Baked Macaroni & Cheese Your Way

This macaroni and cheese is very versatile because you can use any type of semi-hard cheese and/or soft cheese you'd like.  I would stay away from hard cheeses like parmesan or romano as they don't melt as easily.  They are fine to use on top. If you want to use a soft cheese, such as brie, it will give you a looser, creamier sauce. The typical cheese is a sharp cheddar. For this recipe I used a combination of extra sharp cheddar and Pepperjack as that is what I had on hand.  The peppers add a little bit of zip to it  Feel free to use a bacon and cheddar, garlic and herb, tomato basil, swiss or any other cheese that you'd prefer.  A combo of cheese adds a multi-layer of taste.  Experiment.  As long as the bechamel (white sauce) is done correctly, the cheese really doesn't matter.  A chunk of blue cheese in the mix is also a great taste!  Some people even like to add bacon!  Now, to personalize this even further, instead of extra cheese on top, consider crushed Ritz crackers, seasoned panko, crushed onions from the can, etc.  The choices are endless.  This really is Macaroni & Cheese YOUR WAY!
Here we go ...

Ingredients
1 lb. of cooked pasta, any shape will work
4 T butter
4 T flour
3 c whole milk
16 oz. cheese, divided
S&P to taste
Paprika

Boil the pasta for approximately 8 minutes or until al dente, using the water measurement specified on the box.  While the pasta is cooking, make the cheese sauce.
In a 2-quart sauce pan make a rue by melting 4 T butter; and whisking in the flour, Continue to whisk for about a minute to cook the rue and eliminate the raw flour taste.  While whisking, pour in the milk. Vigorously whisk until smooth; add salt and pepper.  Continue to cook until the bechamel thickens. Remove from heat and add 3/4 of the cheese.  Stir until completely melted.
After 8 minutes has passed, check the pasta for doneness.  It should be firm; but not hard.  (Note: Pasta cooks even more after it's been removed from the water.) Drain the pasta. Combine the pasta with the cheese sauce and pour into a buttered 2-quart casserole dish.  Top with remaining cheese; sprinkle with paprika.  Bake for approximately 25-30 or until bubbly.

Enjoy!

Italian Wedding Soup

Ingredients

For the meatballs: 

¾ pound ground chicken
½ pound chicken sausage, casings removed
2/3 cup fresh white bread crumbs
2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
3 tablespoons milk
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the soup:
2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 cup minced yellow onion
1 cup ¼-inch diced carrots (3 carrots)
¾ cup (¼-inch diced celery (2 stalks)
10 cups homemade chicken stock
½ cup dry white wine
1 cup small pasta such as tubetini or stars
¼ cup minced fresh dill
12 ounces baby spinach, washed and trimmed 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

For the meatballs, place the ground chicken, sausage, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, Pecorino, Parmesan, milk, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in a bowl and combine gently with a fork. With a teaspoon, drop 1- to 1¼-inch meatballs onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. (You should have about 40 meatballs. They don’t have to be perfectly round.) Bake for 30 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned. Set aside.

In the meantime, for the soup, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and sauté until softened, 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock and wine and bring to a boil. Add the pasta to the simmering broth and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the pasta is tender. Add the fresh dill and then the meatballs to the soup and simmer for 1 minute. Taste for salt and pepper. Stir in the fresh spinach and cook for 1 minute, until the spinach is just wilted. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle each serving with extra grated Parmesan cheese. 

(Recipe taken from Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa.)

Enjoy!

Sausage, Cabbage & Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

8 oz. (or 4 links) hot or sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings
1 large onion, chopped
2 large sliced carrots
2 celery stalks, cut in 1/2" pieces
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) reduced-sodium vegetable broth
1 c water
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 small head of green cabbage, cut thin
1 T flour

Break sausage into chunks into a large pot or Dutch oven. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until browned.
Add onion, carrots & celery.  Cover and continue cooking over medium heat until onions begin to soften, about 3 minutes.
Add broth, 1 c water and garlic.  Simmer 5 minutes or until carrots are almost tender.
Stir in cabbage; cook 5 minutes until vegetables are tender.
In a small bowl, stir flour and remaining 1/4 c water until blended.  Add to soup and cook 2 minutes.

(Recipe adapted from Woman's Day - March 2010)