Mac Attack!

So, ok, I eat a lot of pasta, as there is definitely a pattern in most of my posts. This post is no different, but I hope in this case, it will give you ideas on “Food to Go” or “Fast Food” for the whole family. It’s all about making something ahead of time, portioning it out and storing it for those meals to take to work, a snack for the kids after coming home from school or even late night eats.

I don’t think I have ever met anyone who doesn’t love one of the greatest comfort foods of all time, Mac & Cheese. Yeah, yeah, it’s not the healthiest food around, but if it’s in moderation, like all other things in life, indulging yourself every once in a while shouldn’t make you feel guilty.

About twice a year I make myself a “family sized” batch of homemade Mac & Cheese. I have this great recipe I found in Saveur Magazine many years ago and never looked at another recipe again (well that’s not entirely true).

Now you may be asking, since I am single why make so much for myself?

Well, the main reason is that I know that I can portion it and then store each portion in the freezer for when I have that cheesy craving in about 5 minutes. If I decide to take a portion to work, it will thaw by lunch time and I can nuke it for just 2-3 minutes.

That’s less time than if you made a box of the store bought “blue box” or a family sized portion of the frozen “orange box”! The only major difference is that you took one day out of a 6 month timeframe to prepare the dish that can last you several. And I must say, it still only takes about 40 minutes to prep and cook all together.

That is the great reward for planning out meals. BTW Did you all even know that you can freeze your Homemade Mac & Cheese? A 9X11 or 8X11 baking dish will yield about 8 to 10 servings and lasts me about 3, 4 or even 5 months. For Snack portions you may even get 12-14 servings! That’s why I only make 2 batches a year! But those with family members of 4 or more, I would suggest making 2-3 batches of Mac & Cheese, so then you will have plenty in the freezer for all that get the craving. If packaged properly in the freezer, it’s there for the taking in individual servings!

So here is my favorite Mac & Cheese recipe I always turn to…Obviously, you can omit the spicy spice and substitute whole milk for 2% or Heavy Cream to Half & Half or Light Cream. Try different cheeses like Gruyere, Emmentaler, mix different cheeses like Parmesan and Cheddar or Gorgonzola and Emmentaler, Gruyere or Cheddar, whatever your cheese taste buds desire.

So, in the recipe, you want to get Ditalini for the “Tube” Pasta, but it was not available for me at the time, so I used Conchigliette (baby shell pasta). If either types of pasta are not available, you can always use the good ole Elbow Macaroni standby or any other small pasta that the cheese sauce will stick to. Half sized rigatoni or even small penne will work too. But don’t go with the smallest of small pastas like Orzo or Farfamille as that would be way too dense and not work.

I also added some thinly sliced tomato on top, as this was a childhood favorite memory when my father/mother baked homemade Mac & Cheese for the fam. As the "tomato thief", I love that addition to my mac, the tomato adds a nice sweetness that you don’t expect with each bite.

So from the oven:

SAVEUR Macaroni and Cheese
This grown-up version of a childhood favorite is a great way to satisfy that deep-seated yearning for melted cheese.

• 8 tbsp. butter
• 6 tbsp. flour
• 1⁄2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• Salt and freshly ground white pepper
• 3 3⁄4 cups hot milk
• 4 cups grated cheddar
• 1 lb. short macaroni, cooked
• 1⁄2 cup heavy cream
• 1⁄2 cup fresh bread crumbs 

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Melt 6 tbsp. butter in a medium stainless-steel saucepan over low heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 4 minutes (flour mixture must foam as it cooks, or sauce will taste of raw flour). Stir in cayenne and season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisk in hot milk, 1/2 cup at a time, and cook, stirring, until sauce thickens. Reduce heat to low and stir in 2 cups of cheese. Cook, stirring, until cheese melts, about 2 minutes.
2. Combine pasta and sauce in a large bowl, and season with salt. Sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese over the bottom of a buttered 8" × 11" baking dish. Place one-third of the pasta in the baking dish, top with 1/2 cup of cheese, then repeat, layering pasta and cheese, ending with cheese, making three layers in all.
3. Pour cream over assembled macaroni and cheese. Melt remaining butter in a skillet. Add bread crumbs, coat with melted butter, and sprinkle over macaroni and cheese. Bake until crust is golden, about 30 minutes. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving. 

IMPORTANT - Freezer Storage Options:

FULL BATCH OPTION: You can freeze the entire batch, but if you do, DO NOT BAKE!  Freeze pre-cooked!!!  When ready, take out for cooking, if in Glass/Pyrex, let the glass come to room temperature, if in metal, it is ok to put directly in oven.  Bake for approximately 40-50 minutes at 400 degrees, not 350 as stated above.

