Macaroni and Cheese

8 oz. elbow macaroni (2 cups raw)
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. flour
2 c. milk
1-2 Tbsp. fresh chopped mixed herbs, or 2 tsp. dried leaf herbs (thyme, sage, chives)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 oz. goat cheese w/herbs or plain (1 sm. pkg.)
8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
4 oz. shredded Parmesan Cheese, divided (1/2 can)
1 c. soft bread crumbs
1 Tbsp. melted butter

Grease 2 qt. baking dish.  Heat oven to 350.  Cook macaroni following package directions, drain, rinse, and set aside.
In large saucepan, melt butter over med.-low heat.  Stir in flour until well blended and bubbly.  Gradually add milk, stirring constantly; continue cooking and stirring until slightly thickened.  Add herbs, salt and pepper then stir in goat cheese and cheddar.  Stir in 3 oz. parmesan cheese.  Continue cooking and stirring until cheeses have melted.  Stir in drained macaroni and turn into prepared baking dish.
Combine bread crumbs w/melted butter and toss w/remaining parmesan cheese.  Sprinkle over casserole.  Bake 25-30 min. until bubbly and nicely browned.  Serves 4-6

Seattle Cream Cheese Dogs

1/4 c. butter

1 Walla Walla or other sweet onion, thinly sliced

1 (4 oz) pkg. cream cheese

4 hot dogs

4 hot dog buns

brown mustard

sauerkraut

Preheat grill or pan for med-high heat.  Melt butter in skillet over med. heat.  Add onions, and cook slowly until onions have softened and turned deep brown, about 15 min.  Warm cream cheese over low heat in small skillet until very soft.  Grill hot dogs until well browned.  Lightly grill buns on both sides.  To assemble: Spread warm cream cheese on toasted bun, add hot dog, top w/onions, mustard and sauerkraut.

House Buttercream

6 c. confectioner's sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. boiling water

2 3/4 c. shortening

1 1/2 sticks butter, slightly chilled and cut into 1 inch pieces

In bowl, stir together sugar, salt and vanilla.  Add and whip at low speed the boiling water.  Let cool.  Add and whip until smooth the shortening and butter.  Increase speed to med-high and whip until light and fluffy and doubled in volume.  This should take 10-20 min.

Beef with Bean Sprouts and Mushrooms

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1/4 lb. mushrooms, cut into T shapes

1 tsp. grated fresh ginger root

1 lb beef (round, chuck, flank) finely sliced

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 Tbsp dry sherry

1/2 c chicken broth or water

1 tsp cornstarch in 2 Tbsp water

1 or 2 c. bean sprouts

2 stalks celery, cut into small cubes

Heat oil in wok and stir fry mushrooms and grated ginger for 1-2 min.  Push aside.  Stir fry beef for 3-4 min.  Return mushrooms to beef in wok.  Combine soy sauce, sherry, broth and cornstarch mix.  Stir and add to beef and mushrooms.  Heat until sauce thickens.  Add bean sprouts and continue heating just until they are heated through.  Garnish with cubed celery and serve at once with rice.

Beef with Snow Pea Pods and Mushrooms

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 tsp. grated fresh ginger root

1 clove garlic, grated

1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced into T shapes

14-16 snow pea pods, strings removed

1 lb. flank steak, cut into thin slices

1/2 c. chicken broth or water

1 Tbsp. cornstarch in 2 Tbsp. water

3 Tbsp. soy sauce

1/4 c. cashews or peanuts

Heat oil in wok and stir fry ginger, garlic and mushrooms 1-2 min.  Push aside.  Stir fry pea pods 1-2 min. or until they become bright green.  Push aside.  Stir fry beef 2-3 min.  Return vegetables to meat.  Add broth, cornstarch mix and soy sauce and heat until sauce boils and is thickened and beef and vegetables are heated through.  Add nuts and serve at once with rice.

Artisan Bread

3 c. all purpose flour

1/4 tsp. instant yeast

1 1/4 tsp. salt

1 5/8 c. water

In large bowl, combine flour,yeast and salt.  Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended, dough will be shaggy and sticky.  Cover bowl w/plastic wrap.  Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably 18, at room temp. about 70 degrees.

Dough is ready when its surface is dotted w/bubbles.  Lightly flour work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it w/more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice.  Cover loosely w/plastic wrap and let rest 15 min.

Using enough flour to keep dough from sticking shape dough into ball.  Generously coat cotton towel (not terry cloth) w/flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust w/more flour.  Cover w/another cotton towel and let rise 2 hours.  When it's ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked w/finger.

