Homemade Mac N Cheese

Comfort Food At Its Best

 Warm up with homemade macaroni and cheese,

with just a hint of smoky flavor

and a little bite of chipotle peppers.

 

Well, now I've done it - I can never go back to the foil pouch of orange goo again!

As another kitchen challenge, I tried my hand at making homemade macaroni and cheese. Be warned; you won't want to eat it any other way. It's really fairly easy and doesn't require fancy ingredients (depending on just how fancy your mac and cheese will be) but it does take a little time, as do most things that are worth the extra effort.

 

Two things to remember to make great homemade macaroni and cheese: start with the best cheese you can get (obviously!) and slightly undercook the macaroni.

 

For the best cheese, grab a block and start shredding it by hand. No pre-packaged shredded cheese in a bag. It is coated in anti-caking agents and doesn't make the most optimal cheese sauce. Plus, shredding your own cheese is more cost-effective in the long run. For this recipe, I chose an apple and hardwood smoked Gouda cheese, and a sharp chipotle Cheddar cheese. I prefer strong, sharp flavors in macaroni and cheese but the choice of cheese is up to you.

 

Ingredients:

2 cups dry macaroni noodles

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1-1/2 cups milk (whole milk, or a very good 2% milk like Oberweis)

1 teaspoon dry mustard (Colman's)

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

3/4 pound cheese, shredded

 

Directions:

First, cook the dry macaroni noodles. Most package cooking directions will suggest cooking for 8 to 10 minutes. To get the best results for macaroni and cheese, however, you'll want to cook the macaroni for a little less time, about 7 minutes. Otherwise, you will have mushy macaroni in the finished dish; it has to stand up to combining with the cheese sauce and baking in the oven for about half an hour. So, undercook slightly, drain and rinse with hot water. Set aside.

 

Beat the egg in a small bowl and set aside.

 

Next, make a simple roux to begin the cheese sauce. Melt butter in a large saucepan and quickly whisk in the flour until it is completely incorporated. Slowly whisk in the milk and cook, whisking constantly over medium-low heat, until the mixture has thickened. Stir in the dry mustard.

 

Add the egg by first adding 3 tablespoons of sauce to the beaten egg in the small bowl. Whisk very quickly - this is called tempering the mixture. If you were to add the egg directly to the large pan of sauce, the egg would cook almost immediately and you would have little bits of scrambled egg in your sauce. Not quite the way it's supposed to work!

And why the egg, anyway? The egg mainly serves as a binding ingredient, allowing you to more neatly cut your mac and cheese into squares. If you don't mind your mac and cheese spilling out everywhere in freeform cheesy glory on your plate, you can omit the egg.

Above: tempering the egg.

 

When the tempered egg mixture is nice and smooth, add it to the sauce. Stir in salt and freshly ground pepper. And then... stir in all that glorious shredded cheese and keep stirring until smooth and totally incorporated in the sauce. Reserve about a half of a cup for sprinkling on top of the mac and cheese before it goes in the oven.

Butter a 2 to 2.2 quart baking dish. Pour the macaroni and cheese into the dish and top with the reserved shredded cheese. You can also use dried bread crumbs or cracker crumbs, but I really just like lots of extra cheese on top. It will become nicely browned after baking in the oven!

 

Bake the macaroni and cheese uncovered in a 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes, then turn up the oven temperature to 375 degrees for 5 to 10 minutes to lightly brown the shredded cheese topping. It's finished when everything is bubbling hot!

Approximately 6 servings. 

 

Cheesy detail of "Better With Age" by Lonesome Road Gallery.



Lonesome Road Kitchen Challenge: French Onion Soup

Cold... icy... snowy...you need comfort and you need it now.

 

You need homemade soup.

From scratch.

A soul-satisfying, steaming bowl of fragrant homemade soup made with lots of TLC, what better way to celebrate the cozy cocooning of the long winter months?

