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MACARONI AND BEEF WITH CHEESE
MACARONI AND BEEF WITH CHEESE
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- salt to taste
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- one 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, pureed in the can with a hand blender or in a blender
- 1 box macaroni
- 1 cup each grated cheddar and mozzarella cheeses
- optional seasonings: black pepper, oregano, cumin, coriander, chopped garlic, hot smoked paprika, chili powder—whatever you’re in the mood for (I just used black pepper, garlic, and a tablespoon of fish sauce, which gives it depth)
METHOD:
- Sweat the onions in the oil with a three-finger pinch of salt. Add the beef and cook it, breaking it up as you do. (Because my beef was very fatty, I cooked it separately and added it to the pot along with the tomatoes. Also an option, but uses an extra pan.) Add another three-finger pinch of salt or two, along with any dry seasonings you want. Add the tomatoes and any fresh seasonings you may be using, bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 1 hour.
- Cook the macaroni in boiling water till it’s half-done. Drain it and add it to the tomatoes. (I wanted this to stretch into two meals, so I used the whole box, but if you want your dish to be very tomatoey and beefy, you might want to add only half the macaroni.) Stir it into the sauce. Taste it. Add more salt and other seasonings as needed, and cover. When it’s cooled and the pasta has absorbed the tomato juices, transfer it to a large baking dish and cover it with foil. It can sit out for several hours like this, be refrigerated for up to two days, or frozen a few weeks.
- Bake it in a 400°F/205°C oven till it’s piping hot (about 45 minutes if it’s cold to room temperature). Just before you’re ready to eat, remove the foil, cover the macaroni with the cheese and broil till it looks beautiful.
- Having used all the pasta, I put the second batch into the cleaned baking dish and covered it with foil, wrote “Mac and Beef, bake, cover with cheese and broil” on the foil with a sharpie—so that next time I’m gone, Donna has a mid-week meal ready to go.
Bon appetite!
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Garlic Shrimp Pasta
Garlic Shrimp Pasta
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 lb medium shrimp, deveined and tails removed
- 1 lb spaghetti noodles (more or less, depending on family size)
- 6 -8 garlic cloves, according to personal taste, minced
- 1/4 cup butter
- olive oil (3 drizzles)
- italian seasoning
- fresh ground pepper
- red pepper flakes
- salt
- herbs (according to taste)
- 1 lb medium shrimp, deveined and tails removed
- 1 lb spaghetti noodles (more or less, depending on family size)
- 6 -8 garlic cloves, according to personal taste, minced
- 1/4 cup butter
- olive oil (3 drizzles)
- italian seasoning
- fresh ground pepper
- red pepper flakes
- salt
- herbs (according to taste)
METHOD:
1 Boil pasta in water till tender, save 1 cup of pasta water for use later. I always put some oil, salt, and fresh herbs in with my pasta when I boil it. Drain and set aside when done.
2 While pasta is boiling, wash shrimp.
3 Melt butter over medium heat. Add shrimp.
4 Let cook till a little pink and starting to curl. Then add garlic.
5 Cook 5-7 min., add oil. Continue to stir till shrimp is pink and curled.
6 Add pasta to skillet. Add seasonings. Add just enough saved pasta water till it is not dry but not swimming in liquid either. Depending on amount of pasta this requires 1/2 the cup or all of it. Start with adding 1/4 of it then work up from there.
7 Keep tossing all ingredients around in skillet till all is incorporated and hot. Enjoy!
2 While pasta is boiling, wash shrimp.
3 Melt butter over medium heat. Add shrimp.
4 Let cook till a little pink and starting to curl. Then add garlic.
5 Cook 5-7 min., add oil. Continue to stir till shrimp is pink and curled.
6 Add pasta to skillet. Add seasonings. Add just enough saved pasta water till it is not dry but not swimming in liquid either. Depending on amount of pasta this requires 1/2 the cup or all of it. Start with adding 1/4 of it then work up from there.
7 Keep tossing all ingredients around in skillet till all is incorporated and hot. Enjoy!
Bon appetite!
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Chocolate Salted Caramel Tart
Chocolate Salted Caramel Tart
INGREDIENTS:
- Makes about 6-8 servings
- Almond Chocolate Sweet Pastry
- 1 1/4 cups (160g) flour
- 1/4 cup (30g) ground almonds
- 1/4 cup (30g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup (50g) sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 stick (110 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small (1/2-inch) cubes
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1-2 tbsp ice water
- Caramel
- 1 1/2 cups (300 g) sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup (120 g) heavy cream
- 5 tbsp (70 g) unsalted butter
- 1 tsp salt
- Chocolate Ganache
- 1/2 cup (120 g) heavy cream
- 4 oz (120g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- Garnish
- sea salt crystals
METHOD:
Prepare the sweet pastry. In a large bowl mix flour with ground almonds, cocoa powder, sugar and salt.
Incorporate butter to the flour mixture, using a pastry blender, a fork or a pastry processor, until crumbs are formed. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix them in. Add water and incorporate into the dough. Wrap it with plastic, knead slowly to form a disc and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
On o floured surface or over the plastic wrap roll the dough to a circle with about 1 1/2 inches larger than your tart pan. Lift up the rolled dough and place it on a greased 9 inch tart pan. Remove the edges and refrigerate for 30 minutes before baking.
Prick the dough with a fork, line a parchment paper over the dough. Fill with dry beans, rice or pie weights.