At least half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450.  Put 6-8 qt. heavy covered pot in oven as it heats.  When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven.  Slide hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess but that's o.k.  Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes.  Cover w/lid and bake 30 min., then remove lid and bake 15-30 min. until loaf is browned.  cool on rack

Herbed Linguine

1 lb. linguine, cooked al dente

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2 c. red onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 c. chicken broth

3 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cracked black pepper

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

6-8 fresh basil leaves, chopped

2 Tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped - if dried put in earlier so it's soft

grated parmesan cheese

Add shrimp

Saute onion in olive oil until tender (3-5 min.) then stir in garlic and saute one additional min.  Add chicken broth, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper and 1 Tbsp. chopped parsley.  Let cook over med. heat for 5 min.  Stir in cooked pasta, basil, thyme, and rest of parsley and heat through.  Remove from heat and top w/shaved parmesan cheese.  Serve immediately.

White Chicken Enchiladas

10 soft taco shells

2 c. cooked, shredded chicken

2 c. shredded monterey jack cheese

3 Tbsp. butter

3 Tbsp. flour

2 c. chicken broth

1 c. sour cream

1 (4oz.) can diced green chilies

Preheat oven to 350, grease 9X13 pan.  Mix chicken and 1 c. cheese.  Roll up in tortillas and place in pan. 

In saucepan, melt butter, stir in flour and cook 1 min.  Add broth and whisk until smooth.  Heat over med. heat until thick and bubbly.  Stir in sour cream and chilies.  Do not bring to boil, you don't want curdled sour cream. Pour over enchiladas and top w/remaining cheese.  Bake 22 min. and then under high broil for 3 min. to brown the cheese.

The Simplest Tomato Sauce

1 (28 oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes, w/juices

1 onion, peeled and halved

5 Tbsp. unsalted butter

salt, to taste

Combine tomatoes, onion and butter in med. saucepan over med. heat.  Bring mix to a simmer, then reduce heat to keep sauce at low, steady simmer for 45 min.  Stir occasionally, crushing tomatoes against side of pot w/wooden spoon.  Remove from heat, discard onion, add salt to taste.  

Kalua Pig in slow cooker

1 (6 lb) pork butt roast
1 1/2 Tbsp. Hawaiian sea salt
1 Tbsp. liquid smoke flavoring

Pierce pork all over w/carving fork.  Rub salt then liquid smoke over meat.  Place roast in slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low for 16-20 hours, turning once during cooking time.  Remove meat from slow cooker and shred, adding drippings as needed to moisten.

Salt: pink Ming Tsai brand or Red Clay sea salt

Pumpkin Bread

2 c. pumpkin
4 eggs
4 c. sugar
1 1/3 c. oil
1 c. sour cream
4 c. flour
2 1/2 tsp. soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
Bake @325 for 1 hour

Zucchini Bread

2 c. shredded zucchini
4 eggs
3 c. sugar
1 c. oil
1 c. sour cream
4 c. flour
2 tsp. soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/3 c. water
add 5 tsp. flax seed
Bake @350 for 1 hour or 45 min. in mini pans

Banana Bread

6 ripe bananas
4 eggs
4 c. sugar
1 c. oil
1 c. sour cream
4 c. flour
2 1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. chopped nuts
2 tsp. vanilla

Blend first 5 ingredients until smooth.  Add dry ingredients, nuts and vanilla.  Mix well until blended.  Grease and flour 4 small or 2 large loaf pans.  Bake for 1 hour @325.  Turn out onto cooling rack.

Chicken and Broccoli

2 pkg. broccoli spears
2 c. chicken, cooked and diced

Sauce:
2 cans cream of chickens soup
1 c. mayo
1/2 tsp. curry
1 Tbsp lemon juice

1/2 c. grated cheese
1/2 c. bread crumbs, soaked in 2 Tbsp butter

Cook broccoli, drain and lay in bottom of greased dish.  Place chicken over broccoli.  Pour sauce on top.  Cover w/cheese and crumbs and bake 30 min. @350.  Cover first 20 min. with foil.

Spaghetti Carbonara

Kosher salt
6 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary
2 red jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
1/4 c cognac or brandy (optional)
12 oz. sphaghetti
3 large eggs
3/4 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
1/2 c freshly grated pecorino romano cheese
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Freshly ground pepper

Bring large pot of salted water to boil, combine bacon, olive oil, garlic, rosemary, jalapenos and 1/4 c water in large skillet.  Cook over med.-high heat, stirring occasionally, until water evaporates and bacon crisps, about 12 min.  Discard garlic.  Add cognac and cook until it evaporates.  Remove from heat and set aside 1/4 c bacon mix for garnish.
Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in boiling water as label directs.  Mix eggs, cheese, parsley and 1 tsp. pepper in bowl.  Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 c cooking water.
Return skillet to med.-high heat.  Add pasta and toss until heated through, 1-2 min.  Remove from heat.  Whisk reserved pasta water into egg mixture, the quickly pour over pasta and toss to gently cook eggs and make a creamy sauce.  Garnish with reserved bacon mix and more parmesan.
Per serving: Calories 888, fat 50 g(sat. 18g), cholesterol 219 mg, sodium 1,223 mg, carbs 65 g, fiber 3 g, protein 35 g