. They mix things up a little. Play with the amount of salt on the fries and the and the syrup/cinnamon mixture until you get it just how you want it.I find that broiling them for the first 4 or 5 minutes and then shifting it to about 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes creates a good combination between crispy/moist fries. They're really just so easy.
I served this with the Caribbean Halibut with Mango Salsa. Talk about a dinner with some flavor! It was a lot of chopping, so maybe I'd only serve them together again on a special occasion, but it was delicious. Worth it, even.

These really are so fun. I've made them 2 or 3 times now, which is sayin' something! 4 stars.

My friend, Heidi, from Made by Heidi gave me this fabulous recipe. Thanks, girl!

Sweet Potato Fries with Sweet Cream Sauce
Ingredients:
3-4 Sweet Potatoes, sliced long-ways
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil for basting
Kosher Salt to taste

1/2 Cup Sour Cream or Plain Greek Yogurt
Maple Syrup to taste (1-3 Tablespoons)
Cinnamon to taste

Directions:
Slice sweet potatoes long ways, into about 1/2 inch spears. Toss or coat with olive oil. Line a cookie sheet with foil and place a cooling rack or metal rack on top of it. Place the sweet potatoes on the rack and sprinkle kosher salt to taste on top. Broil for 4-5 minutes, and then turn the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Let roast for 20 minutes, checking often as cooking times will vary depending on oven and thickness of fries.

While fries cook in the oven, mix together the sour cream/yogurt with the maple syrup and cinnamon to taste. Place in refrigerator.

Serve the fries with the dip. Enjoy!

Emeril's Grilled Salmon with Sweet Corn, Tomato, and Avocado Relish

Oh my goodness. I made this recipe last year and remembered it so fondly I had to make it again. Wow - my memory must have failed me because this was even better than I remembered. Seafood haters beware: this dish may make a seafoodie out of you! Honestly, I think it's the best salmon recipe I've EVER had. And I'm from Seattle, so, you know, I know my Salmon or something.When you get to the "Emeril's Original Essence" part you will be tempted to skip it because it's so many ingredients - but don't be fooled. It's just a bunch of spices thrown together. I don't make how much it calls for, I just add a few shakes of each spice - more of the ones it calls for more of and less of the ones it calls for less of. It really makes the whole recipe.Really, I want every person who reads this blog to make this recipe. Each time I take a bite of that relish my mouth just screams for more! It's really that good.I don't have a grill, so, like usual, I broil it on a cooling rack for 7-10 minutes without turning it. I just take it out when I separate the meat with a fork and it looks just barely cooked through. I also throw a bunch of veggies on the rack as well, spread some oil and a little salt on them and you have got yourself the easiest meal of...well...ever. I think it looks fun, too, so you can just take it straight from the oven to the table. How's that for a 20 minute gourmet, healthy, delicious meal? Food really doesn't get better than this!

Mmmm...just writing about it makes me want to make it again next week!
Oh, and for those who still are not convinced by ranting and raving that they want to use Salmon, I have been told that chicken tastes great with it as well. So, there you go.

You know you want to try it. Just to see if it's as good as I'm saying it is. Do it, I dare you.

Recipe here and below.
And do you even have to ask? 5 stars. No question about it.

Emeril's Grilled Salmon with Sweet Corn, Tomato and Avocado Relish
2 large ears fresh yellow corn, peeled and silk removed
2 Creole tomatoes (or other vine-ripened tomatoes), cored and cut into 3/4-inch dices (about 2 cups)
2 Haas avocados, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dices (about 2 cups)
6 tablespoons red onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
4 salmon fillets with the skin (6-ounces each)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Emeril's Original Essence
4 sprigs fresh cilantro, for garnish

Cooking Directions

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add the corn and simmer until tender, about 4 minutes. Drain.

When cool enough to handle, cut the kernels from the ear and place in a medium bowl.

To the corn, add the tomatoes, avocados, onions, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Toss to combine and set aside.

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.

Lightly brush the fillets with the olive oil and season each on the flesh side with 1/8 teaspoon of the Essence.

