Bethenny Frankel’s Zesty, Cheesy Mac and Cheese (Gluten Free)

Gluten Free notes at the bottom of this post.

First of all, I’ve never been the greatest at making homemade mac n’ cheese.  Somehow, I never get the cheese mixture to look right despite my determination to follow the recipe as instructed.  Nevertheless, I’m sure I didn’t manage to get this recipe to look just right, but it definitely tastes amazing!  The butternut squash completely brings a sweeter taste; plus, it’s helpful that it’s presence reduces the amount of cheese!  Less calories and fat, of course.  I definitely prefer this mac n’ cheese recipe in our household now!

Zesty, Cheesy Mac and Cheese from Bethenny Frankel

Ingredients

12 ounces whole wheat mini pasta shells (these hold the cheese better than elbows)

1 cup soy milk

1 cup freshly shredded Parmesan

1 cup reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup frozen butternut squash, thawed

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dry mustard

½ teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

½ tsp. chili powder or a few dashes of Tabasco sauce

2 tablespoons whole wheat bread crumbs

2 tablespoons reduced fat Monterey jack cheese, shredded

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Boil pasta shells in salted water until slightly firm, according to package directions.

In another saucepan, combine the soymilk, Parmesan, cheddar, and butternut squash over medium heat until melted and combined. Turn off the heat. Add salt, mustard, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and chili powder or Tabasco.

Drain the pasta but don’t rinse it. Add it to the cheese sauce (use a large bowl if necessary) and toss to coat the pasta. Taste and add more salt or pepper, according to your taste.

Spray a shallow baking pan with cooking spray and put the pasta-cheese mixture in it. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and Monterey jack cheese. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Make it Gluten Free!

• Of course, be sure to use gluten free pasta.  Specifically, quinoa pasta would be fabulous for this recipe, but brown rice pasta will work great as well.  The photo you see above is with brown rice pasta!
• Make sure you use gluten free breadcrumbs, though I would not suggest buying the pre-packaged brown rice breadcrumbs.  YUCK!  Ter-ri-ble!  Simply dry out a piece of gluten-free bread or two, then crumble up to use as the topping here.  Obviously, it’s not the end of the world if you don’t use these breadcrumbs; you will still have some great mac n’ cheese.

Low Fat Baked Ziti with Spinach

Gluten Free notes at the bottom of this post.

Not a surprise that I’ve selected another recipe from Gina   She’s fabulous at what she does!  Even though this is a pasta dish, it seemed as though it would be easy enough to create as a gluten free dish.  The sous chef and I agreed that this is a great weeknight dinner dish that is fabulous for leftovers at lunch the next day!  I would also suggest this as a fabulous dish to take to new parents.

Low Fat Baked Ziti with Spinach

1 lb high fiber ziti

28 oz crushed tomatoes

1 tsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic,minced

10 oz frozen spinach, thawed

1 tsp oregano

2 tbsp chopped fresh basil

salt and fresh pepper to taste

8 oz fat-free ricotta

1/4 cup Parmesan

2 cups (8 oz) part skim mozzarella

Spray olive oil

Preheat oven to 375°.Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with oil spray.
In a large pot of salted water, cook pasta according to instructions until al dente. Drain and return to pot.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, add olive oil and sauté garlic. Add chopped spinach, salt pepper and chopped tomatoes. Season with basil, oregano, salt and pepper.
Add sauce to the pasta and combine the ziti. Add half of the mozzarella, Parmesan cheese and ricotta. Mix well then transfer to the baking pan.
Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Top with the remaining mozzarella.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until mozzarella is melted and the edges are lightly browned.
This can be made up to a day in advance and stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.

Make it Gluten Free!

• Use gluten free pasta.

Pasta with Fresh Corn Pesto

Gluten-Free notes at the bottom of this post. I have to say that Pink Parsley has had some fabulous posts lately.  So many of my bookmarked favorites are from her blog!  Thanks for the inspiration Pink Parsley!

I’m sad to say that my cousin can’t partake in this dish due to the pine nuts, but, as long as you can eat everything in this recipe, you totally should!  I and the sous chef both agree that this dish is great and even more fabulous as leftovers. 

On a side note, however, I busted my Magic Bullet in the process of making this dish :(  I’m on the hunt for a repair part.  Sad day!

