Pimiento Mac and Cheese

Oh boy! When Bon Appetit Magazine declared this recipe as the best macaroni and cheese dish to date, I had to try it... especially since it included one of the specialties of our new home state, pimiento cheese! Unfortunately I made a big "no-no" and decided to make the recipe a bit healthier by doubling the amount of pasta in the dish and thus decreasing the amount of cheesy goodness in each serving. Mr. E immediately saw through the change and so I will once again be testing out this recipe in all of its original goodness sometime next week. However, I must say that even my healthier version kicked butt! It might be hard to find the Peppadew Peppers but it will be worth the effort!

Pimiento Mac and Cheese

6 servings 

• PREP TIME: 45 minutes
• TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 5 minutes

Recipe by Rozanne Gold

Photograph by Marcus Nilsson

March 2011

Ingredients

• 1 7- to 8-ounce red bell pepper, seeded, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 garlic cloves, halved, divided
• 1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 3/4 cup drained mild Peppadew peppers in brine, 1 tablespoon brine reserved
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ancho chiles
• 1 1/4 cups (packed) coarsely grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 cup (packed) coarsely grated whole-milk mozzarella
• 8 ounces medium shell pasta or gemelli (I used cavatelli)

Preparation

• Bring 1/2 cup water, bell pepper, and 11/2 garlic cloves to boil in small saucepan. Cover; reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until pepper is soft, about 15 minutes.
• Toast panko in skillet over medium-high heat until golden, stirring often, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to bowl; cool to lukewarm. Rub 1 tablespoon butter into crumbs to coat. Mix in 1/4 cup Parmesan.
• Transfer bell pepper mixture to processor. Add Peppadews and 1 tablespoon brine, 2 tablespoons butter, ground chiles, and 1/2 garlic clove; then add cheddar and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Blend until sauce is smooth; season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter 8-cup baking dish (or 6 individual dishes). Cook pasta in pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain; return to pot. Stir sauce and mozzarella into pasta. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon pasta into dish. Sprinkle with crumb topping.
• Bake pasta until topping is crisp and sauce is bubbling, about 25 minutes (15 for individual). Let stand 10 minutes

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2011/03/pimiento_mac_and_cheese

Vegetarian (Tempeh) Meatballs

I was really in the mood for spaghetti and meatballs but unfortunately we did not have any ground meat in our freezer and O and I were not interested in venturing out into the 90 degree weather to get some meat. So... I found some tempeh in our refrigerator and I figured there must be some way to make meatballs out of these! I found this great recipe online that I altered slightly and they were delicious! They taste almost as good as real meatballs but there is nothing quite like a ground beef and pork meatball so I won't proclaim them just as good. However, it is a great way to get some protein and a healthier meatball with your pasta meals!

*I forgot to take a photo of the meatballs so instead I am sharing my new flour and sugar storage containers! I have been looking for something like this for a few months so I was psyched to find them on sale at target this week...

Tempeh Meatballs

Ingredients

2 8 oz. Packages of Soy Tempeh

1/2 cup Quinoa Flour (or whole wheat/other grain flour) 

1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs

1/2 cup Balsamic Vinegar 

1/4 cup Olive Oil 

1 tsp. Garlic Powder 

1 tsp. Onion Powder 

1/2 tsp. Black Pepper 

1/2 tsp. dried Oregano

1/2 tsp. dried Basil

3/4 tsp. Salt 1 Tbsp. Fresh Thyme, finely chopped, or 1 tsp. dried thyme 

Directions

Cut the tempeh into 1 inch cubes and steam with a little bit of water for 10 minutes in the microwave
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the steamed tempeh and all other ingredients in a food processor or large bowl. Process until the tempeh is completely broken up and everything comes together.

Lightly grease or spray a cookie sheet. Form the tempeh into ~1 inch meatballs and place on cookie sheet. Bake in the oven until browned, about 20 minutes.