PORTION OPTION:  After baking, cool as per the original instructions, then put in refridgerator for 4 to 24 hours to set.  Then portion out the Batch and seal each serving in individual freezer bags.  If you have one of those vaccuum pack devices, even better!  When ready to eat, take a serving/portion and nuke for approx 5 minutes, even if frozen solid.  If the portions are smaller then I would say about 3 minutes in the nuke machine.  Nuke timing will depend on your Nuke Model.

I hope I have given you some ideas on planning and storage for at least one of the best comfort foods out there.  So, even for all of us that are single, it's ok to make a family batch of food, as long as you can portion and store it properly in the freezer for later eats!  Planning will save you time!!!

I could live on Bread and Water

I mentioned in a previous post that about a year ago that I obtained a bread maker. Since then, I have been making many types of bread from the product maker’s recipe booklet, after I got more comfortable with the machine, I have been branching out a bit more into more Artisan style breads.

The great thing about a bread maker is it does most of and sometimes all of the work for you. What I like most about it, is that it contains a proper environment for the dough to rise. The weather in my apartment isn’t all that consistent except in the summer time and trying to make bread rise on my countertop during wintertime doesn’t always work out the way I would like.

The other nice feature of a bread maker is that most all bread recipes can start out in the maker and then you can take out the dough and bake in your oven if you don’t want to use the machine from start to finish. I have a nice plus on my machine, as it has an Artisan setting, which allows for long cooler rises, instead of warmer rises.

My first venture baking outside the maker was French baguettes. I had a specific purpose to making theses as every wintery holiday (T-Day/X-Mas) my sister’s fiancé makes his specialty fondue(which is the best fondue I’ve ever had) and when I first got my bread maker, I offered to make the French bread for the cheesy feast. I think it’s now a family tradition since this past X-Mas, I supplied the bread again…This time with a better recipe and I learned a bit more on how to roll the dough properly.

So it’s been a bit more than a year using my bread maker and it is time for me to attempt the European style breads that stand on their own with or without those lovely additions such as butter, olive oil and garlic to eat with. This adventure, I have attempted to make a Country Loaf, which is really just a plain old Boule that should have lovely airy holes when cut.

This first go around, was a bit of a trial, as per the recipe I followed, the crust of the bread did not become as crusty as I had anticipated, but I will say that the bread itself, after tasting was most incredible. Incredible enough for me to take the next steps in baking my ultimate bread conquest.

The recipe I have posted is from KAF and I will attempt it again under different weather circumstances to get the results I expect, but no matter the results of my initial attempt, the final result was incredible! For such a simple recipe with no starter/poolish/levain, the recipe is a great starter rustic bread for those who are learning the “dough” life, with or without a bread machine, I urge all to try this recipe out, even without the “Seeds”.  Please note...The flavor comes from the other flours, like Pumpernickel...You can use Rye or other flours to bring out the taste.

You all get a treat this time with 2 Pictures from me!

KAF RECIPE
Country Loaf

This loaf, like many European loaves, includes a bit of whole grain flour for texture and flavor. For a lighter-colored loaf, cut the pumpernickel or white whole wheat down to just a couple of tablespoons, while increasing the all-purpose flour so that the total amount of flour used remains 3 cups.(Notice this is a non-fat loaf: eat it quickly, or it'll stale. To keep it fresh longer, substitute 2 tablespoons of oil for an equal amount of the water.)

Ingredients View by: Volume Weight

• 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1/2 cup pumpernickel flour OR King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour
• 2 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• seeds (sesame, flax, caraway or poppy) OR oat or rye flakes, for sprinkling

"10 ounces lukewarm water1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast2 ounces pumpernickel flour OR King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour10 5/8 ounces King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour1 1/2 teaspoon saltseeds (sesame, flax, caraway or poppy) OR oat or rye flakes, for sprinkling"

Directions:

Bread Machine Directions: Place all of the ingredients in the order listed above into the pan of your bread machine, select Manual or Dough, and press Start. Proceed from*.

By-Hand Directions: Pour the water into a mixing bowl. Add the yeast and pumpernickel or white whole wheat flour, and let sit for several minutes until the mixture begins to bubble. Stir in the salt and 1 cup of all-purpose flour and mix well. Gradually add the second cup of all-purpose flour until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 4 to 5 minutes. Let the dough rest while you clean out and grease your bowl; then knead the dough a few more minutes. The dough should be on the slack side and a little tacky, but should not be sticky. When the dough is well-kneaded, place it into the prepared bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Proceed from*.

