Eva Fury's Baked Ziti

My take on the classic dish...add additional spices (oregano, basil, pepper, etc.) as you see fit!

Ingredients:

1 box penne pasta

1 jar pasta sauce of your choice (I think the chunkier the sauce the better, but that's me)

1 "tube" ground sausage

1 8 oz brick of mozzarella cheese, grated (can use shredded cheese, but that can sometimes be a little too dry)

1 16 oz. tub ricotta cheese

2 packages of fresh, sliced mushrooms (canned, sliced works too)

Red pepper flakes (optional)

1 tbsp. minced garlic

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Salt pasta water and bring to a boil. Cook penne as directed on box.

2. Brown sausage and, if desired, add some red pepper flakes to taste. When sausage is done browning, add mushrooms to pan and saute until golden. Add garlic and allow to become golden as well. Set aside.

3. In a 9 x 13" pan, begin layering ingredients. Begin with pasta sauce (doesn't need to be heated in advance), then a layer of noodles, sausage mixture, ricotta and Mozzarella. Continue with layers until all ingredients are used. Top with Parmesan cheese.

4. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve with a glass of red wine and crusty bread!

Buffalo chicken pasta

So yummy! You can use the sauce for regular buffalo wings or toss it around in pasta as instructed here.

2 lbs of boneless chicken breast (approximately)

Red pepper flakes (to taste)

Cayenne pepper (to taste)

Ground black pepper (to taste)

Spaghetti or fettucini (or pasta of your choice)

6 Tbsp butter

8 Tbsp Franks Red Hot sauce

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

Fresh mozzarella or chunk mozzarella (not pre-shredded) cut into small cubes

Tobasco sauce

1. Put salted water on to boil for pasta. Add pasta when ready.

2. Trim fat off chicken. Cut into 1-inch pieces and season with black pepper. (If you want, toss the chicken in flour seasoned with cayenne and black pepper. It's tasty, but adds an extra step).

3. Cook chicken in olive oil until browned along with cayenne and pepper flakes. Set aside.

4. Melt butter in a small saucepan with vinegar and Franks Red Hot. Add Tobasco to taste.

5. When pasta is cooked, drain and return to pot with a little bit (1/3 cup) of pasta water. Add chicken and cheese and toss to allow cheese to begin melting.

6. Pour sauce over pasta mixture, toss and serve with bleu cheese dressing.

Mac n' Cheese Soup

Ok, so, this admittedly sounds a little gross, but it is SO good (maybe lethal, but good) and the perfect sort of thing for those cold and rainy fall days around here. We made it with just cheddar cheese, but I imagine you could use all sorts of cheeses in this (I bet a bit of gruyere would be good in this, but then when ISN'T gruyere good??) I also imagine that if you want to go for the full heart-attack version, starting with some chopped up bacon in with the onion and celery might be good...

The recipe came from a freebie copy of Cuisine magazine that I got in the mail and, I'll give them this, there are a number of rather interesting recipes there and if they're as good as this one...

Serve with buffalo wings (or chicken tenderloins tossed with some buffalo sauce) for a truly yummy treat.

1.5 ups dry elbow macaroni

1/2 cup minced onion

1/4 cup minced celery

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup dry white wine (I used chardonnay)

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 tsp. dry mustard

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (I was more liberal with the pepper than this...)

2 cups whole milk

4 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

salt to taste

1/4 crumbled bleu cheese

2 tbsp. minced fresh chives

Cook macaroni in a pot of salted water according to package directions; drain and set aside.

Sweat onion and celery in butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes.

Stir in flour to coat and cook 1 minute. Deglaze with wine and simmer until nearly evaporated. Stir in broth, mustard, nutmeg, and cayenne. Simmer until slightly thickened, 5 minutes, then whisk in milk and warm through. Do not let boil or base may become grainy.

Add cheddar, 1 cup at a time, allowing it to melt completely before adding the next cup. Stir in macaroni, lemon juice, and salt; remove from heat.

Combine bleu cheese and chives in a small bowl. Garnish each serving with bleu cheese mixture.