If freezing, make sure to allow these to cool completely before doing so. Otherwise the water vapor will make them quite hard to get out after they have frozen together.

Makes 24 Meatballs.
4 meatballs is a serving.

Number of Servings: 6


Reference: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=633944

Greek Pasta Salad

We are moving! In anticipation of the big packing and moving day I am trying to prepare foods using the ingredients we already have stocked in our cupboard or refrigerator.... Luckily I have been craving this staple of the 1980's for the last few months and we had most of the ingredients available. The only substitution I made was to prepare the salad with prosciutto instead of pepperoni!


Ingredients

* 1/2 cup olive oil
* 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
* 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
* 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
* 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 3/4 teaspoon white sugar
* 2 1/2 cups cooked elbow macaroni
* 3 cups fresh sliced mushrooms
* 15 cherry tomatoes, halved
* 1 cup sliced red bell peppers
* 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
* 1/2 cup chopped green onions
* 1 (4 ounce) can whole black olives
* 3/4 cup sliced pepperoni sausage, cut into strips

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, garlic powder, basil, oregano, black pepper, and sugar. Add cooked pasta, mushrooms, tomatoes, red peppers, feta cheese, green onions, olives, and pepperoni. Toss until evenly coated. Cover, and chill 2 hours or overnight.

Pad Thai

For our weekly dinner exchange I wanted to try to make something less time consuming than previous dinners as I am also making a King Cake for a Super Bowl party we are attending this evening and the more time this pregnant lady stands in the kitchen, the more my body aches later in the day. Sigh. This delicious pad thai ended up taking the same amount of time as any other recipe but once I sampled, I decided it was definitely worth the time!

Sidenote--this recipe only called for tofu but since some of the men would prefer chicken, I added sliced chicken and cut the tofu into tiny slices so it would go unnoticed. If you like your tofu extra firm as we do--put it in the freezer overnight, let it defrost and squeeze the liquid out. You will end up with super firm tofu.


Vegetarian Pad Thai (doubled to serve our group of ten)

Ingredients
12 ounces dried flat rice noodles (1/4 inch wide; sometimes called pad Thai or banh pho)
3 tablespoons tamarind (from a pliable block) or substitute 3 T Worcestshire sauce and 1 T line juice)
1/2 cup light soy sauce
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons Sriracha (Southeast Asian chile sauce)
1 bunch scallions
4 large shallots or 1/2 large yellow onion
1 (14- to 16-ounce) package firm tofu
6 T peanut or vegetable oil
6 large eggs
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 cups bean sprouts (1/4 pound)
1/2 cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Preparation

Cook noodles according to the instructions on the package.

Meanwhile, make sauce by soaking tamarind pulp in boiling-hot water in a small bowl, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Force mixture through a sieve into a bowl, discarding seeds and fibers OR mix the worcestshire and lime juice. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, and Sriracha, stirring until sugar has dissolved.

Cut scallions into 2-inch pieces. Halve pale green and white parts lengthwise.

Cut shallots crosswise into very thin slices with slicer.

Rinse tofu, then cut into 1-inch cubes and pat very dry.

Heat 1 T oil in wok over medium heat until hot, then fry half of shallots or onion over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until golden-brown, 8 to 12 minutes. Carefully strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl. Reserve shallot oil and spread fried shallots on paper towels. (Shallots will crisp as they cool.) Wipe wok clean.

Add 1-2 T oil to wok over high heat until hot. Fry tofu in 1 layer, gently turning occasionally, until golden, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer tofu to paper towels using a slotted spoon.

Lightly beat eggs with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in wok over high heat until it shimmers. Add eggs and swirl to coat side of wok, then cook, stirring gently with a spatula, until cooked through. Break into chunks with spatula and transfer to a plate.

Heat wok over high heat until a drop of water evaporates instantly. Pour in 2 tablespoons oil, then swirl to coat side of wok. Stir-fry scallions, garlic, and remaining uncooked shallots until softened, about 1 minute.

