Creamy, Lighter Macaroni and Cheese

There is nothing more delicious and comforting than my mom's homemade macaroni and cheese. Now I know a lot of people make that very same claim, but I doubt most of them have ever tried my mom's recipe! I'm kidding, kidding, of course...

But while there are a hundred wonderful things that can be said about my mom's macaroni and cheese, "healthy" is just not one of them. So when I saw this recipe for Creamy, Light Macaroni and Cheese in the September issue of Cooking Light, I was skeptical, to say the least. I may have even scoffed at it a bit- "Really? Butternut squash? Macaroni and cheese is no place for pureed vegetables!"

But nevertheless, it had me intrigued, and I kept going back to it. I finally had to make it just to see if it could measure up. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised! It definitely held up to the claim of "creamy," which is something I have found difficult to achieve in macaroni and cheese without using Velveeta (which is something I try to avoid, since non-refrigerated cheese kind of icks me out!). The original recipe called for Gruyere and since I am not a huge fan, I replaced the Gruyere in the original recipe with a smoked Gouda. The flavor was incredible!

It didn't take two weeks for this one to reappear on the meal plan!

Creamy, Lighter Macaroni and Cheese
(serves 8)

1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
1 1/4 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups of skim milk
2 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon of Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
1 cup of fat-free plain Greek yogurt
6 oz. of Cheddar cheese, shredded
4 oz. of Gouda, shredded
1 teaspoon of dried mustard
1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
1 pound of uncooked pasta (cavatappi, shells, or some other kind that grabs the sauce)
1 teaspoon of olive oil
1 oz. of Parmesan, shredded
1/2 cup of panko

Directions: Place the cubed butternut squash, broth, milk, garlic cloves, salt and pepper in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 25 minutes, or until the squash is soft.

After the 25 minutes, preheat the oven to 375. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions.

Remove the squash mixture from the heat, and add the Greek yogurt. With an immersion blender, puree until smooth. (If you don't have an immersion blender, use a regular blender with the center part of the lid removed to allow steam to escape. Cover with a clean towel to avoid splatter, and pour back into the stock pot.)

Add the cheddar, Gouda, dried mustard, and paprika. Stir until cheese is melted and all is well combined. When pasta is done, combine cheese mixture and drained pasta. Stir to cover the pasta in the sauce.

Grease a 9x13 pan with a bit of olive oil. Pour the pasta and cheese mixture in. Top with the panko and Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until top is golden brown and cheese is bubbly. Enjoy!

Adapted from Cooking Light, original recipe here.

Tomato, Sausage, and Basil Marinara Sauce

Our CSA had plum tomatoes for sale this past week, in addition to the tomatoes we got in the regular basket. Since I had been itching to try my hand at homemade tomato sauce lately, we decided to buy some. And by some, I mean 25 pounds. Go big or go home, right?

Well, it turns out that 25 pounds is a heck of a lot of tomatoes. I didn't even use half in my first big stock pot full of sauce. But the plan was to make a ton and freeze most of it for the winter, so I'm sure it'll be fine. The first batch I made was a Tomato, Sausage, and Basil Marinara. Of course, we had to try a bit for dinner before freezing it. It was really good, and definitely a nice twist on the standard red sauce. I'm glad we'll be enjoying this all winter!

Tomato, Sausage, and Basil Marinara Sauce

(makes roughly 15 cups)

30 plum tomatoes

1 (28 oz.) can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes

2 (28 oz.) cans of tomato sauce

1/4 cup of red wine (I used merlot)

3 Tablespoons of dried basil

3 Tablespoons of dried oregano

1 Tablespoon of ground fennel seed

6 large cloves of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon of Kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon of black pepper

5 bay leaves

6 links of Italian pork sausage (I used mild, as a preference, but hot would work too)

1 Tablespoon of olive oil

1/2 cup of chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup of chopped fresh oregano

Directions: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. 

