BEST MAC & CHEESE EVER!

Honestly, I practiced many mac & cheese recipes out on my dear husband before I stopped at this combination.  It is sooo fabulous and creamy.  Served at Thanksgiving and it was a HUGE success.


Ingredients:

 

1 pound medium shell macaroni

1  quart milk 

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1/2 cup flour

6 ounces Gruyere, grated

8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated

6 ounces Fontina, grated

4 ounces black forest ham, chopped

1 tablespoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1//2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cayenne 

1-1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cook the macaroni according to the directions on the package, but take them out a minute or so early as they will fully cook in the oven. Drain well.

Heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt 6 tablespoons 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 few minutes until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the gruyere, cheddar, Fontina, ham, 1 tablespoon salt, 1/2 tsp each cayenne, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 13 x 9 pan.

Sprinkle panko and Parmesan on top and cut up the remaining butter and put on top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

CHEESY!
ENJOY!

 

THE BEST EGGPLANT PARMESAN!

 

So I have made a million dishes with eggplant...mostly in place of meat during lent....but this is truly the best...the KEY is to make sure you steep the eggplant first.  That method takes all the harshness out of it and gives it such a silky texture.

To Steep:
1. Cut the spiky top and the bottom from the eggplant.  Peel it (you can leave the skin on if you get young baby eggplant in season which is mid-late summer...I wish)
2. Cut the eggplant lengthwise to about 1/4-1/2 inch slices
3. Using a colander stand a layer of sliced eggplant around the inside and sprinkle with salt.  Stand another layer around the first and sprinkle with salt.  Repeat as needed.
4. Place a deep dish under the colander to collect the drippings.
5. Steep in the colander for at least 30 minutes or up to an hour
6. When ready to make the parmesan, dry the eggplant slices thoroughly with paper towels.

Ingredients:
Steeped eggplant (3 lbs for 6 servings)
flour/egg/panko breadcrumb breading station
2 cups canned peeled whole tomatoes drained and chopped*
1 tbl olive oil
10 basil leaves chopped
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
1/2 lb fresh boccocini, sliced
1/2 lb whole milk mozzarella grated
salt
pepper
butter
canola oil for frying

Preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack in the center of oven.

Breading:
Pour flour on a plate add a bit of salt and pepper.  In a wide bowl beat three eggs. On a another plate pour some panko breadcrumbs.  Flour each slice of eggplant, shake extra off, dredge thru egg wash and lightly..lightly..lightly add some panko.
In a large saute pan add about 1-1/2" of canola oil and heat.  Toss a piece of panko in the oil and when it sizzles the oil is hot enough.  Fry each slice of eggplant until just lightly golden brown on each side.  Only flip once.

Sauce:
In a saute pan add olive oil.  Heat on medium to high and add 2 cups of tomatoes.  Season with a bit of salt and cook down until reduced by half.

Butter bottom and all sides of  a 13 X 9 pan.  Place one layer of eggplant on the bottom of the pan. Add a layer of your selected sauce. Add a layer of cheeses.  Evenly distribute each of the three cheeses.  Toss a few basil pieces on top of the cheeses. Repeat this process ending with a layer of eggplant on the top.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Eggplant can throw off some liquid so cook for 20 minutes and press the edges with a spoon and take off any liquid that may be there.  Cook for an additional 15 minutes.  Let settle for several minutes (like 10) and then cut and serve with bread and extra parmesan cheese.


*You ask why not buy diced or crushed tomatoes - well you can but always understand that the more processes that go into canned tomatoes the more salt is added and more flavor is removed. You can also use a marinara sauce  - I just used a bolognese meat sauce (it wasn't a Friday in Lent)

EGGPLANT THE NEW PASTA!
ENJOY!

LEMON CHICKEN WITH OLIVES AND RICOTTA CHEESE

Lemon and chicken create a perfect combination of flavor. Lemon is a great addition frankly to most dishes. Everyone needs recipes for chicken and this one is fast and delicious.

