It’s Fall Cider Time!

can-apple-cider-vinegar-help-gout We are approaching mid-October and still seeing daytime temperatures over 90°F in Southern California. I’m not a cold weather lover, but I do like to have 4 separate seasons and I do appreciate it greatly when we dip into the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s so I can wear my boots, jeans and sweaters and start cooking hearty soups, stews and sip warm drinks by the fire!

Having spent the weekend sweating and getting a sunburn, it was so exciting to wake up today to a gloomy, overcast morning. I turned off the air conditioner, opened up all the windows to let the cool outside air in and grabbed a sweatshirt. Then, even better, I remembered that I have a bowl of apples on the kitchen counter. It’s Cider Time!

Spicy Pressure Cooker Apple Cider

12 Apples (I use a mixture of Granny Smith and Fuji)
1-2 Navel Oranges
3 Cinnamon Sticks
1 Cup Brown Sugar (packed)
6-8 Whole Cloves
1+ 1/2 tsp Ground Cardamom (or 2 Pods)
8 Cups Water

Preparation:

Core the Apples
Cut the Apples and Oranges into Quarters
Place Fruit into the Inner Pot of Pressure Cooker
Add the Spices
Cover with Water
Close the Pressure Cooker, set to High Pressure and Cook for a 10 minute cycle
Quick Release the Pressure and Mash Up the Fruit at the end of the cycle. I use my 3 sided steel meat tenderizer and get after it to make sure the oils from the skin of the apples get agitated and the oils release from the orange skins
Reclose the Pressure Cooker, set to High Pressure and Cook for an additional 10 minute cycle.
When cooking is complete, unplug the Pressure Cooker and allow to come back to natural pressure on its own.
Strain cider through a fine mesh sieve (I use the back of a ladle to push as much out of the solids as I can) into a large bowl or pitcher. You can transfer to a tea kettle on the stove, your crock pot, or a pan to keep warm if you are planning to drink the cider immediately.
Serve with a thin slice of apple or orange and a cinnamon stick if desired.
You can also add cider to bourbon, champagne, or make a fun fall martini with it

Cheers!

If you are on Facebook and are interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to, recipes, food facts, nutritional information, photos and other things that make my mouth water, I have a page on Facebook you can visit too: https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood

Hula Mac

la%20coliseum-usc The college football season is 6 weeks old and finally, this past Saturday, I got to go to a game. I love college football season and missing six games sucked, so I was really anxious to get back into full tailgate mode. I was warned by my fellow tail gaiters, not to overdo it, which I did, but it was SO worth it!

Because the LA Rams are sharing the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum with the USC ramscoliseumday Trojans for the next 3 years, while their new stadium is being built in Inglewood, there are a few game weekends when both teams will be hosting home games. This weekend happened to be one of those weekends which meant USC would be kicking off at 1:00 PM in order to give the Coliseum crew time to the complete stadium changeover that meant an early (and shorter) tailgate. That’s always a challenge, but additionally, Southern California was in the middle of another hot and dry spell which makes bringing and keeping food fresh during the hours on the hot asphalt the hardest task.

Our friend Greg was making a Hawaiian sandwich/burrito/wrap filled with Portugese sausage and fried rice so I wanted to make something that would compliment that but would be easy to prepare, easy to transport and easy to eat while standing around with other football fans.

Hula Macaroni Salad

16 Oz Spiral Pasta
1 – 20oz Can Pineapple Chunks Drained (Reserve Liquid)
3 Cups Cubed Ham
1 Cup Shredded Carrot
1/2 Cup Chopped Green Onion (About 3 Onions)
1 Cup Mayonnaise
Reserved Pineapple Juice from Canned Fruit
1 – 6oz Container Vanilla Greek Yogurt (Non-Fat)
2 TBLS Apple Cider Vinegar
2 TBLS Sugar

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Remove from heat, drain and rinse in cool water.
In large bowl combine the pasta, drained pineapple, ham, carrots and sliced green onion.
In a 4 Cup measuring cup (or bowl) combine the reserved pineapple juice, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar and sugar. Whisk until well combined and sugar is dissolved.
Pour dressing over the salad and use a rubber spatula to distribute throughout.
Refrigerate at least an hour to allow dressing to thicken and flavors to combine.