Fill a large bowl half way with iced cubes and cold water, and set aside. Lightly slice an "x" in the skin of each plum tomato. When water is boiling, place the tomatoes in (I did about 6-8 at a time). Let them boil for a couple minutes, until skin starts to peel back from the sliced areas. Using a slotted spoon, place in the iced water to cool for a couple minutes and halt the cooking. When they have cooled somewhat, the skin should peel right off. Peel and dice them, and place them in a large bowl. Repeat until all the tomatoes are done. 

Place fresh diced tomatoes, canned sauce, canned diced tomatoes, red wine, dried basil, dried oregano, ground fennel seed, garlic, salt, pepper, and bay leaves in a large stock pot. (I couldn't find ground fennel seed, so I used whole fennel seeds that I ran through an empty pepper-mill.) Bring to a light simmer, cover, and allow to simmer for 1.5 hours. 

After 1.5 hours, heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high. Squeeze sausages out of the casings into the saucepan. Brown the sausage, breaking up the pieces with a fork. When the sausage is browned, add it to the sauce, give it a good stir, re-cover, and allow to simmer for another 2-3 hours. Sauce should be reduced down a good amount from where it started.

Remove from heat, and stir in the fresh basil and oregano. Allow to cool before freezing. Enjoy!

Adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen, original recipe here.

Gnocchi with Zucchini Ribbons and Cherry Tomatoes

This has to be one of the easiest dinners I've made in a long time. I did find it in a section of "Weeknight Meals Ready in Under 20 Minutes" so I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but I still wasn't quite expecting this easy. Not only was it an absolute cinch to put together, it was perfectly timed- the veggies cook in the same amount of time it takes to boil the water and cook the gnocchi. Just throw everything together at the end, and violà- dinner! It had me thinking "is that all I have to do?" which is definitely a good thing :)

It has a great, nutty flavor from the nutmeg and Parmesan, and feels like a great "transitioning into fall" dish. And while it's not exactly time to "transition into fall" quite yet, there's not nothing wrong with being prepared!

Gnocchi with Zucchini Ribbons and Cherry Tomatoes
(serves 4)

1 lb of fresh or frozen gnocchi (I used whole wheat)
2 Tablespoons of butter
1 shallot, chopped
1 large zucchini, very thinly sliced (I used a golden zucchini)
1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 teaspoon of Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon of grated nutmeg
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 handful of chopped fresh parsley

Directions: Slice the zucchini thin (with a mandoline slicer if you have one), chop the shallots, halve the tomatoes, and chop the parsley. Set each aside separately.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. When it's boiling, add gnocchi. Cook until they float, for about 3-5 minutes.

Meanwhile, while you're waiting for the water to boil, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium high. When it's melted, add the shallots and zucchini. Cook for about 5 minutes, until shallots and zucchini start to soften. Add the halved tomatoes, Kosher salt, pepper, and nutmeg, stirring occasionally. When gnocchi is done, drain it and add to the veggies. Stir to combine, and mix in the parsley and Parmesan. Enjoy!

Adapted from eatingwell.com, original recipe here.

Mussels with a White Wine Tomato Sauce

I love the mussels at my favorite Belgian tavern in the city, Eulogy. They are to die for; they are so tender and the sauce is amazing to soak up with the hunks of bread they give you. And their beer list is nothing to shake a stick at either! I've always wondered if I could recreate something like them at home, and finally decided to give it a try.

This recipe wasn't inspired by anything in particular that my tavern has, but they were very tasty. I served it over angel hair pasta and spinach to turn it into a meal, but it would be great as an appetizer as well. Either way though, you definitely need a big hunk of bread to mop up all that delicious sauce!

Mussels with a White Wine Tomato Sauce
(Serves 2)

1 Tablespoon of olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 of a medium white onion, diced

1/3 cup of dry white wine
1 cup of clam juice
1 (14.5 oz.) can of diced tomatoes with juice
1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper
black pepper

1 pound of fresh mussels

Directions: Heat olive oil in large stock pot over medium heat. Add minced garlic and onions and cook until fragrant and onions are soft. Add white wine, and allow to reduce slightly. Add clam juice, tomatoes with juice, red pepper, and a dash of black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for about 20 minutes to let the flavors blend together.

