Bacon Pimento Macaroni & Cheese

|
By
|
12 comments

Bacon Pimento Macaroni & CheeseHomemade pimento cheese is one of my very favorite things on this green Earth. I would also say the same for a good homemade macaroni & cheese. So, to combine the two – and then add bacon for good measure, just seemed natural.

I made crab cakes for dinner the other evening, and as I’d mentioned in Monday’s post – I’ve been kind of seafood-ed out lately. So I wanted to do a side dish that was amped up enough to be a meal on it’s own. I kind of threw this together with things I had on hand, and it turned out so unbelievably wonderful. I know it will be one we come back to again and again!

Bacon Pimento Macaroni & Cheese

2 cups elbow macaroni
4 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. dry mustard powder
2 cups milk
8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
5 dashes hot sauce
1 (4 oz) jar pimentos, drained
5 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped
kosher salt
black pepper

Preaheat oven to 350.

Fill a large saucepan with water, and bring to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt to the water. Add the pasta, and cook for 5 minutes. Drain pasta and set aside.

In the same saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour, and whisk constantly for about 3 minutes…until the flour mixture is a light amber in color. Add in the mustard powder. Slowly whisk in the milk, and continue to whisk for about 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Remove from heat and add the shredded cheddar cheese and a few dashes of hot sauce, whisking until cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the pasta back into the saucepan with the cheese sauce and toss to coat. Stir in the drained pimentos and cooked bacon.

Pour into a medium sized baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes uncovered, until starting to brown on top and bubbling around the edges. 

Mango Avocado Salsa

|
By
|
5 comments

Mango Avocado Salsa

I love fruit-based salsas. They’re wonderfully versatile, using whatever fruits are in season and look good. And, they’re good on just about anything. On fish, on chicken, on pork, wrapped into a burrito, with tortilla chips…are you picking up what I’m putting down here?

This mango avocado variety is my hands down favorite topping for fish tacos. The sweetness from the mango, a crunch from the onion, a little bit of heat from a jalapeno, and a big dose of freshness from lots of chopped cilantro. I usually go with red onion for my salsas, but I had some gorgeous Cippolini onions from my crop share this week. They were mild and sweet, but they worked well with the salsa.

There was a slight chill in the air this morning. We still have August to look forward to, and I plan on enjoying every minute of the abundance of ripe summer fruits while they last. I hope you do too!

Mango Avocado Salsa

1 large mango, peeled and diced
1 large avocado, peeled and diced
1/2 small onion (red or sweet)
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and toss to combine.

Kohlrabi Slaw

|
By
|
11 comments

Kohlrabi Slaw

This was the first year that we’ve been a part of a crop share. Every Tuesday afternoon the boys and I take a ride up to Salisbury (about 30 minutes for us) and get our goodies for the week. We’re never sure what we’ll get, and it’s always exciting to find something that we haven’t tried before in the basket for the week.

Take kohlrabi for instance. I had no clue what do with it. Folks seemed to say it was like a cross between cabbage and broccoli – so I of course immediately thought of a slaw. I shredded the kohlrabi down and combined it with a small bag of pre-packaged broccoli slaw. I also  had a couple of green apples hanging around, so I shredded them and added as well. I loved, loved, loved the sweet crunch that they brought to the party.

I’m hoping we’ll continue to see kohlrabi in our baskets for another few weeks at least, I’m already brainstorming more uses for those big leafy bulbs!

Kohlrabi Slaw

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and shredded
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 bulbs kohlrabi, peeled and shredded
1 (12 oz.) package broccoli slaw
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup greek yogurt
3 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 Tbsp honey
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper

Toss the shredded apples with lemon juice to prevent browning.

In a large bowl whisk the mayonnaise, yogurt, vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper together. Add the kohlrabi, broccoli slaw, and apples. Toss with the dressing to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Grilled Pineapple Salsa

|
By
|
7 comments

Grilled Pineapple Salsa

I love getting creative with different kinds of fruit salsas in the summertime. This pineapple version is one of my favorites! A quick char of fresh pineapple, paired with traditional salsa ingredients – red onion, cilantro, and fresh jalapeno, and you have yourself a damn fine salsa.

My original plan included mango in the mix, but it looked less than desirable when I cut it open – and I really liked the fact that the pineapple was the star of the show. Didn’t miss the mango one bit.

It’s fabulous on fish tacos, grilled chicken or pork chops, or on it’s own served with tortilla chips. Perfect for a summertime fiesta in the backyard!

Grilled Pineapple Salsa

5 (1/2-inch thick) slices of fresh pineapple
1 small red onion, finely diced
2 jalapenos, seeded and finely diced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
1/4 tsp kosher salt

Heat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Add the sliced pineapple and grill for about 2 minutes on each side, or until nice grill marks develop. Remove to plate and set aside to cool.

Combine pineapple, red onion, jalapenos, cilantro, lime, and salt. Toss to combine. Season to taste with salt before serving.