Creamy, Cheesy Stove Top Macaroni and Cheese

 This is going to be one of those fast postings as there really isn't much to say.

 Basically, when it comes to macaroni and cheese, Roy and I like creamy and cheesy.  Those packages varieties used powdered cheddar cheese, or "processed cheese", the most popular being Velveeta. Velveeta is classified as a "pasteurized processed cheese product" not real cheese, by the FDA, according to the FDA. While it contains ingredients like milk and cheese culture, it also includes other processed ingredients that don't meet the legal definition of "cheese". Velveeta must contain at least 51% real cheese, says the Code of Federal Regulations, but it's not the same as natural cheese,

Yes, I have tried both types of boxed products and the ones using powdered cheese always come out dry and pretty tasteless.  The ones using the "fake cheese" are creamy, but the taste is, well, to us, kind of disgusting with a nasty aftertaste.

So, here is my quick to make stove top recipe that gives both the creamy and cheesy consistency that most folks enjoy.

 Creamy, Cheesy Stove Top Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:

8 cups water

1 Tbsp. salt

2 cups small macaroni (elbows or shells)

1 stick (8 Tbsp.) salted butter

1 cup milk (I use 2%)

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

2 cups medium sharp cheddar cheese

1 tsp. ground black pepper

Preparation:

In a 2-quart pot, heat the water and salt on high heat.  When boiling, add the pasta and stir for one minute, so the water will get back to high temperature, and the pasta will stay separated.

When fork tender, set aside 1/4 cup of the pasta water, drain the pasta and add back to the pot; keeping the stove top on high heat. Add the butter, milk and pasta water, stir, wait 5 minutes for temperature to return to high.  Add the cheeses and black pepper, stir to combine well, and let cook for another five minutes.

Remove from heat, give one final stir and make sure to scrape up anything sticking to bottom of pot.  Wait five minutes to let it all settle before serving.

Makes six servings.

Easy recipe and the only part you might find annoying is the waiting, as this is something you will want to eat immediately once the cooking process has started.

Enjoy!

Mary Cokenour  

 

Happy Little Trees

Now, as much as I enjoyed watching Bob Ross, on PBS, Saturday afternoons, my talent in painting went as far as that.  I tried, many a time, with several paint mediums, but my eyes and hand simply did not agree on the images.  I did not give up on finding my artistic talents though, and outdoor photography became one.  Photography of the landscapes, wildlife and plant life became a natural talent within me.  One just has to peruse my travel blog (http://www.southwestbrowneyes.com/), or visit the Hideout Community Center in Monticello, UT, to view my photos.

But enough about my artwork, and let’s get back to those happy little trees.  No, I am not referring to maples, oaks, pines or the many varieties of flowering trees.  I am writing about…Broccoli!  Mother Nature’s edible trees, growing in a bunch, up from a fertile ground; to be chopped, steamed, sautéed, baked, or any number of ways to cook it.

Eaten cooked or raw, broccoli contains a truckload of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants; ready for the list?  One cup (91 grams) of raw broccoli packs:

Carbs: 6 grams

Protein: 2.6 gram

Fat: 0.3 grams

Fiber: 2.4 grams

Vitamin C: 135% of the RDI

Vitamin A: 11% of the RDI

Vitamin K: 116% of the RDI

Vitamin B9 (Folate): 14% of the RDI

Potassium: 8% of the RDI

Phosphorus: 6% of the RDI

Selenium: 3% of the RDI

Broccoli also contains measurable amounts of the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which may prevent oxidative stress and cellular damage in your eyes.

...and that is just the short list!  To get the full impact, I recommend reading Top 14 Health Benefits of Broccoli (https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-broccoli).

When purchasing broccoli, I tend to buy more than I actually need for a recipe.  Why?  Food storage of course!  Remember all that hoarding that started up March of 2020, and fresh, frozen, even canned, vegetables were difficult to find?  That is why food prep and storage is an important aspect for any home.  Whether family related, friends sharing, running a B&B, even on your own…prep and store!

