broccoli shells n' cheese

This was really yummy. I did add a lot of hot sauce and some more parmesan to make sure it had flavor. I kept tasting until I liked it. But check this one out! Yum! And Asher loved it! :)

I took this one directly so click here to get the play by play with pictures.

broccoli shells n' cheese

$6.05 recipe / $1.01 serving

I got a request from Nelson (a BB reader) last week to make some homemade mac n' cheese and what a fantastic idea it was. I really need some mac n' cheese in my life right about now.

Of course, there is the issue of guilt surrounding eating large quantities of cheese so I added some good ol' broccoli to rationalize it all. ha. right. If you don't want broccoli, just leave it out, make everything else as directed and you'll have a good classic mac n' cheese.

Making a cheese sauce can be a little bit intimidating at first but give it a shot. Once you get the hang of it, it's super easy. The thickening action of the roux is kinda like magic, very mysterious but you gotta learn to trust it. It will thicken.

I like to use medium to sharp cheddar for my mac and cheese because I feel like cheese sauce needs that extra punch of flavor. I also ended up adding a little parmesan (another strong cheese) because after tasting the sauce I wanted it evencheesier! I despise a bland macaroni and cheese.

Then there is the hot sauce. I add just a little to add flavor but not really any heat. The hot sauce is completely optional. Many people add dry mustard which has a similar effect on the flavor. It just gives it a little zing. In the end, the cheese sauce is all about tasting and adjusting. And really, who's complaining about repeatedly tasting cheese sauce? No one.





Total Recipe cost: $6.05
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Cost per serving: $1.01
Prep time: 10 min. Cook time: 30 min. Total: 40 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
8 oz.	pasta	$0.55
1 lg. crown	broccoli	$1.69
1/2 med	onion	$0.18
3 Tbsp	butter	$0.12
3 Tbsp	all-purpose flour	$0.03
2.5 cups	milk	$0.65
8 oz. (2 cups)	sharp cheddar, shredded	$2.49
1/4 cup	grated parmesan	$0.24
1 tsp	hot sauce (optional)	$0.05
to taste	salt and pepper	$0.05
TOTAL		$6.05

STEP 1: Get a large pot of salted water on to boil. Rinse the broccoli well and cut it into small florets.

STEP 2: The pasta and broccoli will be cooked in the same pot to save on dishes and time. When the water comes to a full boil, add the pasta. Set a timer for 8 minutes then add the broccoli. Cook the pasta and broccoli for two minutes more and then pour everything into a colander to drain. Set them aside until ready to add to the cheese sauce.

STEP 3: While the pasta and broccoli are doing their thing, you can begin the cheese sauce. Finely dice the onion and cook with butter over medium heat until softened (about 2-3 minutes).

STEP 4: Add the flour to the butter and onion. The flour and butter will form a paste like mixture (roux). Using a whisk, stir and cook the roux for 1-2 minutes more taking care not to let it scorch. This slightly cooks the flour preventing the cheese sauce from having an overly flour or paste like flavor.

STEP 5: Add the milk and whisk well to dissolve all of the flour clumps. Add freshly cracked black pepper at this point. Bring the mixture up to a simmer (you may need to raise the heat just slightly). When the sauce reaches a simmer, it will begin to thicken. When it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, it's time to add the cheese.

STEP 6: Turn the burner off and whisk in the shredded cheese (and parmesan if using) until it is fully melted in. Give the cheese sauce a taste and add salt, pepper and hot sauce to taste.

STEP 7: Once you have the cheese sauce seasoned to your liking, stir in the cooked and drained pasta and broccoli. Serve hot and gooey!

Have fun all :)

Budget food

So I realize that it has been a really long time but now that it is summer I am really hoping to cook a lot and put more up. Adam recently showed me this amazing blog and I know that many of us out there are budget conscious so I fully intend to take advantage of this website. Check it out

http://budgetbytes.blogspot.com/

Everything we have tried has been amazing. She breaks everything down with pictures- it's really wonderful. I am going to try the cheesy broccoli pasta I will let you know how it goes and will post it later if I like it!

Hopefully it won't be a few months until I write again :)

Happy cooking!

