How to Make Roasted Garlic
15 Feb 2012 2 Comments
in bread/muffins, Pasta, side dishes
OK, so during our lots o’ time at home together with my boys being sick, we’ve been watching a LOT of the Food Network. Yesterday afternoon, after the boys all said “hey y’all” several times with Paula Deen, they left the room to play something and I half-watched while making headbands.
It was an old episode where Paula makes Zesty Roasted Garlic Bread and lasagne. And she makes a lasagne sandwich out of a half-loaf of bread…I literally watched this with my mouth hanging open, aghast at what I was watching…you won’t believe the last 15 seconds of this video:
Right.
Ok. Moving on.
I decided after watching, though, that I did want to roast my own garlic, and remembered that I’d pinned a how-to to Pinterest via For the Love of Cooking a few weeks ago. I checked both recipes, and decided on this combination for my first try:
1 head of garlic
1 tsp olive oil
sea salt
Preheat oven to 400. Cut the tops off all the heads of the cloves of garlic (but leave it all together – no need to separate the cloves)…doesn’t have to be perfect, and you can leave the papery skin on it, too.
Set the head of garlic on a small square of foil that’s big enough to close around the head. Drizzle olive oil over the top, sprinkle lightly with sea salt, and close up the packet.
Put the foil-wrapped garlic on a cookie sheet, and bake for 30 minutes.
Let it cool slightly, and you should just be able to squeeze the roasted garlic from the head and into a bowl.
this was just one clove that i pulled away, but you really don't need to do that...just squeeze the whole head of garlic and all of the delicious, roasted goodness comes right out!
Smash it up.
I mixed mine with half a stick of softened butter (not two sticks, as Paula suggests), about a tablespoon or a little more of parsley flakes (I didn’t have fresh), a little bit of fresh ground pepper, and a little shake of dried basil. I didn’t add salt because I used salted butter, so I think that’s enough.
I just stuck this in the fridge to use in the future. It’ll be great on french bread (just broil it for a minute or two to get it melty and the edges crispy), and I’m even thinking that when I make eggs tonight for dinner, I’ll use just a bit of it either to season the pan or butter toast for egg and cheese sandwiches.
I’ll post more uses for roasted garlic as I try out new recipes!
Martha Stewart’s Creamy Mac-and-Cheese
19 Dec 2011 Leave a Comment
in casserole, company's coming!, Pasta, side dishes
Holy amazing. This is the best homemade mac-n-cheese I have ever had. Little bit of a spice to it so my kiddos wouldn’t eat it. They did try it though 
BUT, I’ll still make it again. So good. Some neighbors had a get together with catered bbq and this was great with it.
Serves about 12 so definitely a good recipe for a get together.
- 1 stick unsalted butter, plus more for casserole (I actually bought unsalted butter for this and then forgot to use it and it was fine)
- 6 slices white bread, crusts removed, torn into 1/4-1/2 inch pieces (really I just quickly ripped it apart)
- 5 1/2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tspns coarse salt
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 4 1/2 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese
- 1 1/4 cups grated romano cheese
- 1 pd elbow macaroni
Preheat oven to 375. Butter a 3 qt casserole dish; set aside. Place the bread in a bowl. In a small saucepan melt 2 tablespoons butter. Pour the butter into the bowl with the bread, and toss. Set the breadcrumbs aside.
Warm the milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Melt the remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. When the butter bubbles, add the flour. Cook, stirring, 1 minute.
While whisking, slowly pout int he hot milk a little at a time to keep mixture smooth. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick 8-12 minutes.
Remove the pan from heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups cheddar cheese, and 1 cup romano; set cheese sauce aside.
Boil pasta until outside of pasta is cooked and inside is underdone, 2-3 minutes. Transfer the macaroni to a colander and rinse under cold running water. Stir the macaroni in to the reserved cheese sauce.
Pour the mixture into the prepared dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup romano, and the breadcrumbs over the top. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.
Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta
15 Dec 2011 Leave a Comment
in at least one kid ate it, chicken, Pasta
Tonight was one of those look-in-the-fridge-and-freezer-and-make-something-happen-for-dinner kind of nights!
And it turned out great! EDITED TO ADD: I just read Sonya’s recipe that she posted yesterday, and laughed out loud…this is practically the same thing!! Oh well
Bennett devoured, Luke and Jack Henry ate it ok, and Matt and I really liked it.
1 1/2 cups of chopped, cooked chicken (for me, this is the perfect recipe to use up some dark meat from a rotisserie chicken that I’d put in the freezer a couple of weeks ago)
4 oz light cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup of skim milk (more if needed)
3 Tbl (more if you’d like) jarred pesto
1/4 cup shredded parmesan
black pepper
Half a box of pasta, cooked according to package directions (we used Rotini, but whatever you have would be fine)
Boil the water and cook the pasta. While that is cooking, mix together the cream cheese, milk and pesto, and then add in the parmesan and chicken.
Drain the pasta, mix in the other ingredients, top with black pepper, and you’re finished. Add more milk to make it creamier.
Variations: I think feta would be good with this, too, but in an effort to make it more kid-friendly, I used parmesan.
Next time, I’m adding in chopped broccoli. Somehow, a bag of frozen broccoli that I swear I had was missing, so that didn’t happen tonight as planned, but it would be good in this.
Pesto chicken stuffed shells
14 Dec 2011 1 Comment
in chicken, company's coming!, Cooking for 2, freezes well, Pasta
I found this recipe on my new obsession, pinterest. I’ll be honest, I thought this was good. Kirk thought is was great. I, personally, like the other chicken pesto recipe on here a little better. But, since Kirk liked this better, I thought I would save it here and still make it on occasion because I did like it. The kids, not at all. Ugh.
12-16 jumbo pasta shells
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup freshly grated parmesan + 1/4 cup for topping
3 tablespoons prepared pesto
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 cloves garlic, minced
In a large pot, boil water and prepare pasta shells as directed on package. Cook pasta shells only until al dente. The pasta will finish cooking when the dish is baked. Drain the pasta shells and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients, except the 1/4 cup of cheese for the topping. Fill the pasta shells with the filling and place in a baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese over filled shells.
Preheat oven to 350 and bake shells uncovered for 30 minutes or until shells are bubbling hot and cheese melts.
2 things I do love about this dish….
1. I made it in a 9×9 so there wasn’t a TON of leftovers. I can only do leftovers for one meal, can’t do the same meal a third time. Yuck.
2. You can make this ahead/freeze it. To freeze prepare as directed in oven and freezer proof baking dish. When ready to eat, defrost. Preheat oven to 350 and bake for 35-40 minutes. Because of this, I will probably double the recipe next time and make an extra meal!
Chicken Fajita Orzo
20 Oct 2011 Leave a Comment
First, I must warn you: there was much gagging by the Diehl children when I served this. Wailing and gnashing of teeth, too. It was not a favorite.
But I’m posting here because Matt and I did like it. I modified a bit from the original in an attempt to get my kids to eat it, but it didn’t work. However, we liked it this way, so here it is!
1 lb orzo (I used more like 10 oz, I think)
1 Tbs olive oil
4 chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 large bell pepper, diced (or you can slice it for a more “fajita” look – however, I KNEW that would go over bad, so I though mincing might make it ok. I was wrong.)
1 large onion, diced or sliced thin
Salsa, probably about 16 oz, whatever you like
shredded cheddar
sour cream and cilantro (optional)
Prepare orzo according to box directions. Drain, and set aside.
As you start the water boiling for the orzo, heat oil in skillet and add chicken. Cook for a few minutes over medium heat, and then add peppers and onions. Cook until done.
Toss orzo with chicken mixture and salsa in the skillet. Sprinkle cheddar over the top.
Serve with sour cream and cilantro, if desired. We were out of cilantro but we did use sour cream, and we loved it! The leftovers today for lunch were pretty tasty as well.
