summer macaroni and cheese

1 ear fresh corn
1 medium red pepper, diced, about 2/3 cup
1 small zucchini
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
Butter or nonstick cooking spray
1 cup uncooked small elbow macaroni
1 Tablespoons flour
1 1/4 cups milk
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup parmesan
1/4 cup goat cheese
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

Preheat oven to 375°F Grease a quart baking dish with butter, oil or nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Remove the corn from the cob and place in a bowl. Add the diced red pepper. Slice the zucchini, creating four long strips with green and discarding the center of the zucchini. Dice the green strips and add to the other vegetables. Heat a large non-stick pan, add one tablespoon of butter and cook the vegetables until tender crisp, about 3 minutes. Set aside.



Cook macaroni in a large pot of boiling salted water until outside is cooked but center is still firm. Drain in colander and rinse under cold water; set aside. 

In saucepan over medium-high melt the remaining tablespoon of butter. Whisk in flour and cook for one minute. Over low heat whisk in the milk and stir until the sauce comes to a simmer and thickens. Remove from heat and whisk in the cheese and dry mustard. Stir in drained pasta and vegetables. Spread pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden on top and bubbling. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

macaroni & cheese tips

1. When it comes to macaroni and cheese, the more cheese the better. My rule of thumb is double the volume of cheese to uncooked macaroni. There is no such thing as too much cheese.

2. If you want to add a crunchy topping Panko bread crumbs are ideal, because they are crisp right out of the bag (or box).

3. Undercook your pasta. If you don’t, it will be overcooked by the time you finish baking it. Drain it well and rinse it with cool water or it will keep cooking while you are assembling your casserole.

4. A pinch of dry mustard adds intensity and makes cheddar cheese taste even sharper.

5. Two cheeses are better than one! Three cheeses are even better than two. Different cheeses add more complexity. In addition to the classic cheddar try parmesan, gruyere, goat cheese or even brie.

Read More

Quinoa Chili {Vegetarian}

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced (1 3/4 cup)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 - 2 cups water (or chicken broth if not making vegetarian)
• 1 (7 oz) can diced green chiles
• 2 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste (optional)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 (15 oz) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed (I used one dark red, one light red)
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• Juice of 1 lime

Directions

• Heat olive oil in a large enameled cast iron pot over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot add onion and saute until tender, about 4 minutes, adding in garlic during last 30 seconds of sauteing. Add in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, cooked quinoa, water (start with 1 1/2 cups then add more later if desired), green chiles, chili powder, cumin, cocoa, paprika, sugar, coriander, cayenne pepper and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring mixture just to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover pot and allow to simmer 30 minutes.
• Add in all beans, corn, cilantro and lime and cook until heated through. Serve warm with optional toppings and sides (cheddar, sour cream, diced avocados, saltine crackers or tortilla chips).

Read More

Mexican "Grilled" Corn - A Great Summer Side Dish

Summer is nearly here, and fresh corn on the cob will be beckoning us to enjoy its plump, sweet kernels. I love corn on the cob, and it wasn't until a year or two ago that I came to enjoy the splendor of corn fresh from the field. Madison Street Produce runs a farm stand just a hop-skip from our home, and their produce is picked fresh daily.

Madison Street's corn was a revelation! So delicate and sweet, with kernels that burst forth at the lightest touch. This was the complete opposite of corn that I grew up eating -- kind of tough kernels with moderate corn-fresh flavor. I dubbed Madison's corn, "crack from the field," not to be confused with "crack from the oven," aka, Momofuku Milk Bar's Crack Pie.

Evidently, I have some sort of crack fixation... :)

In any case, I want to share with you my Mexican  "grilled" corn, adapted from Cooks Illustrated's fantastic recipe. I use quotes around "grilled" because I cheated and used my stove to attain the char marks you see. I will say that it's worth it to grill the corn properly because my attempt to imbue some flavor through this method did not work. The stove-top treatment made it look grilled (kind of), but it didn't impart any of the wonderful smoky flavor you would get from the coals.

Dishy Goodness Mexican "Grilled" Corn
(adapted from Cooks Illustrated )

1/4 cup Vegenaise (feel free to substitute regular or light mayonnaise; we just like Vegenaise a lot more)
3 TB sour cream
3 TB minced fresh cilantro leaves
1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
4 tsp juice from 1 lime
1 oz grated Cotija cheese (it's worth it to find this cheese instead of substituting something like Pecorino)
6 large ears of corn, husks and silk removed

Instructions
Cook corn per your favorite method - boiling water; microwave; etc. Just don't overcook it.
**EDIT: If you plan on grilling your corn, the directions are a little different. PM me at donna {at} dishygoodness {dot} com, and I can send you the recipe for either charcoal grilling or gas grilling. Just let me know which method you prefer. :) **

In a large bowl, combine Vegenaise, sour cream, cilantro, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon chili powder, black pepper, cayenne, lime juice and cheese. Check seasoning for desired flavor.

Place cooked corn directly over stove flame, turning regularly with tongs to achieve char marks. Remove to platter when done.

Add charred corn to mixture and toss to coat evenly. Serve immediately. I like to provide additional lime wedges with the corn.
+++

Source: http://www.dishygoodness.com/2010/05/mexican-grilled-corn-great-summer-side.html

Read More