Recipe 64: Stovetop Avocado Mac and Cheese

Posted: September 27, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Recipes | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

I’ve talked before how certain foods and I have strained relationships.  These foods are ones that I want to like more, but struggle to get my brain and my palate to meet.  Avocado is one of those foods.  I never liked guacamole, and only recently am I trying to nourish a pleasant relationship with this super-food.  This mac seemed like the perfect chance to try to make things right.

Stovetop Avocado Mac and Cheese (by Two Peas and their Pod)

Ingredients

  • 10 ounces dry elbow macaroni (I accidentally cooked the whole bag of corn elbows, so I eye-balled 10oz)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 avocados, peeled and pitted
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 cups shredded Pepper Jack cheese
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
    Fresh avocado chunks, for garnish, if desired

Directions

Place macaroni in a large bowl. Pour the avocado sauce over the macaroni and stir until well coated. Add the cheese sauce and stir until macaroni is coated and creamy. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve warm. Garnish with fresh avocado chunks, if desired.

Note-the lime juice keeps the avocado from browning. The mac and cheese is best eaten the first day, but it is still good the second day. The pasta may turn slightly brown, but not bad. If you want a milder flavor, you can use Monterey Jack or White Cheddar Cheese

VERDICT: 2.5/5 – Due for a Do-Over: Here’s the thing about avocados: They really need to be ripe.  Not thinking this recipe would be made for another few days, hubby bought under-ripe avocados.  This really detracted from the enjoyment of the dish – just big, unripe chunks that the food processor couldn’t manage to chop up because it was over-stuffed already.  The flavors were good, but the texture was just mealy and unpleasant.  I would try this again with ripe avocados.  It still doesn’t compare, in my mind, to the other mac we had that featured avocado, but it still has the potential to be a good dish.

Recipe 59: Mexican Macaroni and Cheese

Posted: June 27, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Recipes | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment
I’ve been away for a while, and boy have I been craving mac.  Adventurous types, simple types – anything really.  But I’ve just been letting it slide.  Other meals are simpler, and it’s easy to fall into a routine.

Well, I saw this recipe, and I decided I needed to shake things up a bit.
Mexican Macaroni and Cheese (from Gimme Some Oven)
Ingredients
  • 12 oz. uncooked macaroni or other pasta I used corn shells
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 small white onion, chopped
  • 1 jalapeno, finely diced (optional) I left it out because I’m a wuss
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (4 oz) can chopped green chiles (I should have chopped them; they were a little big from the can)
  • 1 (14 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (14 oz) can whole kernel corn, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (12-ounce) can 2% evaporated milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 8 oz. (about 2 cups) shredded Monterrey Jack or Colby Jack cheese (I used Monterrey)
  • 1 avocado, peeled pitted and diced
  • fresh cilantro, finely chopped (this is for garnish so I just used a pinch dried)
  • tortilla chip strips (or crushed tortillas)

Directions

Heat a large stockpot full of salted water until it comes to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente.

At about the time that you actually add the pasta to the boiling water, heat oil in a (separate) large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and jalapeno (if using) and saute for about 5 minutes, until the onion is tender and translucent.

While the onion is cooking, add the evaporated milk, egg, cumin, salt and pepper together in a small bowl or measuring cup, and whisk until combined. Set aside.

Back to the saute pan. Once the onion is cooked, stir in the garlic and chopped green chiles and saute for an additional minute until the garlic is fragrant. Then stir in the black beans and corn, and saute for an additional minute.

Once the pasta is al dente, drain the pasta and add it to the veggie mixture in the saute pan. (Or you can do the reverse and add the veggies and pasta back to the stockpot and complete the recipe there.) Immediately stir in the evaporated milk mixture, and stir until the mixture is combined. Cook for 1 more minute until the milk mixture is heated through. Then add the shredded cheese and stir to combine.

Serve immediately topped with diced avocado and chopped cilantro and tortilla chips.

