Creamy Rosemary Potatoes

I'm a total sucker for marketing. If a product is stuffed into a cute package, in miniature form, or has bright colors somewhere on it, it's more than likely going into my buggy. On one trip to Target with Caitlin, I saw a mandoline that was flat, the safety grip clicked on the black, plus it had lime green accents. Mine. In the buggy. That was about two months ago and I just whipped it out the other day to make this yummy potato dish.

With Easter coming up, many of you may be looking to a dish to take to a family dinner. Put this recipe on your list because it is easy to put together, but looks and tastes impressive. That Pioneer Woman knows her stuff.

Creamy Rosemary Potatoes

Pioneer Woman Cooks, page 204

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter

1 cup half and half

1 cup heavy cream

5 or 6 medium russet potatoes, sliced thin

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 medium onion, finely diced

One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt, to taste

Freshly ground pepper to taste

2 tablespoons minced rosemary leaves

3 green onions, light green and medium green parts, thinly sliced

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 tablespoons minced chives

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Rub the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish with softened butter. Combine the half-and-half and the cream in a large measuring cup.
Using a mandoline or very sharp knife, slice the potatoes very thinly. Place the potatoes in a large bowl. Drizzle with half of the half-and-half/cream mixture and set aside.
In a large skillet over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic and onion and cook until translucent, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes.
Cut the bar of cream cheese in half and add the halves to the skillet, stirring constantly. Continue stirring until the mixture is smooth and combined about 3 minutes.
Pour in the remaining half-and-half/cream mixture and stir to combine. Add salt and pepper and stir. Taste and adjust the seasonings as necessary. Do not undersalt!
Add the rosemary and green onions and stir to combine. Finally, add 1/2 cup of the grated Parmesan and stir to combine.
Pour the cream soaked potatoes into the baking dish. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the top. Scrape out the skillet to get every drop. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup grated Parmesan generously over the top and bake for at least 1 hour, or until golden brown and bubbly. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the chives, then cut into squares to serve.

Printable version

Baked Orzo with Fontina and Peas

There are a few things that are forbidden from ever gracing a plate in our house. For me, ketchup, mustard, mayo, bananas, and oranges are just a few things that are from the devil's house. For Brian, the list consists of peas, water chestnuts, and sweet potatoes. Which are three that I LOVE. This recipe has been on my "to-make" list for a long time, but it's always been on the back burner since it has peas in it.

If you keep up with my 365 blog, you may remember that I went through some cookbooks for a new project that my dear friend, Pamela, started for herself. I got inspired and decided to take five cookbooks, look through them, and bookmark recipes to make. Low and behold, this recipe was in a cookbook of mine. I decided to make it anyways and if Brian wasn't a fan of peas, he could push them to the side. :)

Baked Orzo with Fontina and Peas
Source: Giada as seen in Giada's Kitchen, page 111

4 cups chicken broth
1 pound orzo pasta
3 tablespoons butter, plus more to grease the baking dish
1 onion, chopped
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced (I used cremini mushrooms, but the cookbook calls for button mushrooms)
1 cup Marsala wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 ounces shredded fontina cheese (about 1 cup)
4 ounces diced fresh mozzarella cheese (about 1 cup)
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon dried thyme

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish.

Bring the chicken broth to a boil over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. Add the orzo and cook until almost tender, about 7 minutes. Pour the orzo and the broth into a large bowl. Set aside.

Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium heat in a medium skillet. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue to saute until the mushrooms are beginning to turn golden around the edges, about 7 minutes. Add the Marsala. Scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan and cook until the Marsala has reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the mushroom mixture to the orzo in the large bowl. Add the cream, fontina, mozzarella, peas, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.

In a small bowl combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and dried thyme. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture on top of the pasta. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes.

Printable version

Even with the peas, Brian ate two servings and loved it. It is very creamy and rich and yummy. Now if I could just get him to eat sweet potatoes... :)

Shrimp Mac and Cheese

Why hello, 2010! Nice to meet you. Hopefully you're a nice year and not a bad year. Brian brought up an interesting point the other night. He said that he heard a man say "I don't pray for a better year when the new year rolls around, because God always ends up making my year bad to prove how blessed I was the year before. Now I just say that I pray I'm blessed in the new year." Very wise and very true.

But, I digress.

This mac and cheese was made on New Year's Eve as a way to say "Bye bye fattening foods. Hello, diet." I realize I'm showing you this late and that most have probably begun some sort a diet regimen (I know I have). But, keep this recipe in mind for, oh let's say, March when the diet is out the window. :)

The original recipe calls for lobster, but at 5:15pm on New Years Eve, I didn't want to hunt down lobster, so I opted for frozen shrimp, which was equally delicious.

