QBK’s Mac and Cheese

8 ounces macaroni or similar pasta concoction (I use gemelli or small shells to switch things up)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
8 ounces heavy cream, room temperature
¼ cup milk, room temperature
Splash of white wine
At least 1 ½ cups shredded/cubed cheese, as you prefer (I usually use sharp cheddar and blue cheese crumbles, but tonight it’s cheddar, blue cheese and Italian 6 cheese Sargento shred)
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
Salt and pepper to taste

(Optional for panko crust:  1 cup panko crumbs, additional 2 tablespoons butter)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare an ice bath to shock the pasta.  Cook pasta 2 minutes less than al dente instructions on package.  Drain in colander and place the colander in the ice bath just long enough to chill it (if you leave it in too long the cheese sauce won’t stick).  Drain again and set aside in the fridge.

Grease medium-sized casserole dish.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat.  Stir in the flour till smooth (don’t overcook), then whisk in the heavy cream, milk, and wine.  Stir this till mixture is smooth and slightly thickened.  Add shredded/cubed cheese and cream cheese, and stir till melted.  Add salt and pepper.  Stir in chilled pasta, then dump mixture into prepared casserole dish.

(Optional:  Melt additional 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan.  Add panko and stir till toasted, approximately 5 minutes.  Sprinkle crumb mixture atop pasta and cheese mixture in casserole dish.)

Cover casserole and place in oven for 30 minutes, then remove cover and bake for 10 additional minutes.

To quote my baby bro, “this is the best f****n’ mac and cheese EVER.”

BaconSlut's Slutty Chicken Salad With Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette

The salad ingredients are just the stuff I lob into a bowl.  The dressing comes from the book "Savoring The Seasons Of The Northern Heartland", authored by local horz Beth Dooley and Lucia Watson.  This recipe is a nummy way to use up leftover roasted chicken or turkey. 

To taste, toss the following in a bowl:

*cooked turkey or chicken (preferably cooked skin on and bone in), chopped
*chopped celery
*1 part tart apple (Granny Smith) to one part sweet apple (Honeycrisp or Sweetango), chopped and with skins on.
*well-peppered, crisp thick-cut bacon, crumbled
*chunks of aged white cheddar cheese
*freshly ground black pepper
(I don't add salt on account of the previously seasoned poultry, cheese and bacon.)


The dressing that, along with the previous ingredients, will get you SO LAID!  (Also great as a basting sauce for pork, poultry or salmon.)  If possible, make this a day or two prior to using to allow the flavors to groove.

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar (Spectrum Organic unfiltered is the bomb!)
3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 shallots, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon smooth Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon coarse mustard
2/3 cup maple syrup (the real stuff, horz, none of that Log Cabin crap!)
1 cup vegetable oil (canola oil doesn't work well)

Put all the ingredients, except the oil, into a blender.  Blend on high, then pour in the oil in a slow stream and process  until thick. 

Ho-Made Tartar Sauce by BaconSlut

This is one of those recipes, where once you make it and taste it, you will NEVAH go store-bought again.  It's wunnerful with roasted walleye, rinsed, patted dry, then rubbed with olive oil and seasoned with thyme, sea salt and freshly ground pepper.  Finish with a spray of fresh lemon juice.  The recipe comes from "Savoring The Seasons Of The Northern Heartland", by Beth Dooley and Lucia Watson. 

1 1/2 cups homemade mayonnaise or good quality prepared mayonnaise (I usually just use Hellman's)
1 dill pickle, minced
2 shallots, peeled and minced, or two tablespoons chopped scallions
1 tablespoon chopped capers  (I use salt-packed capers and rinse and soak them for about 15 minutes prior to chopping.)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Whisk everything together and get a stack of napkins.  You will need them to clean up the drool!

Bacon Sluts Tuna Sandwich (the jokes write themselves)

Because the chat is down, BaconSlut has resorted to food porn.  God only knows what the rest of you have resorted to.

*Note:  Needing to measure shit is one of my biggest pet peeves.  I don't do it.   Ever.   But I know that you talented culinary horz will feel me on this recipe.  Commando in the kitchen, always!  :D

1.  Getcherself a 5 oz. can of solid light tuna, packed in olive oil.  (My go-to brand is Genova.)  Drain it, lob it into a bowl, and break it up with a fork.

