Back in the Saddle Again: Smoked Gouda Macaroni and Cheese

I know that I have been MIA lately. To provide full disclosure on the subject: I have honestly been much more interested in ordering pizza and watching the Olympics than lighting a fire in the kitchen. I am no avid sports fan, much to my husband’s dismay. However, I love the Olympics, particularly the Winter Olympics. When I was younger I used to dance around my parents’ house pretending to be a figure skater. In fact I did it in my own house just the other night as I was demonstrating to my husband the intricacies in identifying different skating jumps. Anyone want to see a single loop jump done on carpet?

While Sundays are typically my marathon cooking days, I awoke early today and had a jam-packed day including an excellent Pilates class, an airport run, and a delicious dinner at my parents’ house. I still managed to squeak in one recipe to make some food for a dinner or two this week.

My sister first introduced me to this recipe over a year ago. She started making this for her son when he first began eating whole foods. She made it with regular gouda cheese (instead of smoked), but she sold it on me either way. This is a mac ‘n’ cheese that you can feel good about. For the record, Cooking Light states that it has 399 calories per 1 ¼ cup serving size. It is packed full of spinach and the cream sauce is made with fat-free milk. Although the recipe calls for regular macaroni pasta, I use multigrain pasta, such as Barilla Plus. The cheese adds smoky flavor to this vegetarian dish. I use breadcrumbs sparingly in this dish, and I think that they could be omitted altogether.

Smoked Gouda Macaroni and Cheese
(From Cooking Light, March 2003)
Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
¼ cup thinly sliced green onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups fat-free milk
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup (2 ounces) shredded smoked Gouda cheese
1/3 cup (about 1 ½ ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
5 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach
4 cups hot cooked elbow macaroni (about 2 cups uncooked)
Cooking spray

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Place bread in a food processor, and pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure ½ cup.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic; cook 1 minute. Add flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk, salt, and pepper, stirring constantly with a whisk until blended. Bring to a boil; cook until thick (about 2 minutes). Add cheeses; stir until melted. Add spinach and macaroni to cheese sauce, stirring until well blended.

Spoon mixture into a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes or until bubbly.

Pom Figs: Dried Fig and Blue Cheese Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette

The final piece to our Valentine’s dinner is a new salad that I tried. I wanted to make a salad with some dried figs, and after a bit of searching online, I found this one that also uses blue cheese (a perfect use for the gorgonzola leftover from the steak I made).

The star of this salad is the vinaigrette. The pomegranate juice is tart (and filled with antioxidants!), but the honey sweetens it up a little. You can make the vinaigrette ahead of time. Mine took a while to boil down to one-third of a cup. My husband really liked this salad!

Dried Fig and Blue Cheese Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette
(Adapted from Southern Living, Christmas 2007)
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
18 dried mission figs
1 (16-oz.) bottle pomegranate juice (2 cups)
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
¼ cup olive oil
9 cups mesclun salad greens
2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

Directions
Place figs and pomegranate juice in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 10 minutes or until figs are softened. Remove figs with a slotted spoon; set aside.

Bring pomegranate juice to a boil over medium-high heat; boil 2 minutes (Kate's took much longer) or until syrupy and reduced to 1/3 cup. Transfer reduction to a bowl; let cool to room temperature.

Add honey and next 3 ingredients to pomegranate reduction; stir with a wire whisk. Gradually whisk in oil.

To serve, divide mesclun greens among 6 serving plates; top each salad with 3 figs. Drizzle evenly with vinaigrette, and sprinkle with blue cheese. Serve immediately.

Make-Ahead Note: Cooked figs and vinaigrette can be stored in refrigerator up to 2 days.

Superbowl Sunday: Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili

It is Superbowl Sunday, and the first one in several years that we are not watching the commercials game at my sister’s house. After a weekend packed full of obligations and chores, we needed a few hours at home this evening to get our wits about us before beginning another long week. (Okay, I needed a few hours at home and my husband was kind enough to find contentment in watching the game from our own couch.)

