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

Fish Tacos with Corn Salsa

This one is super quick, easy and healthy too!

Ingredients

For the fish:

2 lbs white fish filets (tilapia, cod, mahi mahi, catfish, or snapper)

2 limes, cut into wedges

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

4 tbsp oil

Corn Salsa:

1 cup corn

1/2 red onion, diced

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

1 jalapeno, diced finely

soft tortillas

Garnishes:

avocado

sour cream

hot sauce

salsa

shredded cheese

Chuck Wagon Stew

Here is a quick and easy one that I am told is a kid pleaser. Super filling and tasty. Serve over rice or by itself.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb. ground beef or turkey

1/2 onion, diced

2 potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/2 lb. green beans

2 carrots, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

14 oz can diced tomatoes

1/2 cup frozen corn

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp. onion powder

14 oz can beef or chicken broth

Old Fashioned Beef Stew

While we patiently wait for spring to finally get here, I have been continuing to cook some good winter comfort food in my house. This stew was a staple in my childhood days.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. beef stew meat, cubed

2 tbsp oil

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

3 bay leaves

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp pepper

dash nutmeg

4 cups hot water

6 carrots, peeled and sliced

4 potatoes, sliced

3 tbsp. cornstarch

1/3 c cold water

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

Pork Chops with Caramelized Pears

Ingredients:

4 pork chops, about 3/4 inch thick

1 cup italian bread crumbs

1/2 c. pecorino romano, grated fine

2 eggs

3 tbsp butter

2 pears, sliced

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup brown sugar

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

Massaman Chicken Curry

If I had to pick one dish that was my favorite in the whole world, massaman curry could be it. I say "could" because as you can tell I am absolutely obsessed with food, so picking one food is next to impossible. However, I adore Thai food, and massaman is so close to heavenly it would at least make the top 5.

Maintaining a recipe blog like this is both a blessing and a curse. You are experimenting along the way, so a plus is you're always making something new. However, you're bound to need to make adjustments along the way which interrupts the recipe writing process. That said, I realized halfway through making this that I needed either a bigger pot or to have made less food. 

So what did we learn? 

You will either need to cut this recipe in half or use a big soup pot to make it!

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. oil

1 onion, chopped

2 lb boneless chicken breast or thighs, cut into strips

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 carrots, peeled and sliced 

2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 (14 oz) cans coconut milk 

8-10 tbsp. massaman curry paste (or red curry paste)*

1 (8 oz) jar satay sauce

1 red pepper, chopped

3 oz. roasted peanuts

*The more curry paste, the spicier. If you can't find massaman paste, you can use red curry but it tends to be spicier.

Hearty Chicken Soup with Rice

This weekend was definitely quite cold, and there is no better comfort food to warm the soul than a good old-fashioned bowl of chicken soup. Typically I make Chicken Noodle soup, but I wanted to change it up this time around. This soup is super easy, healthy, and so tasty!

Ingredients: 

2 lbs chicken breast or thighs, cut into chunks

1 medium onion, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp butter

64 oz. chicken stock

2 bay leaves

1/2 tsp dried thyme

3/4 cup uncooked rice

salt and pepper to taste

Teriyaki Chicken

This has always been one of my favorite dishes, but I hated using the pre-made marinades or sauces because they always came out too salty. I had to work on this recipe for quite some time before I was happy with it.

Ingredients:

1 c. soy sauce (I used low-sodium)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp pepper

2 tbsp cornstarch

2 tbsp cold water

20 oz. pineapple chunks, drained and juice reserved

2 tsp oil

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 (2-inch) piece of ginger root, peeled and minced

3 lbs. boneless chicken thighs, cut into strips

1 broccoli crown, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

2 carrots, chopped
1 tsp sesame seeds (optional)

Autumn Pot Roast

Ever since I got my crock pot I've really wanted to make a pot roast! I wanted to make one with some seasonal veggies, so I read a bunch of different recipes and came up with this. Originally I wanted to use red potatoes also, but I ended up having too many veggies. Next time instead of 2 sweet potatoes, I'll probably just add one and substitute couple small red potatoes.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. flour

2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp rosemary

3 lbs. beef chuck, fat trimmed

2 tbsp oil

2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

3 carrots, peeled and cut into long pieces

1 butternut squash, seeded, peeled and cubed

1/2 lb. green beans, ends removed, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 onion, cut into chunks

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 bay leaves

28 oz. beef broth (I used a 32 oz. container and ended up with a lot of gravy, you can use a lot less depending on how much gravy you want)

3 tbsp cornstarch

2 tsp cold water

Lemon-Herb Roast Chicken with Potatoes

This is an easy one, with simple flavors, but is simply delicious! I served it with a side salad. Chop veggies, put in a baking/roasting dish, and bake, about 90 minutes later, dinner is served! For the wine, pick a dry white wine like a Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio. Pick one that you like drinking, because you can use the rest to eat with the meal!

