Roasted Cauliflower Mac & Cheese

The Vegetarian Times

     This winter I had seen several posts for a Cauliflower Mac & Cheese and all of them looked amazing. Some started off with roasted cauliflower and then went on to add all sorts of goodies, like broccoli, peas, bacon, tomatoes, and chicken. All of them looking delicious. Finally last Sunday I got to  give my hand at making my very first Cauliflower Mac & Cheese!

 After looking over many recipes I had finally settled on the one from the Vegetarian Times to use as my base. However, instead of boiling or steaming the cauliflower I had decided to roast it in the oven at 375*f for 15 minutes with just a little bit of olive oil on it. I also added some shallots, garlic and prosciutto that was left over in my freezer to the sauce.  It was pretty delicious and definitely something that I cannot wait to try again.

Recipe: Adapted from the Vegetarian Times

1 Head of Cauliflower, broken into 1 inch florets

2 Shallots sliced

2 cloves of Garlic, chopped

4 strips of prosciutto, sliced into small bits

1 cup of grated cheese like cheddar or monterey jack ( I used Narragansett Creamery's Atwell's Gold!)

2 egg yolks

2 tbs of butter 

2 tbs of flour 

2 cups of low fat or whole milk 

1 pinch of red pepper flakes 

Salt & Pepper

2 tbs of olive oil

1 1/2 cups of bread crumbs

• Pre heat the oven to 375*f. In a large baking dish add the Cauliflower florets. Toss them in Olive Oil and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown on the tops. Remove from oven and set aside
• In a medium sauce pan over  low to medium heat add the butter, garlic, shallots and prosciutto. Cook together for two minutes. Add the flour and stir until it is fully combined and a paste is made. 
• Remove the pan from the heat and slowly stir in the milk until the mixture is smooth. 
• Return the pan back to the stove top, stir until the sauce thickens.
• Add the grated cheese and red pepper flakes to pan, continuing to stir. Stir until the mixture is smooth and creamy ( about 7 to 8 minutes.) 
• Add the egg yolks into the sauce and combine.
• Pour the sauce over the cauliflower florets and top it all of with a coating of bread crumbs. Bake in the oven at 375*f for 30 minutes. 

Béchamel Sauce: A kitchen basic.

Pink-Apron.com

  The frenchness of the name béchamel has a tendency to scare of the average kitchen avenger but, in all truth it is as easy and quick to make as any can of condensed soup is to make. Once you learn how to make a  béchamel sauce you will never pick up a can of campbell's cream of anything soup ever again. I promise.

 A béchamel sauce is extremely versatile you can add some cheese to it and layer it into your lasagna or have over some of Venda Ravioli's Beef Tortellini (YUM!) It is the base to all all good au gratins and casserole dishes with out the sodium and preservatives.  Mix up the flavor by adding fresh or dried herbs and spices after the milk/ liquid has been added before you return it to the heat.

The Little GSP: Baked Tortellini with Peas and Ham

Add grated cheese, french mustard and Worcestershire for a Mornay Sauce, which is delicious with chicken and/ or pasta.



Recipe for a Basic Béchamel Sauce:

2 tbs of Unsalted Butter
2 tbs of Flour
1 cup of Whole Milk
Salt & Pepper
Pinch of Nutmeg*

•   In a heavy bottomed sauce pan over medium heat melt the butter and blend in the flour. Combine the flour and butter until you smell a slightly nutty scent coming from the flour (about 2 minutes.) 
•  Remove the pan from the heat and slowly add the milk in stirring constantly. Blend until smooth. 
• Return the pan to the burner at medium heat and cook slowly, stirring constantly, until the sauce has thickened and smooth. 
• Season to taste with salt and pepper. 
• I like to add a pinch of nutmeg as it adds a little flavor kick to the sauce. 

For a thin béchamel sauce: use 1 tablespoon of each butter and flour per 1 cup of milk 

For a medium béchamel sauce: use 2 tablespoons of butter and flour per 1 cup of milk 

For a thick béchamel sauce: use 3 to 4 tablespoons of butter and flour per 1 cup of milk 

To make the sauce lighter: substitute stock or white wine for all of the milk or a portion of it.  If you want to make the sauce ahead of time it can be portioned out and frozen. 

                                           

  

Really Real Mayonnaise

The House by The Sea

  Yesterday afternoon, just after returning home from a weekend visiting with my mother and sister in Maine,  I made my way to the kitchen to start in on dinner and also get some lunch stuff for the week ready.
 There I am at the counter everything for my tuna salad is chopped and diced in the bowl ready to be mixed but, oh no, we have no more mayonnaise! This could have been tragic, especially for me who really really wanted a nice tuna sandwich after the 3 hour drive. Luckily for me after a few quick taps on Google I was able to find an amazing recipe for Real Mayonnaise from the NY Times*  that took less time than it would be to drive to the store and purchase some. Bonus there was a also a video to follow that made it easier and was entertaining at the same time.

