Gorgonzola Cheddar Shells with Kale and Bacon

It's been awhile since I've posted but this recipe needs to be recorded!

1/2 large bunch of kale

1 tbsp. salt

1 lb. medium shell pasta

7 slices bacon

3 tbsp. butter

1/4 c. flour

2 1/2 c. milk

2 1/2 c. extra sharp cheddar

5 oz. gorgonzola, crumbled

1/4 cup bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350F.

Rinse and chop kale into 1-inch pieces, put in colander and set in sink.

Heat a large pot of water in a pasta pot to boiling, add 1 tbsp. salt. Cook pasta to al dente. When pasta is done, pour into colander with kale in it to parboil the kale while draining the pasta. Stir together and leave in colander.

Cook bacon in skillet and set aside on paper towels. Drain most of the bacon grease out and let bacon cool. In the same skillet, add butter. 

Sprinkle flour over butter and whisk together, let bubble for 2 minutes. Whisk in milk.

Bring to a boil, then simmer for 3 minutes until thickened.

Reduce heat to low, stir in all of the blue cheese and 2 cups of cheddar. Stir until melted.

Crumble the bacon into bits by crumpling paper towels into a ball. Repeat until all bacon is crumbled.

Pour the pasta and kale mixture into the cheese sauce and add bacon. (I added my pasta and kale in two batches so it didn't get too messy). Spoon into 13x9 casserole dish and mix thoroughly.

Sprinkle a thin layer of breadcrumbs and the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar on top.

Bake for 15 minutes, then broil for 2 minutes, just until browned. Watch carefully so it does not burn.

Process photos:

Rinse 1/2 bunch of chopped kale in colander. Cook 1 lb medium pasta shells to al dente, then drain into kale. 

Cook bacon in skillet. First time using my new cast iron pan. Smoky!

Shred 2 1/2 cups cheddar and crumble the 5 oz. gorgonzola.

Drain most of the bacon grease out of pan. Add 3 tbsp butter and 1/2 cup flour to make a roux. Cook a few minutes, then slowly whisk in milk. Let simmer until thickened, about 3 minutes. Turn heat to low and add gorgonzola and 2 cups of the cheddar. Stir until melted.

Add pasta and kale to sauce. (I did mine in two batches so it was less messy).

To crumble bacon, simply crumple the paper towel the cooked slices are on. Add bacon to pasta mixture and mix together. Spoon into 13x9 casserole. Add second half of pasta to sauce and mix. Add to 13x9 casserole. Mix pasta together to evenly distribute the bacon.

Sprinkle 1/4 c. breadcrumbs and remaining 1/2 c. cheddar on top. Bake at 350F for 15 minutes. Then broil until browned, about 2 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent burning.

Finished plate!

Beer Battered Fish Tacos

Fish tacos were requested this evening, so I decided to try my hand at a beer batter, and the results were fantastic! I was told this was the best thing I have ever made for dinner. This recipe makes A LOT! So you can cut it in half if you're not having a fish taco party. :)

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

2 tsp ground mustard

2 tsp chili powder

2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder

1 1/4 cup beer (hoppy beer makes the batter fluffy!)

2 eggs

2 lbs. white fish (like cod or tilapia), cut into strips

tortillas

Toppings:
sour cream

cheese

guacamole/avocados

lime wedges

pico de gallo

salsa

cilantro

Sweet Potato & Corn Quesadillas

I really have to thank my friend Meg for inspiring this recipe. She made me sweet potato & corn quesadillas a couple years ago and they were so tasty! I don't remember her process so I made up my own, and this is what I came up with.

Ingredients:

3 tbsp. oil

2 cloves garlic

 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes

2 green onions, chopped

1 cup frozen corn

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp pepper

8 tortillas (I used soft taco size)

8 oz cheddar, shredded

Cooking spray

sour cream and hot sauce for garnish

Chicken Broccoli Fettuccine Alfredo

So... as I was making this I realized that it was very similar to my Spicy Mac with Chicken and Broccoli recipe. I probably should have used another veggie, but I love broccoli sooo much. Anyway, the sauce is different, and both are delicious, so let's just say it's a variation. :)

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts, sliced into small strips

2 heads of broccoli, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 c. butter 

4 oz cream cheese

2 cloves garlic, minced fine

1 1/4 cup milk

4 oz. parmesan, grated

pepper to taste

1 lb. fettucini noodles, cooked according to package instructions

Mushroom Bacon Quiche

As I stated in my last blog entry, I typically make two different kinds of quiche at the same time because frozen crusts tend to come in packs of 2. Here is the slightly more complicated recipe I made.

Click here for the recipe for the Broccoli Cheddar Quiche shown in the picture above on the right.

Ingredients:

4 tbsp oil

1 medium onion, chopped

10 oz crimini mushrooms, sliced

6 oz. spinach

1 frozen pie crust

3/4 cup milk

4 eggs

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp. dried dill

4 slices bacon, crumble

8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Broccoli Cheddar Quiche

I read somewhere that there is some sort of hatred of quiche amongst some men. I don't get this. Do they hate pie? Eggs? Veggies? Cheese? So why can't they all hang out together and be delicious?

Well I for one LOVE quiche because it is super easy to make, you can switch out the ingredients and basically make any kind you want. Most frozen pie crusts come in a pack of 2, so I tend to make two different kinds.

Click here to see my recipe for the Mushroom Bacon Quiche that is shown on the upper left in the picture above.

