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!

 

SAUSAGE, ZUCCHINI AND TOMATO GRATIN

Healthy and Scrumptious! We know how good zucchini and tomato are for us and with the additions of a little spicy Italian sausage, some marinara and cheese...it's delicious!!! You could add or substitute eggplant or other vegetables as you like.

Ingredients:

1 large zucchini thinly sliced
4 good tomatoes Roma preferred, diced
1 (15 oz) jar marinated artichokes drained and chopped
1 lb Italian sausage (spicy, sweet or mild)
1 cup grated Fontina cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 recipe marinara sauce (see blog) or bottled sauce
1-1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
4 tbl unsalted butter


On a baking sheet spread out tomatoes and zucchini. Salt and pepper them. In a saute pan melt butter. Add breadcrumbs and toast until golden brown. Set aside. Remove sausage from casing and cook until done and break into small pieces. Drain on paper towel. In a 8 X 8 baking dish, spread a layer of marinara sauce. Add a layer of zucchini, then breadcrumbs, sausage, tomato, artichoke, marinara sauce, sprinkle of Fontina and parmesan cheeses. Repeat until ingredients are gone. Top with a layer of marinara and cheeses. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes until vegetables are cooked, cheese melted and sauce bubbling. I serve this with just some crusty bread.

GET YOUR VEGGIES!
ENJOY!

HOLIDAY CORNBREAD PECAN STUFFING

Stuffing...so many varieties, there could be a section of a bookstore devoted to the many many

stuffing/dressing recipes. I actually add some cooked wild rice to this recipe, which I love but some people may think the wild rice has too much flavor and takes away a bit from the cornbread taste.

You can make this the day ahead and refrigerate until you are ready to stuff the turkey. You can make homemade cornbread, or from a box. I actually use cornbread stuffing croutons.

Ingredients:

1 pkg cornbread stuffing

1 stick unsalted butter

5-6 slices of good bacon

1-1/2 cups chopped onion

1-1/2 cups chopped celery

2 large shallots chopped

2 tsp dried thyme

1 tbl dried sage

3 cups toasted pecans, chopped

3 large eggs, beaten

1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth

salt

fresh ground pepper

In a large saute pan, add 4 tbl butter and add bacon and brown slowly until it is crisp. Remove from the pan and set aside. Leaving the fat in the pan, add the onion, celery, shallots, thyme and sage. Stir often until soft about 10 minutes. Toss the vegetable and pecans with the cornbread stuffing. Season with salt and pepper. Add the eggs stirring just until it holds together. If you need more liquid, melt a little butter and add it to the mixture.

Let it cool completely before filling the turkey. Bake any extra in a greased dish for about 45 minutes basting it occassionally.

If you want to add wild rice, cook it according to package directions and add to the stuffing with the vegetables. You may want to cut back a bit on the cornbread and taste after incorporated and add more cornbread stuffing as you like.

A nice change of pace!

ENJOY!

BASIC RISOTTO

I used to only order this in a restaurant because I was afraid I couldn't make it. There are a few rules and if followed, nothing can go wrong.

1. You have to use the right rice - Arborio..that's it... Arborio is a must

2. You have to devote 30-35 minutes to this one dish stirring near constantly

3. You need to add the liquid a little at a time to allow the rice to absorb it and the flavors

This recipe originated in Northern Italy and is often a common replacement for pasta in the region. This is a basic recipe, but you can add vegetables or seafood. It is great with mushrooms, butternut squash, shrimp and of course big chunks of lobster...yum.

Ingredients:

2 cups Arborio rice

3/4 cup grated or minced onion

1 tbl minced garlic

6 tbl unsalted butter

5 cups chicken broth

1 cup white wine

1/4 tsp saffron threads

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp fresh white pepper

1 cup grated parmesan cheese, and some for serving

2 tbl fresh minced italian parsley

Combine saffron and wine in a saucepan and cook over low heat until saffron dissolves then set aside.