Add noodles and stir-fry over medium heat (use 2 spatulas if necessary) 3 minutes. Add tofu, chicken bean sprouts, and 1 1/2 cups sauce and simmer, turning noodles over to absorb sauce evenly, until noodles are tender, about 2 minutes.

Stir in additional sauce if desired, then stir in eggs and transfer to a large shallow serving dish.

Sprinkle pad Thai with peanuts and fried shallots and serve with lime wedges, cilantro sprigs, and Sriracha.

www.epicurious.com
Altered by Molly

Spaghetti and Meatballs All'Amatriciana

For our annual "Mr. & Mrs. E." Christmas dinner, we decided to do something a little bit different this year as we wanted to make sure of the ingredients we had on hand in our home since we will be away for the holidays. Luckily, we still had one final batch of frozen tomatoes leftover from our summer garden. Therefore we decided to forgo the usual Christmas dinner of scallops, bacon, mashed potatoes and chocolate mousse in exchange for homemade pasta and sauce with cookies from our cookie exchange! I made traditional egg fettuccine (I like my noodles thick!) and Mr. E. spent 3 hours slaving away in the kitchen making these delicious meatballs and sauce.... it was worth the extra time! If 3 hours sounds daunting, you could easily spread out the work load by making the meatballs one night and the sauce the following evening. Enjoy!


Spaghetti and Meatballs All'Amatriciana

Ingredients
Meatballs
* 6 ounces uncured applewood-smoked bacon (about 6 slices), diced
* 2 large garlic cloves, peeled
* 2 pounds ground beef (15% fat)
* 2/3 cup chopped drained roasted red peppers from jar
* 2/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
* 2 large eggs
* 1/2 cup coarsely grated onion
* 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
* 1 tablespoon minced fresh marjoram
* 2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Sauce

* 2 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice (preferably San Marzano)
* 2 large garlic cloves, peeled
* 6 ounces uncured applewood-smoked bacon (about 6 slices), cut crosswise into thin strips
* 1 tablespoon (or more) extra-virgin olive oil
* 3 cups finely chopped onions
* 1 1/2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper
* 2 cups dry white wine
* 1 tablespoon minced fresh marjoram

Pasta

* 1 1/2 pounds spaghetti
* 2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh marjoram
* Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation
MEATBALLS

*Place bacon in processor. Using on/off turns, grind to coarse paste. Transfer to large bowl. Using garlic press, squeeze in garlic. Gently mix in beef and all remaining ingredients. Let stand 15 minutes.

*Line large rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap. Using moistened hands and scant 2 tablespoonfuls for each, roll meat mixture into 1 1/2-inch meatballs. Arrange meatballs on sheet. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap; chill.

sauce

*Puree tomatoes with juice and garlic in batches in blender until smooth.

*Cook bacon in large pot over medium heat until crisp; transfer bacon to plate.

*Add 1 tablespoon oil to drippings in pot and heat over medium heat. Add half of meatballs. Cook until brown on all sides, turning carefully with small metal spatula, about 9 minutes. Transfer meatballs to baking sheet. Add more oil to pot if needed and repeat with remaining meatballs.

*Increase heat to medium-high. Add onions and crushed red pepper to pot. Sauté until golden, about 6 minutes. Add wine; boil until reduced by half, stirring up browned bits, about 8 minutes. Add tomato puree and marjoram. Boil until sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

*Mix bacon into sauce. Add meatballs; bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until meatballs are heated through and tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper.

PASTA

* Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain; transfer to large bowl. Toss with 2 tablespoons oil and marjoram, adding more oil to moisten, if desired. Divide spaghetti among bowls. Top with meatballs and sauce. Sprinkle with cheese and serve, passing additional cheese separately.

Bon Appetit Magazine, January 2010.

