Archive for the ‘Food’ Category

Lobster Mac -n- Cheese

Via Ina Garten/Food Network

Ingredients
Kosher salt
Vegetable oil
1 pound cavatappi or elbow macaroni
1 quart milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
12 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated (4 cups)
8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 pounds cooked lobster meat
1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs (5 slices, crusts removed)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the pasta and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don’t boil it. In a large pot, melt 6 tablespoons of butter and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. Still whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, the pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and lobster and stir well. Place the mixture in 6 to 8 individual gratin dishes.

Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

This was EXCELLENT. We will be having this again.

Boston Creme Pie

It actually was just “ok”. If we do it again, I’ll change up the cake recipe (too dry) and the glaze.

Getting itchy for some kayaking

Diane, Lauren and I went to the NJ Paddlesport Expo yesterday in Somerset, NJ. We sat in on a couple of the seminars, but we were mostly there for the vendors. Lauren of course loved test driving all the boats:

Diane and I picked up a couple pairs of Keen sandals. I chose the Newport H2 in black. Very comfortable…should be a great shoe for Kayaking this summer.

We also purchased a standing kayak rack from “Suspenz” for our two boats.

We finished the day by visiting “Stuff Yer Face” in New Brunswick, NJ. It’s pretty close to my workplace and I’d been there before, but this was the first time for Diane and Lauren.

Their specialty is Stromboli, and true to the name, we all left stuffed.

“Man vs Food” filmed an episode at the restaurant. Check it out here:

They’ve also got a really great selection of beer for a small college town restaurant, so naturally I joined the “75 Beer Club.” On this trip I added the St. Bernardus 12 and the North Coast Pranqster Both were delicious!

Eggs Benedict

Grilled Yellowfin Tuna Steak

1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup white wine
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 minced clove of garlic
1 tablespoon chopped thyme (or whatever you want)
1 tsp pepper.

Grill in an oiled grill pan over medium heat for 5 minutes or so per side.
Removed when internal temperature reached 120degrees.

Awesome tasting and a great source of protein. Pricey though!

Dragons Breath Chili

I made a big batch of chili yesterday, and let it cook all afternoon while I watched football. The name of this recipe is “Dragon’s Breath Chili.” While that sounds daunting, the end result isn’t too spicy…just a nice, moderate warming. I suppose the name stems from the fact that there are 5 different types of pepper in this recipe. From Guy Fieri, on the Food Network. This is the second time I’ve made it, and the only real negative is that there is a LOT of prep work to do. I think the end result is worth it. Note: you may want to swap out various cuts of meat…it’s ok, so long as the final quantities are the same. This would be interesting to try with turkey or pork.

Dragons Breath Chili

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons bacon grease, or canola oil
• 2 red bell peppers, diced (about 2 cups)
• 2 jalapenos, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
• 3 Anaheim chiles, roasted, peeled, chopped
• 3 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, chopped
• 2 yellow onions, diced (about 2 cups)
• 1 head garlic, minced (about 1/4 cup)
• 1 pound boneless chuck, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 2 pounds ground beef, coarse grind
• 1 pound bulk Italian sausage
• 2 teaspoons granulated onion
• 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons hot paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 1 cup tomato paste
• 12 ounces lager beer
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 (15.5-ounce) cans pinto beans, with juice
• 2 (15.5-ounce) cans kidney beans, with juice

Directions

In large stock pot over high heat, add butter and bacon grease. Add bell pepper, jalapeno, chiles and onion and cook until caramelized, about 5 minutes.

Add garlic and saute a minute longer. Add chuck and brown. Add ground beef and sausage to brown and stir gently, trying not to break up the ground beef too much. Cook until meat is nicely browned and cooked through, about 7 to10 minutes.

Add in granulated onions, granulated garlic, chili powder, paprika, cumin, coriander, cayenne, salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute.

Add in tomato sauce and paste and stir for 2 minutes.

Stir in beer and chicken stock. Add beans, lower heat and simmer for (a minimum of) 2 hours.

Making an Apple Tart

The girls made a tart from the apples they picked last weekend. It’s awesome! Nice job, ladies!