Macaroni and Cheese

Nothing says comfort food to me like Macaroni and Cheese. I love the instant kind that comes from the Kraft Macaroni & Cheese blue box, but every time I have made it, I kept telling myself that there has got to be a way to make it with fresh, natural ingredients. I have been trying alterations to this recipe for a couple of years now. This latest recipe is pretty darn good, if I don't say so myself. And even better, I love it when my kids walk in the kitchen, see me making it, and say "Yeah! Macaroni and cheese!" I love it that they love it!

One note that I will add is that because this recipe uses natural cheese, it will thicken as it cools. And it will solidify a bit when it is cold. If you do not serve this dish immediately, just add a bit of milk to make the sauce creamy again. When I reheat this in the microwave, I find that the pasta has absorbed a little more of the liquid, so I always reheat it with a tablespoon or more of milk, depending upon how much I am reheating.

Macaroni and Cheese

2 to 2 ½ cups elbow noodles (less noodles for more saucy mac 'n cheese)
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour, Wondra or all-purpose flour
5 oz. evaporated milk (fresh milk or cream also works)
2 cups hot water
2 tsp. chicken or vegetable bouillon
2 oz. cream cheese, cut into cubes (optional)
¾ cup Parmesan, shredded
2 ½ cups Colby or Colby-Jack cheese, shredded (cheddar may be substituted if you prefer a more sharp cheese flavor)

Cook noodles according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

In same pan used for cooking, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and stir until thickening begins to happen, about 1 minute. Add milk and continue stirring until thickened. Increase heat to medium-high. Add hot water, about ½ cup at a time, allowing liquid to thicken slightly between additions; stir in bouillon. Add cheeses, one at a time and stir until incorporated. Add Colby cheese one handful at a time, stirring until until melted between additions. When all cheese is melted add cooked noodles and stir until heated through. Serve immediately. 

Active cooking time: Approximately 30 minutes.

(Note: Because this recipe uses all fresh cheese, it will thicken and set up slightly as it cools. If you cannot serve this dish immediately, stir in fresh or canned milk to thin the sauce to desired consistency.)

Sear-Roasted Blackened Tilapia

I love grilled, blackened catfish. I would like to think it is because I was born in Alabama and spent so many years there later as a teenager and young adult. But honestly, I didn't discover what an amazing food it was until I became an adult and had moved away from The South. 

My husband used to tease me when he started noticing how often I would order my blackened catfish. Then one day at Cracker Barrel he tasted my dinner, and he began ordering it too. Fast forward to 3 kids later, and you would laugh if you heard our typical order at Cracker Barrel: Spicy Catfish. Spicy Catfish. Spicy Catfish. Spicy Catfish. Macaroni and Cheese.

My pocketbook is not rich enough to eat out often for blackened catfish, so I had to learn how to cook restaurant style blackened catfish on my own. The first lesson learned was that fresh catfish can be pricey. But I also found that frozen tilapia is affordable and is similar to catfish in the fillet size available, mild flavor and texture. And as a bonus, frozen tilapia is usually packaged in individual, vacuum sealed pouches, so they stay fresh in the freezer longer. A perfect freezer food-storage food.

The next challenge was figuring out how to cook my fish. Thank you Food Network and serendipity because I came across a very short TV segment about sear-roasting fish at the exact time I was channel surfing. I was so excited to try it the first time, and even more excited that I was able to make it work! My kids now love this fish at home and get excited every time I make it. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Sear-Roasted Blackened Tilapia

Tilapia fillets, patted dry with paper towels (enough for desired serving sizes)
Butter
Olive Oil
Cajun seasoning (Note: I use Emeril's Baby Bam for my daughter, who doesn't like spicy fish.)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. (When I use a convection oven, I set my oven at 400 degrees.) Wrap any non-heat resistant handles on your pan with several layers of aluminum foil.

Heat a shallow saute or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon (or slightly more if using a large pan) olive oil to the hot pan. You will know that the pan is hot enough if the olive oil ripples on the bottom of the pan when you tip the pan to swirl the oil across the bottom of the pan. Add 1 tablespoon butter and swirl pan to mix melted butter and oil.

Add fillets to pan, flat side down. Using a spoon or pastry brush, coat the top of the fish with the oil/butter mixture in the pan. (Hint: tip the pan to help you spoon up the oil and butter. Also, do not move the fish once it has been placed in the pan. This will help make a nice, slightly crisp surface on the bottom of the fish.) Sprinkle fish with desired amount of Cajun seasoning. Use a spoon or pastry brush to oil tops of fish again, so that the spice is no longer dry.

After the fish has begun to develop a slightly crispy crust on the bottom surface, move the pan to the hot oven. This usually takes just a few minutes on the stove. Bake fish until it is white and flaky. This usually takes just a few minutes, 3 or 4.

NOTE: If your pan is small, you can cook this dish in batches. Use aluminum foil to tent dis of cooked fish to keep it warm while cooking additional batches. Also, you will need to ensure that the pan remains hot on the stove between batches.