Ingredients:

8 (no boil-oven ready) lasagna noodles

1 tbl + 1 tsp olive oil

1 lemon

4 boneless chicken breasts cut half

1 cup pitted green olives

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Fresh rosemary for garnish.

In a large stock pot, bring 3 inches of water to a boil and add noddles and 1 tsp olive oil. Cover and cook 6 minutes or until tender, drain. Lay noodles on a single layer of wax paper, cover and set aside.

Zest the lemon and set zest aside. Cut the lemon in half and cut one of the halves into wedges and juice the other half. Sprinkle the chicken with half the lemon zest and season with salt and pepper.

In a large saute pan heat 1 tbl olive oil, and add chicken to the pan. Cook about 10 minutes, turning once until the chicken is no longer pink. Add olives and heat through.

In a bowl combine lemon juice, ricotta cheese, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Place bowl in a microwave and heat for 30 seconds. Spoon ricotta mixture into four bowls, top with noodles, then chicken and olives. Garnish with remaining lemon zest, wedges and rosemary and serve.

ANOTHER GREAT CHICKEN DISH!

ENJOY!

PARMESAN CRUSTED CHICKEN WITH MASHED CAULIFLOWER

I have to admit...not a big fan of mashed potatoes....mashed cauliflower is a whole different thing...it has so much more texture and flavor than potatoes, never mind the healthy aspect, just don't over cook it...well and then let's not forget the cheese....
This is a great recipe if you have leftover chicken too!!!! You could use turkey too!!

Ingredients:

3 cups cauliflower coarsely chopped
1/4 cup water
16 oz chicken tenders
1/3 cup light mayonnaise
1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
3 tbl panko breadcrumbs
2 tbl unsalted butter
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp dried thyme
salt
pepper
fresh Italian parsely

Preheat broiler
Steam the cauliflower for about 10-15 minutes and drain. Keep warm
Season chicken with rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and broil for 5 minutes a side.
In a bowl stir together mayonnaise, 1/4 cup parmesan and panko breadcrumbs. Spread over the chicken and cook another 2 minutes until the topping is golden brown. Add butter and remaining parmesan to the cauliflower and mash until not quite smooth. Cut up the chicken pieces and add to the mashed cauliflower. Top with Italian parsely as a garnish

A Great Casserole!
ENJOY!

SHRIMP QUESADILLAS

More kinda WRAP things! This is an easy 5 ingredient dish that takes about 15 minutes to make. It takes the traditional quesadilla and kicks it WAY up! Each quesadilla is about 430 calories so the goodness feels great too.

Ingredients:
4 (8 inch) vegetable tortillas
1/3 cup your favorite hummus (preferably with a little spice)
6 oz cooked peeled shrimp
1 (6 oz) jar marinated artichokes
4 oz feta cheese crumbles
non-stick cooking spray

Coat one side on each tortilla with cooking spray. Place tortillas coated side down on a cutting board. Spread some hummus on each and top with shrimp, artichokes and cheese. Fold tortillas in half and press lightly. Heat a griddle on medium heat. Cook quesadillas for about 4-6 minutes turning once halfway through the cooking process.

Couldn't be more simple!
ENJOY!

BEEF AND BLUE CHEESE WRAPS

I always seem to order wraps when I got out to lunch but never seem to make them at home. Maybe it's because I spent 20 years making my son quesadillas..almost daily....but even he has moved on.

These are really good with the roast beef and blue cheese melted, add a side salad and you have a complete meal. You could certainly substitute sliced chicken or turkey.

