Macaroni & Cheese

Who doesn't like Mac & Cheese?  In fact, as I am typing this I am warming myself with left-over smoked gouda and macaroni from the Club.  My grandmother would throw cooked macaroni, butter, milk, grated cheese, salt & pepper in a casserole dish and bake - no recipe, just stir periodically, then let get golden brown on top.  It was always yummy.  Next time I cook it, I will try to remember and write down quantities and add a recipe.  In the meantime, the following recipes I took from Gourmet Magazine and Bon Appetit.  Enjoy!

 

Creamy Macaroni with Sage - Gourmet, January 1999

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

1/2 pound elbow macaroni
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons fine dry bread crumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan (about 1 1/2 ounces)

Fill a 4-quart kettle three fourths full with salted water and bring to a boil for macaroni. Cook macaroni in boiling water until al dente and drain in a colander.

While macaroni is cooking, in non-stick skillet heat butter over moderate heat until foam subsides and add bread crumbs, sage, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook bread crumb mixture, stirring, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. In a large bowl stir together mascarpone and Parmesan. Add macaroni and salt and pepper to taste, tossing to combine.

Divide macaroni between 2 bowls and sprinkle with seasoned bread crumbs.

Serves 2.

 

 

 

Macaroni & Cheese with Prosciutto - Bon Appétit, March 2001

 

8 ounces small elbow macaroni (2 cups)

1½ cups (packed) grated Gruyère cheese (about 6 oz)
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup whole milk
3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

 

Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 400°F. Butter 11x7-inch glass baking dish. Cook macaroni in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain well.

 

Whisk 1/2 cup Gruyère, cream, milk, prosciutto, Parmesan and nutmeg in large bowl to blend. Add macaroni and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup Gruyère over. Bake until cheese melts and macaroni and cheese sets, about 20 minutes. Serve warm.                  

 

Serves 6.

 

 

Chicken, Ortega Chili & Tortilla ‘Cacciatore’

                 1    Whole Chicken, 3-4 pounds

               ½    large Onion, chopped
          1 can    Ortega Diced Green chiles, 4 oz
          1 can    Cream of Mushroom Soup
          1 can    Cream of Chicken Soup
                      Milk
          1 bag    Corn Tortillas
         3 cups    Cheddar Cheese, grated
                      Salt & Pepper to taste

Stacey’s twist to the recipe:

      1 bunch    Cilantro, minced (optional)
           1 tsp    Cayenne Pepper (optional)
      2 cloves    Garlic, minced (optional           

Boil chicken in a large pot of salted water.  (Broth can be reserved and stored for a later use).  When chicken has cooled, remove and discard the bones and skin.  Shred meat and set  aside.

Preheat oven to 375°.

In a large bowl combine onions, chiles, and soups.  Add optional recipe items at this point.  Add a small amount of milk if mixture is too thick

Grease a large casserole dish.  Alternate layers in the dish of torn tortillas, shredded chicken, soup mixture, and cheese. 

Bake until casserole startles to boil around the edges and cheese is melted.  About 30 minutes.

 

Tips

§  A great recipe to use for left over turkey or chicken.

§  For lower calories use fat free soups and less cheese.

§  Can be made ahead and cooked when ready to eat.

 

Enchiladas & Encharitos

Quick Enchilada Sauce

                     4 Tb        Vegetable Oil

                 1-2 Tb        Flour

               1/4 cup        Chili Powder

                  2 cups        Chicken Stock or Vegetable Stock

                    10 oz        Tomato Paste

                     2 tsp        Dried Oregano

                     1 tsp        Ground Cumin

                   ½ tsp        cayenne

                                      Salt to taste

                        

In saucepan heat oil, add flour, smoothing and stirring with a wooden spoon. Cook for 1 minute. Add chili powder and cook for 30 seconds. Add stock, tomato paste, oregano, cumin and cayenne, stir. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. The sauce should be smooth and slightly thick.  Season to taste

 

Cheese Enchiladas

           1 package      Corn Tortillas

                  ½ cup      Vegetable Oil

              2-3 cups      Enchilada Sauce (or 2-3 canned Enchilada Sauce)

        4-5 pounds      Cheddar Cheese or Cheddar-Jack, grated      

                          ½      Onion, chopped (or ½ cup Dried Onions)

 

Heat oil and quickly cook the corn tortillas until soft and pliable (about 20 seconds on both sides).  Drain on paper towel. 