Source: Pink Parsley adapted from Bon Appetit

Ingredients


4 bacon slices, preferably applewood-smoked
4 cups fresh corn kernels, cut from 4-6 ears
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
8 ounces fresh pasta (I used gluten-free pasta)
3/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (I used a mixture of basil, parsley, and chives)


Directions


Cut each bacon slice in half length-wise, then crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces.  Cook in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp and brown, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.  Pour off all but 1 Tablespoon of the fat.


Add the corn, garlic, salt and pepper to the skillet, and saute until the corn is just tender, but not brown, 3-5 minutes.  Transfer 1 1/2 cups of the corn to a small bowl and reserve.  Transfer the rest to a food processor, and add the pine nuts and 1/2 cup of Parmesan.  With the machine running, slowly stream the oil through the feed tube and blend until pesto is almost smooth.  Set aside.


Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water until just tender, but still firm to the bite (not quite as done as you would want it).  Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the pasta water and drain the pasta.  Return pasta to the pot and add the pesto, reserved corn kernels, and 1/2 cup fresh herbs. 


Toss well and add pasta water 1/4 cup at a time until the desired consistency is reached.  Cook an additional 2-3 minutes, or until pasta is cooked through.  Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.


Divide among serving bowls and sprinkle with additional herbs, cheese, and reserved bacon.
Make it Gluten-Free!
-Make sure to use Gluten-Free pasta.

Cheesy Barbecue Casserole

I know, I know.  Could I have been gone ANY longer?  It feels so crazy to not have posted in over a month.  I’m so sorry!  I have some more fun stuff coming up, so hopefully I can redeem myself :) I know I’ve never really discussed my obsession with BBQ on this blog, but I can assure you that I join several other Southerners in the “I could just eat BBQ sauce only” club.  I love it on everything!  Thankfully, my cooking interest has led me to understand that their are flavors outside of BBQ sauce.  Nonetheless, this recipe was calling my name when I opened up this cookbook. The sous chef and I really enjoyed this recipe!  There were no leftovers :)  I also substituted ground turkey for ground beef for a healthier option.  Oh….and I may have increased the amount of BBQ sauce that the recipe called for ;)

Betty Crocker Cheesy Barbecue Casserole
Ingredients
3 cups uncooked ziti pasta (11 oz)
1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 cup milk
1 cup barbecue sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 oz)
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (6 oz)


Directions
Heat oven to 350°F.  Spray 2-quart casserole with cooking spray. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package.

Meanwhile, in 12-inch skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain.

Stir pasta, 3 tablespoons of the parsley, the milk, barbecue sauce, mozzarella cheese and 1 cup of the Cheddar cheese into beef in skillet. Spoon mixture into casserole. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese.

Bake uncovered 30 to 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon parsley.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Recently, a friend of mine had to make a trip to the hospital after a horrible food poisoning case.  It was no fun for her, for sure.  I thought some chicken soup might help once she was back at home and able to eat little by little.

I took some help from Annie’s Eats recipe for Chicken Noodle Soup which she got from Cooks Illustrated.  I definitely didn’t have the time on hand that day to make her recipe in full, so I did take some shortcuts.  Below is the adapted form of her recipe that I made, although I know, if you have the time, making it Annie’s way will produce and healthy rich-tasting soup :)

Ingredients
1 to 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts
1 Tbsp olive oil
5 cups chicken stock
3 tbsp. cornstarch
¼ cup cold water
1 cup thinly sliced onion
½ cup celery, cut into ½-inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1 cup (4 oz.) egg noodles
1 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
1 tsp Cumin

Directions
Put 1 Tbsp olive oil and chicken breast in crock pot and cook on high for 3-4 hours.  When chicken is cooked through, place chicken in medium bowl and shred chicken with 2 forks.

Fill Dutch oven/large pot on the stove with 5 cups of chicken stock.  Heat over medium-high heat.  In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water; whisk together until a smooth slurry forms.  Stir the mixture into the stock and bring to a gentle boil.  Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook 10-15 minutes.  Add the egg noodles and continue to cook until vegetables are tender and the noodles are cooked, about 5 minutes.

Add the chicken and parsley to the soup.  Cook just until heated through, about 2 minutes.  Season to taste with salt, pepper and cumin, and serve.

Mother’s Day 2010

It’s time to honor Mom!  How are you planning to dine with Mom this Sunday?  Is this your first reminder that Mother’s Day is THIS weekend?  If so, I hope I can help you get ready :)  Here’s some ideas from Krista Kooks to help you enjoy time with Mom at home.  Click on any of the pictures to be directed to the original blog post. Blueberry Delight-Great for breakfast or brunch with Mom. Bacon Quiche Biscuit Cups- Also great for breakfast or brunch.

Fish Oreganata- Perfect main dish for a light lunch with Mom.Roasted Vegetables-Use this preparation method for your favorite vegetable.

Parsley-Paprika Potatoes- Delicious compliment to the 2 above.    Spring Summer Ziti-Just make a simple pasta to share with Mom.Fruit Cookie Pizza- Help Mom keep it light for dessert with this fruit cookie pizza!

Whatever you do, I hope you have a great Mother’s Day with Mom!

Creamy Farfalle with Bacon, Tomato and Peas

This is Part 1 of a fabulous dinner that the sous chef and I shared recently.  I separate them, however, because they can be individual players in any meal.  I will share pictures of them paired together for the meal though.

This recipe introduced me to a new ingredient: mascarpone cheese.  I’ve never ever used it before, and I don’t think I’ve ever eaten it before.  I’m not quite sure.

I would like you to take note that I did not slice my mushrooms; I took help from the grocery store and bought them pre-sliced.  Some were a little thick, so I sliced them smaller, but this otherwise made preparation a little quicker.  I’m always a fan of finding ways to make things a little easier if I think I can get basically the same taste out of the shortcut.  It’s kind of a Sandra Lee way, but not to that extent.  Also, this recipe makes a lot of pasta, so I would recommend halving this recipe, even for four people.

Nonetheless, here’s another fabulous Rachael Ray Big Orange Book recipe!
Ingredients

1 pound farfalle, bow ties
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
5 slices center cut bacon, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
12 white mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 (28 oz.) can San Marzano tomatoes
1 (10-ounce) box frozen peas
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup basil leaves, shredded or torn

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the EVOO in a deep large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the bacon and cook for 3 to 4 minutes to crisp.  Add the onions and mushrooms to the skillet, season with salt and pepper, and cook until tender but not browned, 5 minutes.  Add the tomatoes, crushing them up with a wooden spoon, and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.  Salt the boiling water and add the pasta.  Cook to al dente.

Stir peas into sauce, return to bubble and stir in mascarpone cheese.  Adjust seasoning.
Drain pasta, toss with sauce and wilt basil into pasta.

Filetto di Pomodoro (Tomato Sauce)

Gina shared this lovely tomato sauce recipe on her Weight Watchers blog in February of ‘09.  I just got around to making it last week, and you’ll see why on Monday ;)

Her friend’s recipe does call for Tuttoroso imported tomatoes, but I was unable to find those in my local grocery store.  Thus, I used San Marzano tomatoes.   I also halved the recipe.  Additionally, in the small amount of cooking that I’ve done, I’ve also found that adding more carrots to a tomato sauce helps with a sweeter taste.  Thus, at the end, if you’d like the sauce a little sweeter, you might try adding more carrots before trying to add some sugar.  Just a Krista Kooks suggestion.

This is a fabulous tomato sauce, and I think you’d be hard pressed not to love it!

Ingredients
Servings: 4
1 (28 oz) can San Marzano tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
1/4 large onion finely chopped
1/2 cup carrots, finely chopped
1/4 cup fat free chicken stock
fresh basil

Directions
Saute garlic in oil, add onions and carrots and saute on medium-low for about 2-3 minutes, until soft. Add tomatoes and chicken broth and simmer 45 minutes on low.

Add fresh basil last 10 minutes (herbs will become bitter if cooked more than 20 minutes). Julia always adds herbs into the sauce near the end.

Taste for acidity, if sauce is a bit tangy (acidic) then add 1 tbsp of sugar. For a calorie free way to cut the acidity in the sauce add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda.

Cajun Chicken Alfredo and 100th Post!

I can't believe it's true, but this is really my 100th post! I'm extremely excited to share this delicious recipe that the sous chef and I shared with friends who both raved about this pasta. I think all of us went back fro seconds...I think. Oh wait...did I say four of us shared this recipe?! I meant 4 and one on the way!

Nope, it's not me. Our guests are expecting :) Anyway, this recipe continues in my Guy Fieri recipe week.

Ingredients

4 (5-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup blackening spice (recommended: Paul Prudhomme's Chicken)
(Krista Kooks made her own blackening spice)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 cup roughly chopped marinated sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 cup white wine
3 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound cooked fettuccine
1/2 cup sliced scallions

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.


Dredge the chicken breasts in the blackening spice and place in a cast iron skillet over very high heat. Blacken both sides of the chicken and place in the oven for 10 minutes, or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Slice in strips on the bias and set aside.

In a saute pan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil. Add garlic and lightly caramelize. Then add the sun-dried tomatoes and the chicken slices. Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Add the heavy cream, increase the heat to a simmer, and reduce the cream sauce by half.


When the cream sauce is to desired consistency, stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan, salt, pepper, and pasta.

Nest the pasta on large rimmed plates, pour sauce over pasta, and garnish with scallions and the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
As I've mentioned in previous recipes that require a spice mix, I really think you should just make your own. If you bought a blackening spice, there's always that chance that you'd use the spice for the one recipe and forget about it. Plus, with this recipe, so much of the spice is needed that you'd probably have to buy more than one container depending on it's size. Thus, just do a google search for a blackening spice that you like, and make one cup of that to work for this recipe.

Each of the four of us were RAVING about this recipe, and my sous chef is dying for me to make it again. I hope the pictures do it justice because it's delicious!

Flank Steak over Corn-Kernel Polenta

Again, beef lovers, you may not enjoy this post, but if you like Polenta, stick around. That said, I’ve now discovered that I do not like Polenta!!! As I read this recipe, prepared this recipe and even smelled this recipe, my mouth was watering. I could not wait to try this yummy stuff that I had never had before! I’d watched it being prepared on TV so many times, but I’d never tasted it. I thought a recipe containing actual kernels of corn would taste even better! Um… no. I was wrong. I despised this Polenta. I had 3 quarts of it and threw it all in the trash. Gross.

That said, if you like Polenta, this might be your kind of recipe. It just wasn’t for me.

On the other hand, the directions for preparing this flank steak and its accompanying sauce were TERRIFIC!!! I’ve since made this sauce again. I can’t sing it’s praises enough! I thought it was completely bizarre that I was making a steak sauce beginning with a cup and a half of alcohol, but I no longer think it’s weird at all. Please, if you love flank steak…do your taste buds a favor and treat them with this amazing steak and sauce.

Source: Food & Wine

Ingredients:
5 1/2 cups water
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups fresh (cut from about 3 ears) or frozen corn kernels
1 1/3 cups coarse or medium cornmeal
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 1/2 pounds flank steak
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup brandy or bourbon

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the water, 1 3/4 teaspoons of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the thyme to a boil. Stir in the corn and cook until tender, 5 minutes for fresh, 1 minute for frozen. Add the cornmeal in a slow stream, whisking. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until very thick, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the butter.

2. In a large frying pan, heat the oil over moderate heat. Sprinkle the steak with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Add the meat to the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Turn and cook to your taste, about 5 minutes longer for medium rare, depending on the thickness. Remove.

3. Reduce the heat to moderately low. Add the garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon thyme, the wine, and the brandy and stir to dislodge any brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan. Boil until reduced to approximately 1/4 cup, 3 to 4 minutes. Slice the steak across the grain and on the diagonal. Serve the steak over a bed of corn polenta, with the sauce drizzled over all.

Seafood Pasta with Sherry Tomato Cream Sauce

My wonderful sous chef told me he was craving a recipe with shrimp as part of the recipe, so I decided to deliver! He’s not usually a fan of mushrooms, but this one looked so good, I decided to make it anyway. I’m glad I did because we ate every bit of this!!! I think it’s probably difficult to go wrong with a pasta and cream sauce, but still. I think I really need to consider making this a staple recipe in our household because it’s so quick and simple! This is most definitely a 30 minute meal if not a 20 minute meal. I know my mother would love it also, as there are very few dishes involved in the preparation :)

Source:

Click here for the recipe.

The clickable link recipe is a little different from that in Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book. The book's recipe suggests that you use any kind of small seafood meat, such as shrimp or crab meat in addition to the lobster suggested in the recipe on FoodNetwork.com. Thus, we used shrimp.

Eat up!

Elsa's Baked Ziti

Believe it or not, even without a real oven, I was able to make this delicious ziti recipe for lunch one day! It was extremely easy and quick. The original recipe is for 4-6 people, but I halved the recipe. I think what makes this ziti recipe so different than the others is the McCormick's grill seasoning. While it sounds odd to add grill seasoning to your pasta, it's actually quite tasty against the ricotta texture!

Source:
Ingredients

Salt
1 pound ziti rigate (with ridges) or rigatoni
2 cups ricotta cheese
Grill Seasoning, such as McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning
A couple of handfuls of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 tablespoon EVOO (extra-virgin-olive-oil)
1 to 2 garlic cloves, chopped
Crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
A few fresh basil leaves, torn or chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Salt the water, add the pasta, and cook to al dente.

Drain the ricotta cheese in a strainer or a colander lined with paper towels. Place the drained ricotta in a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish and season with some grill seasoning and a few handfuls of Parm Cheese.

While the pasta cooks, heat the EVOO in a small pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and a pinch or two of red pepper flakes and sauté for minute or two, then stir in the tomatoes and basil. Reduce the heat to low.

Drain the pasta and toss with the cheese mixture. Add the tomato sauce, top the pasta with more Parm, and bake until the cheese browns, about 15 minutes.

This is an easy dinner meal or an easy one to prepare for to go lunches for the week!

Creamy Chicken and Rigatoni

Can I just say, OMG DELICIOUS!!!! I am telling you right now, you have no reason not to make this meal...unless your stove is out. That's the only reason I'll allow. We thought this was one of the best pastas we have ever eaten.

I resorted to an older cookbook of mine for this pasta. The cookbook is an oldie but goodie. I actually used it for the Italian Sausage Ravioli with Roasted Red Pepper Cream post.

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive or vegetable oil
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) dice tomatoes, well drained
1 cup whipping (heavy) cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red (cayenne) pepper
1 1/3 cups uncooked rigatoni pasta (4 ounces)
1/2 bag (16-0unce size) frozen broccoli, red pepper, onions and mushrooms, thawed and well drained
Shredded Parmesan cheese, if desired

Directions:
Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken, garlic, basil and oregano in oil about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until chicken is no longer pink in center.

Stir in tomatoes, whipping cream, salt, pepper and red pepper. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered about 10 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Cook and drain pasta as directed on package. Stir pasta and vegetables into chicken mixture; cook until hot. Serve with cheese.

Makes 4 servings.

If you are making this for a family of 4, I would suggest doubling the recipe. I made the full recipe for the 2 of us, and we only had one serving left for leftovers.

Again, we were completely surprised as how flavorful and tasty this pasta tasted, and I'm already thinking about when I need to make it again. Note: I rarely make anything twice.

Mac N' Seafood

Several weeks ago, I was very eager to make something with scallops. My intrigue was sparked by the weekly grocery ads as they were supposedly on sale. Little did I know that the nearest 2 HEB stores (a grocery store in Texas) to me did not have seafood counters! I didn't know that was even possible! I then ventured to our nearest Kroger (yes, that would be my third trip to a grocery store just to find scallops), and even they didn't have fresh scallops. I had buy them in the bag. Not the worst thing in the world, but it still wasn't what I set out to buy.

Nonetheless, I had my sights set on making Rachael Ray's Milk Mac N' Seafood. (Note: It's only called Milk Mac N' Seafood because, that week, she was gearing up for the Oscars and chose to highlight each movie up for film of the year with it's own recipe.)

Ingredients

1 bulb garlic
1 tablespoon EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus additional for drizzling
1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
1/4 cup (about a handful) flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
Salt and ground black pepper
1 pound macaroni or small shells
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup white wine or sherry
1 1/2 cups milk
A few grates fresh nutmeg
1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano
2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese
1 pound bay scallops

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Slice 1/4 of an inch off the top of the garlic bulb, exposing the top of all cloves. Place garlic onto a small piece of aluminum foil and drizzle with EVOO. Enclose garlic in a small pouch and roast in oven until cloves are deep golden brown, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

Squeeze roasted garlic cloves out of bulb and into a medium mixing bowl. Mash into a paste with a fork. Add breadcrumbs, parsley, thyme, some salt and pepper to bowl, and stir to combine. Reserve.

Place a large pot of water over high heat to boil water. When water comes up to a full boil, season with salt. Drop macaroni and cook to al dente according to package directions. Drain cooked pasta and reserve in pot it was cooked in.

Place a medium saucepan over medium-high heat with the butter. When the butter has melted, sprinkle the flour over top and cook for about 1 minute. Whisk in the white wine, milk, nutmeg, some salt and pepper into the sauce and bring up to a bubble. Simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes.

Yields: 4-6 servings

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Slice 1/4 of an inch off the top of the garlic bulb, exposing the top of all cloves. Place garlic onto a small piece of aluminum foil and drizzle with EVOO. Enclose garlic in a small pouch and roast in oven until cloves are deep golden brown, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

Squeeze roasted garlic cloves out of bulb and into a medium mixing bowl. Mash into a paste with a fork. Add breadcrumbs, parsley, thyme, some salt and pepper to bowl, and stir to combine. Reserve.

Place a large pot of water over high heat to boil water. When water comes up to a full boil, season with salt. Drop macaroni and cook to al dente according to package directions. Drain cooked pasta and reserve in pot it was cooked in.

Place a medium saucepan over medium-high heat with the butter. When the butter has melted, sprinkle the flour over top and cook for about 1 minute. Whisk in the white wine, milk, nutmeg, some salt and pepper into the sauce and bring up to a bubble. Simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes.

Remove the sauce from heat and stir in bay scallops, 1 cup Parmigiano (eyeball it) and Gruyere, reserving a handful of Gruyere for the tops. Stir to melt cheeses then toss sauce with cooked pasta. Transfer mac to six ramekins and top with the reserved breadcrumb mixture and the reserved cheese.

Arrange ramekins on a baking sheet and bake until tops are golden brown and filling is bubbling, about 25 minutes. Serve warm.

I absolutely loved this dish! While mac n' cheese is good, it can sometimes make you feel sluggish. This recipe was not the normal mac n' cheese and tasted very fresh! I think you could even make this with shrimp also if you wanted.

Chicken "Divine"

It's been a long time, I know, but as you can tell from my previous post, we've moved! My sous chef and I have a new place to cook! Not much baking will be going on because the oven in our new abode is useless, but that's ok. That handy 'No-Oven' tag on the right will help me cook in our new kitchen!

This recipe is one from nearly a month ago, but that doesn't change how delicious it is! This is the first recipe that I've made from my Bride & Groom cookbook that we got as a wedding gift.Ingredients
4 cups fresh broccoli florets, or 2 packages (10 oz. each) frozen broccoli florets, thawed
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Chardonnay
1 jar (16 oz.) Alfredo sauce, such as Classico
2 cups (4 oz.) grated smoked Gouda or Edam cheese
1/2 cup milk
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 cups cooked penne, macaroni or orecchiette (about 3 cups dried)
2 cups shredded roast chicken, home cooked or purchased
1/4 cup dry Italian-style bread crumbs
Paprika for sprinkling

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

If using fresh broccoli, cook the florets in a steamer until tender-crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking and drain thoroughly. If using thawed frozen broccoli, squeeze out the excess liquid. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, thyme, kosher salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the wine, increase the heat to high, and cook until the liquid has evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the Alfredo sauce, 1/2 cup of the cheese, the milk, and nutmeg. Then stir in the cooked pasta, broccoli, and chicken and mix thoroughly.

Transfer to an 8 or 9-inch square baking dish.

Top with the remaining 1 1/2 cups cheese and the bread crumbs. Sprinkle with paprika, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes more.
Tip: This casserole can be made 1 day in advance and refrigerated. It can also be assembled and then frozen. If the casserole was frozen, thaw in the refrigerator and bake as directed.

Yum! This dish was an absolute hit for both myself and my sous chef. It also tastes great as leftovers, and, yes, you will have leftovers. I would take some help from the grocery store, if I was you. Most grocery store are now selling roasted chickens, which is what I used. Yes, you could roast your own chicken, but that will definitely take longer. However you decide to make this recipe, it will certainly be delicious! Enjoy :)