Alright folks here goes on numerous requests...Basic Homemade Macaroni and Cheese. This is an easy Mac and Cheese that you can do on the stove-top and be done or finish it off in the oven with a crispy cracker crust and definitely basic enough that you can add all kinds of things like bacon or broccoli or green chiles or ham or peas even. I will also add a bonus post: the Crockpot (slow cooker) mac and cheese recipe for those of you who prefer to set it and forget it. This is all about cheese choices. I prefer a good sharp cheddar and monteray Jack mix. Just keep in mind that I chose these not only for taste, but for texture upon melting. This means NEVER use pre-shredded packaged cheese in this recipe or it will not work right. ENJOY.
1/3 C all purpose flour
1/3 C butter (I use unsalted so you can be in charge of salt content also because cheese is extra salty, but feel free to use salted butter, but if you do be aware and always taste it before adding more salt)
2 C sharp cheddar cheese
1 C monteray Jack cheese
2 1/2 C milk
salt and pepper to taste
Cook a package of elbow noodles or whatever your favorite pasta is the way the pkg tells you except only cook for a few minutes (about 4 for elbows). Average cook time is 8 minutes for elbows so half that and then drain it and add the noodles to a lightly cooking sprayed 9x13 casserole dish. Set this aside and make the sauce. I use about a pound of noodles (16oz pkg), but mind you I always have a ton of pasta on hand in large containers so I am guessing.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan on medium heat and then add the flour. Stir constantly until this mixture is smooth. SLOWLY add the milk and keep stirring the whole time. Once the flour and butter mix has been fully incorporated into the milk then add the cheese. Once all the cheese melts and the mixture starts to thicken then add the mix to your prepared pasta. I put my noodles in a deep 9x13 casserole dish when they are done and just pour the cheese sauce on top and mix it in the casserole dish. Once your pasta and cheese sauce are all mixed you can put it in the oven with a sprinkle of cheese on top at 350 for 30 mins. OR you can put about 4 T butter in a bowl and melt it. Add 1 pkg hand crushed Ritz crackers to the melted butter and mix it up. Sprinkle that on top of the mac and cheese and THEN put it in the oven. For best results, turn up the oven to 375 for 10 minutes at the end. If I plan on having leftovers and/or freezing some then I do not add the cracker topping. Heads up...if you are a Frank's RedHot addict like I am and try to add some to the leftovers...DON'T because it makes the cheese sauce a wierd texture. I still love to add Franks to my Kraft blue box mac and cheese, but this homemade stuff does not work the same. I do love the heat so I choose to add green chiles or chopped jalapenos instead :-) I will post the Slow Cooker version in a bit.
I always wait until it is served to add any salt or pepper as those are a personal choice. If you feel like bacon just mix the cooked pieces into the sauce then mix it with the macaroni. Same with any other additives. Add them to the sauce stir for a second and then pour the mix on the pasta.
Thursday, October 31, 2013
High Altitude Oatmeal Cookies
On request from my brother, John Bagnal. Love you! Enjoy. I love this recipe and am not even sure where it came from. I know that I have used it so often that the recipe has grease marks all over it and two rips that have been repaired with scotch tape. They come out perfect every time. You could probably make this at sea level too, but I am not sure how they would differ as I have not lived at sea level for over a decade. The recipe calls for a mixer. All I have is a cheap hand mixer. It works well and you could probably do this without a mixer at all.
High Altitude Oatmeal Cookies
Makes about 4 dozen cookies (if you make em small)
2 C all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
heaping 1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt
1 1/8 C packed light brown sugar1/2 C granulated sugar
1 C unsalted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature
2 lrg eggs, at room temperature
3 Tbsp Milk
2 tsp Vanilla extract
2 1/2 C quick or old-fashioned oats2 C either butterscotch chips or semisweet chocolate chips
Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
In a larger bowl, beat the butter with the brown and white sugars until creamy with a hand mixer.
Add the eggs, one at a time, the milk and the vanilla extract to that mix.
Scrape the bowl down with a plastic spatula, and beat a bit more.
Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, mixing gently with each addition to the wet mix. Do not over mix.
