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Archive for June, 2011

Peach and Raspberry Crumble

Posted in Desserts, Pies, Tarts, Crisps, and Crumbles, tagged , , , on June 30, 2011 | 3 Comments »

Peach and Raspberry Crumble

In the summer I like to enjoy desserts that highlight the abundance of fresh fruit that is available. This peach and raspberry crumble is a delicious way to do this, and it can easily be adapted to include other summer fruits such as blueberries, nectarines, plums, or blackberries.

The crumble takes minimal preparation time and effort. Peel and slice your peaches, mix up your oaty topping, and throw it in a baking dish (a pretty one if you have it- I need to work on acquiring one more interesting than my glass Pyrex). Some of the crumble topping is mixed in with the peach raspberry filling, which is a deliciously wonderful idea. The fruit bakes up all juicy, sweet, and bubbly, as you can see in the photo. Top a generous spoonful with some vanilla ice cream and you’ll have a perfect summer dessert.

One year ago:  Apricot Ice Cream

Peach and Raspberry Crumble

Printable Recipe

Makes 1 8×8 square baking dish

Ingredients:

  • 5-6 medium ripe peaches, peeled (if desired) and sliced (I used a combination of white and yellow peaches)
  • 1 cup fresh raspberries (if using frozen, just thaw and drain)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup old fashioned oats
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small cubes

Directions:

  1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Place sliced peaches and raspberries in a large bowl and set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, oats, spices, and salt. Add the butter and toss the mixture together with your hands. Using your fingers, break the butter up into the flour mixture until the butter is the size of small pebbles and oat flakes.
  3. Toss a generous handful (about 1 cup) of the crumble topping into the peach and raspberry mixture. Toss loosely with your hands. Spread the fruit evenly in the baking dish and top with the remaining crumble mixture. Bake until fruit is juicy and bubbling, and the top of the crumble is slightly browned and crisp, about 30 minutes.
  4. Remove from the oven, let cool slightly, and serve with vanilla ice cream. Crumble is delicious warm and can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator and reheated in the oven or microwave for serving.

Recipe from Joy the Baker

This post is linked to Sweets for a Saturday

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Asian Glazed Salmon

Posted in Easy Weeknight Meals, Main Dish, Seafood, tagged , , on June 28, 2011 | 2 Comments »

Asian Glazed Salmon

This Asian Glazed Salmon is full of flavor and fast and easy to prepare. All of the ingredients (except for the salmon) are mixed together to form a glaze. You spread half of the glaze on the salmon and then pop it in the oven. That’s it! Once the salmon is cooked through, you drizzle it with the remaining glaze and serve.  How easy is that?

If you read over the ingredient list you’ll see why this salmon is so delicious: Hoisin sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes… these combine to create a wonderful Asian-inspired glaze that really complements the salmon. This is a dish that I’m sure I’ll make again and again.

One year ago:  Pasta with Mini Turkey Meatballs

Asian Glazed Salmon

Printable Recipe

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 lb. piece of salmon, center cut with skin on
  • 1/4 cup Hoisin sauce
  • 2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
  • 1 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tsp. finely chopped or grated ginger
  • 1 medium garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tsp. sesame oil (or olive oil if that’s what you have on hand)
  • 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
  • 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line an 8×8 inch glass baking dish with foil and spray with cooking spray. Place the salmon, skin side down, in the dish.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and stir well to combine. Spread half of the glaze on the fish. Bake for 15-18 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish, or until it is done to your preference. To prevent the glaze from burning on the bottom of the pan, during the last few minutes of baking, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water, or more as needed, to the pan. Garnish with wedges of lime and drizzle the remaining sauce on top.

Recipe slightly adapted from Cooking with Karen, originally adapted from Sur la Table

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Creamy Strawberry Ice Cream

Posted in Desserts, Ice Creams, Sorbets, and Frozen Yogurts, tagged , , on June 26, 2011 | 2 Comments »

Creamy Strawberry Ice Cream

Summer is here and so is my enthusiasm for making homemade ice cream! With so many flavor possibilities, I have a hard time deciding which to try next. Back and forth I go in my mind- should I make something chocolatey? fruity? vanilla based with lots of mix-ins? what mix-ins should I use?

