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Holiday Bark and Chocolate Spiders

Posted on December 20, 2010 by amydeline

So, let’s say you’ve got the urge to make a few festive treats this week, but you have no desire to deal with long lists of baking ingredients, flour-covered kitchens, or a hot oven. I’ve got two perfect solutions for you.

First, we’ve got Chocolate-Covered Spiders. I know. They hardly sound festive, at least not for this time of year. Perhaps Halloween is a more appropriate time of year for these little goodies. But in my family, they were always made at Christmastime. I’ve actually already shared this recipe once before, during my Christmas in July celebration. Since the holidays are actually upon us, it seems fitting to revisit these chocolatey treats.

Chocolate-Covered Spiders

Ingredients

  • 1 (12-ounce) package Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
  • 1 cup Butterscotch Chips
  • 1 container Chow Mein Noodles
  • 1 cup Peanuts

Directions

Line a few baking sheets with parchment or wax paper. Melt the chocolate and butterscotch chips in a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring frequently. Fold in the chow mein noodles and peanuts until they are well coated in chocolate. Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto the wax paper. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours, until the chocolate has hardened.

Second, we’ve got holiday bark. Bark is one of those super-simple ideas with infinite variations. Use any kind of chocolate (or combination of chocolates) and mix with any kind of nuts, fruits, candies, etc. Simply melt your chocolate of choice, mix in your desired filling, spread into a pan, chill, and break. So, have fun with this ‘recipe’ and adapt it to your personal preferences. I went with deep, dark chocolate, mixed with pistachios, dried cranberries, and white chocolate chips for a festive green, red, and white effect.

Dark Chocolate Holiday Bark

Ingredients

  • 1 pound (16 ounces) good quality Dark Chocolate or Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
  • 1/2 cup Pistachios
  • 1/2 cup Dried Cranberries
  • 1/2 cup White Chocolate Chips

*Substitute any kind of chocolate or fillings you desire.

Directions

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt the chocolate in the microwave or in a double boiler. Stir in most of the nuts, cranberries, and white chocolate chips. Spread the mixture in a thin layer on the prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining nuts, cranberries, and chips on top. Chill until firm. Break into pieces.

My cookie collection has been completed and cookie platters and tins have been arranged for gifting. Stay tuned for two more cookie recipes and a few holiday menu ideas, coming up this week!

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Cherry Vanilla Drops

Posted on December 17, 2010 by amydeline

My baking equipment is in revolt. I don’t blame it. I outright lied. The proof is in yesterday’s post. I’d promised my baking equipment a small break from this baking madness. It’s served me well these last few weeks. It really deserved a break. And then the cookie mania took hold again. I just had to have those little thumbprint cookies with the marashino cherries. It couldn’t wait a few days. I needed them immediately.

So, moments after I hit the publish button on yesterday’s post, I took three sticks of butter out of the fridge to soften. I’m pretty sure that’s what clued the baking equipment in; those conspicuous sticks of butter sitting on the counter. If I were smart, I would have hidden them in the dining room. But, on the counter they sat. And then, when it came time to mix up the cookie dough, my electric mixer was nowhere to be found. Nowhere.

Now, for anyone who knows me and my not-so-borderline obsessive compulsive tendencies, you’d realize that this is an unusual occurrence. I don’t misplace things very often. Everything has a place. In this case, the mixer’s place is back in its original box, in the pantry, next to the mini food processor. But when I went to said place, there was no mixer. Just an empty box. Befuddled doesn’t begin to explain my reaction. I scanned the kitchen, scanned the pantry, scanned the dining room. No mixer.

After a bit of searching, I finally found the mixer, cord wrapped around it, hiding in a basket in the pantry, under a pile of chocolate chips and marshmallows. That is most definitely not where I would have put my mixer.

My current theory is that the mixer caught sight of the butter on the counter and tried to make a run for it. When it realized it had no legs or other form of locomotion, it simply took cover and hoped for the best. Sorry dear mixer, my best is better than your best. I win. We’re making cookies.