Bake for 15 minutes in preheated 350 F (180C) oven. Remove the weights and the parchment paper. Return to oven for another 10 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool before removing from the tart pan.
Prepare the caramel. Place the sugar and water in a medium heavy bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, and cook without stirring until sugar dissolves and gets a caramel color.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the cream. It will bubble a little bit.
Cook for about 1 or 2 minutes stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until smooth. Remove from heat and add butter and salt. Stir well until smooth.
Incorporate butter to the flour mixture, using a pastry blender, a fork or a pastry processor, until crumbs are formed. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix them in. Add water and incorporate into the dough. Wrap it with plastic, knead slowly to form a disc and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
On o floured surface or over the plastic wrap roll the dough to a circle with about 1 1/2 inches larger than your tart pan. Lift up the rolled dough and place it on a greased 9 inch tart pan. Remove the edges and refrigerate for 30 minutes before baking.
Prick the dough with a fork, line a parchment paper over the dough. Fill with dry beans, rice or pie weights.
Bake for 15 minutes in preheated 350 F (180C) oven. Remove the weights and the parchment paper. Return to oven for another 10 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool before removing from the tart pan.
Prepare the caramel. Place the sugar and water in a medium heavy bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, and cook without stirring until sugar dissolves and gets a caramel color.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the cream. It will bubble a little bit.
Cook for about 1 or 2 minutes stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until smooth. Remove from heat and add butter and salt. Stir well until smooth.
Let the caramel cool slightly and pour over the chocolate crust. Refrigerate for about 4-5 hours.
Prepare the chocolate ganache. Heat the cream in a small saucepan. When the cream just begins to boil at the edges, remove from heat and pour over the chopped chocolate. Let sit one minute, then stir until smooth.
Pour the chocolate ganache over the caramel. Spread it evenly and refrigerate for another 2-3 hours before serving. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes and serve.
Prepare the chocolate ganache. Heat the cream in a small saucepan. When the cream just begins to boil at the edges, remove from heat and pour over the chopped chocolate. Let sit one minute, then stir until smooth.
Pour the chocolate ganache over the caramel. Spread it evenly and refrigerate for another 2-3 hours before serving. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes and serve.
Bon appetite!
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STUFFED CHICKEN
STUFFED CHICKEN
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 chicken breasts
- 4 roasted red pepper strips
- Baby spinach leaves
- A few Basil Leaves
- 4 String Cheese
- light Italian dressing for basting
METHOD:
- Preheat indoor or outdoor grill to med-high.
- Slice your peppers and throw them on the grill for a few minutes until tender
- Butterfly the chicken breasts
- Place about 5 baby spinach leaves in middle, slightly to one side.
- Put roasted red pepper*, Basil, and String Cheese on top of spinach.
- Roll up, and put toothpicks on ends to hold together well.
- Brush the outside with a little Italian Dressing (or just Olive Oil, Salt, and Pepper)
- Grill for 5 minutes, turn and grill 5 more minutes. (10-15 minutes depending on you grill and thickness of chicken).
Bon appetite!
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County Fair Fried Dough
County Fair Fried Dough
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup lukewarm water
- 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, in 1/2" cubes
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
METHOD:
Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Work in the cold butter, using a pastry blender, your fingers, or a mixer.
Stir in the warm water to make a soft dough. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
Divide the dough into eight pieces. Working with one piece at a time, roll into a thin 5" round, about 3/8" thick.
Heat about 3/8" vegetable oil to 375°F in an electric frying pan, or in a pan over a burner. If you're using a 10" diameter pan, this is 2 cups of vegetable oil. If you're not using an electric frying pan, use a candy thermometer to take the temperature of the oil; or guesstimate it by seeing if the first piece of dough fries nicely in the time specified.
Pick up one dough disk, and carefully lower it into the pan. Let it cook for 60 seconds (it'll puff up on top and become light brown on the bottom), then flip it over and cook until light brown on the other side, about 60 seconds. You don't want to cook these too dark; they'll become overly crisp.
Remove from the oil and set on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Place in a 200°F oven to keep warm while you make the remaining fried doughs.
Serve warm, with maple syrup or cider syrup; confectioners' sugar, or cinnamon sugar; or the topping of your choice — some folks enjoy a savory version, with marinara sauce and cheese.
Work in the cold butter, using a pastry blender, your fingers, or a mixer.
Stir in the warm water to make a soft dough. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
Divide the dough into eight pieces. Working with one piece at a time, roll into a thin 5" round, about 3/8" thick.
Heat about 3/8" vegetable oil to 375°F in an electric frying pan, or in a pan over a burner. If you're using a 10" diameter pan, this is 2 cups of vegetable oil. If you're not using an electric frying pan, use a candy thermometer to take the temperature of the oil; or guesstimate it by seeing if the first piece of dough fries nicely in the time specified.
Pick up one dough disk, and carefully lower it into the pan. Let it cook for 60 seconds (it'll puff up on top and become light brown on the bottom), then flip it over and cook until light brown on the other side, about 60 seconds. You don't want to cook these too dark; they'll become overly crisp.
Remove from the oil and set on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Place in a 200°F oven to keep warm while you make the remaining fried doughs.
Serve warm, with maple syrup or cider syrup; confectioners' sugar, or cinnamon sugar; or the topping of your choice — some folks enjoy a savory version, with marinara sauce and cheese.
Bon appetite!
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