Macaroni and Cheese

What kid doesn’t like macaroni and cheese? I know my daughter loves it. Often it is so easy to reach for that box of shelf-stable mac and cheese (who doesn’t love a little Kraft Dinner?) but somehow nothing is as good as home-made ooey, gooey macaroni and cheese with a crispy, cheesey top. The beauty of this recipe is that you can freeze small portions of it to serve later at lunch.

Feel free to add your own creativity to this recipe. Swap out the cheese and try something else that you know your kids like. Or why not throw in some peas or broccoli to add a little vegetable goodness. Personally, I like to serve this with a tossed salad and steamed green beans. If you want to get really decadent fry some bacon or pancetta and mix it in with the noodles before you bake it.

The basis for the cheese sauce is a classic béchamel sauce, a recipe that was also a part of my croque madame sandwich. It is an easy sauce to make and melts the cheese beautifully which makes for such a creamy dish.

Macaroni and Cheese

Serves 6
I use Gruyere and Emmenthal cheese in this recipe because it is a cheese combo that both my husband and daughter love, but you can use any good melting cheese you like, like a good sharp cheddar and a nice domestic fontina for example.

8 Tbsp (1 stick) butter, plus more for dish
6 slices good white bread, crusts removed, torn into 1/4 to 1/2-inch pieces
5 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup flour
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
4 1/2 cups grated Emmenthal cheese (about 18 ounces)
2 cups grated Gruyere cheese (about 8 ounces)
1 pound elbow macaroni

Heat the oven to 375. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside. Place bread in a medium bowl. In a small measuring cup melt 2 Tbsp of the butter in the microwave. Pour butter into the bowl with bread, and toss. Set bread crumbs aside.

In a large measuring cup or bowl heat the milk in the microwave on medium heat for about 4 minutes.

Melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a dutch oven over medium heat. When the butter melts, add flour. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Change to a whisk and slowly pour in the milk. Cook the mixture, stirring constantly, until all the lumps are gone and small bubbles appear and it becomes thick.

Remove from heat and stir in the salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, Dijon mustard, 3 cups Emmenthal, and 1 1/2 cups Gruyere; set cheese sauce aside.

Fill a large pot with water; bring to a boil. Add macaroni; cook 2 to 3 minutes less than manufacturer's directions, until the outside of pasta is cooked and the inside is underdone. (Different brands of macaroni cook at different rates; be sure to read the instructions.) Drain the macaroni and stir it into the cheese sauce. Pour mixture into prepared dish. Sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 cups Emmenthal, 1/2 cup Gruyere and bread crumbs over top. Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes.

Pork Tenderloin Schnitzel

Sorry about the lack of posts. I’ve decided to come up with a new format for this blog. Instead of telling you what to cook for dinner I will give you themed weeks, with recipes to correspond to those themes. You can then pick or choose what to make based on a theme. The idea being that after a few months of this you can log onto Hungry in Hoboken and say “geez, I feel like cooking something light tonight” and then click, you have a recipe. This will involve a little re-design of the website, which will not happen right away, so please be patient.

The first theme I’m going to approach is cooking for kids. I will not pretend to be an expert on what kids will eat. More often than not my daughter’s diet is limited to peas, corn and pasta. But I do remember what I used to like when I was little and I do get some feedback from some of my friends on what their kids eat. Also, I’m a voracious reader of cookbooks and included amongst them are cookbooks that are kid friendly.

So with that in mind I’ve got a meal here for you today. It is pork tenderloin schnitzel with spaetzle and braised cabbage and apples. Spaetzle are tiny dumplings that are boiled in water. My mother used to toss them with melted butter or you can fry them briefly in a frying pan to give them crispness.

My mother made spaetzle often when we were kids and even now my husband loves them and often asks for them. My mother used to take the dough and place it on a cutting board and standing over a boiling pot slice off tiny dumpling after dumpling. I have found a faster way to make spaetzle that uses a food mill. I just dump all the dough in and a couple of turns later all of the dumplings are in the water. You can also use a colander for this purpose, or you can even buy a spaetzle maker which resembles a cheese grater.

