There is nothing like a classic baked macaroni and cheese, except maybe a jazzed up version. This recipe came to be out of the need to use up leftover: smoked gruyere, turkey, peas and an excess of shredded cheddar to be exact. This is definitely an example of how to take leftovers from boring to exciting in no time!

• 8 oz. small to medium pasta
• 4 Tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 2 3/4 cup milk 
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp dried mustard powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 8 oz. shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
• 4 oz. shredded smoked gruyere cheese
• ~1 1/2 cup cubed cooked turkey
• ~handful of frozen peas
• ~8 Ritz crackers crumbled

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 9x13 baking dish and set aside.

Bring water to a boil in a large pot, add salt and pasta. Cook pasta partially through, removing from boiling water 2 minutes before instructions tell you to (you want the pasta undercooked since it will cook more in the oven). Drain and set aside.

In a large saute pan over medium heat, melt butter. Add flour, stir and allow to cook 3-5 minutes until it becomes golden brown. The mixture will bubble and foam, stir to be sure it doesn't burn.

Slowly add milk, stirring constantly until thickened. Add Worcestershire, mustard and pepper, combine well. Add cheddar and American cheeses and stir until melted and smooth. Add cooked pasta, turkey and peas to cheese sauce and combine well.

Pour pasta into greased baking dish. Sprinkle top with cracker crumbs. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until top is golden brown. Serves 6.

Source: Adapted from my Baked Macaroni and Cheese recipe

Well, that's partially right. However, much to my surprise, meatballs are great in this sauce as well! I'm so glad that I talked to my friend The Home Cook and my sister, both of whose recommendation convinced me to give Swedish Meatballs a try. If you've never made them, I hope you will try them too!

Here is what you'll need:

For the Meatballs:

• 1 lb ground sirloin
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• 1 small onion, finely grated
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and pepper
• 2 Tbsp olive oil

For the Sauce:

• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter 
• 2 Tbsp all purpose flour 
• 1/2 cup dry sherry
• 1 1/2  cup beef broth
• Salt and pepper 
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard 
• 1/2 cup non-fat Greek yogurt

• 1/2 lb egg noodles, cooked
• handful of chopped chives

Combine meatball ingredients, with the exception of the olive oil, in a bowl until just mixed. Roll into mini meatballs, a bit smaller than golf balls.

Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat, add olive oil. Fry meatballs until they are browned on each side, about 8-10 minutes. You may need to do this in batches in order to avoid overcrowding the pan. Once meatballs are browned on all sides, remove from pan and set aside.

In the same pan, add the butter and melt. Add flour to melted butter and whisk together into a paste. Add sherry and whisk until smooth. Add beef broth slowly while whisking to make a sauce that coats the back of a spoon. Add salt and pepper and mix well. Turn heat to low and add mustard and yogurt. Stir to combine.

Add meatballs back to the pan and stir so meatballs are coated with sauce and are warmed through. Serve over egg noodles and garnish with chives. Serves 4.

Source: Slightly adapted from Rachael Ray's 30-Minute Meals as seen on A Taste of Home Cooking

In my last post I declared I was back in a rhythm. I unintentionally lied to you! You see, as of September 1, I began a new chapter in my life and there is no rhythm at all this point. I've been off the last few weeks after resigning from our company in order to make a major career change. Exactly what I want to be when I grow up is still unclear at this point, however, I know it will involve working with children in some way. In the meantime, I'll be gaining experience working with children by substitute teaching starting today. I'm really excited about what the future holds!

You know what else makes me excited? Pasta. I could eat it several nights a week if JR was on board with me. However, he is a rice guy (nothing wrong with that!), so while pasta makes its appearance, it's only once a week if that.

When we are invited to gatherings, especially last minute ones, I use that as an opportunity to sneak in a pasta dish. This Italian Pasta Salad has made it's appearance at many family gatherings, which included a recent picnic. One of the things I like most about this dish is that I often have all the ingredients on hand and I can mix up what I use for vegetables, cheeses, meats and dressings that you This salad is so forgiving, and while I never have a duplicate final product it's always delicious. If you have time, make this the night before so the pasta has time to soak in the dressing.