IMG_3129

Verdict: 3.5/5
The only reason this doesn’t score higher for me is because even with just the green chiles, this was a bit too spicy for my admittedly wimpy palate.  I will say though that the heat isn’t just there for the sake of heat; there is real flavor here, and it rocks.  The corn and beans make this extra filling, and the avocado added to the creaminess.  Wait to add the tortillas on each person’s helping individually though: I didn’t and as a result I had limp tortilla bits instead of crunchy goodness.  When I made this, I was super-hungry and assumed I’d need seconds, but one bowl was more than enough for me.

Recipe 44: Vegan Green Chile Mac N “Cheese”

Posted: May 6, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Recipes | Tags: , , , | 1 Comment

Hello!  I’ve been away from this blog for quite a while.  I haven’t been eating anywhere near as much mac and cheese, though I’ve stopped the anti-inflammatory diet that I mentioned in my last post.  Turns out it wasn’t as helpful as previously hoped = though this recipe probably would have fit under its guidelines, actually.

I know, it says vegan.  It’s OK.  It scared me, too.

One of the most intimidating things about making a vegan “cheese” sauce is that it takes so many steps that I’m not accustomed to.  Making a roux and melting a variety of cheeses in it – that’s what I’ve gotten used to.  This required steps like “soak cashews overnight” and mixing things up in a blender.

The other intimidating thing about making a vegan “cheese” is the fact that it’s a vegan “cheese.”  To be clear, I have nothing against vegans, but I have had commercially made vegan “cheese” and found it, in a word, lacking.  Even the best I had never had the same taste, texture, or consistency that I love about cheese.  It was never as smooth, as creamy, nor did it have any of the natural flavors – the bite of a sharp cheddar, the tang of a goat cheese – that come with real cheeses.  I definitely entered into this recipe with serious doubts as to how it would turn out.

 

Vegan Green Chili Mac N “Cheese” (from The Minimalist Baker)

Ingredients

  • 10 ounces large macaroni shells (I used rice elbows)
  • 1/2 white onion, diced
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for 4-6 hours or overnight, then drained (I did mine overnight)
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth (mine was homemade)
  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 3/4 tsp chili powder
  • 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 4-ounce can diced chiles – scoop half into the sauce, reserve half for the finished mac n cheese
  • Optional: 1 cup tortilla chips, fresh cilantro for topping (I didn’t do this, but it might have helped)

Directions

If topping with tortilla chips, crush chips into fine crumbs and add to a baking pan lined with parchment paper or foil. Spritz with olive or canola oil, sprinkle with salt and stir, then bake in a 350 degree F oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown.  Boil macaroni according to package instructions.  In a medium skillet over medium-low heat, sautee onion and garlic in a bit of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, stir and cook until soft and fragrant – about 7 minutes. Set aside.  Add onions and garlic to a blender with remaining ingredients, omitting the tortilla chips and adding only half of the green chilies. Blend until smooth, using the “liquify” setting if you have it to get it really smooth. Otherwise just blend for up to a minute, scraping down sides as necessary, until smooth and creamy.  Drain the noodles, set aside and cover (with a towel). To the same pot you boiled the noodles in, add the cashew cheese and cook on low stirring frequently until slightly thickened.  Add the macaroni noodles to the cheese, along with the remaining green chilies and stir. Serve immediately, topping with crushed toasted tortilla chips and cilantro (optional).

[apparently I didn’t take a picture, or if I did I can’t find it]

Verdict: 2.5/5

Some of what was wrong with this, was my own shortcomings: I only have an immersion blender (at one point our apartment had somehow accumulated three!), a new one whose strength I’m still learning.  Apparently it was not up to the task of liquefying the “cheese” sauce.  It cut through those cashews without any problem – I had worried that even with an overnight soaking, they might be difficult to cut through – but it really couldn’t get smooth, liquid.  As a result, the texture was halfway between chunky and gritty.  It was not bad, but it wasn’t really good either.

I also was overhasty in my chile selection in the grocery store, and I grabbed a can of jalapenos.  I found it a little spicy for my taste, though not as hot as I worried it would be with my wussy palette.

