Salami Mac and Cheese

INGREDIENTS
8   ounces dry macaroni (elbows, penne, etc.)
2   tablespoons butter
2   tablespoons flour
2   cups half-and-half or milk
2   cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1   cup shredded Parmesano Romano cheese
1   cup shredded Monterrey jack cheese
1   cup coarsely ground salami *
½  cup bread crumbs

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease the sides and bottom of a 2 quart casserole dish. Cook the pasta in boiling water according to package directions, stopping 2 minutes early. Drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside.

In a large sauce pan or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and add the flour. Whisk the two together to produce a thick sauce. Cook for 1 minute and slowly add the half-and-half, whisking it into the roux. Slowly add the cheddar cheese, whisking it in and then add the other two cheeses the same way, whisking them in slowly.

Continue to stir and cook this mixture until all the cheese has melted and the sauce has an even color throughout. Add the ground salami and mix it into the cheese sauce. Fold the pasta into the sauce, stirring to thoroughly coat all the pasta. Empty this into the prepared casserole dish, sprinkle with the bread crumbs and place into the oven. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the bread crumbs are golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving.

*NOTE Use a good brand of dry Salami like Molinari. Cut the Salami into chunks and process in a food processor. (About 8 ounces).

Stroganoff with Beef or Tofu

INGREDIENTS
3    tablespoons olive oil, divided
1    pound beef sirloin, cut to 2 inch by ¼ inch strips
      or 14  ounces extra firm tofu

2    tablespoons butter
3    cups mushrooms, sliced thickly

1    large white onion, chopped
4    cloves garlic, minced
1    tablespoon dried thyme
1    teaspoon dried marjoram
2    tablespoons all-purpose flour

½   cup beef or vegetable broth
½   cup dry red table wine
4    tablespoons dry sherry
1    tablespoon tomato paste
1    tablespoon paprika
1    cup sour cream

METHOD

Cut the block of tofu horizontally into three slabs, keeping them stacked. Make 4 lengthwise cuts and 4 crosswise cuts to end up with 48 pieces. Pat them dry with paper towels.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat add 2 tablespoons of oil and cook the beef or tofu, turning occasionally until well browned, about 7 to 9 minutes. Remove the beef or tofu and set aside. Cover to keep warm.

Add the butter and mushrooms to the skillet. Cook over medium heat until the mushrooms start to lose their liquid. 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the skillet and add to the beef or tofu. Cover to keep warm. To the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, the onion, garlic, thyme and marjoram. Stir frequently until the onions are translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the flour and continue to stir and cook for 1 minute.

Add the broth, red wine, sherry, tomato paste and paprika. Bring to a simmer and continue to cook and stir until thickened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the reserved beef or tofu and the mushrooms. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to reheat then remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream. Serve immediately over cooked noodles, rice or polenta.

Modified from recipes in Cooking Light magazine.

Arugula Tomato Salad

This recipe will serve six as a dinner salad. One medium tomato will serve two.

INGREDIENTS
1   tablespoon good Balsamic vinegar
1   tablespoon olive oil
1   tablespoon Emile’s Port
1   tablespoon Dijon style mustard
6   ounces baby arugula
2   cups diced tomatoes or halved grape tomatoes
3   tablespoons sliced, toasted almonds

METHOD

In a small bowl, add  the Balsamic vinegar, oil, Port and mustard Mix well with a whisk. For each serving, place a handful of arugula on the plate, add diced or grape tomatoes to your liking, dress with the dressing., sprinkle with a few toasted almonds and serve. That simple, that good.

Based on a recipe from CookingLight magazine.

Apple Whole Wheat Muffins

INGREDIENTS

1    cup all-purpose flour

1    cup whole wheat flour

2    tablespoons baking powder

2    tablespoon granulated sugar

¼   teaspoon salt

½   teaspoon cinnamon powder

2    large eggs

1    cup reduced fat milk (2%)

2    cups peeled, shredded apple (about 3 medium-large)

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 375 F and grease the insides of a 12 muffin tin. In a large bowl, whisk together both flours, the baking powder, sugar, salt and cinnamon. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk.