If you're like me, you love to experiment with all sorts of new ideas, but mastering the classics is a challenge in its own right. To make it even more compelling, sometimes the classics become a little... cliched. Rushed. Or pushed aside in favor of a trend. Morphed into something they were never meant to be: overly processed, lacking in fresh quality ingredients and unrecognizable in their current state.

Who hasn't had a cup of the local restaurant's version of French Onion Soup of the Day? A salty brown liquid tinted with caramel coloring, with giant hunks of tough old onions and pre-made onion-powdery croutons from a resealable bag with a shelf life of three years?

You deserve better. Reacquaint yourself with the real French onion soup, an old favorite that, when made as it should, will warm your tummy and your heart and make you wonder why you ever settled for less.

First of all, start off with the best beef stock you can. That is, make your own. It's not difficult. Get a couple of large beef soup bones at the store, and add some celery stalks with fresh leafy tops, a couple of cloves of garlic, an onion (peeled and quartered) and a large leek; parsley and black peppercorns. A couple of medium-sized carrots are nice, too, but keep in mind that carrots do make a stock or broth taste a little sweet.

If you're really trying to be frugal, freeze leftover beef bones from cooked bone-in roasts and steaks to use later for your beef stock. 

Cover the whole tasty melange with 8 cups of fresh water and let it simmer, partly covered, for as long as you have time. The longer the better, but even a little bit is preferable to using store-bought stock. A couple of hours is a good place to start.

If you have an extra day, let the finished stock cool down and store it overnight in the refrigerator so you can skim off any fat that will rise to the top. Carefully strain it and discard the vegetables.  

The difference between "stock" and "broth?" Generally, stock is made with meat and bones; broth is made primarily with meat only.

The next thing to remember about making fantastic homemade French onion soup is to slowly and patiently caramelize the onions.

Thinly slice two large yellow onions and three small leeks (white parts only). Many people add garlic to French onion soup, but I prefer adding leeks, with their complex flavor somewhere between onions and garlic, and their amazing aroma. Heat two or three tablespoons of olive oil in a large soup pot and add the onions and leeks, cooking over medium-low heat until evenly browned (not burned).

When onions are perfectly caramelized (about 30 to 40 minutes), add six cups of beef stock, two bay leaves, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, and salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. I know that many people add adventurous seasonings to French onion soup, but I like to keep it simple and let the flavors of the homemade beef stock and richly caramelized onions shine through.

Simmer everything together for at least an hour, then add three tablespoons of sherry or dry white wine and let the alcohol cook off a bit. (The wine is totally optional but adds so much to the flavor of the finished soup, in my opinion.)

Discard bay leaves before serving.

To serve, either spoon the French onion soup into ovenproof crockery bowls and top with a slice of toasted French bread smothered in cheese (preferably Gruyere, Fontina, Provolone, and a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan). Briefly broil until cheese is bubbly. Or, if you don't have ovenproof soup bowls, you can simply broil the bread and cheese on a baking sheet and drop into the hot bowl of soup.

Another option, if you're serving several people, is to pour the soup into a large ovenproof casserole dish and cover the top with toasted French bread slices and cheese, then briefly broil until cheese is bubbly.

Makes approximately five to six servings.

"Ooh La La" by Angie Cornelius at Lonesome Road Gallery.

Soup, bread and cheese... what could be more gratifying on a cold winter day? Even better that it was created with love in your own kitchen from first-rate ingredients and techniques!

the easiest party nibble ever - cheese crisps

Crispy. Chewy. Cheesy. And incredibly easy. Party nibbles don't come easier than these cheese crisps simply made with slices of Monterey Jack cheese and a sprinkling of your favorite herb blend. That's it!

The super-simple recipe is from "Pasta & Co. By Request" by Marcella Rosene, one of the many many cookbooks residing on the Lonesome Road cookbook shelf. Published in 1991 and distributed by Sasquatch Books (gotta love that, heh), the cookbook contains tons of delectable recipes from the Pasta & Co. take-out food shop in Seattle, Washington.