I started with a Martha Stewart recipe for thumbprint cookies, but since my version doesn’t involve any thumb-sized indentations, it hardly seems appropriate to call them thumbprint cookies. So, based on my addition of a healthy dose of vanilla and sweet marashino cherries, I’m dubbing these little guys Cherry Vanilla Drops.

Cherry Vanilla Drops

Adapted from Aunt Maggie’s Jam Thumbprints via Martha Stewart

Ingredients

  • 3 sticks Butter, softened
  • 1 cup Sugar
  • 1 Egg
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla
  • 3 1/4 cups Flour
  • 4 dozen Marashino Cherries

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add the egg and vanilla. Beat for another minute or two, until well combined. Gradually add the flour, until evenly blended. Roll the dough into balls, about 1″ diameter. Place about two inches apart on a baking sheet. Press a marashino cherry into the center of each ball. Bake for about 18 minutes, until the edges just begin to turn golden. Cool for a minute or two on the baking sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Makes about 4 dozen

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Rainbow Cookies

Posted on December 15, 2010 by amydeline

So many family events and special occasions in my life have ended with a great big tray of Italian cookies. You know, those huge colorful platters of pink butter cookies, green butter cookies, butter cookies with cherries, butter cookies with sprinkles, butter cookies dipped in chocolate and butter cookies with jam. And mixed within all of those buttery sweets would be a handful of the premium cookies; the Florentines, the Pirouettes filled with chocolate, and my favorite of all, the Rainbow Cookies. I just love those sweet, little cakey confections.

I can still feel a bit of that panic I felt every time the cookie platter was placed on the table; waiting for the moment when it was appropriate to begin serving myself; worried that the prized gems of the cookie platter would be scooped up before I got my turn at the platter. As I pretended to be engaged in conversation, I watched that cookie platter with eagle eyes for the signal that dessert was officially served. Then, I’d swoop in and gobble up a few of those delectable Rainbow Cookies before anyone knew they were there. Even now, I still feel a possessive panic in the presence of those cookies.

My grocery store sells little plastic containers of Rainbow cookies for a king’s ransom. Every so often, I pick up a container and selfishly hoard them for myself. I just can’t seem to lose that fear that there won’t be enough for me. I’ve been meaning to try my hand at making these beloved cookies for ages and decided that this would finally be the year. After a few initial set-backs, including an epic battle against some Nut Lace cookies, another snow storm, and a broken glass bowl of melted butter on my kitchen floor, I finally managed to whip up a batch of these tasty goodies. The good news is that, as long as you slow down and don’t try to rush the process, these cookies are quite manageable to make and oh, so delicious!

When I began my search for a Rainbow Cookie recipe, I quickly discovered that nearly every source listed practically identical recipes. Apparently, the recipe is fairly standard. The variations were minor, basically addressing the quantity of butter, the length of time to let the layers chill, and the flavor of jam between the layers. I took the middle ground at each decision point and the cookies worked out perfectly.

Rainbow Cookies

Adapted from Gourmet Magazine’s Rainbow Cookies

Ingredients

  • 4 Eggs, separated
  • 1 8-ounce can Almond Paste
  • 1 cup Sugar
  • 2 1/2 sticks Butter
  • 1 teaspoon Almond Extract
  • 2 cups Flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • Green Food Coloring
  • Red Food Coloring
  • 1 12-ounce jar Seedless Raspberry Jam
  • 12 ounces Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
  • Chocolate Sprinkles (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease three 13×9 inch baking pans with vegetable shortening.* Line each baking pan with parchment paper, slightly extending the paper on two ends.** Grease the paper with vegetable shortening.

Place the four egg whites into a clean bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

Use a fork to break up the almond paste into smaller pieces. Combine the almond paste and sugar in a food processor and grind until no lumps appear.

Transfer the almond mixture to a large bowl. Add the butter and beat until well combined. Add the egg yolks and almond extract and beat until blended. Beat in the flour and salt. The dough will be quite thick.

Stir one third of the beaten egg whites into the dough. This will slightly lighten the mixture. Then, fold in the remaining egg whites until well blended.

