Category Archives: Cook

by | February 3, 2012 · 9:00 am

Buffalo Mac ‘n Cheese

Tired of the same old dishes for your Superbowl party? Make this play off the ever so popular chicken wing and wow your guests with something familiar in flavor but new in style!

This Buffalo Mac ‘n Cheese blends all the flavors you love from your favorite Super Bowl treat into the perfect comfort food. With its spicy touch of hot sauce and pepper jack and its crunchy cracker crust, this mac ‘n cheese is the right blend of creamy texture and sharp taste. The addition of cheese cracker crust, paired with the spicy sauce and cheese mocks the taste of a crispy chicken wing. This Wisconsin-style meal tastes great with a cold glass of ale, or two!

Buffalo Mac ‘n Cheese
Servings: 2 cups, Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients
1 lb cellentani or cavatappi noodles
2 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 C rotisserie chicken, shredded
2 stalks celery, diced
1 small yellow onion, diced
½ tsp garlic salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1/3 C Buffalo-style Hot Sauce (I use Franks)
2 C 2% milk
1 ½ C half and half
6 TBSP butter
½ C flour
2 C Mexican blend shredded cheese
3 C pepper jack cheese, shredded
2 C store-bought baked cheese crackers (like Cheez-Its)
¼ C blue cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and boil for 12 minutes.

In a skillet, heat olive oil. Add celery, onion, garlic salt and pepper and cook until softened. About 5 minutes. Add chicken, mix thoroughly. Add hot sauce and simmer on low heat until heated through.

In a small saucepan, heat milk and half and half on medium heat. Stir occasionally, do not burn. In a large saucepan, melt butter. Slowly add flour and whisk to form thick roux. Slowly add warm milk mixture, whisking continuously. Continue to whisk mixture and slowly add cheese until cheese is melted and sauce is thick.

In 9×13 casserole dish, layer noodles, chicken mixture and cheese sauce. Mix thoroughly.

Add cheese crackers to food processor and pulse until small crumbs are formed. Sprinkle blue cheese and cracker mixture on top of noodles. Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes, until bubbly crust forms around the outside. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.

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by | February 1, 2012 · 9:32 am

Slow Cooker Oatmeal

I love a warm bowl of fresh made oatmeal on a cold morning.  The problem I have found is that it isn’t always easy to whip up on a busy morning unless you are using a packet of instant oatmeal.  Once I made this Slow Cooker Oatmeal from America’s Test Kitchen, I just couldn’t go back to the instant stuff.  I love to make a big batch over the weekend and then eat it though the week for a quick, hearty and delicious breakfast.  The texture of the steal cut oats are so much heartier than just regular rolled oats.

Note:  this recipe calls for steal cut oats.  If you use quick cooking oats or old fashioned rolled oats, you will likely end up with mush.  Steal cut oats are often found in the bulk bins at the grocery store and look like this:

Slow Cooker Oatmeal

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cups steel-cut oats
8 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the oats and toast over medium heat until lightly brown, stirring constantly. Once they become fragrant and light brown, remove from heat.

Add the oats into the slow cooker and pour water on top. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. Mix well and serve warm with your favorite toppings.  I like to eat mine with chopped almonds, dried fruit and a small amount of brown sugar.

Sometimes my mornings are so hectic that I need to eat breakfast at work.  I simply portion out the oatmeal into individual bowls and put the toppings in a separate bag.  Couldn’t be easier to grab and go.

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by | January 30, 2012 · 8:05 am

Fish Tacos with Apple Slaw and Chipotle Mayo

One of my favorite ways to eat the bounty of panfish that the hubs brings home from his ice fishing escapades is in these SoCal style fish tacos. Because panfish are bite-sized to begin with, they’re perfect for this dish but you could easily use a similar white fish that’s local to your area. Add in a little spicy mayo and some tangy slaw for crunch and you’ve got one tasty little taco!
fish tacos

Panfish Tacos
serves 2-3
2 C panko bread crumbs
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
3 eggs, beaten
3/4 C flour
1 C vegetable oil
16 panfish fillets (8 panfish) or 2 lg tilapia fillets, sliced into small chunks
4-6 small flour tortillas
Chipotle Mayo
hot sauce (I like Crystal brand)

Set up two shallow bowls, one with flour, one with eggs. Pour panko into a large Ziploc bag or bowl (I like a bag because it makes it easy to toss). Add salt and pepper and mix well. Meanwhile, add vegetable oil to a cast iron skillet on medium-high heat and begin to heat oil. Oil should be about 1/4-1/2 inch deep in pan. Use a kitchen tongs to dip each piece of fish first into the flour, coating lightly on all sides, then into the egg wash and finally into the panko. Place several pieces into the panko bag and pat the bag to toss the fish within so that the breadcrumbs coat each piece fully. Remove each piece and place on a separate clean plate.