In a large saucepan, bring broth to a boil then turn the heat to low to keep it warm.

In a large saute pan melt 5 tbl of butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook about 3 minutes. Add the "raw" rice and stir with a spoon, preferably wooden, until the rice is coated with the butter. Add the wine mixture to the rice and cook stirring constantly over low heat until the liquid is absorbed, about 3-4 minutes.

Add 1 cup of the warm chicken broth to the pan and stir constantly over low heat until the liquid has been absorbed, about 3-5 minutes. Repeat until all the broth is in the rice, always stirring constantly so the rice doesn't stick and the liquid is absorbed. Taste the rice to see if it is done, it should have a creamy consistency and be soft on the outside and a tiny bit chewy on the inside. The total time will be somewhere between 20-30 minutes depending on what you add.

Season with salt and pepper. Add the parmesan cheese and 1 tbl of parsley and mix well.

Serve with more cheese..YES MORE CHEESE!

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!

TOMATO, OLIVE, FETA AND MINT SALAD

Tomatoes...GET THEM WHILE YOU CAN...seriously. Pretty soon we will have only the bland ones available. This goes with green beans too..which I will blog tomorrow. It is still somewhat summer-like outside, so nice refreshing side dishes are great!!!

Ingredients:

4 large ripe tomatoes sliced

1/2 large cucumber peeled, seeded and diced

1/2 lb cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (preferably yellow or orange)

1/2 cup kalamata olives halved

6 oz feta cheese crumbled

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp lemon zest

4 tsp lemon juice

Salt

Pepper

Combine the crumbled feta and mint in a small bowl and set aside. Season tomato slices with salt and arrange them on a serving platter, slightly overlapping. Toss the cucumbers over the tomatoes. Add the cherry or grape tomatoes on top and then the olives.

Whisk the olive oil, lemon zest and lemon juice together. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle this mixture over the salad. Scatter the feta, mint mixture over the dressing and garnish with a mint sprig or two.

So refreshing!

ENJOY!

TOMATO, MANGO AND AVOCADO SALAD

Such a simple salad with a very simple dressing but takes you away from the typical "lettuce" salad. Now that tomatoes couldn't taste better...USE THEM IN EVERYTHING...haha!!! The tomato season seems so short I really do love to incorporate fresh ones into just about anything I make and salads are a perfect fit.

Ingredients:

10 medium tomatoes sliced to 1/4 inch
3 large ripe mangoes peeled and sliced to 1/4 inch
2 large ripe avocados peeled and sliced to 1/4 inch
3 large shallots sliced thin
2 cups fresh basil thinly sliced
1/4 cup + 1 tbl red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt

In a small bowl combine red wine vinegar with the olive oil and season with salt. Add the sliced shallots and 1 cup of the basil and toss well.

Arrange the tomatoes on a platter with the mangoes and avocados. Drizzle with the dressing and garnish with the extra basil.

This makes about 10 servings so adjust your ingredients accordingly.

It is so refreshing served at a summer bbq and takes about 15 minutes to make!
ENJOY!

SPICY PEANUT NOODLES

While this dish traditionally is made with Chinese noodles and other ingredients somewhat hard to find even in American Asian markets, Boston chef Joanne Chang substitutes spaghetti noodles and peanut butter. You just need to cook the spaghetti a few minutes longer than package directions to give it the texture of Chinese noodles. Since I am not a big cilantro fan, I substitute parsley.

You can make this dish as spicy as you want by adjusting the amount of red pepper flakes you add.

Ingredients:

1 lb spaghetti
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
3 tbl + 1 tsp sugar
6 tbl soy sauce
1/4 cup water
1 tbl Asian sesame oil
2 tsp crushed red pepper
1-(2 in) piece of ginger peeled and chopped
1 large garlic clove
3 celery ribs, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (or parsley)
lime wedges for garnish

Cook spaghetti according to package directions but a few minutes longer. Drain and rinse under cold water. Drain well!