Caramelized onion, sausage and basil pizza

Again, I can't take full (or any) credit for this recipe since it is actually one of Giada de Laurentiis' recipes, but it was delicious and easy and worth sharing :) We used way more cheese than the recipe calls for, but we're also big fans of blue cheese. If there's a Whole Foods near you, they make excellent, ready-made pizza dough if you don't feel like going to the work of making homemade pizza dough, although they sell it in 22 oz packages, so either split it and save the rest for later in the week or make two pizzas if you have lots of mouths to feed!

Ingredients

Cornmeal, for dusting
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling (I didn't think this was necessary as the sausage had enough residual fat).
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 onions (about 1 1/2 pounds), thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound spicy turkey or pork sausage, casings removed, crumbled
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1 (13 to 16-ounce) ball pizza dough
3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled Gorgonzola or blue cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions

Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Sprinkle a heavy baking sheet with cornmeal and set aside.

In a large skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onions, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and caramelized, about 20 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the sausage. Using a wooden spoon, break up the sausage and cook, stirring constantly, until cooked through, about 8 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 13-inch diameter circle, about 1/4-inch thick. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Spread the onion mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Bake until the crust is golden and the cheese has melted, about 15 to 17 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with chopped basil. Cut the pizza into wedges and serve.

Coffee-Chocolate Layer Cake with Mocha-Mascarpone Frosting

A time-consuming, but amazingly tasty dessert. Be sure to line the pans with parchment paper, cool very thoroughly, and invert carefully.

Cake
2 cups cake flour (1 3/4 cup AP flour plus 1/4 cup cornstarch)
3/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature< 2 cups (packed) brown sugar 3 large eggs 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup buttermilk 4 tsp instant espresso powder dissolved in 3/4 cup hot water (strong instant coffee will do) Frosting
1/3 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tbs instant espresso powder (instant coffee will do, but grind it more finely)
1 1/2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream, divided
1 1/3 cups sugar
16 oz chilled mascarpone cheese

For the Cake:

• Position rack in the center of the oven; preheat to 325 degrees. Generously butter two 9-inch cake pans; dust with flour; line bottom with parchment paper.
• Sift cake flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt into medium bowl. Cream butter and sugar in stand mixer. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in vanilla. Add flour in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of buttermilk, beating until just blended after each. Gradually add hot espresso, beating just until smooth.
• Divide batter into pans and smooth tops. Bake until tester comes out clean, 40 minutes. Cool cakes for 15, then invert onto racks and remove parchment. Invert again so top side is up. Cool completely.

For the Frosting:

• Sift cocoa into large bowl with espresso powder. Bring 1 cup cream to a boil, and then slowly pour over cocoa mixture, whisking until dissolved. Add sugar and 1/2 cup cream; stir until sugar dissolves. Chill 2 hours.
• Add mascarpone to chilled cocoa mixture. Beat on low speed until smooth. Increase speed to high, beat until thickened and medium-firm peaks form. Do not over beat.
• Brush crumbs off of cakes. Place one cake layer on platter, spread 1 3/4 cup frosting to edges. Top with second layer, press to adhere. Spread thin layer of frosting over top and sides. Chill 10 minutes. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides. Chill.

Caramel Macchiato Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs 1/2 cup butter, melted 2 tablespoons white sugar 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 1 cup white sugar 3 eggs

1 (8 ounce) container sour cream 1/4 cup brewed espresso or strong coffee 2 teaspoons vanilla extract pressurized whipped cream caramel ice cream topping

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly coat a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2.	Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and 2 tablespoons of sugar until well combined. Press into the bottom of the prepared springform pan, and 1 inch up the sides. Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes, then remove to cool on a wire rack.
3.	Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
4.	Beat the softened cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy. Gradually add 1 cup of sugar, beating until blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in sour cream, espresso and vanilla. Pour batter into the baked and cooled crust.
5.	Bake cheesecake in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 5 minutes; then turn the oven off, partially open the door and allow the cheesecake to rest for 15 minutes more. Remove from the oven, and run a knife around the edges. Cool cheesecake on a wire rack to room temperature, then cover the springform pan with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 8 hours.
6.	To serve, cut the cheesecake into wedges and garnish each slice with whipped cream and caramel sauce.