Butternut Squash Risotto

My mom and I first made this recipe together when she and my father were living in Tucson, AZ while he was on sabbatical a few years back... I don't think my dad is the biggest fan of squash so the two of us were able to enjoy this yummy, yet healthy meal and I still enjoying make it each fall and winter. This time I made a double batch for my cooking co-op here in town. If you are interesting in learning more about that group, pleas check out the blog at http://fearlessfoodies.blogspot.com/

Butternut Squash Risotto (makes 4-6 servings)

Ingredients:
2 c. chicken broth
3 c. water
2-3 T EVOO
1/4 c finely chopped onion
1 c. Arborio rice
1 c. freshly grated Parmesan
3 C. shredded butternut squash (uncooked)
1/2 c. dry white wine
salt and pepper to taste

To Do:
1. Heat broth and water to slow simmer.
2. In a separate pan, heat EVOO, add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. The add squash and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until lightly browned, about 15 minutes.
3. Add rice and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
4. Add wine and cook until liquid is absorbed. Continued in 1/2 c. increments until all liquid is absorbed and rice is tender (about 25 minutes).
5. Stir in parmesan and season with salt and pepper.

Adapted (by me!) from a Williams-Sonoma cookbook

Pumpkin Gnocchi with Mushrooms

Lately, I have been craving all things pumpkin... typical for this time of year right? So when I caught an episode of Martha Stewart during my final week of fall travel... AND she was making a pumpkin entree, I knew I had hit the jackpot.
Mr. E and I had this for dinner on Saturday night along with an argula salad with toasted pumpkin seeds (from the whole pumpkin I baked for the pumpkin gnocchi) and it was delicious... and luckily we have leftovers!

Ingredients

(Serves 4)

* 1 small sugar pumpkin (2 pounds), stem removed, halved lengthwise, and seeded
* 2 cups flour, plus more for work surface (I ended up using about 3 cups total)
* Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1 teaspoon nutmeg, plus more for serving
* 1 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
* 2 shallots, finely chopped
* 20 medium chanterelle mushrooms, trimmed or regular white button mushrooms
* 8 fresh sage leaves or 1 Tablespoon dried sage
* 1 cup homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
* 1 cup half and half
* 2 T cornstarch

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place pumpkin halves, cut side up, on a baking sheet and fill each with 1 tablespoon water. Cover each half with parchment paper-lined aluminum foil. Transfer to oven and roast until soft, about 45 minutes. Let cool. Scrape pumpkin flesh from skin; discard skin.

2. Mound flour in center of a large work surface; add 1 tablespoon salt and the nutmeg. Using a fork, mix until well combined. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add 2 cups pumpkin and 1 cup grated cheese to well. Slowly incorporate flour, beginning with inner rim of well. When flour is incorporated, gather dough together to form a rounded mass; knead mixture until smooth, 4 to 5 minutes.

3. Divide dough into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a cylinder about 1 inch in diameter; cut into 1/2-inch-long pieces. Transfer gnocchi to a baking sheet and cover with a clean, damp towel. Repeat process until all the dough has been used.

4. Bring 6 quarts water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Generously salt water and return to a boil. Add gnocchi and cook until they rise to the top, about 4 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over high heat and add butter and shallots. Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking until shallots are golden. Add mushrooms and sage; cook, stirring, for about 10 seconds. Add 1/4 cup pumpkin, chicken stock, heavy cream, and 1/4 cup grated cheese; cook, stirring, about 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper and add cornstarch slowly until sauce begins to thicken.

6. Using a slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to skillet and toss to combine. Serve immediately with freshly grated parmesan and nutmeg.

From The Martha Stewart Show, November 2008 but altered by Mrs. E, October 2009 (Having made this once as a lower fat version from what Martha proposed, I think I could make it again but even lower fat--use 2% milk and only 1/2 cup of butter to saute the shallots and mushrooms)

Three Cheese Mac 'N Cheese

One of my pregnant friends from high school has posted on facebook that she was planning to make homemade mac 'n cheese this past weekend... This was around 5pm on Friday and the idea of homemade macaroni and cheese made my mouth water. I quickly found a three cheese recipe and sent Mr. E. to the store to stock up on the ingredients. Alongside an argula salad from our farm share, this hit the spot on a cold October evening!