Ingredients:

12 oz sliced roast beef

crumbled blue cheese

1 (12 oz) jar roasted red peppers drained and sliced

3 tbl mayonnaise

1 tsp dried thyme

2 tbl mustard

4 small flour tortillas

In a small bowl mix together mayonnaise and thyme. Reserve 1 tbl of this in a separate bowl. Stir the mustard into the remaining mayonnaise-thyme mixture. Spread some mayonnaise- mustard on one side of each tortilla. Divide roast beef, peppers and blue cheese on each tortilla. Roll up the tortillas and brush the outside of each wrap with the mayonnaise-thyme mixture.

In a large saute pan lightly brown both sides of each wrap, cut each in half and serve warm.

Again a nice side salad and you have DINNER in about 20 minutes!

ONLY 400 CALORIES PER WRAP!

ENJOY!

SUPER BOWL BREAKFAST - BEAN QUESO DIP

Okay so maybe BRUNCH!!!! It's the Super Bowl...seriously....no eggs and bacon here...You have to go for it...start with a nice dip...any dip....and a beer with your GB cheesehead hat or your PS towel....

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter
2 shallots minced
5 garlic cloves minced
1/3 cup flour
2 cups milk
16 oz shredded cheddar cheese (or more)
2 (15 oz) cans black beans rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz) can Herdez Mexican salsa
1/4 tsp red pepper flake (or more)

Melt butter in a sauce pan and add garlic and shallot. Saute for about 8 minutes. Add the flour to incorporate. Add milk and cook until sauce thickens. Add cheese and stir until it melts. Add the remaining ingredients and heat through. Serve with tortilla chips.

SUPER BOWL!
ENJOY!

SIMPLE PASTA WEEK - SHELL PASTA AND SNAP PEAS

I have been finding out from a few fans that they are on low or NO carbs and would like some recipes. So I will blog this last simple pasta dish and move Wednesday and Thursday to no carb days. Of course Friday is still COCKTAIL FRIDAY!
For now lets talk simple pasta. This takes 20 minutes total to make and the flavors are delicious. May sound like a lot of onion, but when you caramelize them, which I LOVE, they reduce in size dramatically. You could certainly add chopped chicken to this as well or other vegetables.

Ingredients:
3 cups chopped Vidalia onion (or nice sweet onion)
8-10oz chopped snap peas, trimmed of string
1/2 cup whole milk ricotta
1/2 cup grated fresh mozzarella
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, some leaves for garnish
4 tbl olive oil
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 pkg small shell pasta (orecchiette)

Heat oil in a large saute pan on med-high heat and add onions. Saute for about 5 minutes at this temperature then reduce the heat to medium and saute for about 15-20 minutes until they are a deep golden brown. Add the peas and cook about 3 minutes and remove from heat.

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain but reserve a cup of pasta water.

Add pasta and 1/2 cup of the reserved liquid to the onion mixture. Stir over medium heat for a minute and add ricotta, basil and lemon zest. Add more pasta water if needed. Serve with shredded mozzarella on top and parmesan cheese if you like.


Simply Delicious!
ENJOY!

POTATOES BAKED WITH TOMATOES

This is a great side dish with a nice steak, chicken breast and even fish!!!!! Nice and cheesy..and it's a great new way to bake potatoes. It needs to bake for about an hour or more depending on how soft you like your potatoes, so plan your main dish around the timing for these. If you can't find good tomatoes used good canned ones.

Ingredients:

2 large sweet onion, preferably Vidalia sliced thin
2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, or Russet sliced thin
1 lb tomatoes sliced with their juices
8 oz mozzarella cheese sliced very thin
1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup chicken stock
2 tbl fresh basil chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
salt
pepper


Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Spread some of the olive oil in the bottom of a baking pan. Arrange a layer of the onion on the bottom followed by layers of potatoes and tomatoes, overlapping the pieces as you go. Pour a little oil on top and season with salt and pepper. Repeat until you have used all the pieces and include one layer of the mozzarella cheese. Add chicken stock and tomato juices. Sprinkle the basil and oregano on top and add parmesan cheese. Finish with a little more olive oil. Bake for about 1 hour until the potatoes are tender.