My sister usually makes a chili and a fish stew to serve for her party guests during the Superbowl, followed by fondue or another fun dessert. My husband and I just finished off my second batch of Cioppino, so I opted to make some chili for us to eat tonight. A few weeks ago I found a recipe online for a vegetarian chili that calls for black beans and sweet potatoes – two of my favorite foods (that fortunately pair so well together, like in Sweet Potato & Black Bean Burritos).

I made this yesterday, and completed it today by stirring in the cilantro and garnishing with some cheese, sour cream, and diced avocado. The recipe is quite simple, and you can feel free to adjust the seasonings to your own taste buds (the chipotle powder will make it smoky and spicy!). The recipe states that it serves two, so I doubled it. I wound up with a good amount that will last us into the week. I hope that your Superbowl Sunday was filled with some good eats, regardless of where you happened to be!

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili
(From Eating Well)
Serves 2
Ingredients
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground chipotle chile (Chipotle peppers are dried, smoked jalapeno peppers. Ground chipotle can be found in the specialty spice section of most supermarkets.)
1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 1/3 cups water
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup canned diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and potato and cook, stirring often, until the onion is slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, chipotle and salt and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add water, bring to a simmer, cover, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the potato is tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes and lime juice; increase heat to high and return to a simmer, stirring often. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook until slightly reduced, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in cilantro.

Sweet & Tangy: Bruschetta with Gorgonzola Cheese and Honey

Honey and cheese is a fantastic combination. I’ve been served cheese plates in restaurants where they’ve drizzled a little over each wedge of cheese. The sweetness of honey pairs so well with the saltiness, nuttiness, or tanginess of cheese.

Honey really mellows out the tangy gorgonzola in this crunchy crostini. Even if you don’t normally like blue cheese, you may surprise yourself and enjoy this simple, yet scrumptious treat! (This worked as my "blue" hors d'oeuvre for the "Brown Bear" themed birthday party!)

Bruschetta with Gorgonzola Cheese and Honey
(As seen on Everyday Italian)
Ingredients
36 slices (½-inch thick) baguette bread, about 1 loaf
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces Gorgonzola, sliced
3 Tablespoons honey

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400° F.

Arrange the sliced baguette on a baking sheet. Brush with olive oil. Bake until the bread is pale golden and crisp, about 10 minutes.

Arrange the cheese on the toasts and bake until the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes.

Drizzle the toasts with honey. Place on a serving platter and serve immediately.

Mom's Favorite Orzo: Baked Orzo with Fontina and Peas

I made this recipe for the first time a couple years ago when my husband and I had my parents over for dinner one night. My mom (a fellow pescatarian) loved it, and started making it herself all the time. It is delicious as a side dish, but can also work as a vegetarian entrée.

I like to rotate the menu for my Christmas dinner each year, and I decided that this family favorite should have a place on the table this year. It worked well for the holiday, but is also good any night of the week! Serve it alongside a meat entrée, like Baked Chicken, or as an entrée itself with a simple side salad.

Baked Orzo with Fontina and Peas
(From Giada's Kitchen)
Ingredients
4 cups chicken broth (Kate uses vegetable broth)
1 pound orzo pasta
3 tablespoons butter, plus more to grease the baking dish (Kate uses cooking spray)
1 onion, chopped
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced (Kate uses cremini mushrooms)
1 cup Marsala wine
½ cup heavy cream
4 ounces shredded fontina cheese (about 1 cup)
4 ounces diced fresh mozzarella cheese (about 1 cup)
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
½ cup bread crumbs
¼ cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon dried thyme

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400° F. Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish.

Bring the chicken/vegetable broth to a boil over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. Add the orzo and cook until almost tender, about 7 minutes. Pour the orzo and the broth into a large bowl. Set aside.

Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium heat in a medium skillet. Add the onions and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue to sauté until the mushrooms are beginning to turn golden around the edges, about 7 minutes. Add the Marsala. Scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan and cook until the Marsala has reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the mushroom mixture to the orzo in the large bowl. Add the cream, fontina, mozzarella, peas, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.

In a small bowl combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and dried thyme. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture on top of the pasta. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes.

