Garlickity Split!

Garlicky Spinach Mac and Cheese

Over the holiday season I threw and/or organized five parties in three weeks. Let's just say that even this happy-hostess is ready for a bit of an entertaining hiatus. On the upside, my fridge is stocked with bits of leftovers and unused dip ingredients just screaming for a purpose. My sweetie and I have been snacking of leftover Crock Pot meatball subs for the past few days . . . but what to do with all this cream cheese? Well . . . naturally another Mac and Cheese recipe was destined to make this week's menu. This may very well be the richest, creamiest Mac recipe I have ever put together, thanks to a remaining carton of half and half left from New Years Day Brunch. It's an easy and delicious dinner to throw together. You'll like it. But, believe me- a little bit goes a long way!

Ingredients
- 2 heads of garlic
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 4. Tbsp. butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 c. half and half
- 1 c. heavy cream
- 1/2 c. dry sherry
- 1/4 c. flour
- 8 oz. cream cheese
- 2 c. grated sharp white cheddar cheese
- 1 c. dried bread crumbs
- 1 small handful of Italian parsley, finely minced
- salt
- 2 tsp. white pepper
- 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 lb. dried orecchiette pasta
- 10 oz. fresh spinach

Preheat the oven to 425˚F. Remove the tops of the garlic heads and place in the center of a square of foil. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Wrap tightly in foil and place on the center rack of the oven. Roast for 20-25 minutes until the garlic cloves are soft and brown. While the garlic is roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and butter a 13x9" glass baking dish on the bottom and sides, set aside and prepare the cheese sauce. 

Melt butter over medium heat in a large Dutch oven. Add onion and cook over medium until the onion softens and turns translucent. Stir occasionally with a wooded spoon. Sprinkle with salt. Add flour and whisk into butter and onion mixture over medium heat for 1 minute. Slowly begin to add half and half and cream, about a half cup at a time, whisking after each addition until mixture becomes silky and smooth. When all the cream and half and half are added, mix in white pepper, cheddar cheese, mustard, cream cheese, and sherry. Whisk mixture together until it is smooth. Season to taste with additional salt. Remove from heat. 

Add the dried pasta to the boiling water and cook for about 7-8 minutes. Add the uncooked spinach to the boiling pasta and cook for an additional minute until the spinach is bright green. Drain pasta and spinach mixture, reserving a cup of the pasta cooking liquid. Add cooked pasta and spinach to cheese sauce and stir to combine.

By now the garlic should be thoroughly roasted. Remove from oven and turn the heat down to 325˚F. Squeeze the roasted cloves of garlic from the papery head into a small bowl and mash the roasted garlic into a paste. Add to the cheese mixture and combine thoroughly. Mix some of the reserved pasta water into the cheese sauce to loosen it up a bit. 

Spread the cooked pasta and cheese mixture into the prepared baking dish. Cover evenly with a layer of breadcrumbs and then sprinkle with the minced Italian parsley. Bake Mac and Cheese in the oven for 40 minutes, until the top begins to brown the the cheese sauce is hot and bubbly. Allow Mac and Cheese to rest for about 10 minutes before serving. So yummy!

Takin' it to the Mac

Seriously Insane Kickin' Crab and Corn Mac n' Cheese

I have written before about my obsession with Mac n' Cheese. As I've said, "What's not to like?" I've developed five other Mac n' Cheese variations (so far) for this blog and anticipate many, many more. After spending the weekend visiting an old college buddy in a ridiculously hot and muggy St. Louis, I figured summer was finally here and it was time to put the comfort food recipes away for the season (like so many cozy sweaters and cute pairs of boots). On my return to the rainy Northwest, however, I found that comfort food got a reprieve. So . . . you looked at my "French Onion" Man n' Cheese recipe and thought, "That's decadent!" Well . . . foodie friends, I challenge you to try this tasty little number on for size. I threw in the jalapeño peppers for a little spicy kick to play off the sweet nuttiness of the cheese and roasted garlic combo. It's one tasty dish . . . if I do say so myself.

Ingredients
- 1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, plus one Tbsp.
- 1 large sweet yellow onion, peeled and finely diced
- 6 oz. chopped pancetta
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 8 oz. lump crab meat, picked over for bits of shell
- 3 ears sweet white corn, kernels scraped from cobs
- 1 red and 1 green jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 8 oz. grated Manchego cheese
- 8 oz. grated Raclette cheese
- 4 oz. grated Fontina cheese
- 1 qt. whole milk
- 1/4 c. flour
- 1 tsp. white pepper
- 1 lb. dried elbow macaroni
- salt, to taste
- 5 oz. panko bread crumbs
- 1 generous handful chopped Italian parsley

Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Cut the tops of the garlic cloves and place on a small square of aluminum foil. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap in foil to create a packet. Roast in oven for about 30 minutes until garlic is soft, brown, and sweet. Remove from oven and allow to cool in packet. When garlic is through roasting turn oven down to 375˚F.

