Easy Gourmet Macaroni and Cheese

The first time I went to Outback Steak House, I thought the steak was the best thing to order. However, when they brought out the kids Mac A Roo N Cheese, I soon found out that the best dish they had there was their creamy Mac & Cheese.

A few weeks ago, I was asked to prepare Mac & Cheese for 400 people at a wedding reception. I thought it was quite unusual to serve such a simple dish, but since it was the bride's favorite dish, I decided to start off with the Outback recipe, and "gourmet" it up a bit. I have served this dish a few times since, and it has been a favorite. I hope you enjoy it as well as all those who try it. Please note, definite use the Maple cured bacon, as it really changes the dimension of this dish.

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

1 Lb maple cured Bacon

2 lbs dry penne pasta

16 ounce Velveeta cheese

1/2 cup heavy cream8 oz Panko (Japanese Bread crumbs)4 oz Parmesan Cheese

Directions

• Cut bacon into 1 inch pieces. Fry bacon to your desired crispiness. (I like mine not quite so crispy.) Drain the fat from the bacon and set bacon to the side. Reserve the bacon fat to use it later in the recipe.
  
• Cook pasta according to package directions. Make sure it is "al dente" Rinse the pasta in cold water so that it will stop cooking and will not turn "mushy"
  
• Cube Velveeta in small pieces, so it can melt easily. In a small saucepan, combined cubed Velveeta cheese and heavy cream. Turn the heat on low and stir until all cheese is elted. Add the bacon to the cheese sauce. Reduce the heat to simmer until you are ready to combine with the pasta.
  
• Once pasta is done, pour back into the pot where it was cooked; add sauce and mix well.
  
• Pour 2 Tbsp of the reserved bacon fat into a non-stick frying pan and brown the Panko bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese together until it reaches a golden brown color.
• Pour the macaroni mixture into a baking dish, sprinkle the Panko and cheese mixture on top of the macaroni and serve.

Serving Suggestion :

Corn Chowder

It seems that corn is in full production in Utah right now. The corn is excellent and tastes great. I picked up a dozen ear of corn on Saturday, and since there are 6 of us in our family, I had a few ear of corn leftover. On Sunday, I looked in the cupboards and the fridge/freezer, to see what I could find to put together a meal with those leftover ears of corn. I found some Italian Sausage, some shrimp (U-12) and smoked paprika. I decided to put these together and see what I could come up with. What follows is the best Corn Chowder I have ever tasted... Even my neighbor Joe agrees with me. I hope you enjoy it as well as we did.

Ingredients:

6 Ears of sweet corn, kernels removed from cobs. Cobs reserved. (See instructions below on how to remove.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 medium red or green bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)
1 stalk celery, chopped (1/3 cup)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 tablespoons chicken bouillon
2 large potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups 1% milk
Salt and Pepper to Taste
12 oz cooked peeled and deveined shrimp, tails removed
1 Lbs. Mild Italian sausage.

Directions:












1 Brown the sausage in a skillet and drain the fat from the pan. Set the sausage to the side.

2. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions bell pepper, celery and garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes until translucent. Add chicken bouillon, potatoes and smoked paprika. Using wire whisk, stir flour into milk until smooth in a bowl; stir into mixture in saucepan. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, remove the kernels from the corn. Stand a corn cob vertically over a large, shallow pan (like a roasting pan). Using a sharp knife, use long, downward strokes of the knife to remove the kernels from the cob. Use the edge of a spoon to scrape the sides of the cob to remove any remaining pulp.

4. Once the Broth has simmered for 10 minutes, add corn and sausage to mixture in saucepan. Heat to boiling again. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered about 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender and soup is thickened. Stir in shrimp; cook 1 to 2 minutes or until hot.

Connor's Chicken Cordon Blue

A few weeks ago, Connor, my 11 year old, prepared a family dinner for us. What was on the menu? Chicken Cordon Blue. Little did he know, that this particular dish is what brought my lovely bride, Vicci and I together.

21 year ago, Vicci new my passion for great gastronomy and wanted to impress me. She asked her best friend what would be the most impressive meal she could prepare in her student apartment. Her friend told her - yes you guessed it, Chicken Cordon Blue. Vicci worked real hard to make this delicious dish and impress me enough to fall in love with her. Less than 2 weeks later, we were engaged!

Maybe Connor will be able to impress a beautiful young lady in the same fashion later on in life.