Still, I feel these flaws are more from my kitchen than from the recipe.  The flavor of the sauce, despite the unpleasant consistency, was actually pretty good.  I really can’t liken it to cheese, to be honest (I had read the nutritional yeast was supposed to have a cheesy flavor), but it was a fine flavor.  I would give this another go.

 

I never made my goal of making 52 mac and cheese recipes for 2012, but I still have so, so many recipes.  I may be sporadic in my updates, but I’m sure I’ll be updating a bit still.  In the meantime, if you’re interested in some of my other goings on in the kitchen and elsewhere, check out my other blog, Domestic Dalliances.

 

Recipe 43: South Indian Style Macaroni and Cheese

Posted: July 6, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Recipes | Tags: , , , | 1 Comment

Hello, Weekly Mackers!  Happy belated Independence Day to my fellow Americans, happy even-more-belated Canada Day to my Canadian readers (according to the list of those following this blog, I know I have a few), and if you are from neither of these countries and you had a holiday recently, well, I hope it was fun as well.  If not, perhaps you can make up a holiday to celebrate around this time of year.  Then we can all have a sort of party together, like “OK, today we’re rocking it out in Canada for Canada Day, tomorrow we’re headed to Venezuela for Dia de los Amigos, then to Tibet for the Celebration of Great Happiness or Germany for the Black Forest Cake Fest (depending which you prefer), but be back in America for the fireworks!”  Late June/Early July could be one international party.  Totally plausible.

Anyway, speaking of crossing borders for good reasons, you may have noticed I have added the tag “faux ethnic” for this mac.  Obviously it’s not a traditional recipe (or if it is, please be kind to me in pointing out my mistake, but I don’t imagine asiago cheese or macaroni being terribly common ingredients in traditional Indian cooking – at least not the Indian food I have had), but it does have some hints of international flavors.  For this mac, it’s all about the spices.  I love Indian food, and the local Indian restaurant that Loverman and I have come to frequent have more than earned their respect from us not just because of their delicious food and good service, but their willingness to deliver food out to us when most restaurants in that suburb won’t come out to our village.  Win.

I made this particular mac yesterday because I was going to be playing hostess to two dear friends of mine I’ve known since high school.  One of them lives locally, but the other, Kristin, has since moved out to Philadelphia where she is a bit of what I consider a modern Indiana Jones.  Now, I have not known her to fight off Nazis (or Thuggees or Soviets), nor have I seen her look particularly dapper in a fedora (though I’d be glad to see her try the look), but she has been willing to uproot everything for a good archaeology position, and I’m not sure I know anyone more passionate about what they do professionally.  I really admire that about her, and I probably don’t tell her that enough.

One of her many adventures brought her to India – on a whim, really.  The story goes like this: While she was an undergraduate, she knew she wanted to study abroad.  She was considering Ireland and another country in Europe (I have forgotten which one).  At the very last minute she changed her mind from Ireland to India, and she spent a semester in the south of that country, and she has never been the same since.  In addition to the many things she could not help but learn there, she fell in love with the country, the customs, and of course, the food.  As I mentioned, I had no illusions that this would be anything like a real Indian recipe (while I have made recipes that profess to be Indian at home, I don’t think I’d have the nerve to make it for Kristin, who spent several months there!), but I figured something that said right in the title that it was in the style of a certain cuisine, that might give me more of a pass.

 

South Indian Style Macaroni and Cheese (from Better Homes and Gardens)