Add the oats and chips. Mix gently until incorporated. Chill the dough in the refrigerator if you have time (for about an hour).
Drop by rounded heaping tablespoons onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicon mat. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10-14 minutes. Watch it closely just before the 10 minute mark. Remove the cookies when they are just a bit underdone, brown on the edges but still gooey in the middle. Let them sit on the hot cookie sheet for another few minutes then transfer to a rack to cool.
High Altitude Oatmeal Cookies
Makes about 4 dozen cookies (if you make em small)
2 C all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
heaping 1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt
1 1/8 C packed light brown sugar1/2 C granulated sugar
1 C unsalted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature
2 lrg eggs, at room temperature
3 Tbsp Milk
2 tsp Vanilla extract
2 1/2 C quick or old-fashioned oats2 C either butterscotch chips or semisweet chocolate chips
Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
In a larger bowl, beat the butter with the brown and white sugars until creamy with a hand mixer.
Add the eggs, one at a time, the milk and the vanilla extract to that mix.
Scrape the bowl down with a plastic spatula, and beat a bit more.
Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, mixing gently with each addition to the wet mix. Do not over mix.
Add the oats and chips. Mix gently until incorporated. Chill the dough in the refrigerator if you have time (for about an hour).
Drop by rounded heaping tablespoons onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicon mat. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10-14 minutes. Watch it closely just before the 10 minute mark. Remove the cookies when they are just a bit underdone, brown on the edges but still gooey in the middle. Let them sit on the hot cookie sheet for another few minutes then transfer to a rack to cool.
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Kate's Ratatouille
I made this one up over the summer because I had an abundance of tasty veggies from a friend's garden. Thanks Bishops! The important parts of this recipe are the eggplant, tomatoes and broth. The other veggies can vary depending on what you have on hand or what's available at the Farmers Market. I eat it with a great bread and farmers cheese, but go your own way folks. Either way YUMMY
Kate's summer veggie Ratatouille
2 small white eggplants chopped into chunks
5 finger eggplants chopped into chunks
1 zucchini chopped into chunks
1 stem of kale
3 large tomatoes chopped into chunks
crushed tomatoes (I had about 10 oz of frozen fresh crushed tomatoes I made from last harvest) (you could probably use a regular can of crushed tomatoes)
small bunch green onion (chopped and just the green)
2 Tbsp honey
1/2 C (or more to your taste) wine or veggie broth (I used Fish Eye Pinot Grigio)((if you don't do alcohol at all try veggie broth)
sea salt
black pepper
sweet basil (I used dry but only because I didn't have fresh)
thyme (dry)
extra virgin olive oil
Chop all the eggplant and zucchini and tomatoes (not including the crushed ones) and toss into a casserole dish, sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper and basil and thyme and drizzle with olive oil. Roast at 425 for about 30 minutes. Once the veggies are done dump the whole thing on top of the crushed tomatoes. I also added one coarsely chopped stem of Kale at this point. Cook on medium heat until boiling then add wine(or veggie broth), honey and green onions to taste and set it on simmer. I had Fish Eye Pinot Grigio and used about a half cup. Simmer it for a while. Serve with bread and cheese or rice. This recipe is basically Ratatouille, but I didn't have any green bell pepper or yellow onion so this is my variation and it was so AMAZINGLY tasty that I enjoyed it all summer.
Kate's summer veggie Ratatouille
2 small white eggplants chopped into chunks
5 finger eggplants chopped into chunks
1 zucchini chopped into chunks
1 stem of kale
3 large tomatoes chopped into chunks
crushed tomatoes (I had about 10 oz of frozen fresh crushed tomatoes I made from last harvest) (you could probably use a regular can of crushed tomatoes)
small bunch green onion (chopped and just the green)
2 Tbsp honey
1/2 C (or more to your taste) wine or veggie broth (I used Fish Eye Pinot Grigio)((if you don't do alcohol at all try veggie broth)
sea salt
black pepper
sweet basil (I used dry but only because I didn't have fresh)
thyme (dry)
extra virgin olive oil
Chop all the eggplant and zucchini and tomatoes (not including the crushed ones) and toss into a casserole dish, sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper and basil and thyme and drizzle with olive oil. Roast at 425 for about 30 minutes. Once the veggies are done dump the whole thing on top of the crushed tomatoes. I also added one coarsely chopped stem of Kale at this point. Cook on medium heat until boiling then add wine(or veggie broth), honey and green onions to taste and set it on simmer. I had Fish Eye Pinot Grigio and used about a half cup. Simmer it for a while. Serve with bread and cheese or rice. This recipe is basically Ratatouille, but I didn't have any green bell pepper or yellow onion so this is my variation and it was so AMAZINGLY tasty that I enjoyed it all summer.
