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Posts Tagged ‘cheese’

One Pot Stovetop Mac and Cheese

Posted in Easy Weeknight Meals, Main Dish, Pasta, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , on May 25, 2013 | 1 Comment »

One Pot Stovetop Mac n Cheese_7416

Why is it that around one year of age kids suddenly start to get picky about their food? There are those few months before the one year mark where little ones are open to trying (and usually liking) just about anything, and then all of a sudden that all changes. You put some broccoli or scrambled eggs on the high chair tray and are thanked with a face that says, “Really, this is what you expect me to eat?” If you’re a parent, I’m pretty sure you know what face I’m talking about. William, as was Julia, is all about the bread, fruit, and dairy when it comes to eating, with a little meat thrown in for good measure.

Still, I make sure to offer him a variety of foods, and we all eat the same thing as a family. There are no special kid meals made in this house. Mac and cheese, however, is a dish that the kids and adults in our house both love. I know that it’s not necessarily the healthiest meal, but I don’t worry about that because we don’t eat it every day, and life is all about balance. Plus, I use whole wheat pasta in my mac and cheese and always serve it with a vegetable, usually broccoli.

I have a couple of different macaroni and cheese recipes that I rotate through, and this is my latest find. I like this recipe because it’s made in one pot on the stovetop, making clean-up easy. It’s also a great dinner to make during the weeknight rush because there is no pre-boiling of the pasta, making a roux and cream sauce, or baking of the assembled mac n cheese. You cook the pasta in milk on the stove, mix in the cheese, and that’s pretty much it. This One Pot Stovetop Mac and Cheese is fast, easy, and happily eaten by the whole family.

One Pot Stovetop Mac and Cheese

Printable Recipe

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz. pasta shapes
  • 2 ½ cups lowfat milk, plus more as needed
  • 1 tbsp. butter
  • ½ tsp. dry mustard
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • 1 ½ cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well, as does as a mixture of cheddar and fontina)*
  • Freshly grated black pepper, to taste

Directions:

  1. Place the dry pasta in a colander and rinse under cold water. Drain and place in a medium saucepan.
  2. Add the milk, butter, dry mustard, and salt to the pan with the pasta. Heat over medium heat, stirring often, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and, stirring constantly, cook for 15 to 20 minutes until the milk is completely absorbed. Test the pasta for doneness and add more milk as needed if the pasta is not cooked.
  3. Once the pasta is cooked through and all of the milk has been absorbed, remove from the heat and stir in the shredded cheese. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper; stir. Serve immediately.

*Note: Do not use the pre-shredded cheese that you can buy at the grocery store, as it contains additives that prevent it from sticking together, and it will not melt properly.

Source: Adapted from White on Rice Couple.

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Cheesy Spinach Stuffed Shells

Posted in Easy Weeknight Meals, Main Dish, Pasta, Vegetarian, tagged , , , on May 6, 2013 | 1 Comment »

Cheesy Spinach Stuffed Shells~Kristine's Kitchen

These days I’m all about getting the most out of my cooking. I love it when I find a recipe that not only feeds us for two nights in a row, but also freezes well. Investing time in the kitchen is even more rewarding when there is a big payoff, and in my world a quick meal that just needs heating up on a busy weeknight is a pretty big payoff. This cheesy spinach stuffed shells recipe makes a lot, plus it’s hard to go wrong with cheesy pasta. I don’t make special “kid meals” for Julia and William- they either eat what we’re eating as a family or they don’t. But it is nice when dinner is something that they love and enjoy, and these were enjoyed by all.

If you love cheese, then these shells are for you. Filled with a mixture of four cheeses and spinach, and then topped with marinara and grated mozzarella, these shells are totally cheesy and totally delicious. The cottage cheese works surprisingly well in the filling, making them a bit healthier without you noticing at all. When I make these, we get two meals out of them, plus I freeze a third of the shells for a later meal. These shells are so good and so easy to make, that they’ve gotten me thinking about other stuffed shell possibilities… maybe with even more veggies inside?

Cheesy Spinach Stuffed Shells

Printable Recipe

Makes about 8 servings

Ingredients:

  • 12 oz. box jumbo shells
  • 15 oz. container ricotta cheese
  • 12 oz. cottage cheese
  • 1 cup Italian blend grated cheese
  • ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp. pepper
  • Dash of ground nutmeg
  • 10 oz. box frozen spinach, defrosted with liquid rung out
  • 24 oz. jar marinara sauce
  • 1 ½ cups grated Mozzarella cheese

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions for just shy of al dente. You want to be sure that they don’t overcook or they will fall apart when you fill them. Drain and lay the shells out on a sheet of parchment paper. Let cool while you make the filling.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, cottage cheese, Italian blend cheese, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in the defrosted, drained spinach.
  4. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray, as well as a smaller baking dish (I like to use a freezer-safe baking dish so that I can freeze part of the shells). Spoon about a tablespoon of the cheese mixture into each shell and lay seam side up in the baking dishes. Pour the sauce over the top and sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese.
  5. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. (If you are freezing part of the shells to save for a later meal, leave them unbaked and make sure they are completely cool, then cover the shells with plastic wrap, pressing it down close to the shells. Cover the dish with a lid and freeze. Defrost for a day in the fridge and then bake as usual.)