Shred the apples with a hand shredder or in a food processor. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring well to combine. Add the apples and mix them in, but do not over-mix.

Pour the batter with a spoon into the muffin tin until it is just below the rim of each muffin site (should make 10 to 11 muffins.) Place the muffin tin on a baking sheet and place both into the middle of the oven. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until golden brown; when a toothpick is inserted into the central muffin and comes out clean, Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing..

Chicken, Mushroom, Port

I have been telling people that you can cook with Port and Balsamic vinegar, so I thought a recipe doing just that would be good. It is.

INGREDIENTS

2   chicken breasts, skinless, boneless

1   tablespoon olive oil

1   medium onion, chopped

½  cup Emile's Port or equivalent

1   tablespoon high quality Balsamic vinegar

1   tablespoon Sherry or Sherry vinegar

1   tablespoon dried thyme

2   tablespoons butter

10 ounces sliced mushrooms (about 2 cups)

1   teaspoon all-purpose flour

METHOD

Cut the chicken breasts into 1 inch or bite-sized pieces. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and add the onions. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes to soften them and add the chicken bites. Stirring occasionally, brown the chicken pieces on all sides, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Add the port, balsamic, sherry and thyme, stirring to combine and cover all the chicken pieces and reduce the heat to a simmer. When the chicken has simmered for about 5 minutes, add the butter to a different skillet and melt it over medium heat.  When melted, add and begin to cook the mushroom slices.

Stir the mushrooms often and watch until they begin to give off their juices, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and add to the chicken skillet. Sprinkle in the flour over the chicken and mushrooms and stir to combine. Continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed; remove from the heat and serve over rice or pasta.

Devilish Tofu

INGREDIENTS

1    package extra firm tofu
1    tablespoon each curry powder, ground cumin and ground coriander
2    tablespoons olive or canola oil

½   cup Greek hummus
1    teaspoon soy sauce
1    teaspoon sesame oil
1    tablespoon olive oil
1-3  teaspoons sriracha sauce (to taste)

METHOD

Pat the tofu dry and cut in half lengthwise into two 2 x 4 inch blocks. Slice each of these blocks into 4 slabs of 2 x 4 inches. Pat all eight slabs dry with paper towels.

Mix the three spices (curry, cumin, coriander) in a small bowl and then spread them onto a flat plate. Warm the 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. In two or three batches, dip each slab of tofu, top and bottom, in the spice mix, shaking off any excess,  and fry in the skillet until lightly brown on both sides. Remove to paper towels to drain and set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together the hummus, soy sauce, sesame oil, olive oil and 1 teaspoon of the sriracha sauce. When well blended, taste a small bit. If it is not too hot, add another teaspoon of sriracha and repeat as desired.

Lightly oil a medium baking sheet and place four of the tofu slabs on to the baking dish. Coat them with about 1 teaspoon of the hummus mixture, evenly spread over the entire surface. With a small round jar, such as a spice jar, cut a circular hole in the center of each of the other four tofu slabs. Place them on top of the slabs on the baking sheet.

Mash up the tofu “holes” and mix them into the hummus mixture. Fill the holes in the tofu slabs with this mixture and spread a little over the tops of the slabs. Place the baking sheet into the broiler and broil for about 6 to 7 minutes, making sure the hummus mix doesn’t burn. Remove from the oven, eat and enjoy.

Quinoa Cannellini Salad

INGREDIENTS

½   cup Quinoa

¾   cup water

1    pinch salt

1    red bell pepper  

1    yellow bell pepper

½   cup chopped celery and leaves

6    green onions, sliced

1    can (15 ounces) Cannellini beans, rinsed, drained

2    tablespoons lemon juice

  

METHOD

In a small sauce pan, combine the Quinoa, water and salt, Covered, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. All the water should be absorbed. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Cut the bell peppers into ½ inch pieces, removing all seeds and the inner white membranes. Place into a large salad bowl. Add the chopped celery, green onions and the beans. Add the lemon juice and toss to mix. When the Quinoa has cooled, mix it into the salad. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. 