Friday, October 25, 2013
Country Pie
I cannot begin to express how much this recipe and this memory mean to me. This recipe is from my Nana, Polly Capaldi. It is a family favorite from our Matriarch. It honestly brings back memories of my Rhode Island family hanging out in my Nana's kitchen all drinking coffee and cooking and of course chatting up a storm. It reminds me of playing Bocce in my Nana's backyard while passing time away. It brings back memories of sitting in my Mother's kitchen on the window seat patiently waiting for this to come out of the oven. It even brings up recent memories of sharing this with friends in my own home. Either way, I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
NOTE: This recipe is based at sea level so if you live above 5,000 feet like I do you may need to cook it a little longer. Do not however change the oven temp. For everybody, when making the crust it should be the texture of meatloaf and for the filling watch it on how soupy it is because it may be harder to keep pieces together once cooked. It will taste phenomenal either way. It really depends on what tomato sauce you use, so if you have extra soupy sauce add less water.
Country Pie
Crust
1/2 C tomato sauce (whatever kind you like, can even be a can of unseasoned stuff)
1/2 C bread crumbs (preferably Italian seasoning)
1 lb ground beef
1/4 C chopped onion
1/4 C chopped green bell pepper
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp black pepper
Combine all ingredients and mix well by hand like you would meatloaf. Pat into the bottom of a 9" pie plate and flute around the edges. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Filling
1 1/3 C minute rice
1 C water
1 1/2 C tomato sauce (again, use whatever you like, my preference for the filling is Contadina canned)
1 C grated cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp salt
Combine rice, tomato sauce, salt, water, and a 1/4 C cheese. Spoon this mixture into the meat shell. Cover with foil and bake in a 350 degree F oven for 25 minutes. Uncover at that time and top the pie with the remaining cheese (I use extra cheese on top because I like a solid layer). Leave it uncovered and cook for another 15 minutes. Take it out to cool for a few minutes then cut and enjoy.
NOTE: This recipe is based at sea level so if you live above 5,000 feet like I do you may need to cook it a little longer. Do not however change the oven temp. For everybody, when making the crust it should be the texture of meatloaf and for the filling watch it on how soupy it is because it may be harder to keep pieces together once cooked. It will taste phenomenal either way. It really depends on what tomato sauce you use, so if you have extra soupy sauce add less water.
Country Pie
Crust
1/2 C tomato sauce (whatever kind you like, can even be a can of unseasoned stuff)
1/2 C bread crumbs (preferably Italian seasoning)
1 lb ground beef
1/4 C chopped onion
1/4 C chopped green bell pepper
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp black pepper
Combine all ingredients and mix well by hand like you would meatloaf. Pat into the bottom of a 9" pie plate and flute around the edges. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Filling
1 1/3 C minute rice
1 C water
1 1/2 C tomato sauce (again, use whatever you like, my preference for the filling is Contadina canned)
1 C grated cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp salt
Combine rice, tomato sauce, salt, water, and a 1/4 C cheese. Spoon this mixture into the meat shell. Cover with foil and bake in a 350 degree F oven for 25 minutes. Uncover at that time and top the pie with the remaining cheese (I use extra cheese on top because I like a solid layer). Leave it uncovered and cook for another 15 minutes. Take it out to cool for a few minutes then cut and enjoy.
