Fontina, Mushroom and Prosciutto Shells & Cheese

One of my favorite foods in the world is macaroni and cheese.  I mean, come on:  it's pasta baked in a cheesy sauce.  What's not to love?  While I have a classic recipe that I make quite often (and really should share with you guys), I always think it's fun to experiment with different cheeses and flavor profiles.

This particular creation actually started out as a lasagna recipe, but I adapted it to make mac and cheese instead.  I just wasn't feeling lasagna for some reason, so I turned it into a simple baked pasta dish - sauteed mushrooms, garlic, and onions, added herbs and prosciutto, then tossed with a cheesy bechamel sauce and pasta. What's more, it uses one of my favorite cheese ever, fontina!  I love the smooth, nutty flavor, and it really melts beautifully.

Overall, this was a really great twist on macaroni and cheese.  My sister called it "fancy," but I call it comforting and delicious.  And that's really with mac and cheese is all about, right?


More Fontina Goodness:
Baked Fontina

Fontina and Herb Stuffed Chicken
Swiss Chard and Sweet Pea Manicotti
Fontina-Stuffed Meatball Kabobs
Fontina Shells and Cheese
White Pizzas with Arugula


Macaroni and Cheese with Mushrooms, Fontina and Prosciutto
inspired by Williams-Sonoma

Breadcrumb Topping:

• 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
• 2 Tbs butter, melted
• 2 Tbs shredded parmesan 
• salt and pepper

• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 12 oz mushrooms, sliced
• 1 leek, halved, white and light green parts sliced
• 4 oz prosciutto, chopped
• 1 tsp fresh thyme
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary
• 3 Tbs fresh basil
• 1 Tbs fresh parsley
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 lb pasta shapes
  

Bechamel:

• 6 Tbs butter
• 1/3 cup flour
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 2 1/2 cups milk (low-fat is fine)
• 1/3 cup marsala wine
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
• 2 cups shredded fontina

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Toss the breadcrumbs with the melted butter and spread on a baking sheet.  Bake 5-10 minutes, stirring often, until golden-brown.  Allow to cool, then mix in the Parmesan and season with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the mushrooms and leek, and cook, stirring often, until golden, about 5-8 minutes.  Add the prosciutto, thyme, rosemary, basil, parsley and garlic.  Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta to al dente, about 8 minutes.  Drain pasta and wipe out saucepan.

Melt the butter in the saucepan.  Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes.  Slowly whisk in the broth and milk.  Bring the mixture to a heavy simmer (almost to a boil), whisking often, until thickened, 10-12 minutes.  Stir in the marsala and nutmeg, and season with salt and pepper. 

Remove from heat and stir in the fontina and Parmesan cheeses, stirring until the cheese has melted.  Fold in the mushroom-herb mixture and the pasta.  Spread the mixture into a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish, and sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top.

Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly.  Allow to rest 5-10 minutes before serving.

Mediterranean Vegetable Salad

Even though I strive to cook as seasonally as possible, sometimes a craving hits and I just can't ignore it.  Last week I was going about my business, and I was hit with a sudden craving for Greek salad.  I couldn't stop thinking about the combination of salty feta, fresh cucumbers, and bright and tangy dressing.  Later that day, I was thumbing through How Easy is That? and this salad jumped out at me.  Most of the ingredients aren't really in season, but I made an exception and adapted it to what I had the best access to.

This salad is full of yummy vegetables:  cucumbers, scallions, chickpeas, and cherry tomatoes.  It also gets a punch of freshness from the mint, basil, lemon, and parsley.  The original recipe actually calls for vine-ripened tomatoes, but I used cherry tomatoes instead.  They are really the only acceptable tomatoes that are available right now.  I also used a trick I learned from Cook's Illustrated.  If you salt and drain the tomatoes and give them a spin in your salad spinner before adding them to the salad, you will rid them of excess moisture, thereby keeping all the flavors from being too diluted.