Pork Roast with Lemon and Fennel

INGREDIENTS
2          lemons, scrubbed and thinly sliced
6          cloves garlic, minced
1          tablespoon ground fennel seeds
¾         cup olive oil
1          teaspoon ground black pepper or to taste
2-3      pounds pork loin roast

METHOD

In a food processor or blender, combine the lemon, garlic, fennel, olive oil and pepper and process to a puree. Slice the pork roast across the grain into 1 inch wide slices and place into a large re-sealable plastic bag. Add the contents of the blender, seal the bag, mix it up to coat the meat and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees. Remove the pork slices from the marinade and place side-by-side into a roasting pan. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes until thoroughly browned.

Place the marinade into a small skillet with ¼ cup of water and cook over medium heat until half of the liquid is evaporated. Add the juices from the roasting pan and strain into a small serving bowl.

If the sauce is a little thin, place it into a small sauce pan over medium heat and add 1 to 2 teaspoons of flour, whisking them in. Cook until the sauce thickens and place it into a small serving bowl. Serve the pork over polenta or rice with the sauce on the side.

Based on a recipe from Food and Wine magazine, April 2011

Cooks Note: I tried this with center cut pork chops which were good but a little tough. The sauce was great with the polenta and with green beans.

Root Vegetables in Hot Sauce

The original recipe calls this a Jamaican Hot Sauce, but I’m not sure of its origins. It is quite good and has a sneak-up-on-you heat.

INGREDIENTS
1    cup each carrots, potatoes and rutabagas, peeled, cubed ½ inch
2    tablespoons butter
3    cloves garlic, minced
2    tablespoons dark brown sugar
¼   teaspoon cayenne pepper
1    teaspoon lemon juice
1    teaspoon orange juice
2    teaspoons ground cumin
1    teaspoon chili powder

METHOD

Place the vegetable cubes into a medium sauce pan, cover with water and boil for about 10 minutes, or until they are fork-tender. Drain and place into a serving bowl. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat and add the garlic. Cook for 30 seconds and add the sugar, cayenne, lemon and orange juice, cumin and chili powder, mixing well. Cook this mixture for 2 to 3 minutes until well incorporated and bubbling. Remove from the heat and pour over the vegetables, mixing well to coat. Serve immediately.

Based on a recipe from Food.com

Apple Raspberry French Toast

This recipe makes a single serving. Expand as you see fit. 

INGREDIENTS

1    medium apple
¼   cup canola or olive oil
1    egg
1    tablespoon half-and-half
1    tablespoon Chaucer’s Raspberry wine
½   tablespoon maple syrup
2    slices whole wheat or ‘your choice’ bread

METHOD

Peel the apple and slice into ½ inch rounds. Remove the core and seeds from each slice. In a small skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and add the apple slices, in batches if necessary. Cook the apples from 4 to 5 minutes per side and remove from the heat to paper towels to drain. Set aside.

Whisk together the egg, half-and-half, wine and syrup in a bowl. Pour about half the mixture onto a flat plate (if making more than one serving, just pour out 3-4 tablespoons)  and soak both sides of one of the pieces of bread in the mixture, being sure that all parts of the bread have some of the mixture. Place the slice of bread into a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and cook until it is just beginning to brown on both sides, turning as necessary. Remove and repeat with the second piece of bread.

Place one piece of bread on a flat surface, add the apple slices to the bread slice. Cover with the second slice of bread and return this sandwich to the frying pan, still over medium heat. Cook the French toast sandwich until well browned on both sides (about 5 to 6 minutes), turning as necessary. Remove and serve immediately