Do you see my problem? Ok, so this is really not a terrible problem to have. I can always make another batch soon.  :)

This week, after much deliberating, I decided to take advantage of summer’s fresh strawberries and make this strawberry ice cream. This recipe is a little different from your typical strawberry ice cream in that it has sour cream in it. My first reaction was to skip over this recipe in The Perfect Scoop, but I’ve seen this ice cream appear on many of the blogs I read, always with rave reviews. I decided to go for it and was not disappointed. The sour cream simply makes the ice cream extra creamy, but I don’t think I’d know it was an ingredient if no one told me.

I do have two notes on this recipe. First, I recommend processing the strawberry/cream mixture until it is just about completely smooth. Maybe this is just a personal preference, but I don’t really care to have any frozen strawberry bits in my ice cream (because they are completely frozen if you eat this straight from the freezer). Second, this ice cream is best eaten soon after it’s made. I had a taste right after it finished churning, and I preferred that softer texture over the more frozen texture once it had been in the freezer for a day or more. This ice cream seems to freeze harder than others I’ve made (possibly because I omitted the tablespoon of alcohol called for in the recipe).

If you’re looking for a good strawberry ice cream recipe to add to your repertoire, give this creamy strawberry ice cream a try.

One year ago:  Chocolate Banana Bread and Plum Raspberry Sorbet

Strawberry-Sour Cream Ice Cream

Printable Recipe

Makes about 1 1/4 quarts

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound fresh strawberries, rinsed and hulled
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vodka or kirsch (I omitted)
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions:

  1. Slice the strawberries and toss them in a bowl with the sugar and vodka or kirsch, stirring until the sugar begins to dissolve. (If omitting the alcohol, just sprinkle in a little water with your fingers to help the sugar begin to dissolve.) Cover and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour, stirring every so often.
  2. Pulse the strawberries and their liquid with the sour cream, heavy cream, and lemon juice in a blender or food processor until nearly smooth.
  3. Refrigerate for 1 hour, then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Recipe slightly adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

This post is linked to Sweets for a Saturday and These Chicks Cooked

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Chocolate-Cherry Cheesecake Tart

Posted in Cheesecake, Desserts, tagged , on June 23, 2011 | 2 Comments »

Chocolate-Cherry Cheesecake Tart

Last May my family and I went cherry picking. We had a fabulous time and came home with some delicious cherries, many of which I baked into cherry pies. Since we’re nearing the end of June and have yet to make the trip to the orchard, I don’t think cherry picking is something we’ll be able to do this year. We were still craving a cherry dessert, though, and this cheesecake tart recipe had been sitting in my cookbook holder for weeks. Brad requested this for dessert on Father’s Day and so I of course had to bake it for him.

This tart has a buttery chocolate graham cracker crust and a cool, creamy cheesecake filling with little drops of cherry sauce swirled on top. I was a little disappointed with the amount of cherry flavor in the tart, but that was probably my fault. I was trying to go for a pretty presentation, so I only used about half of the cherry sauce that the recipe made. Next time, I think I’ll use more of the sauce and just swirl it into the top of the cheesecake batter, rather than trying to make the heart design.

While I was somewhat disappointed by the amount of cherry flavor, I loved this tart as a whole. The crust was delicious, and the cheesecake filling is one of the best I’ve had. I’ll surely be going back to this recipe again and again. I think it would be wonderful with some blueberries scattered over the top before baking, or with fresh strawberries or raspberries placed on top after baking.

One year ago:  Open-face Steak Sandwiches with Herbed Goat Cheese and Tomatoes

Chocolate-Cherry Cheesecake Tart

Printable Recipe

Makes 8-10 servings

Ingredients:

  • 6 oz. (1 1/3 cups) chocolate wafers, finely crushed- I used chocolate graham crackers
  • 1/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
  • 2 1/2 oz. (5 Tbsp.) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup pitted fresh or frozen sweet cherries, pureed
  • 3 Tbsp. cherry preserves
  • 1 Tbsp. kirsch (I omitted this)
  • 12 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 4 oz. sour cream (1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp.), at room temperature
  • 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature

Directions:

  1. Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350.
  2. In a small bowl, mix the crushed cookies with 2 Tbsp. of the sugar. Add the melted butter and toss with your fingers until evenly moistened. Transfer the crumbs to a 9 1/2-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. With your fingers, gently pack the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides to form the crust. Bake on a rimmed baking sheet until set, 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 325.
  3. Meanwhile, in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat, bring the cherry puree to a simmer. Whisk in the cherry preserves and continue to simmer until the mixture thickens slightly, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
  4. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and remaining 1/3 cup sugar on medium-low speed until the mixture is smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the sour cream, flour, vanilla, and salt and beat until well combined, about 1 minute more. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until just combined, about 15 seconds for each egg (do not overbeat).
  5. Pour the batter into the crust and distribute evenly. Dot the batter with the cherry mixture and gently drag a butter knife through the filling to form decorative swirls. (I found it worked best when I had the flat, non-serrated side of the knife pointed toward me and I dragged the knife through a cherry dot towards me, starting a little bit above the dot.  Next time, I might try using a toothpick instead of a knife.)
  6. Bake until the tart is just set but still slightly moist in the center, 18 to 24 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Serve cold. The tart may be made up to 1 day ahead.