Bacon, Ranch, and Chicken Mac and Cheese
13 Aug 2011 1 Comment
in at least one kid ate it, casserole, chicken, Pasta
This was a hit tonight! Even Andrew, the pickiest eater EVER, loved it. Wahoo!!!
The combination of onion and garlic powders plus fresh dill creates a flavor similar to ranch dressing.
8 oz uncooked elbow macaroni
1 slice applewood-smoked bacon (not enough for us, next time I’ll use 2 slices)
8 oz skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into pieces (again, next time I’ll use more)
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 1/2 cups fat free milk
1/2 cup fat free cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
3/4 cup shredded six cheese Italian blend
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp chopped fresh dill
1/2 tsp salt
cooking spray
1/2 cup shredded colby-Jack cheese
1. Cook pasta according to pkg directions, omitting salt and fat, drain.
2. Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings in pan. Finely chop bacon;set aside. Increase heat. Add chicken to drippings in pan; saute 6 minutes or until done.
3. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; sprinkle flour evenly into pan. Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk. Combine milk and soup, stirring with a whisk; gradually add milk mixture to saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat; let stand 4 minutes or until sauce cools to 155. Add Italian cheese blend, onion powder, garlic powder, dill, and salt, stirring until cheese melts. STir in past and chicken.
4. Preheat broiler.
5. Spoon mixture into an 8 inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with reserved bacon and colby-Jack cheese. Broil 3 minutes or until cheese melts.
PW’s Pasta with Pesto Cream Sauce
11 Jun 2011 6 Comments
in at least one kid ate it, Pasta
When I saw the Pioneer Woman’s post for this recipe, I could not wait to try it, knowing that I had fresh basil out in my garden just waiting to be picked! I made a couple of minor changes, and I didn’t include the chopped tomatoes (none in the garden yet, and I wasn’t going to the store, AND my kids won’t eat them). I also swapped out the heavy cream for half and half, and didn’t feel like it was lacking…in fact, next time, I’m using fat-free half and half. And, I used a little less olive oil than the recipe called for, too.
It was amazingly delicious, and so simple. I gave each of the kids a little bit, and Bennett immediately asked for more! The other two also ate it, though were content with their small serving.
¾ cups Fresh Basil Leaves
½ cups Grated Parmesan Cheese
3 Tablespoons Pine Nuts
2 large cloves Garlic, Peeled
Salt And Pepper, to taste
⅓ cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ cups Half and Half
2 Tablespoons Butter
¼ cups Grated Parmesan (additional)
12 ounces, weight Pasta (cavitappi, Fusili, Etc.)
2 whole Tomatoes, Diced
Cook pasta until al dente.
Add basil leaves, 1/2 cup Parmesan, pine nuts, and salt (you can omit this) and pepper to a food processor or blender. Turn machine on, then drizzle in olive oil while it mixes. Continue blending until combined, adding additional olive oil if needed. Set aside.
Heat cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add pesto and stir.
Drain pasta and place in a serving bowl. Pour pesto cream over the top. Toss to combine. Add diced tomatoes and toss quickly. Serve immediately.
Low-Cal Fettucine Alfredo
15 Mar 2011 1 Comment
in at least one kid ate it, Pasta
I love, Love, LOVE fettucine alfredo. I have for years. But I almost never, ever eat it (and especially won’t order it in a restaurant) because it’s just so high in fat. And the low-fat recipes I’d tried over the years just didn’t measure up.
So when I saw a recipe in the Food Network magazine for a low-cal version, I was a bit skeptical. And then my brother and sister-in-law told me they’d tried it already, and that it was really good. I decided to give it a try.
It was delicious…you won’t mistake it for its heavy-cream-cousin, the real thing, but it’s really good and I’ll make it again. I’ve included a couple of very small changes from the original.