Strawberry Shortcakes

I also want to try this one. Sorry all- not trying to overwhelm you or anything :) Just wanting to save these for later.
Happy cooking!
http://www.bhg.com/recipe/desserts/strawberry-shortcakes/

Strawberry shortcakes

Prep: 30 minutes
Bake: 12 minutes

ingredients
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup cold butter
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup dairy sour cream
2 tablespoons milk
5 cups sliced strawberries
3 tablespoons sugar
1 recipe Whipped Cream
directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet; set aside. In a medium bowl combine flour, the 1/4 cup sugar, the baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl combine egg, sour cream, and milk. Add to flour mixture, stirring with a fork just until moistened.

2. Drop dough into 8 mounds onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

3. Meanwhile, combine 4 cups of the strawberries and the 3 tablespoons sugar. Using a potato masher, mash berries slightly; set aside. To serve, split shortcakes in half; fill with strawberry mixture and whipped cream. Top with remaining sliced strawberries.

4. Makes 8 shortcakes

Fresh Strawberry Bars

I am thinking about trying this one for tomorrow. It sounds pretty good :)
We will see!

Fresh Strawberry Bars
Makes: 24 bars
Prep: 25 min.
Bake: 25 min.

ingredients
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup strawberry jam
4 cups small whole strawberries, halved or quartered
directions
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 13x9x2-inch baking pan with foil, extending foil beyond the edges. Set aside.

2. In large mixing bowl beat butter and peanut butter on medium to high for 30 seconds. Beat in sugars, baking powder, and salt until combined. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until combined. Beat in as much flour as you can with mixer. Stir in remaining flour.

3. Spread dough in prepared pan. Bake 25 minutes or until top is lightly browned and toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.

4. Cool completely on rack. Remove from pan by lifting foil. Spread jam and top with berries. Cut into bars. Serve at once or refrigerate up to 6 hours. Makes 24 bars

Make Ahead: Wrap the peanut butter base in foil; store at room temperature up to 24 hours. Before serving, top with jam and berries. Or freeze the peanut butter base in a freezer container up to 3 months.

Minted strawberries with white wine

This is for me to remember where it is to try in the future :). We shall see I guess. Came from here:

http://www.bhg.com/recipe/desserts/minted-strawberries-with-white-wine/

Minted Strawberries with White Wine

ingredients
6 cups strawberries
1 cup sugar
2 bunches fresh mint (1-1/2 oz.)
2 to 3 cups dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc
Fresh mint sprigs
directions
1. Halve large berries; leave hulls on a few berries. Place berries in a large bowl; sprinkle with sugar and cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let stand at room temperature at least 1 hour, stirring once or twice.

2. Remove mint leaves from one bunch of mint. Stack 6 to 8 leaves together; roll the stacked leaves. Slice across the roll to create narrow strips. Repeat with remaining leaves. Add the shredded mint to strawberries just before serving.

3. To serve, evenly divide the minted berries and juices among 8 glasses; pour wine over berries until just covered. Garnish with mint sprigs. Makes 8 servings.

For a nonalcoholic version, use white grape juice instead of wine and reduce the sugar to 2 tablespoons.

Chicken Fajita Tostadas

Alright so I hate that I have no time to try new recipes :) Here is one I tried today that was so so good. For all you vegetarians out there- perhaps this with a few more veggies - I think it would be just as good without the chicken.

I did add some seasoning to this recipe. But thanks to http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/chicken-fajita-tostadas for this one! So good!

Serves 4

* 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
* 2 bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), thinly sliced
* 1 box (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels
* 1 cup prepared fresh salsa
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* Coarse salt and ground pepper
* 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (I cooked it with lime juice, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper)
* 4 corn tortillas (6-inch)(all I had was flour and they worked fine too!)
* 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. On foil, combine onions, bell peppers, corn, 1/4 cup salsa, and 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper.
2. Roast, tossing occasionally, until vegetables are tender and lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Add chicken, stir to combine, and continue to roast until warmed through, 5 minutes more. Transfer chicken and vegetable mixture to a serving bowl, discarding foil (reserve sheet).
3. Arrange tortillas on sheet. Dividing evenly, brush with remaining tablespoon oil; top with cheese. Bake until edges are golden and cheese is melted, 5 to 8 minutes.

This was so good. I might also add some cilantro next time and sour cream. I used the fire roasted salsa for an extra kick! Hopefully it won't take me too long to write again! Happy Cooking!

Lettuce Wrap

Ok- new favorite thing- golden raisins, just sayin - so so good! Here is something we threw together because, lets face it, we did not want to go shopping :)

1 bag of wild and brown rice (steamables with carrots and broccoli)
Monterey Jack Cheese
Almonds
Golden raisins
Flour/corn tortilla/(or dare I say it) lettuce

If you are feeling extra healthy wrap said food in the lettuce and maybe garnish with a little sour cream. Healthy, yummy, simple, and light! Asher enjoyed most (no almonds for him) as well!

