Stovetop Mac & Cheese

Macaroni and cheese made in just minutes on the stovetop. No blue box required.

I have always loved macaroni and cheese. It's one of the very first dishes I learned to cook. For the longest time, I thought homemade mac and cheese by definition included a roux and was baked in an oven. And that's how I did it for years. Truth be told, though, I missed the blue box stovetop style I grew up eating. While there's nothing wrong with baked mac and cheese, it never felt right, either.

When I found this recipe, I was a bit skeptical. Evaporated milk? Only minutes to make? How would it taste? Would it be cheesy enough? Goodness knows I've tried an astounding number of mac and cheese recipes that seemingly have no cheese taste. I don't know how that can be, but it appears to be an epidemic. Well, I'm happy to report that this recipe is definitely cheesy enough. Cheesy and creamy. I don't think I'll ever go back to baked. Not that my husband would let me; he fell in love with this recipe at first bite.


STOVETOP MAC & CHEESE

2 c dried elbow macaroni pasta
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
5oz can evaporated milk
8oz block cheddar

1. In a stockpot, bring some salted water to a roiling boil. Add in pasta. Cook according to package instructions. Drain pasta and return to pot.

2. Add butter to pasta and stir until butter has melted. Add in evaporated milk, spices, and egg and stir to coat pasta. Heat over medium-low until evaporated milk has appeared to thicken, about 3 minutes. Add in cheese and stir until cheese has fully melted.

Source: Evil Shenanigans

This recipe is shared with Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Craft-O-Maniac, On the Menu Monday, Recipe Sharing Monday, Made by You Monday, Tuesday Talent Show, This Chick Cooks, Full Plate Thursday, It's a Keeper Thursday, Foodie Friday

Ricotta Gnocchi

I first learned about gnocchi from the television show Top Chef, which immediately impressed upon me that it would be too difficult for a home cook like me to ever make. But I'm willing to eat crow, because, as it turns out, gnocchi is very achievable, even for a beginner. This Ricotta Gnocchi is a great "bridge" pasta, perfect for those who are interested in branching out into fresh pastas but intimidated by the prospect of rolling out and drying dough (and I'll admit this is me). No special equipment is needed to make this, just grab a bowl, a wooden spoon and get started!


RICOTTA GNOCCHI

1 c. whole-milk ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 c. all-purpose flour, plus extra

1. In large mixing bowl, beat the eggs. Add in ricotta and Parmesan cheeses, mixing well. Mix in the salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir in the cup of flour. The dough will be fairly soft and a bit sticky.

2. Generously flour a board. Grab and handful of dough and start rolling into a rope shape, aiming to get it no thinner than 1/2 inch in diameter. Cut rope into one-inch lengths. Add more flour to the board whenever needed. Repeat this step until all dough has been shaped and cut.

3. Bring a large stockpot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil. Add gnocchi to the water. Gnocchi are done when they float to the surface, 1-3 minutes. Drain. Toss with favorite red sauce and serve.

Source: Allrecipes

Mom's Tortellini Salad

This tortellini salad is perfect for the 4th of July, as well as for other summer picnics and barbeques. I'm not generally a fan of pasta salads. Most I've had over the years have been dressed in globs of mayonnaise (sitting out in the sun, no less) and tossed with things that don't seem to fit, like shredded carrots and hard boiled eggs. Thankfully, this tortellini salad contains none of those things, and instead tastes relatively light and fresh. It's the summer version of heartiness, something that will help fill you up without dragging you down. The balsamic dressing compliments the pasta and vegetables wonderfully. It's a fantastic side dish for a burger, but I've also served it as light dinner on its own.


MOM'S TORTELLINI SALAD

1 lb tortellini (see note below)
2/3 c. balsamic vinegar
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red onion, diced
1 pint grape tomatoes, sliced width wise
8oz block mozzarella cheese, cubed

1. In a large measuring cup, or small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Add the chopped green pepper and diced onion. Let the vegetables soak in the dressing as you prepare the rest of the components.

2. In a large stock pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add tortellini and cook according to package instructions (about 10 minutes for dried tortellini). Drain pasta and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with the dressing and vegetables, tomatoes and mozzarella. Allow to cool in the refrigerator for a few hours, or overnight, before serving.

Note: I use Barilla dried tortellini, as it's the only kind I can find in my local market. Specifically, I use an 8oz bag of the three-cheese variety and an 8oz bag of spinach-ricotta. I imagine fresh tortellini could be used as well.

Source: my mom :)

Manicotti

I have to admit, I'm ridiculously excited about sharing this recipe on my blog. I'm bouncing a bit in my computer chair with glee as I type this. Hopefully, when I'm done, you'll be as excited to try this recipe as I am to tell you about it.

I love making manicotti. Why? Well, let me count the ways. First off, this recipe is great for dipping your toes into the world of fresh pasta. I remember that, as a beginner, the process of making traditional fresh pasta (the kneading, and rolling out, and cutting, and drying) seemed intimidating. However, these manicotti shells are made from a simple batter and cooked like a crepe. They are very easy. I promise. And, as an added bonus, because these manicotti shells are flat, unlike the tube-like ones from a box, they are easier to stuff with filling.

This manicotti is my "impress someone" dinner. It's a good recipe to pull out when having company. I made this for my mom's birthday luncheon last year, and it received rave reviews. Your guests will be so flattered that you took the time to make them pasta from scratch. Yet this whole dish can be pulled together in just 45 minutes. It'll be your little secret.

MANICOTTI

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 28 oz can Italian plum tomatoes in puree (like this)
• 6 leaves basil, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

• 3 large eggs
• 1 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 c. water
• pinch sea salt

• 1 c. whole milk ricotta
• 1-1/2 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/4 c. parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• milk
• additional chopped parsley for serving

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In sauce pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic. Cook for about 3 minutes, until garlic becomes fragrant. Add tomatoes and basil. Use a potato masher to crush tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Bring sauce to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Allow to simmer, covered, as you prepare the remaining components.

3. In large mixing bowl, beat eggs with a whisk. Whisk in the flour. Add the water and then the salt. Whisk until batter is smooth and free of lumps.

4. Spray an 8-inch non-stick frying pan with a light coat of cooking spray or oil. Place frying pan on a burner set to medium heat, holding hand several inches above pan to test it's temperature. Once pan is hot, add 1/4 c. batter to it, swirling the batter around the bottom of the pan to coat evenly. Heat until batter firms and turns mostly opaque (the edges will start to curl upward a bit). Flip over to heat other side. The goal with making these shells is to cook them, but not brown them like you would a tortilla. Be sure not to leave on the heat too long; they're done as soon as they are firm on both sides. Stack finished pasta on a piece of aluminum foil. You should get 8 shells from one batch of batter.

5. In small mixing bowl, combine ricotta, 1/2 c. mozzarella, parmesan, and tablespoon fresh parsley. Season with the salt and pepper. If desired, thin with a bit of milk (this makes your ricotta mixture easier to spread).

6.  Assemble the manicotti. Ladle 1/2 of the sauce into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Spoon 1/8 of the ricotta mixture into the middle of each of the pasta shells. Fold the sides of the shells over the ricotta. Place in the baking dish, seam up. Ladle sauce over top the manicotti. Fresh pasta won't get crunchy or dry out in the oven, like boxed pasta would, so top with as much or as little sauce as you'd like. Sprinkle 1 c. mozzarella on top.

7. Bake in preheated oven for 13-15 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately.

Source: Cats and Casseroles original (with the caveat that although this recipe comes from no specific source it was certainly inspired by dozens of Italian cooks).