Here is what you'll need if you're feeding a crowd (otherwise, cut back ingredients for a smaller portion):

• 2 pounds medium shaped pasta (i.e. shells, rotini, wagon wheels, bowties, etc.)
• 4-6 oz. pepperoni, diced (or diced ham, salami or other meat)
• 4-6 oz. cheddar cheese, diced (or any cheese of your choice)
• handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cucumber, diced
• 1 can of small black olives
• 6 oz. jar marinated mushrooms, halved (or artichokes)
• 6 oz. jar roasted peppers, chopped (or fresh peppers)
• 16 oz. bottle balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing (or other dressing of your choice)

Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain and cool.

Once pasta is cooled, mix all ingredients together. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Before serving, stir. Serves 12+.

Not quite ready, still simmering and reducing

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• pinch of crushed red pepper
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 portobello mushroom, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• sea salt and fresh black pepper to taste
• 1 lb ground sirloin beef  
• 1/2 cup (maybe a bit more) dry white or red wine (I used white)
• 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes 
• 1 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped

Source: Slightly adapted from I Was Born to Cook

Before I discovered Stovetop Mac and Cheese, this Baked Macaroni and Cheese was my go-to recipe. They both have a place in our menu rotation, but this will always have first place in my heart (or is it stomach?). Overtime I've experimented with several cheese blends, and surprisingly extra sharp cheddar paired with American cheese is by far our favorite.

I've been meaning to post this recipe for a while now, but until now I haven't been able to get a decent photo. Thank you time change for giving me better light for dinner photos! Coincidentally, this year's time change brought with it a drastic change in weather, which indicates this may be the last baked mac and cheese of the season. If you want to fulfill your mac and cheese craving before spring and summer are here to stay, go ahead and make this soon.

Here is what you'll need:

• 8 oz. short pasta (I prefer cellentani, but I only had medium shells on hand)
• 5 Tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 2 3/4 cup 1% milk 
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp dried mustard powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 6 oz. shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
• 4 oz. shredded American cheese
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 9x13 baking dish and set aside.

Bring water to a boil in a large pot, add salt and pasta. Cook pasta partially through, removing from boiling water 2 minutes before instructions tell you to (you want the pasta undercooked since it will cook more in the oven). Drain and set aside.

In a large saute pan over medium heat, melt butter. Add flour, stir and allow to cook 3-5 minutes until it becomes golder brown. The mixture will bubble and foam, stir to be sure it doesn't burn.

Slowly add milk, stirring constantly until thickened. Add Worcestershire, mustard and pepper, combine well. Add cheddar and American cheeses and stir until melted and smooth. Add cooked pasta to cheese sauce and combine well.

Pour pasta into greased baking dish. Sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until top is golden brown. Serves 6-8.

Source: Adapted from Rosemary Brown's Big Kitchen Instruction Book

I participated in another round of recipe swap. This latest theme was Pasta and the recipe I received was for a "kicked-up" carbonara from A Taste of Home Cooking. I suppose it's time to confess that I've never eaten carbonara before, so I was excited for this opportunity. When I saw the ingredient list I was pretty confident we would enjoy this dish, and I went ahead and made it as-is with no substitutions.

While we liked this dish, and JR even ate leftovers (yay!), I will warn you that it is heavy (like dragging your overstuffed-after-vacation luggage up the stairs heavy). I was a bit surprised that the bleu cheese flavor did not come through as much as I imagined, so don't be afraid to use the full amount. The only regret I had was that I made the mistake of making the full recipe, so we have had our fill of creamy pasta for a bit and probably gained a few pounds this week eating the leftovers.

Thank you to The Home Cook for another successful swap and a great recipe! Be sure to check out The Taste of Home Cooking for an upcoming Recipe Swap Round-up of Pasta. 

Here is what you'll need:

• 1 lb pasta (I used fettucine)
• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut
• 8 slices bacon, cut into1-inch pieces
• 1/2 large onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2-8 oz cans quartered artichokes hearts (in brine), drained and rinsed
• 1 cup crumbled bleu cheese
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil (I used 3 frozen cubes)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add bacon and cook until the bacon just becomes brown and begins to crisp. Add onion for 8-10 minutes, cook stirring occasionally, until onion begins to become translucent and browned. Add garlic and artichokes and continue to cook for about 3-5 minutes until garlic becomes fragrant.