Recipe slightly adapted from Fine Cooking, May 2011

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Shell Pasta with Sausage and Roasted Peppers

Posted in Main Dish, Meat, Pasta, Sausage, tagged , , , on June 21, 2011 | 2 Comments »

Pasta Shells with Sausage and Roasted Peppers

One of my cooking goals is to work on creating more of my own original recipes. After spending so much time in the kitchen, as well as reading cooking magazines, cookbooks and blogs, and watching the Food Network, I have a pretty good sense of which recipe ideas will work out and which may not. The challenge for me is remembering the variety of ingredients that are available, so that I don’t get stuck using the same ones over and over in my recipes.

This pasta dish is a recipe that I recently created, using what I’ve learned from cooking a variety of pasta dishes over the years. And if I dare to say so myself, it was a huge success. I think the combination of flavors turned out just right, and we were happy to enjoy this for dinner two nights in a row. Aren’t leftovers great?

I used whole wheat shell pasta and sweet Italian turkey sausage, although you can use whatever you like best. Each bite of pasta is coated with flavor thanks to a sauce made from garlic, red pepper flakes, the browned sausage bits (thanks to a quick deglaze of the pan with white wine), some Parmesan, and a little of the pasta cooking water. Roasted red and yellow bell peppers as well as peppery arugula help to finish the dish with a pop of color and flavor.

One year ago:  Sweet Potato Fries

Pasta Shells with Sausage and Roasted Peppers

Printable Recipe

Makes 4-5 servings

Ingredients:

  • About 10 oz. whole wheat pasta shells (approximately 3 cups dry pasta shapes)
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/3 cup white wine
  • 2 roasted bell peppers, thinly sliced (I used one red and one yellow)- see How to Roast Bell Peppers
  • 3 cups arugula
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • Salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining the pasta.
  2. Heat about 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the sausage, crumbling into bite-size pieces, until no longer pink and browned around the edges. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes during the last minute of cooking.
  3. Add in the white wine and continue to cook and stir for about 2-3 minutes, until most of the wine has cooked off, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
  4. Over low heat, add in the roasted peppers, arugula, cooked pasta, and Parmesan. Stir to combine. Add a little of the reserved pasta water as needed to help make the sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe is a Kristine Original

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Roasted Bell Peppers

Posted in DIY, tagged , on June 18, 2011 | 3 Comments »

How to Roast Bell Peppers

Roasted bell peppers are a delicious addition to sandwiches, burgers, and pastas.  The roasting process brings out the natural sweetness of the peppers and adds a richness of flavor to your dish.

You can buy jars of roasted peppers in the grocery store, but it’s easy (and fun!) to roast your own peppers at home.  Home-roasted also taste much better, and you don’t have the tough bits where the skin was left on that you sometimes find in jarred peppers (I hate those tough bits- yuck!).

When I’m making a recipe that calls for roasted peppers, I try to prepare the peppers in the late afternoon, before I need to begin cooking the rest of the meal.  This way, I’m not adding another step during my meal preparation process, and when it’s time to cook dinner, I have roasted peppers just as easily as if I opened a jar from the store.

One year ago:  Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Roasted Bell Peppers

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

  • Red, yellow, or orange bell peppers, or a combination of colors

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven, using the broiler setting.  Place an oven rack about 6 inches from the broiler.  Wash your peppers, slice off the tops, and slice them in half down the middle, from top to bottom.
  2. Use your hands to remove the seeds and membranes.
  3. Place the peppers, skin side up, on a foil lined baking sheet.  Using your hand, press down on each pepper half to flatten.
  4. Broil peppers for about 10 minutes, until blackened.  Be sure to check on them every few minutes.
  5. Place the peppers in a glass bowl, and cover with plastic wrap.  Let them cool for about 10 minutes.  The steam that is trapped in the bowl will loosen the skin, making it easier to peel off.
  6. Use your fingers to peel all of the skin off of each pepper.  Discard the skins.
  7. Slice or chop the peppers as desired.

