Mac and cheese is so good, isn't it?  Creamy, cheesy, hearty.  Oh gosh, no wonder it's one of the top comfort foods out there.  Just telling you about this recipe makes me want some.

A few years ago a coworker started bringing crock pot mac and cheese to our staff potlucks and it was some of the best macaroni and cheese EVER.  I don't have her recipe, but it did cause me to start pinning slow cooker mac and cheese recipes like crazy and this past summer, I finally tried one of them out.  I've since made it again, and Drew thinks it's his favorite recipe yet.

It's creamy, cheesy, and smooth, and it's pretty hands-off.  If you need a lot of macaroni and cheese, this is your recipe.  Since it's made in a slow cooker, it's great for any time of the year, because the slow cooker doesn't heat up the kitchen like the stove or oven.  Love that!

Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese
from Trisha Yearwood via Food Network

Cooking spray
8 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked
One 12-ounce can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup (1/2 stick ) of butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper
2 large eggs, beaten
Two 10-ounce bricks sharp Cheddar cheese, grated (about 5 cups)
Dash of paprika

In a large 4-quart slow cooker sprayed with cooking spray (or greased with butter), mix the macaroni, evaporated milk, milk, butter, salt, pepper, eggs and all but 1/2 cup of the grated cheese. Sprinkle the reserved cheese over the top of the mixture and then sprinkle with paprika. Cover and cook on low heat for 3 hours and 15 minutes. Turn off the slow cooker, stir the mixture and serve hot.

With the country standing at the cusp of grilling season (sounds so dramatic, doesn't it?), this dish is one you'll want to make again and again.  It's one of those recipes that you unfortunately won't have a lot of leftovers if you take it to a potluck and one that almost everyone will ask for the recipe.

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This one may seem a little strange at the outset, but don't write it off just yet.  I decided to try it just because the picture was so pretty.  

• I had 3 large sweet potatoes and still got about half a dozen balls out of it.  
• Next time I will cut back a bit on the sugar, and even just a bit on the orange juice.  It was very good, but cutting back on the two will make it a little more savory.  

• If you're a sort of regular reader, you've probably read before about how I'll choose foods I can cook in stages, and this dish is another good example of breaking up the prep over different days or times of day.  I roasted the squash the night before and stuck it in the fridge.  The next day, I picked up with the rest of the prep and served it.  It turned what would have been about an hour or so prep into two sets of 30 minutes or so each.
• You don't want the squash super, super soft (though tender) after roasting, because you want to make sure the skins or shells hold up.
• The original recipe called for ricotta cheese.  When I went shopping, the store was out of ricotta, so I took a cue from my favorite lasagna recipe and used cottage cheese.  It worked well, but I wonder if the ricotta would yield a slightly smoother and maybe creamier end result.

• I decreased the original amount of sugar by about half, and I'd probably decrease it further next time.
• I will also decrease the olive oil next time, likely to about 1/3 cup.
• The onions said "sweet" in the store, but they were hot!  If your onion is hot, I'd encourage you to cut it back to 1 onion AND/OR to rinse the onions under cold water and let them drain a couple minutes before adding them to the rest of the mix OR to quick pickle them in the vinegar before the vinegar and sugar are mixed together and heated.

This recipe is simple to make and comes together pretty quickly.  It uses a vegetable peeler or mandoline and a food processor, so your work is minimal.  If you have a pile of zucchini silently screaming to be used before it goes bad, try this.  You won't be disappointed.

Zucchini Ribbons With Almond Pesto
from Smitten Kitchen Cookbook

1/2 cup almonds, toasted and cooled
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 small garlic clove, peeled and crushed
Pinch of red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup olive oil
2 pounds medium zucchini, trimmed (about 4 medium, thin and longer if you can find them)

Grind almonds, Parmesan, garlic and red pepper flakes in a food processor until they are finely chopped. Add the lemon juice, salt and olive oil and pulse a few times until incorporated. Pour the dressing into a large salad bowl and let it roll up and around the sides.

Peel the zucchini with a vegetable peeler or mandolin and place zucchini ribbons in the dressing-coated bowl. Toss the ribbons gently (your hands work best) attempting to coat the zucchini as evenly as possible. Serve at room temperature.

