Homemade Macaroni and Cheese November 17, 2016 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment Homemade Macaroni and Cheese 2016-11-17 22:32:07 Print Ingredients 2 ounces unsalted butter (one half stick) 4 tablespoons flour 1 teaspoon each; dry mustard, white pepper, chile powder, and salt ¼ teaspoon nutmeg 32 ounces whole milk ½-1 pound cheese of choice, grated (I like to combine cheeses and grate myself; soft cheeses work best) 1 pound dry pasta Instructions In a large Dutch oven, melt butter and then add flour to make a roux. Allow the roux to cook for 3-4 minutes to cook the flour taste out and for the mixture to darken a bit. Season with dry mustard, white pepper, chile powder, salt, and nutmeg. Add milk in slowly, whisking as you go. Over medium high heat, gently stir the béchamel sauce until it begins to thicken. This will take about 10-15 minutes. Once the sauce has thickened, slowly whisk in grated cheese a handful at a time, whisking after each addition so cheese can be completely absorbed (you have now created a Mornay sauce from the béchamel base) Taste sauce and adjust with spices used earlier (dry mustard, white pepper, and salt) Turn sauce to simmer and prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta and retain the pasta water. Combine pasta and sauce, at first you may not need all the sauce but as the mixture sits, the pasta will absorb more and more of the sauce. Add more as the sauce gets absorbed to achieve your desired consistency. If the sauce is too thick, thin with pasta water. Serve with breadcrumbs, bacon bits, sun-dried tomatoes, or any number of accompaniments if desired. Notes At Ladies Night Out, Kelly used Rigatoni and equal parts Vermont White Cheddar, Baby Swiss, and Monterey Jack. By Kelly Sears Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
Pasta with Tomato-Blue Cheese Sauce October 5, 2016 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment Pasta with Tomato-Blue Cheese Sauce 2016-10-05 14:20:12 Print Ingredients 1 ½ pounds pasta (angel hair or thin spaghetti) 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained dash of sugar salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste crushed red pepper flakes, to taste 3/4 cups crumbled blue cheese 3/4 cups heavy cream 4 cups baby spinach half and half, for thinning extra blue cheese crumbles, for garnish Instructions Cook pasta according to package instructions. In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil. When hot, add minced garlic and cook for a minute. Pour in drained tomatoes. Add sugar, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low. Stir in crumbled blue cheese. Add cream and stir, then a little splash of half-and-half if sauce is too thick. Cook for a minute or two, tasting and adding more seasonings as needed. At the very, very, very last minute. toss in spinach. Immediately toss in the cooked and drained pasta. Serve immediately! By Julie Busteed Adapted from The Pioneer Woman Adapted from The Pioneer Woman Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
Croque Monsieur June 8, 2016 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment Croque Monsieur 2016-06-08 10:54:27 Print Ingredients 2 T. unsalted butter 3 T. all-purpose flour 2 cups hot milk 1 t. kosher salt 1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper pinch nutmeg 12 ounces Gruyère, grated (5 cups) 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan 16 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed Dijon mustard 8 ounces baked Virginia ham, sliced but not paper thin Instructions Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan and add the flour all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Slowly pour the hot milk into the butter–flour mixture and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thickened. Off the heat add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup grated Gruyere, and the Parmesan and set aside. To toast the bread, place the slices on 2 baking sheets and bake for 5 minutes. Turn each slice and bake for another 2 minutes, until toasted. Lightly brush half the toasted breads with mustard, add a slice of ham to each, and sprinkle with half the remaining Gruyere. Top with another piece of toasted bread. Slather the tops with the cheese sauce, sprinkle with the remaining Gruyere, and bake the sandwiches for 5 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and lightly browned. Serve hot. By Ina Garten Adapted from Barefoot in Paris Adapted from Barefoot in Paris Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
Cucumber-Feta Toasts May 23, 2016 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment Cucumber-Feta Toasts 2016-05-23 16:03:01 Print Ingredients ½ baguette 6 t. extra-virgin olive oil 3 ounces feta ½ t. fresh lemon juice coarse salt and ground pepper 1 small English cucumber, thinly sliced crosswise Instructions Preheat oven or toaster oven to 450 degrees. Split baguette lengthwise and lightly brush cut sides with 2 teaspoons olive oil. Bake until golden around edges, 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mash together feta, 4 teaspoons oil, and lemon juice with a fork. Season with salt and pepper. Spread feta mixture evenly over toasted baguette and top with cucumber slices. Season with salt, pepper, lemon juice, and a drizzle of oil. Cut into pieces to serve. Adapted from Martha Stewart Appetizers Adapted from Martha Stewart Appetizers Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
Cheese-Stuffed and Bacon-Wrapped Grilled Jalapenos May 5, 2016 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment Cheese-Stuffed and Bacon-Wrapped Grilled Jalapenos 2016-05-05 14:12:06 Serves 8 Print Ingredients 24 medium jalapeño chiles 8 ounces shredded Monterrey Jack cheese 12 slices bacon, cut in half crosswise Instructions Using a small paring knife, make a slit in each jalapeño from the stem end to the tip, being careful to not cut the jalapeños completely in half. Spread the jalapeños open and scrape out the seeds. Stuff each jalapeño with some of the shredded cheese, wrap with a half slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Preheat a ribbed stovetop grill pan over medium heat. Grill the jalapeños, turning frequently, until the bacon is crisp, brown and cooked through. Transfer the jalapeños to a serving platter. Remove the toothpicks and serve. By Paul Lindemuth Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/