If the top starts to brown too much, cover with foil for the remaining cooking time.

ENJOY!

ASPARAGUS, PROSCUITTO AND MOZARELLA PASTA

This is a great dish that can be ready in about 20 minutes....REALLY! So in the time it takes to uncork a nice bottle of wine after work and get caught up with your family, dinner is ready.



I love asparagus and it LOVES YOU! Nice dark greens have all kinds of great antioxidants for you and as I mentioned in a previous blog, asparagus helps prevent a hangover, just in case you find the wine bottle empty after dinner!!!!






Ingredients:

2 lbs asparagus cleaned and ends trimmed

5 cloves of garlic minced

1 large shallot minced

6 oz prosciutto thinly sliced and cut into strips

6 oz smoked mozzarella cheese, diced (regular mozzarella works too)

4 tbl fresh basil thinly sliced

5 tbl olive oil

1 box pasta (spaghetti is fun here)

salt

pepper

red pepper flakes



Boil asparagus in a pot of salted water for about 3 minutes and immediately remove them with tongs and toss in an ice water bath to stop the cooking process. In the same boiling salted water cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain the pasta and reserve 1 cup of pasta water.



When the asparagus cools cut into 1 inch pieces. Heat olive oil in a saute pan and add garlic and shallots and cook for about a minute. Add the asparagus and season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Add the pasta and if you want, some of the pasta water. Add the prosciutto, mozzarella and basil and combine. Take the pan of the heat and taste for seasoning. DONE!



Of course, serve with Parmesan cheese and nice crusty bread!

ENJOY!




Love You Laurie!!!!

CARMELIZED ONION AND GOAT CHEESE TOASTS

Onions - love 'em or hate 'em. In my family we have the raw onion lovers and the cooked onion lovers. Unfortunately my husband is on the raw onion side and I am definitely on the cooked onion side. So of course, I make this as an appetizer and invite all my "cooked-onion" friends. This is a twist on a Tyler Florence recipe. I like to add goat cheese to offset the sweetness in the onion and the tartness of the olives. It makes a perfect combination.


Ingredients:

3 onions, preferably Vidalia, chopped
3 anchovies, smashed
8 tbl of unsalted butter
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves chopped
1/3 cup pitted Nicoise olives
6 oz goat cheese, crumbled
salt
pepper
baguette
olive oil
parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Heat 4 tbl butter in a large saute pan and add onions, smashed anchovies, thyme and season with salt and pepper. (If you want to avoid anchovies, add more salt, but it is better with the anchovies so go for it!!!) Cook until the onions are super sweet and golden brown about 20 minutes.

Take the baguette and lengthwise shave the rounded top and bottom off so crust is only on the sides. Then cut the baguette in half lengthwise and brush both sides of each with the remaining 4 tbl of butter softened.

Place the bread slices on a baking sheet and top with the onion mixture. Top with olives and crumbled goat cheese and drizzle with olive oil. Place in the oven and bake until crispy about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and cut into small pieces and serve hot.

These are perfect to serve alongside a platter of Italian antipasto meats like prosciutto, sopressata and salami...delicious!
ENJOY!

IT'S MAC & CHEESE DAYS - CARROTS!

Today is the last Mac & Cheese Day and I am ending it with my favorite vegetable - CARROTS! While this may seem a bit odd, it really isn't. Another good choice for a vegetable mac & cheese would be pumpkin, butternut squash and I already blogged cauliflower mac & cheese a while ago. These are very tasty and much more "figure-friendly". This carrot recipe only has 370 calories per serving. The only problem is that I like it so much I eat much more than ONE serving.

Ingredients:

3/4 lb carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 large navel orange, zested in strips and juiced
1-1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
9 oz penne pasta
1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 tbl fresh chopped tarragon
salt
fresh white pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a saucepan, combine carrots, orange zest strips, juice and broth. Season with salt and white pepper and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over medium heat until the carrots are soft. Discard the zest strips and puree the mixture in a blender.