Celebrity Sighting: Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burritos

A perk of living in New York City is all of the celebrity sightings that you happen upon during your everyday routine. My husband and I used to keep a list of everyone we ran into in the street, in stores, at work, in church… you name it! After a few years, the conversation turned into, “who haven’t we seen?” I remember the first movie/television set I saw in the city. I had been working in NYC for only a couple weeks, and saw a film crew set up on my way to work. I thought to myself, “How can I go to work now? I need to stay and watch the production all day!” I made it to work, and the awe that I had from my first film set encounter quickly turned into, “Get out of way, I have to get to work!!” (For the record, Law & Order loved to film on the streets I used to walk from our apartment to work.)

Back in February of 2004, my husband and I had spent a typical Saturday afternoon in Central Park, and then wandered over to the then-newly constructed Time Warner Center for a smoothy from Jamba Juice. We stopped in Williams-Sonoma to see what was new, and we happened upon a celebrity chef encounter! Sara Moulton was signing copies of her latest book. I immediately used my cell phone to call my mom to see if she wanted a copy. And even though she already had one, I received the go-ahead to purchase another copy and get it autographed for her. Sara Moulton was so friendly, and my husband and I engaged in conversation with her about restaurants in a college town that we had all previously lived in.

This recipe is one of my favorite Sara Moulton recipes, and one that we even discussed with her. It is an excellent entrée if you are looking to please both vegetarians and meat-eaters. Based on my experience, it freezes pretty well too, if you want to make a lot and save some for future lunches or dinners. The black bean spread is so excellent on it’s own, I have made it to put in quesadillas. You could use that part of the recipe for any other dish that needs black bean spread. The cumin and the chili powder work wonderfully with the black beans! Garnish these with your favorite fixings! (I regularly use cheese, salsa, sour cream, and cilantro.)

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burritos
(From Sara Moulton Cooks at Home, slightly modified)
Ingredients
2 sweet potatoes, about 10 oz. each
2 tablespoons olive oil
cooking spray
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon chili powder
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
½ cup vegetable stock
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Ten 6-inch flour tortillas (wheat tortillas will work, too)
2-3 green onions, white part only, thinly sliced
I cup Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
Optional: Shredded romaine, sour cream, salsa, pickled Jalapenos, grated Cheddar cheese, chopped cilantro, etc.

Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Prick potatoes with a knife in several places and bake in a small baking pan until very tender, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Stir in the cumin and chili powder and cook for 1 minute. Add the beans and vegetable stock, cover, and cook until the beans are very soft and the flavors have blended, about 5 minutes. Use a fork or potato masher to coarsely mash the beans. Season with salt and pepper. You should have about 1 ½ cups.

Remove the potatoes from the oven and cool. (Keep the oven at the same temperature.) When the potatoes are cool enough handle, halve and scoop out the flesh. Place the flesh in a small bowl and use a fork to mash coarse. Discard the skins. Add the nutmeg and season with salt and pepper. You should have 1 ½ to 2 cups.

Spread the tortillas with roughly equal amounts of the bean mixture. Tops with equal amounts of the potato puree. Sprinkle on equal amounts of cheese and green onions. Roll the tortillas into cylinders and arrange, seam side down, on a baking sheet (large enough to hold the burritos in one flat layer). Spray the tops with cooking spray.

For a soft burrito, cover with foil and bake until warmed through, about 20 minutes. Bake uncovered for a crisper burrito. Arrange the garnishes attractively in bowls and let diners garnish their own burritos.

Note: I bake my burritos covered with foil for 15 minutes. I then remove the foil and bake them for another 5 minutes. I then top the burritos with cheddar cheese (or other Mexican or Taco cheese blend), and bake for 1 minute, until cheese melts.

Blackout Dip: Kate’s Layered Taco Dip

I find myself making my layered taco dip frequently for gatherings. It’s a popular dish that everyone seems to enjoy. My husband loves it too. I used to make a batch for the two of us to sit down and eat for dinner. In fact during the first night of the Northeast Blackout in August 2003, we sat on our couch in our Manhattan apartment finishing the layered taco dip we had started the night before (that would have spoiled in the fridge), and drinking the leftover margaritas (that would have melted in the freezer).