I have the perfect warm-weather dish for you today.  I first came across this recipe in an old issue of Bon Appetit, and I have been making it a few years now.  It's an ideal spring/summer dish.  The lemon gives it a bright, almost sunny taste, while the herbs also keep it bright, interesting, and a little earthy.  The chickpeas give you good texture, flavor, protein, and fiber, which leaves you with a meal that will fill you even on hungry days but won't make you feel like you just ate half a buffalo.

What I am telling you about is by no means revolutionary, but it is my husband's favorite thing to grill, and maybe one of our favorite warm weather meals.  You can use any combination of vegetables you like, and they can be eaten as a side dish or a main course, served with bread or potatoes.  Just know that you won't have many leftovers!

There are some vegetable dishes I make or eat that blow me away, and it's not because I'm that good.  It's because the vegetables are that good, especially when simply prepared in a way that lets flavors just shine.  Flavors blend and create this flavor show in your mouth that make your eyes roll and your head tilt slightly back at the impact of delicious flavor.  Some vegetables, even when not in season, deliver that kitchen-cred wow factor when you saute them in garlic and olive oil, which is exactly what I did with these tomatoes and green beans.



I am a frequent and devoted shopper at Aldi stores.  They sell produce at a much lower price than competitors, and while I've gotten some duds (talking to you, organic baby carrots), I've overall been very pleased with the items I've bought.  They had these green beans and tomatoes for a good price, and I sort of remembered seeing some cooking shows that blanched green beans and then sauteed them with garlic and oil.  I got the idea to add the tomatoes, and had a great side dish.

This is one of those dishes that are quick, simple, and take few ingredients, but whose flavor is very good.  What else do you saute like this?

Sauteed Green Beans and Tomatoes
serves 4

1 lb green beans, washed and trimmed of ends
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved if you want the cooking to be quicker
2 Tb olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
Ice Water

Blanch your green beans:  bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.  To the side, partially fill a large bowl with ice water.  Throw in the green beans, boil for 1-2 minutes.  Using a sieve, spider, or tongs, quickly remove the green beans to the bowl of ice water.  Allow them to cool for a minute or so in the water and remove to a colander or paper towel lined plate to drain the water.

In the meantime, heat a large skillet over medium-low.  Add your oil, and when it's warmed, add the garlic.  Allow the garlic to infuse into the oil, being careful not to let the garlic turn brown.  Turn up the heat to medium-high and add your tomatoes, cooking until they start to wilt a bit, about 2-3 minutes.  Add the green beans and saute the tomatoes and green beans until softened (green beans will still retain some of their firmness), about 1 minute.  Serve.


Notes

• Blanching the green beans makes them a more vibrant green and helps bring out some flavor.  You can skip this step if you're feeling lazy.
• Times and stove temperatures are relative to your stove.  I tend to feel like my stove runs hot, so I am either usually at lower temperatures than a lot of recipes suggest or shorter times.  Your stove may be different
• I used a 12 inch skillet.  It's wonderful for sauteing!

Mexican/Southwestern style dishes are some of our favorite dishes to make.  There's just something about the spices and the simplicity.  And the chips and salsa.  One day I made a Smitten Kitchen original that is featured in her cookbook, black bean and spaghetti squash tacos.  They sound weird, and they are, but they're also pretty addictively good.  Anyway, at the same time I had planned to make these tacos, I caught an episode of The Pioneer Woman on Food Network and saw the recipe for these chiles rellenos.  I made them with the tacos.  We loved them.  The end.  The rest of the story is told here.

Thanksgiving for us Americans is such a time honored tradition, and I'd bet that most of you already know what will be on your table, and who will make what dish.

For my side of the family, there's always my grandmother's dressing (that's stuffing for those of you in other parts), there was until last year my great grandmother's green beans, a turkey prepared by my parents, sweet potato and broccoli casseroles by my aunt, and pies by Sarah Lee, with the occasional wild card dessert or bread thrown in by me.  It's a true feast and honestly a day of unabashed gluttony.



What food traditions do you hold and look forward to each year?

