Jake the Great's Mac N' Cheese

One thing that my husband loves more than any other thing in the world...even more than me...is cheese. That's right, my biggest competition for his love and affection is an often smelly milk-based food product. So, if you can't beat them, join them.

I have learned during our 4 1/2 years of marriage to use cheese to my advantage. Always providing quality cheese products for him to enjoy WITH me (not INSTEAD of me). Hence, this little Mac n' Cheese Recipe I made up in his honor.

Now, granted, this isn't my favorite homemade Mac n' Cheese Recipe, but it is the recipe I made up completely in his honor...and it is the one I make the most because it has some figure friendly shortcuts that other delish recipes don't.

Here is what I use:

First, you create a Bechamel sauce by melting even amounts of Butter and EVOO in a sauce pan. Adding EVOO prevents the butter from over browning.

Next, you whisk in about 1/4c. of flour until there are no lumps and you have a paste.

Now comes the funky part...add in even amounts of chicken broth and skim milk. The chicken broth helps add flavor since we are using skim milk. You can always use whole milk or cream instead (for a VERY tasty alternative). I also add Red Pepper Flakes (he loves the kick!) and garlic. Let this simmer over low heat until it gets thick.

Then, turn the heat off and stir in shredded cheese of choice (for this combo, I often do Swiss and Cheddar Jack)

Meanwhile, bring salted water to a boil and cook Macaroni (or other tubular pasta) according to package directions. I usually undercook the pasta by 2 minutes if I am going to bake it off in the oven (which I do in this recipe).

Now, you have to make a critical choice...do you want to bake this with a crunchy topping, or do you just want creamy Mac n' Cheese. This wouldn't be Jake the Great's recipe if I didn't bake it. So, you toss the cheese sauce over the pasta, pour it into a greased casserole and put the yummy crunchy topping on it. Yummy crunchy topping is easy...I use Panko Breadcrumbs and combine with 2tbsp melted butter. Panko Breadcrumbs are the Japanese style breadcrumbs and I love them because they are more crunchy! Now, stick the whole thing in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes or until the topping is brown. Take it out and enjoy!!

More Mac n' Cheese recipes to come later...I have a Butternut Squash one that will knock your socks off! And it is a great way to sneak nutrients to the kiddos...in fact that sounds good for the next couple of weeks. It will have to go on the menu!

Recipe:

2T butter

2T EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

¼ c Flour

2 cloves garlic

½ t Red Pepper Flakes (optional to taste)

1 1/2c Milk

1 can Chicken Broth

2c grated Swiss Cheese

1c grated Monterrey Jack Cheese

3c Macaroni (shells, penne, whateve’s)

3/4c Panko breadcrumbs

2T melted butter

Melt 2T butter and EVOO over medium heat. When butter is melted, whisk in flour until there are no lumps. Let it cook for about two minutes. Whisk in garlic, red pepper flakes, milk and chicken broth. Whisk constantly over Medium heat. If it looks like the milk is scorching, lower heat. You want the milk mixture to get fairly thickened…so that it slightly coats the back of a spoon. I’ll have to do pictures of that process next time! Turn off the heat, and stir in the cheese until it is melted.

Meanwhile, cook pasta 2 minutes less than package directions (the pasta will finish cooking in the oven). Mix the cheese sauce and macaroni together and pour into a greased casserole dish. Mix the breadcrumbs and remaining melted butter together and spread over the top of the pasta. Cook in preheated 350 degree oven for 25 minutes (or until top is browned). Scoop it up and ENJOY!

Nantucket Off-Shore Spices - They Rub Food the Right Way!

Does anyone remember the 90's show "Wings"? Well, that is about all I knew about Nantucket until one of my best friends, Evonne, let me in on the secret of Nantucket Off-Shore Spice Rubs.

These rubs have become a staple in our pantry! You can add them to sauces, pat them into meat/veggies/chicken/fish, add liquids to make tasty marinades, or use them pretty much any way that you want!

I have never found them in Utah...however, you can purchase any of their delightful rubs online at http://www.nantucketoffshore.com/. I recommend going in on an order for them with someone else or ordering multiple rubs to make the shipping price worth it (they cost more to ship than their $5 average for the spices themselves). Either way, these rubs are DE-LISH!

Happiest of New Years!

This year, like most years, Jake and I ended up sleeping through New Years. I'm sure watching Snooki from Jersey Shore run around like a hamster in a ball was exciting, but it wasn't for us. Instead, we went to bed at a decent hour. After all, we had to take my sister Ali to the airport early in the AM.

Here is a picture of her I stole from her Facebook...I was a terrible blogger and didn't take any pictures while she was here, but this picture was too awesome to pass up.



Please note, the bright colors and super awesome OMG look on her face. Yes...we had quite the extended weekend together. First off, was a Tour de Cupcake. We decided to visit 3 of Salt Lake's finest Cupcakeries, get the cakes, then decide which we liked best. 13,200 calories later, The Sweet Tooth Fairy won. Yum!

Then, we got pedicures (she selected bright pink toes with bright yellow tips), went shopping, visited Gardner Village, and giggled...a lot...so much so that I think Jake was ready to move out!

I try not to make New Year's Resolutions (because I don't keep them), but one thing I am going to do as soon as possible is try to be more like my sister. She is who she is and she loves it! She is easy going, loves bright colors and seems to have figured out how to find joy in every day. Maybe we should all be more like this spunky 13-year-old...not as a resolution, but as a new way of life!

I hope you all have a Happy New Years!