To make this a truly portable side dish, I combined the pasta, ham, carrot, green onion and pineapple in a gallon-sized Zip Bag and them poured the dressing over the contents, sealed and refrigerated. Made it really easy to put into the cooler until time to serve.

The Diet Can Start Tomorrow

I was scrolling through Twitter this afternoon and saw a “food porn” video for something that made me want to ignore the fact that I really want to lose this post-surgery pudge and get myself into the kitchen using one of the three modes of transportation available to me: my one legged scooter, wheelchair, or my crutches, so I can get into the kitchen to make some of this gooey deliciousness!

All four of the recipes in the video looked fabulous, but the first one, for the peanut butter cup s’mores dip looked too good to be true…

I tried imbedding their video, but nope, not happening. Thank goodness for the internet. Google came to my rescue once again and the recipe was soon found at www.pilsbury.com!

The recipe is so easy to make and has only 3 ingredients!

Peanut Butter Cup S’Mores Dip

1 bag (12 oz) miniature chocolate-covered peanut butter cup candies, unwrapped
2 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows (You can use the big marshmallows if you prefer)
1 Box Graham Crackers

Heat oven to 450°F. Place peanut butter cup candies in single layer in bottom of ungreased 10- or 12-inch cast-iron skillet; top with marshmallows. Bake 5 to 10 minutes or until marshmallows are golden brown and toasted. Serve immediately with graham cracker pieces for dipping.

Dip & Enjoy!

Very Early Holiday Gift Thoughts

christmas-too-early-310x192 Retailers believe it’s never too early to get the holiday decorations out, with some even starting as early as August to start vomiting Christmas all over their stores! I strongly disagree with the practice. Each season and each holiday celebration deserves its own time. Please, please, please let me enjoy Halloween before I have to start thinking about office parties, family Christmas, Chanukah and other end of the year celebrations.

In 2012, I was ready to seek out and high five Chris Matyszczyk of C|Net when he shared that stores decorating for holiday sales and playing holiday music earlier and earlier, was sending people like me online to shop in droves! He even quoted a SOASTA poll with numbers showing how many other people feel just like I do:

75% dislike that stores put up Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving
78% hate holiday music played in stores
75% believe the focus should be on Cyber Monday and not Black Friday

The only way I will even think about the holidays more than a month before they are upon me, is if I am planning to do any homemade gifts. Anything that may require time to prepare containers, labels, and to sit for flavors to blend and deepen, like Lemoncello or other infused alcohol, flavored oils or vinegars, and especialy if I am going to be shipping those gifts, I want to have plenty of time to complete.

hot-honey-940x560 I hadn’t settled on anything of that nature for this year, but did come across an interesting idea, courtesy of an article from the August 2015 edition of Bon Appétit Magazine: Hot Honey. What a great idea for all of my friends who love to entertain, love anything with some kick and would appreciate the personal touch!

Hot Honey

2 -4 Chili Peppers (Any variety, as hot or mild as you’d like)
1 Cup Honey
8 oz Canning Jar

Bring 2 chiles and honey to a bare simmer in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Reduce heat to low and let cook 1 hour to infuse. Taste honey and adjust heat with another chile or 2, remove from stove, and let sit 30 minutes. Transfer to a small jar, straining if desired. Cover and chill.

Do Ahead: Hot honey can be made 3 months ahead. Keep chilled

Bon Appétit readers shared some tips in case you’re using raw honey and don’t want to risk boiling out the health benefits:

If you mix the honey and chiles together and let them infuse at room temperature for a longer period of time before using you won’t have to boil the honey;
Set the steeping container in the sun (like you would sun tea);
Heat but keep temperature below 104°

Suggested Uses:

Add a kick to a cup of hot tea
Sweeten and spice up a spot of whiskey
Brushed on BBQ’d ribs or chicken
Added to sauce for stir fry
Brush on grilled shrimp
Baked apple or pear desserts
Pour over ricotta, goat, or cream cheese and serve with apple slices, vegetables or crackers
Glaze for baked ham or pork chops
Mix into butter for a spicy honey butter (for corn-on-the-cob, cornbread or biscuits)
Add to vinagrette for a spicy-sweet salad dressing