Lobster/Shrimp Mac and Cheese
Source: The Neelys

4 tablespoons butter, plus 1 tablespoon for greasing dish
Kosher salt
1 pound penne pasta
2 small shallots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white wine
4 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf
2 cups shredded sharp white Cheddar
2 cups shredded Gruyere
2 (8-ounce) raw lobster tails, defrosted if frozen, meat removed from shell, chopped OR one bag frozen shrimp, defrosted, and chopped
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley leaves

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and adjust racks to the middle. Grease a 13 by 9-inch baking dish with butter.

In a large pot of boiling salted water over medium heat, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta and reserve.

Add 4 tablespoons butter to a large pot over medium heat. Once the butter shimmers, add the shallots and garlic and saute until translucent. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the tomato paste and flour and stir to toast, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the white wine and reduce, by half, about 2 minutes. Slowly add the cream, whisking well to remove any lumps. Add the paprika, cayenne, and bay leaf. Bring the cream up to a simmer and turn the heat to low. Let reduce until the cream is thick and can coat a spoon, about 5 to 10 minutes. When thickened, remove the bay leaves.

Stir in the grated cheeses, a handful at a time, combining well after each addition. Add the chopped lobster meat to the sauce and stir well. Add the pasta and stir. Add to the greased baking dish and sprinkle with the panko crumbs and parsley. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.


Printable version

Chili and Cheddar Bow Tie Casserole

As I've mentioned before, Brian's a sucker for a casserole. Throw the word "cheese" in the title and he's game. I've gotten to where I'll make up a name for something that he might not eat and as long as I mention cheese, he's good to go.

I honestly have no idea how this casserole tastes. (Just keeping it real.) I wasn't hungry the night I made it, but Brian ate all of it. Yes, all of it. So judging by that, it must taste pretty good!

Chili and Cheddar Bow Tie Casserole
Source: Cooking Light

Yield
6 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups)

Ingredients
1 (7-ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced Canadian bacon (about 2 ounces)
1 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 1/4 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
8 cups hot cooked farfalle (bow tie pasta) or other short pasta
Cooking spray

Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°.

Remove 1 teaspoon adobo sauce and 1 chile from canned chiles; mince the chile. Place remaining sauce and chiles in a zip-top plastic bag; freeze for another use.

Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper and bacon; sauté 4 minutes. Add onions; sauté 1 minute. Stir in the adobo sauce, minced chile, flour, chili powder, salt, and cumin; cook 1 minute. Gradually add milk; cook until thick and bubbly (about 4 minutes), stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat. Gradually add 1 1/2 cups cheese and cilantro, stirring until cheese melts. Add pasta to pan; toss well.

Spoon the pasta mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese over pasta mixture. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until browned.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 369 (30% from fat)
Fat: 12.4g (sat 7.4g,mono 1.6g,poly 1g)
Protein: 23.2g
Carbohydrate: 43g
Fiber: 3.1g
Cholesterol: 44mg
Iron: 1.6mg
Sodium: 758mg
Calcium: 472mg

Weight Watchers Points: 8

Cheesy Baked Tortellini

There are just some days that you don't have time for an elaborate recipe. There are days where you just really don't feel like cooking. (Yes, I have them too.) Some days, you just want to get in the kitchen, whip something together in a flash and be done.

Now if we could only get dishes to magically wash themselves, we'd be golden.

I've debated whether or not to even post this recipe because it's really just throwing things into a bowl, mixing it together, and baking it. However, I realize that we all have lives. We all need dishes that we can put together fast that don't require much thinking.

Cheesy Baked Tortellini
Adapted from Giada

2 cups marinara sauce
1/3 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound purchased cheese tortellini (or whatever tortellini flavor you prefer)
2 ounces thinly sliced mozzarella
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil an 8 by 8 by 2-inch baking dish.

Whisk the sauce, ricotta cheese, red pepper flakes, parsley and basil in a large bowl to blend. Cook the tortellini in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 2 minutes. Drain. Add the tortellini to the sauce and toss to coat. Transfer the tortellini mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top the mixture with the mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 5 more minutes, or until the sauce bubbles and the cheeses on top melt.

Brian's Baked Ziti

I'm not sure why we started calling this Baked Ziti, it just kinda happened. It's really just a fake-baked pasta, but it's one of Brian's favorite meals that I make. I can't say I blame him. We've already had it twice this month. The first time I didn't take any pictures of it, so it gave me an excuse to make it again. Not that Brian complained.