Source: Slightly adapted from Eat, Live, Run.

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Apple Cheddar Grilled Cheese

Posted in Easy Weeknight Meals, Sandwiches, tagged , , , on July 11, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

We eat grilled cheese sandwiches pretty often in our house. We’re not huge fans of lunchmeat, but sandwiches are such a fast and easy lunch option. PB&J is our other sandwich staple (I know, we’re pretty exciting when it comes to lunches around here!), as well as the occasional egg salad or tuna sandwich, with some leftovers or bean and cheese burritos thrown in from time to time.

The grilled cheese sandwich that you see here makes lunchtime something to look forward to. Apple slices, shallots, and dijon add tons of flavor to the base of ooey gooey cheese. These sandwiches also are a great option for an easy dinner- just add some fruit or a salad and dinner’s ready.

One year ago:  Greek Pizza

Apple Cheddar Grilled Cheese

Printable Recipe

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 shallot, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp. honey
  • 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • 4 slices whole wheat bread
  • 1 apple, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup fresh spinach or baby arugula
  • Sliced or shredded white cheddar cheese
  • 1 tbsp. butter, softened

Directions:

  1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey and Dijon until smooth; set aside.
  3. To assemble the sandwiches, spread a little bit of butter on one side of each slice of bread. Layer the apple, spinach, cheese, shallots, and honey mustard between each two slices of bread. You may not use all of the honey mustard, depending on your tastes.
  4. Place the sandwiches in a nonstick skillet or grill pan and grill over medium heat until lightly crisped and golden on each side, about 2-3 minutes per side. Serve immediately.

Source: Adapted from The Curvy Carrot.

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Mac and Cheese

Posted in Main Dish, Pasta, tagged , , on June 12, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

Mac and cheese is classic comfort food, and there are so many ways to prepare it. Although I already have a number of mac and cheese recipes that I love, I still enjoy trying new recipes. I was watching Barefoot Contessa on the Food Network a few weeks ago, and Ina Garten prepared this recipe. The mac and cheese looked rich and creamy, and I immediately looked up the recipe online and put it on our menu.

This recipe turned out as good as it looked on television. It is in fact incredibly rich and creamy, and is also easy to prepare. I took some advice from Ina and grated the cheeses in my food processor. This saved my arms from a lot of work (although grating by hand would be a great way to squeeze in a little workout!). The macaroni is topped with fresh sliced tomatoes before baking, which adds a little something extra special to the presentation.

Mac and Cheese

Printable Recipe

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

  • Kosher salt
  • 1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi
  • 4 cups milk
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 12 ounces Gruyere, grated
  • 8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar, grated
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • generous 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2-3 small fresh tomatoes
  • 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until just shy of al dente, according to package directions. Drain well.
  3. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don’t let it come to a boil. Melt 6 tablespoons of the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, whisking constantly. While whisking, add the warm milk and cook for a few minutes more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, stir in 1 teaspoon salt, the pepper, and nutmeg. Add the Gruyere and cheddar and stir until melted. Add the cooked pasta and stir well. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish.
  4. Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and stir it into the panko. Sprinkle on top of pasta and tomatoes. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the breadcrumbs are browned.

Source:  Slightly adapted from Barefoot Contessa, Food Network

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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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“Swiss” Enchiladas

Posted in Chicken, Enchiladas, Main Dish, Meat, Mexican, tagged , , , , , on October 20, 2010 | 2 Comments »

“Swiss” Enchiladas

I have made this recipe at least 10 times, because it is fairly easy to put together, and it makes a really tasty meal. The original recipe calls for Swiss cheese, but for some reason, the first time I made these I used Monterey jack cheese, and I’ve been using Monterey jack ever since. Sometime I’ll have to try using Swiss, since I’m sure it would be delicious too.

These enchiladas are pretty simple to put together, but it’s definitely much easier if you have some cooked chicken ready to use before beginning. Sometimes I’ll cook some chicken breasts earlier in the day to save myself a step later on, or sometimes I’ll use leftover grilled chicken from the night before. You could also use a store-bought rotisserie chicken if you’re really in a hurry.

Most often, I serve these with a side of black beans, and they are delicious topped with some chopped tomatoes and avocado. I recommend making enough enchiladas so that you can have leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day- you’ll be glad you did!

“Swiss” Enchiladas

Makes 6 enchiladas

Ingredients:

  • Cooking spray
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
  • 2 cups chopped cooked skinless, boneless chicken breast (about 2 breasts)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 or 2 cans (4.5 ounces each) diced green chiles, undrained
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups low fat milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 6 flour tortillas (soft taco size)
  • 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterey jack or Swiss cheese, divided

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. Heat a small amount of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add onion, cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in chicken, garlic, green chiles, and tomatoes. Reduce heat, and simmer 7 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Set aside.
  3. Meanwhile, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook about 1 minute, whisking constantly. Add the milk and cook about 5 minutes until the mixture begins to thicken, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and stir in salt.
  4. Spoon about 1/2 cup chicken mixture and a few tablespoons cheese down the center of each tortilla, roll up. Place tortillas in baking dish, seam side down. Spoon milk mixture over tortillas (I usually don’t use quite all of the milk mixture). Top with remaining cheese.
  5. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. Turn on broiler and broil for about 3 minutes or until cheese begins to brown.

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light, May 2006

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