I served this salad as a side to quinoa burgers, but it was also delicious on it's own for lunch the next day with some toasted pita.  Another Ina hit, and I really can't wait to make this when produce is at it's peak!


Mediterranean Vegetable Salad
adapted from Ina Garten, How Easy is That?
serves 4 to 6 as a main dish, 8 to 10 as a side.

• 10 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
• 1 pound cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 hothouse cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded, and 1/2-inch diced
• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 
• 1 Tbs minced garlic
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 8 oz.  feta cheese, 1/2-inch diced

Place the quartered tomatoes in a strainer and toss with 1/2 teaspoon of salt.  Allow to drain 20-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.  Slowly whisk in the oil to make an emulsion. 

Spin the tomatoes in a salad spinner several times to remove seeds and moisture.  Toss the tomatoes with the scallions, cucumber, chickpeas, parsley, mint, and basil in a large bowl.  Whisk the dressing to recombine, and pour over salad.  Toss gently to coat.  Add the feta, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss gently.  Serve.

Chicken Parmesan with Pepperoni

If chicken parmesan and pepperoni pizza had a love child, it would be this dish.  It is a pretty standard chicken parmesan, but then it's topped with pepperoni before baking.  I used to really really hate pepperoni, but now I enjoy it in limited capacities.  Like on pizza.  Or now on chicken parmesan.

This was fairly quick, and very easy.  Chicken breasts are coated in panko bread crumbs, then pan-fried.  They are then transferred to a baking dish, topping with tomato sauce, cheese, and pepperoni, and baked. Easy peasy. 

Healthy, this is not.  But it was a great meal for a cold and rainy day.   And if you already love chicken parm, then this is a really fun and delicious twist on an old classic. 


Chicken Parmesan with Pepperoni
adapted from Food and Wine, January 2011
serves 4

• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 cups panko
• 4 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, pounded 3/4-inch thick
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce (recipe follows)
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 2 ounces sliced pepperoni

Tomato Sauce

• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
• pinch red pepper flakes
• 3/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  In a small saucepan, combine the ingredients for the tomato sauce.  Simmer over medium-low heat as you prepare the chicken.

In a pie plate, beat the eggs with the milk.  In 2 more pie plates (or shallow dishes), spread the flour and panko.  Season the panko with salt and pepper.  Pat the chicken dry and season with salt and pepper.  Lightly dredge each chicken breast in the flour, followed by the egg, and finishing with the panko.  Press to help the crumbs adhere.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until shimmering.  Add the chicken and cook, turning once, until cooked through, about 7 minutes.  Drain the chicken on a paper towel-lined plate, then transfer to a lightly greased baking dish.

Top the chicken with the tomato sauce, cheeses, and pepperoni.  Bake the chicken for about 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling.  Transfer the chicken to plates and serve.

PPQ: Triple Threat Chocolate Cookies

I was thisclose to choosing this recipe for Project Pastry Queen last time it was my choice.  But I was seduced by cranberries, and thus I missed yet another chance to tackle these cookies.  Thanks to Rebeca of Through the Looking Glass, I had my chance this week! 

The recipe calls for pecans and walnuts, but I omitted both.  I also used half white chocolate chips and half semisweet.  I just love white chocolate chips in chocolate cookies. 

These cookies are rich:  8 ounces of bittersweet chocolate, 3 ounces of unsweetened chocolate, and 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips.  They only have 1/3 cup of flour, but 3 eggs.  So they are super fudgy, chewy, and kind of a cross between a cookie, a brownie, and fudge.  They are on the small side, which is fine.  A few bites will do ya!  Enjoyed hot from the oven with a glass of milk, they are an awesome afternoon snack (or breakfast, or dessert, or midnight snack).

Rebeca has the full recipe on her blog, and check back next week for Pear-Ginger Bread.