Ingredients:

1 frozen pie crust, thawed

2 tbsp oil

1/2 cup milk

4 eggs

1/4 tsp dried rosemary

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 medium onion, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

1 large head of broccoli, chopped

2 tbsp water

8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Homemade Meatball Subs

I wasn't planning to post this recipe, because I've been making meatballs since I was seven (I think it may have been the first recipe I ever mastered). I thought it might be too simple for the blog. However, due to requests from my readers who want to know how I make them, I'm posting this recipe. I don't have step by step photos because you basically throw the stuff in a bowl and mash it together with your hands. Pretty easy.

I tend to double or even triple the recipe and freeze a lot of meatballs to use later. Easy to reheat for a quick dinner and you can put them over pasta with sauce, or even make a basic mushroom or beef gravy.

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

1 lb ground beef (you could also use a mix of beef, pork and/or veal)

1 clove garlic

1 egg

1/2 cup finely grated parmesan

1/2 tbsp parsley

1/2 onion, finely chopped

3/4 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup milk

For the sauce*:

1 can diced, roasted tomatoes

8 oz can tomato paste, and equal parts water (use the can)

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp basil

For the sandwiches:

Hoagie rolls

Shredded mozzarella

Parmesan

*You can use a jarred pasta sauce instead of these ingredients, if you want.

Chicken Enchiladas

This is my own personal chicken enchilada recipe, so I realize it is not very authentic. Also I made way too much filling, so the pictures will show twice as much filling ingredients as the directions will call for below. I ended up saving my extra filling for burritos. It freezes well and will make a whole other dinner for another night. So if you want extra filling, use 4 chicken breasts, 1 cup frozen corn, 2 cloves of garlic and 2 cans of green chilis.

Also, I prefer to use corn tortillas but they were out at my local grocery store, so I had to settle for flour.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp oil

2 chicken breasts

dash garlic powder

dash cumin

salt and pepper

1 8 oz can green chilis

1/2 cup frozen corn

1 clove garlic, minced

2 green onions, diced

2 cans enchilada sauce

1 pkg tortillas

12 oz. shredded cheddar or mexican blend cheese

sour cream, guacamole, salsa, Sriacha, cilantro to garnish

Balsamic Marinated Steak with Gorgonzola-Herb Butter

I made this dinner for Labor Day weekend because the weather was crappy and there wasn't very much in the way of BBQs going on. The blue cheese and balsamic flavors go so well together! This meal is fairly easy but you need to plan ahead because the steak will marinate overnight. You can really use any kind of steak for this recipe, I used a London Broil. Also, the roasted truffle potato recipe goes really well with this dish.

Ingredients:

1/4 c. balsamic vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp pepper

1 tsp rosemary

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp thyme

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 c. olive oil

2 lb. steak

6 tbsp butter, softened

2 oz. gorgonzola, crumbled

1 tbsp. green onions, chopped

1/8 tsp pepper

1/8 tsp garlic powder

Breakfast Burritos

Some mornings I get up and I absolutely don't feel like prepping, making, and cleaning up after breakfast. This is my go-to for mornings like this, because there is virtually no prep and the clean up is super easy.  Breakfast is done in about 15 minutes.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp oil

1/2 bag of Ore-Ida Potatoes O'Brien

1/2 cup frozen corn

1 can black beans (I left this out)

1/8 tsp. cumin

1/8 tsp. chili powder

4 eggs

1 jar salsa

1 (4 oz) can of green chilis

1 package tortillas

1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used the Mexican blend, but cheddar or something similar would work)

sour cream, Sriacha, guacamole, and/ or cilantro to garnish

Spicy Mac with Chicken and Broccoli

I love a good macaroni and cheese, especially when it's homemade. I love mac & cheese because you can change up the types of cheeses, the veggies you add in, and the type of pasta. I realize my first posts haven't been exactly the most healthy ones; I promise to provide some good healthy recipes in this blog as well... but as for now, bring on the cheesy. Also, I should note that I am a bit of a spice wuss. I suggest if you like spiciness, you add a chopped jalapeno or serrano, or an 8 oz can of green chilis for an extra kick.

Ingredients you will need:

1 lb. cavatelli pasta, cooked as directed on the box
8 oz extra sharp cheddar, shredded
8 oz pepperjack, shredded
salt & pepper
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
2 tbsp butter
3 1/2 tbsp flour
1 1/2 cup milk
1 broccoli crown
2 tbsp oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion, diced
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken, cut into 1-inch strips

Let's start by getting the broccoli & chicken part cooked. I also boiled the pasta while getting this part done. The cheese sauce requires the most attention, so you don't want to be working on other parts of the recipe while making the cheese sauce.

So first, heat up a large skillet pan with oil, add garlic. Saute for one minute, then add onion, and cook until translucent.



Add chicken. I used chicken thigh meat because it was on sale, but if you prefer white meat, you can use that too. I actually love dark meat and its rich flavor. Cook on medium-high heat until browned, about five minutes, stirring occasionally.



Add the broccoli on top, cover immediately. You do not need to stir, the steam from the chicken and onions should cook the broccoli to the proper tenderness.







Cook until broccoli is bright green and slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat, but keep cover on to retain heat.

Now on to that cheese sauce. Start by warming a saucepan on medium heat. Add butter but watch carefully so the butter does not burn. Add the flour and whisk constantly for 2 minutes.






Slowly add the milk very gradually, whisking constantly.




Simmer and let thicken, whisking frequently, for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately add cheeses, salt & pepper, and garlic powder. Stir until incorporated.






In the pasta pot, add chicken and broccoli mixture to the pasta.



Pour cheese sauce on top, and mix all together.






Serve immediately!



Variations/substitutions:

add a can of green chilis to cheese sauce to make it spicier

sub white meat for thigh meat

sub peas for broccoli

sub macaroni pasta or penne for cavatelli

sub fontina for pepperjack, or any other good melting cheese