While garlic roasts, butter a 9x13" baking dish with 1 Tbsp. of butter and prep other ingredients. Grate cheeses, chop onion, remove corn kernels from cob, peel and seed peppers, chop pancetta, etc. Place pancetta in large Dutch Oven over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until pancetta just starts to turn brown. Remove from Dutch oven with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Add 4 Tbsp. butter to Dutch oven and melt over medium, add chopped onion, season with salt, stir, and cook until onion starts to soften and turn translucent.

Add flour to Dutch oven and stir constantly for 1 minute to create a thick paste. Gradually whisk in milk by the cupful and incorporate with flour. Whisk in cheeses and melt over medium-low heat. Remove from heat, season cheese sauce with white pepper and salt to taste. Stir corn, jalapeños, crab meat, and pancetta into the sauce. Squeeze roasted garlic out of skins into sauce. Stir to combine.

Boil a large pot of water and cook macaroni to al dente according to package directions, about 8 minutes. Drain and stir cooked pasta into cheese sauce. Spread mac n' cheese mix into prepared baking pan, set aside.

In a medium skillet, melt 4 Tbsp. butter over medium heat. Add panko breadcrumbs, stir frequently over heat and allow to toast. When breadcrumbs are just turning golden brown, remove from heat and stir in chopped Italian parsley. Spread breadcrumbs evenly over mac n' cheese. Bake in oven about 45 minutes. Remove and set aside about 10 minutes before serving. Seriously. Good. Stuff. Go at this on a cold night. Or when you're really, really hungry.

Ooo La La!

"French Onion" Mac n' Cheese
One might argue that I'm a bit obsessed with mac n' cheese. Uhh . . . no argument here! I totally am! There are so very many different delicious cheeses out there just waiting to be combined with pasta . . . it seems like a waste not to try them all out. Right? I had been toying with the idea for a while or throwing together a mac n' cheese as an homage to one of my other favorites, French Onion Soup. Perhaps this whole meal sounds like one big bowl of fat and carbs to you. Well, it is. But it is also pretty freakin' tasty. Give it a try!

Ingredients
- 8 oz. fusilli pasta
- 4 large yellow onions, peeled, halved, and sliced lengthwise
- 4 Tbsp. butter
- salt and fresh ground pepper
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 3 Tbsp. dry sherry
- 1 Tbsp. sugar
- 2 c. grated Gruyere cheese
- 2 c. whole milk
- 1/2 c. half and half
- 1/4 c. flour
- thin toasted Parmesan crackers (I got mine at Trader Joe's)
- 6 slices Provolone cheese

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Butter a 13x9" baking dish and set aside. Melt 4 Tbsp. butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sliced onions and season with salt and pepper. Turn heat to medium-low and cook until onions begin to brown and caramelize (about 20 minutes). Add chopped thyme, sherry, and sugar, and cook over medium an additional 10 minutes. Whisk flour into onion mixture over medium heat and cook 1 minute. Slowly add milk and half and half and whisk until sauce is smooth and creamy. Remove from heat and add grated Gruyere cheese.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta to al dente according to package directions. Drain pasta, reserving some of the pasta cooking water. Add pasta to onion and cheese mixture and stir to combine. Add pasta water to mixture if the cheese sauce is too thick.

Spread pasta into baking dish and cover with foil. Bake 25 minutes until hot all the way through. Turn on broiler. Remove foil and arrange thin Parmesan toasts over the top. Then arrange Provolone slices on top of crackers in a single later. Put baking dish under the broiler and broil about 10 minutes until cheese on top is brown and bubbly. Enjoy!

Green Machine

Easy Mac and Cheesy Bake with Greens and Roasted Garlic

Still going meatless and still looking for quick and easy dinner recipes, I was musing over the idea of roasted garlic and melted cheese. What about this isn't a good idea? This isn't exactly a "mac n' cheese recipe," it lacks the really thick, creamy sauce that makes it a true and hearty comfort food. Instead, this is a lighter, veggie packed, vegetarian pasta bake. The roasted garlic and crème fraîche make for a sweet and tangy meal. Enjoy!

Ingredients
- 1 head garlic
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb. elbow macaroni
- 7-8 oz. tub crème fraîche
- 1 lb. extra sharp white cheddar cheese
- 1 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 large bunch fresh Italian parsley, chopped
- 1 10 oz. package frozen spinach, thawed in microwave, excess water drained
- salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375˚. Cut top of garlic head, place on a square sheet of foil, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and wrap garlic up in foil. Place in oven and bake about 30 minutes, until garlic cloves are soft and turning brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, grate cheeses, chop parsley, and cook spinach. Set aside. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil over high. Add pasta to boiling water and cook to al dente. While pasta is working, spray a 13x9" baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. When pasta is cooked, drain and reserve about 1 cup pasta cooking water. Return cooked pasta to large pot.

