Friday, April 15, 2022

Mac and Cheese

Like people, goals and achievements come in all shapes and sizes and they all deserve celebration.  In our house, David/TEAM Partners acquired a new company and everyone needs a Nexbelt.  Andrew ran a sub-5 minute mile.  Someone is making it through the “11th plague.” Someone else has reached another birthday with most of her parts still in reasonable working order.  And we have finally found a homemade mac and cheese recipe that Elizabeth will eat!  This recipe comes from one of Travis’ favorite vloggers, Basics with Babish.  Try skipping the box and giving the America’s Test Kitchen Mac & Cheese Method option a try!  

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups whole milk
  • 1 cup water
  • 8 oz dry pasta (or half of a 1 lb box of pasta)
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • Sprinkle cayenne pepper
  • 4 oz American cheese, grated (or 5 slices of American cheese singles cut into smaller squares)
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 4 oz extra sharp cheddar, grated

Start by combining 1 ½ cups of whole milk with 1 cup of water in a medium saucepan.

Add and cook the pasta directly in the milk and water mixture over medium heat while stirring and allowing the liquid to be absorbed by the pasta, about 1 minute before the pasta is done then reduce the heat.

Add 1 teaspoon of dijon mustard, a sprinkle of cayenne pepper and 4 ounces of grated American cheese then mix together over low heat before seasoning with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

Once the American cheese has completely melted, add 4 ounces of grated extra sharp cheddar, turn off the heat entirely and mix it until it is dispersed amongst the pasta then cover and let it rest 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, give it a stir, then serve and enjoy.

Wednesday, April 6, 2022

"Our" World's Best Lasagna

I am standing at the meat counter to order an ingredient for the lasagna. I look to my left and who is standing there?  All 6’ 7” of Luka Doncic!  I almost start hyperventilating while I am processing my good fortune.  I am so flustered that I order ground pork and then remember that I want ground Italian sausage.  I try to surreptitiously take a picture (to prove to my family that it is really him - and to make them jealous).  David replies “head/face?”  Sure enough, I did not angle the camera properly.  It is not every day that I am taking a picture of someone so tall.  

This recipe is called “World’s Best” so who am I not to try it?  I have made it numerous times and tweaked it along the way.  We think this one is a winner.  Like Luka!

Note: this lasagna takes a long time to prepare and assemble (like 3+ hours).  I know this and still falter at the timing so plan ahead!

Ingredients:

  • ¾ pound sweet Italian sausage
  • 1 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey
  • ½ cup minced onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 3 ounce (1/2 can) tomato paste
  • 15 ounce can canned tomato sauce
  • ½ cup water
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons dried basil leaves
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1½ teaspoons salt, divided, or to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 12 lasagna noodles
  • 16 ounces ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 10 oz (2 – 5 oz balls) mozzarella cheese, sliced
  • ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef or turkey, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers (noodles, ricotta, mozzarella, meat sauce, parmesan), and then top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.

Bake covered lasagna for 25 minutes.  Remove foil and bake uncovered for an additional 25 minutes.  Cool for 15 minutes before serving, if you can wait that long. 


Thursday, August 19, 2021

Charred Corn Salad with Hatch Green Chiles

As the new school year begins, I can't help but think about the lessons learned in kindergarten.  Why stop at kindergarten?  Practice them every day.  All of us – young and old.  It doesn't hurt.  I promise.  What a better world this could be if we just remember the basics. 

  • Be kind.
  • Share.
  • Be honest and trustworthy.
  • Exhibit strong character.
  • Be a courageous bystander.
  • Put on your listening ears.
  • Apologize.
  • Compromise.
  • Wait your turn.
  • Be helpful.
  • Have a growth mindset.
  • Show gratitude.

My friend at the Saint Michael’s Farmers Market said that they would have hatch green chiles roasting this weekend so stop by (Saturday 8am-12pm), get your chiles and try this recipe (adapted from Chili Pepper Madness)!