I'd like to submit a new classic:  Rachael Ray's Apple and Onion Stuffin' Muffins.  I first made this recipe 8 years ago, for a staff Thanksgiving lunch at my first "professional" job.  It was a total experiement and they were the guinea pigs.  Thankfully it turned out great, and is pretty foolproof, which is good for a then novice like me.  This is a good recipe for any skill level.  I have since made these little guys 1-2 other times, and the latest was for my office building's Thanksgiving lunch today.



This recipe is easy, relatively quick, and can be made ahead of time.  The ingredient list is not ridiculous and the flavors are close enough to standard to not rock the boat while being innovative enough to reinvigorate your dressing/stuffing routine.

The recipe title is also a link to the original recipe.  I am posting as I made it.  If you're more a visual learner, there's a video link near the top of the page that will allow you to see Rachael Ray making the stuffin' muffins (which is a concept that Sunny Anderson has adopted with vigor).

Apple and Onion Stuffin' Muffins
makes 12-24 muffins, depending on your scoop size and tin

2 Tb Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 stick butter, divided in half
1 bay leaf (original calls for fresh; I used dried)
4 ribs celery, chopped
1 med-lg onion, chopped
3 apples, chopped
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1 tsp each dried marjoram, dried parsley, and dehydrated onion (or 2 Tb poultry seasoning)
8 cups stuffing mix (such as Pepperidge Farm Herb Stuffing)
2-3 cups chicken stock

Preheat an oven to 375 and butter the cups of 1-2 muffin pans.  In a wide pot with sides (dutch oven, saute pot), heat oil and butter over medium to med-high heat.  Add in bay leaf, celery, onion, and apple and season with salt, pepper, and other herbs/spices.  Allow to cook and soften, approx 5-6 mins.

Add stuffing mix into the pan and stir.  Moisten the entire pan with chicken broth, so that the bread and other ingredients are softened and moistened but not wet (not soupy).

Use an ice cream scoop or cup measure to scoop out stuffing and mound into the muffin tins.  Bake in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes or until browned on top.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  These can be made ahead and reheated.

Notes

• Original recipe called for McIntosh apples, which I can rarely find around here.  Use your favorite "cooking/baking" apple.  I used gala, and they worked well.
• Original recipe also called for poultry seasoning, which I didn't have and didn't want to buy.  I looked up a couple DIY recipes online and improvised using what I had on hand.  Still good!
• I used approx 2 cups chicken broth.  

Looks burnt beyond all goodness, but so good!

It's been a lot rainier this summer than most, so we haven't gotten to grill quite as much, but we still grill almost every chance we get.  We saw this recipe on an episode of Primal Grill with Steven Raichlen and tried it that same night.  Since then we've made it 4 or so times.  It's our new favorite way to eat corn.



It's simple, tasty, and economic.  It's also easily scaled to suit more or fewer ears.  The one downside is that it does require advance preparation, but even the prep doesn't take a lot of time.  This would make a great addition to any cookout, and with Labor Day coming up, it's good timing!  Yay!



Oh, and did I mention that this corn is made directly over coals, immediately adding a cool factor?  Yep, it is.

Fireman's Corn
from Primal Grill

Four ears corn, silks removed and approx 1/2-1" trimmed from the top
1/2 cup Kosher salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 gal water
Softened/Room Temp. butter
Cayenne Pepper
Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Make a brine for the corn by combining the salt, sugar, and water in a tall, cylindrical vessel.  Stir until salt and sugar are dissolved.  Add the corn, cut end down, into the brine and allow the corn to brine in the refrigerator for 4-8 hours.

Prep your gill by preheating charcoal (or if using gas, prep for direct grilling).  Once the charcoal is ready, spread it out in an even layer.  Place your ears of corn directly on the coals, or on the grill grate of your gas grill.  Grill until husks are charred and blackened and even missing in places, 5-8 mins. per side.

Remove from grill, strip off remainder of husks, and slather with butter.  Sprinkle with ground black pepper and cayenne pepper.

Notes

• The one note I can think to type is that my 1/2 gallon plastic pitcher works perfectly for 4 ears of corn.  When we made 8 ears for a family dinner, we used our 7 qt. stock pot.  

