Macaroni and cheese has long been a favorite of mine (as I’m sure it is for many of you). Growing up, Mom always made our mac-n-cheese “from scratch”. Hers was a simple recipe. Boil some shells, chunk up some Velveeta, and stir, stir, stir until it all melts. That’s it, no milk, no butter. In fact, when someone added those things to mac n cheese, it tasted weird to me. I just wanted Mom’s.

Somewhere along the way, I decided to add a little milk and butter to my version of Mom’s. I think it was in college and I was running a little low on Velveeta, so I had to stretch it out somehow. I decided that wasn’t half bad, and I could eat that again if I had to. A few years later, and at a luncheon I had baked macaroni and cheese. The kind that has a bechamel sauce base, and bread crumbs on top. This took me back to “something’s not quite right with this”. Additions to my macaroni are apparently an acquired taste, but out of the necessity to stretch what’s in the cupboard or fridge, my palate learns to adapt. And that’s how I ended up making this Baked Mac n Cheese with Broccoli. (more…)

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Comfort food, Dinner, Vegetarian by Courtney

I’m continuing my brussels sprouts love with a recipe I picked up on YumSugar. This is the first way I ever cooked brussels sprouts, and from that point on I was hooked. I’ve adapted the recipe slightly, but the basics are here – a baked potato, smothered with brussel sprouts that have been cooked with bacons, onions, and golden raisins. (more…)

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Dairy free, Dinner, Gluten free, Lunch, Quick and Easy by Courtney

My husband and I love to do dinner and a movie nights. We’ll sometimes settle on the movie first, sometimes the food first, and then we pick the other to match. Think Bollywood movies and an Indian feast, or the Godfather with spaghetti and meatballs. The other night, we decided to watch Rashoman, and I wanted something easy to nosh on so we could plop on the couch the entire time and graze on our food.

A while back I picked up some rice paper, and I had never gotten around to making spring rolls with them. I’ll admit, I was a little intimidated because they seemed like they’d be a pain to work with. However, I decided tonight would be the night I attempted to make spring (or summer, as some refer to them) rolls, and I started planning what to stuff them with. (more…)

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Appetizers, Asian, Dairy free, Dinner, Gluten free, Lunch by Courtney

Earlier this week, while persuing the Kitchn, I stumbled upon this recipe for Kale and Ricotta Salata Salad. I must have been craving greens that day, because immediately upon seeing the picture, the first thought to cross my mind was “MUST MAKE!!!” (you can also insert a drooly face here). So I popped over to Kim Severson’s site to get the recipe, and off to the store I went to procure the ingredients. (more…)

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Dinner, Gluten free, Salad, Vegetarian by Courtney

Since I decided that I would be having a Riesling-Brined Turkey for Thanksgiving, the rest of the menu had to fall into place around the centerpiece turkey. I like to do a blend of tried-and-true recipes with new recipes I’ve never had before. I decided to make a recipe from Paul Prudhomme’s Louisiana Kitchen, Pear Gravy. As I perused the Epicurious site, I decided try the Winter Fruit stuffing, and my menu began to take shape by including fruits in many of the items. I went with a simple mashed potato to temper the sweetness, and a roasted brussel sprout recipe that included a balsamic reduction. Since one of my vegetarian friends will be joining us, I’ll make a Stuffed Pumpkin with Vegetable Stew for a main course as well. (more…)

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Dinner, Thanksgiving by Courtney