Ingredients

  • Olive oil as needed
  • 4 ears corn, shucked
  • 8 ozs roasted hatch green chile peppers
  • 8 ounces cherry tomatoes
  • 2 ounces cotija cheese, crumbled
  • 1 handful cilantro, stemmed and coarsely chopped
  • Juice from 2 small limes
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Heat a grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates.

Brush the ears of corn with oil and set them on the grill. Grill, turning often, until they are nicely charred and vibrant yellow in color. Remove from heat and cool.

While the corn is cooking, lightly oil the cherry tomatoes and set them onto the grill. Cook until they are charred and start to soften, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat.

Slice the kernels from all of the corn and add to a large mixing bowl.

Coarsely chop the hatch chiles and add to the bowl.

Add cotija cheese and cilantro and toss.  Squeeze in lime juice and add vinegar. Toss.  Taste and adjust with salt and pepper, if necessary.  

Thursday, August 12, 2021

Panzanella with Mozzarella Salad

“The only constant is change.” – Heraclitus.  A year of change is ahead.  Travis is a senior in high school.  Elizabeth and Andrew will start driving.  The woman who cuts my hair even convinced me to change the way I style it.  I’m trying hard to embrace change.  I’m forever a work in progress. The road of life is unpredictable and the only constant in life is change, but if nothing ever changed, there would be no butterflies.  

Summer, summer, summer and all its fresh bounty.  Mix it all together and you can make this panzanella salad.  There are so many variations of what you can include – the basics are tomatoes, bread, cucumbers, red onion, herbs and a vinegar based dressing.  This recipe from Melissa Clark at NYT Cooking adds in mozzarella.  Plan a few hours ahead as it needs to soak in the dressing.

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces ciabatta or baguette, preferably stale, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
  • 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 pounds very ripe tomatoes
  • 6 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn or cut into bite-size pieces
  • ½ cup thinly sliced red onion, about half a small onion
  • 2 garlic cloves, grated to a paste
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or thyme (or a combination)
  •  Large pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
  •  Black pepper, to taste
  • ½ cup thinly sliced Persian or Kirby cucumber, about 1 small cucumber
  • ½ cup torn basil leaves
  • ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon capers, drained

Heat oven to 425. Toss bread cubes with 2 tablespoons oil and a pinch of salt and spread the bread cubes on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until they are dried out and pale golden brown at the edges, about 7 to 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.

Cut tomatoes into bite-size pieces and place in a large bowl. Add mozzarella, onions, garlic paste, 1 tablespoon vinegar, oregano or thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the red pepper flakes if using. Toss to coat and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar, ½ teaspoon mustard, 1/4 teaspoon salt and some black pepper to taste. While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil until the mixture is thickened. Stir in cucumbers, basil and parsley.

Add bread cubes, cucumber mixture and capers to the tomatoes and toss well.  Let sit for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours before serving.  If needed, toss with a little more olive oil, vinegar and salt just before serving.   


Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Watermelon Lemonade Slushie

The kids love watermelon season.  They can finish off an entire watermelon within a day which poses a challenge – and an opportunity!  

Summer workout 101:

  • Place 2 watermelons in your shoppping cart
  • Add a case of bottled water and three 12-packs of Fresca (because why buy just one when the sale is must buy 3, plus Daddy enjoys his Fresca + vodka beverage in the evenings) 
  • Push (heavy) cart around grocery store
  • Go through self-checkout so you have to lift items in and out of shopping cart
  • Load car
  • Unload car
  • Voila – workout complete!

Baby it’s hot outside!  With this triple digit heat, you need something, anything, multiple things to keep you cool on the outside and inside!  Try this for a brain freeze. 

Ingredients

  • 4 cups cubed, seeded watermelon
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ cup lemon juice
  • Vodka, optional

Cut the watermelon into cubes.  Place in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and freeze until completely frozen, like ice cubes, for at least 2 hours.

While freezing the watermelon, cook ½ cup sugar and ½ cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is completely melted, which takes about 5 minutes.  Cool completely to room temperature, about 1 hour.

When the watermelon is completely frozen, put half in a blender. Pour the syrup into the blender. Add the lemon juice, and blend until the mixture is mostly smooth, pushing it down with a wooden spoon or spatula if needed. Add the remaining watermelon, and continue to blend until the mixture is completely smooth.