1 Tbl butter
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest (original calls for 1 tsp…I think I’d prefer it a little less lemony)
2 tsp all-purpose flour
1 cup low-fat (2%) milk
Kosher salt
2 Tbl 1/3 less fat cream cheese
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping*
3 Tbl chopped fresh parsley
12 ounces fettuccine (it calls for fresh fettucine, but I used boxed – and I used the Culinaria brand from Schnucks and it was really good – seriously, much better than the other boxed brands)
Freshly ground pepper
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta and return to the pot.
As soon as you start boiling the water, make the sauce: melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and lemon zest and cook until the garlic is slightly soft, about 1 minute. Add in the flour and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, whisking constantly, until just thickened, about 3 minutes. Add the cream cheese and parmesan; whisk until melted, about 1 minute. Stir in the chopped parsley.
Add the sauce and 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water to the pasta and gently toss to combine, adding more cooking water as needed to loosen. Season with salt. Divide among bowls and top with parmesan and pepper.
*If you use grated parmesan from the can, it won’t be as sticky as if you use shredded. However, grated can parm doesn’t melt that well, so it may give the sauce a bit of texture. Really, it’s whatever you prefer or have on hand…I like the parmesan to melt, which means dealing with it sticking, but I don’t care.
Mostaccioli
12 Mar 2011 Leave a Comment
in at least one kid ate it, beef, casserole, company's coming!, Pasta
So, I don’t make this all that often because, 1. It makes a TON and 2. it is sort of time consuming. BUT, it’s great for a big gathering and gets great reviews every time I make it. It’s usually a hit for family birthday parties, big family gatherings, etc.
2 lbs lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced (I’m lazy and use the already minced garlic in a jar)
28 oz diced tomatoes (I think I usually use the petite cut diced tomatoes)
24 oz can tomato sauce
6 oz can tomato paste
1 tsp salt
2 tsp basil
1 and 1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 lb pepperoni, thinly sliced
1 1b box mostaccioli noodles
1 and 1/2 lbs mozzarella cheese
1/2 lb sliced mushrooms
In a skillet, brown the beef, onion and garlic; drain off all excess grease. In a large pot, put meat mixture, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt, basil and oregano. Simmer for 1 and 1/2 hours. (**I know I do not simmer quite this long because I get impatient. Really, I should just start putting everything together earlier!) Add pepperoni and mushrooms to tomato mixture. Cook for 30 minutes. Cook noodles to desired texture. Mix the noodles with the tomato mixture. Spray and 11 x 15 baking dish with cooking spray. Alternate the mixture in the baking dish with the cheese. Bake, covered, for 45 minutes at 350; uncovered for an additional 15 minutes.
***I thought of this recipe for a couple of reasons. One, I’m starting to try and think of great meals to make ahead of time because I have baby #4 coming in just 9 short weeks. I’m thinking this could be a good freezer meal, thought I haven’t tried it before. Two, I’m thinking this might be a good one to put in a 9 x 13 for another family and then make a much smaller dish with what’s left for us if I need to do that in the future.
New Twists on Old Favorites
16 Nov 2010 2 Comments
in at least one kid ate it, Pasta, sandwiches, side dishes
The other night I made a new pork chops dish that I wasn’t sure would go over big with the boys (and I was wrong, thankfully…they loved it! I’ll post it soon). I wanted to make a side dish that I thought would get eaten, but didn’t really have anything in mind, and I was running out of time.
Being that necessity is the mother of invention…
I cooked up the rest of a box of orzo pasta, drained it, and added some butter, some grated parmesan (I would have shredded some if I’d had time), a little garlic salt and some black pepper. It was really good – the older two boys gobbled theirs right up! We called it garlic bread pasta because, well, it tasted like garlic bread. Quick, easy, and eaten – hooray!
—-
Our new favorite grilled cheese sandwiches, which go well with soup or just about anything, are made like this:
Slices of some kind of good, white bakery bread
Slices of provolone cheese (or muenster would be good, too)
Butter
Garlic salt
Lightly butter the bread and lightly sprinkle with garlic salt.
Make a grilled cheese!
These are so amazingly delicious you won’t believe it. They are also really good cut up into small cubes and thrown INTO soup like croutons.