This pasta feeds a LOT of people. I've made some changes to it based on our personal preferences and what I can find the store. The original recipe calls for spinach, but blech, can't stand it. (Remember, I'm a picky eater. Baby steps...) It also calls for capocollo, which is an Italian hot ham. I can NEVER find that here so I just buy Peppered Ham and put it some extra cayenne pepper.

The absolute best part of this dish, is that inside it are little cubes of fresh mozzarella. Oh.My.GOD. When they hit the hot pasta and are put under the broiler, they turn into such goodness that it's indescribable. Please shell out the extra money for the fresh mozzarella. The block just won't do. I promise. The cheese makes the dish.

Spinach and Hot Ham Fake-Baked Pasta, or Brian's Baked Ziti
Adapted from Rachael Ray

1 pound cavatappi, corkscrew pasta with lines or, macaroni with line in any short cut
Salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive, divided
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Black pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole or 2 percent milk
1/2 pound sliced peppered ham
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, a few large handfuls, divided
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground or freshly grated, eyeball it
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, a couple pinches
1 pound ball fresh mozzarella -- buy a piece wrapped, not packed in water, then cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup plain or Italian bread crumbs
A generous handful of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

Directions
Preheat broiler.

Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the pasta, salt water and cook to al dente, with a bite.

While the water is coming up to a boil for the pasta, heat a medium, deep skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon EVOO, 1 turn of the pan, and the butter. When butter melts into the oil, add onions and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes then dust the onions with flour and continue to cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk. Gently bring milk to a bubble, allow the milk to thicken a bit, then stir in the ham and 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano. Season sauce with nutmeg and cayenne and remove from the heat. Taste and add a little salt, if you like.

Combine the cooked pasta and the cubed mozzarella with the sauce, stir to coat completely by turning over and over. Transfer dressed pasta to a baking dish.

To make the breadcrumb topping, combine the breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons of EVOO and the remaining 1/2 cup Parmigiano. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the top to cover the pasta from edge to edge. Transfer the baking dish under the broiler and broil until golden brown and crispy. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Italian Mac and Cheese

We love cheese in our house. Even the dog is a cheese-whore. He'll do anything for a piece of cheese. If he has a receipt in his mouth, there's no way you can get it from him without bribing him with cheese.

Even though I've found the perfect mac and cheese, it can't hurt to try new variations of it. I've had my eye on this recipe from Ezra Pound Cake for a while now and finally decided to make it. Man, oh man, it's yummy. It's nice and light and really great for the summer. The next day I went out of town and kept thinking about having the leftovers. Much to my sadness, Brian had finished off all of the leftovers while I was gone.

Oh well, guess I'll have to make it again. :)

Baked Shells with Fontina and Parmesan Bread Crumbs
From Jack Bishop’s "The Complete Italian Vegetarian Cookbook"

Serves 4 to 6

1 pound small shells
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces (about 2 cups) Italian Fontina cheese
Salt
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1/3 cup plain bread crumbs
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare shells according to package directions, but cook only until they are 1 to 2 minutes shy of al dente. Then drain.

Meanwhile, dice 4 tablespoons of the butter and place in a large bowl. Warm the cream in the microwave, about 1 minute. Cover to keep the cream warm. Shred the Fontina.

Stir the shells into the bowl with the butter. Toss to coat well. Stir in the warm cream and Fontina, and stir until the cheese starts to melt. Season with salt to taste and the nutmeg.

Pour the mixture into a greased 13-by-9 ceramic or glass baking dish. Combine the bread crumbs and Parmigiano-Reggiano, and sprinkle over the pasta. Dice the remaining tablespoon butter, and dot the crumb topping with small pieces of butter.

Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the topping turns golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Grilled Cheese, Bacon and Apple Sandwiches

It's been a slow week in the Teeny Tiny Kitchen. It seems like we've both been so busy that we haven't had a chance to just sit. I haven't had a chance to just cook. It's really upsetting.

So what is the fall-back when life just has you running in a million different directions? Grilled Cheese.

And bacon.

Bacon really needs to be in its own food group. Everything's better with bacon. Everything.

This version of a simple grilled cheese also has thinly sliced Fuji Apples. (Feel free to use whatever apples you love, but please try Fuji's at some point. They're fab.)

