Lobster Mac and Cheese

 

 

 

 

Lobster Mac and Cheese

 

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

8 oz. pasta shapes, such as cavatappi
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
6 oz. fontina cheese, shredded*
4 oz. white cheddar cheese, shredded*
½ tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. ground black pepper
Dash grated nutmeg
12 oz. cooked lobster meat, cut into ½-inch chunks**
½ cup panko
Minced fresh chives, for garnish

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 400˚ F.  Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish or individual gratin dishes.  Bring a pot of water to boil.  Cook the pasta until a few minutes shy of al dente according to the package directions.  Drain well in a colander.
• While the pasta is in the colander, return the pot to the medium heat.  Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in the pan.  Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until light golden brown, about 1-2 minutes.  Slowly whisk in the milk in small additions until completely added and no lumps of flour remain.  Stir in the salt, pepper, and nutmeg.  Continue to heat, stirring frequently, until the sauce bubbles and thickens, about 5 minutes.  Once bubbling, cook for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly, scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent burning.  Remove the pan from the heat.  Stir in the cheese and mix until completely melted. Return the pasta to the pot and mix to coat well with the cheese sauce.  Gently fold in the lobster meat.  Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
• In a small bowl, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in the microwave.  Stir in the panko and toss until the crumbs are evenly coated.  Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the pasta in the baking dish.  Bake uncovered for about 20-25 minutes or until the top is browned and the cheese is bubbling.  Serve warm topped with fresh minced chives, if desired.
• *For best results, always use freshly shredded cheese.  Pre-shredded cheese comes coated in things such as flour, cornstarch to prevent clumping and results in an unpleasant, gritty texture when melted.
  **Scared of cooking lobster?  I promise, it’s not hard!  I have a simple step-by-step on broiled lobster tails here.

Source - Annie's Eats

Butternut Squash Shells and Cheese Skillet

Butternut Squash Shells and Cheese Skillet

Source- How Sweet It Is

Yield: serves 4-6
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45-50 minutes

Ingredients:

3 cups uncooked whole wheat pasta shells
4 cups 1/2-inch cubed uncooked butternut squash
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups skim milk (or unsweetened almond or coconut)
6 ounces freshly grated fontina cheese
2 ounces freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons unsalted brown butter
2 tablespoons fine breadcrumbs
fresh chopped herbs for garnish (sage, basil, cilantro, thyme)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare water for pasta and once it comes to a boil, cook pasta according to directions, then drain.
While water is boiling, heat a large cast-iron (or oven-safe) skillet over medium-low heat. Add olive oil, then toss in squash with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add stock and cover skillet, cooking for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until squash is soft and can easily be mashed. Remove cover and reduce heat to low. Mash squash with a potato masher or forks, smoothing it out with a spoon to remove all of the chunks. Add in milk, 4 ounces of fontina and all of the parmesan cheese, stirring until melted and smooth, about 5 minutes. If mixture still seems way too starchy, add in additional milk 1/4 cup at a time, stirring for a while. Stir in brown butter, again mixing for a minute or so until incorporated. Taste and season additionally if desired.
Fold shells into the sauce, taking a few minutes to fully toss the shells so they are all coated. Top with remaining fontina cheese (or as much as you see fit) and bake for 15 minutes. If a bubbly, golden topping is desired, broil for 1-2 minutes on high after cooking. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and serve!

To brown the butter: Heat a small saucepan over medium-low heat and add butter. Whisking constantly, cook butter until bubbly and until small brown bits appear on the bottom of the pan – about 5-6 minutes. Watch closely and immediately remove the butter from the heat, whisking for an additional 30 seconds or so.

Pumpkin Toffee Cookies with Salted Caramel Glaze

 

 

 

 

 

Pumpkin Toffee Cookies with Salted Caramel Glaze

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose  flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground all-spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups Heath Toffee Bits or chopped Heath candy bars
For the Salted Caramel Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup salted caramel sauce (recipe here or you can use store bought)
2 tablespoons milk

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, all-spice, and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add in the pumpkin, egg, and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth. Slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in the Heath Toffee Bits.
4. Using a cookie scoop or spoon, drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Place cookies about 1 inch apart. Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges and set. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for two minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
5. While the cookies are cooling, make the salted caramel glaze. In a medium bowl, combine powdered sugar, salted caramel sauce, and milk. Whisk until smooth. When the cookies are cool, drizzle salted caramel glaze over the tops.
N