Happy Cooking!

Don't have a good name for it salad :)

ok so I was rummaging through my pantry the other day trying to decide what I wanted to put on a salad and it was awesome! So here is what I came up with :)

Golden Raisins
Sliced Almonds
Tortilla Strips (the crunchy ones)
Tomatoes
Thick cut cheddar cheese
Romaine Lettuce

so so good! I did find a blush wine vinegarette at Walmart that is really good!

Also if you are feeling extra daring try 2 parts olive oil - 1 part rice wine for a simple dressing. (also, if you want a little kick to it add some lime juice and cilantro!) Happy salading :)

Got a good salad recipe? Feel free to share! :)

Goat Cheese Enchiladas with red mole sauce

Alright all- this was awesome! Thanks to http://www.toomanychefs.net/archives/001041.php for this recipe! We bought the mole sauce because in case you didn't know Mole is sooo hard to make. So we went to our local grocery store and bought some :) but it turned out really good! I used the almonds instead of the pine nuts and jack cheese. But the corn with the raisins with the almonds...heaven. So so good! If you try this let me know what you think!

Goat Cheese Enchiladas with Corn and Red Mole

1/4 cup golden raisins (Sultanas, in Brit-speak)
1/4 cup pine nuts (the first time, I substituted almond slivers which worked well too)
2 Tbs corn or olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic (well, two large cloves in my case)
1 1/2 cups corn kernels
1 1/2 cups grated Jack or Muenster cheese (I used Fromage des Pyrenées)
2 cups soft goat cheese
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
salt and pepper
1 cup vegetable oil for frying
12 corn tortillas
Red Chile Mole (recipe below or use a preparation)
1/2 cup crème fraîche or sour cream

Cover the raisins with warm water and set aside. Brown the pine nuts in a medium dry skillet, then remove. Add the 2 Tbs oil to the same skillet and cook the onion with the garlic over medium heat to soften, about three minutes, then add teh corn and cook for one minute more. Drain the raisins and put in a bowl with the pine nuts, onion/corn mixture, 1 cup of the Jack cheese, the goat cheese and the cilantro. Mix everything well together and taste for salt and pepper.

Fry the tortillas briefly in olive oil, drain them and fill them with the above mixture. Roll them and place them seam side down in a baking dish. Make the mole. (To this point, you can make them well in advance and refrigerate, covered.) When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 F (about 190 c). Pour mole sauce over the enchiladas, sprinkle with the rest of the Jack cheese and bake until heated through, about 20 minutes. Serve with the rème fraîche spooned over the top.

Red Chile Mole Sauce
1 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1 1/4 teaspoons each anise seeds, cumin and dried Mexican oregano (omitted the anise and used normal oregano)
2 /12 Tbs vegetable oil
1 small onion, finely diced
1 tsp minced garlic (1 clove, pressed)
1/3 cup ground mild red chile
1 oz Mexican chocolate, coarsely chopped
salt
1 tsp sherry vinegar

Toast the seeds and oregano in a dry skillet, then remove to a plate as soon as they smell fragrant. Grind in a mortar. Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the onion. Cook, stirring frequently for about for minutes, or until onion is brown on the edgets, then add garlic and ground spices and cook for one minute more. Remove from heat, let the pan cool for a minute, then stir the ground chile into the onions along with 1 1/2 cups water. REturn to the stove and bring to a boil, stirring slowly but constantly so that the chile doesn't burn. It will thicken as it cooks, so plan to add another 1/4 cup water to thin it out a little. (Mine didn't...) Add the chocolate and stiru until it's melted. Simmer for ten minutes, then stir in the vinegar to bring all the flavors together. Taste or salt.


Have fun and enjoy!

Chicken and Stuffing

Well yesterday was another day of what can I cook tonight without going to the store...So I went to the recently discovered website from my last post and found this:

6 chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken
1 box of stuffing mix
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter

Put the chicken in the bottom of the pan. Mix together the milk and soup and pour on top. Then layer the stuffing. Top with the melted butter. Cook at 350 for 50 minutes (or however long in takes for the chicken to cook- I think mine took closer to an hour but part of it was still a little frozen).

It smelled so good and did not disappoint. Easy and good- my kind of recipe.