 I used a little bit less oil that suggested as I did not want mine to be as runny but, the amount was just perfect and it made my Tuna Salad Sandwich spectacular. Now that I know how easy it is to make and how delicious it is I cannot wait to test it out in all different dishes.

Mix it up and add fresh herbs, spices or sauces to make all different flavors.

 *Keep in mind that this recipe has raw egg in it and will only last for a few days before it spoils and it should not be left out in the summer's sun and heat for too long.

Avocado Grapefruit Salad with Bacon & Feta Cheese

     With New Year came Winter's cold weather and over the last few days I have been craving the warm rays of the sun. Finally it hit me if I cannot feel the warmth of the sun at least I can enjoy the citrus fruits that joyful grew in her rays. Ever since then I have been on my mad citrus kick!

  I found this amazing and adaptable recipe for the Avocado and Grapefruit Salad on Pinterest and decided to give it a whirl. So far I have made it for dinner, lunch and even for breakfast with a poached egg and english muffin on the side. Serve it up in a tortilla bowl and top it off with blackened chicken or seasoned shrimp 




Ingredients: 
2 Avocados halved, pitted and peeled 4 cups Olivia's Spring Mix
3/4 cup Narragansett Creamery Salty Sea Feta Cheese, crumbled
6 slices Apple Wood or Regular Bacon, crumbled
2/3 cup Red Onion, sliced
1/2 Green or Red Bell Pepper, sliced into match sticks

1 large Pink Grapefruit, sectioned and cut into large chunks 
1/4 cup of D.E. Vine Honey Balsamic Dressing
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch of Sea Salt 


   In a large bowl toss all the ingredient together and serve. 

I have never meet a latke I did not like...

Apple Cider Latke from She Knows

“It is very frustrating not to be understood in this world. If you say one thing and keep being told that you mean something else, it can make you want to scream. But somewhere in the world there is a place for all of us, whether you are an electric form of decoration, peppermint-scented sweet, a source of timber, or a potato pancake.” 

― Lemony Snicket, The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming: A Christmas Story

   Growing up my family would be invited to celebrate Hanukkah each year with close friends. The father was one of the most fabulous chefs and each year he and my mother would get together in the kitchen and make amazing food for us to enjoy together at the table. 

  My favorite thing that I looked forward to each year was the latke. I would look forward to making them, frying them and eating them. Each year they would be a little different from the year before, never once repeated and always equally as good. Sometime they would be made with sweet potatoes, other times they would have carrots or zucchini, one year they even had cranberries in them! 

Smoked Salmon with Sour Cream and Smoked Salmon

 Did you know that latkes are fried to celebrate the Miracle of Oil?

This celebration commemorates the time when a small guerilla (surprise attacks) army of Jews defeated the Syrian king Antiochus IV (c. 215-164 B.C.), who had taken over Jerusalem and tried to destroy Judaism. Antiochus IV filled the Jewish temple with Syrian idols (statues or images of gods). After the Jews, led by Judas Maccabee, recaptured Jerusalem, they reclaimed their temple. When they wanted to light their holy lamps, they found only one vial of oil. That this small amount of oil kept the lamps burning for eight days was declared a miracle. During the eight days of Hanukkah (also spelled Hannuka or Chanukah), Jews light candles in a menorah (candle holder with places for nine candles), exchange small gifts, and make donations to the poor. The ninth candle on the menorah is called the shammash, and it is used for lighting the other eight candles.

 Here is the basic recipe that has been taught to me and I use to create the best base for building. It can be multiplied and divided to fit your needs or guest count. You can also add in other vegetables like beets, celery root, turnips or squash and adjust the amount of potatoes to fit the recipe.

1 lb of Potatoes

2 Carrot

1 onion 

1 Egg

1 tsp Baking Powder

2 tbs of Flour

Salt & Pepper to Taste

1/4 cup of Vegetable Oil for frying

Cast Iron Skillet

 Using a shredding plate or grater shred the potatoes, carrot and onion separately. 

 Line a bowl with a tea towel or cheese cloth. Pour the potatoes over the cloth and fill with cold water just until the potatoes are covered. Let sit for 30 minutes. *Soak the potatoes in a mixture of Apple Cider and water for a different flavor!

 After 30 minutes add the onion and carrots over the potato. Lift the cloth out of the bowl straining the water out of the vegetables. Twist the ends of the cloth wringing out the water from the vegetables and set aside. 

Add the vegetables back to the bowl with the egg, flour, baking powder and salt & pepper. Combine all the ingredients until they are covered evenly. 

Heat the oil over medium to high heat to just before smoking, about 3 to 4 minutes. Using a tablespoon scoop the latke mixture into the frying pan and flatten with a slotted spatula. Cook until the latke becomes brown and crisp, about five minutes, then flip and repeat. 

  Once the latkes are golden brown and crisp transfer the to a cookie sheet with a mesh drying rack in the oven at 200 degrees. This will keep them warm and also allow for the excess oil to drain off. 

  Add more oil to the pan when need but, make sure it comes up to temp before adding the mixture or the latkes will become soggy. 