Add pasta to pot of boiling water and according to package directions or until al dente. About 3 minutes before pasta is done, add asparagus to pot to cook. Drain and set aside.

Add bleu cheese, heavy cream and pepper to Dutch oven, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until sauce thickens about 5 minutes.

Add pasta and asparagus to the artichoke cream sauce. Toss to coat pasta.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat eggs, half and half, Parmesan cheese and basil together. Pour mixture over pasta and toss to combine. Serves 6.

Source: Modified from Gourmet Day to Day, as seen on A Taste of Home Cooking

I'll be honest here and tell you that my go-to soup for years came from a can. That's not the case anymore. If only I had realized that I could have a more flavorful homemade version within 30 minutes I may have cut back eating the canned stuff years ago. If this soup is on my weekly menu, I'll chop the vegetables on the weekend or in the morning before work. This helps keep the prep time to a minimum.

I've played around with the broth ratios and 1/2 stock with 1/2 bullion is my preference, but you could certainly use a ratio of more stock or more bullion based on your preference. I've also tried adding the vegetables to the broth raw vs. sauteing, and sauteing wins hands down. It gives the soup an incredible amount of flavor. I should mention that I like a chunkier soup with less broth, so if you want it soupier just increase the total amount of broth by a few cups.

Why should you believe this soup is a winner? Well, my non-vegetable eating brother-in-law eats it, the whole thing, including the vegetables (although I do omit the celery if I'm making it for this picky-eating family). So if you have a picky eater, maybe you should give this a try.

Here is what you'll need:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 small onions, peeled and chopped
• 4 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 large outer celery stalks, chopped
• 2 small inner celery stalks with leaves, chopped
• 1 dried bay leaf
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lb chicken breast, chopped
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 3 cups homemade chicken stock
• 3 chicken bullion cubes
• 3 cups water
• 4 oz egg noodles (or 4-8 oz pasta of your choice, including tortellini)

In a medium size pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, celery and bay.  Salt and pepper to taste and saute until vegetables start to brown and onions become translucent. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink.

Add potatoes, stock, bullion, and water. Bring to a gentle boil for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are cooked through.

Meanwhile, in another medium pot, boil egg noodles in salted water for 8 minutes or longer to your preferred texture.

Add noodles to soup or serve soup over noodles if you want to keep the noodles separate for leftovers. Serves 4.

Source: An Adventures in My Kitchen Original

As much as I like to cook homemade, I have no problem using boxed items from time to time.  Suddenly Salad Ranch & Bacon is one of those boxed items that I tend to go to for cookouts, because it goes over well with my family, particularly those who are less adventurous and/or don't like vegetables.  I am one of those people who likes to prepare enough side dishes so that there is at least one for each guest to eat (but sometimes I secretly want to just make what I like!).

When preparing for a recent cookout, I decided to try my hand at a knock-off.  After all, I almost always have these ingredients on hand, so why would I go out and buy the box?  While I'm sure I'm not the first to have made this, my only reference point was my memory of the prepared box mix.

The resulting salad was way more flavorful than any box can produce!  For starters, we're talking REAL bacon here.  Not only that, I had a bit better idea of what is in this, aside from the ranch mix, and I cut back some calories and fat by using milk, buttermilk and mayonnaise with olive oil.  Next time, I want to make a homemade ranch dressing, which I'm sure will bring this salad to a whole new level.

By the way, how can someone not like vegetables?  I will never understand.

Here is what you'll need:

• 1 lb bowtie or other shaped pasta
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 lbs bacon, cooked crisp and divided
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise with olive oil
• 1 packet powdered ranch salad dressing mix
• black pepper to taste

Bring salted water to a boil.  Add pasta and continue boiling 10 minutes.  Add frozen peas to water and continue boiling 2 minutes, or until cooked to al dente.  Strain pasta and peas, run under cool water to stop the cooking process and allow to drain well.

In a large fry pan over medium-high heat, cook bacon until crisp.  You may need to do this in several batched depending on the size of your pan.  Remove crisp cooked bacon from pan and drain on a plate lined with paper towel.  Allow to cool completely.  Crumble into bite size pieces.

In a large mixing bowl, add milk, buttermilk, mayonnaise with olive oil, ranch salad dressing mix and black pepper.  Whisk until well combined.