Divide the dough into three equal portions. Use the food coloring to color one portion red and another portion green. The remaining portion will remain uncolored.

Use a spatula to spread each portion of dough into the three prepared baking pans.

Bake on the middle rack of your oven for 7-10 minutes, until the cakes are set and the edges just begin to turn golden.

While the cake is still hot, use a knife to loosen the edges. Then, carefully invert the cakes onto cooling racks. Cool completely.

Once cool, carefully move the green layer onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread 1/2 of the jam over the green layer. Place the white layer over the jam, then spread the remaining jam on top. Top with the red layer.

Place a piece of parchment paper over the top of the red layer. Then, weight down the layers with a cutting board or another baking sheet and refrigerate for about 5 hours.

Remove from the fridge and trim the edges to create an even rectangle.

Melt half of the chocolate and spread it over the pink layer. Scatter chocolate sprinkles into the melted chocolate, if desired. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until the chocolate is firm. Then, flip the layers over, melt the remaining chocolate, and spread over the green layer. Refrigerate until the chocolate is firm.

To cut, allow the chocolate to come to room temperature. Then, cut into small rectangles or diamonds.

Makes about 4 dozen

*Baking all three layers at once will save you time. If you don’t have three baking pans, use disposable aluminum pans. This will also make your clean up easier!

**For safety reasons, do not allow too much extra paper to overhang the pans; just enough to help you lift and remove the cakes once they’re cooked.

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Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Posted on December 12, 2010 by amydeline

When I sat down to make my list of cookies to tackle this holiday cookie season, I started with a few of my standard favorites; Oatmeal Chocolate Chip, Sand Tarts, Chocolate Covered Spiders, Macaroons, and Nut Lace Cookies with Chocolate. Then, I started thinking outside of my standards. I knew I’d make the Pfeffernüsse for my dad and I’ve been itching to make Rainbow Cookies for a while. After exploring a few other options, I got the idea in my head to make a Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookie; sort of combining the flavors of a peppermint patty with the texture of a chewy chocolate chip cookie.

I go weak in the knees for chocolate, especially rich, dark chocolate. And these cookies are exactly that; rich and chocolatey, with crisp edges and a chewy center. I started with a basic Hershey’s chocolate cookie recipe and proceeded from there. I went heavy on the cocoa, threw in some semi-sweet chocolate chips, and substituted part of the vanilla for a hefty dose of peppermint extract. The resulting cookie exceeded my expectations. I’ve definitely found a new yearly regular for my cookie collection.

Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Adapted from Hershey’s

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Flour
  • 1/2 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 2 sticks Butter, softened
  • 1 cup White Sugar
  • 3/4 cup Light Brown Sugar
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 2 teaspoons Peppermint Extract
  • 1 (12-ounce) package Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Stir together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a separate bowl, beat together the butter and sugars until creamy. Add the eggs and extracts. Beat for another minute or two, until well blended. Gradually blend in the flour mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips. Roll the dough into small balls (about 1″ diameter) and place about 1 1/2″ apart on a baking sheet. Bake for 9-10 minutes. Cool for a couple minutes on the baking sheet before moving the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies


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Gideon’s Peanut Butter Fudge

Posted on December 11, 2010 by amydeline

When I was younger, my family had an Irish Wolfhound as a pet. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Irish Wolfhound breed, they are, on average, the tallest breed of dog. They are the size of small pony, with the most gentle, protective, and obedient personalities. Our Irish Wolfhound’s name was Gideon, named for the angel, Gideon, in the 1985 movie, One Magic Christmas. Sadly, as with many large dog breeds, their lifespan is not long and we lost him long before anyone was ready. It was an honor to have Gideon in our lives.

My siblings and I remember the day our family first met Gideon. He was a few months old at that point. The breeder, an older woman, had initially planned on keeping him, but quickly realized she didn’t have the stamina for another pony-sized puppy. As my parents and the breeder sat inside to discuss the purchase details, my siblings and I were send outside to play with the ‘puppy’. This ‘puppy’ was already the size of a full grown German Shepherd with all of the energy of an 8-week-old Labrador. He wanted nothing more than to romp around that yard and tackle me and my sisters. We shrieked and screamed and laughed.  And when the negotiations were complete, we took our new puppy home.

But this post isn’t really about Gideon. It’s about Gideon’s fudge. My mom has been making this fudge at Christmastime for as long as I can remember. Each year, she’d make a two-pound batch of the fudge, package it in a tin or plastic container, and place the fudge on a counter, along with the other annual Christmas goodies. Well, Gideon’s head was easily counter-height, a fact we too often forgot. You can imagine what happens next. My family arrived home one day to find Gideon, lying on the living room floor, moaning as his stomach furiously growled. It didn’t take long to find the empty container of peanut butter fudge. Thankfully, a call to the veterinary poison control center assured us that a dog his size would need to consume at least nine pounds of the chocolate-glazed peanut butter fudge to be in any real trouble. His bellyache eventually subsided and we all learned a valuable lesson about safe places to store food.

The origin of this recipe has long been forgotten, but to us, it will always be Gideon’s fudge. I’ve doubled the original recipe, since what are you going to do with an open can of undiluted evaporated milk anyway?? Otherwise, the recipe is the same as the fudge Gideon enjoyed years ago. It’s amazingly simple to put together and makes a great addition to any holiday treat collection. Store in an airtight container in a high place, safe from dogs, who will find the scent irresistible.

One more little note… I haven’t tried it yet, but I suspect this recipe would easily make a nice chocolate fudge by substituting chocolate chips for the peanut butter chips.

Gideon’s Peanut Butter Fudge

Ingredients

  • 3 1/3 cups Sugar
  • 1 1/3 cups Undiluted Evaporated Milk
  • 4 Tablespoons Butter
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 4 cups Mini Marshmallows
  • 3 cups Peanut Butter Chips
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla
  • 2 cups Chocolate Chips

Directions

Lightly butter two 8×8 inch baking dishes or one 13×9 baking dish. Combine sugar, milk, butter, and salt in pan over medium heat. Bring to a full boil. Cook 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low if the mixture bubbles up too vigorously. Remove from heat. Stir in the marshmallows, peanut butter chips, and vanilla until melted. Pour the fudge into the baking dish(es) and cool completely at room temperature. Slowly melt the chocolate chips in the microwave or over a double-boiler. Pour the melted chocolate over the fudge. Refrigerate until firm. Remove the fudge from the baking dish and cut into small squares. Store in an airtight container in a cool place.

Makes 4 pounds


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Santa’s Favorite Cookie – Pfeffernussen

Posted on December 8, 2010 by amydeline

According to my father, Pfeffernüsse are Santa’s favorite cookies. As children, we took this statement to be truth, without question. Even now, though I’m grown, and have long understood that Santa exists more in spirit than in flesh, I still believe that Pfeffernüsse are Santa’s favorite cookie.

Christmas was always a magical time for me. I held on to my belief in Santa for longer than most children and cried tears of true grief when I discovered the truth. And though I felt briefly, but truly, heartbroken the year I found out about Santa, I am thankful to my parents for the magic they added to the holiday. As a parent, I am conscious about instilling an understanding of the true meaning of Christmas in my children. But, as much as I want them to understand the theological significance of the day, I yearn for them to feel the same swell of excitement I felt as a child on Christmas morning.

My first Christmas, post-Santa, was just as special, but for entirely different reasons. As the oldest of my siblings, I became the first to learn of and share in the traditions which made our Christmas so special. I giggled as my dad climbed up to the attic with jingle bells in hand, to stomp around in Santa fashion. I held my breath as I tiptoed upstairs with my mom to help gather the wrapped gifts from Santa. I enjoyed sips of my dad’s Christmas Eve eggnog. And best of all, once my siblings were sound asleep, I was allowed to sneak downstairs to help my parents decorate the tree.

The tradition of decorating the tree on Christmas Eve was my most favorite tradition of all. Weeks before Christmas, my family would select our tree. The tree would then wait outside until Christmas Eve, at which point, my father would set the tree in the stand and string it with lights. That was it. My siblings and I would go to bed, convinced we heard Santa on the rooftop, just as we drifted off with visions of sugar plums dancing in our heads. In the morning, we’d awake to a brilliant, fully-decorated tree, in a living room magically filled with gifts. By all appearances, Santa had come during the night, winked his eyes, and transformed our living room into a Christmas vision. There was nothing like that moment, peering down the stairs to see the tree, fully adorned, for the very first time on Christmas morning.

As much as the memories of that tradition fill me with joy, I’ve been reluctant to begin it with my own family. I just don’t have the self-control necessary to wait until Christmas Eve to put up our tree. My compromise with this issue has been to set up a small undecorated tree on our kitchen table, near our plate of Santa’s cookies, for Santa to decorate each year. And though I suspect that pfeffernüsse was more of my father’s favorite cookie than Santa’s, you can bet there will be some pfeffernüsse on that plate for Santa.

This was my first time making pfeffernüsse, which are a peppery German cookie, so I turned to a reliable source for cookie recipes; Martha Stewart. I made her recipe as written and it was fantastic. No alterations required. The dough comes together easily and the flavors are exactly as I remember. I’m certain that my dad (my childhood Santa) will enjoy tasting these delicious cookies.

Santa’s Favorite Pfeffernüsse

Slightly adapted from Martha Stewart’s Pfeffernussen

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups Flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon Allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon Ground Cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1 stick Butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup Light Brown Sugar
  • 1/4 cup Molasses
  • 1 Egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1 cup Confectioner’s Sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine the flour, cinnamon, allspice, pepper, cloves, nutmeg, and baking soda in a bowl. Set aside. In another bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, and molasses until creamy. Add the egg and vanilla. Beat for another minute or two until well-blended. Gradually blend in the flour mixture until a smooth dough forms. Pinch off pieces of the dough and roll balls, about 1″ in diameter. Place the balls on the lined baking sheet, about an inch or so apart. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the cookies are golden and slightly cracked. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Place the confectioner’s sugar in a container. In small batches, gently toss the cooled cookies in the sugar. Allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Makes 2-3 Dozen

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Crab Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers

Posted on December 5, 2010 by amydeline

During my college years, I bartended, waitressed, and cooked (often simultaneously) at a local bar and grill. The menu included standard bar fare; burgers, grilled chicken sandwiches, french fries, chicken wings… You get the idea. Among the appetizer choices were Jalapeño Poppers; like the kind you can find in the frozen food section of your grocery store. We served the cream cheese variety; my personal favorite. During my time there, I became a little addicted to those spicy little poppers. An order for six would come in, but I’d throw seven in the fryer. Quality control is important, you know. Between those cheesy jalapeño poppers and french fries dipped in wing sauce, I’m lucky I didn’t have to roll myself down the aisle at graduation.

Until last year, those spicy frozen snacks were my only experience with jalapeño poppers. I tried the cheddar cheese variety, but always returned to my favorite cream cheese poppers. And then, during last year’s winter escape to sunny Florida, I landed upon crab-stuffed jalapeño poppers on the menu at a beachside restaurant near our temporary home. These were not the frozen and fried variety I was familiar with. These were fresh jalapeño peppers, stuffed with crab meat, cream cheese, and seasonings; then breaded and baked. The difference in freshness and flavor was astounding.

I’ve been meaning to create my own version of those delicious, crab-stuffed jalapeño poppers ever since that Florida trip. This past weekend, I finally had the perfect opportunity. The result was a fresh, spicy, and satisfying addition to our hors d’oeuvres selection. Definitely keep these spicy little poppers in mind when you’re planning your holiday festivities. They take a little time to prepare, but the resulting fresh, spicy flavor is well worth it. They’re also a proven clear-your-sinuses remedy for the common cold.

Here’s a little tip… One of the reasons I’ve held off on making these crab-stuffed poppers is that my grocery store only carries lump crab meat in 1 pound containers, for a hefty fee. Occasionally they’ll offer an 8-ounce container, but for no great bargain. The popper recipe does not require a large quantity of crab, which potentially leaves you with a considerable quantity of pricey leftover crab meat. One option would be to whip up some Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes, which make another great appetizer in miniature form. An even easier alternative, as I discovered this weekend, is to simply double the filling in this recipe and turn the leftovers into a really spectacular warm crab dip. Simply spread your leftover filling into a baking dish and bake until bubbly. Serve with chunks of baguette or crackers.

Crab-Stuffed Jalapeño Poppers

Ingredients

  • 18-20 Jalapeño Peppers
  • 1 (8-ounce) bar Cream Cheese, softened
  • 3/4 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
  • 3/4 teaspoon Cajun/Creole Seasoning
  • 1/2 cup Jumbo Lump Crab Meat
  • 1/2 cup Flour
  • 4 Eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 cups Panko Bread Crumbs
  • 1 teaspoon Salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse jalapeño peppers, cut off the stem, and cut in half lengthwise. Use the edge of a teaspoon to remove the ribs and seeds from the peppers. In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, cheddar, crab, and seasoning until well blended. Fill each pepper half with a small mound of the mixture.

To bread the peppers: Arrange a plate with flour, a bowl of the beaten eggs, and a plate of bread crumbs. Stir the salt into the bread crumbs. Roll each pepper in the flour, then dip in the egg, then roll in the bread crumbs. Place the breaded, stuffed peppers onto a baking sheet.*

Bake for about 35-40 minutes until the outside is golden brown and the filling appears bubbly.

*If desired, you can prepare the poppers to this point ahead of time, refrigerate, and bake later in the day. To keep the crab fresh, don’t prepare the poppers more than a few hours ahead of time.

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(Uncle) Jackaroni and Cheese

Posted on December 3, 2010 by amydeline

When it comes to food, my Uncle Jack has, what you may call, refined tastes. Though he enjoys reading this blog, he’d be the first to admit that most of my dishes are not his cup of tea. Where I like my grilled cheese sandwiches with brie on ciabatta, he’s more of an American cheese on white bread kind of guy. Where I’d chose a lamb burger with tzatziki sauce, he’d order the hot dog with ketchup. Where I drool over steak smothered in bordelaise sauce with caramelized onions, he’d pick a meatloaf and mashed potatoes any day!

So, after seeing my Uncle Jack this past weekend, I decided to make a basic macaroni and cheese in his honor; a Jackaroni and Cheese, if you will. It would need to be simple, uncomplicated, and free of fancy embellishments; just a basic, delicious mac and cheese. This left me to carefully ponder my cheese selection; perhaps classic American cheese or even melty Velveeta. And then, as I was walking towards the cheese section of my grocery store, I encountered a display which settled the matter; a display for a Wisconsin cheddar cheese called Jack’s Favorite. Seriously?? Could the answer have been any more clear?? A classic Wisconsin cheddar it would be!

Once I’d settled on a cheddar cheese sauce, the rest of the dish quickly fell into place. I’d add a little chopped ham for a classic Ham and Cheese Sandwich kind of feel. A bit of cream cheese adds a nice smooth texture to any mac and cheese. Finally, I’d top the ‘ronis with good ole American cheese and a bit of bread crumbs for crunch. I used Panko bread crumbs, since it’s what I had on hand. But, something tells me that my Uncle Jack might like it with crumbled corn flakes too!

This recipe is another simple little twist on my other macaroni and cheese recipes. (Check out my Spicy Bacon Mac and Cheese or my Italian Mac and Cheese.) The recipe starts with 2 cups of milk, thickened with a roux made up 3 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons flour. Then, we simply mix in our desired cheeses and seasonings and combine with our pasta of choice. Easy as that.

The main differences in this recipe are due to the baking step. It’s been my experience that when you add hot macaroni to hot sauce, the macaroni will drink up the sauce during the baking time, leaving you with a tasty, but sauceless, mac and cheese. I like a creamy macaroni and cheese. Allowing the pasta and sauce to cool slightly, before combining and baking, seems to be the key to maintaining a creamy sauce.