 

Preheat oven to 350°.

Spray casserole dish with vegetable spray. 

Thoroughly mix the cheese and onions in a bowl.  Place enchilada sauce in a shallow dish.  Dip tortilla in enchilada sauce, place in casserole dish, and roll a handful of cheese in the center.  Repeat process until tortillas are gone or casserole dish is full.  Cover with remaining sauce and cheese.

Bake for 15-30 minutes - until cheese is melted and sauce slightly bubbling around the edges.

 

Encharitos

           1 package      Corn Tortillas

                  ½ cup      Vegetable Oil

              2-3 cups      Enchilada Sauce (or 2-3 canned Enchilada Sauce)

              1 pound      Ground Beef

                                    Salt & Pepper to taste

                   ½ tsp      Ground Cumin

                          ½      Onion, chopped

                    1 can      Refried Beans           

            1 pounds      Cheddar Cheese or Cheddar-Jack, grated      

                             

Brown ground beef and onions over high heat.  Strain and discard grease.  Season with salt, pepper and cumin.  Add refried beans, mix and heat.  When mixture begins to bubble, remove from heat and set aside.

Heat oil and quickly cook the corn tortillas until soft and pliable (about 20 seconds on both sides).  Drain on paper towel. 

Preheat oven to 350°.

Spray casserole dish with vegetable spray. 

Place enchilada sauce in a shallow dish.  Dip tortilla in enchilada sauce, place in casserole dish, and roll a spoonful of beef-bean mixture and spoonful of cheese in the center.  Repeat process until tortillas are gone or casserole dish is full.  Cover with remaining sauce and cheese.

Bake for 15-30 minutes - until cheese is melted and sauce slightly bubbling around the edges.

Potato Cheese Casserole

                  1    Onion, diced

          ¼ cup    Butter

     2 pounds    Frozen Hash Browns

           1 can    Cream of Mushroom

           1 can    Cream of Celery

              8 oz    Sour Cream

      1-2 cups    Cheddar Cheese, grated

                        Salt & Pepper to taste

 

Defrost has browns and break up the shredded potato in a large bowl.

Preheat oven to 375°.

 

Heat butter in a skillet over high heat, when butter is melted add the onions. Sauté onions until they are translucent.  Add onions to the potatoes.

 

Add the cans of soup, sour cream, cheddar cheese, salt & pepper to bowl. Mix all ingredients thoroughly.

Spread mixture into a large casserole dish coated with cooking spray.  Bake in oven for 45 minutes to one hour, or until the top is golden brown and casserole begins to bubble around the edges.

Arroz con Pollo

On our honeymoon in Costa Rica, Jim and I stopped at a roadside stand, where we had the best arroz con pollo. We have spent the rest of the honeymoon (and considerable time since.) trying to find an equal. We have made several attempts in our kitchen, but no recipe compares to that food in that little roadside stand…maybe it had something to do with the ambiance…

Jim’s theory is that the unique and fresh indigenous products are there, not here - like the scraggly little chicken that seemed to disappear after we placed our order (not true).

 

           ¼ tsp    saffron threads

          ¼ cup    olive oil

       31/2 lb.    whole chicken, cut into serving size pieces

                  2    onions, chopped

                  2    green bell peppers, chopped

            ¾ lb.    plum or Roma tomatoes (about 6),

                         peeled, deseeded, & chopped

            2 ea.    Garlic clove, minced

            4 tsp    paprika

         3 cups    Arborio rice

         6 cups    chicken broth

                  1    large bell pepper, roasted and cut into strips           1 cup    frozen or fresh English peas

          ¼ cup    fresh parsley, minced, if desired   

 

Set a rack over a sauce pan of boiling water, the set a small saucer on the rack with the saffron in it. Warm until it’s brittle. Remove the saucer and crumble the saffron in it.

 

In a large heavy skillet, heat the oil until hot but not smoking. Reduce the heat to med-low. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, season it with salt and pepper, and pan fry it in small batches until it is cooked halfway, then transfer it to a clean bowl or plate for later.

 

Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of the fat and add the onions and peppers. Cook over med-low heat until tender. Add the tomatoes, garlic, paprika, and saffron. Cook the mixture while stirring for a minute, then add the rice and keep stirring for 3 more minutes. Add the broth, bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally for 7 minutes. Transfer the rice to a shallow baking dish and arrange the chicken over it.

