Spicy Bacon Macaroni and Cheese

What do you do when you're sitting at home, and you're hungry, and you have part of a bag of pepper jack cheese sitting in your fridge staring at you?  And you've just been disappointed by the supposedly "spicy" penne pasta from pinterest?  You make something that's actually full of cheesy spicy goodness.

This recipe is heavily based on the Thomas Keller macaroni and cheese gratin I made a while ago, with the appropriate spicy changes.  The bacon makes a reappearance since it's basically an essential ingredient now, and I have fallen in love with the shape of the cavatappi pasta, so that's here to stay, too.  I'm also too lazy to turn on the oven, so this comes straight out of the saucepan.

Spicy Bacon Macaroni and Cheese

Loosely adapted from Thomas Keller

4 ounces applewood smoked bacon, cut into batons

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 shallots, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken broth
½ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon salt

Pinch of white pepper
1 teaspoon Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning
4 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded

4 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded
8 ounces cavatappi, cooked to al dente in salted water

Green onions, sliced, for serving

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until brown. Using a slotted spoon, remove to a plate lined with paper towels. Set aside.

Add butter to the bacon fat left in the skillet. Lower the heat to medium. When the butter is melted, add the shallot. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the shallot is translucent. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.  Sprinkle with the flour. Allow the roux to cook for a minute or two, but do not let it burn or brown. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and heavy cream. Bring the mixture to a simmer and add the salt, pepper, and Tony Chachere's. Lower the heat to medium low and continue to stir until the mixture thickens.

Add the pepper jack and Cheddar cheese and stir until the cheese is completely melted. Fold in the cooked cavatappi.

Makes 2 to 3 servings

Kevin and Amanda: Spicy Sausage Pasta

Okay, lately pinterest seems to be blowing up with this pasta dish.  Everyone raves about it.  It's the best thing since sliced bread.  Someone's husband wants it every night for dinner for the next three years.  Nothing could be more spectacular.  Okay, I'm kidding about the last one, but I think I saw the other stuff.

Of course I had to try it, with that many people practically wetting their pants over it.  I think it originally comes from Cook's Illustrated, which I normally shy away from.  I know lots of people think that magazine is like God's gift to the world, but I've never found their recipes to be particularly enticing.  Eh, it's worth a try.

Well, first of all, this pasta is not spicy.  Unless you live in Massachusetts.  If you live in Texas, you're going to have to do some work.  Like use a can of hot Ro-Tel and dump some Tony Chachere's in the darn thing.  Second, the sauce does not come together until it sits on the stove for a bit.  So leave it alone for about ten minutes before serving.  Other than that, it's just a basic dinner entree.  What's all the fuss about?

Spicy Sausage Pasta
From Kevin and Amanda blog

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound smoked sausage
1½ cups diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chicken broth
1 (10-ounce) can Ro-Tel tomatoes and green chiles
½ cup heavy cream
8 ounces penne pasta
½ teaspoon salt and pepper, each
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
⅓ cup thinly sliced scallions

Add olive oil to an oven-safe skillet over medium high heat until just smoking. Add sausage and onions and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add broth, tomatoes, cream, pasta, salt and pepper and stir. Bring to a boil, cover skillet, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until pasta is tender, about 15 minutes.

Remove skillet from heat and stir in ½ cup cheese. Top with remaining cheese and sprinkle with scallions. Broil until cheese is melted, spotty brown, and bubbly.

Makes 4 servings

The Bojon Gourmet: Maple, Bourbon, and Brown Butter Peach Crisp

I looked up today and realized that it's September.  And I have yet to do anything with peaches.  They have such a short season, and I wasted most of it making chocolate cakes.  Shame!  Well, luckily here in Texas our growing season is a bit extended, and I can still find beautiful ripe peaches.  From California.

I wasn't into the whole peach pie thing, and I think macerating peaches into a jam just seems like a shame, so I figured this crisp that walks the border between summer and fall seemed like the perfect choice.  And of course I couldn't pick anything easy.  Who wants easy when you can have browned butter, bourbon, and maple syrup?