Cheesy Baked Summer Squash

In the summer time, cooking off the shelf includes cooking out of my garden. Summer squash is one of the things I have been able to grow in abundance, so I have to keep coming up with new ideas to prepare it. There are only so many times I can saute my summer squash or serve it raw with Ranch dressing before my family revolts. The other problem is that the plant grows so fast. One day it is just a few inches long, and then a few days later it is a foot long! That is a lot of squash for one family to eat in one sitting!

Cheesy baked garlic bread was my inspiration for this dish. It looks beautiful, and it tastes great. Even Grace, who hates our summer squash, loved this dish. I hope your own "squash haters" can enjoy this dish too. The recipe does not include exact measurements, as this is a recipe that you can easily adapt to any size squash or family size needed.

Cheesy Baked Summer Squash

1 large summer squash or zucchini
Olive Oil
Garlic powder
Salt
Pepper
Parmesan cheese
Italian seasoning
Favorite grated cheese for melting (I used Mexican blend shredded cheese)

Preheat oven to 425-degrees.

Trim the ends of the squash and slice it in half the long way. If your squash is extra thick on one and and thin on the other, you may want to slice through the wide end again, so that all squash is uniform in thickness. Place squash slices on a baking sheet large enough to fit all pieces. Brush olive oil on the tops of the squash slices. Oil the bottom sides if it is a cut side. You do not need to oil the bottom if it is the skin side.

Sprinkle remaining ingredients in the following order:
1. Garlic powder, salt and pepper, to taste
2. Parmesan cheese, generous amount
3. Italian seasoning, to taste
4. Grated cheese (e.g. Mexican blend)
5. Parmesan cheese, a small amount

Bake for 15-25 minutes, depending upon thickness of the slices. To test for doneness, insert a fork into the center of a piece of squash. It is done when the fork slides in without any resistance. (The summer squash pictured was slightly thicker than 1" and cooked in about 20 minutes.)

Fluffy Egg Cups

Eggs are a staple ingredient that I always have in my refrigerator. (Well, almost always. I can name a few times when I've had to run to my neighbor's house to borrow 2 eggs for an emergency batch of chocolate chip cookies, or the like.) And they are another of my go-to ingredients for dinner when I don't have anything else planned. These Fluffy Egg Cups are an easy dish to make with the odds and ends you probably already have on hand. 

Fluffy Egg Cups are also a perfect recipe when cooking with kids in your kitchen. There is very little precise measuring required, and kids can have fun picking and choosing their ingredients as they customize their own dinner entree. I have included several Add-In ingredients, but this list is by no means exhaustive. Use your imagination and incorporate your own favorites to this meal. The egg cups pictured include sauteed garlic spinach, Mexican Blend shredded cheese, and chopped turkey deli meat.

Fluffy Egg Cups

2 eggs per serving
Milk or cream (1 tsp./egg used)
Salt and pepper, to taste
3-4 Add-Ins

Preheat oven to 375-degrees (or 350-degrees if using a convection oven). Grease oven-safe bowls or ramekins (enough for desired number of servings). 

In a bowl, add eggs, milk or cream, salt and pepper; and stir with a wire whisk or fork to scramble eggs and thoroughly combine ingredients.

Layer 3 or 4 Add-Ins in the bottom of the bowl or ramekin. If using cheese, results will be better if it is layered between or on top of other Add-In ingredients. Pour scrambled eggs over Add-In ingredients, evenly distributing eggs between all bowls or ramekins. Place Fluffy Egg Cups on a baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Fluffy Egg Cups are done when the tops begin to turn golden in color and a knife, when inserted in the center, comes out clean.



Add-Ins:
Shredded cheese, your choice
Bacon
Sausage crumbles
Ham, diced
Grilled chicken, diced
Fajita steak, diced
Onions, sauteed or fresh
Broccolli (pre-cooked tender-crisp)
Cauliflower (pre-cooked, tender-crisp)
Bell pepper, diced (sauteed or fresh)
Spinach (fresh: sauteed or frozen: thawed and squeezed dry)
Carrots (fresh: shredded or pre-cooked and diced)
Tomatoes, diced
pico de gallo or salsa

Griddle Cakes & Homemade Syrup

I have many guilty pleasures when it comes to food. Pancakes is one of them. They are served quite often at our house for a lazy breakfast or brunch. And they are also served as a part of "Breakfast for Dinner", one of our favorite dinner-time meals. I have tried my share of pancake recipes, but I always come back to this one. Always. I love its fluffy texture and its versatility when I experiment with add-ins. And best yet, I know I will always have the ingredients on my shelf when I want to make this dish.

Happy Cooking Off the Shelf!

Griddle Cakes

5 tbsp. butter, melted
1 cup milk, room temperature*
2 eggs, slightly beaten and room temperature*
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat griddle to pancake setting or preheat a pan on the stove using a medium-high setting. (I set my stove on "7", with "10" being the hottest setting.)

While your griddle or pan is heating, combine butter, milk and eggs in a medium bowl. In a large mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients, stirring with a wire whisk. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently stir with whisk until all ingredients are combined. (Hint: It is best to leave small clumps of dry ingredients. This will help the pancakes to rise better than if you stirred batter until perfectly smooth.)