 

Bake the dish in the middle of a pre-heated over for 15 minutes, add the peppers and peas over the top and bake for 15 more minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed. Top the finished dish with chopped parsley.

 

                                                                                                                    Serves 6

Baked Ziti with Meatballs

The original recipe I acquired one summer in Denver from Angela.  It was one of my favorite dishes she prepared.  This recipe was her family’s recipe, the Colletti’s.  Over the years I have added more ingredients, but the core recipe… and most certainly the meatballs are all theirs.

Sauce
                      1     Onion, chopped
           2 cloves     Garlic, minced
                 2 Tb     Olive Oil
           1 lg can     Tomato Puree (29oz)
        1+  lg can     Water
          1 sm can     Tomato Paste
                2 tsp     Basil
                2 tsp     Oregano
                             Salt & Pepper to taste

Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil until translucent.  Add tomato puree, paste, water, basil, oregano, salt and pepper.  Bring to a simmer.  Taste and adjust seasoning.

                                         

Meatballs

           1 pound     Ground Beef
                      1     Egg
                1 tsp     salt
                1 tsp     pepper
                 5 Tb     parmesan cheese
                1 tsp     garlic
         2-3 slices     bread

Mix all ingredients.  Tightly roll mixture into meatballs.  Place in sauce and heat until cooked.

Baked Ziti

               1 box     Ziti Pasta (or Penne)
           1 pound     Mozzarella, grated
               16 oz     Ricotta

Cook pasta according to instructions on box or bag.  In a large casserole dish, add cooked pasta, mozzarella, ricotta and sauce (reserve some sauce and the meatballs for service).  Mix well.  Bake at 350° until the cheese has melted.

To serve scoop a healthy portion of baked ziti onto a plate, place meatballs to one side and top with a little more sauce.

Chicken & Tortilla Casserole

                 1    Whole Chicken, 3-4 pounds
               ½    large Onion, chopped
          1 can    Ortega Diced Green chiles, 4 oz
          1 can    Cream of Mushroom or Ce;lery Soup
          1 can    Cream of Chicken Soup
                      Milk
          1 bag    Corn Tortillas
         3 cups    Cheddar Cheese, grated
                      Salt & Pepper to taste

Stacey’s twist to the recipe:

      1 bunch    Cilantro, minced (optional)
           1 tsp    Cayenne Pepper (optional)
      2 cloves    Garlic, minced (optional           

Boil chicken in a large pot of salted water.  (Broth can be reserved and stored for a later use).  When chicken has cooled, remove and discard the bones and skin.  Shred meat and set  aside.

 

Preheat oven to 375°.

In a large bowl combine onions, chiles, and soups.  Add optional recipe items at this point.  Add a small amount of milk if mixture is too thick

Grease a large casserole dish.  Alternate layers in the dish of torn tortillas, shredded chicken, soup mixture, and cheese. 

 

Bake until casserole startles to boil around the edges and cheese is melted. About 30 minutes.

Tips §  A great recipe to use for left over turkey or chicken. §  For lower calories use fat free soups and less cheese. §  Can be made ahead and cooked when ready to eat.

Spaghetti Pie

This recipe was given to me by Zig's mom, Roseann... many, many moons ago

 

                     6 oz.     spaghetti

                      2     eggs beaten

              ¼ cup     grated parmesan cheese

                 2 Tb     butter

              ¹/₃ cup     chopped onion

                   1-2     cloves of minced garlic

                1 cup     sour cream

            1 pound     Italian sausage

                1 can     tomato paste (6oz.)

                1 cup     water

                4 oz.     Mozzarella cheese, sliced

 

Break spaghetti in half.  Cook in boiling water until done.  Drain.  While still warm, combine spaghetti with eggs and parmesan cheese.  Pour into a well greased 10” pie plate and pat mixture up and around sides with a spoon.

Melt butter; add onions and garlic and sauté until limp.  Stir in sour cream and then spoon mixture over spaghetti.

Remove sausage from casing, crumble and cook in skillet until done.  Drain grease.  Add tomato paste and water.  Simmer 10 minutes.  Spoon sausage over sour cream mixture. 

Bake at 350◦ for 25 minutes.  Arrange mozzarella on top and return to the oven until cheese melts.

Serves 6

Note: freezes well before baking so make two at a time.