Here is his recipe

Chicken Cordon Blue (courtesy of Tyler Florence)

• 4 double chicken breasts (about 7-ounces each), skinless and boneless
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 thin slices deli ham
• 16 thin slices Gruyere or Swiss cheese
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons water

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lay the chicken between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, gently pound the chicken to 1/4-inch thickness. Take care not to pound too hard because the meat may tear or create holes. Lay 2 slices of cheese on each breast, followed by 2 slices of ham, and 2 more of cheese; leaving a 1/2-inch margin on all sides to help seal the roll. Tuck in the sides of the breast and roll up tight like a jellyroll. Squeeze the log gently to seal.

Season the flour with salt and pepper; spread out on waxed paper or in a flat dish. Mix the breadcrumbs with thyme, kosher salt, pepper, and oil. The oil will help the crust brown. Beat together the eggs and water, the mixture should be fluid. Lightly dust the chicken with flour, then dip in the egg mixture. Gently coat in the bread crumbs. Carefully transfer the roulades to a baking pan and bake for 20 minutes until browned and cooked through. Cut into pinwheels before serving.

Baby Back Ribs

It has been a month since I have posted a recipe. I have been so preocupied with other aspects of my life that I have neglected this one aspect I truly enjoy. I also often wonder how many of you read my posts. I do appreciate the comments from my fans, as they give me motivation to continue posting my beloved recipes.

When I think of Baby Back Ribs, I am reminded of Memphis, TN. I think Memphis is the mecca of the pork rib, just like Kansas City is the mecca of the beef rib (I will talk about that on another post). In Memphis, you will be asked if you like them "Wet or Dry." Depending on your answer, you will enjoy Rendezvous or Corky's. As for me, I like it both ways. I prepare my "dry rub" to smoke the ribs and then I smother them in Bar-B-Q sauce for the "wet" style eating. The secret is in the rub, but don't forget to cook them sloooow and at a low temperature.

Baby Back Ribs

5 Pound Baby Back Pork Ribs

Rub

1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
1 Cup Light Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Smoked Paprika
1/4 Cup Kosher Salt
1/4 Cup Garlic Powder
4 Tablespoons Onion Powder
2 Tablespoons Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Cayene Pepper
1 Tablespoon ground dried Chipotle pepper
2 Tablespoons ground rosemary leaves

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly in a bowl. Make sure to get rid of any lumps and clumps. If you need to, you can grind them in a blender.

Apply the rub thick enough to make a crunchy crust on each slab. This is about 5 to 6 tablespoons per side. Once you have coated the rub on each side of the slab of baby back ribs, wrap them in plastic and refrigerate them overnight before cooking.

Now, this is where you need to decide your method of cooking. You can either smoke them on your grill or smoker - follow the instructions on your grill for "indirect grilling." You can also cook them inthe oven at 350 degrees for about 2 hours baking time if you do not have a grill or smoker. Just be sure to cook it to 155 degrees, and let it rest before cutting, and by then it will be done. (160 degrees is "done")

I prefer to smoke my ribs indirectly, so I use a smoker and try to keep the temperature about 225 degrees. I smoke them for about 7 hours. I make sure I keep adding coals occasionally to ensure I maintain the 225 degrees.

For the sauce - I make it easy. I do not make my own. Use your best tasting BBQ sauce. As for me, I like Sweet Baby Ray's.- Nothing beats that for me.

Enjoy.

Truffled Macoroni and Cheese

Every once in a while there is one special dish that just absolutely screams out at you and just defies all pre-conceptions about having Mac & Cheese for dinner. This dish is no exception. I tried this for the first time 2 years ago at Smith and Wollensky in Las Vegas. They had it listed as an appetizer - we ended up ordering one as an appetizer and another as aside dish for our main course. The aroma of the truffles infused into the dish made this the most gourmet Mac & Cheese I had ever eaten.

Near Year's Eve 2008, I prepared this dish myself for the 1st time. I learned that there are many different price levels of truffles, some that go over $900.00 an ounce, especially for truffles imported from France and Italy. However, there are some American truffles that will do the trick just as well. You can find them on the web. In fact, from time to time, I purchase some and keep them safely guarded for special dishes. This is one of those special dishes.

I know, I know - why would you go to the trouble and expense to "soupe up" a mac&cheese that is soooo American? Just try it. You will never have regular mac & cheese again. It's just like once you sit either on the floor or at least the lower bowl at an NBA basketball game, you will nver sit on the upper bowl again.....




SMITH AND WOLLENSKY-TRUFFLED MACARONI AND CHEESE
Yields 12 – 8oz. portions

"Although at Smith & Wollensky we always use black truffles in this recipe, if desired, a variety of different types of domestic and wild mushrooms can be substituted."