I've been a little behind on posting things, but Drew and I made these about three times within a span of about 2 weeks, and LOVE them.  The first time we ever ate them was a The Lady and Sons, Paula Deen's well known restaurant in Savannah, GA.  It's worth the trip.  They hand them out to people in line- isn't that hospitable?  They're delicious- a cross between corn bread and a pancake, you can eat them with syrup like a pancake or with savory foods, like corn bread.  How fun is versatility in food?!

They're also pretty easy and quick to throw together, which is why I chose to make these rather than a cake of cornbread.  All the flavor in less time!  Fun fact- hoe cakes reportedly got their name because field hands would fry the batter on their hoes they used to work the field.

Hoe Cake accompanying assortment of grilled veggies and black eyed peas- yum!

I am posting the recipe as Ms. Paula Deen created it, but I'll post changes in my notes section.  The recipe title links to the recipe on foodnetwork.com

Hoe Cakes

1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup self-rising cornmeal, or from a mix (recommended: Aunt Jemima's)
2 eggs
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup vegetable oil or bacon grease
Oil, butter, or clarified margarine, for frying

Mix well all ingredients, except for the frying oil. Heat the frying oil or butter in a medium or large skillet over medium heat. Drop the batter, by full tablespoons, into the hot skillet. Use about 2 tablespoons of batter per hoecake. Fry each hoecake until brown and crisp; turn each hoecake with a spatula, and then brown the other side. With a slotted spoon, remove each hoecake to drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Leftover batter will keep in refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Notes

• I cooked my hoe cakes just like pancakes, which is to say I didn't use a lot of oil.
• I didn't have self rising cornmeal, so I sort of fudged it with cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.
• I also didn't have buttermilk, so I put 1 Tb. vinegar in regular milk and let it sit.  

I think I did one of these last year, but happy 4th of July to you!  Now's a good time to see what's been done in the past.

How do you celebrate our nation's independence?  Do you watch fireworks, cookout, go vacationing, all of the above?  The 4th has always been for me a time spent with family or friends.  It usually involves fireworks and usually a cookout with great food.

Below are some of my top pics for a great 4th (or any time)!  Whatever you do, happy Fourth to you and yours!

Grilled main dishes:


A delicious burger


BBQ chicken

Buttermilk Brined Grilled Chicken

On the side:

Potato Salad

For dessert:


As American as....Blueberry Pie

Strawberry cobbler

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!  To anyone reading this who is a current military member or a veteran or who has/had a family member in the military, thank you for the sacrifices you and your families have made.

The salad I'm writing about today was made on Wednesday and I've been eating on it the past couple days. I like it.  It would make a decent side dish (maybe for a cookout or gathering), and Deb from Smitten Kitchen even recommends it with some salad greens and a pita.  I am, however, eating it as a light lunch by itself with a fork.    It's great for warmer weather, and doesn't have the risk associated with mayonnaise based salads.  It's easy and quick, and can be made even quicker with jarred roasted red peppers.  I am going to type the recipe as I made it.  Feel free to peruse smittenkitchen.com for her variation.



Chickpea Salad with Roasted Red Peppers
adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

I came across this recipe while taking a Pinterest break at work.  It originally comes Ina Garten's book Back to Basics via the Amateur Gourmet blog.  Being that the Amateur Gourmet titled this "the best broccoli of your life," I thought this recipe was worth a pin and try.



Eh.  It's not the best broccoli of my life.  My eyes did not roll back in my head and I didn't swoon, BUT it is an inventive and tasty way to prepare and consume broccoli, so I feel good sharing this with you.  To its credit, the broccoli remained firm (translate: not mushy) and the taste was reminiscent to me of kale chips.



The preparation is simple, and the dish would make a great side to any meat, and I just thought about how it might be fun tossed with pasta and served as a main dish, being that there are also lemon, pine nuts, olive oil, and garlic involved. 

Roasted Broccoli with Lemon and Pine Nuts
from amateur gourmet

4-5 lb broccoli, cut into florets
7 Tb Olive Oil, divided
1 1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
zest and juice of a lemon
3 Tb. toasted pine nuts
1/3 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tb. shredded basil

Preheat oven to 425.   Put the broccoli on a cookie sheet. Toss with 4-5 Tb olive oil, salt and pepper.  Add garlic cloves.  Roast in the oven 20 to 25 minutes, until “crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.”  When it’s done, take it out of the oven.  Zest a lemon over the broccoli, squeeze the lemon juice over the broccoli, add 1.5 Tbs more olive oil, 3 Tbs toasted pine nuts, and 1/3 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Finish with the 2 Tb. shredded basil. 


