Week 52: Loaded White Cheddar Garlic Pasta

I find recipes now and then that just scream "girl." I just don't think that food is gender neutral. I save up these recipes for when Brad takes a fishing or hunting or biking trip or goes to play cards or works late. Barb-only dinners.

Taken from Annie's Eats

Makes 4 servings
Cook time: less than 10 minutes

Note:
Prepare garlic paste, chicken, broccoli, and noodles ahead of time.


8 oz shaped pasta (penne, bowties, or your favorite), cooked to package directions
1 1/2 Tbsp butter
1/4 C roasted garlic paste (made from 2 heads of garlic)
1 1/2 Tbsp flour
1/4 C dry white wine
1 C low-sodium chicken broth
1 C shredded white cheddar cheese
1 pound of broccoli, cut into florets and steamed until crisp-tender
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, grilled and cut into bite size pieces
Salt and pepper, to taste

Ahead of time:
(Takes about 75 minutes to cook, cool, and mash.) Make roasted garlic paste. Peel outside papery skin off two heads of garlic, leaving the heads still intact. Slice about a quarter off of the top of each head so that all the cloves are party exposed. Wrap the heads in foil and bake at 350 F for one hour. Remove from the oven and let cool. Once cool enough to tough, squeeze the garlic cloves out of the peels and smash with a fork to make roasted garlic paste.

Just before eating:
(All ingredients take less than 10 minutes to combine)


Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, whisk in the roasted garlic paste and cook just until fragrant, 30-60 seconds.  Whisk the flour into the mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to turn golden brown, 1-2 minutes.  Stir the white wine and broth into the pan.  Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cheddar and stir until melted.  Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.

Mix in the broccoli florets and chicken pieces, and cook just until heated through.  Mix in the cooked pasta until evenly coated with the sauce. Serve warm.

My Notes:
This was pretty good. The flavors were great; the garlic wasn't over-powering at all. It really did taste best immediately after cooking, though. It's not a great left-over.

Week 41: Shrimp, Feta, and Herb Macaroni and Cheese

Stephanie is the only person at her house that eats shrimp. Brad has a crazy exercise-induced shrimp allergy. Stephanie and I are shrimp friends.

So, of course I made this for a girls' night dinner.

Taken from: Annie's Eats

1 lb pasta shapes
1 lb raw shrimp (31-40 ct.), peeled and deveined, cut in half (if desired)
10 oz feta cheese, crumbled and divided
Zest of 1 lemon, divided
½ C Panko breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped, divided
5 Tbsp butter, divided
4 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3 C milk
2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped
8 oz Gruyere cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.  Cook the pasta until al dente according to the package directions.  Drain well; set aside.  Add the raw shrimp to the warm pasta and toss together.  The heat from the pasta will partially cook the shrimp.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400˚ F.  In a small bowl, combine a handful of the feta, a pinch of the lemon zest, the panko, 2 teaspoons of the parsley and 1 tablespoon of the butter, melted.  Toss with a fork to combine; set aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat.  Once the butter is melted, whisk in the flour  to form a paste.  Cook 1-2 minutes, whisking constantly, until light golden brown.  Whisk in the milk.  Continue to heat the mixture, stirring frequently, until it bubbles and thickens, about 5 minutes.  As soon as the sauce has thickened, remove from the heat and stir in the remaining feta, Gruyere, remaining parsley, remaining lemon zest, dill, salt and pepper.  Pour the mixture over the pasta and shrimp; toss well to coat.

Transfer the mixture to a lightly greased 2½ or 3-quart baking dish.  Sprinkle the breadcrumb-feta mixture evenly over the top.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned and bubbling.  Remove from the oven and let cool 5-10 minutes before serving.

My Notes:
This was okay. It didn't taste nearly as feta-licious as I wanted it to. I'm not sure I like the texture of shrimp in mac and cheese, either. It was too similar in texture to the noodles. The crispy topping was nice, though.

Week 41: Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese

I never would have thought to add hot sauce to macaroni and cheese. The combination of cheeses in here also appealed to me.

Taken from Noble Pig

 

7 Tbsp unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
Salt
1 lb elbow macaroni
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
3 C shredded chicken

2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 C Frank's Buffalo Wing Sauce, divided
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tsp dry mustard
2-1/2 C half-and-half
1 lb extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
8 oz pepper jack cheese, shredded
2/3 C sour cream
1 C panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/2 C crumbled blue cheese
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9 x 13 baking dish.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes.  Drain.

