a little of each

A family's cookbook

Baked Macaroni and Cheese March 29, 2013

Filed under: Pasta and Grains — alittlemoreofeach @ 2:22 pm
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Traditionally, stewed tomatoes would be served alongside this dish.

 

Ingredients

1 ½ cups dry elbow macaroni

2 Tbl butter

4 ½ Tbl flour

¼ tsp dry mustard

salt and pepper

2 cups milk

¾ tsp Worcestershire sauce

½ small onion, grated

8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

3 Tbl breadcrumbs

1 ½ Tbl butter, melted

 

Directions

Cook macaroni according to directions on package. Drain and put in a greased 2-quart casserole. Melt butter and blend in flour, dry mustard, salt and pepper. Remove from heat and add milk gradually. Cool until thickened, stirring constantly. Add Worcestershire sauce, onion and cheese. Stir until cheese melts and pour over macaroni. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs mixed with melted butter. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

 

Quick and Easy Alfredo Sauce

Filed under: Pasta and Grains — alittlemoreofeach @ 2:20 pm
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A true Alfredo recipe calls for heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Jennifer finds that the sauce sticks better to the noodles if they are a little dry and not just straight out of the colander.

 

Ingredients

1 stick butter

1 cup half and half

1 cup grated Asiago cheese

Cooked pasta

 

Ingredients

Melt the butter in a pan at medium heat. Add the half and half and stir until it increases in volume. Slowly add the cheese and stir until completely melted and blended. Add ground pepper if desired. Serve immediately.

 

Fettuccini Alfredo

Filed under: Pasta and Grains — alittlemoreofeach @ 2:19 pm
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Ingredients

8 oz mushrooms, sliced

1 lb fettuccini

¼ lb proscuitto ham, sliced into 1-inch pieces

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup Pecorino cheese

1 egg, separated, yolk beaten

¼ cup unsalted butter

Salt and pepper

 

Directions

Sauté the mushrooms and chopped ham. In a separate pan, melt the butter and slowly add the cream. Add the Pecorino cheese and stir the mixture until it is smooth. Carefully add 2 Tbl of the sauce to the beaten egg yolk. Return it to the pan over low heat. Cook the fettuccini and drain it. Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and top it with the mushroom mixture. Serve.

 

Red Pesto Linguine

Filed under: Pasta and Grains — alittlemoreofeach @ 2:17 pm
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This pesto-style sauce is made with sun-dried tomatoes and chicken broth, creating an intense tomato flavor. Italian parsley substitutes for basil, the traditional herb used in pesto. The pesto can be made up to a week ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen for longer storage. Serves four.

Ingredients

8 oz linguine

3 large garlic cloves

1 ½ cups oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, well drained

1 ½ cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 Tbl extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp freshly ground pepper

½ cup (2 oz) freshly shredded Asiago or Parmesan cheese

Directions

Cook linguine according to package directions. Meanwhile, chop garlic in food processor until finely minced. Add tomatoes; process until finely chopped. While processor is running, slowly add broth; blend until mixture is pureed. Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat until hot. Add tomato mixture; cook 3 to 4 minutes or until hot, stirring frequently. Stir in parsley, salt and pepper. Drain linguine, reserving ½ cup cooking water. Add reserved water to tomato mixture. In large bowl, toss linguine with tomato mixture. Place on serving platter; sprinkle with cheese. If desired, serve with additional cheese.

 

Linguine with Garlic and Bacon

Filed under: Pasta and Grains — alittlemoreofeach @ 2:15 pm
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Ingredients

½ lb bacon, cut into small pieces

2 cloves garlic, crushed

3 eggs

½ pint heavy cream

fresh parsley, chopped fine

1 package linguine pasta

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions

Sauté bacon and add crushed garlic. Be careful not to burn garlic.  Remove from fat. Beat three eggs, add cream and parsley and heat in a saucepan very slowly. Cook pasta according to directions. Drain. Toss with cream mixture, bacon, and cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

 

Robin’s Pasta Carbonara

Filed under: Pasta and Grains — alittlemoreofeach @ 2:14 pm
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This is a quick and easy stovetop version.