Rinse mussels, and discard any that have opened. Bring the sauce back to a boil, and add mussels. Cover and allow to boil for 6-7 minutes, occasionally giving the pot a fast rotate/shake to allow the mussels to cook evenly. Remove mussels with a slotted spoon, and ladle the sauce on top. Enjoy!

Adapted from allrecipes.com, original recipe here.

Tortellini with Spinach and Prosciutto

I am really starting to love these recipes I've been getting from Cooking Light lately. The past few I have tried have been so fast and easy to throw together on a busy weeknight, they have good, wholesome ingredients (for the most part), and boy are they tasty. This was definitely another one, and I am excited to make it again!

Tortellini with Spinach and Prosciutto

1 16 oz. package of cheese tortellini

1/4 cup of pine nuts

1 Tablespoon of olive oil
2 Tablespoons of dry white wine
1 10 oz. package of baby spinach
6 cloves of garlic, minced

4 oz. of prosciutto, thinly sliced and torn into smaller pieces

black pepper
2 oz. of Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions: Bring water to boil in a large saucepan. When water is boiling, add tortellini. When they are all floating, that means they are finished cooking.

Meanwhile, heat a non-stick pan over medium heat, and add nuts to pan, stirring occasionally. Cook until toasted- about 1 1/2 minutes, and then set aside. (I totally forgot this step and it was still delicious)

After nuts are done, heat olive oil and wine in the non-stick pan, and add minced garlic. Cook a few minutes, until fragrant and slightly reduced, and then add spinach. Cook until mostly wilted, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and add prosciutto.

Drain pasta, place in a large bowl, and add spinach prosciutto combination. Stir to combine, and top with pine nuts, a dash of black pepper, and the grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Adapted from Cooking Light, original recipe here.

Linguine with Red Clam Sauce

Happy holidays! I hope you all had a peaceful holiday, and got to spend some quality time with family. H and I definitely had a wonderful few days off, and were lucky enough to be able to visit with both of our families, as well as enjoy some quiet time to ourselves.

Santa was extremely kind to me as well! I got a number of kitchen toys- an immersion blender, a couple mini crock-pots, another set of Pyrex containers (you can never have enough of those babies), and a mini egg pan with egg flippers from joie. I am so excited to try them all out!

I also continued the tradition ( can I call it that yet?) of our seafood dinner on Christmas Eve. I used a couple recipes from last year, and changed another up. Here is one that is oh-so-easy, and absolutely delicious! I have to admit, I am torn between keeping it a Christmas tradition, and making it way more often. As usual, I apologize for the none-too-appetizing photo, but I promise it tastes a whole lot better than this picture looks!

Linguine with Red Clam Sauce
Serves 6

2 (14.5 oz.) cans of diced tomatoes, with juice
1/4 cup of tomato paste
2-3 Tablespoons of capers

6-8 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons of white sugar
2 teaspoons of dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of dried basil
1 pinch of ground black pepper
1 pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

2 (6 oz.) cans of minced clams
1 (12 oz.) can of whole baby clams

12 oz. of linguine pasta (3/4 of a box)

Directions: Combine all ingredients, up until the clams, in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and allow to simmer for about 45-60 minutes. Add the clams, and some of the juice (I use about half) and allow to simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve over linguine. Enjoy!

Adapted from allrecipes.com, original recipe here.

Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables

So far, I'm following my menu for the week well! I always try to get at least one vegetarian meal on menu and last night was Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables. Now this one certainly wasn't the prettiest dinner I've ever made. I actually debated on whether or not I should even include the picture in this post, but then I figured, what's a food blog without the pictures? So I did. But what it lacked in looks, it more than made up for in taste. It was hearty and filling, even healthy, but not too heavy. Delicious!

 
Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables
Serves 6-8

2 zucchinis
2 yellow squash
2 red bell peppers
1 onion
1 (8oz) package of sliced mushrooms

5 cloves of garlic, sliced thin
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
2 Tablespoons of Italian herbs (thyme, basil, oregano)
dash of salt and black pepper

1 (16 oz.) box of penne pasta
3 cups tomato sauce
2 cups ricotta cheese (I used part-skim)

8 oz. fresh mozzarella, grated
2 Tablespoons of butter, cut into small chunks
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425.