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces dried macaroni (mine were made of corn)
  • 2  cups frozen peas
  • 1/2 cup soft bread crumbs (I used dried because that’s what I had; I don’t think it mattered)
  •  1/4  cup freshly grated Asiago cheese (1 oz.)  (I wish they sold Asiago in smaller chunks; not I have a bunch in the fridge to figure out what to do with)
  •  1/2  teaspoon paprika
  •  1/2 teaspoon salt
  •  1/2 teaspoon garam masala
  •  1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  •  1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  •  1/4  teaspoon ground turmeric
  •  3   tablespoons butter
  •   1   teaspoon garlic paste (find this in the ethnic aisle of your local grocery store, or check a local Indian market)
  •  1/2 teaspoon finely shredded fresh ginger (I used powdered since so little was going to be used; I used just a pinch)
  •  2  tablespoons all-purpose flour (or your favorite gluten-free blend)
  •  3  cups milk (I used skim, use what you have)
  • 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (8 oz.)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook macaroni according to package directions;. Place peas in colander. Drain pasta in colander with the peas. Set aside.  Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine bread crumbs, Asiago, and paprika; set aside. In another bowl stir together salt, garam masala, black pepper, cayenne, and turmeric; set aside.  In large saucepan melt butter. Add garlic paste and ginger; cook and stir 1 minute. Add salt-spice mixture and cook 2 minutes. Stir in flour until combined, about 1 minutes.(I totally added the flour right to the butter, then the garlic paste, ginger, and other spices.  That is how every other recipe has had me make a roux and I was on auto-pilot!)  Add milk all at once. Cook and stir until slightly thickened and bubbly. (Possibly because of my error mentioned above, mine never really got thickened or all that bubbly, and remained soupy before it went into the oven) Stir in cheddar cheese until melted. Stir in cooked macaroni and peas. Transfer to 2-quart rectangular baking dish; sprinkle with bread crumb mixture. Bake, uncovered, 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly and crumbs are golden. Makes 6 servings.

This was after it had cooled completely.

This was after it had cooled completely.

Verdict: 4/5

I was concerned that this might not turn out all right given the error I made as indicated in the recipe text.  As I poured it into the baking dish, it was so liquidy, I was grimacing, dreading having to serve it.  Still, the wonderful aroma of the spices filled the kitchen – and it was too late to make anything else anyway.  When my guests arrived, Kristin did comment, “That smells awesome!” and became even more interested when I told her what was baking in the oven.  When it was eventually finished and cool enough to eat, I found the peas offered a nice contrast in texture to the noodles, probably why they are such a popular addition in so many other mac and cheese recipes.  The flavor was not at all what I expected, but by no means in a bad way.  In fact, the recipe packed a bit more of a punch in terms of heat than I had expected, though it was not unpleasant; while I have often noted that I am a wuss with spicy foods, I am much more willing to partake of them when there is flavor behind them and not just heat for the sake of heat.  This mac has flavor.  And my trowel-blazing friend?  She delighted in it and demanded the recipe at once.  Well, my friend, here you go.

Recipe 42 – Spicy Macaroni and Cheese

Posted: June 17, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Recipes | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment
Not the singer's last name.

Not the singer’s last name, but an awesome singer anyway.

I have no idea why, but for the past several days, I have listening to “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” a lot more than is strictly necessary, which of course has resulted in having said song in my head incessantly.  Not even the original version by the Charlie Daniels Band, but a cover by Steve Ouimette (whose last name I can’t help but think of as Oubliette), which is an awesome version of the song, but also kind of funny when you think about it because although it doesn’t change any of the lyrics, it turns a song all about fiddling into a song all about rock guitars.

With this song in my head apropos of nothing, it seemed like a good time to try out a spicy recipe.  This is actually a recipe I’ve been meaning to try out for ages.  In fact, this was the very first recipe that was suggested to me when I originally put out the call for recipes for mac and cheese recipes to try out.  I am always a bit hesitant with spicy recipes since I am so often a wuss when it comes to too much heat, which may explain some of my reticence in giving this a whirl.  The individual ingredients were not overwhelming, but I suppose I was concerned that combined it would culminate in a fire in my mouth, and that is not cool.

Oh jeez, I made a pun just now.  I swear that was not intentional.  Please forgive me.