Mac 'N Cheese


Ingredients

* 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, divided
* 4 ounces thinly sliced pancetta (Italian bacon), coarsely chopped
* 1 cup finely chopped onion
* 3/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 1/4 cup all purpose flour
* 3 1/2 cups (or more) whole milk
* 2 1/2 cups coarsely grated sharp cheddar cheese
* 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
* 1 8- to 8.8-ounce container mascarpone cheese*
* 1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)**
* 1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
* 1 pound orecchiette (little ear-shaped pasta) or large elbow macaroni

Preparation

*
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add pancetta; sauté until crisp, about 6 minutes. Add onion; sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add crushed red pepper and garlic; stir 1 minute. Stir in 3 tablespoons butter; allow to melt, then add flour and stir 1 minute. Gradually whisk in 3 1/2 cups milk; simmer until thick enough to coat spoon thickly, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in cheeses. Whisk in more milk by 1/4 cupfuls until sauce is thick but pourable. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill uncovered until cool; cover and chill. Rewarm, stirring over medium heat.
*
Melt 4 tablespoons butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add panko and stir until very light golden, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
*
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain well. Return pasta to pot. Add warm cheese sauce; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle crumb mixture evenly over. Bake mac and cheese until heated through and topping is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

From Bon Appetit, September 2008

Vegetable Lasagna

With the bounty of fresh vegetables from our farm share and our garden, Mr. E. decided that it was time to revive his Sunday evening cooking ritual and make a vegetable lasagna. Lasagna is known as one of those dishes that is easy to prepare... we have yet to create a lasagna that takes less than an hour to prep. However, this one (courtesy of Mr. E's favorite celebrity chef, Giada) was yummy and BIG... aka lots of leftovers!

Individual Vegetable Lasagnas

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis (modified by E)

Serves:
6 servings (we thought it was closer to 8 or 10)

Ingredients

* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 medium Spanish onion, finely chopped
* 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
* 1 medium zucchini, finely chopped
* 1 medium summer squash, finely chopped
* 8 asparagus spears, cut into 1/4-inch slices (or spinach!)
* 1 pound fresh plain lasagna sheets
* 2 jars tomato sauce
* 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
* 3 cups shredded mozzarella
* 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
* 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, halved
* Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a saute pan over medium heat, add extra-virgin olive oil. When almost smoking, add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the carrot and cook for 3 minutes. Add the zucchini and squash cook for 5 minutes. Add asparagus and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat when all vegetables are completely cooked but still have a good crunch. Allow to cool.

Coat the bottom of a 13x9 dish with tomato sauce. Place pasta on the bottom of the dish. Next, a layer of the veggies. Place a second layer of pasta on top and gently press down. Add another layer of sauteed vegetables and top with tomato sauce. Place the third layer of pasta in each ramekin and coat with tomato sauce. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, and top each with 1/2 tablespoon of butter. Bake in oven for 50 minutes or until brown and bubbling.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes

Ease of Preparation: Easy

Homemade Pasta

I know, I know... I have been MIA for nearly two months and one of my friends here in O-town actually missed my posts... how lovely!!
Well it has been a busy month and Mr. E. and I just returned from a 10 day trip to Italy. One of our favorite foods from the trip (besides the Mascarpone and Nuttella gelato every night!) was the homemade pasta and I just knew that I had to learn that skill upon our return. After some investigating (thank you sister-in-law Mrs. E.), i was encouraged to purchase the Prago pasta machine which latches onto your countertop and costs quite a few Benjamins less than the KitchenAid pasta attachment. I decided that this weekend would be the perfect time to break out the pasta machine and learn the ancient art of making pasta.