Chop zucchini, squash, onion, and peppers into chunks. Place the veggies, along with the mushrooms, into a large Ziploc bag. Add the olive oil, garlic, spices, salt and pepper and shake to combine. Spread onto a baking sheet and roast in the oven for about 12 minutes. Remove, and flip/stir the veggies and place back in the oven for about 8-10 minutes, or until tender.

Meanwhile, bring large pot of water to a boil and cook penne pasta to al dente. When finished, mix with tomato sauce and set aside. When veggies are done, use a slotted spoon (to avoid getting extra liquid) to take them off the baking sheet and place into pot with pasta. Mix with ricotta cheese and stir to combine.

Spread pasta and veggies into a 9X13 baking pan. (I was actually able spread them out a bit more and use one 9X13 and one 8X8 pan. You can either pack them into one or spread them out into two). Top with grated mozzarella, Parmesan, and small cubes of butter. Bake for 10 minutes at 425, and then turn oven down to 375. Bake until cheese on top is golden brown, about 18-25 minutes.

Adapted from Ezra Poundcake, original recipe here.

New Recipe Review- Spaghetti with Sausage and Tomato Sauce

For my new recipe this week, I tried "Spaghetti with Sausage and Simple Tomato Sauce" from cookinglight.com. It was delicious, and oh so easy!

Here is the original recipe:

Ingredients

• 8 ounces hot Italian turkey sausage links
• 8 ounces uncooked spaghetti
• 1 (28-ounce) can no-salt-added whole tomatoes, undrained
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 cup torn fresh basil
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Arrange sausage on a small baking sheet. Broil sausage 5 minutes on each side or until done. Remove pan from oven (do not turn broiler off). Cut sausage into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange slices in a single layer on baking sheet. Broil sausage slices 2 minutes or until browned.
3. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.
4. Place tomatoes in a food processor; process until almost smooth. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add crushed red pepper and minced garlic; sauté 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, sugar, and salt; cook 4 minutes or until slightly thick. Add sausage and cooked pasta to pan; toss well. Top with fresh basil and Parmigiano-Reggiano.





I did make a few changes. We actually don't have a broiler pan, so I browned the sausages in the wok (I LOVE using that thing!) and added the garlic olive oil, and tomatoes to that when the sausages were ready. Easy! I also used a can organic fire roasted tomatoes (not low salt), which gave it a great flavor. This was really yummy, and I'll definitely be making it again!

Original recipe found here.

New Recipe Review- White Cheese Lasagna

Thankfully, it's finally starting to feel like spring again. But before spring hits, I had to get one more (and possibly last) warm-you-to-the-bones winter recipe in. So, for my new recipe last week (I've missed a few blog entries, but don't worry I have been doing the new recipes :P) I decided to try white cheese and chicken lasagna. I love traditional red lasagna, so this definitely sounded like a fun way to change it up.

Recipe here.

I made a few changes: I cooked two chicken breasts in the crockpot with chicken stock, garlic, and onion to shred it rather than the using cubed meat. I also used fresh spinach instead of frozen, and added chopped carrots (steamed first) and yellow squash (sauteed first) for some extra veggies. I added both the chicken and vegetables to the ricotta mixture to minimize the layering steps. I also didn't add all that mozzarella cheese in the layers, but I put sliced fresh mozzarella on top. Oh, and I also used the "no boil" lasagna noodles. They worked fine, I just had to bake it covered, unlike the recipe.


It turned out pretty good. The sauce was delicious, and I definitely had more than my fair share.

New Recipe Review- Vegetable Noodle Stir Fry

For my new recipe the week before last- I promise I will get better at blogging these- I chose Rachael Ray's Vegetable Noodle Stir Fry. I have been dying to try the new wok we received as a wedding gift and this sounded perfect for it. It turned out really good. I added chicken to it, to make it a little more substantial. The only changes I would make next time are to substitute mushrooms for the carrots (the carrots tasted kind of out of place) and slice the bok choy a little thinner. The veggies also needed a bit more time to cook than the recipe called for, but no biggie. All in all, very tasty!


Original recipe can be found here.