Thursday, October 24, 2013
SIDE NOTE
SIDE NOTE TO ALL RECIPES I POST
For those of my friends in the rooms and those who just don't like to use alcohol...In replacement of any wine in a recipe you can easily use veggie broth or chicken broth. Forgot to note this. There will be a whole post dedicated to alternative ingredients and substitutions. :-)
For those of my friends in the rooms and those who just don't like to use alcohol...In replacement of any wine in a recipe you can easily use veggie broth or chicken broth. Forgot to note this. There will be a whole post dedicated to alternative ingredients and substitutions. :-)
The following recipe is from my Grandmother, Patsy Bagnal. This amazing southern woman can cook like nobody's business. I just happened to be thinking about squash and potatoes because I think its great this time of year. This is so tasty I usually have to make a double batch. The cheese choice makes it. That is the expensive part of the dish, but the remaining ingredients are reasonably cheap. I may even make this for upcoming Thanksgiving.
Potato-Butternut Squash Gratin
from the kitchen of Patsy Bagnal (Grandmother)
Taters and Squash
5 medium Yukon Gold potatoes
1 large butternut squash
2 T butter
1 large sweet onion chopped
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 C shredded Gruyere cheese
Cream Sauce
1/4 C butter
1/3 C all-purpose flour
2 1/2 C milk
1C dry white wine (I use the cheapest stuff which is actually really good...Fish Eye, Barefoot, or Domino Pinot Grigio)
1/4 tsp salt
Peel and thinly slice the potatoes and squash. Cook potato in boiling water for 5 minutes. Add squash to the water and cover, cooking 3 more minutes. Remove from the heat and drain well. Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the onion to the skillet and saute 10-12 minutes. Make the Cream Sauce.
CREAM SAUCE
Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat and whisk in flour until its smooth. Cook whisking constantly for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk and wine and cook over medium heat whisking constantly until sauce is thick and bubbly then stir in the salt.
Layer half the potato slices and squash in lightly greased 13x9 pan and sprinkle with half the salt and half the pepper. Top this with half the onion, cheese and sauce. Repeat those layers ending with sauce. Bake at 350 degrees F for an hour.
Seriously though my mouth is watering just thinking about this one. It is definitely a comfort food day.
Potato-Butternut Squash Gratin
from the kitchen of Patsy Bagnal (Grandmother)
Taters and Squash
5 medium Yukon Gold potatoes
1 large butternut squash
2 T butter
1 large sweet onion chopped
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 C shredded Gruyere cheese
Cream Sauce
1/4 C butter
1/3 C all-purpose flour
2 1/2 C milk
1C dry white wine (I use the cheapest stuff which is actually really good...Fish Eye, Barefoot, or Domino Pinot Grigio)
1/4 tsp salt
Peel and thinly slice the potatoes and squash. Cook potato in boiling water for 5 minutes. Add squash to the water and cover, cooking 3 more minutes. Remove from the heat and drain well. Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the onion to the skillet and saute 10-12 minutes. Make the Cream Sauce.
CREAM SAUCE
Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat and whisk in flour until its smooth. Cook whisking constantly for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk and wine and cook over medium heat whisking constantly until sauce is thick and bubbly then stir in the salt.
Layer half the potato slices and squash in lightly greased 13x9 pan and sprinkle with half the salt and half the pepper. Top this with half the onion, cheese and sauce. Repeat those layers ending with sauce. Bake at 350 degrees F for an hour.
Seriously though my mouth is watering just thinking about this one. It is definitely a comfort food day.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Here goes...the first recipe I am posting is my Aunt Jane Watson's. For me this invokes some great food memories and always will because it has a few of the best food groups, cheese and bacon and is associated with some of the greatest family on the planet. YUM. I not so secretly make extra sauce with this one so I can have some of it on egg noodles for leftovers. My family always pairs this with egg noodles, but go your own way folks. Enjoy.
Chicken Roma
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 envelope Shake and Bake original chicken
1/4 lb shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 C Mayonaise
4 slices cooked bacon chopped
1/2 green bell pepper chopped
Coat the chicken with shake and bake (put it in the bag and shake like the shake and bake box tells you to). Bake in a single layer in a shallow baking pan (casserole dish) at 400 degree F for 40 minutes. Meanwhile combine the cheese, mayo, bacon and pepper. Spread this mix over the top of the chicken and bake another 15 minutes or broil for 5 minutes. NOTE...I make extra bunch of the mayo mix and so in order to make it all melt and not burn I cook the chicken for about 30 minutes then top with mix and cook another 15 minutes. I do not broil it. Also I use more bacon even if I don't make extra mayo mix.