In a blender, puree peanut butter, 6 tbl vinegar, 3 tbl sugar, soy sauce, water, sesame oil, red pepper, ginger and garlic. Transfer 1/2 cup of this mixture to noodles and toss.

In another bowl, toss the celery with the cilantro and remaining 2 tbl vinegar and 1 tsp sugar.

Transfer noodles to serving bowls and drizzle with remaining peanut dressing. Top with the celery mixture and garnish with lime wedges.

Only takes as long to make as the noodles to cook!!!
ENJOY!

SMOKY GLAZED ASPARAGUS

Today's afternoon barbecues have gotten a bit more upscale than the ol' Oscar Mayer hot dog or "hockey puck-like" burgers. We are grilling fish and vegetables and even fruits.

I love asparagus and this recipe really raises the bar. In 2009, Food and Wine magazine voted Nate Appleman best new chef. This is his recipe which coats the asparagus with a lemony "mayonnaisy" marinade before grilling. The mayo almost forms a crust...so good!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup olive oil

3 tbl lemon juice

1 garlic clove crushed

1 tbl sweet smoked paprika

2 tsp salt

1 tsp cumin seeds

I lb thick asparagus peeled

In a shallow dish, whisk the mayonnaise with the oil, lemon juice, garlic, paprika, salt and cumin. Add the asparagus and toss. Let stand for about 30 minutes.

In the meantime, light your grill. Grill the asparagus over moderate high heat. Turn to cook all sides about 6 minutes.

Great with steak, fish, chicken...whatever you have!

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!

ENDIVE LEAVES STUFFED WITH CAESAR SALAD

This simple appetizer is so pretty and delicious. The presentation is beautiful and it really is simple to eat as finger food. They are a nice alternative to the typical cold appetizers of cucumber rounds with cream cheese, cheese plates and antipasto salads. It is especially refreshing if you pair it with a more heavy Italian dinner of big pastas like lasagna.

As a short cut I buy good store bought croutons preferably from a bread store or Whole Foods Market-type place. But you can toast your own with bread cubes in olive oil with salt and pepper in the oven for about 10 minutes.

Ingredients:

Croutons
Caesar dressing (recipe on this blog)
Belgian endive leaves
Parmesan cheese grated

Depending on the size of your party and the size of the endive you will need to determine how much endive to buy. You should prepare at least two per person.

Trim the ends of the endive and remove the largest leaves. Clean them and set aside. Stack the remaining cleaned leaves and chop to 1/2 inch squares. Toss the chopped endive with the dressing. Spoon this salad into the large endive leaves. Garnish with the croutons and parmesan cheese.

Super simple, but should be served immediately as you do not want the dressing to wilt the endive.

Might have to make these again this weekend...guests coming!!!!
ENJOY!

PINEAPPLE AND RED CHILIE SALSA

It's Day Two for Grilling Sauces. Today's salsa should be paired with nice grilled pork chops. Remember when using wooden skewers soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before putting the ingredients on them and placing them on the grill. This salsa can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. This salsa is delicious and the combination of the sweet pineapple and the spice of the red chile compliment each other perfectly!!!

Ingredients:

1 small onion quartered

1/2 lb plum tomatoes halved lengthwise

4 garlic cloves peeled

1/2 lb fresh pineapple cut into 8 pieces

1 red pepper quartered

1 fresh red chile like cayenne

Place all the ingredients on the skewers and brush them with olive oil. Cook on your grill at high heat. Turn occasionally until the fruit and vegetables are charred in spots. Let cool and place ingredients in a blender or food processor.

Add:

12 mint leaves

1/4 cup water

2 tbl fresh lime juice

Puree all the ingredients until smooth and season with salt and pepper. Serve alongside nice thick grilled pork chops.

Happy Grilling!...Keep Cool!!!

ENJOY!

PERFECT POTATOES AU GRATIN

Cheese and Potatoes....Cheese and Potatoes.....!!!!!!!!!

