Three Cheese Macaroni & Cheese

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threecheesemacaroniandcheese

Is there anything more comforting than a tray of homemade macaroni & cheese? I can’t believe that up to a few years ago, I was still cracking open one of those blue boxes for my mac & cheese fix. But once I learned how easy it was to make at home, I haven’t looked back.

A quick sauce is made up of butter, flour, and milk. Then once it’s thickened, I’ll add close to a metric ton of shredded cheese. I like to shred my own – the stuff that’s pre-shredded from the store has anti-clumping agents, which doesn’t lead to the same melty, gooey consistency that the blocked cheese will give you.

I used yellow sharp cheddar (for a nice bite), Gruyere (for a mellow sweetness), and Parmesan (for a salty kick). They all blend together so beautifully in the sauce to create a symphony of cheesiness. But, feel free to experiment with whatever you like! This sauce is just a blank canvas for whatever cheesy goodness you can dream up. Enjoy!

Three Cheese Macaroni & Cheese

2 cups short tubular pasta (elbow macaroni, gemelli, penne)
4 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp kosher salt
8 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
6 oz Gruyere (or Swiss) cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 7 minutes. Drain, place back in pot, and set aside.

Place shredded cheeses in a small bowl, tossing to combine well. Remove 1 cup of the cheese mixture and set aside for topping the casserole before baking.

In a medium size saucepan, melt 4 Tbsp butter over medium-high heat. Add the flour and whisk to make a roux, cook for 2 minutes. Slowly add the milk, continually whisking until thickened. Once thickened add the salt and mustard powder, as well as the cheeses. Stir to combine until cheese is melted.

Pour into a 13×9, or another baking dish that’s around 2 quarts. Sprinkle with reserved shredded cheese.

Cover dish with foil and place in oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes until cheese on top is melted and starting to brown.

Remove from oven and let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Old-Fashioned Potato Salad

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Old-Fashioned Potato Salad

Can you guys believe it’s already Memorial Day weekend? I am so thankful that summer is here! We spend a majority of our free time on the boat or at the beach in the summer months – a perk of be being sandwiched between the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean. We also love to cook and enjoy meals outside when it’s warm, a tradition that the boys have loved. They’re always so excited to hear we’re going to have a “picnic dinner” in the backyard.

One dish that I find myself making again and again over the summer is this classic potato salad. It’s old school, but it’s the perfect balance of textures and flavors. Starchy potatoes, hard boiled egg, celery, and crunchy onions tossed in a dressing made of mayo, Dijon, and celery seed. Then, for my signature twist I like to add a bit of Old Bay on the top. Honestly, that’s actually my mom’s signature twist – this is her potato salad. And, her mom’s potato salad. But, I’ve adopted it as my own. The seafood seasoning mixture kicks plain old paprika to the curb!

Great to enjoy for a cookout, a potluck, a beach lunch, or a random picnic…anywhere, really. I love to enjoy leftovers for lunch as well. Try this one for your Memorial Day get together this year, and you won’t be sorry!

Old-Fashioned Potato Salad

2.5 lbs (about 8 medium potatoes) starchy potatoes (like Russet or Yukon Gold), peeled and halved
8 eggs
1 large white onion, finely chopped
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 cup mayo (I’ve substituted half of this amount with Greek yogurt to great results)
3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp yellow mustard
1/2 tsp celery seed
kosher salt
1 Tbsp Old Bay seasoning

Place the potatoes in a large pot and fill with cold water. Add 1 Tbsp of kosher salt, cover, and bring to a boil. Cook over medium-high heat until potatoes are easily pierced with a pairing knife, about 20 minutes. Once tender, drain potatoes and let sit in colander until cool enough to handle and chop into 1/2-inch chunks. Set aside.

Hard boil the eggs by placing them in a pan of cold water. Bring to a boil. Once boiling remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes. Drain out the hot water and soak in cold until the eggs are cool enough to peel. Peel, chop, and set aside.

Make the dressing by combining the mayo, as well as the mustards, celery seed, and 1/2 tsp salt in the bottom of a large bowl. Add the cooked potatoes, eggs, onions, and celery. Gently toss to combine mixture evenly. Season to taste with salt.

Place in serving bowl and sprinkle with Old Bay.

Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Source: adapted from my mom’s family recipe

 

Skillet Baked Ziti

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Skillet Baked Ziti

It’s been a pretty crazy past few days around here. Baby #3 (we’ve decided to call him Nathan from here on out!) ended up being a week overdue before he finally arrived late Thursday afternoon. He is a big boy, born at 9 lbs 11 ounces and a whopping 21 inches!

nathan

We didn’t home until Saturday night, and are using this week to really get into our new routines and the general “swing of things” with a new baby around. The boys are adjusting just fine, very interested and inquisitive about every detail of Nathan’s life. I feel so lucky to have all these boys to take care of!