Meanwhile, melt 3 Tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the chicken and garlic and cook 2 minutes, then add 1/2 cup hot sauce and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 more minute.

 

Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Stir in the flour and mustard with a wooden spoon until smooth.  Whisk in the half-and-half, then add the remaining 1/4 cup hot sauce and stir until thick, about 2 minutes.  Whisk in the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses, then whisk in the sour cream until smooth.

Spread half of the macaroni in the prepared baking dish, then top with the chicken mixture and the remaining macaroni.  Pour the cheese sauce evenly on top.  Put the remaining 2 Tablespoons butter in a microwave safe bowl and microwave until melted.  Stir in the panko, blue cheese and parsley.  Sprinkle over the macaroni.  Bake until bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes.  Let rest 10 minutes before serving.  Drizzle with some wing sauce for color.

Garnish with even more wing sauce, blue cheese and sour cream if you like!

My Notes:

Like every macaroni and cheese recipe I try. . . this made way too much food. And, it didn't reheat well. Next time, I either need to invite a crowd or make a half batch.

Week 34: Macaroni and Cheese

I always thought macaroni and cheese was hard to make. The noodles are easy enough to cook; it was the sauce that freaked me out. But, once I made a batch I realized just how easy it is and haven't gone back to Kraft since.

Macaroni and Cheese
Taken from: Pioneer Woman
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Servings: 6



4 C dried macaroni
1/4 C butter
1/4 C flour
2 1/2 C whole milk
1 1/2 tsp dry mustard
1 whole egg, beaten
1 lb cheese, grated
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Optional spices: Cayenne pepper

Cook macaroni until very firm. Drain.

In a small bowl, beat egg.

In a large pot, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together over medium-low heat. Cook mixture for five minutes, whisking constantly.

Pour in milk, add mustard, and whisk until smooth. Cook for five minutes until very thick. Reduce heat to low.

Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pour it into beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking eggs. Whisk together till smooth.

Pour egg mixture into sauce, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth.

Add in cheese and stir to melt.

Add salts and pepper. Adjust to taste.

Pour in drained, cooked macaroni and stir to combine.

Serve immediately (very creamy).



Or pour into a buttered baking dish, top with extra cheese, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and golden on top.

We ate this with Pioneer Woman's BBQ meatballs.


And some steamed broccoli.


And some wine.


My notes:
This was WAY TOO MUCH food. It was tough to think about cutting it in half, though, because it used an egg. I never know how to half recipes that have an egg in them. Also, I would cut back on the mustard next time. The original recipe called for 2 tsp dried mustard. It was too much. Oh, I used cheddar cheese - half white cheddar and half regular cheddar. It would be fun, though, to play around with different types of cheese. The verdict? Liked it. Will make again.

Week 17: Shredded Beef and Fancy Macaroni

Brad loves shredded beef sandwiches and whines that I can't make then as well as his grandma. This is due (at least partially) to my irrational fear of crock pot cooking. Long days at work plus a crock pot with a faulty thermostat plus meat without much fat plus not enough cooking liquid has led to many burned dinners and impromptu nights out. That, however, is another story.

I tried this beef recipe in hopes of making Brad smile. He didn't say it was better than his grandma's (or even as good as his grandma's), but he did eat two sandwiches.

I served it with Ree Drummond's Fancy Macaroni - which I was simply looking for an excuse to make. And, I baked the macaroni and cheese in my new Le Creuset Mini Cocotte's.

Shredded Beef Barbecue
12 servings
Taken from: Taste of Home

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 8 - 10 hours (slow cooker)



1 beef sirloin tip roast (2-1/2 pounds)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 cup each ketchup and water
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons celery seed
2 teaspoons chili powder
12 kaiser rolls, split

Sprinkle roast with salt and pepper. In a nonstick skillet, brown roast in oil on all sides over medium-high heat; drain.

Transfer roast to a 5-qt. slow cooker. Combine the ketchup, water, onion, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, celery seed and chili powder; pour over roast.

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until meat is tender. Remove meat; shred with two forks and return to slow cooker. Spoon 1/2 cup meat mixture onto each roll.

One sandwich equals 313 calories, 9 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 2 g fiber

My review: The sanwiches were fine. The meat wasn't fatty (one of my frequent complaints about shredded meat sandwiches), and it was flavorful (no extra BBQ sauce required).