  Traditionally latkes are served with sour cream, apple sauce and smoked salmon. But, you can dress them up with poached eggs, greek yogurt, creme fraiche , mascapone, caviar, shaved radish, scallions, or with a burger! 

Turkey, Turkey, Turkey

  

          Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays of the year. Everyone over indulges without feeling guilty and you are doing it together in solidarity with your family and friends. In my family we always over estimate the amount of food that is needed with the thought of plenty of leftovers to hold everyone over just in case there is a national shortage of food for the next week. 

 Over the years I have become creative in seeking ways to use the leftover in some for other than Turkey Soup or Sandwiches. In the spirit of giving I have complied a list of some of my favorites finds to share with all!

Breakfast

• Thanksgiving Baked Eggs from Via Viands - Warm, cozy and delicious baked eggs with leftover stuffing, potatoes, squash and turkey (really anything that you have) make up this perfect brunch dish for the day after Thanksgiving meal. Serve it up with some coffee and spiked egg nog and you are good to go!
• Leftover Thanksgiving Frittata from Vanilla Late - A fritatta is truly one of the most amazing and simple breakfast dishes to make that will feed many, use few dishes and leave none hungry. As good as they are warm they are also good cold too. 
• Pilgrim Eggs Benedict from Brigs Restaurant - Poached eggs, over mashed potatoes, stuffing, squash, or sweet potato topped off with some hollandaise sauce and cranberry sauce. Oh MY!

Lunch

• Curried Turkey Salad from Simply Recipes - Spread a little leftover cranberry sauce on toasted bread and scoop on this yummy salad instead of a regular sliced turkey sandwich. So Good...
• Turkey Bacon Avocado Sammy from the Hen Basket - serve it up warm with some melted cheese (I used Monterey Jack in place of Swiss,) need I say more.
• Turkey Cranberry Quesadilla  from YumSugar - Good for lunch or as a snack to share. However, be careful as they are addicting. 

Dinner (Round Two)

• Turkey Pot Pie from Full Bellies, Happy Kids - This is sure to be a crowd pleaser for all ages. 
• Thanksgiving Salad from Serious Eats - If you are feeling a little guilty about the third helping of green bean casserole and two slices of pie, then this is for you. You can boost up the veggies and use quinoa as substitutes. 
• Not Your Traditional Leftover Turkey Soup - Eating Well featured this yummy Squash and turkey Soup that can be made with the leftover Turkey. It has a little kick to it from the pepper flakes but, it is calmed by the lime juice. Add a dollop of Cabot's Low Fat Sour Cream or Fat Free Cottage Cheese and this is a healthy refresher from the previous day's feasting. 

  

Play Dress Up with Your Mac & Cheese

 I love Mac & Cheese! Easily it ranks right up in my top ten favorite foods to eat anytime. Mac & Cheese has been around since the medieval times with a recipe found in the oldest known cookbook, Libre de Conquina. As it has stood the test of time and become a favorite of most all kids, big and small, it is also a dish that can be and has been prepared in so many ways.  Some have it homemade, semi-homemade, frozen or from a box. Nonetheless, there is not real right or wrong way to make mac & cheese. 

  Often times I like to dress up my mac & cheese with different ingredients to mix up the flavor a little bit. I start off with one of the Drake's Frozen Mac & Cheese Dinners. I love Drake's because it has the right amount of cheesy sauce and the bigger elbow noodles that are made from fresh pasta! They also use milk and cheese that has no artificial hormones or antibiotics. I will defrost the mac & cheese in the fridge ahead of time making it easier to mix in the ingredients before baking (and it cuts the baking time down by more than half.) Often I will also have to transfer the mac & cheese to a bigger baking dish to make sure there is enough room for all the ingredients!

Broccoli Mac & Cheese

Broccoli Mac & Cheese

  To make Broccoli Mac & Cheese just add 2 cups of broccoli florets (defrosted) to 1 Drakes Mac & Cheese. Transfer the container of the Mac & Cheese to larger baking pan or dish. Mix in the broccoli and top with bread crumbs. Bake at 375*f until the top is brown and it is warm all the way through. 

 

P.S. Sometimes if I have left over chicken I will add it as well ;)

Jalapeño & Bacon Mac & Cheese

Jalapeño & Bacon Mac & Cheese

  This makes a great side dish to tacos, fajitas, mexican chicken or just on it's own! Just add one can of chopped jalapeño peppers and 6 strips of bacon that is cooked and chopped into small pieces. Mix the two ingredients to the mac & cheese and bake. Top with chopped green onions before serving.

Hot Dog Octopus!

  How cute are these guys?!? They are such a great idea for a party or just for any day. All you need to do is slice the hot dog in half half way and then cut the halves in half again to make for legs ( I know it four legs shy of a real octopus but, it is for the cuteness factor.) Put the uncooked hot dogs in a pot of boiling water and cook as the instructions suggest. Top each plate of mac & cheese off with an octopus.  For a little more flair you can add goldfish cracker and peas too.