Jackaroni and Cheese

Baked Ham and Cheese ‘Ronis

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Pasta, cooked according to package directions
  • 3 Tablespoons Butter
  • 3 Tablespoons Flour
  • 2 cups Milk (skim would be fine)
  • 1/2 bar (4 ounces) Cream Cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups Cheddar Cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 cup Ham, chopped
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 6 slices American Cheese
  • 1/2 cup Bread Crumbs or Crumbled Corn Flakes

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Strain, rinse with cool water and set aside to cool. In a saucepan, combine butter and flour over medium heat. Cook for a couple minutes, until it forms a thin paste-like consistency. Add the milk and whisk to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for a few minutes until the milk thickens. Turn the heat down to low and add the cheese. Stir until the cheese has melted into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the ham. Allow the sauce to cool slightly, whisking occasionally to prevent a skin from forming. Pour the pasta into the sauce and toss to combine. Pour the mixture into a 13×9 inch baking dish. Top with the slices of American cheese. Sprinkle the bread crumbs on top. Bake for 25-30 minutes until heated through and the top is golden brown.

Serves 6-8


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Braised Short Ribs with Creamy Parmesan and Sun-Dried Tomato Polenta

Posted on December 2, 2010 by amydeline

Last weekend, I received a recipe request from my uncle. We were seated around a table at the Venus Restaurant, a little diner where my grandmother has breakfast each and every morning. Each day, my grandmother is joined by at least one, and sometimes many, of my aunts, uncles, and cousins. Whenever my family travels to Long Island, we’ve made it a routine to join the group at breakfast before we hit the road for home. I get the corned beef hash and eggs every time; eggs cooked over-hard, rye toast, and fries.

Well, this past weekend, as I was eating my corned beef  hash and eggs, my family was discussing some of their favorite recipes from this very blog. It thrills me to know that the people I love are enjoying my little work of culinary joy. We talked of gravies, soups, and macaroni and cheese. And then my Uncle Gene asked if I take requests. I absolutely take requests!! In fact, I love requests. His request was clear and precise; braised short ribs with polenta. My mouth watered at the thought. It didn’t take me more than a minute to formulate a plan.

Braising is a wonderfully simple technique which produces extraordinary results. During braising, meat is typically seared over high heat and then cooked slowly in a bit of liquid at a lower temperature. The slow cooking process breaks down the connective tissues of tougher cuts of meat, resulting in a very tender and flavorful result. As the meat cooks, the braising liquid reduces and thickens into a ready made sauce for your completed dish. Combine whatever liquids and seasonings strike your fancy. For the braising liquid in this dish, I chose to use a simple combination of beef stock and red wine, combined with accents of tomato paste, garlic, and onion. Perfection in simplicity.

My uncle requested polenta to accompany the braised short ribs. Polenta is, quite simply, boiled cornmeal. A basic polenta is made from yellow cornmeal, simmered in boiling water or stock until it’s smooth and thickened. To add a bit of rich creaminess to our polenta, I incorporated butter and cream at the end. The addition of parmesan cheese and sun-dried tomatoes makes this polenta the perfect partner to our tomato accented short rib sauce.

Braised Beef Short Ribs

Ingredients

  • 6 Beef Short Ribs
  • 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 3 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1/2 Onion, finely diced
  • 2 cups Beef Stock
  • 1 cup Red Wine
  • 1/4 cup Tomato Paste
  • Salt and Pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe pan over medium/medium-high heat. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Add the short ribs to the pan and cook for a minute or two on each side until nicely browned. Remove the short ribs from the pan and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and garlic. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the onion is soft and golden. Add the red wine, beef stock and tomato paste. Whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer and allow the mixture cook for about 3-5 minutes. Place the short ribs in the liquid. (They will not be fully submerged.) Cover the pan and place it in the oven. Cook for about 2 hours.

After two hours, remove the pan from the oven. The meat will have pulled away from the bones. Remove the short ribs from the liquid and set aside. Discard any bones which have fallen away from the meat. Strain the sauce. Allow the sauce to sit for a couple minutes so that the excess fat will rise to the surface. Skim the excess fat off of the sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper. If you desire a thicker sauce, pour the sauce into an uncovered saucepan and simmer until the sauce has reduced to your desired consistency.