Barracuda Barb Beer Stew

One of the only things I wanted for Christmas this year was a Le Creuset Oval Dutch Oven. Why? Probably because they look so amazing and fancy on Food Network programming. Maybe that is not the most logical way of thinking…but I now have the cooking pot of my dreams. But, I really don’t know what to cook with it! So, I had the brilliant idea of making my mom’s Beer Stew recipe. For all of my non-drinking friends, I’m sorry – there is no substitution…but the alcohol does burn off in the cooking process if you’re willing to have a can or two of beer in your pantry!

So, here it is…Barracuda Barb’s Beer Stew (it's a whole 'nother story why they call my mom Barracuda Barb - and her Beer Stew is the best!)

...and yes...that's Cooper trying to get to the ingredients:

You start with stew meat cut into 1 inch pieces. Toss the stew meat with flour, salt and pepper. I usually do this in a Ziploc…but the large Ziploc’s all seem to have disappeared (I’m not pointing fingers…Jake). The flour will give the stew a thicker texture (more Stewie…less Soupie).

Next, assemble the other ingredients (onion, rosemary, margoram, and thyme). I also have some fresh rosemary and thyme left over from holiday cooking. Dried are just fine as well. Use as much or little of each as you like. I sort of sprinkle them in – no exact science to it.

I’m only using a half onion this time – and for this recipe, it doesn’t matter if it is yellow or red onion. Give it a rough slice.

For the beer (which might be the star of this recipe), I used the stuff we have on hand that neither of us like…Polygamy Porter. But any beer is good (except I don’t know if I would try Corona…that sounds too funky). You can use one or two cans/bottles depending on how far you are trying to spread the recipe.

After that, you brown the stew in hot oil…any oil will do. Wow, Le Creuset really makes pretty browned meat!

Dump all of the ingredients into the browned meat, cover and bake at 325⁰F for 3 hours.

When the 3 hours is up, your house smells pretty fantastic! Now, stir in 1 tbsp of Rice Vinegar. I still don’t know why you do this, but it doesn’t taste right without it…so trust me. I think it might add freshness to the long stewing meat…

Beer stew is delicious over mashed potatoes or Egg Noodles. It is great during the fall and winter when you are craving a hearty but delish meal! Try it out!! It's some of the best comfort food around!

Recipe:

Beef Stew Meat

1 Tbsp Oil (or as necessary to brown meat)

¼ c. Flour

Onion

1-2 cans/bottles of beer

Rosemary (I use about 1tsp)

Margoram (sprinkle it around)

Thyme (about ½ tsp)

1 Tbsp Rice Vinegar

Flour Stew meat and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brown stew meat in hot oil. Add remaining ingredients to pot. Cover and cook in 325⁰ oven for 3 hours. Remove from the oven and stir in vinegar. Serve over mashed potatoes or egg noodles.

First Week of the Year!

Phew! The holidays are over and now it is time to find my house underneath all of the Christmas decorations! Last week, my sister Ali flew in from Denver and we spent the week getting pedicures, shopping and eating cupcakes from all over Salt Lake. It was great! But, now I am excited to be cooking again...especially with my new toy...this gorgeous Le Creuset Oval Dutch Oven! More on that later (the recipe is cooking away...it smells delicious in my house right now!). This week's menu is pretty simple (since there needs to be a little dieting after all of those cupcakes).



Sunday: Barracuda Barb's Beer Stew (not the most diet friendly, but delicious!)

Monday: Baked Salmon with Steamed Broccoli

Tuesday: Grilled Chicken Salad

Wednesday: Baked Ziti (great recipe...we are eating one from the freezer that I made a few weeks ago)

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: India Fusion in West Jordan

Saturday: Dinner is Jake's job on the weekends!



I'll share the recipes if I end up with some decent pictures...most of these are regular standbys at our house. I will be posting the beer stew recipe once it is finished cooking! I hope everyone has a good week!

Return of the Jedi...I mean blogging...

Jake and I decided I need more hobbies...thus, the return of the blogging! I know that everyone can only hear so much about our two dogs, so I am going to focus my blog on my explorations in cooking and our adventures in life. I love cooking blogs and have gotten so many great ideas from them - plus, it is a great hobby I can enjoy by myself while I wait for Jake to get home when he works late nights. More on this later...

In regards to our adventures in life...I have a great Christmas miracle story to share! It isn't exactly my story, but it has affected Jake and I very deeply, so I am sharing it here.



This is a picture of our family Christmas miracle. This summer, my brother and sister-in-law were happily surprised to learn they were having a little boy around Valentine's Day. Their daughter, Meyah (peeking in!) was excited for Baby Brother to arrive. Well, Maddox Nash Hermann came 11 weeks early at 2lbs 3 oz. He is now up to 2 lbs 12 oz, and he is such a miracle! He is doing so well, even though he doesn't get to come home yet.

Both Jake and I struggled so much in the last year after our own pregnancy loss. I suffered from depression, but wasn't willing to admit it. Anyone who knows Jake would know that he has wanted to be a dad since he came out of the womb! He learned the day that I was having my D&C that he would be working out of the New York/New Jersey office for three months last winter. He struggled with his own strong sense of loss and loneliness while he was living back East. For a long time, we were just so angry about what happened to us (Jake was obviously much more even tempered about it...everyone knows I get emotional). When we were ready to try again, we struggled with month after month of failure to get pregnant. It has been a tough road for us.

That is where the Christmas Miracle comes in. No...we don't have any of our own baby news to report - but we have been so inspired by the hope and joy we experienced this Christmas with both Meyah and our new nephew Maddox. It is so amazing how good things happen and how life can move in new and unexpected directions! We are so grateful for the support and patience our friends and family have had with us this past year...and we are so grateful for our new little nephew Maddox!


Hope you all had a wonderful Holiday Season!