2.  To  taste and chopped, 1 hard-boiled egg, celery, and red onion.  Plus, some finely grated carrot.  Gently mix together.

3.  Add a pinch or two of dried (or fresh, if you have it) dill weed, as well as a healthy dose of  freshly ground pepper.  No salt needed. 

4.  Toss in about two tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice, and about 1 tablespoon of bottled avocado oil.  Mix gently, and throw into the fridge to chillax for an hour or two.  Mayo?  What mayo?

5.  Toast a single slice of your favorite bread.  Lump some of the tuna-liciousness on top.  Finish it all off with your favorite cheese (Gouda, anyone?)  before broiling that bad boy until everything is warm and the cheese is brown and bubbly.

Florida-style Fish Tacos

Mango Salsa Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and diced (about 1 1/2 cup)
• 1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
• 1 Jalapeño chile, green pepper or red pepper, diced within an inch of it's life.
• 1 small cucumber, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
• 3 Tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
• 3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

If you don't know how to dice a mango, you lay it on a counter, then slice it open around the seed at the 'equator'.  Place it in the palms of your hands and twist in opposite directions.  Score the flesh as close to the skin as possible then push the bottom center of the skin up like you are putting it inside-out.  Cut the spikes.  Take the other side of the mango and remove the seed and do the same.

Here's somewhat the same technique on youtube

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If the salsa ends up being a little too hot or acidic for your taste, you can temper it by adding some diced avocado.

Cook some white flaky fish (talapia, mahi-mahi, etc) by marinated it with lime juice, salt and pepper then putting it in a pan with a little oil.  Flake the fish and put on a white tortilla and top with the salsa.  

Hungarian Pork Chops

 

From  My Family Recipe Rocks

Servings: 8

Provided by: Carnie Wilson

 

• 8 thinly cut pork chop ( bone in gives more flavor)

5 tablespoons butter, dived by 2, 2 and 1 tab

1/2 cup all purpose flour

2 tablespoons Hungarian Sweet Paprika

1 teaspoon salt ( pink Himalayan, or sea salt)

1 teaspoon fresh black pepper

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon dried dill

1 cup sour cream

1 -2 cups chicken broth

1 cup white wine

1/2 cup warm water

1/2 lemon

1 lg Spanish onion, sliced into rings

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup sauerkraut, rinsed and drained

1 1b. Mushrooms, sliced

1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill (for garnish)

1 bag wide egg noodles

Poppy seeds ( 1/ 4 teaspoon)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the flour, one tablespoon of the paprika, salt, pepper, onion powder, dried dill in a big grocery paper bag. Shake up the ingredients to mix. Place the chops in them and then shake around like "shake and bake" to toss and coat the chops with mixture. Save the bag after.
Heat a huge skillet, add 2 tablespoons of butter and when it sizzles add the chops to the skillet. Saute over medium heat until brown on both sides (about 3 minutes per side.) Don't crowd pan while sauteing -- saute in two batches adding more butter if necessary. Remove the chops and place in a large heavy covered Dutch oven.
In the skillet, add the remaining two tablespoons butter and then add the onions and garlic, stirring and cooking. When getting soft, add the mushrooms and cook for two minutes. Pour the veggies over the chops in the pan. In the skillet, add the other tablespoon butter and sprinkle with the flour and then sprinkle any remaining seasoning left over from bag that you tossed the chops with. Using a whisk, Scrape up the bits and mix. Then, add a cup of chicken broth, the wine, the warm water and break up all the loose bits stuck on bottom of pan. Let it simmer for about two minutes. Add the lemon juice. Add the sauerkraut and the other tablespoon paprika to the sauce and stir to combine. Test for seasoning and thickness. If it's too thick, add water or broth, test for saltiness, stir in the sour cream, but don't scream, yourself. How good does it look? LOL.
Pour mixture over chops, lifting them slightly so everything gets a little sauce! Bake the covered casserole for 1-1/2 hours or until chops are totally tender and falling off bone.
Prepare the noodles according to package directions.
Toss the noodles with a tablespoon of butter and the poppy seeds.
Put noodles on a large serving platter. Spoon a little sauce with onions and mushrooms on the noodles. Place the pork chops on the noodles, in any pattern you'd like. Then pour all the sauce on top of chops and sprinkle with the fresh dill. Serve family style and enjoy!


