Take 5 Tuesday

It IS Tuesday isn't it?  The past few days have been a blur; we're expecting our daughter and her family tomorrow, I'm teaching tomorrow night at Great News and doing a Farmer's Market Bag class on Friday morning where I find out what's in the Farmer's Market Bag from Specialty Produce on Monday and then develop recipes for the class on Friday.  I also had a chat with a reporter today who wanted me to come up with some ideas for a bag that was given to her from the local Food Bank, and she needed serious help to make this bag into something that would be special for a family.  All in a days' work, but I sure didn't realize it was Take 5 Tuesday till I began to think about dinner; oooh, what's in the fridge?  Eggs, leftover broccoli, spinach, Cabot Farms sharp white cheddar.................so here's what I came up with --it's really two Take 5 recipes because next week I'll be Maui on vacation with the entire family and may not get to a Take 5 -I'll be busy building sand castles with our granddaughter!  

Broccoli Cheddar Quiche

Serves 4 to 6

One 9-inch pastry crust (either homemade or store bought---Marie Callender's deep dish are great)

3 large eggs

2/3 cup heavy cream

4 drops Tabasco

2 cup finely shredded sharp white cheddar cheese (Cabot Farms)

1 1/2 cups cooked broccoli, chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  
2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and cream, and add the Tabasco.  
3. Stir in the cheese and broccoli, and transfer the mixture to the pastry crust.  
4. Bake the quiche for 45 to 50 minutes, until the quiche is set. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.  

 Warm Spinach Salad 
Serves 3 to 4

One 10-ounce bag or box of baby spinach
4 strips bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
One small shallot, finely chopped
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon cider vinegar 

1. Wash the spinach and spin dry in a salad spinner. Place the spinach into a salad bowl and set aside. 
2. In a small skillet, cook the bacon until crisp, add the shallot and saute for 2 to 3 minutes, until the shallot is softened.  
3. Add the sugar and mustard and stir until the sugar is melted.  
4. Add the vinegar and bring to a boil.  (at this point, the dressing can be set aside for up to 2 hours, reheat before serving)  Pour the dressing over the spinach, toss and serve.    

I'll be back with more ideas for the holidays tomorrow, until then, enjoy your evening. 

Just another Day in Paradise: Mac and Cheese

Don't let the pile of dishes in the sink deter you, this is really a terrific mac and cheese, and can be your Take 5 dinner.  Today I was testing recipes for classes I will teach December 4 and 5th with my friend Phillis Carey at Great News.  We are doing what we call a "duet", where we each do courses for a meal around a theme, this year Phillis' brilliant idea was New Years' Eve. I'm doing down-home comfort food, she's doing the elegant intimate dinner party.  The centerpiece for mine is Lobster Mac and Cheese.   So, Dr. C and I had quite a dinner tonight; if you want to get the recipe for the Lobster Mac and Cheese, come on down to Great News, and join us--you'll get lots of great recipes, tips, tricks, and entertainment--there are usually rubber chickens lurking about, we wear tiaras, and costumes for this shindig---it's a great way to get into the holiday spirit, as well as get some great ideas for the holidays. 
These are the photos from the Lobster Mac and Cheese today.

Cook pasta 2 minutes less than al dente, so that it won't become mushy in the oven.  I love Barilla, the elbows have ridges and hold the sauce nicely.

Cabot farms sharp white cheddar is awesome in mac and cheese.

Sauce with lobster

OK, I want to eat this whole pan!

Crispy crumbs give you some nice contrast to the rich sauce, and mac. 

Since I can't give you the recipe for the Lobster Mac and Cheese, here's one for a dynamite Mac and cheese to serve to your family--enjoy the rest of your Tuesday, I'll be back later in the week with some more gifts from the kitchen ideas. 

Mac and Cheese


Serves about 6

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
6 dashes Tabasco
1 1/2 cups finely shredded mild cheddar cheese
2 cups finely shredded sharp white cheddar cheese (I like Cabot Farms and Tillamook---both at Costco)
1 pound elbow macaroni, cooked 2 minutes short of al dente
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped


1. In a large saucier over medium high heat, melt 4 tablespoons of butter and add half of the garlic, sautéing for 1 minute, until fragrant and softened.

2. Whisk in the flour and cook until white bubbles form on the surface. Cook the mixture for 2 to 3 minutes, until smooth and thick.

3. Gradually add the broth and milk, mustard and Tabasco bringing the sauce to a boil, whisking constantly.

4. Remove the sauce from the heat and slowly add 1 1/4 cups of the mild cheese, and 1 3/4 cups of the sharp cheese, stirring until the cheese is melted. (If you leave it on the stove the cheese may separate from the high heat)

5. Coat the inside of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Combine the macaroni and sauce in a large bowl, and stir until well mixed. Transfer to a prepared dish.

6. Melt the remaining butter in a small sauté pan over medium high heat.

7. Add the remaining garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Remove from the heat.

8. Toss the garlic, butter with the breadcrumbs, Parmigiano the remaining cheddars and parsley. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the top of the Mac and cheese. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

9. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, and bake the Mac and cheese for 30 to 40 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the crumbs are golden brown. Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving.

10. Cook’s Note: Don’t substitute skim or 2% milk for the whole milk, it will make a weak and watery sauce, and skim milk will turn it blue!