Cook the pasta according to package directions but only halfway - about 5 minutes, Drain and reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Return pasta to the saucepan and add pasta water and carrot puree. Over low-medium heat stir the pasta until the carrot mixture coats all the pasta and sauce thickens a bit. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese and stir until cheese it melted and creamy. Stir in tarragon and season with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a baking dish and top with the rest of the cheese and bake until golden brown about 20 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes or so and serve.

Hope you liked comfort food Mac & Cheese Days!
ENJOY!

IT'S MAC & CHEESE DAYS - LOBSTER!

Need I say more..LOBSTER!!! This recipe comes from a Manhattan restaurant called Macbar, whose menu has 12 mac & cheese variations.....I HAVE to go there. For some, I am still trying to get the famous lobster mac & cheese recipe from the Blue Sky restaurant in York Beach. I have eaten a ton of it and the chef did say he would give it to me...gotta get over there before I leave!!!

Ingredients:

12 oz shell pasta

4 tbl unsalted butter

1/4 cup flour

4 cups of milk

12 oz grated Fontina cheese

8 oz Mascarpone

3 tbl lobster or fish broth

3 tbl brandy or cognac

1 tsp Tabasco

1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg

8 oz cooked lobster meat cut into big chunks

1/3 cup minced chives

2 scallions thinly sliced crosswise

2 oz grated sharp aged white cheddar

kosher salt

Fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Cook pasta according to package directions BUT only cook halfway, about 3 minutes and drain. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook whisking constantly until smooth about 1 minute. Whisk in milk and cook until sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon..about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add half of the Fontina along with the Mascarpone, broth, brandy, Tabasco and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper. Add the pasta to the sauce. Stir in half each of the lobster, scallions and chives. Transfer to a 13 x 9 pan and sprinkle remaining Fontina and cheddar on top. Bake until golden and bubbly - about 30 minutes. Let cool about 5 minutes and garnish with remaining lobster, scallions and chives.

So creamy and delicious...!

ENJOY!

IT'S MAC & CHEESE DAYS - SOUTHERN STYLE

It's still Mac & Cheese days!!!! This version adds a little more spice and a little more cream than traditional mac & cheese recipes. You can use elbow macaroni as well, but best to use a tube-like shape or shell so the cheese coats the whole piece of pasta...so good....This is very fast too.



Ingredients:



8 oz small shell pasta
7 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese cut into small cubes

6 oz grated cheddar cheese

2 tbl plus 1 tsp flour

1-1/2 tsp dry mustard

1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg

1/8 tsp cayenne (more to taste)

2/3 cup sour cream

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1-1/2 cups half and half

1-1/2 cups heavy cream

1/3 cup grated onion

1 tsp Worcestershire

1-1/2 tsp kosher salt



Preheat oven to 350 degrees.



Cook pasta according to package directions, BUT only cook halfway about 3 minutes. Drain and pour into a greased 13 x 9 pan. Stir in the cubed cheddar cheese and set aside.



Combine salt, flour, mustard, black pepper, nutmeg and cayenne in a mixing bowl. Add the sour cream and the eggs and whisk until smooth. Then add the half and half, heavy cream, onion and Worcestershire and whisk until smooth. Pour this mixture over the pasta and stir to combine. Sprinkle the grated cheddar on top.



Bake until the pasta is golden and bubbly..about 30 minutes. Let cool and serve.



Another great twist to tradition!

ENJOY!

IT'S MAC & CHEESE DAYS - FOUR CHEESE

It's that time of the year to start preparing those cool weather comfort foods...and nothing says comfort like Mac & Cheese. While the original mac & cheese came to America from Italy, there are so many variations on this standard that every culture is in the act.

I am not a fan of Velveeta cheese, but in this recipe it is the ingredient that makes it ultra-creamy..seriously, try it.