Here’s a bonus recipe that I can’t wait to make myself:

Honey Bourbon Hot Toddy

1/2 Cup Hot Water
1 TBLS Hot Honey
3 TBLS Bourbon (I prefer Maker’s 46 or Marker’s Mark)
1 – 3 1/2″ Strip of Lemon or Orange Peel (I like Orange)
1 Cinnamon Stick

honey-bourbon-toddy-940x560 Stir honey and water in a 1-cup measuring cup until honey dissolves. Add bourbon. Pour into clear Toddy glass or coffee cup. Twist a strip of lemon or orange peel over the drink, then add to glass. Stir with a cinnamon stick and serve.

Now I just need the nights to cool down enough (or I need to lower the air conditioner) so I can justify the warm evening drink 😉

Pumpkin Gingersnap Bars

pumpkingingersnapbars Following the theme of all things pumpkin spice, here’s one that made my mouth water before I got beyond the picture!

I recently started following The Christian Science Monitor for another view on the upcoming Presidential election and came across their Culture – Food section where I was happy to see 22 new ways to use pumpkin in an article today. I can’t wait to try these!

Pumpkin Gingersnap Bars With Cream Cheese Topping

By Amy Deline, The Gourmand Mom (From her Stir It Up Blog Nov. 13, 2013)

2 cups crushed gingersnap crumbs
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 cups pumpkin puree fresh or canned (1 15-ounce can will do the trick)
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1-1/2 cups half-and-half
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Pinch of cloves
1 tablespoon cornstarch
6 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Pinch of ground ginger
Extra gingersnap crumbs for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Combine the crushed gingersnap crumbs with the melted butter. Press in an even layer into the bottom of a 13- by 9-inch baking dish. Bake for 7-8 minutes. Remove from the oven.

3. Meanwhile, whisk together the pumpkin, half-and-half, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, salt, nutmeg, and cloves, until well blended. In a small dish, combine the cornstarch with about 1/4 cup of the pumpkin mixture, until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the pumpkin mixture. Pour the pumpkin mixture over the gingersnap crust.

4. Bake for about 40 minutes.

5. Remove from the oven. Cool at room temperature until no longer hot. Then, cool completely in the refrigerator. Cut into small 1 to 1-1/2-inch squares.

6. Combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and a pinch of ground ginger. Use a pastry bag to pipe a bit of the cream cheese topping onto each square. Sprinkle with extra gingersnap crumbs.

Time For Pumpkin Spice Everything

We are well into September and with the month coming into it’s final week, another season begins. I’m not talking about Fall, I’m talking about Pumpkin Spice Season!

Soon recipes for everything imaginable made with pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, or any combination of nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, and ginger will be popping up on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and menus at nearly every restaurant you visit. Today I had a pumpkin plain cake donut from Dunkin’ Donuts that was unbelievably good!

As a girl who adds nothing to her coffee but a bit of skim milk, I’ve never understood it, but people lose their minds when Starbuck’s announces that the Pumpkin Spice Latte is back! In case you wondered, there are 380 calories in a Grande (i.e. Medium sized) Pumpkin Spice Latte. That’s a lot of calories to commit to a cup of coffee and it doesn’t even have any pumpkin in it!

You can save money, calories and actually include some pumpkin if you use Kitchn’s recipe to make it at home.

Makes 2 drinks

Ingredients
2 tablespoons canned pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, plus more to garnish
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract (add a bit at a time)
2 cups whole milk (You can substitute skim milk)
1 to 2 shots espresso, about 1/4 cup
1/4 cup heavy cream, whipped until firm peaks form

Heat the pumpkin and spices: In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook the pumpkin with the pumpkin pie spice and a generous helping of black pepper for 2 minutes or until it’s hot and smells cooked. Stir constantly.
Stir in the sugar: Add the sugar and stir until the mixture looks like a bubbly thick syrup.
Warm the milk: Whisk in the milk and vanilla extract. Warm gently over medium heat, watching carefully to make sure it doesn’t boil over.
Blend the milk: Carefully process the milk mixture with a hand blender or in a traditional blender (hold the lid down tightly with a thick wad of towels!) until frothy and blended.
Mix the drinks: Make the espresso or coffee and divide between two mugs and add the frothed milk. Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, or nutmeg if desired.