Au gratin potatoes pair perfectly with steaks, baked fish and a juicy roast chicken. There are an endless variety of twists to au gratins. After the basic recipe that I blog here, I have added three simple twists to making specialty au gratin dishes.

Russet potatoes are best for baking, sweet potatoes can be a nice option....but smaller ones like baby red and yukon are better for boiling. Skin on or skin off the potatoes...you choose.

Just about any cheese will work if you can shred it like cheddar or crumble it like bleu or goat cheese.

Ingredients:

2 lb medium russet potatoes thinly sliced

1/2 cup Vidalia onion chopped

3 cloves of garlic minced

3 tbl olive oil

1/4 cup flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

3 cups milk

1/2 cup Gruyere cheese shredded

1/4 cup Fontina cheese shredded

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cook the potatoes in lightly salted boiling water for about 5 minutes and drain. In a saute pan with olive oil cook onion and garlic until tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Stir in milk and cook until smooth and thickened. Remove from heat.

In a greased 3 quart casserole pot, ceramic or glass works best, layer half the potatoes. (A large cast iron skillet woks as well.). Pour half the sauce over the potatoes. Sprinkle half the cheese on top of the sauce. Repeat with remaining potatoes, sauce. Reserve extra cheese to add during baking.

Bake covered for about 30 minutes and then uncover and add remaining cheese. Bake 30 minutes more until potatoes are tender and the top is golden. Let stand about 10 minutes before serving.

Twists!!! Use the same basic recipe above but add these special twists.

1. Granny Smith and Smoked Cheddar Gratin: Slice 2 large Granny Smith apples. Place them on top of the layer of potatoes and substitute smoked cheddar or gouda for the original recipe cheeses. Add a couple of teaspoons of fresh thyme to the sauce.

2. Seafood and Goat Cheese Gratin: Layer thin sliced smoked salmon or whitefish to the first layer of potatoes. Substitute goat cheese for original recipe cheeses. Add a tablespoon of tarragon to the sauce. Serve with a side of vegetables and this makes a meal.

3. Mushroom and Bleu Cheese Gratin: Cook 3 cups of sliced cremini mushrooms with onion and garlic. Add some fresh sage to the sauce. Substitute bleu cheese for original recipe cheeses.

Love these

ENJOY!

STUFFED ARTICHOKES

The Artichoke! Sometimes a very misunderstood vegetable. To some it is scary and they think what might happen to them if they eat the CHOKE...nothing!!!!! Others find them hard to handle for the pointy leaves.

I admit there is something to the cleaning and preparing of artichokes for cooking. But it really is quite simple. There is a place in Chicago that serves stuffed artichokes all smothered in cheeses, oils and wonderful herbs. So worth the effort to make these at home.

Ingredients:

4 large artichokes
4 lemons
3 tbl panko breadcrumbs
3 tbl italian breadcrumbs
1 garlic clove minced
16 oz of Gruyere or Fontina cheese grated
2 tbl cream
2 tsp fresh thyme chopped
2 tbl fresh parsley chopped
1/2 tsp cracked pepper
3 tbl olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Meanwhile trim the artichokes by cutting off the top inch. Cut the stem so the base is flat for baking. Remove a row of the bottom leaves. Put the artichokes in the boiling water. Cut the lemons in half and squeeze the juice into the water and put the lemons in the water. Cook for 30 minutes. Drain the artichokes and cool.

In a bowl combine cheese, cream thyme, 1 tbl parsley, garlic and pepper. In another bowl combine both breadcrumbs and 1 tbl parsley.

Place the artichokes in a baking dish with a little olive oil in the bottom. Remove the center choke from the artichoke with a tablespoon. Stuff the cheese mixture into the center of the artichokes. Stuff the breadcrumb mixture between the leaves. Sprinkle the tops with olive oil. Bake until the cheese is melted and the breadcrumbs are golden brown...about 25 minutes. Drizzle with a touch of good olive oil and serve warm.

My mouth is watering!!!!
ENJOY!