Source- Two Peas and Their Pod

Cilantro Lime Rice

Ingredients

1 cup long grain rice
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons water, divided
½ tsp. salt
½ cup fresh cilantro
2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped

Directions

• Combine the rice, 2 cups water and salt in a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat.  Bring to a boil, stir briefly, cover and reduce the heat to low.  Let cook, covered, until the water is absorbed and rice is fluffy and tender, 16-18 minutes. (Cooking time can vary depending on the brand of rice.  Check the package directions.)
• While the rice is cooking, combine the cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, garlic and 2 tablespoons water in a blender or food processor.  Blend until smooth.  Stir the mixture into the cooked rice and fluff with a fork.

Source

adapted from My Baking Heart, originally from Everyday Food, April 2008

Chinese Chicken and Broccoli

Chinese Chicken and Broccoli


Ingredients:






1 tbsp. peanut oil, divided
1½ tsp. sesame oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
¼-½ tsp. red pepper flakes
4 cups broccoli florets
6 tbsp. chicken broth, divided
2 tbsp. oyster sauce
1 tbsp. hoisin sauce
4 tbsp. soy sauce
1½ tsp. cornstarch
3 scallions, chopped
Sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)
Directions:
Heat about half of the peanut oil and the sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken pieces to the pan and sauté until golden brown and cooked through.  Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon and cover with foil to keep warm.  Add the remaining oil to the pan.  Add the garlic and ginger and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add the red pepper flakes and broccoli florets to the pan.  Pour in about half of the chicken broth – it should steam and boil quickly.  Allow the broccoli to cook until crisp-tender and the broth has mostly evaporated.  Add the oyster sauce and hoisin sauce to the pan.  In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce and cornstarch, and add to the pan.  Stir in the remaining chicken broth.  Return the chicken pieces to the pan.  Cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce has thickened, about 2-3 minutes.  Remove from the heat and stir in the scallions.  Serve over rice and garnish with sesame seeds, if desired.
Source: Annie’s Eats original

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Tart

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart

Yield: about 6 servings

Ingredients

For the crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
¼ tsp. salt
¼ cup sugar
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. heavy cream
For the filling: 
¾ cup creamy peanut butter, divided
5 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
¾ cup heavy cream

Directions

• To make the crust, combine the flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a small bowl.  Whisk to blend.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.  Blend in the egg and vanilla.  With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients alternating with the cream, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.  The dough will be quite soft.  Transfer the dough to a piece of plastic wrap, form into a rectangle, and wrap tightly.  Chill until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
• Transfer the chilled dough to a well floured work surface.  Roll the dough out into a 7 x 16-inch rectangle and fit into a 4½ x 14-inch rectangular tart pan, pressing the dough into the edges of the pan.*  Trim away any excess.  Prick all over the surface of the dough with the tines of a fork.  Freeze the lined tart pan until the dough is firm, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with baking beads, dried beans or rice. Bake until the edges are set, about 20 minutes.  Remove the weights and parchment and bake 5-10 minutes more.  Let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• To make the filling, place ½ cup of the peanut butter in a small microwave-safe bowl.  Heat until fluid, about 20-30 seconds.  Pour into the bottom of the tart crust and smooth into an even layer.  Freeze until the peanut butter is firm, about 20 minutes.  Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl.  Bring the cream just to a boil.  Pour over the chocolate and let sit 1-2 minutes.  Meanwhile, heat the remaining ¼ cup of peanut butter until fluid.  Transfer to a plastic bag.  Whisk the chocolate mixture together until a smooth ganache forms.  Pour the ganache into the tart shell in an even layer.  Snip a small tip off of the corner of the plastic bag and pipe the peanut butter in diagonal lines on top of the ganache.  Use a toothpick or skewer to marble them gently together. Chill until well set, at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours.  Slice and serve.

Source- Annie's eats

Skinny Margarita

Save the calories and sugar - this margarita is fresh, homemade, and much skinnier than the original.

Ingredients

• 1 cup lime juice
• 1 cup water
• 20 drops liquid stevia
• 6 oz tequila
• 2 oz fresh-squeezed orange juice
• Ice
• Salt for glass rim (optional)

Instructions

1. To make a pitcher of margaritas, stir all ingredients together and taste for sweetness.
2. Add additional stevia, if desired.
3. Serve over ice in salt-rimmed glasses.

Notes

Yields: 4 servings
Source: Confections of a Foodie Bride