I used part of an average 8 ounce rectangle-shaped block of Monterey Jack cheese, cut 1/4 inch thick slices, then cut the slices in half to make twelve small squares. I figured that the slices would spread out in the oven, so I left a lot of space around each one when placing them on the nonstick baking sheet. My spice blend of choice was Bragg Organic Sprinkle, a delicious seasoning blend of 24 herbs and spices. You can use your own favorite seasoning, or maybe just a bit of garlic salt. The cookbook suggests herbes de Provence with lavender or hot paprika but neither of these really tripped my trigger, I was looking for something very savory. Sprinkle a bit of seasoning on the cheese squares and bake in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes. The cheese will emerge browned and bubbling (yum!) from the oven. Transfer the crisps to a wire rack covered with paper towels.
There was quite a bit of greasiness left on the baking sheet and I was considering using a low-fat version of the cheese for the next batch but not sure if the quality would be the same since lower-fat cheese tends to be not quite so melty. Another idea is to substitute Pepper Jack cheese for the Monterey Jack - I'm wondering how they would taste dipped in a little hot salsa? Pretty good, I'll bet.
Enjoy these tasty little noshes at your next holiday get-together, for a Super Bowl party (I won't even mention the Green Bay Packers) or just whip up a batch to have on hand for snacking or serving along with a nice steaming hot bowl of tomato soup. Just remember to make much more than you think you will need; these will go quickly!

gimme some skin!!

Super Snacks for The Big Game!

Whether you actually watch the football action, or just tune in for the commercials, everyone can agree that the Super Bowl is one of winter's finest foodfests.

What is it about football that encourages such gastronomic indulgence? True, I've been to some major league baseball games where there was tailgating but nothing like football games, or the incredible spreads at home parties everywhere. Fire up some pork chops before the big golf championship? Whip up a giant cauldron of chili for the gymnastics tournament? Not likely but who knows, maybe football's savory spirit will someday infiltrate other sports as well.
While you're cursing the quarterback or laughing at the newest Snickers commercial, feast on a few of these luscious bacon and cheese potato skins. You can bake the potatoes in advance to save time; quickly remove the foil from the potatoes after baking to reduce any "wrinkliness" in the refrigerator later.

If you're using bacon for your skins, I highly recommend the flavor and quality of Applegate uncured "Sunday Bacon." As a card-carrying Team Bacon! member, this product is one of my favorites. You will not believe the hardwood smoke aroma of this bacon! It does not shrink up into shriveled little strips, and there is very little excess grease to pour off. Truly a quality cured meat!

On the Lonesome Road, we generally try to use low-fat dairy products; however, there are some instances when this isn't the best option or doesn't produce the best results. Potato skins are one of those instances; I prefer to use full-fat cheese for its melting qualities and it generally seems to brown better.

When you're ready to assemble the potato skins, cut each baked potato in half and scoop out the insides so there is about 1/4 inch of potato in each shell. Then, the shells will need to "dry out" a bit so that they will be crispy when finished. Sad truth: frying the skins before filling them really does taste better, much like a McDonald's apple pie. However, if you're trying to cut down on a few fat calories you can bake the shells first. I've done this by putting them on a foil-lined pizza pan in a 450 degree Fahrenheit oven for ten minutes face-up, then flip them over and bake another 15 minutes or so. Potatoes will be ready when they no longer stick to the foil when they are face-down.

Now the fun part! The fillings are entirely up to you but I like a classic combination of Cheddar cheese, bacon and green onions or chives.

For a change, try some of these ideas:

• herbed cream cheese
• blue cheese
• chili
• taco meat
• chorizo
• chopped smoked ham
• Canadian bacon
• hot or sweet Italian sausage
• broccoli
• mushrooms
• chili pepeprs
• olives, green or black
• giardinera
• black bean and corn salsa with Jack cheese
• your favorite pizza toppings + marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese
• fresh spinach, garlic and feta cheese

When your masterpieces have been created, simply broil until the cheese is bubbly.

Depending on the size of the potatoes, plan on at least two skins per person but if the potatoes are small or if I am at the party, do allow more!

aye, chihuahua!