Test temperature of oil by carefully flicking a tiny bit of water or 1-2 panko crumbs into the pan. Oil should pop if it is hot enough. If oil is not hot enough, your fish will soak up oil and be greasy instead of crispy and flaky. Carefully add fish pieces to the hot oil, frying for 2-3 minutes per side and turning with a tongs part way through the process. While fish are frying, set up a plate with 1-2 paper towels. Extract one fish and double check that it is done. Fish should be golden brown and flaky in the center. Transfer fish to the towels to absorb any excess oil. Assemble tacos immediately.

fish fry

Cilantro Apple Slaw
1/2 granny smith apple, julienned
2 C broccoli slaw mix
2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp lime juice
1/4 tsp cumin
dash cayenne
dash salt

In a medium bowl, combine apple, slaw mix and cilantro. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, cumin, cayenne and salt. Drizzle over slaw and toss well to coat.

Spread a thin layer of mayo on each tortilla. Top with several pieces of fish and slaw. Sprinkle with hot sauce.
fish tacos

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by | January 25, 2012 · 8:44 am

Key Lime Tarts

I have this strange obsession with mini treats.  For some reason dessert seem so much  more special when you are given your own personal tart!  I made these Key Lime Tarts for my good friend’s baby shower.  I found the recipe off of Our Best Bites and couldn’t believe how easy and delicious they were.

Key Lime Tarts

10 mini graham cracker crusts
5 egg yokes
1  14oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup key lime juice or fresh lime juice – do not use the imitation juice out of the bottle, only the real stuff!
2 drops of green food coloring if you would like your tarts to have a little more color

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and place your mini pie crusts on a baking sheet.

In a large bowl, mix the egg  yokes, sweetened condensed milk and lime juice until well combined.  Add your food coloring to adjust the color if you would like.

Distribute the mixture evenly among the pie crusts.  Bake for about 11 minutes.

Cool, chill in the refrigerator and top with whipped cream right before serving.

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by | January 23, 2012 · 8:14 am

{Make Ahead Meal} Butternut Squash Lasagna

Since going back to work I’ve relied heavily on make ahead meals that allow me to put homemade dishes on the table while spending my post-work time with the fam instead of prepping food. About once a month I’ve spent a full weekend afternoon making 4-5 freezer friendly meals that will get us 8-10 dinners. I’ll be sharing lots of make ahead meals this year but lasagna is a hearty go-to.

freezer friendly meals, make ahead meals

The Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce recipe I shared last week does double duty for me in this veggie-focused lasagna. I add Italian sausage at the request of my husband but you could easily skip it or substitute with portabellas for a completely vegetarian meal.

Butternut Squash Lasagna
1 pkg lasagna noodles
1 1/2 lb ground italian sausage
15 oz low-fat ricotta cheese
1 C parmesan cheese, shredded
1 egg, beaten
1 pkg frozen spinach, thawed & drained
2 C mozzarella, shredded
salt, pepper
Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce
2 9×9 aluminum foil roasting pans
heavy duty aluminum foil
parchment paper

In a large stockpot, boil enough water to cover the lasagna noodles. Once water comes to a boil, heavily salt water and add noodles, cooking according to package directions until al dente. Rinse with cold water to prevent sticking and set aside. Meanwhile, in a saute pan, cook italian sausage completely, about 8-10 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine egg, ricotta, 1/2 C parmesan and spinach. Season with salt and pepper.

Trim a noodle to fit your pan using a kitchen shears. Use that noodle as a template to trim the rest of your noodles. You’ll have some small loose end pieces, which can be used for your middle layer of noodles without sacrificing the structure of the lasagna. Begin by layering three full, trimmed noodles in the bottom of each foil pan. Visually divide cheese and sausage into 4 portions in your head. Spread 1/4 of the cheese mixture on top of the noodles in both pans. Top with 1/4 of the sausage. Top with a layer of squash sauce. Next, sprinkle each pan with 1/3 C mozzarella cheese.

Add another layer of noodles, using end pieces as needed. Repeat layers. Finally, top each pan with another layer of complete noodles, a thin layer of squash sauce and the remaining 1/3 C mozzarella. If freezing, trim a piece of parchment paper to fit the top of each pan and cover lasagna. Use two layers of heavy duty foil to wrap tightly around pan.