comment:  quoted from page,

"Recipe turned out great. I made a few changes. I used boneless chops because a pork loin was $1.97/lb. and pork chops were $3.99/lb.. I used 1 1/2 cup chicken stock and omitted the water. Added 1 tablespoon Vegeta (an all purpose seasoning) for a more European taste. Added the sour cream after the chops were done (as in the video/show). If you add the sour cream before baking, the sour cream will curdle. Increased the sauerkraut to 1 cup, because it didn't seem like enough. Next time, I'll add even more sauerkraut. In the show, she added lemon juice in the beginning and with the sour cream after cooking. I didn't think it needed anymore lemon juice after cooking. Oh, the seasoned flour that was left over was enough to make the roux that thickens the sauce. Baked at 350°, per recipe, for about 1 hour...."

portobellos stuffed with caramelized onions and manchego

These mushrooms look like mini-pizzas. They make a great dinner-party first course or, served with a green salad, a luncheon main course. For a cocktail party, make them with small caps.

MAKE AHEAD: Prep the onion stuffing and cheese topping up to 2 days in advance. The mushrooms are best baked to order, but they can be assembled and refrigerated, covered, several hours in advance. Bring them to room temperature before baking.

4 first-course servings (or 24 hors d'oeuvres using smaller mushrooms)

Ingredients:

For the mushrooms

• 4 large (4 1/2-inch diameter) portobello mushrooms, or 24 small "baby bellas" (2 1/2-inch diameter), cleaned, gills and stems removed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium (1 1/2 pounds) yellow onions, cut in half, then into 1/4-inch slices
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Leaves from 1/2 small bunch of thyme (2 tablespoons)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

For the topping

• 2 ounces Manchego cheese, finely grated (2/3 cup)
• 1/4 cup regular or low-fat mayonnaise (do not use nonfat)

Directions:

For the mushrooms: Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, then coat it lightly with nonstick cooking oil spray. Arrange the mushrooms on the foil stem sides up.
Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Add the onions and stir lightly to coat; season with salt and pepper. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until the onions' moisture has evaporated and the onions begin to sizzle and brown. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are deep brown and caramelized; adjust the heat as needed so they do not burn.
Transfer to a medium bowl. Add the thyme and garlic powder; add salt and pepper as needed, keeping in mind that the mushrooms themselves will not be seasoned. The yield will be 1 1/2 cups.
Spread all of the onion mixture on the insides of the large mushroom caps, or fill the smaller caps with it.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
For the topping: Combine the cheese and mayonnaise in a small bowl. The yield will be 1/3 cup. Divide the topping evenly among the 4 large caps or the smaller caps.
Bake for 20 minutes (15 minutes for the smaller mushrooms), until the topping is golden brown and bubbling. Blot the caps on paper towels before serving.

Spicy broccoli with salami and fried egg

Dinner in 25 Minutes

This comes together like a stir-fry, relying on the salami to add savory flavor. It eats like something you might put together on your own when faced with these ingredients in the refrigerator. And that alone could be a kitchen lesson that will stick.

Serve with hash browns.

2 servings

Ingredients:

• Kosher salt
• A generous 2 cups broccoli florets (6 ounces total)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 ounces good-quality salami
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large eggs

Directions:

Fill a bowl with cold water and ice.
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add a generous pinch of salt, then the broccoli. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes, until crisp-tender. Drain then transfer immediately to the ice-water bath.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, until the oil shimmers. Cut the garlic into very thin slices. Stack the salami and cut it into thin strips.

Add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes to the skillet; stir for one minute, then add the salami and cook for a few minutes, stirring a few times, until the salami lightly browns.

Drain the broccoli and add to the skillet, tossing to coat. Season with salt and black pepper to taste; add more crushed red pepper flakes, if desired. Once the vegetable is heated through thoroughly, divide the mixture between wide shallow bowls.

Increase the heat under the skillet to medium-high; crack open 2 eggs and fry them sunny-side up. Place one atop each broccoli-salami portion. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Serve hot.

