Mom and Dad's Gourmet Mac and Cheese

Adapted from the old Betty Crocker recipe - dad says it's the best ever!

8 oz macaroni, cooked
2 tbsp butter, cut into cubes
1 1/4 cups gouda, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3/4 tsp salt, divided
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups milk
paprika for garnish

Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 12x8 baking dish. Place all ingredients except paprika in alternating layers in the dish. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake 40 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

Romanian Garlic Steak Marinade/Crust

This one came from the Raichlen BBQ book that Aim and Josh got me a few years back. This is like a big punch in the face from a garlic clove and I love it!

Coarse salt
Fresh ground pepper
Paprika
Olive Oil
4 to 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Dried oregano

Place the steaks in a Tupperware or baking pan. Generously season with salt, pepper and paprika. You are basically making a crust. Most of the seasoning will come off when grilling, so I think the steak just gets it's flavor from osmosis! Drizzle the olive oil on the steaks. I prefer to use less olive oil here, but it does help everything stick. Spread the olive oil with your hands all over the steak. Sprinkle the garlic and oregano on the steaks. Cover with plastic wrap or the Tupperware lid. Let it marinate at least 2 hours. Mmmmmm......garlic punches.

Smoked Sun Dried Tomato and Pesto Chicken Pasta

I kinda came up with this recipe from several online recipes when I wanted a way to use the sun dried tomatoes that Josh gave me for Thanksgivemas. It turned out pretty good! Here's the ingredients and amounts that I used to make two meals for myself:

- 1 large chicken breast
- 1 bag of smoked sun dried tomatoes. I think the smoked part is essential to this recipe
- Penne pasta
- 1 large garlic clove
- 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves, washed well and spun dry
- 1 cup packed fresh parsley leaves (preferably flat-leaf), washed well and spun dry
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup Kalamata or other brine-cured black olives, pitted and chopped fine

Here's the steps:

1. Boil enough water for the pasta and a little more than needed
2. Soak 1/2 cup of the tomatoes in some of the boiling water to soften them up
3. Make the pasta. When done drain and set aside
4. Cube or slice the chicken
5. Make the pesto. Here's the recipe for that:
    To a food processor with motor running add garlic and blend until minced. Add basil, parsley, and nuts and blend well. Add oil and blend until smooth. Transfer pesto to a bowl and stir in olives.

6. Heat some oil in a pan and brown up the chicken
7. Drain the tomatoes and add to the pan. Just get em hot
8. Add in the pasta. Again just get it hot
9. Remove from heat. I poured it straight into a Tupperware
10. Add in the pesto. This is why I liked the Tupperware - I just put the top on and shook it up to mix.

Spicy Peanut Noodles

Spicy Peanut Noodles 

Nom nom nom. A go-to side for asian meals around our house. Make sure you squeeze a little more lemon juice on top right before you eat!  

1/4 cup peanut butter
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon ginger, grated
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 pound spaghetti or linguine, cooked
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced

In a small bowl, combine peanut butter, soy sauce, ginger, lemon juice, garlic powder and red pepper flakes. Set aside.

In a large bowl, toss pasta mixture with peanut butter sauce and cilantro.

Perfect Potstickers

Perfect Potstickers

I adapted this recipe from Alton Brown. The wonton wrappers are usually in the produce section of the grocery store (for whatever reason). They're really easy once you get the hang of it. The reviews online said that they freeze well (after putting them together but before cooking them). I think next time I'll make a double batch and put half away for a rainy day! 15 potstickers was the right amount for a meal for two alongside some spicy peanut noodles. 

• 2 tbsp finely chopped scallions
• ½ cup grated carrot
• 2 tsp grated ginger
• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp hoisin
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 15 to 20 small wonton wrappers
• Water, for sealing wontons
• 2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, for frying
• 1/2 cup chicken stock, divided

Combine the first 10 ingredients in a medium-size mixing bowl (scallion through egg). Set aside.

To form the dumplings, remove 1 wonton wrapper from the package, covering the others with a damp cloth. Brush all edges of the wrapper lightly with water. Place 1/2 rounded teaspoon of the pork mixture in the center of the wrapper. Pinch corners together and seal edges. Set on a sheet pan and cover with a damp cloth. Repeat procedure until all of the filling is gone.

Heat a large pan over medium heat. Brush with vegetable oil once hot. Add 8 to 10 potstickers at a time to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, without touching. Once the 2 minutes are up, gently add 1/3 cup chicken stock to the pan, turn the heat down to low, cover, and cook for another 2 minutes.

Serve immediately with a dipping sauce (soy sauce, sriracha, hoisin and/or mirin).

Refried Beans

Refried Beans

An oldie but goodie! 

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 an onion, chopped
1 tablespoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne or red pepper flakes
1 can pinto beans, some of the liquid drained off
salt and pepper to taste

Place the oil in a large skillet and turn the heat to medium. When the oil is hot, add the onion and cook, stirring, until it is soft and starting to brown, about 5 or 10 minutes.

Add the cumin and cayenne. Cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Add the beans and mash with a fork or potato masher. Continue to cook and mash, stirring, until the beans are more or less broken up.

Season with salt and pepper, and add more cumin or cayenne to taste. If they're too runny, they'll firm up quickly if you let them cook for a few more minutes. Add water if they're too stiff.

Eat! We like to smear some on a toasted tortilla and top with whatever you have on hand (tomato, scallion, cheese, cilantro, avocado, sour cream...).

Blackened Chicken Pasta!

This is the new favorite of the Wilson Household (Mooresville Chapter). Be ready for some heat!
We stole this from Pioneer Woman. Here's the original website if interested:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/09/cajun-chicken-pasta/

Here's the ingredients:

• 3 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Cut Into Cubes
• Cajun Spice Mix, my mix listed below
  
• 1 pound Fettuccine
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
• 1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
• 1/2 whole Large Red Onion, Sliced
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 4 whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced
• 2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• 1/2 cup White Wine
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
• Salt To Taste
• Chopped Fresh Parsley, To Taste

Here's what I used to make my Cajun spice mix:

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp cayenne red pepper

1 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp onion powder

½ tsp black pepper

½ tsp salt

1/4 tsp white pepper (this really dictates how spicy this recipe is, adjust as necessary)

Get the pasta going first. When it's done just set aside. So you just coat the chicken cubes with the spice mix. Get a large pan hot and then add half the olive oil and half the butter. Get this good and hot and add half the chicken. Let it sit and blacken on one side, then stir around to brown the rest. You want to do this pretty quick, and don't need to get the cubes fully cooked. They will finish cooking later. The blackening has a pretty potent smell that makes me want to sneeze! Remove this half of the chicken and finish the other half. Put the chicken on a large plate or platter and put in the microwave to keep warm. Use a slotted spoon or spatula so that you leave as much of the spices behind in the pan as you can. Add the rest of the oil and butter and mix with the leftover spices. Add the green and red pepper, onion and garlic. Stir and cook pretty quick, just trying to coat. Again they will finish cooking later. Just before pulling the veggies out add in the roma tomatoes. Put the veggies on the plate with the chicken. Again, try to leave spices and some bits in the pan. Add the wine to the pan and stir/scrape to mix in the spices and bits. Add in the chicken broth. The original recipe says this mix will reduce by half and thicken. It hasn't for me the two times I made it. Reduce heat and add in the cream. This will thicken some, but not a ton. Add the veggies and chicken back to the pan and cook until the sauce thickens some more - mine is always a little runny - and until the chicken and veggies are fully cooked. Finally add in the cooked pasta and mix it all together. Sprinkle parsley over it and enjoy!