Pour batter onto greased griddle or pan in desired size. (I typically use butter to grease my pan, but cooking spray is also effective.) Turn pancakes over when batter is bubbling across the surface of the pancake and the edges are no longer shiny. Cook until golden brown on both sides.

Yield: This recipe makes approximately twelve 4-inch pancakes.

Variations:

Wheat Pancakes: Exchange up to 1 cup all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. (I prefer to use 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and 1 cup all-purpose flour.)

Blueberry Pancakes: Add 1 cup fresh berries to batter after combining wet and dry ingredients. If using frozen berries, prepare batter without berries. Pour batter onto griddle and sprinkle berries onto pancakes in pan while batter is still runny.

Blueberry Lemon Pancakes: Add 1 tbsp. finely grated lemon zest to dry ingredients. Add 1 to 1 1/2 tsp. lemon extract to wet ingredients. Add 1 cup blueberries as described above.

Granola Pancakes: Add 1 cup prepared granola to batter.

Apple Pancakes: Add 1/2 tsp. cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice to dry ingredients. Add 1 cup finely diced apples to batter after combining wet and dry ingredients. Optional: Add 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts to batter with the apples.

*Note: Using room temperature milk and eggs will result in a fluffier pancake. To be honest, I never think of pancakes early enough in the day to remember to set out my milk and eggs long enough for them to reach room temperature when I am ready to cook. Instead, I warm the milk in the microwave a little warmer than room temperature. Then I mix the eggs into the milk before adding them to the warm, melted butter.

Homemade Syrup

3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup water
1 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp. maple extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. almond extract (optional)

Combine sugars and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a rapid boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and the corn syrup and flavorings. Stir to combine.

Quick Cincinnati Chili

I've been away for quite a while. Time to get back to business--with Cincinnati Chili. 

The first time I had Cincinnati Chili, I was clueless and, I'm ashamed to say, had a terrible experience. It happened when I was a graduate student at Western Kentucky University. While shopping for dinner at the Winn Dixi in Bowling Green, I found a can of Skyline Chili on the shelf and decided to give it a try. After my first bite all I could think was, "Ugh! Who puts cinnamon in chili!?" Not knowing any better, I had served it up ala carte. Big mistake! I expected plain-jane spicy chili, similar to what my mom used to buy. But what I tasted instead was sweet chili that was spiced like a snickerdoodle.

Later, sitting in a folk studies class at WKU, I learned the error of my ways when the food-ways topic turned to Cincinnati Chili. All at once, the light went on. I hated my dinner because I ate it the wrong way. Literally. Class that night revealed that it is traditionally served 3-Way (noodles, chili, cheese), 4-Way (3-Way, plus onions or beans) or 5 Way (3-Way, plus onions and beans). Who knew?

A few years later my husband and I stopped for dinner at Skyline Chili when we were driving through Cincinnati. I ordered mine 5-Way, took a bite, and fell in love. That first bite (eaten the right way) inspired my quest for the perfect Cincinnatti-style Chili recipe that I could make at home. 

The best recipes I have found simmer for several hours to truly develop the flavors. But as a mom of 3 busy kids, I needed a recipe for a quick version. The following recipe is one that I have modified to fit the tastes of my family. I hope you enjoy it. I'm still tinkering with the recipe, but my kids love it, so I thought I'd share it now. I would love to hear what you think. And if you make any modifications yourself, I would love to hear about that too. Enjoy!

Quick Cincinnati Chili

1 box (16 oz.) spaghetti
1 lb. hamburger
1/4 cup dehydrated minced onion
2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. all spice
4-5 dashes cayenne pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 can (15 oz.) kidney beans, with liquid
2 cans (15 oz.) tomatoes, crushed or diced
1/2 can water
2 tbsp. tomato paste
2 tbsp. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Optional toppings: 
Minced onion
Shredded cheddar cheese

Brown hamburger in a large sauce pan. When hamburger is nearly browned begin preparing spaghetti according to package instructions. To the browned hamburger add onion and spices; cook over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add beans, tomatoes, water, tomato paste and chocolate chips to the meat mixture. Bring to a boil then lower heat to a simmer until noodles are finished cooking and drained. Serve chili over spaghetti. Top with chopped onions and shredded cheese if desired. Serves 6.

Shrimp Scampi Linguini

9 oz. linguini (or spaghetti)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained (reserve liquid)

¼ cup white wine vinegar

3 tablespoons lemon juice

½ teaspoon salt

1 (10 oz.) frozen, chopped spinach (thawed and drained)

1 tablespoon dried parsley

½ cup Parmesan cheese

Prepare pasta according to package instructions.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add shrimp, garlic powder and red pepper flakes; cook until shrimp start to turn pink (about 2 minutes). Add tomatoes, vinegar, lemon juice and salt; cook about 1 minute. Add spinach and parsley; cook an additional minute. Add drained pasta to pan and toss to coat, adding reserved tomato liquid if more moisture is desired. Serve with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.