Serves 2-3


Creamy Parmesan and Sun-Dried Tomato Polenta

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Water, divided
  • 1/2 cup Coarse-Ground Yellow Corn Meal
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 2 Tbsp Butter
  • 1/3 cup Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese, grated
  • 1/4 cup Light Cream
  • 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, diced
  • Salt and Pepper

Directions

Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the remaining water, corn meal, and salt. Once the water is simmering, slowly stir in the cornmeal mixture until smooth. Continue stirring and cooking over low heat for a couple minutes until the mixture thickens. Cover and allow to cook over low heat for 5 more minutes. Stir in the butter, cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and cream. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Serves 2-4

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Home and Macaroni Beef Supper

Posted on November 29, 2010 by amydeline

I spent the week of Thanksgiving in my childhood home. It’s been a very long time since I spent that much time at home. My family and I slept in my childhood room, which no longer resembles my childhood room. Twenty or so years ago, I never would have imagined that someday I’d be a guest in that room, along with a husband, a dog, and two little kids, with another on the way. It seems like yesterday that I was sitting on my bright pink carpet playing with Barbies and negotiating self-serving Barbie clothes trades with my sisters. It’s funny how quickly time passes and life changes.

I am fortunate to have grown up in a beautiful, wooded area, steps away from a New York State Park and the Long Island Sound. As a child, my siblings and I spent endless hours biking through the park, walking along the boardwalk, collecting rocks and shells on the beach, and precariously frolicking on the jetty. As a teen, the park provided a quiet refuge, when I needed a break from life. A hour or so on the swings or a peaceful walk on the beach would set me right as rain. I loved growing up by that park and the beach.

Fortunately, a wave of unseasonably warm weather swept through Long Island earlier in the week, creating the perfect opportunity to spend a little time in the park with the boys. We played in the playground, watched ducks swim between the reeds, and gazed at the peaceful Long Island Sound. Our afternoon at the park gave me one more thing to add to my long list of things I’m thankful for.

During our week at home, we ate like we ate when I was a child. My family rarely ate food which could be called fancy or gourmet, by any stretch of the imagination. But it was always fresh, delicious, and comforting; spaghetti and meatballs, grilled steaks with baked potatoes, baked pasta dishes, and roasted meats.

During one of our nights at home, my dad made one of his favorite weeknight meals. It’s not a recipe which I remember from my childhood, but rather a newer recipe he’s discovered since I’ve been gone. Ironically, this new recipe comes from a 1972 edition of the Better Homes and Gardens ground meat cookbook. It’s hard to beat the classics!

I’ve never had Hamburger Helper, but I’d imagine that this dish is similar, except it’s completely homemade, without all of the preservatives and excess sodium in the boxed stuff. And though I’ve never made Hamburger Helper, I can’t imagine that it would be any simpler to make than this dish is. So, when you’re looking to make a quick meal out of that ground beef you’ve got in the freezer, make this instead. It’s called Macaroni Beef Supper. You’ve got to love a dish that calls itself a supper. I know I sure do!

Macaroni Beef Supper

Adapted from the Better Homes and Garden recipe for Macaroni Beef Supper

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds Ground Beef
  • 1 Onion, finely chopped (Click here for my photo guide on How to Chop an Onion)
  • 1 clove Garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup Water
  • 2 8-ounce cans Tomato Sauce
  • 1 6-ounce can Sliced Mushrooms, drained (or substitute 2 cups Fresh Mushrooms, sliced)
  • 1 pound Pasta, cooked and drained*
  • 1 Tablespoon Vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Worchestershire Sauce
  • 1 1/4 cups American Cheese, chopped

*Slightly undercook the pasta, since it will have time to finish cooking with the other ingredients.

Directions

Cook the beef for a few minutes in a skillet over medium heat, using a spoon to break up the pieces. Add the onion and garlic. Continue cooking until the beef is fully cooked and the onion is tender.

Stir in the remaining ingredients, except the cheese.

Cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese, until melted.

Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and serve.

7 Comments

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