Step-by-step, with photos:

1.  Preheat your oven, using the broiler setting.  Place an oven rack about 6 inches from the broiler.  Wash your peppers, slice off the tops, and slice them in half down the middle, from top to bottom.

2.  Use your hands to remove the seeds and membranes.

3.  Place the peppers, skin side up, on a foil lined baking sheet.  Using your hand, press down on each pepper half to flatten.

4.  Broil peppers for about 10 minutes, until blackened.  Be sure to check on them every few minutes.

5.  Place the peppers in a glass bowl, and cover with plastic wrap.  Let them cool for about 10 minutes.  The steam that is trapped in the bowl will loosen the skin, making it easier to peel off.

6.  Use your fingers to peel all of the skin off of each pepper.  Discard the skins.

7.  Slice or chop your peppers as desired.

Enjoy!

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

Posted in Bar Desserts, Cheesecake, Desserts, tagged , , , on June 15, 2011 | 3 Comments »

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

If you ask me, it’s hard to find a dessert more irresistible than a cheesecake bar. First, there’s the cheesecake. I know some people don’t care for cheesecake, but if you’re a cheesecake lover, then making it in bar form is far quicker, easier, and more foolproof than baking a regular cheesecake.

Second, cheesecake bars are so adaptable: you can make them with fruit (like these Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars), with chocolate and caramel (these Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Bars are amazing), with brownie batter swirled in (as in these Cheesecake-Swirled Brownies)… as you can see I really have a weakness for cheesecake bars!

So you can imagine that it didn’t take me long to decide to make these cookie dough cheesecake bars. In fact, I had another baking project planned the day I made these, but when I opened my Google Reader that morning and saw these treats posted, my baking plans immediately changed.

These bars have a graham cracker crust, which is topped with a layer of cheesecake, and then pieces of chocolate chip cookie dough. How can you go wrong with a combination like that?

One year ago: Zucchini Sub Sandwiches

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

Printable Recipe

Makes 12 bars

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

  • 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the Cookie Dough:

  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

For the Cheesecake:

  • 10 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, allowing a little overhang, and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
  2. Mix the melted butter and graham cracker crumbs until thoroughly combined. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 6 minutes. Remove pan to a cooling rack. Maintain oven temperature.
  3. While the crust is cooling, prepare the chocolate chip cookie dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and vanilla until smooth and thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Mix in flour on low speed, and mix until just incorporated. Mix in the chocolate chips. Set aside.
  4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Mix in the egg and vanilla on low speed just until incorporated. Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared crust. Using your hand to form clumps, distribute the cookie dough onto the top of the cheesecake batter in teaspoon-sized clumps. Be sure to use all of the dough. You will cover most of the cheesecake batter.
  5. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the top feels dry and firm (the cookie dough) and the entire pan looks set if given a gentle shake. Move pan to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
  6. Lift the bars out by the overhang; slice into desired size and store in the refrigerator. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Recipe from My Baking Addiction, originally adapted from The Essential Chocolate Chip Cookbook

 

 

Linked to Sweets for a Saturday

 

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Chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream

Posted in Desserts, Ice Creams, Sorbets, and Frozen Yogurts, tagged , , on June 9, 2011 | 3 Comments »

Chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream

As summer weather approaches, how about whipping up a batch of ice cream? I highly recommend this chocolate raspberry version. The chocolate raspberry combo is one of my favorites, and both flavors really come through in this ice cream. I used frozen raspberries, and they worked perfectly. I take advantage of frozen fruit in my cooking and baking whenever I can, because it’s both cost effective and available year round. Next time, I think I’ll try substituting frozen cherries for the raspberries to make chocolate cherry ice cream… I can hardly wait!

One year ago: Pizza with Pesto and Tomatoes

Chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream

Printable Recipe

Makes about 3 cups

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 5 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2 cups raspberries, fresh or frozen

Directions:

  1. Whisk together the cream, cocoa powder, and sugar in a large saucepan. Heat the mixture, whisking frequently, until it comes to a full, roiling boil (it will start to foam up). Remove from the heat and add the raspberries. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes.
  2. Puree the mixture in a food processor or blender. Press the mixture through a mesh strainer to remove the seeds (if desired).
  3. Chill the mixture thoroughly, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Recipe from The Perfect Scoop, by David Lebovitz

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Chicken Stuffed with Sundried Tomatoes, Olives, and Mozzarella

Posted in Chicken, Easy Weeknight Meals, Meat, tagged , , , on June 7, 2011 | 1 Comment »

Chicken Stuffed with Sundried Tomatoes, Olives, and Mozzarella

Stuffing chicken breasts is an easy way to dress up your usual chicken dinner. Simply cut a pocket into each piece of chicken and fill with whatever strikes your fancy- this version uses sundried tomatoes, kalamata olives, and mozzarella cheese, but you could also use spinach, roasted red peppers, basil, feta, goat cheese… the possibilities are endless.