2 cups shallots, chopped
1/2 cup garlic chopped
1 qt. white wine
1 qt. heavy cream
3 1/2 cups half and half
2 tsp. black pepper
3 small cubes chicken bouillon
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup jalapeno jack cheese, grated
1 1/2 cheddar cheese, grated
1 1/2 lbs. ditalini or other small pasta (cooked al dente)
1/4 cup flour
3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup truffles, chopped
1/2 cup truffle oil
TOPPING:
1 cup Japanese bread crumbs (panko)
1/2 cup truffle oil
1/4 cup chopped truffles
Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Sweat garlic and shallots in 1/2 cup butter until translucent. Add white wine and reduce by half. Add in heavy cream, black pepper, chicken bouillon, and half & half. Bring to simmer.

In a small saucepan, create a roux by melting the remaining 1/4 cup of the butter then mixing in flour. Whisk continually until light blond. Add roux to simmering mixture to thicken. Simmer an additional 10 minutes.

Add in all cheeses, truffles, truffle oil. When all cheeses are melted, blend mixture in covered blender, then return to saucepan and bring back to a simmer. Add in pasta, adjust seasonings with salt and pepper, and allow to cool.

For the topping, combine all ingredients and mix well. The resulting bread crumb mixture should have a moist appearance and texture.

Place macaroni and cheese into casserole 8-ounce dishes and evenly spread the topping over each dish and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until the topping is golden brown. Serve immediately.

Chicken Crispers

As most of you know, preparing food in my home is family affair. We really enjoyed preparing food for Super Bowl Sunday today. Vicci made some Piña Colada cupcakes, I de-veined and peeled some shrimp for Shrimp Cocktail. I made some stuffed mushrooms and some Red Hot boneless wings.

But the star tonight was Connor, my 11 year-old son, who made Chicken Crispers. They were fantastic. He made this dish all by himself. I am very proud of him. I hope you enjoy it as well as we did. The Honey-Mustard sauce was great.

Honey Mustard Dressing

• 2/3 Cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 Cup honey
• 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
• Pinch paprika
• Pinch salt

Batter:

• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 Cup whole milk
• 3/4 Cup chicken broth (Swanson)
• 1-1/2 Teaspoons salt
• 1/2 Teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 Cup self-rising flour
• 6 to 10 cups shortening or vegetable oil (amount required by fryer)
• 10 chicken tenderloins
• 1/2 Cup flour

Directions

Honey Mustard Sauce:

Combine ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and chill until needed. Heat shortening or oil in fryer to 350 degrees F.

Batter:

Combine beaten egg, milk, chicken broth, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk to dissolve salt. Whisk in 1 cup self-rising flour. Let batter sit for 5 minutes. Coat chicken pieces with dry flour, then dip chicken into batter. Allow excess batter to drip off, then place battered chicken into the hot oil and fry for 7 to 9 minutes or until golden brown. Do not overload fryer. Fry 3-4 pieces at a time. Drain fried chicken strips on paper towels.

Serve with the honey mustard dressing on the side for dipping.

Krispy Kreme Burger?

I have been planning my menu for the Super Bowl party, and I came across a suggestion from one of my friends. I actually had to look it up to see if someone really put this bizarre burger together or not. It appears it is totally true. It seems that for the Gateway Grizzlies, it is true and they serve it right at the ball park, outside of St. Louis.

According to Amy Clark, "it's sweet like a doughnut, and then you've got the hamburger. You’ve read that right. It's a burger with cheese and bacon, sandwiched between a Krispy Kreme doughnut — a heart attack waiting to happen. A burger so perfect, they say, tampering is discouraged." You are not supposed to put Ketchup on it. Look at the video for yourself http://digg.com/d31Hi47

So, I had to try it, or better yet, give it to my kids, since they are healthier than me. Here is the recipe!

Ingredients

• 1 lb 85% Hamburger
• 1/4 cup onion, finely diced
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 1/2 Teaspoon garlic powder
• 4 slices American or Cheddar cheese
• 4 Krispy Kreme Glazed Doughnuts, sliced in half
• 8 slices of cooked bacon, each cut in half

In a medium bowl, mix the hamburger, onion, salt & pepper and garlic powder. Form into 4 equal sized patties. Grill or fry them until they are cooked to your preference. Place a slice of cheese on top of the hot burger to slightly melt.

Place the 4 doughnuts (Cut side up) on the grill or fry pan to slightly cook the doughnut. Place 1 half of doughnut on each of 4 plates. Cut side down.

Add 1 hot cheese topped hamburger to the doughnut, and stack the bacon on top, followed by the remaining doughnut half (cut side up). Press together lightly and enjoy.

Remember - Be a purist and do not add condiments!!!

Enjoy


Rafael