Notes

• I bought some broccoli from Aldi, and therefore have no idea my starting weight.  I eyeballed everything accordingly. 

Is there anything better than a good helping of macaroni and cheese?  So simple, yet so satisfying.  It doesn't matter how haute my cuisine may become, mac and cheese will always be near the top of my "all time favorites" list.  I smile to think about it, but as a kid I felt like we were really reaching into the richness of the food world when my mom would make Velveeta Shells and Cheese.  I loved that package of viscous Velveeta cheese, which would be squeezed out and mixed in with pasta shells.  Its ochre color and sharp taste mixed with creaminess made my eyes roll back in my head.  I could have eaten it every day. 



Now that I am a little more concerned about what I eat, the Velveeta box is nowhere to be found in the house, but thankfully, mac and cheese is still welcome.  This recipe is my go-to recipe when I want mac and cheese, and it is one of the first recipes I started making on a somewhat regular basis when I became a functioning member of society and lived in my apartment. 



A word on the mac and cheese: there are two schools of thought with mac and cheese.  One school likes the mac and cheese baked like a casserole, with a crunchy topping.  The other school (the better one, in my opinion), likes the mac and cheese creamy and uniform throughout.  This recipe is a stove top version, and is that creamy, uniform cheesy goodness dish. 



Stove Top Mac and Cheese
from Alton Brown's Good Eats

I have had this recipe in my "to make" file for two years now, and I am glad the wait is finally over.  Only now I am kicking myself for not making it sooner.  This is quite possibly my favorite salad.  I discovered it when Deb of Smitten Kitchen posted it on her blog, and it came at a time when I was thinking exactly what she wrote; green salads are just not doing it for me anymore.  I was also newer to techniques, such as pickling onions, so it was a sort of educational post with a delicious recipe.  It also helps that I am a complete fanatic for a good colored bell pepper. 



This salad, while ideal when made with good, colored bell peppers in their peak, is also good with mediocre bell peppers, which is, sad to say, what I used.  I can't figure out why the peppers I'm growing in my own garden aren't the most awesome peppers I've ever tasted, but we'll just chalk it up to our gardening inexperience.  So back to the salad- it's well dressed and keeps for days in the fridge, and while great the first day, gets even better the second.  It's colorful and makes use of summer vegetables, so it's good that way.  If you have bell peppers in your garden or you find discounted colored ones, or you don't mind paying $2 a pepper, make this ASAP, like yesterday.



*One note- I don't like olives so I put in capers.  I am posting the recipe as I made it; if you like olives, click the recipe title below to be taken to Deb's website, where the original recipe is written.



Mediterranean Pepper Salad
from smitten kitchen

1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup cold water
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 a red onion, cut into a 1/2-inch dice (use less if your onion is huge)
3 bell peppers, your choice of colors (I used one red, orange and yellow)
1 kirby or pickling cucumber
1/4-pound firm feta cheese or 4 oz crumbled, if your grocery store is lacking
2 tb- 1/4 cup capers, drained
1/4 cup olive oil
1 small tomato, diced or a handful of grape tomatoes, quartered
Salt and pepper to taste

Swish together the red wine vinegar, water, kosher salt and sugar in a small bowl until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Add the red onion and set it aside.

Meanwhile, time to practice your knife skills. Core and seed your bell peppers and chop them into 1/2-inch pieces. Chop the cucumber and feta into similarly-sized chunks. Put your peppers, cucumber, feta, tomatoes and capers in a large bowl.

By now, your onions will have lightly pickled, both sweetening and softening their blow. Drain them and add them to the other vegetables in the large bowl, but reserve the vinegar mixture. Pour a quarter cup of the vinegar mixture over the salad, then drizzle with olive oil. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper, or to taste. Toss evenly and serve at once, or let the flavors muddle together in the fridge for a few hours.