Mac + Cheese (Lottie + Doof Style)

When Terry and I were planning what to make for our Labor Day 2010 BBQ, I wanted a really great homemade mac and cheese to go with the pulled pork that Terry smoked all day on the Weber.  I came across a recipe online at http://www.lottieanddoof.com/ .  Lottie + Doof is a really great food/recipe blog.  They have great pictures of each recipe also.  When I saw the picture of this mac and cheese recipe, I knew that I had to try it out!  I made a double batch and everyone at the party loved it.  Sadly there were no leftovers.

6 TB butter, divided
1 cup onion, finely diced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 small garlic cloves, minced
3 TB flour
3 cups whole milk
3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup Parmesean cheese, grated
4 oz. mascarpone or cream cheese
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
1 lb. penne or macaroni pasta

Directions:

Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in large deep skillet over medium-high heat.

Add onion and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add red pepper flakes and garlic, stir for 1 minute.

Stir in 2 tablespoons butter, allow to melt, and then add the flour and stir for 1 minute.

Gradually whisk in 3 cups of milk; simmer until thick enough to coat a spoon, stirring frequently, about 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in 2 1/4 cups of cheddar and all of the Parmesan cheese and marscapone.  Season with salt and pepper.

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add panko and stir until light golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in parsley.

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Lighly butter a 13×9x2 inch glass baking dish or similarly sized gratin dish.

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling water until very al dente. Drain well.

Toss pasta and cheese sauce and season again with salt and pepper, if needed. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish and top with remaining cheese and breadcrumbs.

Bake until hot and topping is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Sorry, the pictures were more of an "after thought" since I had guests arriving while making this (thanks for helping Ashley!).  Check out the link below to the original recipe for MUCH better photos (and bacon)!!

Recipe from http://www.lottieanddoof.com/2009/04/mac-cheese-lottie-doof-style/

Hazelnut & Coffee Muffins

If you love coffee, you should definitely try these muffins.  Taking a bite of one of these little goodies is like walking into a warm and cozy coffee shop.  As a self-professed coffee nut, these are one of my favorite "grown up" treats!

2 TB instant coffee powder
2 TB boiling water
1 heaping cup of chopped hazelnuts
2 cups flour
1 TB baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
heaping 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
6 TB melted, cooled butter

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Farenheit.

Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or line with muffin paper liners.

Put the coffee powder and boiling water in a cup and stir until dissolved.  Set aside to cool.

Finely chop 2/3 cup of the hazelnuts and coarsely chop the remaining nuts.  Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt into a large bowl.  Stir in the sugar and finely chopped hazelnuts.

Lightly beat the eggs in a bowl, and then beat in the buttermilk, cooled butter and cooled coffee mix.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the liquids.  Stir gently until combined; do not overmix.

Spoon the batter into the muffin tin.  Scatter the reserved chopped hazelnuts over the top of each muffin.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until well risen, golden brown and firm to the touch.

Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then serve or transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Note: The muffins will be more dense then fluffy

Recipe from 1 Mix, 100 Muffins

Gołąbki - Cabbage Rolls

For the past few years, Terry has been asking me to find a recipe to try to match his grandmother's Cabbage Rolls.  She was Polish (Grabowski) and this was one of the many authentic polish dishes that she served to the family.  She called them Gołąbkis.  He remembers her serving a heaping platter to the family when he was a kid. 

1 small head of cabbage, cored
1 TB vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
16 oz. tomato sauce
2 TB brown sugar
2 TB red wine vinegar
2 slices bread
1/3 c. milk
1 lb. ground beef
1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Boil the entire head of cabbage for 12 to 15 minutes or until you can peel off 9 leaves.  To peel the leaves off of the head of cabbage, gently grab the edge of a leaf with tongs and slowly pull it away from the head.  Place the leaves in a colander to drain.  Shred/chop the remaining cabbage head and place in the bottom of your slow cooker.

Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat.  Cook the onions about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic, cinnamon and nutmeg and cook for 1 minute.  Remove half of the onion mixture to a plate.  Stir the tomato sauce, brown sugar and vinegar into the pan and stir together.  Remove from heat.

Pulse the bread and milk in a food processor or blender until it forms a paste.  Add the reserved onion, uncooked ground beef, salt and pepper to the food processor and combine well. 

Note: I do not have a food processor, so I used my blender to mix the bread and milk.  I then added the onions and pulse it a few times.  I moved the mixture to a large bowl and mixed in the beef by hand.

Get out your chopping board and lay a cabbage leaf on it.  Using a sharp knife, cut out the hard stem.  If still joined, cut the remaining leaf in half.  Repeat this for each cabbage leaf.

Place approximately 2 tablespoons of the beef mixture in the middle of a cabbage leaf and roll up. Once you have rolled all of the cabbage leaves, place them (seam side down) into the slow cooker.  Pour the remaining sauce on top.

Cover and cook on LOW for 5 hours.

Serve over egg noodles or rice