8 oz small shell pasta
3 slices of crustless white bread
6 tbl unsalted butter
10 oz grated sharp cheddar (4 cups)
10 oz grated Gruyere cheese
6 oz Velveeta cheese cut into small cubes
1 oz blue cheese crumbled
1/2 tsp paprika
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 shallots, minced
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp cayenne
3 cups milk
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Cook pasta according to package instructions BUT only half the time, about 3 minutes. Drain and set aside. Tear up the bread and pulse in a food processor until finely ground. Heat saucepan over medium heat and melt 3 tbl butter. Add the bread crumbs and stir to combine and set aside.

Wipe out the same pan and melt the remaining butter and add paprika, thyme, shallots and bay leaf. Cook until shallots are soft about 5 minutes. Add flour and cayenne and stir until it gets thick. Whisk in the milk and cook stirring frequently until the sauce gets thick and coats the back of a spoon. Toss out the thyme and bay leaf and remove the pan from the heat. Stir in cheddar, half the Gruyere, the Velveeta and the blue cheese. Stir until smooth. Add the pasta and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a 8 x 8 baking dish. Sprinkle top with remaining Gruyere and breadcrumbs.
To help with the mess, place the baking dish on a tin foil lined baking sheet and bake until it is golden and bubbly..about 30 minutes. Let cool and serve!

I could eat the whole dish...okay so I have a few times WHAT!!!???
ENJOY!

PANCETTA, ASPARAGUS AND GOAT CHEESE TART

Yes, I said PANCETTA!!! Love the flavor, so much more than bacon. Pancetta is actually a type of bacon that isn't smoked. Sometimes it may have chunks of pine nuts and fresh cracked pepper.

This dish is very easy and can be made in less than a half hour.


Ingredients:

1/4 lb pancetta, diced
1 shallot finely chopped
1 lb asparagus trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 lb puff pastry, thawed
1/2 lb goat cheese (you could use feta as well)
1 egg yolk
salt
fresh cracked pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Cook the pancetta in a pan until brown and drain on paper towels. Reserve 1 tbl of pancetta grease and add the shallot to that. Cook about 1 minute and add asparagus. Cook about 5 minutes until asparagus is cooked but still crispy. Take the pan off heat and combine pancetta with shallot and asparagus.

Roll out the puff pastry on a piece of parchment paper to about 10 x 14. Transfer the pastry and the parchment to a baking sheet. Put the goat cheese on top of the pastry leaving about an inch on all sides. Sprinkle the asparagus mixture on top. Season with salt and pepper.

Brush the sides with the egg yolk so the pastry gets a nice golden brown. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, let cool and serve warm.

Did I say how much I love PANCETTA!
ENJOY!

ROOT VEGETABLE AND CHEESE GRATIN

Get that "yuk" look off your face now!!!! Root vegetables have such great flavor, very healthy and I doctor this recipe up to give it a little extra kick. I think many of us walk right by the squash, rutabagas and sweet potatoes simply because we don't know what to do with them...

Well don't walk by these vegetables again...this is delicious!

Ingredients:

2 large sweet potatoes peeled

1 butternut squash peeled

1 medium rutabaga peeled and halved lengthwise

1 (8 oz) jar artichokes drained

2-3 large roasted red peppers diced

2/3 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup panko bread crumbs

1/2 cup shredded fontina cheese

1-1/2 tbl olive oil

salt

pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Slice the potatoes and squash lengthwise on a mandoline or slicer. If you don't have those, slice them with a knife as small as you can. Slice the rutabaga crosswise very thin. Use butter or cooking spray to grease a 13 X 9 pan. Layer half the potatoes in the dish with a bit of an overlap. Season them with salt and pepper. Top with half the rutabaga, squash, artichoke and peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Repeat layering until all vegetables are in the pan.