*When your dough has risen once, flour your dough-rising basket heavily and sprinkle some seeds (sesame, flax, caraway, poppy...) or some oat flakes or rye flakes in the bottom. Pick up your dough and work it around in your hands a bit, expelling the air. Make the dough into a ball and place it, "nice" side down, into the basket. Drape the dough with lightly greased plastic wrap, and set it aside to rise for 45 minutes, or until it's crowned nicely over the rim of the basket.

Have a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet ready. Very gently, roll the dough from the basket onto the baking sheet. It should slip out gracefully, without deflating. if it deflates totally—a small settling is OK—simply form it into a smooth ball, put it back in the basket, and let it rise again (only this time not quite as high).

Bake the bread in a preheated oven at 425°F for 20 to 25 minutes. For a crunchy, crisp loaf, spray water into the oven with a spray bottle three times during the first 10 minutes of baking. When the bread is done, remove it from the baking sheet, set it on the rack of the oven, turn the oven off, and crack the door open a couple of inches; let the bread cool completely in the oven. If you want a soft loaf, remove the bread from the oven, and from the pan, and let it cool completely, at room temperature, on a wire rack.

Sweet Comforts and the Smells of Winter

It’s Snowy, cold and windy in NYC and what a great day to stay in and bake for comfort and some sweetness. There is nothing like homemade hot cocoa and the aroma of cinnamon permeating throughout the house.

I do love when I stink up the entire apt building with wonder aromas of fresh baked bread, sweet & savory spices, and cakes and of course when I cook with garlic! Ahhh, the smell of something cooking that hits all senses in an eye rolling; mouthwatering temptation is just delicious heaven. No fishy smell here!

I’m sure the neighbors in my building are wondering what I am baking today and if any of them are home, I will knock on their door, show some neighborly love and offer them my sweet of the week.

About a year ago, when I was laid off from a company I gave over 9 years of my life to, I decided, since I had to cut back on costs to use some of my Credit Card points and get me a bread maker. It was one of the best decisions I made! Not only do I not buy bread from the store anymore, I am also making healthier breads with no crazy chemicals in them. I do save a lot of money believe it or not. It also got me cooking again and wanting to branch out a bit more in my cooking capabilities.

But today is not about bread, it’s about Cinnamon Rolls/Buns using my bread machine! You never forget the smell and taste of a Cinnamon Roll/Bun even if the years have passed since the last gooey bite. I’ll be honest, I don’t usually eat these that often, actually I think the last time I had one was about 8 or more years ago. I have heard that there is a chain out there, in which these lovely breakfast/brunch treats are the main attraction and people go crazy for them (I personally have never had one from this chain and never will).

So, since I am using my bread machine and the recipe that came with it, all instructions are machine only (I don’t feel like translating out of machine today). But if you are a savvy baker, then you know how to make the dough outside of the machine (It’s really not that hard). I’ve made some personal adjustments to this recipe, specifically to the filling and topping. This will yield approx 24 rolls/buns depending on how thick you cut them.

Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients: Makes2 1⁄2 pounds dough = 24 cinnamon swirl rolls

• 2⁄3 cup Lowfat milk, warmed to 80°–90°F
• 3 Eggs, large, at room temperature
• 6 tbls Unsalted butter, cut in 1⁄2-inch pieces, at room temperature
• 1⁄2 cup Granulated sugar
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
• 4 cups Bread or AP flour
• 2⁄3 cup Cornstarch
• 2 1⁄4 teaspoons Yeast, active dry, instant or bread machine

-Place the milk, eggs, unsalted butter, granulated sugar, salt, vanilla, flour, cornstarch, and yeast in the bread pan fitted with the kneading paddle in the order listed. Place the bread pan in the Bread Maker. Select

Dough option. Select dough size. Press Start to mix, knead and rise. When cycle is completed remove dough and punch to deflate. For large and medium recipes, divide into 2 equal portions. Let rest 10 minutes.

-Roll the dough out into rectangles 12 inches wide and 1⁄2-inch thick. Brush each rectangle with melted butter to within one inch of one long side and to the ends of the other 3 sides, and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll as for a jelly roll, ending with the unbuttered side. Pinch along long side to seal.

-Cut with a serrated knife into 12 equal portions. Arrange in prepared pans, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise 35 to 40 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F.

-Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until puffed with golden tops, and hollow-sounding when tapped.

-Let cool 20 to 25 minutes before frosting. Spread or drizzle cream cheese frosting to taste.

Filling

• 1⁄2 cup Brown sugar, packed
• 1⁄4 cup Granulated sugar
• 2 1⁄2 tbls Cinnamon
• 1 tbls Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 6 tbls Butter, unsalted, melted –Reserve 2 Tbls for brushing Dough.