Pour into glasses and enjoy!

Wednesday, July 21, 2021

Grilled Peach and Burrata Salad

David is such a softy.  Today he went for a run and crossed paths with a large turtle crossing the road. 
He had a huge quandary – does he help the turtle cross the road (no, this is not the beginning of a joke) and if so, how?  With his hands? With his foot?  He decides to let the turtle be and figure it out for itself (sounds like his strategy for parenting teens).  As he returns from his run, he is relieved to not find the turtle (or turtle parts) in the place where he first saw it.  But he can’t stop thinking – or talking – about the turtle.  So the experience has been memorialized in this blog post.

It’s summertime and fruit is at its peak.  While peach cobbler is the #1 peach recipe, this one from Two Peas & Their Pod should be a close second.  It’s sweet and creamy and a little salty and it tastes good together spread over a crusty grilled piece of bread. Burrata has become one of our favorite cheeses (if you live in Dallas, go try the burrata salad at Il Bracco – yum!) 

Happy summer y’all!!

Ingredients:

For the garlic toasts:

  • 1 loaf crusty bread
  • Olive oil or butter, for brushing on bread
  • Sea salt

For the burrata:

  • 5 ripe peaches, halved and pitted
  • Canola or grapeseed oil, for brushing on peaches
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 12 ounces burrata
  • 1/3 cup chopped pistachios

Slice the bread into 3/4″ slices. Gently oil or butter both sides of the bread.

Heat grill over medium-high heat. Place bread slices on the hot grill and cook until grill marks form and the bread slices are lightly toasted, about 2 to 3 minutes. Using tongs, turn the slices over and cook them on the other side until grill marks form, another 2 to 3 minutes. Season with sea salt. Set the bread aside while you grill the peaches.

To grill the peaches. Preheat your grill to medium-high. Brush the cut side of the peach halves with oil and place on the grill for 4 minutes or until grill marks appear and the fruit starts to caramelize. Use a pair of tongs to remove the peaches from the grill. Let the peaches cool for a few minutes or until they are cool enough to handle. Slice the grilled peaches.

When ready to serve, place the burrata on a platter or serving dish. Place the sliced peaches around the burrata. Drizzle honey over the burrata and grilled peaches and season with a little sea salt. Garnish with chopped pistachios. Arrange the bread slices around the cheese and peaches and serve.

Thursday, April 22, 2021

Beet, Goat Cheese and Arugula Salad

The ties that bind.  In a time when there are so many forces trying to tear us apart, highlighting our differences, pitting us against one another – isn’t it time to focus on what we have in common, what we like and appreciate about one another, and what binds us together?   

When I partnered with the Saint Michael’s Farmers Market, Tricia asked if I had a beet recipe, because they are in season.  I have never cooked a beet; I have eaten them and will admit that I wasn't the biggest fan.  They are so “red” and seem to turn everything red.  With a little encouragement, our family tested a few baking methods and recipes and this combination bound us together to declare it a winner.  This Saturday’s recipe at the Farmers Market: strawberry drop biscuits.

Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons shallots, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • Salt and ground black pepper
  • 4-6 beets, tops removed and scrubbed
  • 6 cups arugula
  • 1/3 cup roasted, salted Marcona almonds
  • ¼ cup dried cranberries
  • ½ avocado, peeled, pitted and cubed
  • 3-4 oz goat cheese, crumbled

Preheat the oven to 400.  Wrap the beets individually in aluminum foil and place them on a sheet pan. Roast them for 50-60 minutes, until a small sharp knife inserted in the middle indicates that they are tender. Unwrap each beet and set aside for 10 minutes, until cool enough to handle. Peel the beets with a small, sharp knife and cut into bite size slivers.  To prevent staining, consider covering your cutting board with parchment paper and wear gloves.

Whisk the vinegar, shallots, and honey in a medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in the oil. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Toss the arugula, almonds, and cranberries in a large bowl with enough vinaigrette to coat. Season the salad, to taste, with salt and pepper. Transfer the salad onto plates then arrange the beets, sprinkle with the avocado and goat cheese, and serve.