This is a flexible dip, as different layers can be added and omitted based on your personal preferences. I think everyone has their own version of Layered Taco Dip. Some include seven layers; some have nine. I have seen some recipes that mix cream cheese with sour cream. When I made this the other day, I actually added Greek yogurt as I was short on sour cream. Whichever way you choose to make yours, I beg you leave out the black olives if you’re serving to a crowd. I find it hard to find someone who is a fan of black olives. If you ever watch people at a party eating layered taco dip, notice how they take their tortilla chips and try to scoop around the olives, leaving a pile of black olives for clean up. You can hold the olives, and instead garnish with chives, green onion, cilantro, and/or chopped jalapeño. This dip doesn't keep well for long, so it's best to make this right before serving.

Kate’s Layered Taco Dip
Ingredients
1 (16 oz.) can refried beans (I use fat free vegetarian beans)
1 (16 oz.) container of light sour cream
1 (1 oz.) package low-sodium taco seasoning
½ recipe Kate’s Chunky Guacamole
2 cups shredded cheese (Mexican or Taco variety – one that includes Monterrey Jack and Cheddar)
3 tomatoes, diced
¼ cup chopped chives or green onion

Directions
Remove beans from can and to remove excess liquid, drain in a colander lined with paper towel. Spread beans on a large platter.

In a small bowl, mix sour cream with taco seasoning. Spread on top of beans, leaving the edge of the beans visible.

Make ½ recipe of Kate’s Chunky Guacamole. Carefully spread on top of sour cream, leaving the edge visible.

Sprinkle cheese on top of guacamole, and top with tomatoes. Garnish with chives or green onion. Serve immediately with tortilla chips.

Grown-Up Grilled Cheese: Sweet and Spicy Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

I had a different recipe ready to post tonight, but I am so excited about what I made for dinner that it moved up straight to front of the queue! Grilled cheese is such a versatile sandwich, and one that brings me back to my childhood. There are so many variations that you can make with a grilled cheese. My sister adds ham to make herself a "Gooey Ham & Cheese". You can try any variety of cheeses (my standard is made of Parmigiano-Reggiano and Gruyere). A very long time ago, I dined at the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater when I was visiting Disney World for a high school cheerleading competition. I ordered a grilled cheese and requested a pickle on the side. My sandwich was instead delivered to our table with the pickle in the grilled cheese and it turned out to be an excellent combination!

I recently found a recipe in Ellie Krieger’s The Food You Crave for a different version of the grilled cheese. While I’ve added tomatoes to a grilled cheese before myself, it is her addition of the caramelized onions that makes this sandwich so special, and more of a grown-up version. (Although I think my 2-year-old nephew would love it just as much as we did!)

After a very long day at work today, I arrived home late and was still able to whip this up in no time. I used High Five Fiber bread from Great Harvest Bread Co., fresh tomatoes from the farmers’ market, and used my grill pan with a sandwich press. You could also use a Panini maker if you have one, and I’ll admit that I have been known to make a grilled cheese by assembling the sandwiches and just letting them bake on a sheet pan in the oven (not a preferable method, but a bit more convenient when you don’t have a few minutes to stand in front of the stove flipping sandwiches). I served the sandwiches with the Roasted Tomato and Cognac soup I made over the weekend, and this meal hit the spot!

Sweet and Spicy Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Ingredients
* 2 teaspoons canola oil
* 1 large red onion, finely diced (or sliced)
* Salt
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 3 ounces sharp Cheddar, thinly sliced, divided
* 8 slices whole-wheat bread
* 3 ounces pepper Jack cheese, thinly sliced, divided
* 1 large or 2 medium beefsteak or hothouse tomatoes, sliced
* Cooking spray

Directions
Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Lower heat to medium. Add onions and saute, stirring, until edges are browned, about 10 to 12 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

Place 3/4-ounce Cheddar on 1 slice bread. Spread 1 tablespoon caramelized onions on top of cheese and top with 3/4-ounce pepper Jack. Top with 1 large or 2 medium slices tomato and other slice of bread. Repeat with 3 other sandwiches.

Spray a nonstick skillet or griddle with cooking spray and heat until hot. Place sandwich on griddle and weigh down with a heavy skillet or plate. Lower heat to medium-low and grill until underside is a deep brown but not burnt and cheese is partially melted, about 5 to 6 minutes. Flip sandwich and grill other side, an additional 4 to 5 minutes. Slice in half and serve hot.