Macaroni and Cheese

A lot of sins have occurred in the name of macaroni and cheese. However, my mom makes a pretty great from-scratch mac and cheese. It definitely takes longer than the Kraft stuff, but I think the end result is well worth it.

5 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
Black pepper (to taste)
Cayenne pepper (to taste)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 cups of milk
1 onion
1 1/2 to 2 cups of grated cheddar cheese
Approx 1/2 box of penne
1 can drained tuna fish (optional)
approximately 1/2 to 3/4 cup of plain bread crumbs
3-4 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Start boiling pasta but take off heat and drain before it is completely cooked.

Over medium heat melt 3 Tbsp butter in a sauce pan and then add diced onion. Saute until soft but not overly brown. Add flour and allow to cook for a minute or two. Add pepper to taste. (We made this last night and accidentally put in more Cayenne than I'd intended, but it gave the dish a good bite without being too spicy). Mix in can of soup.

Turn heat up to high and add milk a little at a time to produce a liquid as opposed to more of a thick paste (You may need to add a dash more than 2 cups). Bring to a boil but do not allow top to skin over, keep stirring.

Lower heat and add shredded cheese a handful at a time. Allow cheese to incorporate before adding more.

Put pasta in a greased 9x9 baking dish. Sprinkle drained and dried tuna over noodles if desired. Pour sauce over pasta and make sure all noodles are under the sauce or they'll end up drying out.

In a very small saucepan, melt remaining 2 Tbsp of butter and add breadcrumbs to make a topping. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over pasta and sauce and then sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

**Unless you're cooking for a crowd, you'll likely have leftovers. If so, they should be heated VERY gently or the sauce separates a bit. The best way is to reheat in the oven after bringing leftovers to room temperature. In a pinch, the microwave at a low power will also work.

First entry: black & bleu burgers w/ mango chutney

I know a few folks who've threatened to start a food blog for awhile. Today is the day I provide momentum for the great amateur cooks I know and say "here is your forum."

Never content to sit idly by, I will kick off this guy by providing a few recipes from over the weekend. One was quite good, the other needs work:

Black and Bleu Burgers (needs work)

Freshly ground pepper
kosher salt
Gorgonzola cheese
Hamburger Meat

This is real simple, you wrap the hamburger around a serving of the cheese and add salt and pepper to the outside. I like to put a ring of pepper around the outside of the burger, too.

The problem with this recipe is that the cheese bleeds out before the burger is done. The burgers are moist, but you barely taste the cheese. Of course, you could add the cheese to the top of the burger, but that's a lot like giving up.

Mango Chutney (the good) - originally from Good Eats

4 lbs mangoes (ripe but not too soft)
1 large red onion
1 bell pepper
1/4 cup ginger root, peeled & minced
Vegetable oil
8 oz unsweetened pineapple juice (we've found this is hard to find, so we usually get crushed
pineapple chunks and use the juice and a few pieces of pineapple to make up the difference)
1 tsp chili flakes
1 1/2 Tbsp curry powder
4 oz cider vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup roasted, unsalted macadamia nuts
1/2 cup golden raisins
kosher salt and fresh ground white pepper

Peel and pit the mangoes, it's a pain. The mango pit is a very hard obelisk in the center of the mango, you'll cut around that and discard. The pieces should be small bit sized chunks, you want this to look like relish at the end. Cut up your onions, peppers, and ginger root.

In a bowl combine the sugar, vinegar, pineapple juice, and curry.

Heat up the oil (about 3 Tbsp, but you can eyeball it) and add the chili flakes. Let those go for about a minute on a medium to low heat and then add the onions. After the onions have been coated and softened, you can add the ginger and bell pepper. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes and then add the mangoes.

After another minute or two add the mixture from the bowl and simmer for about 30 minutes until the sauce has reduced (stirring often). Add salt and pepper to taste (I usually go heavy on the pepper). Add the raisins and chopped nuts to the chutney and transfer to an ice bath. Serve cold as a side dish or use as a topping for burgers.