PORK FRIED RICE

I love rice in ANY fashion, but I love a good fried rice. As you know, you can substitute chicken, beef or shrimp or you could keep it pure vegetarian. I like to eat this as a meal in itself, but you can certainly serve it with your favorite Asian dish.

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups cooked diced pork medallions

2 cups cooked cooled rice

1/4 cup shallot diced

3 cloves garlic minced

3/4 cup carrot diced or shredded

1/4 cup peas

2 large eggs

1/4 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup black bean sauce

4 tsp peanut oil

salt

pepper

Heat 2 tsp peanut oil in a pan over medium heat. Scramble the eggs in the pan. When they are done cooking remove them and set aside.

Heat the remaining 2 tsp oil in the pan. Add shallots, garlic, carrots and peas and cook about 2 minutes. Add the rice and pork and cook until warm through. Add the bean sauce to coat the rice. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cover until all the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the eggs just before serving.

Couldn't be easier! I wish I was eating this now!

ENJOY!

ZUCCHINI BREAD

I love the flavor of this bread. It is a great dish to give as a gift or to serve with tea. Somehow because it has zucchini I think it is good for you...there's plenty of sugar that should knock that thought out of my head....whatever!!!!...still love it!!!

Ingredients:

1 cup canola oil

1 tbl unsalted butter

3-1/4 cups flour

3 cups sugar

4 eggs, beaten

1/3 cup water

2 cups grated zucchini

1 tsp lemon juice

1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)

1-1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp nutmeg

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp chopped cloves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a bowl combine dry ingredients: flour, salt, nutmeg, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and sugar. In another bowl combine wet ingredients: oil, water, butter, eggs, zucchini, vanilla and lemon juice. Mix wet into dry ingredients then add nuts. Spray two loaf pans with a non-stick spray or grease with butter. Bake for an hour or until a knife goes through it cleanly. If you are making mini loaves, they would bake only about 45 minutes.

For best flavor wrap the bread when cool and let sit overnight.

ENJOY!

MARINATED MUSHROOMS

Hello from St. Thomas!!!!! We are having a wonderful time relaxing with friends.

These delicious mushrooms are an appetizer that can be served warm or chilled.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil

1 lb cremini mushrooms with the stems cut off

1/2 cup good white wine

1/4 thin sliced fennel

chop a few fennel fronds

2 tbl lemon juice

1/2 tsp fresh thyme

2 cloves of chopped garlic

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a saute pan. Add all the other ingredients and cook stirring occasionally until mushrooms are tender about 8-10 minutes. Put the mushrooms in a bowl and refrigerate covered for at least an hour and up to a 4 days. Serve either chilled, room temperature or warm them in a low temperature oven

Guests love this little delight.

ENJOY!

DAVE'S MOM'S FAMOUS POTATO SALAD

Many of my followers have had the pleasure of tasting this legendary dish. Passed on through generations this potato salad is so wonderfully different from all the standard recipes. I have a full night and day tomorrow of cooking to get ready for a wedding shower and a bash at my sister's house so I need to be quick here. This photo is Dave pouring the dressing into the potatoes ...he could be a thumb model....so cute!!!!!

Ingredients

5 lbs russet potatoes peeled and chopped into chunks
Dry Good Seasons salad dressing, mixed per packet directions
1 sweet onion, preferably Vidalia diced
3 large stalks celery diced
1 tbl celery salt
1 tbl pepper
mayonnaise to taste and bind


Cook potatoes in large pot with plenty of salted water. When the potatoes are fork tender, drain the water and return them to the pot. Add good seasons dressing, celery salt and pepper and mix. Leave covered on the counter for at least 3 hours (if you have a hot date and won't be with your potatoes for 3 hours , at least one hour is good). You want to let the hot potatoes soak up all the dressing and spices. Refrigerate overnight.

Next day, add the onion and celery. Add mayonnaise by the tablespoon to taste and make sure the salad binds together. Always taste the salad to make sure you have seasoned it enough. You may want more pepper, celery salt or regular salt.
I hope we make Eileen proud....miss her madly!
Enjoy!