White Cheese and Chocolate Enchiladas

Two all-time favorites combined in one incredible dish!

An unusual pairing of chocolate and cheese is the heavenly basis for these rich, delicious enchiladas. Mexico's Chihuahua cheese is preferred; if you can't find it in your supermarket, try a Hispanic marketa if there is one in your area. This cheese (named for a region in Mexico, not the tiny dog, he he) is the perfect melting cheese for these enchiladas but in a pinch you can substitute Monterey Jack.

The sauce is similar in concept to a mole sauce. An ordinary chili powder blend works fine in the sauce, but trying adding a little ancho chile powder for an even deeper flavor.

Also, I've experimented with different chocolates, such as bittersweet (60% cacao). I didn't like the results; as you would expect, it gave the sauce a, well... bitter and odd flavor.

enchilada ingredients:

• 10 white corn tortillas
• vegetable oil for softening tortillas
• approximately 3/4 pound Chihuahua cheese (Monterey Jack may be substituted)
• 3 green onions, sliced

sauce ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 3 small cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 7 teaspoons unbleached flour
• 3-1/2 tablespoons chili powder blend
• 3-1/2 cups chicken broth
• 2 ounces semisweet chocolate
• tiny pinch of salt

Cut cheese into sticks (a little smaller than string cheese, about the size that you could roll into a tortilla). Set aside.

Start the sauce: In a saucepan saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in oregano, cumin and cinnamon, then add flour and chili powder blend, coating the onion mixture. Slowly whisk in chicken broth; reduce until sauce thickens a little, about 30 minutes, whisking occasionally. Stir in semisweet chocolate until melted and smooth. Set aside sauce.

Soften the tortillas one by one in a skillet with a bit of hot oil; this only takes a few seconds per tortilla and you will have to keep adding oil. Stack softened tortillas on a plate with paper towel between each one to absorb excess oil. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

When all tortillas are softened, assemble the enchiladas by rolling a cheese stick into a tortilla; place them in a rectangular baking dish seam sides down. Pour sauce over enchiladas (you may have some leftover sauce) and sprinkle with green onion slices. Loosely cover enchiladas with foil (too tightly and they steam; but the sauce can dry out when completely uncovered) and heat in the oven for about 15 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.

Sliced avocados make a perfect garnish!

Makes 4 or 5 servings.

april 12th is grilled cheese sandwich day!

Actually, April is

National Grilled Cheese Sandwich MONTH...

so treat yourself to some hot, buttery, gooey goodness every single day!

A toasty, melty grilled cheese sandwich hot off the stove is one of life's pleasures. Purists say that the sandwich must be American cheese on white bread, but I really think there's room for discussion on this topic. For example, a new guilty pleasure of mine is a combination of the sharpest Cheddar cheese between two pieces of Target's apple fritter bread. Imagine an old-fashioned fried McDonald's apple pie with Cheddar; yes, it's like that.

While not technically all-cheese, another favorite of mine is a good old-fashioned pimiento cheese sandwich. A recipe board friend had a hankering for these insidious creations one day and it was downhill from there. Her obsession became my obsession and for a while we were consuming them at an alarming rate. Pimiento cheese seems to be a southern U.S. thing and is really quite simple to make: cream cheese plus shredded cheddar cheese (a taste of other cheeses never hurts either) plus a bit of mayo to combine it, and of course.... pimientos. Maybe a little onion, season to taste.

Grilled cheese sandwiches, while innocent-looking, spark intense debate in my house. The spousal unit insists that grilled cheese sandwiches must be eaten with chicken noodle soup. And I say that the classic combination is grilled cheese paired with tomato soup. Seriously, the cheese-tomato connection is perfection, much like a cheese quesadilla with salsa. It's simply the right thing to do. Because I said so.

Differences aside, be sure to enjoy at least one grilled cheese sandwich soon, if not on the celebrated creation's Day of Honor, then whenever you want a little delicious comfort on a plate. With tomato soup.

Read more from Lonesome Road Studio, now on The Six Degrees of Etsy Bacon blog!