Take 5 Tuesday

The bulbous butternut squash is not the most attractive vegetable in the produce section, but much like that girl in high school who didn't look like much but had a great personality, it's what's inside the squash that is so amazing. 
Butternut squash is delicious in so many ways; roasted, tossed with pasta and Italian sausage, pureed into soup, and tossed with vegetables in a salad with balsamic vinegar.  There really isn't any way to ruin it, which is the best news!  

 On rainy days like today, butternut squash is a great vegetable to use to turn into dinner, and I have a few ways to try it. First we'll roast it at a high temperature in the oven for about 20 minutes, until it is tender.  Roasting brings the sweetness of the squash to the forefront, and gives it a great smoky quality.  

Arrange the squash on a baking pan, with a silicone baking liner.  Drizzle with salt, pepper, and olive oil.  You can add spice if you would like--I used about 1/2 teaspoon of dried sage leaves for flavor, but you can use cumin, chili powder, curry powder, thyme, any number of flavors for this dish.  

Roast at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, until the squash shows no resistance when the sharp tip of a knife is inserted into the squash.  Remove from the oven; at this point, the squash can be served as a side dish (how easy is that?) or we can turn it into dinner. I decided to make it into soup, on a day like today, soup is good food.

Place the squash into a saucepan and add 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth.

Puree with an immersion blender, adding more broth if the soup is too thick.  Add 1/2 cup of heavy cream, if you want this to be luxurious---I don't know about you, but when the weather is nasty, I will take all the comfort I can get!

Taste for seasoning, if you want a little zing, instead of adding ground pepper opt for Hot Sauce--I this case I used Franks (of Buffalo Chicken Wing fame) you can use Tabasco, too.  


Serve your soup garnished with croutons, lump crab meat, or crumbled goat cheese.  


Other ideas using the roasted butternut squash:

• cook 1 pound of sweet Italian sausage, drain off the fat, add squash and 1/2 cup chicken broth or heavy cream to the sausage in the skillet, and toss the sausage and squash with 1 pound of Penne, cooked al dente.  Garnish with grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.  
• Using your favorite risotto recipe, add 1 1/2 cups of roasted butternut squash when you add the rice to the pan. Garnish with Parmigiano Reggiano and a drizzle of Balsamic vinegar.

Roasted Butternut Squash

Makes about 4 cups

4 cups peeled and seeded butternut squash, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon your favorite flavoring, optional (I used sage leaves)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Arrange the squash on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or a silicone baking liner.  Toss the squash with olive oil, salt, pepper, and flavoring.  Roast the squash for 20 minutes, until tender. 

Take 5 Tuesday

 

After our field trip yesterday, I decided to make Italian sausage with peppers for our Take 5 today. There are lots of variations on this theme (turkey sausage, chicken,shrimp) so feel free to try the one that suits you and your family.  I made sandwiches with Sharp Provolone and served the sandwiches with a fruit salad to balance the spicy main course. 

If Onions make you cry; invest in some onion goggles, yes, mine are PINK!

Mona Lisa Regular Sausage

Precook the sausage before adding it to the peppers

OK, there is some slicing involved

Saute the peppers and onions until the onions are translucent

Add some good Balsamic Vinegar for a sweet note

A bit of tomato, salt, pepper and herbs of your choice (think oregano, basil, marjoram)

Add the sausage and saute another 5 minutes

Sausage and Pepper Sandwich, perfect for watching the Padres or Chargers

And now the recipe, I'll highlight our "5" in the recipe.  Take a look at the variations, there are lots of good choices here.


Italian Sausage and Peppers, Take 5 Tuesday Style
Serves 4

1 pound Mona Lisa regular sausage, or your favorite Italian sausage
1/2 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
One large red onion
5 medium bell peppers, seeded and cored, sliced 1/2-inch thick
2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes (or one tomato peeled, seeded and chopped)
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup finely chopped Italian herbs (oregano, basil, Italian parsley or marjoram)

1. In a large skillet, heat the wine with the sausage, and cook the sausage until the wine evaporates and the sausage is browned on all sides.  Set aside while preparing the peppers.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat, add the onion, and peppers, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onion is translucent and the peppers are softened. 
3. Add the vinegar, and cook another 2 minutes, stirring to release any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. 
4. Add the tomato and cook another 5 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed. 
5. Add the sausage to the pan and heat through. Season with salt and pepper, and add fresh chopped oregano, basil, or parsley if desired.  Serve the sausage and peppers tucked into rolls, or serve over polenta or pasta. 

Variations:

• Substitute 3 chicken breasts, skin and bones removed, cut into 1-inch pieces for the sausage.  Saute the chicken breasts in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until browned on all sides, and add to the peppers after you add to the tomatoes.  Cook for 10 minutes.  
• Substitute 1 pound medium peeled and deveined shrimp for the sausage.  Add to the peppers after the tomato, and saute another 10 minutes until the shrimp turns pink.  This is delicious over pasta.
• Substitute 1 pound halibut for the sausage.  Add the halibut to the peppers after tomatoes, and cook, covered for 10 minutes, until the halibut is cooked through. 

I hope you'll try this dish and the variations. Since I've been spending my days editing, this kind of meal is quite appealing, 5 ingredients, and a great flavorful dinner.