CAULIFLOWER MAC & CHEESE

Who doesn't LOVE mac & cheese. This is so tasty with the wonderful flavors of fontina and gruyere cheeses. If you have different favorite cheeses try them. I feel better making it with cauliflower and pasta..... seems healthier...right!!!!!

Ingredients (can serve about 10 people)

1-1/2 lbs of cauliflower cut in about 1/2 inch pieces
2 cups shredded fontina cheese
2 cups shredded gruyere cheese
1 box penne pasta cooked til just about done
8 oz pancetta, cut in small cubes
1/2 cup heavy cream
3-1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup flour
2 tbl white wine
1 stick unsalted butter
1-1/2 cups italian breadcrumbs
1-1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
pinch of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Combine breadcrumbs, 2 tbl melted butter, parsley, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper set aside. In a large ovenproof pot cook pancetta over medium heat. Remove it and let it drain on paper towel. In the same pan add cauliflower and cook in pancetta fat for about 10 minutes. Add tbls of butter as needed, up to about 3 tbl to cook the cauliflower. Transfer cooked cauliflower to a bowl and pour the pancetta fat and butter on top. Put a couple tbl of water in the pan and get all the good bits off the bottom and pour this over the cauliflower.

In the same pan melt 3 tbl butter and add flour to make a paste. Make sure all the flour is combined so there are no lumps. Add the wine and milk and cook about 10 minutes until it starts to thicken. Add cheeses...yyyyuuuuummmmmmm..., cayenne, nutmeg, cream, pasta salt and pepper to taste. Add pancetta and cauliflower back to pot and mix. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture on top and cook in the oven for 30 minutes. Then turn the oven to broil and broil a few minutes until the breadcrumbs become golden brown...

My mouth is watering..this is so creamy and delicious.
ENJOY!

MY ANTIPASTO SALAD

Well for starters, this is an actual picture of the dish I just made for a party tomorrow...YES I took this picture at my kitchen counter....if you didn't know, all the other pictures so far have been found elsewhere on the internet, but of course they always look a lot like my finished product....Rachel are you proud of me????



I am serving this to my family at a party tomorrow. Now most people would think of an antipasto platter as a platter with slices of meats and cheeses and maybe some olives, peppers, etc. While I do like this serving style too, I like my guests to be able to take a scoop of this antipasto, get all the great flavors in one bite with no need for silverware. I serve it with hot crostini so it becomes more like an unbelievably good antipasto bruschetta. The fact that it is also a "make it the day before" appetizer makes me have more time greeting and enjoying my guests when they arrive.


I don't like much heat in my food so if you like heat just add some pepperocinis, or hot giardiniera which is found near the roasted red peppers and italian artichokes in your market.



Ingredients


10 oz jar roasted red peppers chopped, reserve juice

12 oz jar marinated artichokes chopped, reserve juice

6 oz jar pitted kalamata olives chopped reserve juice

10 oz sopressata (salami) diced very small

10 oz genoa salami diced very small

12 oz smoked mozzarella diced very small
12 oz provolone diced very small
10 oz mild (or hot) giardiniera, reserve juice


This serves about 12-15 people as an appetizer, so vary the ingredients for your guest size. In a large bowl combine salamis and cheeses. Add red peppers, artichokes, kalamata olives and giardiniera. Combine all the reserved juices form the red peppers, artichokes, giadiniera and olives and stir. Add about 1/2 cup to the bowl. Stir and taste. Keep adding more juice until your desired flavor. You may want to add some additional olive oil, red wine vinegar or just more juices from the jars of the peppers, artichokes and olives. I find that the juices I reserve seem to be enough to compliment the other ingredients.
I usually plate this in a bowl with a nice red leaf or romaine on the bottom and just pile this on top so that some of the lettuce leaves surround the outside of the bowl, or you can simply serve it like the picture above. A true crowd pleaser and easy to eat while standing at a cocktail party.
ENJOY!