Maple, Bourbon, and Brown Butter Peach Crisp
Adapted from The Bojon Gourmet blog

Maple Sugar and Brown Butter Crumble Topping:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
½ of a vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup quick oats
½ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon fine sea or kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Flaky salt and coarse sugar for sprinkling

Bourbon Peach Filling:
2 pounds ripe but firm peaches (6 to 8 peaches, 6 cups sliced)
¼ cup bourbon whiskey
¼ cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ of a vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped

Brown the butter:

Combine the butter and vanilla pod half and seeds in a small saucepan. Melt the butter over medium heat, and continue to cook until the butter turns golden with dark brown flecks, about 5 minutes, swirling frequently. Toward the end, the butter will foam up dramatically; watch it closely at this point. Let the browned butter cool at room temperature while you prepare the filling.  Remove the pod and discard.

Prepare the filling:

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 375ºF. Have a 10-inch oven-proof skillet at the ready.

Cut the peaches in half, then cut each half into six to eight slices. Place in a large bowl (or right into the baking vessel) and sprinkle with the bourbon.

In a small bowl, combine the maple syrup and vanilla pod and scrapings, rubbing the seeds into the sugar to distribute them evenly. Remove and discard the pod. Stir the cornstarch into the syrup, then add to the bourbon-laced peaches, tossing gently to coat. Distribute the peaches evenly in the baking vessel.

Make the topping:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, nutmeg and salt. Stir in the melted, cooled brown butter, stirring with a spoon or your hands until the mixture forms large clumps.

Scatter the crumble topping over the peaches, taking the time to form some of it into small, hazelnut-sized balls. Scatter a bit of flaky salt over the top, as well as some coarse sugar.

Bake the crisp until the topping is golden and the fruit is bubbling, 45-60 minutes. Let cool at least 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, preferably with vanilla ice cream.

Start: Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Okay, so after two chocolate cakes, I figured I should try for something on the healthier side.  Because I promise that I eat my veggies.  They're just not normally very interesting.  But I was recently introduced to this neat little healthy food restaurant that serves up an amazing quinoa salad that you can get topped with grilled chicken.  There's something about the cold salad and the warm chicken and the seasonings and the feta that makes your day so much better.

I had to scour the internet for hours to find this recipe.  It was only given away once to a TV crew for a 5-minute blurb on some morning show, so basically it was like finding a needle in a haystack.  You're welcome.

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
From Start restaurant

4 cups white quinoa

1 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

2 cups broccoli flowerets, raw

1 cup red onion, diced

1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1 cup pitted Kalamata olives

1 cup plus 1 tablespoons Vinaigrette

2 cups feta cheese, crumbled

Add quinoa to 8 cups of boiling water.  Cover, turn down to medium-low, and cook 10-15 minutes until dry, then fluff and cool.  Toss quinoa together with parsley, cilantro, broccoli, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and olives.  Pour vinaigrette dressing over the quinoa mix and blend in.  Fold in the feta cheese.  The salad is better the second day after everything has a chance to marinate, especially the broccoli.

Vinaigrette

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1⅔ cups canola oil

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1½ teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons lemon zest

1 tablespoons garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons salt

Whisk all ingredients until thoroughly blended.

Makes 30 fluid ounces

Ryan McGrale: Ultimate Mojito

Best part of the summer?  Sitting on your balcony/porch/front step drinking something cool and refreshing.  Preferably with alcohol.  And just enjoying the sounds of the leaves rustling and the cicadas buzzing and everything just being slow.  And the best drink for this activity is of course the ultimate mojito.  Full of minty-limey goodness and summery perfection.

Ultimate Mojito
From Ryan McGrale, No 9 Park

15 mint leaves, plus 1 mint sprig for garnish
½ ounce fresh lime juice
½ ounce Mint Syrup
Ice
2½ ounces light rum
1 ounce chilled club soda

In a cocktail shaker, muddle the mint leaves with the lime juice and Mint Syrup.  Add the ice and the rum, shake well, and strain into an ice-filled highball glass.  Top with the club soda and garnish with the mint sprig.

Makes 1 cocktail

Mint Syrup
½ cup simple syrup
1 cup mint leaves

In a heatproof bowl, pour the simple syrup over the mint leaves.  Cover and let the syrup steep overnight in the refrigerator.  Strain and refrigerate, covered, for up to 1 week.

Makes 4 ounces of syrup

The Brown Betty Cookbook: Hey Thelma (Chocolate Buttermilk Cake with Caramel Coconut Filling)

I must admit that I had never heard of the Brown Betty Bakery before I got the cookbook.  I mean, the place is in Pennsylvania.  I have no way of enjoying their amazing array of delicious baked goods.  And flipping through pictures is just a form of torture.  So I'm heartily glad I have the recipes now.