Pour the broth over the vegetables. Cover with tin foil tightly and bake for one hour until vegetables are fork tender. Remove the foil and pour in the cream. Bake 30 minutes until the liquid is thickened.

Preheat the broiler. Mix the panko, oil and cheese. Sprinkle this mixture over the gratin. Broil for about 2 minutes until golden. Let rest for about 10 minutes.

Mostly healthy, perfectly delicious

ENJOY!

WHISKEY-CHEESE FONDUE

Can anyone say WHISKEY IT UP A NOTCH! This recipe made famous by a Brooklyn chef adds the great kick of whiskey. I love fondue and this is fabulous. Fondues make such great entertainment conversation and should definitely be enjoyed at home!

Ingredients:

1 lb extra sharp cheddar cheese- shredded
1/2 lb Monterey Jack cheese - shredded
2 tbl cornstarch
2 cloves garlic halved
1 cup dry white wine (YES!)
3 tbl whiskey
salt
pepper
Assorted crusty bread, apples and whatever floats your fondue cut in cubes

In a bowl combine cheese and cornstarch. Rub the garlic on the inside of a medium sauce pan and discard. Add the wine to the sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Add the cheese mixture in several batches whisking constantly over medium heat. Let each batch of cheese melt before adding the next. Pour in the whiskey and stir just until it begins to bubble about 2-3 minutes. Season to taste. Serve with the breads, fruits and vegetables of your choice.

You can always follow this with a chocolate fondue...!!!!!
ENJOY!

TOMATO, PROSCUITTO AND GRUYERE SANDWICHES

A fabulous twist on the grilled cheese sandwich, this upscale treat made famous by Swiss-born chef Daniel Humm, combines everything about a traditional grilled cheese but brings it up a notch with a little white wine, a dash of kirsch, gruyere cheese and prosciutto.

Kirsh is a cherry flavored liqueur. If you can't find it or don't want to make the investment you can leave it out or try a dash or maraschino cherry juice. This cherry flavor helps the melted Gruyere taste more like a Swiss fondue.


Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Ingredients:

Four 1-inch thick slices of white bread
2 tbl olive oil
1 clove of garlic peeled
1 tsp dry white wine
1/2 tsp kirsch (optional)
2 oz sliced prosciutto
1 beefsteak tomato peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 lb Gruyere cheese sliced thin
salt
fresh ground pepper
paprika


Brush the bread on both sides with the olive oil and place on baking sheet. Toast in the oven for 10-15 minutes turning once, until golden brown and crisp, but soft on the inside.
Rub each slice of toast with the garlic clove on one side. In a bowl combine white wine and kirsch and sprinkle over garlic side of toast. Top each with a slice of prosciutto and a slice of tomato and light sprinkle of salt. Then top these open face sandwiches with the sliced Gruyere...lots of it...!!!!!

Preheat the broiler and broil close to the heating element. Watch closely so the cheese gets bubbly but does not burn. Top with a shake of pepper and paprika.

These are great for a snack or cut into smaller pieces as an appetizer. They are great for lunch with a nice fresh side salad. And as always a nice glass of Chardonnay or a Pinot Gris makes the meal perfect!

ENJOY!

WATERMELON AND FETA SALAD

Are you HOT enough!!!!????? Are you HOT enough!!!!!???????

It is definitely a salad night. A true treasure of Maine is the fruit and watermelon is so sweet and delicious right now. While this may seem a little weird...watermelon and cheese....the combination is perfect...so refreshing!

Ingredients:

1/3 cup olive oil

3 tbl fresh lemon juice

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp Tabasco

One 7-8 lb seedless watermelon cut into small chunks

2 cups Feta cheese crumbled

1-1/4 pitted kalamata olives chopped

1 small sweet onion diced (optional)

1 cup chopped mint leaves

In a bowl, whisk oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and Tabasco. Add the watermelon, feta, olives and onion and toss gently. Garnish with the mint and serve.

Keep Cool!

ENJOY!