Chicken Roma
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 envelope Shake and Bake original chicken
1/4 lb shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 C Mayonaise
4 slices cooked bacon chopped
1/2 green bell pepper chopped
Coat the chicken with shake and bake (put it in the bag and shake like the shake and bake box tells you to). Bake in a single layer in a shallow baking pan (casserole dish) at 400 degree F for 40 minutes. Meanwhile combine the cheese, mayo, bacon and pepper. Spread this mix over the top of the chicken and bake another 15 minutes or broil for 5 minutes. NOTE...I make extra bunch of the mayo mix and so in order to make it all melt and not burn I cook the chicken for about 30 minutes then top with mix and cook another 15 minutes. I do not broil it. Also I use more bacon even if I don't make extra mayo mix.
Well folks, this is it. I finally started my own blog. I wanted to tell you all a little bit about myself and why I am doing this. For those of you who don't know me, my name is Kate Babb, formally Bagnal. I have an engineer husband and an autistic son. I am currently unemployed, of course I believe deeply that "stay at home Mom" is a crazy busy and highly important job in itself. I have worked in the realms of social work, recreation and education for over 15 years. Some day I may go back, but for now I am hanging with my little man and have started writing a cookbook. This cookbook is the reason for starting my blog. I want to be able to get it all out there little by little while I am organizing and figuring out publishing the actual book. Besides, in my eyes, food and people are the two things I do best. Sooooo...My philosophy is as follows
I want my food to make people happy. I also know that sadly, money helps. So almost in protest of that idea, I have created a huge list of recipes and pantry basics based on the fact that I have been mostly broke for a LONG time and so are most people at least once in life. I of course have a dream pantry list too and recipes I can only make when I get birthday money. I will post those too, I promise. I believe that some of the best ideas in life and cooking are simple ones. You ought to be able to feed your family a wonderful meal with or without a lot of money. Bringing people home to my house for dinner has been a lifelong part of me and I intend to keep it that way. Teaching others how to do these things for themselves and their families is also highly important. I truly believe in community and the power of company.
You will notice a few things along the way. I am highly sarcastic and slightly crazy. I love who I am and who my family is. I have lots of crazy stories and really ought to be writing a book about all that too. I will share stories with you along the way. The recipes come from all over the place. There are family recipes, mine and friends families, recipes I have made up along the way, recipes that I have gotten from random places and adapted. I will try my best to give credit where it is due. I hope this is a good start. I will post a recipe hopefully later today. Please be patient with me also as my son is home on vacation and often makes getting on the computer difficult. Thanks for all the love guys. Please pass on the love and a homemade meal to a homeless person.
Enjoy life,
Kate
I want my food to make people happy. I also know that sadly, money helps. So almost in protest of that idea, I have created a huge list of recipes and pantry basics based on the fact that I have been mostly broke for a LONG time and so are most people at least once in life. I of course have a dream pantry list too and recipes I can only make when I get birthday money. I will post those too, I promise. I believe that some of the best ideas in life and cooking are simple ones. You ought to be able to feed your family a wonderful meal with or without a lot of money. Bringing people home to my house for dinner has been a lifelong part of me and I intend to keep it that way. Teaching others how to do these things for themselves and their families is also highly important. I truly believe in community and the power of company.
You will notice a few things along the way. I am highly sarcastic and slightly crazy. I love who I am and who my family is. I have lots of crazy stories and really ought to be writing a book about all that too. I will share stories with you along the way. The recipes come from all over the place. There are family recipes, mine and friends families, recipes I have made up along the way, recipes that I have gotten from random places and adapted. I will try my best to give credit where it is due. I hope this is a good start. I will post a recipe hopefully later today. Please be patient with me also as my son is home on vacation and often makes getting on the computer difficult. Thanks for all the love guys. Please pass on the love and a homemade meal to a homeless person.
Enjoy life,
Kate
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