While there are many sites online teaching about this, I would like to recommend a book, just for some historical, yet pretty interesting reading, Plain but Wholesome, Food Ways of the Mormon Pioneers by Brock Cheney.  While it mainly deals with the history of the Mormons trek to Utah, and life in developing the state; it gives details, and recipes, of many food items they either brought with them, or grew later on.

Back to my prep and food storage of broccoli.  I use steaming and freezing; chop up the broccoli, steam for 5 minutes, let slightly cool, place in freezer bags, label with name and date, and into the freezer for future use. Steaming helps retain the nutritional qualities of the broccoli, and the green of the happy little trees pops!   

 

I have seen it recommended that the broccoli be immersed into cold water, to stop the cooking process.  I have found that this method allows too much water to cling to the broccoli, and with freezing, that means too much ice development.  That is just my experience though.  

Why not just chop up the broccoli and freeze, without steaming?  Carbon dioxide gas will cause the broccoli to develop a grayish tint; and bright green is so much prettier to eat.

Now for a delicious soup recipe that is easy and comforting; so nice for cold, windy and snowy winter days.  Even after four hours of cooking, the broccoli will have a slight crunch, yet still be tender.  It might seem light on seasoning, in the recipe, yet the flavors are fully absorbed throughout.

 

Crock Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup

 

Ingredients:

4 cups broccoli florets, cut into small bite sized pieces

1/2 cup diced onion

4 cups vegetable stock

1 tsp. coarse sea salt

1/2 tsp. cracked black pepper

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter

4 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1 and ½ cups half and half

4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese or 2 cups Monterey jack + 2 cups Cheddar

 

Preparation:

Combine the broccoli, onion, stock, salt and pepper into a 4-quart crock pot; cook on low for four hours.

 

After four hours, set crock pot to high.  Take out one cup of liquid.  

Create a roux by melting the butter, medium-high heat, in a large sauce pan; whisk in the flour.  Slowly add in the liquid, continuing to whisk, and then slowly whisk in the half and half.

Add the shredded cheese to the roux mixture, on cup at a time, until it is fully melted and combined. 

 

Add the cheese sauce to the crock pot and stir it in to combine.  Let it continue to cook in the crock pot an additional 15 minutes.

Makes 6 servings.

 

Note: For a creamier soup, before adding the cheese sauce, pulverize the broccoli and onion with an immersion blender.  Then continue with cheese sauce and added cooking time.

Picture it, sitting in a cozy chair, bowl of soup cradled in the lap, and reading a good book; maybe on food prep and storage!  Enjoy and keep positive.

Mary Cokenour

Patty Melt Goes Upscale

My hubby loves patty melts, and when it comes to the Classic Patty Melt; well he says I outdo everyone.  When I make my recipes, there's one thing I really enjoy doing; outdoing myself!

Let me introduce you to the London Broil Melt; thinly sliced rare London Broil, sharp cheddar, sautéed mushrooms and onions; layered together into a perfect marriage between toasted bread.

 

London Broil Melt

 

 

Ingredients:

 

2 slices of sandwich bread, toasted

3 slices sharp Cheddar cheese (Sargento is the best!)

 8 thin slices of rare London Broil
1/2 cup sautéed mushroom/onion mix

Preparation:

This is a layering preparation.

Preheat oven to 350F; line small baking pan with aluminum foil.

Toasted Bread
Cheese Slice
4 London Broil Slices
Cheese Slice
4 London Broil Slices
Spread out 1/2 cup of vegetable mixture
Cheese Slice
Toasted Bread

Cheese on Toast

Meat and Cheese

Meat, Mushroom/Onion Mix

Place entire sandwich inside baking pan; place in oven for five minutes to allow cheese to melt thoroughly.  Remove sandwich to plate, cut in half and enjoy.

Makes one sandwich.

Note:  While my hubby enjoys a multi-grain bread, I go for potato bread; so, use what appeals to your taste buds.