I love simple food. This sandwich just has some cheddar cheese, two slices of yummy bacon, and thin apple slices. Put some butter in a skillet and brown the sandwich until the cheese is all melty and delicious.

Mini Potato Gratins

We don't eat a lot of potatoes in our house. The baked mashed potatoes and now these mini gratins are the most potato dishes I've made in probably 3 years. Pasta is our carb of choice.

But wow. These little beauties will be making it into the regular rotation.

If you watched the past season of The Next Food Network Star, you probably saw these on the finale. Melissa d'Arabian made these on her pilot for her show, 10 Dollar Dinners. I wanted her to win, mainly because I could not stand Jeffrey. He was so snarky and just acted like he knew he was going to win. Anyone else feel the same?

However, these potatoes have me sold on Melissa. They're such a good idea and make you wonder "Why didn't I think of that??" You can vary the cheeses and fillings based on what you love. I happened to have cheddar cheese at home. I also thought about added crumbled bacon to it, which I think I'm going to try next time. Be sure to really coat the muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray. Also, let them sit for a little while after you take them out of the oven so that they'll come out easier and hold their shape.

Mini Potato Gratins
Adapted from Melissa d'Arabian

2 russet potatoes, peeled and sliced very thin
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Spray 12 muffin tins with vegetable spray. Layer potato slices and cheese into each muffin cup. Season with salt and pepper and top each gratin with 1 or 2 tablespoons of heavy cream. Cover with foil and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, removing the foil halfway through cooking time. Invert gratins onto plate and serve.

Italian Baked Chicken and Pastina

I've been on a pasta kick. Can't say I didn't warn you that I really am addicted to pasta. I promise some non-pasta posts in the near future.

While the dish is not very photogenic, it is very, very good. The smell of it is reason enough to make it. Brian ate almost every bit of it and said it was one of the best things I've ever made.

If you can't find shallots in your store, just use a small onion. I like shallots because they pretty much melt while you cook them and I absolutely hate biting on a huge chunk of onion. However, use whatever you like. Also, for ease, I used the chicken breasts from a store-bought rotisserie chicken, which I think added a nice flavor to the dish.

Italian Baked Chicken and Pastina
Adapted from Giada

Ingredients:

1 cup pastina pasta (or any small pasta) - I used Mini Bow-Tie Pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus one tablespoon (divided)
1 cup cubed chicken breast from rotisserie chicken (1-inch cubes)
1 shallot, diced (or 1 small onion)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can Italian seasoned diced tomatoes with juice
1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped basil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon olive oil or butter

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain pasta into a large mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic, stirring to combine, and cook until the shallot is soft. Put the chicken, onions and garlic into the bowl with the cooked pasta. Add the canned tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Place the mixture in a buttered 8 by 8 by 2-inch baking dish. In a small bowl mix together the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Stir in 1 tablespoon of olive oil with the breadcrumb/cheese mixture until combined. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Golden Macaroni and Cheese

Confession Time...I used to hate macaroni and cheese. How un-American is that? I still can't get behind stovetop mac and cheese. It's a texture issue I have. I will only eat it when it's baked. In my quest to find the perfect macaroni and cheese recipe, I went through many, many recipes in search of the best.

My mom ended up buying me Southern Living's Busy Mom's Weeknight Favorites cookbook because my beautiful cousin is pictured in it. The second recipe of the cookbook is the Golden Macaroni and Cheese. I figured, I'll give it a try and we'll see how it goes.

Oh my.

This macaroni and cheese is the best by far. Brian told me to stop looking for other recipes because this was the one. It was like the macaroni and cheese Gods smiled upon us and graced us with their cheesey goodness.

My tip for good macaroni and cheese is to please shred your own cheese when you're making a baked macaroni and cheese. The preshredded stuff in the bag does not melt like you would want. It's really worth it to shred up the cheddar yourself. Your loved ones and your tastebuds will thank you.

Golden Macaroni and Cheese
Adapted from Southern Living

Ingredients
1 (8-ounce) package elbow macaroni (about 2 cups uncooked macaroni)
2 cups milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon onion salt
2 (10-ounce) blocks sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 4 1/2 cups) and divided*
1 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted

Preparation
Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain well. Set aside.
Place milk, flour, and onion salt in a quart jar; cover tightly, and shake vigorously 1 minute.
Stir together flour mixture, 3 1/2 cups cheese, and macaroni.
Pour macaroni mixture into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish or 2 (11-inch) oval baking dishes. Sprinkle evenly with remaining one cup of cheese and then breadcrumbs; drizzle evenly with melted butter.
Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until golden brown.