The recipe below includes a simple pan sauce to serve with the chicken. When I made this meal, I had every intention of making the pan sauce but ended up skipping it at the last minute. The chicken was delicious without it, and I’m sure it would be even more delicious with the sauce.

One year ago:  Pizza Dough

Chicken Stuffed with Sundried Tomatoes, Olives, and Mozzarella

Printable Recipe

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 6-8 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
  • 3 Tbsp. sundried tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 slices mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/4 tsp. dried thyme
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 tsp. olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp. chicken broth
  • 2 Tbsp. white wine

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Cut a pocket into your chicken breasts and fill each one with the sundried tomatoes, kalamata olives, and a slice of mozzarella cheese.
  3. Mix together the flour, thyme, and some salt and pepper. Lightly dredge the chicken breasts in the flour mixture.
  4. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to an oven-safe baking dish (or use an oven-proof skillet from the start). Finish cooking the chicken in the oven until it is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
  5. To the same skillet that you browned the chicken in, add the chicken broth and wine. Cook over medium heat, scraping up the browned bits and reducing the liquid by half. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve.

Recipe slightly adapted from Elly Says Opa!

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(Make-Ahead) Macaroni and Cheese

Posted in Main Dish, Pasta, tagged , , on June 2, 2011 | 2 Comments »

(Make-Ahead) Macaroni and Cheese

When it comes to macaroni and cheese, I prefer a simple, classic version. My Whole Wheat Macaroni and Cheese is still my favorite because of it’s simplicity and ease of preparation. This Cook’s Illustrated make-ahead version is now a very close second in my list of favorites, however.

The cheese sauce is made with a combination of colby jack and extra-sharp cheddar. The colby jack melts really well to create a sauce that’s smooth and creamy. Garlic, dry mustard, and cayenne add a kick of flavor to the cheesy sauce. The pasta is only partially cooked before assembling the mac and cheese so that it finishes cooking in the oven, absorbing some of the cheese sauce as it bakes.

Each time I’ve made this dish, I’ve baked it right away, but you can also refrigerate it for up to 2 days before baking- a convenient possibility to plan ahead for busy weeknights or entertaining.

One year ago:  Cherry Pie

(Make-Ahead) Macaroni and Cheese

Printable Recipe

Makes 5-6 servings

Ingredients:

For the Bread Crumb Topping:

  • 3 slices whole wheat sandwich bread
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons butter, melted
  • Salt and pepper

For the Pasta:

  • 10 ounces dry pasta (I used whole wheat shells)
  • 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 medium garlic clove, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/8 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 3/4 cups low-fat milk
  • 1/2 pound (8 ounces) colby jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
  • 4 ounces extra-sharp cheddar, shredded (about 1 cup)
  • Salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. To make the bread crumb topping, tear the whole wheat bread into large pieces and place in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until small crumbs are formed. Transfer the crumbs to a bowl and mix in butter and salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
  2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  3. Bring a large pot of water to boil for the pasta. When boiling, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the pasta, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is just beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Drain the pasta and set aside.
  4. To make the cheese sauce, melt the 3 tablespoons of butter in a Dutch oven or other large pot set over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, stir in the garlic, mustard, and cayenne, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and milk. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly, and cook until large bubbles form on the surface and the sauce is slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the cheeses until completely melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Stir the drained pasta into the cheese sauce until well combined. Pour into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with crumb topping.
  6. Bake, uncovered, until the sauce is bubbling and the crumbs are crisp, 20-25 minutes. (If the crumbs are browning too much, cover with foil.)
  7. To store and serve later: Wrap the dish tightly with foil, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. To serve, bake, covered, in a 400 degree oven until the filling is hot throughout, about 40-45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to cook until the crumbs are crisp, 15-20 minutes.

Recipe adapted from Pink Parsley, originally from Cook’s Illustrated’s The Best Make-Ahead Recipe

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