This one comes from the Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond.  Now, I confess I don’t know a whole lot about the Pioneer Woman, but from what I have read and seen of her, I surmise she is sort of like a younger, hipper Paula Deen.  While Paula seems to go back and forth between “This just is the food we eat down South!” and “no, we don’t eat that all the time; it’s all in moderation!” it seems Ree says “Yeah, I make this food.  I’m also feeding ranchers and cowboys, and they work it all off.  This is our life.”  I can respect that.  But it is true that moderation is key with mac and cheese.  *cough*

Spicy Macaroni and Cheese (from The Pioneer Woman)

Ingredients

  • 4 cups cooked macaroni or cavatappi (this is 8oz. dry.  I used corn macaroni)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 to 1/2 finely diced red onion (I used 1/2)
  • Equal amount diced red bell pepper
  • 1 finely diced jalapeno (Part of the recipe says “You can leave this out if you’re a total wuss,” so I did; comments on this below)
  • 1 4 oz can chopped green chilies
  • 1 cup frozen corn (I didn’t thaw mine out beforehand)
  • 2 to 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 cup cream (I used half and half because that’s what we keep in the house)
  • 1 generous cup grated Pepper Jack cheese
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Boil pasta until al dente. In a large skillet, add olive oil and saute garlic and vegetables over medium heat for a couple of minutes. Add in canned chilies and stir around, then turn off heat. Drain pasta and add it to skillet. Pour on cream, add cheese (there’s little enough cheese that you really don’t need to add it gradually; just dump it all in), then add salt and pepper to taste and stir gently. At the end, add 2 tablespoons butter and stir again. Check seasonings and serve.

EDIT: When I originally posted this recipe, I was unable to post a picture of the mac because my camera cable had wandered away in search of adventure (and my camera has been sporadically not speaking with my computer because, you know, why not), so I put up a picture of my dog in the meantime in hopes of pleasing my readers with how cute she is.  There is now a picture of the mac here, and I have moved the picture of my dog to the bottom of this post… Because she is still very cute.

It's finally here!

It’s finally here!

 

Verdict: 2.5/5

For a spicy mac and cheese, this mac was not especially spicy.  As I mentioned before, reading the ingredients, I expected them to come together in some sort of magical and somewhat scary spice-explosion in my mouth.  I left out the jalapeno for that reason.  I regret that I did, actually.  There was a little bite from the red onion, but not much.  More than anything, truth be told, I got sweetness from the corn and even a bit from the red pepper.  I’m not sure if I did something wrong or what.  Maybe I should have thawed the corn out first?  Maybe that diluted the spiciness?  Loverman wasn’t too impressed with it either; we had leftovers tonight and the flavors were dulled even more, and he added hot sauce to his.  All this having been said, I would make it again – it wasn’t bad, per se, just blander than expected.

 

But this dog isn't bland! Awwww...

But this dog isn’t bland! Awwww…

Recipe 21: Creole Mac and Cheese

Posted: May 13, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Recipes | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Yesterday Loverman and I were invited to a “porch party,” a get-together our friends hold – surprise, surprise – on their back porch to enjoy the nice weather and each others’ company.  These get-togethers are pretty informal, just bring something to throw on the grill, a side dish, and maybe a beverage of choice.  Since we were also requested to bring a dish to pass, I figured it was the perfect excuse opportunity to make another mac.

The title I found on this one says “Creole Mac and Cheese.”  Aside from the use of andouille sausage, I’m not sure how authentically Creole the seasonings are.  Then again, a while ago I had up here a supposedly Cajun Mac and Cheese, and it was the same deal.  So I understand and accept this may not be authentic, and I hope you do, too.

Creole Mac and Cheese (from AllRecipes.com)