Mary Cokenour

Casserole Topped with Crescent Dough.

I stopped buying boxed meal products a long while ago, mainly because I discovered I can make it better, without all the preservatives, and add more fresh ingredients.  So there I was, going to make one of my own "hamburger helper" type meals, when I spied the canister of Pillsbury crescent rolls.  I like keeping dough products like biscuits, crescent rolls, even pie crusts in stock for those spur of the moment ideas. If I have to suddenly make dough, chances are I'll get frustrated and give up the idea altogether.

Instead of making a regular cheeseburger skillet meal, I prepped the ingredients and pulled out a 4-quart casserole dish.  I layered items in the dish in a manner I thought would work; and yes it did!  What I really liked was the perforations of the crescent rolls helped with serving sizes.  I used a pie server, since the servings were in the form of a wedge; each held together without making a mess.

Over the weekend I made a chicken pot pie and a baked turkey broccoli casserole; once again used the crescent roll dough to see how it compared to pie crust.  Good stuff!  Same old, same old?  Nah, play with your food and have fun experimenting.

Cheeseburger Crescent Bake

Ingredients:

2 lbs. lean ground beef

½ cup diced onions
½ cup diced red bell peppers
2 cups diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp. ground black pepper
¼ tsp. salt
6 cups cooked, large elbow macaroni
1 package (8 oz.) shredded, sharp Cheddar cheese
1 can (8 oz.) crescent roll dough

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350F; spray a 4 quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large skillet, medium-high heat, brown beef part way; add onions and peppers; complete browning the beef.  Add tomatoes, Worcestershire, pepper and salt; mix thoroughly and remove from heat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a large bowl, combine cooked macaroni with beef mixture; spread out into casserole dish.  Spread Cheddar cheese overall; bake for 20 minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Remove dish from oven; remove crescent roll dough from can and unroll over mixture in casserole dish.  Do not separate the dough into individual pieces.  Return dish to oven and bake additional 15 to 20 minutes; until dough browns.  Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before cutting along the perforations of the dough.  Use pie server to lift up wedge serving.

  

 

Makes 8 servings.

Mary Cokenour

Philly Cheesesteak as a Filling.

Philly Cheesesteak as a filling?  Well of course it is, you're thinking; it's a filling in a bread roll.  I've already shown you my version of the sub and how it can also be made into a pizza, so yes, it can be more than just a filling for a sandwich. I've gone and put it inside a bell pepper, baked it in the oven, and created a "yes, you need a fork to eat it" package deal.  How good could it taste?  My hubby answered that by eating both of the ones I made when I tested out my recipe, and then asking if I had anymore for later on.

If you think about it, I've taken the filling, but instead of chopping up the bell peppers to add to the mixture, I've made them into the package.  No bread!  If you really need the bread, go ahead and make some rolls to act as a side dish; you truly won't miss it though.

Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers
 

 
Ingredients:

2 large green bell peppers

1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 and 1/2 cups chopped cooked beef
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375F; spray a one quart baking dish with nonstick spray.

Cut tops off peppers, remove seeds, stem and white pith; set aside.

In a small skillet, medium-high heat, sauté onions until they soften (about 5 minutes); season with salt and black pepper.

 

On a medium bowl, mix together onions, beef and cheese.  Stuff each pepper with the mixture and put tops on.  Bake for 30 - 40 minutes; until tops just begin to brown.

 

Makes two servings.

Now, if you really need that bread, make some crusty dinner rolls, fill them with some of the green bell pepper and cheesesteak filling.  There you go, Philly Cheesesteak Sliders!

 

Mary Cokenour

Men At Work, Tools and the Breakfast Burrito.

My hubby, Roy, and his friend Sean have been doing a little updating on the home. Now being the nurturer that I am, I make sure they're well watered and well fed; that included a good start to the day. I've never made a breakfast burrito before and to my great delight, I now had two male guinea pigs at my disposal.