Substitutions

Vanilla: Yes, this recipe calls for two tablespoons (not teaspoons) of vanilla. This sounds like a lot, but it does more than anything else to mimic the intense, even artificial, taste of the syrups used in coffee shops. But feel free to start with less and bump it up as needed.
Milk Fat: This recipe is most satisfying when made with whole milk, but 2% and skim can be substituted.
Canned Pumpkin Substitution: You can substitute 1 teaspoon Torani Pumpkin Spice Syrup for the canned pumpkin if you have it on hand.
Sugar Substitute: You can use a sugar substitute in place of the sugar if desired. Add to taste.
Pumpkin Pie Spice Substitute: No pumpkin pie spice? No problem — use our recipe to make it out of cinnamon, ginger, and other spices: Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix
Espresso Substitute: If you don’t have espresso on hand, you can use strong brewed coffee instead. Increase amount to 1/3 to 1/2 cup.

Recipe Notes

Make a big batch of pumpkin spice mix-in: If you like, you can make a big batch of the pumpkin spice base, and refrigerate. To make 8 full servings , cook 1/2 cup pureed or canned pumpkin with 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice , 1/2 teaspoon black pepper , and 1/2 cup sugar . Stir in 1/2 cup vanilla extract . Refrigerate for up to 1 week and use as desired. To serve, blend 1/3 cup pumpkin spice mix-in with milk until frothy, and add 1 or 2 shots of espresso. Top with whipped cream and serve.

On a side note, I found out some very distressing news about canned pumpkin today. Shape Magazine says most canned pumpkin isn’t really pumpkin. SAY IT ISN’T SO! “According to a report by Epicurious, the majority of canned “pumpkin” on the market is actually an entirely different variety of fruit. 85% of the canned pumpkin in the world is sold by Libby’s, and they grow their own tan-skinned pumpkin cousin, Dickinson squash, to help meet the demand. The kicker: This squash is more similar to a butternut squash than the bright orange pumpkins you’ll be carving up this fall.” Not only did the FDA approve this way back in 1938, it’s a common practice among most of the brands. Hmph!

Ceviche Style Shrimp Cocktail

It may be starting to look like fall in the East, but here in Southern California, we’re getting ready for another 80°+ weekend. It’s late September, and I’m not complaining.

With any luck, I’ll be out of my cast (fingers crossed), my stitches will come out of the four incisions on my foot, and I’ll be able to spend all day Sunday floating in my pool, catching some rays and we’ll BBQ a steak, some fresh asparagus, and some sweet potatoes for dinner.

Well before dinner though, I’m absolutely going to have a couple of these shrimp cocktails (thanks for the recipe Pampered Chef) prepared and ready to have for lunch while I’m lounging!

Ceviche Style Shrimp Cocktail

Ingredients

1 pound shelled, deveined, large cooked shrimp, diced (21-25 per pound)
1/2 medium seedless cucumber, diced
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/4 cup thinly sliced and quartered red onion
1/4 cup snipped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 medium avocado
Coarse salt, lime slices and whole shrimp (optional)
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped

Directions

Combine shrimp, cucumber, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeño pepper and salt in mixing bowl; toss to coat. Cover; refrigerate up to 1 hour before serving.
Immediately before serving, dice avocado and fold gently into shrimp mixture. If desired, rub the rims of four margarita glasses with one lime slice, then dip into shallow dish of coarse salt; spoon salad into glasses. Garnish with lime slices and whole shrimp.

Tip:

For the best texture, do not prepare this recipe more than 1 hour in advance. Once combined with the acidic lime juice, the shrimp will begin to firm up and eventually become tough and rubbery.

Nutrients per serving:

Calories 200, Total Fat 8 g, Saturated Fat 1.5 g, Cholesterol 220 mg, Carbohydrate 8 g, Protein 26 g, Sodium 550 mg, Fiber 5 g

Fired-Up Mac & Cheese

I grew up on Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. The blue box with the skinny little noodles that Mom combined with a 1/4 cup of “Oleo” as she called margarine (she NEVER used butter) and 1/4 cup of low-fat milk was a crowd pleaser to my sister, brother and I. Later she would splurge on the more expensive box of “Kraft Deluxe Macaroni and Cheese” with it’s tiny can of cheese sauce in it, but, to my taste, you still can’t beat the skinny blue box.