Back to this pasta – a cheesy “baked” pasta that’s ready in just a few minutes and only uses one pan – is pretty much a gift sent from the Gods for the crazy nights we have coming up in our future. It was so darned good too, I found myself picking off pieces of pasta for “one more bite” before we packed the leftovers away!

The pasta sauce is easy to bring together, using pantry staples. It gets a heavy dose of flavor from the addition of pork sausage, and richness from the addition of a bit of heavy cream. And I’d imagine that any pasta shape would be fine – although I happen to be partial to the tubular pastas like ziti and penne for these kinds of applications. The pasta is cooked in the sauce on the stove, then when it’s al-dente it’s topped with a good amount of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese that gets melted and browned with a quick trip to the hot oven.

Served with a quick salad and a crunchy piece of garlic bread, it’s too good to be such a delicious and easy weeknight meal. Make this one soon, guys!

Skillet Baked Ziti

1 lb bulk hot sausage (like Jimmy Dean)
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
3 cups water
12 oz ziti
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
4 oz (about 1 cup) freshly grated mozzarella cheese

Heat the oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a 12-inch oven-safe skillet set over medium-high heat, brown the sausage until no longer pink, about 4 minutes, breaking up any large pieces with a wooden spoon. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the water and ziti and stir to combine. Cover, increase the heat to medium, and cook at a vigorous simmer, stirring often, 15 to 18 minutes, until the pasta is just tender.

Remove from heat and stir in the cream, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, and 3 Tbsp of the basil. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan over the top, and transfer to the oven.

Bake until the cheese has melted and browned, and the sauce is bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of basil and serve.

Source: ATK’s Pasta Revolution, via Pink Parsley

Cheese Manicotti

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Cheese Manicotti

I’ve been making this version of cheese manicotti for so many years, it’s hard to believe I haven’t gotten around to sharing it with you guys! While many baked pasta dishes can take all day long to prepare – between making the sauce, cooking the pasta, and layering the pasta before baking – this one only takes a few minutes. And the flavor is unparalleled.

The key is using no-bake lasagna noodles to make the manicotti. No stuffing tubes required! The cheese mixture is simply spread on some lasagna noodles that have been softened using a bit of boiling water, rolled up and placed in the baking dish, then topped with a simple tomato sauce that takes just a few moments to bring together. With the addition of fresh basil, the sauce is really delicious too – light and bright in flavor.

This was the first time I’d made it using homemade ricotta, and it really took it to the next level. So, if you have an extra few minutes – I’d highly recommend taking the time to make your own, but it’s certainly not required. I like to serve with a nice green salad and some crunchy garlic bread for a traditional Italian meal that the whole family loves. It’s a favorite in our home, and I know it will be in yours as well!

Cheese Manicotti

For the sauce:
2 (28 oz) cans diced tomatoes (in juice)
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
1 tsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped

For the manicotti:
3 cups ricotta cheese
4 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 cups)
10 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 1/2 cups)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp kosher table salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves (or 2½ teaspoons dried parsley)
2 tsp chopped fresh basil (or 1 teaspoon dried basil)
16 no-boil lasagna noodles (I like Barilla)

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.

Add tomatoes to the bowl of a food processor and pulse about 5 times, until tomatoes are broken down but still slightly chunky.

Heat oil, garlic, and pepper flakes (if using) in large saucepan over medium heat until fragrant but not brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, basil and salt and simmer until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, 2 cups mozzarella cheese, eggs, salt, pepper, and herbs; set aside.

To assemble, pour 1 inch boiling water into 13 by 9-inch baking dish, then add noodles one at a time. Let noodles soak until pliable, about 5 minutes, separating noodles with tip of sharp knife to prevent sticking. Remove noodles from water and place in single layer on clean kitchen towels; discard water in baking dish and dry.

Spread bottom of baking dish evenly with 1 1/2 cups sauce. Using a spoon or small rubber spatula, spread 1/4 cup cheese mixture evenly onto bottom three-quarters of each noodle (with short side facing you), leaving top quarter of noodle exposed. Roll into tube shape and arrange in baking dish seam side down. (You should be able to fit 8 manicotti in each row, allowing all 16 to fit in the dish). Top evenly with remaining sauce, making certain that pasta is completely covered.

Cover manicotti with aluminum foil. Bake until bubbling, about 40 minutes, then remove foil. Sprinkle manicotti evenly with remaining 1 cup Parmesan and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Bake until cheese is browned and bubbly, about 6-7 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Source: adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, January 2007