Herbed Focaccia

One of my favorite ways to elevate a meal from good to great is by serving it with freshly baked bread.  Focaccia is one of my favorite breads to make for several reasons.  It is very low maintenance, it's open to many adaptations and variations, and most of all, it is absolutely delicious.  I love the slightly crunchy top, studded with herbs and spices, which gives way to the soft and tender bread underneath. 

I have made focaccia several times, and everytime I make it I do at least 2 different toppings.  My favorites are rosemary and lavender-lemon, which are the toppings I used this time.  I really can't pick a favorite, even after stuffing myself silly with both variations.

I served this with the pasta with lemon, garlic, and olive oil, and it was a perfect complement.  As I mentioned before, it is a pretty low-maintenance recipe - just mix, knead, rise, shape, bake.  The dough is actually mixed by hand, and while I really love my stand mixer, sometimes there is something so gratifying about kneading my dough by hand.  It's a great time to zone out and forget the stresses of the day.  Just knead and then go enjoy a glass of wine as it rises. 


One Year Ago:  Roasted Mushroom and Chorizo Salad

Herbed Focaccia
adapted from Williams-Sonoma

• 1 package (2 1/2 tsp) instant yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water (110-115 degrees)
• 1 1/2 cups warm milk
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tbs olive oil
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 Tbs minced fresh rosemary
• 1 tsp dried lavendar
• zest of 1/2 lemon
• kosher salt

Add the yeast to the water and stir to combine.  Stir in the milk and 1/4 cup of the olive oil.  In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt, and add the yeast mixture.  Use a wooden spoon to stir, and mix until a soft dough forms, about 2 minutes.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.  Shape into a ball and transfer to a lightly oiled bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Oil a 15x10x1 inch baking pan, and punch down the dough.  Transfer to the pan and press down with your hands to flatten the dough and cover the bottom of the pan.  Cover with a clean, lint-free kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let rise again until puffy, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Using your fingertips, press dimples in the dough about 1-inch apart and 1-inch deep.  Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the top and sprinkle half with rosemary, and the other half with the lavender and lemon zest.  Sprinkle the top generously with kosher salt.

Bake 15-25 minutes, or until the top is golden-brown.  Slide the focaccia onto a wire rack to cool completely, then cut into squares and serve.

Red Lentil Soup with Lemon

I first tried lentils last winter with the sausage and lentil soup, and I've been enjoying them ever since - in salads, as one-pot meals with veggies and a protein, and most recently, in vegetarian pot pies!  I've always been intrigued by red lentils because as fickle as it sounds, I think they are so pretty!  However, they cook faster than green or brown lentils, which makes them a poor choice for salads - they get mushy and lose all texture.  This is what makes them ideal for soups, as they kind of "melt" into the broth and thicken the soup.

I was really intrigued by this recipe as I read In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite.  I had never thought to pair lemon with lentils, but it makes perfect sense - lentils are earthy, and the bright acidity of lemon is a perfect match.  After I read this recipe, I couldn't get this soup out of my head, and I NEEDED it as soon as possible.  Which led to me on a wild goose chase to four grocery stores looking for red lentils.  I did eventually find them, and as I drove home, I thought to myself that "this soup had better be good."

And boy, was it!  It is flavored with tomato paste, cumin, chili powder, and garlic, and then finished with cilantro and lemon.  It is comforting and earthy, with a nice freshness from the lemon, and a spicy kick at the finish.  I served this with toasted pita, which was perfect for dipping. 

I'm submitting this post to Branny's Charity Souper Bowl blogging event - she is making a contribution to the ASPCA for every soup entry through February 6th.  Though we don't have any pets, I absolutely support this endeavor and this charity.  Thanks, Branny!

Red Lentil Soup with Lemon
adapted from In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite, by Melissa Clark
serves 6-8

• 4 Tbs olive oil, plus additional for drizzling
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbs tomato paste
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus additional to taste
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 quarts chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 cups red lentils
• 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
• juice of 1 lemon, plus more for serving
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat the oil in a large pot over high heat until shimmering.  Add the onions and saute until golden brown, about 4 minutes.

Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, cumin, chili powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper.  Saute an additional 2 minutes.

Add the broth, 2 cups water, the lentils, and the carrots.  Bring to a simmer, then partially cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low.  Simmer until the lentils are soft and breaking down, 30 minutes.  Taste and add more salt if necessary.

Use an immersion blender to puree the soup to acheive a chunky consistency (or transfer half to a blender or food processor, puree, and return to the pot).

Stir in the lemon juice and cilantro.  Serve the soup drizzled with olive oil and additional lemon slices.  Dust lightly with chili powder, if desired.

PPQ: Kolaches

When we were given the opportunity to go back and cook something that we've missed along the way for Project Pastry Queen, I knew immediately that I wanted to do the kolaches.  This was the very first recipe chosen for the group, and I've been wanting to make these ever since I bought the cookbook almost 2 years ago.  Yes, I know I could have made them any time, but I just never got around to it.

To be honest, I had never even heard of a kolache before this cookbook, but apparently they are popular in Texas.  They are soft and sweet pastry bun, with a sweet or savory filling.  Rebecca gives several variations in the book, and while I am positively dying to make the peach variation, peaches are not in abundance this time of year.  So I worked with what I had and concocted a pear-ginger filling.  I really really liked the combination, but I'm still anxious to make peach kolaches this summer.

These do have a lot of steps, and may seem complicated, but they are actually quite simple to put together.  The dough is made, chilled overnight, then shaped, filled, and baked the next morning.  I would say these have less than an hour of active prep time.  Now just as fair warning, this recipe makes a LOT of kolaches, but I halved it with no problems.  We still had several leftover, but I just sent them to my neighbors.  They really taste best the day they are made anyway.

Thanks to Shawnda, for both choosing this recipe way back in the summer, and for giving us the chance to play catch-up.  Hop over to Project Pastry Queen to see what everyone else made this week!

Kolaches
adapted from The Pastry Queen and Confections of a Foodie Bride
makes 16 to 18 buns


Dough

• 2 cups milk
• 1 (1/4-ounce) package instant yeast
• 1/2 cup lukewarm water (110-115 degrees)
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 8 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Pear-Ginger Filling

• 2 cups diced pears
• 1 cup pear-ginger jam OR 1 cup pear jam + 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger

Streusel Topping

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 Tbs chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

To make the dough, warm the milk and water in the microwave until it reaches 110-115 degrees.  Stir in the yeast.  Melt the butter and set aside to let cool 5 minutes.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the eggs, sugar, salt, and melted butter.  Add the milk and yeast mixture, and with the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour, 2 cups at a time.  Keep adding flour until it is completely incorporated and the dough just begins to hold together.  The dough will be sticky, moist, and light.

Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap, and place in a warm, draft-free room to rise.  Rise until it has doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours (a dent will remain when the dough is touched lightly).  Leaving the dough in the bowl, punch once or twice to deflate, recover with the plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 4 hours, or overnight.

To make the filling, place the jam in a microwave safe bowl and heat 15-30 seconds.  Stir in the pears, cinnamon, salt, and ginger.  Set aside.

Grease a 12x17 inch baking sheet, and with lightly oiled fingertips, shape the dough into 2 1/2-inch diameter balls (about the size of a small lime).  Arrange them evenly on the baking sheet, 3 across and 6 down.

To fill the kolaches, use your thumb or fingertips to make a generous indentation in the middle of each dough ball, being sure not to pierce the bottom of the dough.  Mound about 1-2 tablespoons of the pear filling in each indentation.  Cover the rolls with a clean, lint-free kitchen towel, and let them rise in a warm, draft-free place until puffed and almost doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

To make the streusel topping, mix the flour, sugar, and butter in a medium bowl, using a fork or pastry cutter (or your fingers) to incorporate the butter until the mixture is crumbly.  Scatter the topping over the kolaches just before baking.

Bake until lightly browned on top, 25 to 30 minutes.  Allow to cool 20 minutes before serving.