Here are the recipes:

Braised Red Cabbage with Apples

Serves 4 to 6

I realize this side dish may be too strange for some kids, but give it a try. The sweet apples and the tangy cabbage are a nice fit with the schnitzel. If you prefer you can serve the schnitzel with steamed carrots instead.

1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 cup chicken broth or water
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
Black pepper to taste
1 small head of red cabbage, shredded
2 medium apples, peeled, cored and sliced
4 tsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp water

In a large frying pan or dutch oven heat the butter and olive oil. Cook the onion until softened. Stir in the broth, vinegar, sugar and salt and pepper. Add the cabbage and reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the apples and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Combine the cornstarch with 2 Tbsp of water and stir it into the sauce and cook until the sauce is thickened. Transfer to a serving dish.

Pork Tenderloin Schnitzel

Serves 4 to 6
Depending on the size of your tenderloin this should serve 4 to 6 people. It makes little individual schnitzels rather than a big one which is more traditional. Kids like little food so this one is popular with kids.

1 pork tenderloin, about 1 pound
Salt and pepper
1 egg, beaten
Flour
3 tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup to 1 cup bread crumbs
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil

Slice the tenderloin into medallion like slices (like you are slicing a loaf of bread). Take the medallions and place them between two sheets of wax paper. With a meat pounder or a rolling pill pound the medallions until they are very thin, about 1/4 of an inch thick.

Set up a breading station, by placing a bowl with flour, a bowl with the beaten egg and a bowl with the parmesan cheese mixed with the bread crumbs.

Sprinkle both sides of the meat with salt and pepper and then dredge each piece in the flour, followed by the egg and finally through the bread crumb mixture.

In a large frying pan melt the olive oil and the butter together. Fry each medallion over medium high heat until nicely browned on each side. Place the medallions in a warm oven until the rest of the meal is finished cooking.

Spaetzle

Serves 4 to 6
This is the old recipe my mother used to make. She would often double it to feed 6 people.

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
Pinch of nutmeg
2 large eggs
1/2 cup water

In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. In a separate bowl beat the eggs and the water. Pour the eggs and water into the dry ingredients. Beat with a wooden spoon to form a sticky dough.

Prepare a large pot of boiling salted water (just like you were making pasta). And using a colander (or whatever method you prefer) drop the dough through the colander into the boiling water (you may need to push it through with the wooden spoon.

The dumplings are cooked when they float to the surface. Remove them from the water with a slotted spoon to a warm bowl and add a pat of butter to the bowl and toss. Or if you prefer you can fry them in a frying pan with butter to crisp them up.

Post Update

Sorry that I haven't posted for a while, but I'm researching some new recipes so keep your aprons on and I'll have some new stuff up soon.

Thanks,
Hilary.

Roasted Sweet Potato and Toasted Pine Nut Salad

Sorry that this is being posted so late in the day. Playgroup takes a lot out of a mother. So, another day, another salad. One of my favorite kinds of salads is the type that combines warm elements with the cool, crisp greens. The greens soften under the heat and the whole becomes this wonderful comforting thing.

Today’s salad is another take on the warm with the cool, a roasted sweet potato salad. Again this recipe is a take on a Donna Hay. Hay’s salads often feature a warm topping on a salad and over the years I have taken much inspiration from her simple recipes. One of the most original was a chorizo and goat cheese incantation, but I’ll save that one for another day.

The salad today is a roasted sweet potato and toasted pine nut salad. No vegetable is not improved by roasting in the oven in my opinion. Hay’s original version of this salad included an avocado, but I chose instead to sprinkle mine with a sharp, hard cheese like asiago. Something about the salty-ness of the asiago goes well with the sweet roasted pumpkin. Use any salty cheese you have on hand, including Parmesan, if you don’t have any asiago.