Fancy Macaroni
6 servings
Taken from Pioneer Woman

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes



2 C Macaroni
4 Tbsp Butter
1 whole Medium Onion, Cut In Half And Sliced Thin
5 slices Regular Bacon
1/2 Tbsp Bacon Grease (reserved From Bacon Slices)
1/8 C All-purpose Flour
1 C Whole Or 2% Milk
1/4 C Half & Half
1 whole Egg Yolk, Beaten
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1/4 C Grated Gruyere Cheese
1/4 C Grated Fontina Cheese
1/4 C Grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
2 oz, weight Chevre (soft Goat Cheese)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook macaroni for half the time of the package instructions. Drain and set aside.



Fry bacon until slightly, but not overly, crispy. Drain on a paper towel. Reserve grease.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet and saute onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown and soft. Set aside.



In a pot, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle in flour and whisk to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat for 1 minute. Pour in milk and half & half, then cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until thick. Reduce heat to low. Add salt & pepper to taste.

Beat egg yolks and drizzle 1/8 cup hot mixture into the yolks, stirring constantly. Stir to combine. Pour egg mixture into sauce and cook for another minute.

Add cheeses and stir until melted. Add onions and bacon and bacon grease and stir. Taste for seasonings and add more salt if needed. Add cooked macaroni and stir to coat.

Pour into a baking dish and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until sizzling and hot.

My review: This was labor- and dish-intensive. I bought and shredded way too much cheese (the left-overs were frozen). The bacon, butter, and cheese led to a dish that was plenty salty; I didn't add any additional salt. Also, I'm not a huge onion lover. Next time I will cut the onions at least in half. And, I'm not sure that I'd bake it in small dishes again. It was a little dried out. And, I don't know that I'd use the full amount of noodles the next time, either. How's that for a rambling review?

Week 1: Mac and Cheese (with a side of Broccoli)

Started with this at 4:00.


Ended with this around 5:45.


I couldn't have done it without a little bit of help from one of tonight's dinner guests, though.


And, all of it got a thumbs up from the other dinner guest.


Tonight's dinner started with Post-It Notes. I marked all of the most promising recipes in Barefoot Contessa Family Style. From there, Brad picked one--mac and cheese. (I should say that mac and cheese wasn't Brad's first choice. His first choice required some kitchen gadgets I don't have and some research. I will make it another week, though.) I decided to add the broccoli to make the meal a little more well-rounded.

I've only made mac and cheese once (with lots of help from Josie and Katrina), so I was a little nervous about getting the cheese sauce smooth and tasty instead of lumpy and burnt. But, Ina's directions were easy to follow, and I was happy with the final product.

I do have to warn you, though. . . this was a dish-intensive meal. The mac and cheese alone required three pots and a baking dish. The pots all needed to be washed before the broccoli was made; it needed two pots.

"Mac and Cheese"
Taken from
in Barefoot Contessa Family Style
by Ina Garten



Salt
Vegetable Oil
1 pound cavatappi (corkscrew noodles)
1 quart (4 C) milk
8 Tbsp. (1 stick)unsalted butter, divided
1/2 C flour
12 oz. Gruyere cheese, grated (4 C)
8 oz. extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (2 C)
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 lb. fresh tomatoes (4 small)
1 1/2 C white bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Drizzle oil in a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to directions on the package. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt 6 Tbsp. of butter in a large pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, 1/2 Tbsp. salt, pepper, and nutmet. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 3-quart (9 x 13) baking dish.

Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top. Melt the remaining 2 Tbsp. butter, combine with fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on top.

NOTE: The mac and cheese looks really soupy right before you put it in the oven - so soupy that you will wonder if you added too much milk. Don't worry, though. It's comes out of the oven 30 minutes later absolutely perfect.

ANOTHER NOTE: I didn't use all Gruyere. It was too expensive. I used 7 oz. Gruyere and 5 oz. Swiss.

Broccoli
Modified from "Broccoli and Bowties"
in Barefoot Contessa Family Style
by Ina Garten


Kosher Salt
8 C broccoli florets (4 heads)
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. minced garlic
Zest of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 C pine nuts
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the broccoli for three minutes in a large pot of boiling salted water. Remove the broccoli from the water, place in a large bowl, and set aside.

In a small saute plan, heat the butter and oil and cook the garlic and lemon zest over medium-low heat for one-minute. Off the head, add 1 tsp. salt, the pepper, and lemon juice and pour this over the broccoli and pasta. Toss well. Sprinkle with pine nuts and cheese.