Carrot Hummus

 

Makes 1 3/4 cups (6 to 8 servings)

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon cumin seed
• 1 teaspoon coriander seed
• 6 tablespoons olive or canola oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 pound carrots, trimmed and well scrubbed
• 3 large unpeeled cloves garlic, smashed
• Flaky sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Juice of 1 orange
• 3 tablespoons tahini (may substitute smooth peanut butter)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Have a medium roasting pan at hand.
Toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a small dry skillet for about a minute until just fragrant. Use a mortar and pestle to grind them to a fine-ish powder. Transfer to a large bowl; whisk in 4 tablespoons of the oil and all the honey.
Cut the carrots into 1/4-inch chunks, then add to the spiced oil along with the garlic. Toss to coat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Scrape the dressed carrots into the roasting pan and spread in an even layer; roast, turning once, until the carrots are tender and just starting to char slightly around the edges, 25 to 35 minutes.
Cool slightly, then transfer the roasting pan's contents to a food processor, slipping the garlic cloves out of their skins as you do so and scraping as much of the crusty brown bits, spices and oil as possible into the food processor. Add the lemon and orange juices, tahini and the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Puree until smooth. Adjust the seasoning as needed.

Transfer to a serving dish and lightly drizzle with more oil.  Drizzling it to coat lightly with oil before serving will prevent it from discoloring.  The hummus can be refrigerated for 5 days.

Pisco Punch

 

This adaptation of the classic San Francisco punch is a little spicier than the original and not nearly as cloying. It substitutes limoncello for freshly squeezed lemons; the ginger beer gives it a nice kick and effervescence.
Brown sugar syrup is made the same way as simple syrup, using brown sugar instead of white: Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup light brown sugar and cook, stirring constantly, until it has dissolved, about 30 seconds. Reduce the heat to low and cook for about 5 minutes, until just slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. This will make 1 1/4 cups. Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.


6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh pineapple, peeled and cut into chunks
• 12 ounces pisco
• 4 ounces limoncello
• 4 ounces brown sugar syrup (see headnote)
• Juice of 2 medium oranges
• Juice of 2 large limes
• 8 dashes Angostura bitters
• Two 12-ounce bottles ginger beer
• Thin slices of orange, for garnish

Directions:

Crush the pineapple in a large glass pitcher, then add the pisco, limoncello, brown sugar syrup, citrus juices and bitters. Add ice, then stir vigorously.
To serve, pour into 9- or 10-ounce highball glasses filled with ice and add about 3 ounces of ginger beer to each glass; stir to mix well. Garnish with orange slices.

Recipe Source:

From Duggan McDonnell at Cantina Bebidas in San Francisco.

bambam's note: RUM!!!  That is all.

Great-Aunt Ginny’s Awesome Potato Filling by QBK

2 ½ pounds white or yellow potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup of milk or heavy cream
Another 2 tablespoons butter
One medium white or yellow onion, chopped fine
Two cloves garlic, chopped fine
Two stalks of celery, chopped fine
Six medium button mushrooms, chopped fine
Half a bag of unseasoned bread cubes
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
½ teaspoon rosemary
¼ teaspoon ground sage
¼ teaspoon ground thyme

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease large casserole dish.

Peel potatoes and cut into ½” thick slices.   Place in large pot of water, place pot on high heat and bring to the boil.  Cook potatoes till they are easily pierced with a knife or fork, 15 – 20 minutes.  Drain, then place back on burner and cook off any remaining water from the potatoes.  Place potatoes in a large bowl.  Heat milk or heavy cream till just steaming, dump it and 2 tablespoons butter on top of cooked potatoes and mash till creamy.  Set mashed potatoes aside.

In large skillet, melt additional 2 tablespoons butter.  Saute onion, garlic, celery and mushrooms till mushrooms release their liquid, approximately 10 minutes.  Add bread cubes, pepper, rosemary, sage and thyme and stir till incorporated.  Heat for 5 minutes then shut off heat and cover; let sit till cubes are softened, approximately 10 minutes.  

Stir bread cube mixture into mashed potatoes till blended.  Dump this concoction into prepared casserole dish, spread so it fills the dish and looks pretty, cover and place in oven.  Bake for half an hour; remove cover and bake for 15 additional minutes.

Eat till your stomach is about to burst.

(Cook’s note:  I make this every Thanksgiving – it goes well with turkey – and it is to die for.  If there are any leftovers, they are better the second day.)