Ingredients

  • 1 (8 ounce) package elbow macaroni (I think mine was corn)
  • 1 cup andouille sausage, diced (I used 4 pork andouille sausages)
  • 4 tablespoons butter (this is divided)
  • 3/4 cup bread crumbs (or gluten-free alternative)
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 onion, chopped (I used two rather titchy yellow onions instead)
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped (I did use it despite my dislike of celery, but doing it again I’d leave it out; that’s just my preference, however)
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (or gluten-free alternative)
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard (I used a Dijon mustard because I am a crazy rebel like that)
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (I used a sharp yellow Cheddar)
  • kosher salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Cook macaroni in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. Drain.
  2. In a small pan, cook the andouille sausage over medium heat until done. Set aside. In the same pan, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add bread crumbs, and stir to coat. Cool, and then mix in Parmesan. Set aside.  (My sausage was pre-cooked, but I did this step anyway to get some of the sausage-grease into the crumbs)
  3. In a medium saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Saute onions and celery until translucent. Transfer to a bowl.
  4. In the same saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, to make a white roux. Try not to let the roux brown at all, it should be white. (I think I let mine get brown; I tend to do that.  I don’t think it mattered) Mix in paprika and mustard, then stir in milk. (The mixture will smell spicy and be kind of pinkish from the paprika) Bring to boil over medium heat, then add Gruyere and Cheddar cheeses. Simmer, stirring often, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9×13 in pan, or similar sized casserole dish. Transfer cooked macaroni to the dish, and toss in the andouille sausage. Stir in the cheese mixture. Sprinkle the breadcrumb and Parmesan mixture evenly over the top.
  6. Bake for 20 minutes, or until crust turns golden brown.

Verdict: 3/5

I am kind of low-balling this despite good reviews from the guests who ate it.  I am so wussy about spice, and this was a bit too intense for me.  Still, there is definitely flavor and not just heat for heat’s sake, which I detest.  Maybe caramelizing the onions would be nice or letting the crumb topping get even a little browner so the Parmesan can get meltier would have been all right.  Some reviews that were given by the diners included “Hoo, that does have a kick to it – but it’s good though!” and “Mm… Nom nom nom” followed by a hug.  Really.

I neglected to bring my camera or borrow my hosts’ camera to take a picture of the mac when it came out of the oven, so here is a cell phone quality picture of the aftermath of eight people having descended upon it.  After this picture was taken, two more portions were served to late comers, leaving only one portion left to bring home.

Not a pretty sight, I know – but it was enjoyed, so there is that.

In unrelated news, Happy Mothers’ Day to all you mamas out there!  Here’s hoping you had a great day.  Well, I hope even you non-mamas had a great day too – but especially the mamas on their day.

Recipe 7: Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese

Posted: February 6, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Recipes | Tags: , , , , | 1 Comment

Confession time, people: I have totally been holding out on you.  The truth is I have a recipe I’ve been making for a little while now that is one of my faves.  In fact, it’s the standard by which my husband has been using for all new mac and cheese recipes I’ve been making.  I don’t know that I go quite that far, but it is definitely top of the list for me – so far, at least.

As you can tell by the title, this recipe is inspired by buffalo chicken wings.  My reason for holding out on you this far is it seemed to me this would be a perfect recipe to share at a Superbowl shindig.  My friends and I are definitely not sports people (Loverman’s favorite sport is Warhammer 40K and mine is equally fictional) – but we enjoy the commercials almost as much as we enjoy any excuse to get together and eat delicious food.

Finding this recipe was sort of a fluke for me.  Some time ago I was tempted to buy a Food Network Magazine because I was intrigued by its promise of 50 different egg recipes (it was near Easter, and I love me some deviled eggs) – and the issue I got just happened to also have five mac and cheese recipes.  This one stood out from the others: a Buffalo chicken wing mac and cheese!  I love me some wings – though I generally prefer flavors other than Buffalo since I tend to be a wuss about spiciness.  Loverman, however, declares that he worships at the temple of spicy, and since moving in together I don’t think there has been a time we haven’t had a bottle of Frank’s Red Hot in the apartment.

This actually led to one of the most amusing and most practical Xmas presents he ever received: Two years ago my sister was pregnant and due around the holiday season.  Even if she delivered on her due date, she knew she would be wrapped up in newborn care to do much for the holidays, so not only did she take care of her holiday shopping way early, but she let us know ahead of time that she was going “low-key” on gifts.  Loverman’s gift?  A gallon of Red Hot.  Nonplussed, he stated it was the most unusual gift he’d received – but at the same time, something he knew he would definitely use.