Add to the grill, skin side down, and cook until the skin is crisp, 4 to 5 minutes.

Turn and cook until the salmon is opaque and medium-rare, about 4 minutes, depending upon the thickness of the fillets.

To serve, lay the asparagus down the center of four large plates and place the fillets on Grilled Asparagus. Spoon the relish over the fish, garnish each plate with a sprig of cilantro, and serve immediately.

Recipe copyright 2005, Emeril Lagasse

White Chili

I have to admit that I'm not a big chili person. It really has to be just right for me to really get into it. I love a good taco soup, but just plain old chili is not my favorite.
Until now.
My friend shared this recipe with me and when I saw cannelloni beans I was sold because I had a good 2 cups sitting in my freezer from another recipe that I needed to use up.
This was one of those recipes where I got half-way through and thought, "Really? That's it? This is going to be a disappointment..." But I was riding on my friend's raving recommendation, so I held out hope. Boy am I glad I did!This recipe just might have it all: it's healthy, it's flavorful, it's delicious...and get this: My 3 year-old asked for a SECOND BOWL!
I served it with avocados, cheese, and whole fat plain greek yogurt, to get some extra fat in my kids. I will be adding this to my regular rotation - and you know that means this recipe is good!
Oh, and my grocery store was out of tomatillos, so I used chunky salsa verde. My spices also seemed to have formed a pact and decided to run out all at the same time on me. I've had to buy so many of those expensive little things over the last month that I just couldn't justify coriander seed when I already had ground coriander in my cupboard. It turned out great just the same.

5 stars. Easily.

Unfortunately, I don't know whom to credit for this recipe, so here it is below:

White Chili

Cooking Spray
1 TBSP Vegetable Oil
1 LB. Skinned, boned chicken breast halves, chopped
½ cup chopped shallots
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5 oz.) can tomatoes, undrained, whole or diced
16 oz chicken broth
1 (11 oz) can tomatillos, drained and coarsely chopped-OR 7 oz. can salsa verde
1 (4.5 oz) can chopped green chiles, undrained
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp coriander seeds, crushed
¼ tsp ground cumin
1 (16 oz) cans cannelloni beans or other whilte beans-drained (or about 2 cups cooker beans)
3 tsp lime juice
¼ tsp pepper
9 tbsp (about 4 oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Coat a large saucepan with cooking spray. Add oil; place over medium-hiigh heat until hot. Add chicken; sauté 3 minutes or until done. Rmove chicken from pan; set aside. Add shallots and garlic to pan; sauté 2 minutes or until tender. Stir in tomatoes and next 6 ingredients (tomatoes through cumin). Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Add chicken and beans; cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in lime juice and pepper. Ladle into bowls; top with cheese. Serves 4.

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Lemon Curd and Fresh Raspberries

Tell me the title doesn't make you DROOL just looking at it! Go ahead, just try and tell me.
Here's a picture from the website, I have nothing else to show for these beauties.
After having Sarabeth's famous lemon-ricotta pancakes years ago, I began a quest to find a recipe that makes pancakes that are as delicious and light as theirs'. I've tinkered with various recipes, and I have to say that Bobby Flay has done it again - I just really thought they were perfection. I made a couple of small changes and one change that I thought was crucial:
1) I added a teensy bit less lemon (I thought it was over-doing it with the lemon curd on top as well)
2) I added a little extra nutmet (I'm a fanatic!)
The third change really was a deal-breaker:
3) I separated the egg white and yolks, dumped the yolks in as directed, and then whipped the egg whites until they were fluffy and a little stiff and then I folded them in once the batter was completely done.
I think this made all the difference. They're pretty dense little guys, so the fluffy egg whites lightened the pancakes up and let them cook all the way through just perfectly. My camera was broken when I was making them, which really is a shame because they were some of the prettiest pancakes I've made.
I served them with just a little bit of butter, a tiny pinch of salt, and a smidgen of maple syrup and lemon curd on them...and of course, the fresh raspberries can't be left out! The salty, lemony, sweetness of the toppings was just perfect with the nutmeg. Mmmmm...these just might be my "fancy breakfast" staples from now on!
Oh, and I only had ground white wheat flour from Trader Joe's and I didn't think it affected the taste in the least.

