911 mac and cheese

warm, tasty comfort

911 Mac and Cheese is fast and easy to assemble - perfect for a weeknight.  It falls into a category I call '911' - a quick-fix, wholesome side dish that satisfies everyone and can be assembled in a flash with ingredients most of us have on hand.  I'm a big fan of fancy macs (4 cheese mac and cheese, bacon mac and cheese, lobster mac and cheese ...) and will share some of those on a lazy weekend. But if you're facing a busy night - this recipe is for you!

I found this comforting gem in a foodie novel I'm reading, 'Julia's Child'. Look at the wholesome ingredients - great for hungry, active kids! We whipped it together and served it with turkey kielbasa (a favorite with my boys).  A quick crudite platter and some fruit rounded out the meal nicely. 

911: Mac and Cheese

from Julia's Child, by Sarah Pinneo


Ingredients:

1 c cottage cheese
2 c whole milk
1 T Dijon mustard
pinch paprika (Hungarian)
4 c shredded cheese (I used a combination of Mozz & Cheddar)
8 oz dry pasta (I used mini-shells; 8 oz is 1/2 a box)

Tip: The key to this recipe's ease is the dry pasta.  Just like using dry noodles in lasagna, dry noodles save a step.

cottage cheese & milk mixture

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. I sprayed the casserole dish with canola oil.

2. Combine the cottage cheese, milk, mustard, and paprika in a blender till smooth.

3. Toss the shredded cheese and dry pasta together in a large bowl.  Pour milk mixture over top and stir to combine.

4.  Pour into prepared dish, cover (I used foil - your dish may have a cover).

5. Bake for 30 minutes, remove cover and bake for 30 minutes more.  Will be brown and bubbly.

Scoop and serve - yummy!

shells & cheese

tortellini soup

Tortellini Soup
flavorful broth & green veggies

Making a quick soup with tortellini and broth is a favorite weekend fix.  Cold winter weather is finally settling in to our New England town and this lunch satisfies a busy, hungry crowd. You can keep it simple with just pasta, broth and a handful of fresh herbs.  Or you can deepen the flavor and increase the nutritional value with extra veggies.  

This is a quick pantry meal you'll definitely repeat!

with these staples, soup is on!

Ingredients:

evoo
1 t butter
1 anchovie, minced (optional)**
1/2 onion, diced
1 shallot diced
32 oz chicken broth
3 c water
2 bay leaves
1/2 t salt
2 c chopped veggies (asparagus, broccoli, carrots, celery, green beans, pears)
1 package tortellini (pick your favorite)

mince your anchovies before adding to the pan

See how the anchovies melt and dissolve in the butter?!

Tips: ** A word about anchovies.  Not everyone cares for them.  My recipes work without them but when I have them in the refrigerator, I use them.  No one in our family likes to eat them whole - so I use them when I can make them 'disappear' into a sauce, a soup or a dip.  They add another flavor dimension.

Directions:

1. While you warm a soup pot with the evoo and butter inside, mince one anchovie filet (if using) and dice your onion and shallot.  Add both the onion and shallot to the pan, saute for 5 minutes over medium heat, until the onion is translucent. You're not looking to brown them.

2. If you are using carrots and celery, add them at this time.  Chop your veggies while you watch the saute pan. I prefer bite-size pieces (1" or so).  I used broccoli and asparagus today because they were in the crisper.  I've also used green beans, frozen peas, carrots and celery.

3. Once the onion is translucent, (and your carrots and celery have softened) add the broth, water and bay leaves.  Bring to a boil.

4. Check your tortellini package for cooking time.  My package said 4-6 minutes.  (You'll want the soup to be finished when the tortellini are cooked through.  My broccoli and asparagus need a little extra time so I added them first.)  Add the veggies, turn down the heat to simmer.  I gave my veggies 2 minutes and then added the tortellini.

5.  I use this time to prepare small salami sandwiches.  A little cheese on top and a couple minutes under the broiler - yum!

6. Once the tortellini are cooked - you are ready to serve.  Warm, comforting, yummy!

Soup with salami sandwiches - Delish!