This plus a mostly-full bottle is still left.

Anyway, this recipe calls specifically for Frank’s Red Hot, lending it a fiery kick.  I’m sure you could use a different hot sauce or even get away with using a bit less than called for – but even I, with my hesitance to ingest anything to spicy, find this to have just a pleasant burn rather than a raging inferno on the tongue.

Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese (from Food Network Magazine)

Ingredients

  • 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the dish (divided as indicated in recipe)
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 pound elbow macaroni (I used quinoa elbows)
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, finely chopped (I actually leave this out because I hate celery.  If you like it, keep it)
  • 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (I use a whole rotisserie chicken)
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 3/4 cup hot sauce (preferably Frank’s) (divided as indicated below)
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (I used Pamela’s)
  • 2 teaspoons dry mustard
  • 2 1/2 cups half-and-half
  • 1 pound yellow sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 1/2 cups) (you should really shred it instead – I have done it both ways, and it works much better shredded)
  • 8 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
  • 2/3 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup panko (gluten free for me)
  • 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (or, if you’re like me and love blue cheese, even more)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken and garlic and cook 2 minutes, then add 1/2 cup hot sauce and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 more minute. (the hot sauce smell will tickle your nose – but in a good way)

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and mustard with a wooden spoon until smooth. Whisk in the half-and-half, then add the remaining 1/4 cup hot sauce and stir until thick, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses (again, both should be shredded despite what the recipe says; it goes so much quicker this way), then whisk in the sour cream until smooth. (with the hot sauce this has a slightly rosy color)

Spread half of the macaroni in the prepared baking dish, then top with the chicken mixture and the remaining macaroni. Pour the cheese sauce evenly on top.

Put the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted. Stir in the panko, blue cheese and parsley (I use way more blue cheese). Sprinkle over the macaroni and bake until bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Verdict: 4.5/5

Like I said above, this is Loverman’s favorite so far.  Even the ones that I feel have been “wins,” he has responded with “it’s no chicken wing mac.”  Although it is spicy, it is not insanely so.  If you like spice more than I do, you could probably up the hot sauce or even add some hot peppers in with the onions; and even though he enjoys the recipe, Loverman sometimes adds a splash of hot sauce on top.  As for me, I like it as is – minus the celery and with some more blue cheese on top.  The top is perfectly crunchy from the panko, plus the savory-tang of the blue on top helps to mitigate the heat from the hot sauce and pepper jack.

Yesterday I made the recipe all the way up to the baking, then put it in my friends’ oven, where we were having our “Superbowl as an excuse to eat well”-Party.  Here it is fresh out of the oven:

...on their cleaner-than-ours stovetop

Those who partook said they liked it, and by the time we left maybe 2/3 of it had been eaten.  I would say this is a suitable replacement for hot wings for a Big Game sort of event, but don’t limit yourself to that: It’s generally a crowd-pleaser, so serve it for your next big get-together!

Recipe 4: Chipotle Mac

Posted: January 20, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Recipes | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Pics are added!  The issue was with my camera, but thanks to a friend pointing out common sense to me, I remembered that my computer has an SD port and I could obtain them that way.  Common sense is not exactly my strong suit, I’m sad to say.

Anyway, I have a not-so-great habit of getting cookbooks that seem really amazing, and then leaving them to gather dust on the shelf or on kitchen counters.  I’d like to think other food-lovers have that habit too because there are just so many awesome recipes out there in the world that no one person could try them all, but that is probably just me trying to assuage my own guilt.  I have lately been trying to increase my usage of the cookbooks in my possession, and what better excuse to whip them out than this challenge?

Among the cookbooks in my possession that has been neglected thus far is The New InterCourses: An Aphrodisiac Cookbook, the tenth anniversary edition of a cookbook highlighting various (reported) aphrodisiacs.  Hubba-hubba.  If you can get past the anecdotes about spouses/lovers getting randy through food and the sometimes over-the-top double entendres, there are actually a lot of excellent-sounding recipes herein, regardless of your particular aims at seduction.