4 Cheese Baked Penne with Leeks

Mr. E. and I try never to let anything go to waste in our kitchen. So... as I was scanning the refrigerator on Friday so that I could create our grocery list for the next morning, I found a bag of what I thought were leeks that I had purchased the previous week. Realizing that their shelf life was probably close to expiring, I quickly scanned my cooking magazines for a recipe that included leeks and would satisfy our saturday comfort food craving. This recipe immediately struck my fancy.... However, Mr. E. and I have been trying to eat healthier in the cheese department as that lovely food is chock full of saturated fats! AND... Mr. E. fancies a four cheese macaroni and cheese prepared by Trader Joe's so we decided to alter the recipe in the magazine to meet both of those needs with four different LITE cheeses and 2% milk rather than whole milk...The only problem was that as I worked to prepare the food for dinner...I realized that the bag of leeks in the refrigerator, was actually a bag of bok choy. Whoops... thank you Mr. E. for making yet another trip to the grocery Saturday afternoon... We served it with a side of peppery arugula salad... Bellisimo!

Ingredients

* 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
* 5 cups chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only; about 5 large)
* 1/4 cup all purpose flour
* 3 1/2 cups 2% milk
* 1 pound Lite extra-sharp cheddar cheese, lite swiss, lite gouda and lite edam coarsely grated (about 4 cups packed)
* 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
* 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
* 2 large eggs
* 1 pound penne pasta

Preparation

Lightly butter 15x10x2-inch baking dish. Melt 1/4 cup butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks; stir to coat. Cover saucepan and cook until leeks are tender, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes (do not brown). Uncover saucepan; add flour. Stir 2 minutes. Add milk; bring to simmer, stirring often. Add cheese, mustard, and pepper sauce. Stir until cheese melts. Remove from heat. Season cheese sauce to taste with salt.
*
Whisk eggs in medium bowl. Gradually whisk in 1 cup cheese sauce. Stir egg mixture into cheese sauce in saucepan.
*
Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Return to pot.
*
Stir cheese sauce into pasta in pot. Transfer to prepared baking dish. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
*
Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake pasta until cheese sauce is bubbling around edges and some ends of pasta are golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
*
Let stand 15 minutes. Serve hot.
*
Test-kitchen TIP
Unlike classic mac and cheese, which is thickened by a roux (a flour and butter mixture), this one uses eggs to make a rich, gooey custard. But be careful when adding the hot cheese sauce to the eggs; you'll need to whisk the sauce in slowly so that the eggs don't curdle.

Original Recipe from Bon Appetit, March 2009. Altered on 4/4/09 by M. Elton

Risotto with Leeks and a Melange of Mushrooms

My mother-in-law's birthday falls over the holidays break each year... this year she requested that for her birthday dinner she would like everyone to plan a menu, prepare dinner and then clean up afterwards. Cooking for a large group can be challenging so we decided to go an Italian dish that everyone loves... risotto! This one is from the September 2007 issue of Bon Appetit and was so easy to prepare. I actually made the dish a bit healthier by substituting 1% milk in the leek mixture rather than heavy whipping cream and no one was the wiser! We had 10 adults and 3 children in attendance for the party and so I doubled the recipe as it said it would make 6-8 side dishes. Doubling the recipe was actually not necessary and you could feed 10 adults with the recipe below as long as you serve it with a side salad and perhaps some bread. Finally, we did not have any truffle oil readily available but the dish was wonderful without this pricey addition. Unfortunately I did not get a photo of this meal so instead I included a photo of D train watching in awe as Mr. E's mom opened her RED kitchenaid mixer!

Risotto with Leeks and a Melange of Mushrooms
Leeks:

* 2 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), halved, thinly sliced crosswise (about 2 cups)
* 3/4 cup whipping cream (sub 1% milk for a healthier version)

Mushrooms:

* 1 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, cut into 1/4- to 1/3-inch-thick slices (or a mix of different mushrooms)
* 1 large onion, halved, thinly sliced lengthwise
* 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
* 1 tablespoon white truffle oil
* 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

Risotto:

* 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, divided
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 1 1/2 cups arborio rice or medium-grain white rice
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* 5 cups (or more) hot vegetable broth
* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 2 teaspoons shaved or chopped black truffle (optional)
* Chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

For leeks:
Bring leeks and cream to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until leeks are tender and cream is thick, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm before continuing.