5 stars!

Recipe below and here.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• Butter, for griddle
• 1 (11-ounce) jar prepared lemon curd
• Fresh raspberries, for garnish
• Confectioners' sugar, for garnish

Directions

Preheat a nonstick griddle.

Combine flour, baking powder, nutmeg, salt, and sugar in a small bowl. Whisk together the cheese, eggs, milk, lemon juice and zest in a large bowl. Whisk the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined. Brush the hot griddle with butter. For each pancake, pour approximately 1/4 cup measure of the batter on the griddle and cook on both sides until light golden brown. Repeat until no batter remains.

Empty the contents of the lemon curd into a small saucepan and warm over low heat. Alternatively, remove the lid and place in a microwave oven on 50 percent power for 2 minutes, stopping after 1 minute to stir the curd. Drizzle a few tablespoons of the curd over the pancakes, top with fresh raspberries, and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

Wild Mushroom Quesadillas with Warm Black Bean Salsa

Loved these. It was one of those recipes that looked so yummy on paper and then as I was making it I was thinking "hmmmm...not so sure about this". I mean mushrooms, black beans, and barbecue sauce? Trust me, it's delicious for a low-key, comfort-foody, casual meal.
I reduced the barbecue sauce to about 3 tablespoons because I don't love a lot of store-bought sauces in my cooking. Goodness knows I salt things enough as it is...I don't need an extra 1000mg of sodium from the ingredients themselves! I thought it had the perfect taste. Something about that salsa had me begging for me the whole night! I kept eating it by the spoonful.
I had some extra zucchini sitting in my fridge, so I chopped those up and threw them in with the mushrooms as well. My toddler will eat anything in a tortilla (he thinks it's "just like pizza!"), so I figured it'd get a few more veggies in him.
I didn't have room in my budget for crimini and shiitake mushrooms, so I did crimini and plain old white button mushrooms. Again - deliciousness!

Recipe below and here.

4 stars - definitely will make it again!

Wild Mushroom Quesadillas with Warm Black Bean Salsa

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, plus some for drizzling
• 16 crimini mushroom caps, baby portobellos, with stems, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 12 shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced, stems discarded
• Coarse black pepper and salt
• 1 tablespoon (a few sprigs) fresh thyme leaves, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried
• 4 large flour tortillas, 12 inches in diameter
• 2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar

Salsa:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 can black beans, drained
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
• 1/2 cup smoky barbecue sauce
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and the sliced mushrooms to the hot skillet. Season mushrooms with black pepper, salt and thyme. Saute the mushrooms 10 minutes or, until dark and tender, then remove from heat. Transfer the mushrooms to a dish and return the skillet to the stove over medium heat.

Add another turn of extra-virgin olive oil to the skillet and add the onions, garlic and jalapeno pepper; saute for 2 or 3 minutes, then add beans and corn to the pan. Stir in chopped tomatoes and barbecue sauce, then season salsa with salt and pepper. Transfer warm salsa to a serving dish.

Heat a griddle pan or large nonstick skillet over medium to medium high heat. Add a drizzle of oil to the pan and 1 flour tortilla. Cook tortilla 1 minute, then turn it over. Sprinkle 1/2 cup sharp cheddar over 1/2 of the flour tortilla. Cover the cheese with 1/4 of the cooked sliced mushrooms. Fold the plain 1/2 of the tortilla over top of the filling and gently press down with a spatula. Cook the filled quesadilla 30 seconds to a minute longer on each side to lightly brown and crisp the quesadilla and melt the cheese. Remove the quesadilla to a large cutting board or transfer to a warm oven to hold, then repeat with remaining quesadilla ingredients.

Cut each quesadilla into wedges and serve with warm salsa for topping.