Add pasta and peas to dressing.  Gently toss until the pasta is well coated.  Add 1/2-3/4 of the cooked bacon and gently toss to combine.  Top with remaining bacon.  Serves 8-10 as a side.

It just so happened we had a late work night the day I planned to make this pasta salad I had seen in Cooking Light's June 2011 magazine for dinner.  Needless to say, I was starving by the time I left work and that usually means I'd order take-out to pick up on my way home.  While take-out was tempting, I knew this recipe was planned for dinner and I thought I could make it quicker than I could gnaw my arm off.

• 8 ounces uncooked medium shell pasta (I use whole grain)
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1 lb small-medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used the small, sweet, pink Maine shrimp)
• 1 cup thinly sliced radishes
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise with olive oil
• 1/4 cup low fat buttermilk
• 3 Tbsp minced fresh chives
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp grated lemon rind
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp ground red pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

I don't know if this happens to you, but when I return from vacation it takes me a day or two to get back into the kitchen.  Then when I do, I want to start with something easy which usually involves pasta.  We recently returned from a vacation that was everything but relaxing, so it was no surprise that it took me a few days to get back in the kitchen. 

I'm not sure why or how I got chicken piccata stuck in my head since I had never eaten it before.  In my search I struggled to decide between Ina's recipe and Giada's recipe, but i ended up following Giada's after reading that Ina's wasn't traditional.  Bonus, it fit my returning from vacation criteria, easy and pasta!

This was a great meal to get me back in the kitchen.  It's so simple to pull together, with bold fresh flavors.  I paired it with fresh angel hair pasta and we skipped a vegetable side tonight!  I think this would also go well with rice.

Here is what you'll need:

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, butterflied and then cut in half
• kosher salt
• ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup capers
• 1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Season the flour with salt and pepper. 

Melt 2 Tbsp butter and 2 Tbsp olive oil in a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. 

Coat both sides of chicken breasts with flour mixture, shake off excess and place in frying pan.  Be sure not to overcrowd the frying pan.  Cook on first side ~3-4 minutes until browned.  Flip chicken onto second side and cook ~3-4 minutes until browned.  Once browned on both sides, remove from pan.  You may need to do this step several batches based on the size of your pan.

Reduce heat to medium.  Add 2 Tbsp olive oil, lemon juice, chicken stock, capers and parsley to the pan.  Combine and heat through 2 minutes.  Add 2 Tbsp butter to the pan, melt and whisk until well blended.  

Reduce heat to medium-low.  Add chicken back to the pan, cover and simmer 5 minutes.  Serves 4.

I know I said healthy recipes until vacation, but I did cook a few indulgences as well.  My theory is all things in moderation.  When I made the BBQ Meatloaf, I'm sure you saw Alton Brown's Stovetop Mac and Cheese that I served as a side. 

• 1/2 pound elbow macaroni
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 eggs
• 6 ounces evaporated milk
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Fresh black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 10 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded

I just love spring and summer salads.  Today I made 3 of them; fruit salad, potato salad and this Balsamic Strawberry Couscous Salad which I found on Prevention RD blog.  I could have happily eaten spinach, strawberry and goat cheese salad for lunches again this week, however, I decided to switch it up which helps keep me from getting bored.

I made a couple changes to the recipe.  I used black beans, since I had 1/2 a can leftover, and an herbed goat cheese, since I had no fresh herbs on hand.  And since I'm on a spinach kick, that made a perfect bed for this salad.  This is absolutely delicious, and will keep me fueled this week.

My changes are included here:

• 1 1/3 water
• 1/2 tsp olive oil
• salt to taste
• 1 cup dry couscous, prepared according to directions

• 2 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 oz herbed goat cheese, crumbled
• Baby spinach leaves
• Scallions for garnish

Bring water, olive oil and salt to a bowl in a small saucepan.  Add couscous, turn off heat, cover and allow to cook 5 minutes.  Fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.

Place strawberries in a large mixing bowl, sprinkle with sugar and balsamic vinegar.  Set aside a few minutes, until couscous is cool.

Add couscous, beans and goat cheese to strawberries, carefully mixing to combine.

Serve over spinach, which a few snips of scallions for garnish.  Serves 4.