For mushrooms:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss all ingredients on rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until mushrooms are tender and light brown around edges, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

For risotto:
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add rice; stir 1 minute. Add wine and stir until almost all liquid is absorbed, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup hot broth. Simmer until broth is almost absorbed, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Add more broth, 1 cup at a time, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding next and stirring often, until rice is tender and mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes longer. Stir in leek mixture, mushroom mixture, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, cheese, and truffle. Transfer to large bowl, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

Market Tip White truffle oil is sold at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Italian markets. Black truffles are available at specialty foods stores and from igourmet.com. A flavorful substitute for the shaved truffles is the Truffle Gatherers Sauce ($19), which can be ordered from fungusamongus.com.

Ramped up Butternut Squash Lasagna

My cousin-in-law Amy, recently sent me a recipe for butternut squash lasagna. Anyone who has made lasagna before (not me... until now!) knows that the assembly takes a bit of time. Therefore I assembled the lasagna on Sunday in preparation for Monday evening baking after I returned from the gym. The lasagna was beautiful going into the oven and beauteous coming out of the oven. It was definitely tasty but both Mr. E and I thought it was a bit lacking. After eating for lunch as leftovers and with a few slight additions, the next batch will take this dish to another level. My suggestions are to add a layer of sauteed spinach with caramelized onions (keeping with the sweet theme) and then underneath the top layer of cheese, add a layer of crunchy cooked bacon. One other suggestions I found online suggested a layer of bechamel sauce but this is basically a pretty healthy dish and that would cross the line. A sprinkling of toasted pine nuts or walnuts on the finished product might also be nice...Oh, and this recipe was from a "cook with your kids blog" which is why there are two sets of instructions...

(see paragraph above for ramped up additions)

*4 lbs squash or pumpkin, such as Acorn, Butternut, or Hubbard
*3 T. olive oil
*1 1/2 t. ground cinnamon
*1/2 t. ground nutmeg (for the squash) + 1 1/2 t. (for the ricotta)
*2-3 T. fresh sage, finely chopped
*1 lb. ricotta
*1 egg, slightly beaten
*1 1/2 c. carrots, shredded
*12 no-boil lasagna noodles
*a large ball of fresh mozzarella cheese, grated
*1/2 c. parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
Cut your squashes in half.

Mini-Chef Time: Scoop out the seeds and stringy things with a large spoon. Place each squash halve cut side up on the baking sheet. Sprinkle the olive oil on the squash and then salt, pepper, cinnamon, and the 1/2 t. nutmeg. Using a basting brush or your hands, spread everything evenly out over the squash.

Big Person: Put the squash in the oven and bake for about 45 minutes, or until soft and beginning to brown.

Mini-Chef: Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the ricotta with the egg, the carrots, the 1 1/2 t. nutmeg, and salt and pepper, to taste. Refrigerate till you're ready to assemble the lasagna.

Butter a 13x9 inch lasagna pan.

When the squash has come out of the oven and cooled down a bit, scoop out the flesh into a big bowl.

Big Person: Puree the squash in the food processor or with an immersion blender.
Now, set out all of your ingredients in a line in this order: ricotta mixture, noodles, squash puree, sage, mozzarella, parmesan.

Mini-Chef: Scoop about 1 c. of the ricotta mixture into the lasagna pan and spread it out into a thin layer on the bottom of the pan. Place a layer of noodles on top, trying not to overlap any. Now it's time for the squash layer. 1 c. of squash puree should cover your first layer of noodles, and then you'll sprinkle a bit of the sage over the squash. More noodles to cover. Repeat the ricotta layer and the squash and the ricotta again. Mozzarella. Any sage you might have left over. Parmesan.

Into the oven and bake for 45 minutes-1 hour. The top should be golden brown. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.