Wolfed down the burritos? No, they practically inhaled them without chewing. The greatest compliment I received from Sean was, "You could put that burrito truck guy down in Blanding out of business selling these!" Whereas Roy than added, "Man, you should try one of her Smoked Sausage Burritos!"  See, that's what I love about having these two men as my guinea pigs, they will tell you that way it is without the sugar coating. The first time I made them, I forgot the cheese and they pointed that out immediately at the first bite. The second time I added the cheese, and all was perfect in the world...food wise.

Enough talk, lets eat!  Oh, the list of ingredients; yes, that is for one burrito.  Who in the world would make a skinny burrito!?!

Breakfast Burrito

Ingredients:

1 - 10 inch flour tortilla

6 strips crispy bacon
2 Tbsp butter, divided
1 cup shredded potatoes
1/4 cup diced onion
2 Tbsp diced red bell pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

 
 

Preparation:

Lay the bacon across the center of the tortilla, but leave 2-3 inches open space from the edges of the tortilla.

 

Melt one tablespoon of butter, medium-high heat, in a 10 inch skillet.  Add the potatoes, onion, bell pepper, salt and ground black pepper; mix, press down to spread out evenly and cook one side for 2 minutes.  Flip the mixture over and cook other side for another minute. 













Add the beaten eggs and cheese; mix and cook until eggs become firmer and cheese is thoroughly melted. 













Spread the potato/egg mixture over the bacon and do not let it go to the edges. 















Fold up the long sides of the tortilla over the ingredients; fold up the ends and secure with toothpicks until ready for the skillet.

 

Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the skillet, melt over medium-high heat.  Remove toothpicks and lay tortilla "packet" seam side down into the skillet; cook for 1-2 minutes, until browned and seams are sealed.  Flip burrito over and cook for 1-2 minutes, until browned.  Remove to plate, cut in half or eat two handed style.

Makes one burrito.

Mary Cokenour

Casserole with a Long Name and Lots of Flavor.

There I was, chicken breasts defrosted so I could make a favorite of mine, Seared Chicken and Risi E Bisi for lunch. I'd also defrosted small shrimp to make Skillet Shrimp and Pasta for dinner. Now here comes the problem, coming home after a three hour adventure which included two hours of hiking and climbing up to an arch doesn't put you in the mood for cooking...anything.

I half heartedly pulled out the ingredients for the first recipe, but then I spied a packet of broccoli which I had chopped up, steamed and frozen; then it came to me!  What if I take the chicken, shrimp, broccoli and mixed it all up with the rice into a casserole dish and cooked it all at once?  Yeppers, I was feeling inspired and it wouldn't be that hurtful to my already aching muscles.  For the Risi E Bisi I would use Arborio rice, since this is actually a risotto dish; instead I used packets of chicken flavored rice to make life just a little bit easier.

Now if you can't or don't like shrimp, simply leave it out, but add another half pound of the chicken in its stead; only a half pound because it is denser than the shrimp.  I did let a friend sample this creation out of my tired mind, and she enjoyed it.  Oh, the long name?  Each main ingredient is almost equal to the next and couldn't decide who to give the most credit to; I gave it to all of them!  Even the Cheddar cheese which was screaming at me from the cheese drawer, "pick me...pick meeeee!!!"

Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole with Chicken and Shrimp

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into one inch pieces

1 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 (5.5 oz) packets chicken rice mix
1 and 1/2 cups small chopped broccoli pieces
1 lb. small shrimp, cleaned and deveined
4 cups hot water
1 (12 oz) bag shredded mild Cheddar cheese

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400F; spray a 3 quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, mix the chicken pieces with the salt, paprika and black pepper.  In a large skillet, heat oil on medium-high heat; sauté chicken for five minutes.

 

 

Into a large bowl, mix together partially cooked chicken and remaining ingredients, except the Cheddar cheese.  Pour mixture into baking dish and cover with aluminum foil; bake for 15 minutes (shrimp will turn slightly opaque).

  

 

 

 

Remove foil; spread cheese evenly over top of mixture; bake an additional 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

Mary Cokenour