Thankfully, as I grew so too did my palate. I rarely pass up a macaroni and cheese on any menu and have developed a couple of favorite styles: Lobster macaroni and cheese, if it has large claw chunks (and not just minced remnants), is my favorite, followed by a good white cheddar shells and cheese prepared with a hint of truffle oil and just a few exotic mushrooms.

When I’m cooking Macaroni and Cheese, I like it to have enough flavor, that if I served nothing else beside it, except maybe a tossed green salad, it could stand alone as a “Meatless Monday” main dish. You won’t need a fire extinguisher nearby for this spirited macaroni and cheese, but you certainly won’t fall asleep while you’re eating it either.

Lisa’s Fired-Up Mac & Cheese

1 – 16oz Box Cellentani Pasta (I use Barilla)
8 TBLS Butter / Divided
1/2 Cup Flour
3 1/4 Cups Whole Milk
1 tsp Dry Mustard
3/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp White Pepper
3 Tsp Chili Powder
1/4 Cup Hot Pepper Sauce (I prefer Frank’s Red Hot)
1 1/2 Cups + 1/4 Cup (for sprinkling on top) Shredded Pepper Jack Cheese
2 + 1/4 Cup (for sprinkling on top) Cups Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
3/4 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
2/3 Cup Panko

Before you start, I have a couple of tips.

If you can’t find shredded Pepper Jack or Sharp Cheddar you can always use the packaged slices and tear them up. Generally the 8 ounce package should equal about 1 1/2 Cups. Use your own judgement. I usually err on the side of too much cheese in that type of situation and gauge it based upon the thickness of my sauce. You can always thin (God Forbid) a bit with milk if you think it’s too thick.
You can use any macaroni type noodle you prefer (elbow, shell, spiral) but I prefer the Cellentani because it combines the features of a slightly larger elbow with a spiral and then throws in some textured grooves so you get as much of the sauce grabbing to it as possible in each bite.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F
Prepare 2 – 13 x 9 Pyrex baking dishes (I use the deepest ones I have), or 1 deep dish throw away baking pan, by buttering the sides and bottoms – then set aside while you prepare the ingredients.
In a large stock pot, boil your pasta according to package directions. Drain, rinse and pour into largest mixing bowl you have. Set aside.
In a large sauce pan over medium heat melt 4 TBLS butter. Whisk in the flour and cook about a minute while constantly whisking then begin stirring in the milk about a 1/2 cup at a time until it’s well combined.
Stir in the spices and 1/4 Cup of the hot sauce. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
Remove from heat and stir in cheeses (not the cheese reserved for the top) until melted and smooth.
In a small pan melt the remaining 4 TBLS butter and stir in the bread crumbs.
Combine the remaining cheeses together.
Pour the sauce over the macaroni and, using a large rubber spatula, stir until all of the pasta is well coated.
Divide the pasta between the 2 prepared pans
Sprinkle 1/2 of the remaining cheese mixture over the top of each and put the pans, uncovered into the oven.
Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until the cheese sauce is bubbling and beginning to brown on top.
Slide the baking dishes out of the oven and set the oven temperature to broil
Divide the panko mixture between the two pans and return to the oven
Watch the pans carefully and remove from the oven as soon as your crumbs begin browning.

Make sure you’ve got a bottle of hot sauce out for anyone who wants to spice it up even more! Serve your macaroni and cheese with a salad as a dinner on it’s own, alongside burgers, steaks, or inside a great steak/brisket/tri-tip sandwich!

Pressure Cooker “BBQ” Brisket

Inspired by this picture of a decadent BBQ Brisket Macaroni & Cheese Burger, tweeted out yesterday by @FoodPorn, which, while it looks like an orgasm in food form, few of us could actually take down in a single seating, I went to the internet to find the recipe so I could surprise my husband with this culinary monstrosity.

