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!
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.
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.
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.
(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.
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.
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.
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
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.
Just that title is enough to make my mouth water. I'm a big believer that seafood can be delicious (delicious), but it needs to be done right. You need to pick a good fish. You need to cook it well. You need to have a fantastic recipe. This recipe is right up there with Emeril's Salmon for me. Just so much flavor, and so perfectly paired, it just can't be beat.When you first read the recipe you may think it's not worth all that chopping plus you have to blacken it and then put the fish in the oven. However, I usually do the chopping for the salsa in the morning, so all you have left is to marinade and preheat your oven in the evening. It's fast and really, just delicious. The blackening process sears in all the flavor without actually having to fry it, which I think is brilliant. Then, the oven gets it nice and moist. Mmmm, my mouth is watering right now!If you don't like heat, then just reduce the jalapeno amount. I think they give it a great flavor, so I wouldn't throw them out all together. And the salsa, the SALSA. You just can't forgo that on this dish, the flavors pair together beautifully. They just can't be separated.
I've made this dish with Haddock and Tilapia and both turned out just fine. Haddock is a very 'un-fishy' tasting fish, if you are skiddish about cooking fish.
Here's that perfect texture when it's just ready to come out. Still moist and plush looking, but cooked through and just getting a little flaky.I find that as long as the fish is pretty close to room temperature when you begin cooking it, the timing is pretty spot on, let me know if anyone finds anything differently!
I'm not sure where this recipe came from as I got it years ago from a friend and we altered the recipe until it was perfect.
5 Stars. For sure.
Caribbean Halibut with Mango Salsa: INGREDIENTS:
4 Halibut or Swordfish steaks (about 6 oz)
3 limes
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped, divided in half
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tsp olive oil
¼ tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
Caribbean jerk seasoning (or a combination of seasonings to your liking)
1 recipe mango salsa (below)
DIRECTIONS:
For halibut and marinade, rinse halibut and pat dry with paper towels.Zest limes to measure 1 teaspoon (set zest aside for salsa).Juice limes to measure 4 tablespoons juice.Finely chop jalapeno pepper in a food processor, combine 2 tablespoons of the lime juice, half of the jalapeno pepper, garlic, oil, salt and black pepper: whisk until blended.Place halibut and marinade in a resealable plastic food storage bag; turn to coat.Marinate in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, turning occasionally.
For halibut:Preheat oven to 400F.Remove halibut from bag being sure some jalapeno remains on the top of the fish.According to taste, season the tops with Caribbean Jerk seasoning.Add a little olive oil to a skillet and heat over high heat on stove.When the oil and pan are hot, place halibut top side down on the skillet and blacken for 1 minute.Remove from skillet and place halibut in a greased pan with right side up again.Cook for 8 minutes or until halibut flakes easily with a fork.Serve topped with mango salsa.
MANGO SALSA
Prep: 20 minutes Chill: 2 hours
INGREDIENTS:
1-1/2 C chopped, peeled mango (papaya, peaches, plums, and/or pineapple will also work)
1/2 C chopped red or green sweet pepper
1/4 C thinly sliced green onions (2)
1/4 C snipped fresh cilantro or parsley
2 tablespoons lime juice or lemon juice
1 to 2 fresh jalapeno or serrano peppers, seeded and finely chopped, or 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Anaheim pepper
DIRECTIONS:
In a medium mixing bowl stir together fruit, sweet pepper, green onions, cilantro or parsley, lime juice or lemon juice, and jalapeno, serrano, or Anaheim pepper. Cover; chill at least 2 hours before serving.
Serve as a dip for chips or fresh vegetables or as a condiment for tacos, quesadillas, burgers, steaks, chicken, or fish. Makes about 2 cups.
I remembered trying this salad years ago when my roommates made it. It's really quite delicious. I'm not a big meat-eater, I usually find myself picking my way around food dishes thinking "man, this would be a great sauce if there just wasn't so much chicken in it!" However, I found myself actually looking for the chicken in this salad! My husband agreed. In fact, he was not sure he believed me that I actually cooked the chicken myself - it was certainly too delicious - until I showed him the pan I had fried them in. Case closed.So, I will say that, if you aren't afraid of calories (which I am not) I think some diced cheese would taste really good with this salad. It just needs a little...something more. The flavors present blend beautifully, I just think it could use a little oomph. I also doubled the green onion content and thought it was a nice touch.The dressing is good - it has a vinegar-y taste, but I think that little zing is fun with the chicken and cabbage. All in all, a great salad. I ate it the night before a race and it was just the perfect light-yet-filling dish.
Oh, and I didn't have cornflakes. I just used Panko bread crumbs that I have a plethora of and am always looking for reasons to use. I'd do it again, given the option between the two. I thought they were better than cornflakes. In fact, I think that Panko bread crumbs just might save the world someday.Lastly, I think if I make this again I'll try doing an oven-fry on the chicken, instead of pan-frying them. It certainly would make for a healthier meal. Still, I really don't know how guilty you can feel when you are shoving your face full of lettuce, cabbage, almonds, and onions. By the way, I was out of carrots, so I skipped them.4 stars.
Recipe below:
APPLEBEE’S ASIAN CHICKEN SALAD
INGREDIENTS:
Dressing
6 Tbsp honey
2 tsp Dijon mustard
3 Tbs rice vinegar
1/4 tsp sesame oil or oil
1/2 C mayonnaise
Chicken:
2 egg
2 tsp salt
1 C milk
1 C corn flake crumbs
1 C flour
1/2 tsp pepper
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Oil for frying
Salad:
6 C chopped romaine lettuce
2 green onion, chopped
2 C red cabbage
4 Tbsp sliced almonds
2 C napa cabbage
2/3 C chow mien noodles
1 carrot julienned or shredded
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oil in deep fryer or deep pan over medium heat.Want temp around 350.
Blend together all ingredients for dressing with an electric mixer.Let chill while preparing salad.
In small bowl beat egg, add milk, and mix well.In another bowl, combine flour with corn flake crumbs, salt and pepper.
Cut chicken breast in 4-5 long strips.Dip each first in egg mixture then into the flour mixture, coating each piece completely.Fry each piece for 3-5 minutes or until coating had darkened to brown.
Mix lettuce, cabbage, and carrots together.Sprinkle green onion on top.Sprinkle with almonds then the chow mien.Cut chicken into bit size chunks.Place onto the salad forming a pile in the middle.Serve with salad dressing on the side.Makes one-dinner size salad.
I love food. I love to cook. I have 2 children and a husband to cook for every single day, which means many things:
I need nutritious meals (heavy on the vegetables) I need delicious meals I need easy to make meals I need to find all my ingredients at 1 or max 2 grocery stores I need variation I need change I need meals that are ready in 30 minutes on average
As I find recipes that meet these criteria, I'll post them here with a review. I don't own a fancy-dancy camera, so I'll have to rely on my culinary prowess and fancy wording to lure you in. =)