-Place the filling ingredients in a small bowl and stir with a whisk until well blended; reserve.

-Lightly coat 2 ten-inch round/2 nine-inch round/1 ten-inch round cake pan(s) with cooking spray and reserve.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 4 oz Cream cheese
• 1⁄4 cup Unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1 1⁄2 cups Powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 tablespoon Milk

-Combine frosting ingredients and stir with a whisk until smooth (this may also be done in a food processor fitted with the metal “s” blade, or with a hand mixer).

Tomato Soup and Processed Sin

I will admit that even though I consider myself a food snob of sorts, I do love a classic American grilled processed cheese sandwich with tomato soup, especially during these winter months. Now, you might think this is about the classic canned Tomato soup and all American Grilled Cheese, but you are half wrong.

I did buy a can of that classic canned Tomato soup a few weeks back and found it very strange tasting. As a kid I loved this soup (but what kid doesn't?). After not having that canned soup for years and years and then buying it, because I was lazy, a huge mistake and a waste of my taste buds and time. I ended up adding homemade croutons, parmesan cheese and other herbs just to make the soup bearable and even that didn't make it very edible. So, for now on, Tomato soup will be all homemade for me.

Back to the sandies...In this case it's totally all American born or it ain't the processed sin we all but hate to admit we love to crave. You can't argue the sinful taste of the buttery, oozing American Grilled Processed Cheese. I'm a bit of a purist with this processed cheese sandwich. When I do make it, I use soft white bread (yeah-the balloon brand) and room temp butter and in a fry pan, not a grill and not a waste of space Panini maker. Sometimes I have a hankering to add some sliced tomato and/or add bacon. Spicy or just yellow mustard on top makes it the Bomb!

Don't get me wrong...a Caprese, Fontina w/Arugula, Munster w/Caramelized Onion (my French Onion Soup Sandy), Goat Cheese w/Chive, Tarragon and a drizzle of Honey and other "couture" grilled cheese sandwiches are just mouth watering heaven and higher on my list of amazing eats, cooked on a stove top grill or grill pan. Give me any good artisan melting cheese, herbs, crusty bread, olive oil and garlic and I can't even describe the pleasure I get, even just thinking about making and eating it.

Even though the canned soup was a waste of my time, it should also be yours too. Homemade is the better, tastier, easy and most economical to make believe it or not. I'll do my best here to list the Soup Ingredients and Instructions as my cooking...not baking...is a measured by eye, taste and whatever I have in the pantry. This will make approximately 12 Servings. It's a lot of soup! 

 

Winter time is hard to find good ripe plum tomatoes, so I've gone with canned tomatoes that I usually use for pasta sauce. Don't worry, at first the soup may tast a little tinny from the canned tomatoes for the first taste test, but after it simmers for a bit, all flavors will combine and the tinny flavor will go away.

Tomato Soup

Special equipment: Either a Blender or Handheld Blender or a Food Processor

• 
  
  2-28oz cans of Whole Plum Tomatoes
• 
  
  1-15oz can of fire roasted Chopped Tomatoes with ancho chili pepper
• 
  
  (if you cannot find this item, 1-15oz Can of Chopped Tomatoes and 1 Roasted Red Pepper can be substituted)
• 
  
  3 Cups Vegetable or Chicken Broth-Approx
• 4 Cloves Garlic-Chopped Finely
• 2 Medium Shallots-Chopped Finely
• (1 half of Medium Onion can be substituted)
• 3 Tbls Extra Virgin Olive Oil-Approx
• 1 Tbls Dried Oregano or Italian Herb Mix-Approx
• 1 Tbls Fresh Rosemary-Chopped-Approx
• 1 Half Pint Heavy Cream or Half and Half
• 1/2 Lemon
• S/P to Taste

-In a large pot (Pre-Heated) on medium heat add Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Shallots and sweat (about 1-2 min), then add garlic to sweat (another 1-2 Min).

-Add Rosemary and Dried Herbs-A couple of quick stirs to incorporate. Add Tomatoes with their juice and bring to a simmer. At this point-take the mixture and puree. If you like it a bit chunky, make sure you reserve some of the tomato mixture.

-Add back to pot (on medium heat) and add Broth, stir and bring to a simmer again for about 15 minutes. 

-Add S/P to taste with a squeeze of lemon juice and stir for another minute or 2. Then add Heavy Cream and stir while bringing the soup back up to a simmer. DONE!

-Serve with your Favorite Grilled Cheese Sandy or just toasted garlic bread

-Add a dollop of Sour Cream or just drizzle with some olive oil.