Roasted Sweet Potato and Toasted Pine Nut Salad

Serves 1

1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
1 Roma tomato cut in quarters
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 Tbsp pine nuts
1 cup baby spinach leaves
2 Tbsp asiago grated or sliced thin
Dressing
3 tsp honey
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400°
On a cookie sheet lined with parchment place the potato and the tomatoes. Drizzle over olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix it all together to get all the pieces covered with olive oil. Place in the oven for 25 minutes, or until the potato is golden and soft.

Sprinkle over the pine nuts and place back in the oven for about 5 minutes, or until the pine nuts start to turn golden.

Place the spinach on a plate and top with the potato, tomato and pine nut mixture. Mix the ingredients of the dressing and pour over top. Sprinkle with the cheese and enjoy. You may like to serve this with a couple of pieces of crusty bread. Enjoy!

Roasted Proscuitto and Bocconcini Salad

It seems weird to eat a salad for a meal in the middle of January, but I feel this salad is really quite hearty and also delicious. Plus, a salad is a really easy thing to eat while sitting on the couch watching TV after a hard day of work. That is really my favorite way to eat a meal, with my feet curled up under me and a blanket on my lap. Heaven.

Anyway, the idea for this recipe comes from a Donna Hay cookbook. If you haven’t checked out Donna Hay yet, please give her books a look. For less of a commitment you can buy her seasonal magazine. I have a subscription and it is like four times a year I get a cookbook.

The beauty of this recipe is to serve the bruschetta while it is warm right on top of your freshly dressed salad greens. If you want to add more fiber and veg to this feel free to add a handful of blanched green beans or asparagus to the salad greens. If you can’t find bocconcini, which are the mini-mozzarella bites, use fresh mozzarella instead cut up into chunks. Dress the salad greens in your favorite tangy vinaigrette (you can get my recipe for a classic French vinaigrette here) or just drizzle the greens with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Roasted Proscuitto and Bocconcini Salad

Serves 1 for a meal, 2 for a starter

1 ciabatta roll split in half
6 bocconcini
6 slices of proscuitto
Olive oil
Pepper

About 2 to 3 cups salad greens
2 Roma tomatoes

Preheat your broiler. Slice the ciabatta roll in half and put it on a cookie sheet and place it under the broiler for about 1 minute or so or until it starts to turn golden.
Take the roll out of the oven and flip over the halves.
Take each bocconcini and wrap one piece of proscuitto around it. Repeat with the remaining bocconcini and proscuitto.
On each half of the roll place three of your bundles. Sprinkle the bruschetta with olive oil and fresh ground pepper and place back under the broiler for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until the cheese is starting to melt and the bread is golden.
Toss the salad greens and the sliced tomatoes with the dressing of your choice. Place the greens on a salad plate and top with the bruschetta. Enjoy!

Pizza with Caramelized Onions and Goat’s Cheese

Who doesn’t love pizza? But sometimes you need a break from the heavy, doughy, pizza loaded with cheese and meat. This pizza is a step away from the norm, a wonderful pizza that is comprised of sweet, caramel-y onions, lemony thyme and smooth goat cheese.

I acknowledge that making pizza dough is a lot of work, but there are a few options out there. If you are like my sister (whom this recipe is for) you have a Kitchenaid mixer, and then all you need to do is throw all the ingredients in the mixer and let it do the work for you. The beauty with this homemade dough and you use half now and then freeze the other half for next time. If you are making this recipe for a family I would advise to make the whole batch and double the onions and the goat’s cheese.

There are other options, you can stop by a pizza place on your way home from work and buy some ready-made dough. Also, most grocery stores sell pizza dough these days. If you find this recipe too much work still for a Tuesday night please remember to keep it on hand and try it some other night, it is delicious.

I usually serve this with a tossed green salad.

