Mac and Cheese

Barefoot Contessa Family Style

• Kosher salt
• Vegetable oil
• 1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi
• 1 quart milk
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 12 ounces Gruyere, grated (4 cups)
• 8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (2 cups)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3/4 pound fresh tomatoes (4 small)
• 1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs (5 slices, crusts removed)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.
Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large (4-quart) pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish.
Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

Oatmeal Scotchies

One of my all time favorites! I suggest this dough be used as soon as it's made. I tried making it ahead and chilling and the cookies spread way too much.

1 c all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups oats, uncooked (quick or old fashioned)
1 12 oz. pkg (2 cups) butterscotch morsels

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract.  Beat until creamy.  Gradually add flour mixture. Stir in oats and butterscotch morsels.  Drop by level tablespoons onto ungreased cooked sheets. Bake at 375 for 7 - 8 minutes for chewier cookies, 9 - 10 for crisper cookies.  Makes 4 dozen 3" cookies.

For Oatmeal Scotchie Pan Cookie: Spread dough into greased 15 x 10 x 1" baking pan. Bake 375 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes. Cool completely. Cut into 35 2" squares.

Carmelized Apple Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Printable recipe

1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 dash of cinnamon
1 apple (peeled, cored and sliced)
2 thick slices of good cheese (cheddar or gouda work well)
2 slices of good bread
1 Tbsp butter

Melt the butter in a non-stick pan.

Add the sugar and cinnamon and cook until bubbly.

Add the apples and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.

Assemble sandwich and grill until golden brown on both sides, about 2-4 minutes per side.

Crockpot Pulled Chicken

Crockpot Pulled Chicken - as seen on Apple A Day, originally from Eating Well - serves 8-1

Printable Recipe
1 (14 oz.) can tomato sauce
2-3 chipotle chiles in adobo, finely minced
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp plus 2 tsp smoked paprika
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3 tsp dry mustard
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs and breasts, trimmed of fat
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced

Stir tomato sauce, chiles, vinegar, honey, paprika, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, chili powder and salt in a 6-quart slow cooker until smooth. Add chicken, onion and garlic; stir to combine.

Put the lid on and cook on low until the chicken can be pulled apart, about 5-6 hours.

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred with a fork. Return the chicken to the sauce, stir well and serve.

Ultimate Ginger Cookie

Barefoot Contessa comes through again!

Prep Time: 20 min
Inactive Prep Time: 2 min
Cook Time: 13 min
Serves: 16 cookies




Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup unsulfured molasses
1 extra-large egg, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups chopped crystallized ginger (6 ounces)
Granulated sugar, for rolling the cookies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and salt and then combine the mixture with your hands. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the brown sugar, oil, and molasses on medium speed for 5 minutes. Turn the mixer to low speed, add the egg, and beat for 1 minute. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat for 1 more minute. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the crystallized ginger and mix until combined.

Scoop the dough with 2 spoons or a small ice cream scoop. With your hands, roll each cookie into a 1 3/4-inch ball and then flatten them lightly with your fingers. Press both sides of each cookie in granulated sugar and place them on the sheet pans. Bake for exactly 13 minutes. The cookies will be crackled on the top and soft inside. Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Makaela Kingsley's Sangria Recipe

Serves 100!

Ingredients:

• 2 gallons Zinfandel
• 1 cup brandy
• 1/2 cup Cointreau
• 2 quarts orange juice
• 2 cups lemon juice
• 1 cup superfine sugar
• 12 to 16 ice cubes
• 2 quarts chilled club soda
• 3 oranges, thinly sliced
• 3 lemons, thinly sliced

Preparation:

Thoroughly chill all ingredients. Pour the wine, brandy and Cointreau into a large punch bowl. Stir orange and lemon juice with the sugar until sugar has dissolved. Then add to bowl and stir to blend. Add ice cubes and soda and garnish with fruit slices. Serve in 4-ounce punch glasses or wineglasses.

Makaela's note: I cut the whole recipe in half (or even divide by 4), use really cheap Burgundy wine (in a jug), use Triple Sec in stead of Cointreau, and add much more ice and fruit than they recommend.  Apples, peaches, pears, oranges and lemons work great.  Don’t use grapes because they sink to the bottom (all the others float)

Blueberry Streusel Coffee Cake

from Hartford Courant Bicentennial Cookbook; I usually double, using a 9 x 13 pan.

3/4 c sugar
1/4 c shortening
1 egg
1/2 c milk
2 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups blueberries

Streusel Topping:
1/2 c sugar
1/3 c flour
1/4 c soft butter
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c chopped walnuts or pecans

Wash blueberries and pat dry on paper towel (I use frozen - just add to batter frozen).  Cream the sugar and shortening until fluffy; beat in egg.  Sift flour, baking powder and salt together.  Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Fold in blueberries.

Spoon batter into a greased and floured 9 inch square pan and spread evenly.  Combine the sugar, flour, butter and cinnamon until well blended (use your fingers or pastry blender.)  Sprinkle this streusel mixture over batter.  Top with chopped nuts. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 45 - 50 minutes.