If serving, bake at 400 for 50-60 minutes or until center is fully cooked and cheese topping is golden.
If freezing and serving, remove from freezer about 24 hrs before serving to partially thaw. Bake at 400 for 60-75 minutes. NOTE: I recommend setting your timer for 60 minutes and checking the temperature from there. Depending on how thawed your lasagna is your baking time will vary.

Each pan serves 4 large servings.

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by | January 20, 2012 · 8:00 am

Beef, Barley and Sweet Potato Stew

Winter storms are brewing, so pull out that crock pot and some nice winter produce and whip yourself up a body warming stew. This is perfect after a shoveling session or snow angels with the babes.

Beef, Barley & Sweet Potato Stew 

1-2 lbs. beef stew meat
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 can diced tomatoes
1 medium sized yellow onion, diced
2 whole carrots, peeled and diced
2 TBSP diced sun dried tomatoes
1 TBSP minced garlic
2 C beef broth
1/2 cup marsala wine
1 tsp pepper
1/2 TBSP oregano
1 C barley
2 TBSP flour

Layer vegetables on bottom of slow cooker. Pour broth and wine over vegetables. Add barley, mix until all barley is covered in liquid. Lay beef over top and add spices. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. In last 30 minutes of cooking, add 2 TBSP flour and mix thoroughly.

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by | January 16, 2012 · 7:53 am

Butternut Squash Gnocchi

Happy 2012!  I got a little obsessed with squash last fall, as some of you may remember, and became especially addicted to this butternut squash pasta sauce I created. It’s a nice way to mix things up from the standard red sauce and a healthier, lower fat creamy option than an alfredo.

You’ll need some time to make the sauce since roasting the squash takes a little while but once made, you can easily refrigerate it for about a week or freeze it for later meals. I’ve been using it in two great recipes, one I’m sharing today and the second I’ll share next week!

The first dish I put together was this Butternut Squash Gnocchi, which sounds fancy but by making the sauce ahead of time and using store-bought gnocchi, it takes no time at all to put together. You get a really great balance of flavors – sweetness from the squash, earthiness from the mushrooms and sage, creamy tang from the goat cheese and of course the smoky-saltiness of the bacon.

Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce
2 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic
1/2-1 C chicken broth
2 Tbsp sherry
1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp sage
2 Tbsp olive oil
kosher salt
cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 400. Remove skin and seeds from squash. Chop into small square chunks and place on a cookie sheet. Add chopped onion and whole garlic cloves to cookie sheet, mixing among the squash. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper, using a spatula to turn and coat the squash evenly with the oil and spices. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until squash is soft and has a roasted golden brown coating.

Transfer vegetable to a large food processor. Add 1/2 C chicken broth and blend to puree. Drizzle in sherry and vinegar and continue pureeing. Taste and season with sage, along with additional salt and pepper as needed until flavors pop and continue pureeing until very smooth. Puree in additional chicken broth as needed to reach desired consistency. Sauce should be semi-thick and creamy but still sauce-like. NOTE: The amount of chicken broth required may vary depending on the size of the squash you used – larger squash may need more broth to reach the right consistency.



Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Mushrooms, Goat Cheese & Bacon
2 pkgs prepared soft gnocchi
1 pkg baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbsp butter or olive oil
3-4 oz goat cheese
6 slices bacon
handful fresh or dried minced sage

In a small saute pan, heat butter or olive oil and add mushrooms. Saute over medium heat until mushrooms are cooked, about 4-6 minutes. Once mushrooms are mostly cooked, add half of squash sauce to the saute pan and stir to incorporate mushrooms. Warm sauce over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a separate pan or in the microwave, about 5-7 minutes. Let bacon cool for 1 minute and chop into small chunks or crumbles. Boil water and cook gnocchi according to package instructions.

Plate gnocchi. Top with squash sauce, crumbled goat cheese, bacon bits and a dusting of sage.


Stay tuned next week for part two of my butternut squash sauce: Make Ahead Butternut Squash Lasagna!

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by | January 12, 2012 · 7:49 am

{Budget Friendly} Spicy Tomato Soup

Like many of you, the new year always brings similar resolutions. Be healthy. Save money. This year I plan to share with you some of my belt and budget shrinking recipes to help you stay on track with your 2012 goals. This tomato soup has been a staple in my household for some time. Made with pureed beans and carrots, it’s creamy without the calories. Best of all, you can make the entire batch of soup for less than $6. That is a $1 per person, take that McDonald’s dollar menu!