 

Ingredients

¼ lb prosciutto, cut up

Olive oil

Garlic, minced

1 (14 ½ oz) can diced tomatoes

Fresh basil

Fresh oregano

Salt and pepper

¼ cup scallions, chopped

¼ cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

½ cup half and half

 

Directions

Sauté prosciutto and minced garlic in olive oil.  Add canned tomatoes with their juice, basil, oregano and salt and pepper to taste.  Simmer for 20 minutes.  Add grated cheese and half and half.  Heat, but do not boil.  Toss with fresh cooked pasta.  Add more grated cheese and chopped scallions and serve.

 

Nana’s Pasta Carbonara

Filed under: Pasta and Grains — alittlemoreofeach @ 2:13 pm
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Ingredients

1 lb thick sliced bacon, diced

2 Tbl salt

1 lb linguine

3 eggs, beaten well

1/3 cup chopped parsley

Grated Parmesan cheese

Pepper

 

Directions

Sauté the diced bacon in a skillet until it is crisp. Remove the bacon and drain the grease. Cook the linguine according the package instructions in salted water. Drain the pasta and immediately toss it into the bowl of eggs. Add the bacon and parsley. Toss the dish and serve it with Parmesan cheese and pepper.

 

Penne A La Carbonara

Filed under: Pasta and Grains — alittlemoreofeach @ 2:11 pm
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From “Everyday Italian.” Serves four.

 

Ingredients

2 Tbl olive oil

1 lb pancetta, diced into 1-inch cubes

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

6 large eggs, at room temperature

½ cup heavy cream, at room temperature

1 ¼ cups Parmesan cheese, grated

½ tsp sea salt plus more to taste

1 lb dried penne

2 Tbl fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

 

Directions

In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium heat. When almost smoking, add the Pancetta and sauté until golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Stir in ¼ tsp of black pepper and remove the pan from the heat. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and cream. Stir in ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, ½ tsp sea salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Do not rinse the pasta with water; you want to retain the pasta’s natural starches that help the sauce adhere. While the pasta is still hot, return it to the pot, and quickly toss with the browned pancetta, then the cream mixture. It’s important to work quickly while the pasta is still hot so that the cream mixture will cook, but not curdle. Toss with the remaining cup of Parmesan cheese and the chopped parsley. Season the pasta with more salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the pasta to bowls and serve.

 

Pizza Di Spaghetti

Filed under: Pasta and Grains — alittlemoreofeach @ 2:08 pm
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From “Everyday Italian.” Serves four.

 

Ingredients

1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

½ cup whole milk

2 large eggs

½ tsp sea salt

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 cups leftover cooked and sauced pasta, such as spaghetti with tomato sauce

½ cup olive oil

 

Directions

In a large bowl, beat the Parmesan cheese, milk, eggs, sea salt and pepper together. Add the leftover pasta and toss to coat. In a 10-inch diameter nonstick sauté pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the pasta mixture to the pan, spreading evenly. Cook until golden brown on the bottom, about 8 minutes. Carefully invert the pasta mixture onto a plate, then slide it back into the pan. Continue cooking until the bottom is golden brown and the mixture is heated through, about 6 minutes. Transfer the pasta mixture to a serving platter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cut into wedges and serve warm.

 

Spaghetti Pizza-Pie

Filed under: Pasta and Grains — alittlemoreofeach @ 2:05 pm
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Spaghetti Pizza Pie

This is one of the first meals I cooked for Ken when we were dating. I served it with the Sundried Tomato Caesar Salad after Ken’s first day working for Sprint in 2000.

Ingredients

1 (7 oz) package spaghetti

½ lb. bulk Italian sausage or spicy turkey sausage, removed from casing

2 eggs

¾ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 ½ tsp Italian seasoning

1 ½ cup (6 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup ricotta cheese

2 Tbl milk

¾ cup spaghetti sauce

1 small green bell pepper, coarsely chopped (optional)

Spaghetti Pizza Pie

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a deep-dish pie plate. Cook and drain spaghetti as directed on the package. Cook sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink; drain. Beat eggs in a large bowl with fork. Stir in ½ cup of the Parmesan cheese and the Italian seasoning. Mix together the egg mixture and spaghetti. Spread into the pie plate. Mix one cup of the mozzarella cheese, the ricotta cheese and the milk. Spread over the spaghetti mixture to within one inch of the edge. Spread with spaghetti sauce to within ¼ inch of edge of ricotta mixture. Top with the sausage, bell pepper and the remaining Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until cheese begins to brown.