I've always wanted a German chocolate cake.  Not sure why my mom wasn't a huge fan, but we never made them or ate them when I was a kid.  So of course the first thing I had to make out of the cookbook was...essentially a German chocolate cake.  And boy, have I been missing out.  Toasted coconut + toasted pecans + dulce de leche = a kind of Heaven I didn't know existed.

Note:  For the filling, instead of cooking the sweetened condensed milk, I just bought a can of dulce de leche.  Easy.

Hey Thelma (Chocolate Buttermilk Cake with Caramel Coconut Filling)
From The Brown Betty Cookbook by Norrinda Brown Hayat and Linda Hinton Brown

Vegetable Shortening

Nonstick cooking spray with flour

2¼ cups all-purpose flour

2 cups granulated sugar

½ cup plus 3 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

¾ teaspoon baking powder

¾ teaspoon baking soda

¾ teaspoon regular salt

¾ cup buttermilk

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, melted

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

¾ cup boiling water

1 recipe Caramel Coconut filling (recipe follows)

1 recipe Chocolate Glaze (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with vegetable shortening, line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper, and spray the pans with nonstick cooking spray.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt on low speed.

In a large bowl, mix together the buttermilk, butter, eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla until just blended.  Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture in 2 batches, beating on low speed until blended.  Increase the mixer to high and beat until smooth.  Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly pour in ¾ cup boiling water, beating until blended.  The batter will be thin.

Divide the batter equally between the prepared pans and bake until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 28 minutes.  Let the cake cool in the pans for 15 minutes before turning them out onto wire racks to cool completely.

To assemble and glaze the cakes, place 1 cake layer, bottom-side up, on a cake plate.  Use an offset spatula to spread the filling on top.  Add the second cake layer, bottom-side up.  Pour 1 cup of the glaze over the center of the top of the cake and use an offset spatula to spread the glaze over the top and sides of the cake.  Chill the cake until the glaze is set, about 15 minutes.

Pour the remaining glaze over the cake and spread it, covering the top and sides of the cake.  Chill until the glaze is set, about 3 hours.

Caramel Coconut Filling

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

¾ cup chopped pecans

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Arrange the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.  Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Spread the coconut and pecans on 2 separate rimmed baking sheets.  Place the pecans on the upper rack of the oven, and the coconut on the lower rack of the oven.  Bake the nuts and coconut until golden, stirring occasionally, 10 to 16 minutes.  Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Increase the oven temperature to 425°F.  Pour the condensed milk into a 9-inch pie pan.  Cover tightly with foil.  Place the pie pan in a large roasting pan, fill the roasting pan halfway with boiling water, and bake for 45 minutes.  Refill the roasting pan with water, if necessary, and continue to bake the condensed milk until it is caramel colored and thick, about 35 minutes longer.  Remove the pie pan from the oven and stir the coconut, pecans, and vanilla into the thickened condensed milk.  Cover with foil to keep warm until ready to use.

Chocolate Glaze

10 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

2½ sticks (1¼ cups) unsalted butter

3 tablespoons light corn syrup

1 tablespoons cognac

In a bowl set over a medium saucepan of simmering water, stir together the chocolate, butter, and corn syrup until melted and smooth, about 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat.  Add the cognac and stir to blend.  Let the glaze cool until lukewarm but still pourable, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.  Set aside until ready to use.

Southern Living: Mississippi Mud Cake

For a long time, Southern Living magazine was my source for the most over-the-top, horribly bad for you, yet amazing in your mouth recipes.  I mean, this is the South.  We eat some amazing stuff, and we make no promises about the nutritional aspect.  And when we make dessert, we make DESSERT.  How else can you describe what is basically a brownie topped with toasted marshmallows topped with chocolate pecan frosting?  Over the top probably applies.

This is certainly a sugar bomb, so if you already have diabetes, you probably want to steer clear.  Otherwise, I probably wouldn't eat more than a slice or you're liable to make yourself sick.  But it would be such a good sick...

Mississippi Mud Cake
From Southern Living magazine, June 2004

1 cup butter, melted
2 cups sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon salt
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
1 (10½-ounce) bag miniature marshmallows
Chocolate Frosting

Whisk together melted butter and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in flour and chopped pecans. Pour batter into a greased and floured 15x10-inch jellyroll pan.

Bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; top warm cake evenly with marshmallows. Return to oven, and bake 5 minutes. Drizzle Chocolate Frosting over warm cake. Cool completely.

Chocolate Frosting

1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar, sifted

½ cup milk

¼ cup butter, softened

⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa

Beat all ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.

Williams-Sonoma: Blackberry Farm's Sweet and Spicy Foothills Coleslaw

If you ask what to serve next to potato salad, the answer always seems to be coleslaw.  Too bad that most of the coleslaw salads I've had are watery, tasteless messes.  Cabbage is awfully boring on its own.  It needs lots of high-flavored friends to really make it shine.  And mayo alone doesn't cut it.

Enter this recipe I dug up on Williams-Sonoma's website.  Lots of good flavor, lots of fresh veggies, and not something I would be embarrassed to turn up with at a cookout.  Which is where this bowl went.  Add the sauce a little at a time...it makes a ton.

Blackberry Farm's Sweet and Spicy Foothills Coleslaw
From Williams-Sonoma

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoon malt vinegar
1½ teaspoons mustard seed oil or very spicy mustard such as English or German
1½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more, to taste
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more, to taste
1 cup mayonnaise
3 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
3 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
1½ cups shredded carrots
¾ cup shredded red onion

In a large bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, brown sugar, malt vinegar, mustard seed oil, the 1½ teaspoons salt and the ¼ teaspoon pepper, whisking until the sugar dissolves. Whisk in the mayonnaise.

Add the red and green cabbages, the carrots and onion and toss until the vegetables are coated. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Strain the coleslaw. Taste and season it with more salt or pepper if desired.

Makes 6 servings

Ted Allen: Creamy White Bean Soup with Bacon

I'm not a big soup person.  So if I have soup, it needs to be really good soup.  But how can you tell ahead of time that the soup is actually going to live up to your high standards for soupness?  Well, considering this one has 1) bacon, 2) cream, and 3) lots of seasoning, I was pretty much sold.  And it certainly does deliver.  The original recipe had a crouton smeared with goat cheese floating on top, but honestly, more bacon makes it pretty much perfect.

Creamy White Bean Soup with Bacon

Adapted from Ted Allen in Food Network magazine

2 strips applewood smoked bacon, diced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 shallots, chopped
2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini or other white beans, drained and rinsed
10 leaves fresh sage, chopped, divided use
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 cups chicken broth
½ cup heavy cream
⅛ to ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¾ teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Fry the bacon in a medium saucepan over medium heat until halfway done, 3 minutes. Remove ¼ of the bacon to a dish and cook the remainder until done.  Remove the fully cooked bacon to a paper towel to drain.  Pour off the bacon grease.  Return the partially cooked bacon to the pan.  Add the olive oil, butter, and shallots and sauté until soft, 6 minutes. Add the beans, 6 leaves sage, garlic, and broth, bring to a simmer and cook 15 more minutes.

Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor in three batches and puree until smooth. (Be careful-hot liquids are prone to explode when whipped!) Return the pureed soup to the pan and add the cream, cayenne, salt, and pepper to taste. Keep warm.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls, top with cooked bacon and remaining sage.

Makes 6 servings

The Paleo Recipe Cookbook: Roast Beef Horseradish Pinwheels

Okay, I'm kinda tired of dips for appetizers.  I mean, I know they're good, and I even daydream about my spinach-artichoke version every once in a while.  But at some point you have to expand your views.  You need to tempt your eaters with something more than a cracker with stuff on it.

I in no way participate in the paleo diet, but these looked pretty darn good on pinterest.  And since I was able to get some Kobe roast beef carved up at Central Market, I figured they would be pretty tasty.  I was right.  I even ate the leftovers for lunch the next day.

Roast Beef Horseradish Pinwheels
Adapted from The Paleo Recipe Cookbook blog

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
3 green onions, chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish, drained
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
8 ounces roast beef, sliced
2 10-inch flour tortillas, preferably tomato flavored

Combine the first 6 ingredients.  Place the two tortillas on work surface, spread half of cheese over each, top each with half of the roast beef slices, leaving a ½-inch border around edges.  Roll up, wrap tightly in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate until firm, 30 minutes or up to 1 day ahead.  Cut diagonally into ½-inch slices and serve.