Pizza with Caramelized Onions and Goat’s Cheese

Serves 2 as a meal

For the Dough:
1 tsp active dry yeast
½ tsp sugar
2/3 cup lukewarm water
2 cups plain (all-purpose) flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp Herb de Provance

1 Tbsp olive oil

In the bowl of your mixer pour the water. Mix in the sugar and the yeast and set aside for 7 minutes. It should be foamy.
Add the flour, salt, herb mixture and olive oil and with the dough hook set it at the lowest speed. Mix it for a minute, then increase the speed to the next lowest level and let it knead for about 7 to 10 minutes.
Remove from the mixer and place half of the dough on a cookie sheet lined with parchment and top with a clean tea towel and leave to rise until risen a bit, about 45 minutes. Take the other half and wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then put in a freezer safe bag and freeze it to use next time.

For the topping:
2 yellow onions sliced
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sugar

2 Tbsp fresh thyme or 2 tsp dried thyme

About 4 oz of goat’s cheese or as much as you like.

To prepare the onions melt in a large saucepan the butter with the olive oil. Add the onions and sprinkle with the sugar. Cook for about 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions are a nice golden color (the sugar will help with this process). Near the end sprinkle over the thyme.

To prepare the pizza:
Preheat the oven to 425° degrees.
Roll out the dough to the width and length of your cookie sheet. Sprinkle the dough with olive oil and then top with the onions. Break up your goat’s cheese into chunks and sprinkle liberally all over the pizza.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the pizza is golden and the goat’s cheese is starting to turn brown on top. Enjoy!

Panini for Dinner

Sorry that I’ve been missing-in-action for the past month. There has been a lot on my plate, including a trip to Canada to stay with my parents. A little advice for anyone about to travel by air: do not use Northwest Airlines. They are the worst.

Anyway, between the lost luggage and multiple delays I did manage to have a really good visit with my family. My sister just became a homeowner and she is a busy teacher. She asked me to prepare for her a menu that she can use this week for her meals. I was more than happy to oblige.

My sister is an amazing person. She is super kind, loving and so open. My daughter loves her so much and I can understand why. Anyway enough gushing. I’m going to list the whole menu for the week here, and everyday I’ll have the recipe online. Have a good week!

Here’s the menu:

Monday: soppressata, fontina and arugula panini
Tuesday: pizza with caramelized onions and goat cheese
Wednesday: roasted prosciutto and boccini salad
Thursday: toasted pine nut and sweet potato salad
Friday: baked herbed eggs
Saturday: steak sandwiches with garlic aioli

My sister is a huge fan of panini. I remember a few years ago my dad spent a lot of time researching and going to many stores before deciding on the perfect panini press for her. If you don’t have a panini press you can use another heavy frying pan or a saucepan to weigh down the sandwich while it cooks. Just put a couple of cans in the pan on top to add weight. You can even use a brick wrapped in tin foil.

This recipe comes from one of my favorite restaurants in New York. It is called ‘Ino and is a little wine bar in the west village. To be honest, I usually just order from their bruschetta menu, but if you are ever there a panini is worth a look too. The amounts I give here are tenuous, you may like a lot of meat or a lot of cheese in your sandwich. Use an amount you feel comfortable with, but keep in mind you want a compact flattened sandwich.

Soppressata, Fontina and Arugula Panini:

Serves 1

1 Ciabatta roll (or any type of bread you like)
Slices of soppressata
Arugula
Thin slices of fontina cheese (if you can’t find fontina use a Swiss or sharp cheddar)
Olive oil and fresh ground pepper

Preheat your panini grill or your frying pan.

Slice off the top of the ciabatta and then slice in half so that you have two slices of bread.

Drizzle the bread with olive oil and then lay down some soppressata, followed by the arugula and then finally the cheese. Sprinkle with pepper and add the top of the roll. Sprinkle the top of the sandwich with olive oil and place olive oil side down on the press or in your pan. Sprinkle the dry side with more olive oil and close the press for about 4 minutes or until the sandwich is nice and golden. If you are using a frying pan you will need to flip the sandwich to get it to brown evenly. Enjoy!