Martha Stewart's Macaroni and Cheese

Even though I already have a kick-ass recipe for mac 'n cheese, I occasionally try a new one, just to see what's out there. I've read a lot of great things about this recipe and I agree with the positive reviews. This is creamy (and of course cheesy), plus the toasted bread cubes on top add a wonderful crunch. It's definitely solid and I would be just as happy to eat this mac and cheese, as I would be to eat my old favorite. I guess you could call it a draw.

 MARTHA STEWART'S MACARONI AND CHEESE

Serves 12

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for dish

6 slices good white bread, crusts removed, torn or diced into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces

5 1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

4 1/2 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese (about 18 ounces)

2 cups grated gruyere (about 8 oz.) or 1 1/4 cups grated pecorino romano (about 5 oz.)

1 pound elbow macaroni (or other small pasta shape)

1.      Heat oven to 375º F. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside. Place bread in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter (alternately, melt butter in the microwave). Pour butter into bowl with bread, and toss. Set breadcrumbs aside. Pull out 1 1/2 cups of grated cheddar, and 1/2 cup Gruyere or 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano, and reserve.

2.      Fill a large pot with water; bring to a boil. Add macaroni; cook 2 to 3 minutes less than manufacturer's directions, until the outside of pasta is cooked and the inside is underdone. (Different brands of macaroni cook at different rates; be sure to read the instructions.) Transfer macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Set aside.

3.      In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, heat milk. In the same pot you used for boiling the pasta, melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour. Cook, whisking, 1 minute.

4.      While whisking, slowly pour in hot milk. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick.

5.      Remove pan from heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups cheddar cheese, and 1 1/2 cups Gruyere or 1 cup Pecorino Romano. Stir reserved macaroni into the cheese sauce.

6.      Pour mixture into prepared dish. Sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup Gruyere or 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano, and breadcrumbs over top. Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes. If after 30 minutes, it's not browned to your liking, broil the topping rather than leaving it in the oven, which may cause the pasta to overcook and sauce to dry out. Transfer dish to a wire rack to cool 5 minutes; serve hot.

originally from Martha Stewart (adapted from food52)

cutting bread cubes

pouring butter over bread cubes

melted butter

flour and milk whisked in (roux)

stirring in cheeses (spices already added)

adding cooked macaroni

macaroni mixture in the pan

It's going to seem too soupy, but a lot gets
absorbed as it bakes. It ends up just right.

cheese sprinkled

bread cubes on top

Martha Stewart's Macaroni & Cheese

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Cottage Cheese Roast (Vegetarian Meatloaf)

I know, this sounds disgusting. At least that's what I thought when I first read it. I couldn't wrap my mind around how a cottage cheese based loaf could be anything but nasty. Which is exactly why I had to make it and find out. And damned if it wasn't good. I never expect vegetarian loaves to taste like meat (I just try to appreciate them in their own right). But this one actually does taste similar to meatloaf. I'm sure it wouldn't fool a real meatloaf connoisseur, but someone like my dad (who inhales his food way too fast and isn't all that discerning) could probably be duped.

COTTAGE CHEESE ROAST

(VEGETARIAN MEATLOAF)

Makes 8 servings

loaf:

1 1/3 cups walnuts, finely chopped (about 5 oz.)

2 cups corn flakes, Special K or other non-sweet flake cereal

16 oz. cottage cheese (I used small curd, 1%)

4 large eggs

1 envelope Lipton dry onion soup mix (or other vegetarian onion soup mix)

1/4 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil

3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

glaze:

1/4 cup ketchup

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1.      Heat oven to 350º F (175º C). Grease a standard size loaf pan with vegetable or canola oil.

2.      Combine all the loaf ingredients in a large bowl and mix until thoroughly combined.

3.      Spoon mixture into prepared loaf pan.

4.      Combine glaze ingredients in a small bowl; mix until smooth. Spread evenly over the loaf.

5.      Bake for 60 to 70 minutes.

6.      Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Slice and serve.

slightly adapted from food.com by Connie K.

walnuts

finely chopped walnuts

Since I chopped my walnuts in the food processor and it was
already dirty, I decided to mix everything else in there too.

I actually used 1 package of Knorr leek soup mix, not realizing it
had beef powder in it. Good thing I'm not a vegetarian anymore
(then again, if I was, I probably would have read the ingredients first).

mixed (looks like lumpy hummus)

in the pan

glaze spread over the top

baked

cottage cheese roast (vegetarian meatloaf)

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Mattar Paneer

This is one of my all time favorite Indian dishes. So after successfully making homemade paneer (in order to make saag paneer), mattar paneer was next on the list. And it was everything I hoped it would be...creamy, sweet and a little spicy too (although this is a mild version, so if you like things really spicy, increase the heat). And I have to say, I think I'm getting addicted to making paneer. It's so easy and fun. Although I am worried about the fact that making cheese is now my idea of fun and the idea of staying up until 4am at a bar sounds like torture. I'm old. It happened. Probably some time between when I moved to the suburbs and when I started buying antacid in bulk.

MATTAR PANEER

Makes 6 servings

4 tablespoons coconut oil or ghee

20 ounces paneer, cubed

1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 (1 inch) piece ginger, finely grated

3 -4 garlic cloves

1 (24 oz.) jar tomato puree or finely diced tomatoes (or 2 large tomatoes, finely diced with juices)

2 teaspoons agave nectar (or sugar)

salt (to taste)

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 teaspoon coriander powder

1 teaspoon cumin powder

3/4 teaspoon chili powder (or more if you prefer spicier)

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

2 cups fresh or frozen peas

1/2 cup heavy cream or half ‘n half

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional, for garnish)

cooked basmati rice for serving (optional)

1.      Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet and fry paneer cubes until they turn golden brown. Set aside.

2.      In a separate pot, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil; add mustard and cumin seeds. Cook until they darken and sputter.

3.      Add onion, ginger and garlic and cook until onions soften.

4.      Add tomato puree, sweetener and salt, and cook for another 5 minutes (if using fresh tomatoes, cook until tomatoes soften, adding a little water if needed).

5.      Mix in the garam masala, coriander, cumin, chilli powder, and turmeric. Add the peas. Cook just until the peas are tender.

6.      Mix in the cream and add just enough water to thin out to desired consistency. Then add the paneer and let simmer over medium heat so the paneer can absorb the flavors.

7.      Garnish with cilantro if desired. Serve with basmati rice.

adapted from food.com (by eatrealfood)

homemade paneer
(double the recipe to make 20 oz.)

frying paneer cubes
(I may have let get a little darker than intended, but they were good).

onion, ginger and garlic

If you want to make a spicier version, I suggest mincing
a hot pepper and adding it with the onion etc.

I accidentally started cooking the onion/ginger/garlic
before the mustard and cumin seeds, so I moved them
over and let the seeds cook on one side of the pot
until they spluttered and then mixed it all together.

tomato puree added

mixing in the ground spices

adding frozen peas

mixing in the cream

adding the paneer

mattar paneer in the pot

mattar paneer garnished with cilantro

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