Ingredients:

2 lbs. chicken thighs or legs

2 lemons, cut into wedges, seeds removed

2 lbs red potatoes, cut into pieces

10 cloves garlic, smashed and cut in half

1 onion, sliced very thinly

1/2 cup olive oil

1 1/2 cup dry white wine (I used a Pinot Grigio)

3 sprigs of rosemary, broken into 1-inch pieces

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp dried thyme

Pork and Pineapple Tacos

Tacos Al Pastor is my favorite Mexican dish, but seeing as how you can't really have a huge roasting spit in your home, it can be hard to duplicate. The recipe I have come up with is more like shredded pork with the flavors of al pastor  - kind of a cross between carnitas and al pastor - made in my new crock pot courtesy of my awesome brother!

This recipe is also versatile. You can:

• Make the sauce and slice roast into smaller pieces and marinate overnight, then barbecue on a grill, or
• Marinate overnight and bake the whole roast in an oven at 350 for about 3 hours, or until the internal temperature is 176 degrees, or
• Make in a crock pot, directions below.

Ingredients:

5 guajillo chilis

2 ancho chilis

2 - 20 oz cans pineapple chunks in juice (not heavy syrup!)

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, chopped

1 tsp. annatto powder (achiote powder)

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. pepper

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cumin

3 lb. boneless pork loin roast

1 bunch cilantro, chopped fine

1 lime
1 pkg tortillas

salsa, sour cream, hot sauce, shredded cheese for garnish

Mushroom Corn Chowder

This soup warmed us up on this chilly evening! I have made this soup vegetarian before by substituting chicken broth with vegetable or mushroom broth. Delicious!

Ingredients:

4 tbsp butter

2 tbsp. olive oil

3 large carrots, peeled and sliced

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cartons (8 cups) chicken broth

1/4 oz. fresh dill

2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 bay leaves

3 lbs. red potatoes, cut into cubes

1 1/2 lbs. mushrooms, sliced (I used crimini and shitake)

1 c. half and half

6 oz greek yogurt

1 lb frozen corn

Shrimp Farfalle with Basil-Walnut Pesto

I expected this to come out better, but since Hurricane Sandy is coming through soon, the store was completely out of fresh shrimp so I had to use frozen. Ahh well, my guinea pigs (aka friends who I force to eat my experimental recipes) all loved it.

I usually use pine nuts for my pesto, but walnuts are much cheaper, and taste great too. I think next time I will toast the walnuts first.

Ingredients:

2 oz. fresh basil leaves, plucked from stems

1/2 c. oil

3/4 c. walnuts, chopped finely

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 c. grated parmesan

1/2 tsp salt

4 tbsp butter

8 oz. sliced mushrooms

1 head broccoli

1/2 large onion, chopped

1 lb. shrimp, shelled and deveined

16 oz. farfalle pasta, cooked and drained

Vodka Bolognese Lasagna

Sometimes I like to make the sauce from scratch but sometimes I just don't have time. If you use a quality jarred sauce and diced or crushed tomatoes, it will still be delicious. So here is my easy version of lasagna.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb ground beef

1 oz. fresh basil, chopped

14.5 oz can diced fire-roasted tomatoes (I used Muir Glen)

1/2 tsp dried oregano

24 oz. bottle of vodka pasta sauce (I used Via Roma)

1 lb mozzarella, shredded

2 lb ricotta

8 oz oven ready lasagna

non-stick spray (PAM or other brand)

Maple Glazed Salmon

Kevin and I picked up a bottle of good ole Vermont maple syrup when we were visiting some of his friends there, and whenever I have a good quality maple syrup I feel inclined to make this incredibly simple but tasty dish, which is one of my favorite meals to make because it is just so darn good and takes barely any prep at all.

1/2 c. maple syrup

4 tbsp soy sauce

2 clove garlic, minced

1/4 tsp garlic salt

1/8 tsp pepper

2 lbs. salmon filets