One of many sleepless nights I’ve had recently, I was thumbing through this book and was surprised to find a mac and cheese recipe here!  Filed under the chapter on chiles (alleged to recreate some of the physical responses of an intimate encounter), this recipe was described as having “Southwestern overtones on a classic.”  Now I confess, as much as I love me some mac and cheese, I can’t say that it ever struck me as a particularly erotic food – but let’s take another look at it:  Mac and cheese is one of the best-known American comfort foods, making us feel warm, cozy, and nostalgic.  It may not be as new and exciting as some other things out there, but is that a real good reason to turn it down?  So mac and cheese may not be as sexy as some of the other recipes on the book, it doesn’t make it bad.  Some recipes are about lust, but this one is all about love.

Besides, is there anything better at getting someone feeling a bit amorous than making them a good meal, regardless of what it is?  I doubt it.

Chipotle Mac (from The New InterCourses: An Aphrodisiac Cookbook by Martha Hopkins and Randall Lockridge)

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. penne pasta (I used rice penne)
  • 1 Tablespoon adobo sauce (from a small can of chipotles in adobo), more if desired
  • 1 8oz. carton of crème fraîche
  • 1/2cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • Salt and pepper

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.  Preheat the broiler.  Add the penne and cook according to package directions until al dente.  While the pasta is cooking, add the adobo sauce to the container of crème fraîche and stir together (not sure what container they used, but mine was too small to do this in the container; thankfully, I had the foresight to mix everything in a separate bowl so I wouldn’t make a mess).  Taste and add more adobo, if desired.  Drain the noodles and pour into a small casserole dish.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add the crème fraîche mixture and stir until all the noodles are well coated.  Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and place under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the Parmesan has turned golden brown and is beginning to crisp (I didn’t let it burn like last time).  Serve immediately.  Yields 4 servings (or two very hungry adults).

Fresh out of the oven

Verdict: 3/5

This was a simple recipe to put together, and although I don’t keep crème fraîche in my fridge or adobo sauce, everything else is generally in my pantry.  My main issues with the recipe were my own, to be honest.  Let me explain:

As you may have noticed, I have a page where I talk about gluten-free pastas.  In my area, rice pasta is the easiest to obtain and it tends to come in more shapes than some other gluten-free pastas.  On the downside, it can become mushy quite easily.  Sadly, that happened with my batch of pasta (which, I’ll add, came in a 12oz package, which seems an odd size since most of the recipes I have seen call for either 8oz. or 1lb of pasta).  OK, that is a fault of my cooking, not the recipe.  Let me put the plea out there now for better gluten-free pastas!

Secondly, the quest for adobo sauce was unresolved in my case.  We have several great grocery stores with comprehensive international food sections, but I could not find any in our Mexican food sections, nor could Loverman.  Since it does come from chipotles, I wanted to try a chipotle hot sauce we recently received at a Yankee Trader event.  I normally don’t like hot sauce, but this offers a good smoky flavor, not just heat for heat’s sake.  So I confess, I had to fudge this a little bit.  Hey, I’m keeping it real with you guys.

In terms of texture, the pasta was the issue, which we’ve already established has everything to do with its cooking, not with the ingredient.  I am a wuss about anything spicy, but as I said, the chipotle offered more flavor than heat (though don’t be deceived, there was heat too); in fact, I think even a bit more chipotle flavor would have made for an even more complex flavor.  I loved the slightly chewy Parmesan top, though I personally would have liked more for the extra contrast of flavor and texture.  Loverman offered his usual suggestion to add chicken to improve it, and for once I agree: I think adding that extra element would really send this recipe over the top.  I would totally make this recipe again – though I might choose a different gluten-free pasta with less risk of turning into mush – so I’ll mark this as Due for a Do-Over as well.

I have been lucky enough to find several recipes to try, but I could always use more!  Please feel free to e-mail me at weeklymac*AT*yahoo*DOT*com with suggestions!