Spicy Tomato Soup
Makes 4-6 servings

1 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Red Onion, chopped
3 C chicken or vegetable broth
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 can Navy Beans, rinsed and drained
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 sprig rosemary, finely chopped
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

Rosemary Whipped Topping (optional)
1 C heavy cream
1 TBSP lemon juice
rosemary (leftover from soup recipe)

In a large stock pot, heat olive oil. Add onions and cook until soft, 3-5 minutes. Add broth, carrots, beans, tomatoes, rosemary (leaving a tiny pinch behind), salt, pepper and red pepper. Bring to a boil, cook until carrots are softened, about 15 minutes. Using an immersion blender, throughly blend soup until thick and creamy. (If you do not have an immersion blender, transfer soup to blender or food processor in batches until all is smooth).

In a cold metal bowl, whip heavy cream on high until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Slowly add pinch of rosemary and lemon juice until combined.

Ladle soup into bowl, top with one teaspoon of whipped cream.

The extra tablespoon of whipped topping is not necessary, but adding a real creamy texture to the soup. The extra tablespoon is worth the few extra calories in my book, but if you are really cutting down, leave it out. It is delicious either way!

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by | January 10, 2012 · 12:36 pm

Grapefruit and Avocado salad

Now that the holiday rush is over, I find my self craving fresh and light meals.  Don’t get me wrong, I love the cookie plates and green bean casseroles as much as everyone else, but now that it’s over my body is asking for a little bit of a detox.

I sometimes find it hard to make really delicious salads throughout the winter due to the lack of fresh, ripe ingredients.  This grapefruit and avocado salad has become a staple for me.  Delicious Grapefruits and avocados can be found just about anywhere this time of year and they add a refreshing flavor to any salad.  I like to finish mine with shaved Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.  I have found that this salad has so much flavor that I can skip the dressing all together.

Grapefruit and Avocado Salad 

1 grapefruit, sliced into wedges
1 avocado, sliced and scooped out
lettuce
Shaved Parmesan
Olive oil

Simply top your greens with the sliced avocado and grapefruit.  Add your favorite cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.

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by | December 29, 2011 · 2:36 pm

Marzetti Otria Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip

We interrupt this regularly scheduled holiday break with a word from our sponsors: Marzetti Otria Greek Yogurt Veggie Dips!

It is almost New Year’s Eve and my guess is that many of you will scramble around the house this weekend looking for a quick and easy appetizer to bring to your New Year’s Eve party. Typically, I am a make (at least partially) from scratch kind of girl but sometimes, let’s face it, we don’t have time (or energy). We recently had the opportunity to taste a few of the Marzetti Otria Greek Yogurt Veggie Dips and they are the perfect quick and easy fix. These lower calorie dip options can be found in the refrigerated area of the produce section of your grocery store (amongst refrigerated salad dressings, etc.) There are five delicious options: Cucumber Dill, Spinach Artichoke, Salsa Cilantro, Chipolte Cheese and Garden Herb Ranch.

Greek yogurt has been all the rage in 2011 and I don’t think the trend is going to stop any time soon and why should it? Greek yogurt provides that thick, creamy texture you would normally get out of sour cream or mayo without all the extra fat. I tried three out of the five flavors and sampled them each in different ways.

The winner for me has to go to the Cucumber Dill dip. Maybe it is because it reminds me of summer or my short trip to Greece a few years ago, but I loved the cool taste of the cucumber combined with the not too strong dill flavor. I spread the Cucumber Dill dip on a pita and topped it with sliced grape tomatoes, sliced kalamata olives and chopped cucumbers. This made for a different and delicious easy lunch, but would also work as an appetizer. You could also substitute the Cucumber Dill Veggie Dip for the cream cheese base on a veggie pizza.

I tasted the Spinach Artichoke with some garlic pita chips and veggies. I preferred the dip with the chips, maybe I just like some extra salt. The dip has a great texture and leaves you feeling much lighter after you eat it than your typical spinach artichoke dip. Lincoln loved it with the pita chips (veggies, hoorah)!

Last, I tried the Salsa Cilantro. I know cilantro can be an acquired taste for some, but this dip has just a touch of cilantro and a hint of southwest. It was great as a straight veggie dip and also good spread on a tortilla with some black bean and corn salsa.

These dips would be great served side by side with a lovely array of colorful veggies or separate and highlighted in their own ways, like some of the quick recipes I have described. However you decide to serve them, I think you will be pleased with the reactions of your guests.

So focus more on your glittery ensemble or fabulous cocktail this New Year’s Eve instead of your bring along appetizer, because Marzetti Otria Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip has it covered.

We will see you next year!

HAP was one of the blogs selected by T. Marzetti Company and Clever Girls Collective to host a Marzetti Otria Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip review. They provided us with product to test and compensation for our time. However, our opinions are entirely our own.


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