Place grated cheddar into a double boiler and allow to melt until smooth. Add crème fraîche and stir until smooth. Remove melted cheeses from heat, squeeze roasted garlic into cheese sauce and stir until combined. Add spinach, parsley, and a little of the pasta water at a time if the sauce is too thick. Add cheese sauce to cook pasta and stir until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste and spread in an even layer in prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and place dish in oven. Bake 15-20 minutes until the Parmesan cheese is browning on top and the pasta is warmed through.

Best of Both Worlds

Super Mac and Bacon-Cheese Burger

Okay- maybe this isn't the best dish for all those out there who have so recently vowed to "eat healthier" in the new year. Fine. But in my defense . . . there are tomatoes in the recipe. Upon my weekly pre-shopping fridge inventory, I found an abundance of bacon. While the idea of bacon cheese burgers was a tempting dinner prospect, looking ahead at my rehearsal schedule for the week, I knew I would need to make a meal that would yield lots of leftovers. I put this together to bring together two of my favorite meals: mac and cheese and bacon cheese burgers. It seemed a natural fit. I hope you enjoy it.

Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 6 slices bacon, diced
- 1 lb. elbow macaroni
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 4 Tbsp. butter, plus extra for greasing pan
- 1/4 c. flour
- 1 qt. whole milk
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 lb. sharp orange cheddar cheese, grated
- 3 large beefsteak tomatoes, sliced crosswise into 12 disks
- 1/2 c. plain breadcrumbs
- salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Lightly grease a 13x9" baking dish with butter.

Bring 4 qts. water to a boil over high heat to cook pasta according to package directions.

While water is boiling, heat olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking up with wooden spoon until browned. Season with salt and pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Remove from heat and spoon ground beef into a separate bowl. Return Dutch oven to heat and add chopped bacon. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the bacon is browned, but not yet crisp. With a slotted spoon, remove bacon from pot and drain on a paper-towel lined plate.

Return Dutch oven to medium heat and add chopped onion. Cook, stirring often, until the onions soften and begin to turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Turn heat slightly lower and add 4 Tbsp. butter. Let melt over medium-low heat and then add flour. Whisk flour, onions, and butter together for 1 minute. When a thick paste forms begin to add milk, 1 c. at a time, whisking constantly. Bring mixture to a simmer and allow to thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add half of the grated cheese and mustard to mixture. Simmer over heat until cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper and return cooked bacon to cheese mixture.

Meanwhile, boil macaroni according to package directions. When cooked al dente, drain water, and add pasta to cheese mixture. Stir to combine thoroughly.

Spread half of the macaroni and cheese mixture into the bottom of prepared baking dish. Sprinkle cooked ground beef on top of pasta. Spread remaining pasta on top of beef. Then arrange sliced tomatoes on top of macaroni layer. Sprinkle tomatoes with salt and pepper. Then top with an even layer of remaining grated cheese and sprinkle evenly with bread crumbs.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes until cheese becomes brown and bubbly. Remove from oven. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Eat up! Yum.

So Cheesey!!!

Mac and Triple-Cheese with Ham and Peas (If You Please)

I have had a life-long love affair with mac and cheese. Really, what's not to like? Pasta and melted cheese is a match made in Foodie Heaven. From my early encounters with powdered-cheese Blue Box Mac to my current and constant quest for new cheese and pasta combinations- the passion and commitment is very real.

When planning my menu this week, I did my typical fridge/pantry inventory for inspiration and found several intriguing remaining items from previous recipes including several cheeses, a cup of half and half, a cup of chicken broth, Canadian bacon, and (for some reason) bags and bags of frozen peas. The solution seemed obvious and I'm always up for a little culinary experimentation. Ham and peas go together as naturally as peanut butter and jelly and I think you'll really enjoy this velvety, mild cheese sauce playing off the crisp freshness of Italian parsley. I hope you love it.

Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 lb. medium shell pasta
- 4 Tbsp. butter
- 1/4 c. flour
- 1 c. chicken broth
- 1 c. half and half
- 2 c. whole milk
- 2 c. grated mild white cheddar cheese
- 4 oz. crumbled feta cheese
- 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 oz. diced Canadian bacon
- 1 lb. frozen peas
- one bunch chopped Italian parsley
- 1/2 c. plain toasted bread crumbs
- salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Spray a 9x13" glass baking pan with cooking spray, set aside. In a large stock pot bring water to a boil to cook pasta. Boil pasta to al dente. While water is boiling, melt butter in a large Dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook until tender (about 5 minutes), season with salt and pepper. Add flour and whisk together with butter. Whisk constantly for 1 minute to create a thick paste. Slowly add chicken broth, whisking constantly to combine. Add half and half and milk, a little at a time, and whisk to combine until smooth. Cook over medium heat until sauce begins to thicken and can coat the back of a spoon. Add grated cheddar cheese and feta and whisk sauce until smooth. Remove from heat, add peas, Canadian bacon, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

When pasta is cooked, drain and add to cheese sauce. Stir until pasta is well coated. Transfer to prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle evenly with breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan cheese.

Bake in oven for 30 minutes until top begins to brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool 5-10 minutes before serving. It's a tasty dish!