But, lo and behold, there was no credit for the photo, and no linked recipe. What’s a Food-a-holic to do? Careful deconstruction of the photo and reconstruction using my favorite recipes for the parts, of course!

So, obviously there is a pile of gorgeous, juicy BBQ’d Brisket piled on top of what looks like a lightly toasted brioche bun. I see some beautiful, but not overly gooey macaroni and cheese and a hint of coleslaw spilling out the side, but what I am not seeing is a burger patty. Hmmm.

After carefully considering my options I went to my recipe file to start on the main ingredient: the BBQ Brisket. Because I am still essentially confined to my bed or a recliner with my leg elevated from my surgery 10 days ago, manning the BBQ is out of the question, so plan B is immediately enacted: Pull the pressure cooker out of the cupboard!

Lucky for me (and hopefully for you!), Emeril Lagasse has recipes adapted for using the pressure cooker on his website, and brisket happens to be one of them!

Emeril’s Fastest BBQ Brisket

4 1/2 pounds beef brisket, trimmed and quartered
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon chili powder
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
1 medium yellow onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, sliced
One 12-ounce bottle lager beer
1 cup your favorite barbecue sauce
1/4 cup light brown sugar
Brioche or slider buns for serving
your favorite coleslaw for serving (we’ll be using my recipe for coleslaw: Lisa’s Kicked Up Memphis Coleslaw)

Place the brisket in a large bowl, add the Worcestershire sauce, paprika, mustard, chili powder, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and toss. Let the brisket marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature.
When ready to cook, season the beef with the salt.
Set a 6-quart pressure cooker to the “browning” program. When it is hot, add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and brown the beef in batches. As it is browned, transfer the beef to a baking sheet and set aside.
When all the brisket is browned, add the onion and garlic to the pressure cooker and cook for 6 minutes, or until the onion is soft and slightly translucent. Return the beef to the pressure cooker and add the beer, barbecue sauce, and brown sugar. Close and lock the lid, and set to “high pressure” for 1 1/2 hours.
Open the pressure release valve, allow the steam to escape, and carefully unlock and open the lid. Transfer the beef to a baking sheet, and when it is cool enough to handle, thinly slice it across the grain.
Set the pressure cooker to the “simmer” program. Return the beef and any accumulated juices to the cooker and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
Serve the brisket on slider buns, topped with the coleslaw.
The brisket can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

If you are going to also add macaroni and cheese, as in the photo above and like I am, I will be using my recipe for Fired-Up Mac & Cheese.

Spicy Spiral Mac & Cheese

spicyspiralmacncheese This is my twist, no pun intended, on a zippy macaroni and cheese that can be served as a side to liven up any burger, steak or chicken main dish. There is nothing timid or Low-Cal / Low-Fat about this dish. You’ve been warned.

I’m intending to pile it on top of my BBQ Brisket Sandwiches tomorrow night. Yummy!

Spicy Spiral Mac & Cheese

1 1/2 Cups Cellentani Pasta
4 TBSP Butter
1/4 Cup Flour
3 Cups Whole Milk
1 tsp Dry Mustard
3/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Ground White Pepper
3 tsp (or more to taste) Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
1 Cup Shredded Pepper Jack Cheese
1 1/2 Cups Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1/2 Cup Shredded Parmesano/Reggiano/Asiago Blend
2 tsp Chili Powder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. A little at a time, whisk in milk, mustard, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute, then remove from heat and whisk in Pepper Jack, Cheddar and P/R/A blend until smooth. Stir in cooked pasta and pour into shallow 2 quart baking dish.
Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter, stir in chili powder. Sprinkle over macaroni mixture.
Bake in preheated oven 30 minutes, or until edges start to brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

TIP: For a crispier top, you can mix in 3 TBLS bread crumbs with the butter and chili powder and sprinkle on top.

Are you on Facebook? You might be interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to: recipes, food facts, nutritional information, photos and other things that make my mouth water. I may not write a blog post every day, but there are daily updates to my This Girl Loves To Eat community at: https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood

Spicy Pressure Cooker Apple Cider

Cheers!

Share this:

Hula Macaroni Salad

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Substitutions

Recipe Notes

Share this:

Tip:

Nutrients per serving:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: