Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese

Tags

cheese, evaporated milk, macaroni, pasta, vegetarian

When I was a kid, Kraft mac and cheese was one of the tastiest lunches. Especially since it came in so many different shapes and characters (for some reason, the fun shapes seemed to taste better to me). When I went to college, it became all about easy mac. Quick, easy, and didn’t need a stove since I only had a microwave in my dorm room. And I haven’t had it since… 6 or more years since I used powdered cheese to make mac and cheese, and I can’t say I miss it but I do miss a nice and easy stovetop macaroni and cheese.

This stovetop mac and cheese was so good! From what I remember, it tastes similar to Kraft, but is sooo much better! And you can adjust the cheeses to whatever you prefer, as with any mac and cheese recipe. And like usual, I’ve upped the pasta amount from the original recipe. In my defense, I started with 8 ounces of pasta, but I just had so much extra sauce around the pasta so I had to make use of it! Besides, since when is more mac and cheese a bad thing! 🙂Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese
Note: Use any combination of Cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, and American cheese to total 12 ounces.

2 eggs
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk, divided
1 teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
16 ounces elbow macaroni or other small pasta
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1½ cups)
6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about 1½ cups)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, 1 cup of the evaporated milk, dry mustard, salt, and pepper; set aside.

In a large pot, prepare pasta according to package directions, cooking until al dente. Drain the pasta and return to pot over low heat. Add butter and stir until completely melted. Add the egg mixture and three-quarters of the cheese mixture to the pasta; stir until cheese starts to melt. Gradually add the remaining evaporated milk and remaining cheese mixture, stirring constantly, until the mixture is hot and creamy, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Source: Adapted from Cooks Illustrated via Brown Eyed Baker

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Spinach-Artichoke Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Tags

artichoke, breadcrumbs, cream cheese, garlic, portobello, sour cream, spinach, vegetarian

When I first tried spinach-artichoke dip, I wasn’t a huge fan. I think I just wasn’t a big fan of artichokes. But thankfully, tastes change every 7 years or so and I have since come to learn that even if I don’t love the dip, I love the spinach-artichoke combo whether it be on pasta or pizza, and even on mushrooms! This recipe has been circulating a lot of blogs lately, and it caught my eye every time. When I finally saw portobellos were on sale, I knew what I wanted to do with them! And thankfully, I had everything on hand already once I got the mushrooms. This is a very simple recipe, and there is something elegant seeming about stuffed portobellos. You can dress them up or dress them down, as needed. We even had stuffed portobellos at our wedding, and they were so good! I actually preferred that over the steak I requested, they were that good! But the point is, these spinach-artichoke stuffed portobello mushrooms are awesome and you should definitely make them soon!!Spinach-Artichoke Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
Yield: 4 servings

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 garlic cloves, minced and divided
4 medium portabello mushrooms, stems and gills removed
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons sour cream
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, divided
Pinch of red pepper flakes
10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 (13.75 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 cloves minced garlic. Brush the insides of the mushroom caps with the mixture and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the mushrooms in a single layer on a baking sheet, oiled-side up. Roast until just tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Use a paper towel to blot up and accumulated moisture in the mushroom caps.

Meanwhile, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, and 1 teaspoon thyme in a medium bowl. Stir in the spinach and artichokes and season with salt and pepper.

In another medium bowl, combine the Panko, Parmesan cheese, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 1 teaspoon thyme.

Spoon the artichoke mixture evenly into the mushroom caps and sprinkle generously with the breadcrumb mixture. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the crumbs are golden-brown and the filling is hot. Serve immediately.

Source: Slightly adapted from Pink Parsley

Black Bean and Tomato Quinoa

Tags

black bean, cilantro, gluten-free, lime, quinoa, tomato, vegetarian

Happy new year! I hope everyone had a great one. With the holidays over, I’m hoping to have some more free time to put towards writing blog posts and visiting everyone else’s blogs, and of course making more yummy food in the kitchen! I still have some belated Christmas stuff to get out (whoops!), but other than that, it’s back to trying out new recipes and having some fun with my new cookbooks that I got for Christmas!

Now I’ve never been one for new years resolutions. I was always forced to make some in school, as a fun little homework assignment, but I never followed through on any of them so I kind of just gave up. If I want to try to better myself in some way, I don’t think it should wait until the beginning of the new year to start trying. That’s just my opinion… I don’t mean to offend anyone, of course. But for those of you who have made some resolutions, and if that resolution includes eating healthier (or if you just want to try something new), then this recipe is for you! This was my first time ever trying quinoa, and I know I’m totally behind on this trend, but what else is new :). It’s simple and delicious, and such a fun texture! I love the combination of the tomatoes, beans, and lime and next time I try this, I might add some avocado because it seems like it would fit right in with the rest of the ingredients.Black Bean and Tomato Quinoa

2 teaspoons grated lime zest
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 cup quinoa, uncooked
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 medium tomatoes, diced
3 green onions, chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Prepare quinoa according to directions on package.

Meanwhile, whisk together lime zest and juice, butter, oil, sugar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add quinoa to dressing and toss until dressing is absorbed.  Stir in remaining ingredients and additional salt and pepper to taste.

Source: Misadventures in Cooking

Apple Hill and Applesauce!

Tags

apple, vegetarian

It’s apple season! Which means it’s time to visit the local orchards and go apple picking and enjoy the bountiful harvest! It’s still a couple hours away from me, but I made a trip to Apple Hill with my mom over my birthday weekend. We went apple picking at an organic farm called Willow Pond Farm, then visited a couple different orchards and farms who sold the apples farmers market-style. We were surrounded by such a large variety of so many delicious looking apples… it was like apple heaven! At Boa Vista Orchards, we bought some amazing apple cider and about 10 different varieties of apples, some with a strictly applesauce-making purpose and some with baking intentions. They even had apple and pumpkin butter, jellies, jams, sauces, and so many more goodies! On a continuing search for more apple goodness, we stopped by Abel’s Apple Acres and tried some apple donuts and apple fritters, and bought more apples. I would just like to say that apple fritters are awesome! Large slices of apple fried up in fritter batter. Absolute deliciousness.In the end, I ended up with a box of apples of varying sizes and types. Once I got home, I even took the time to separate my apples based on what I wanted to make. If you have any questions about what apples are good for baking or sauce, I’d suggest checking out the Cook’s Thesaurus. My goals for these apples include apple dumplings, apple pie, various muffins containing apples, and apple oatmeal. Hopefully I get around to trying everything. Cross your fingers for me please! I’ll be sure to report back on what comes out well!

As for what was left after separating out my baking apples, I had one soul purpose. Applesauce! After seeing a post about applesauce by from the Bartolini kitchens, I really wanted to go pick my own apples and make some fresh, delicious applesauce. It’s so simple and so delicious! My mom made some and was thrilled with her results. My husband and I love ours, too, though I cheated and added some sugar because I tend to like things on the sweeter side. It still wasn’t much though. I only added a ½ cup of sugar to 15 cups of applesauce. Still pretty darn healthy! I also prefer chunky applesauce, so I cooked the apples then took a potato masher to break down the apples to my desired consistency. My recipe is pretty vague, especially since I have no idea how many pounds of apples I cooked, but it works for any amount of apples so it’s all good!Chunky Applesauce

Apples, peeled and cored (I used varying amounts of Gala, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Fuji, McIntosh, and Jonagold)
Sugar, as needed
Cinnamon, optional

Pour about an inch of filtered water into a large, heavy pot. Add the apples and cook, uncovered, on medium-high heat. When it starts to boil, turn heat down to medium-low; cook for about an hour total, or until apples are all tender. Mash the apple chunks with a potato masher to desired chunky consistency. For a smooth sauce, use an immersion blender or food processor to blend until smooth. If sauce is too watery, skim some of the juice off the top. Add sugar and cinnamon to taste. Enjoy cold or warm!

Source: Adapted from PickYourOwn.org

Provençal Tomatoes

Tags

balsamic vinegar, garlic, parsley, tomato, vegetarian

Tomatoes are on their last leg at farmer’s markets and in the stores. It’s fall now, and it’s time for pumpkin and apples! But I still have a couple more summer-esque recipes to cling to the last remnants of summer. Working outdoors, I’m not looking forward to the rain which comes so soon after fall! I do love the cooler temps, though, which make me crave warm and comforting foods such as these tomatoes.

Store bought tomatoes work great for this recipe, if you can’t get your hands on fresh ones, since baking them helps to pull out their natural sweetness. They are a fruit after all!The garlic and herbs provide a nice kick and fresh flavor, and the balsamic vinegar has a subtle tang. These tomatoes make a perfect side dish to go with any meal!

Provençal Tomatoes

3 tomatoes, halved
3 large garlic cloves, minced
4 to 6 tablespoons Panko breadcrumbs, dependant on tomato size
6 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
6 tablespoons chopped parsley
Salt and freshly grounded pepper
Olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush the bottom of the baking dish with olive oil or spray with cooking spray.

Arrange the tomato halves, cut side facing up. Top the tomatoes with minced garlic and season with salt and pepper. Divide the Panko between the tomatoes and spoon 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar on each then drizzle a little olive oil.

Finish the assembly by sprinkling 1 tablespoon parsley onto each tomato. Bake for 20-30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Source: Adapted from Gourmantine’s Blog