Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Panzanella

This is a Marilynn style recipe, so excuse the lack of specifics. I'll go back and add details later when I have time.

1 cucumber peeled and chopped
4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 round of fresh mozzarell cheese, chopped into cubes
1 package fresh basil, chopped

Combine all that in a large bowl

Take a loaf of Italian artisan ciabatta bread and chop it into large cubes
Set your oven to low broil
Toss bread cubes lightly in EVOO and place on a cookie sheet
Toast them lightly in the oven. KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON THEM! You're NOT making croutons! They should be lightly toasted, not hard as rocks.

Make a vinaigrette out of red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, fresh garlic, s&p, EVOO, and dijon mustard.

Toss bread with salad mix and dressing, serve immediately.
DELICIOUS!!!

Monday, April 18, 2016

Pregnancy Mac n Cheese

Non-pregnant people may also eat this mac n cheese. The title refers to the fact that I crave pasta like crazy when I'm pregnant and so have slowly perfected this recipe until, I must admit, it is the creamiest, cheesiest, most delectably perfect mac n cheese recipe around. I made it almost daily when I was pregnant with Ezra, this one has gotten me craving some different things, but I've still made it a few times. Here goes:

The sauce makes enough for about 8 oz of uncooked pasta of your choice. I usually use wheat penne, but shells or elbow macaroni are equally tasty.

Boil your pasta in salted water.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a sauce pan.
In a separate bowl combine 1/3 cup cream cheese, 1 cup of milk, 1 rounded tablespoon of flour, and 1 tsp of salt. Blend in a blender or with an immersible blender, until smooth.
Add this combination to the melted butter and simmer, until thickened.
When it has thickened well, remove it from heat, and whisk in a rounded cup of sharp cheddar cheese.
Whisk until just smooth and then cover and let it sit. It will thicken while it sits, about 1 minute.

Drain pasta and combine with sauce.

At this point you can choose to devour it, or if you want to be a traditionalist, you can throw it is a casserole dish, top with breadcrumbs, and bake at 375 until browned on top. You can serve it with additional shredded cheese for topping, if desired.

Enjoy!