During my middle years of college I lived with my grandparents.  From time to time I liked to cook a weekend meal to give my Gram a break in the kitchen and to show them my appreciation for all they were doing for me.  Back then I was following Weight Watchers and subscribed to their Smart Choice Recipe Collection which delivered a packet of recipes on a monthly basis.  When this recipe came I knew I needed to try it, since my Gramp loves all things labeled Italian food.

 

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 8 pieces of bone-in chicken (I think thighs are best, but I've also used legs and breasts) 
• 8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
• 1 red pepper, sliced
• 1 green pepper, sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• salt and pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 28 oz. plum tomatoes, with juice
• 4 oz. tomato paste
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

In a dutch oven on high heat, add 1 tsp olive oil and chicken parts.  Cook chicken until well browned on all sides.  Remove from pot and set aside.

Turn heat to medium-high and 1 tsp olive oil to dutch oven.  Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned.  Add peppers and onions, salt and pepper to taste, and cook, stirring occasionally until they begin to soften.  Add garlic, and continue cooking, stirring until fragrant.

Add tomatoes, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes to pot.  Stir well.  Using thongs, squeeze tomatoes to jump start their breakdown process.

Remove skin from chicken pieces (and immediately throw that crispy stuff away before you're tempted to eat it!).  Nestle chicken into sauce and vegetables.

Cover, turn heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes.  Serves 6-8.

I serve this over pasta, but you could also serve on it's own, over any type of grain.

Warning, this post contains parsley!  That may not be alarming to you, but it is a big deal for me.  I really thought I didn't like parsley, so much so that I contemplating making this with cilantro, however, I decided I needed to give parsley another try.  I'm glad I did, because it's not that bad afterall.
 
Are you wondering why this is labeled "knock-off"?  Basically because I didn't follow a recipe, and I'm pretty sure this isn't authentic in any way.  I wanted something similar to a dish I had for lunch at a Moroccan restaurant a few weeks back, and based on what I recall of the dish I came up with this.

I served this with whole wheat pita, raw cucumbers, baby carrots, grape tomatoes and hummus.  When you stuff all of these components in the pita you have yourself a delicious sandwich!

Here's what you'll need:

• 2 cups cooked couscous
• 1/2 cup diced English cucumber
• 1/2 cup quartered grape tomatoes
• ~1 Tbsp chopped mint leaves
• ~ 1/2 cup chopped Parsley
• 2 tsp olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 garlic clove minced

Combine all ingredients together in a bowl.  Let sit in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.  Serves 2 for lunch, 4 as a side.

I found it!  I misplaced this recipe and was so bummed out.  But wouldn't you know that I find things when I clean my office. 

I originally found this recipe in Woman's Day back in April 2001.  Oh the days gone by!  I was living with my sister in my condo and barely making it week to week and month to month.  Hence the reason this came out of the Budget Cook section of that month's magazine.  Even today, though my circumstances are much better, I still try to keep the majority of our weeknight meals with a budget in mind.  Plus, this is really easy to put together and is finished within 30 minutes so it really is a perfect weeknight meal all around.

The ingredients may seem like a strange combination, at least it did to me at first, but it works.  Trust me.  It even works if you add WAY too much cinnamon, but I wouldn't know anything about that... And if you're looking for a way to add more vegetables to your diet, or if you think you don't like eggplant, this recipe is perfect!  The eggplant picks up the flavor of the sauce while keeping a nice texture.  This could also easily made vegetarian by omitting the meat and doubling the eggplant.

I served this over whole wheat thin spaghetti, but I would suggest something bulkier like a rigatoni.

Here is the recipe including my adaptations:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 12 oz. lean ground beef
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper
• 1 medium eggplant, cut into 3/4 chunks
• 16 oz. tomato sauce 
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1 Tbsp freshly grated lemon peel
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add beef, onion and garlic, and cook, breaking up clumps of meat with a wooden spoon, for 2 to 3 minutes until the meat is no longer pink.

Stir in remaining ingredients and 2/3 cup water.  Bring to a simmer, reduce heat, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes or until eggplant is very tender.  Serves 4.

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 lb beef, top round, cubed 
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, sliced 
• 1 medium onion, sliced (I forgot to add this, but I normally do and recommend you do)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups beef stock, unsalted
• 1/3 cup sherry
• 8 oz. light sour cream
• Salt and pepper to taste